‘Take the binoculars. You’ll see all sorts of stuff with them,’ Nell said.
Mouse did as she suggested and spent the next hour engrossed in that.
‘Right,’ Nell said, stretching. ‘I’m going to make a pot of soup. That’s what I do on Thursdays. It’s for John-Joe. Come and watch if you want. Or you can join in?’
Mouse followed her back to the kitchen where Nell began to peel and roughly chop potatoes and onions. ‘I’m not what you’d call a chef. But I like the idea of tossing a load of ingredients into a big pot, whizzing it up and producing something comforting.’
‘You must like this John-Jo if you make him soup,’ Mouse ventured. ‘Is he your fella?’
Nell harrumphed. ‘I actually think he’s one of the greatest idiots I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting. He’s married to my long-term housekeeper. She’s a gem of a woman. It makes her life easier when her good-for-nothing husband is kept happy.’
‘Fair enough,’ Mouse said, nodding.
Nell continued with the job in hand. She didn’t ask Mouse any of the questions that were racing through her brain. But if the truth was told, Nell was as curious as a monkey to know the ins and outs of how Mouse had ended up in Ballyshore at her lighthouse. But she was the queen of keeping secrets, so she wasn’t going to engage in double standards.
‘Want to chop carrots?’ she asked.
Mouse nodded. ‘Is there a certain way to do it?’
‘It’s a carrot. What can you possibly do to it that will change that?’
Mouse grinned.
They continued in a comfortable silence until Mouse stopped chopping and tipped the carrots into the pot of bubbling stock.
‘So I already told you I’m from Dublin,’ she said.
‘All the best girls are.’
‘Yeah, I guess.’ Mouse smiled briefly. Nell was utterly winded for a second. The difference in the young girl’s face when she actually smiled was astonishing. For a moment … just a fleeting second … she reminded her of Laura.
‘I had to get away,’ Mouse said. ‘Ma went into hospital over a year ago. She was meant to dry out and come home. But it seems she’d already done too much damage. She died in the place that was supposed to cure her. Great, yeah?’
‘Not really,’ Nell said. ‘Life’s a bitch at times.’
‘I’m the youngest so I think the social workers assumed the brothers would mind me,’ Mouse said.
‘And they didn’t?’
‘Nah, between them and Da they were too busy planning the next job. By job I don’t mean legal employment …’
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ Nell said.
‘I don’t know where the stuff came from, but some days the flat would be stuffed with all sorts, from tellies and jewellery to fancy bags and God knows what … They won’t miss me. At least, I doubt they will. Have I been on Crime Call yet?’ She grinned. ‘Or is there an SOS on Facebook with a picture of me in a communion dress looking cute?’
‘I don’t watch much television,’ Nell said. ‘Never did. I’m not on Facebook either. Mo is … she’ll be in tomorrow. You can ask her.’
‘Why did you come out here?’ Mouse asked.
‘Why did you?’ she shot back.
Mouse shrugged her shoulders. ‘I think I wanted to get as far away from the grime and buildings and cars and crap … I didn’t use sat nav or nothing,’ Mouse said. ‘I just got on trains and landed in different towns and walked and hung out. It’s amazing how you can become invisible.’
‘I know,’ Nell said. ‘It’s worked nicely for me for a long time.’
Mouse looked at her. ‘Who showed you how to make soup?’
‘Nobody. I started doing stuff like this out of necessity. I looked after someone who needed to be on a special diet. So I had to learn. It’s therapeutic, though. Makes my head feel less clogged. Then I perform my weekly act of kindness by giving some to Mo. That makes me feel better in here,’ she said thumping her chest. ‘Then she gives it to her lazy assed husband John-Joe. By all accounts, it makes him happy. Everybody wins.’
‘Why is he a lazy ass? Why do you dislike him so much?’
‘He’s never bothered to find work. He allows Mo to clean for people and it hasn’t occurred to him to even feel guilty.’
‘Do you know that for a fact?’
‘No, but I’ve come to that conclusion and nobody has ever argued with me. I’ve never actually told anyone, mind you … That’s the beauty of not having to answer to anybody.’ She stirred the pot and slapped a lid on.
‘Are all men a waste of space?’ Mouse asked.
‘Why on earth do you think I’d know the answer to that question?’ Nell asked.
‘You’re old, aren’t you?’ she said matter-of-factly.
‘Charming.’
‘Well, your hair is white and you don’t look my age.’
‘I’m seventy-four,’ Nell stated.
‘Yup, that’s old,’ Mouse confirmed.
Instead of feeling remotely insulted, Nell laughed. ‘Back to the men question,’ she said as she leaned against the counter. ‘I’ve yet to meet a man who didn’t disappoint me.’
‘Janey Mac, I think I’ll just jump into the sea and be done with it,’ Mouse said, sighing dramatically. ‘The only fella I think I could love is Superman. Not the new one. I don’t know him. The real one. The one who died, Christopher Reeve. I used to watch Superman with Ma when we had a video-player. One of the big old black ones that took enormous tapes.’
‘They’re the only ones I remember,’ Nell said.
‘We used to sit and watch Superman flying with his jocks outside his tights and his gammy red boots and I wished with all my heart that he was mine. The way he spun the world backwards … He was a legend.’
‘Don’t hold your breath waiting for a man in tights to move your world,’ Nell warned. Mouse sat up on the counter and stared into Nell’s eyes.
‘Have you ever been in love, Nell?’
‘A long time ago, yes,’ she admitted. ‘Once was enough. I gave him my heart and he didn’t appreciate it. I won’t do that again.’
‘Are you happy living out here by the sea?’
‘I’d hardly be here if I wasn’t. Nobody can let me down and nobody expects anything of me. In short, nobody gets hurt.’
‘Isn’t it better to feel something though? Even if it’s pain?’ Mouse asked. She held her head to the side and stared intently at Nell. For the first time in years, Nell felt an emotional connection. This girl was clearly damaged, but she was endearing.
‘For a little whipper-snapper who lulled me into a false sense of security where I thought you were quiet and shy, you ask a lot of strange questions,’ Nell said.
‘Sorry,’ she said, holding her hands up in apology. ‘You’re the first person I’ve ever spoken to like this. You’re easy to chat to. You don’t make me feel as if I’m in the wrong purely because I exist.’
‘Ah go on out of that,’ Nell said turning to stir the soup as she felt oddly misty-eyed. Nell wasn’t going to tell Mouse, but that was the nicest thing anyone had said to her in a long time.
‘Can I come out and do your garden with you today? I watched you yesterday. You know loads about growing stuff, don’t you?’
Nell glanced at her watch and looked up at the sky. ‘There’s more rain on the way. Let’s go out and I’ll show you a couple of things while the soup is cooking.’
‘Deadly,’ Mouse said as a wide smile lit her eyes to a sparkle.
Nell marched off in search of a coat and hat for Mouse as she struggled to hide her delight. Knowing Mouse wasn’t going to stay long, she reminded herself not to get accustomed to this. Still, she mused as she fished a stripy hat out of a drawer, it was kind of nice while it lasted.
Chapter 14
Róisín felt quietly confident as she sat in the waiting area of the bank. She fingered the card she’d stowed carefully in her bag. It was one of her birthday cards from her birth mothe
r. She somehow felt that if she brought it along, it would bring her luck; that her mother would be here with her. It was stupid, really, but it still gave her a sense of comfort.
She pulled it out of her bag and read it quickly. She knew most of them off by heart at this point, but the words still touched her.
Darling girl,
How does it feel being two? I hope you’re not too terrible! In fact a small part of me hopes you are. Why? Because I hear I was. I like to think I was spirited. That’s a much nicer word than terrible, isn’t it?
I hope you have cake and balloons and that you’re learning how to blow out your candles and do clap-handies afterwards. When I was two I had wispy hair that barely covered my head. By the time I was three I had the smallest ponytail on the top of my head. Mam used to call me Pebbles after the baby in The Flintstones. I was ever so proud of that ponytail and pointed it out to anyone who showed even a passing interest in me.
I wish I could be there to hold you and dress you in a little party outfit and tell you how much I love you. But I know your mother will do a great job.
I am smiling and waving and I hope you are happy as can be. Be who you want to be, little lady. I hope all your dreams come true today!
With love and light,
Mam
Róisín smiled as she folded the card and put it back in her bag. I hope all my dreams come true today too, she thought, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
She’d had her meeting with the loans and mortgage specialist two days previously and this was the moment of truth. She’d told Jill all about it and her friend had hugged her and assured her she was on the cusp of something amazing.
‘I just know it. You’re so amazing, Ro-Ro. Just imagine, you could end up getting tickets to all the best festivals and become the proud owner of the first Michelin-starred restaurant in this part of the country! If anyone can do it, you will.’
Jill was there to hug her and wish her well as she drove off toward the bank this morning, and she really appreciated that.
‘Róisín?’ said Sandra, the bank official. ‘This way.’
She followed her into the small office where they had met the other day.
‘So I have some great news for you,’ Sandra said. ‘I won’t keep you in suspense, the bank is happy to approve a loan in principle. Obviously this is subject to agreement on a price from your landlord. We also took the sum of twenty thousand euros that you asked for separately into account for expanding your mobile food emporium for festivals, and we’re happy to fund this initiative too.’
‘Really?’ Róisín said, unable to hide her delight. ‘Oh my goodness, I’m thrilled, Sandra.’
‘It’s a great idea and as I said to you the last day, once we see a business that’s turning over a good profit, it’s a no-brainer.’
‘And people say the banks don’t want to lend money!’
They shook hands and Róisín filled out another pile of forms. She was astonished by just how much paperwork was involved, but right at this moment in time, she would have filled out a thousand forms if it meant she’d get her money.
‘So the next step for you,’ Sandra explained, ‘is to hire a quantity surveyor to give a full report on the building. You’ll need a reputable estate agent, and I would recommend using a couple, to establish a current market value too.’
‘OK,’ Róisín said as she scribbled notes down. ‘I know that Mr Grace is being put under pressure by his sons. So I’m banking on them seeing this as an opportunity to get a bag of cash each.’
‘Money matters among families are always a mess,’ Sandra said as Róisín stood up to leave. ‘But considering the premises was going to rack and ruin before you moved in and took over, I’d say they’d be foolish to pass you up on your offer.’
Róisín felt like leaping in the air and dancing, but she opted for a frothy latte and a bar of chocolate instead to toast her big moment.
As she sipped her drink in a nearby café, she pulled out her smartphone and looked up the local estate agencies. Dialling the first one, she explained her plan to an engaging woman called Sue.
‘So I need your discretion until I have a price that I can present to Mr Grace,’ she said.
‘Of course,’ Sue said. ‘I’ll come over to the property myself and I promise you the utmost discretion.’
Róisín got a good feeling from Sue and would happily go with her on instinct alone, but she remembered Sandra’s advice to look for a few prices to compare. So she dialled two more numbers and made appointments for each company to send a representative, asking them to ensure they only spoke to her.
Finding a quantity surveyor seemed like a more daunting task and she hadn’t the foggiest idea how to go about it, so Róisín phoned her dad.
‘Hello love,’ he said sounding as if he were down a drain.
‘Hi Dad,’ she said. ‘Where are you?’
‘Jimmy and I are on the ferry. We’re going to France for two days to buy cheap wine. I’ve brought the car and everything.’
‘Really?’ she said unable to hide her surprise. ‘I didn’t realise you were going to France. I would’ve given you some ideas of great places to eat.’
‘Ah no, we’re not going for a gastro tour,’ he said. ‘It’s literally to stock our own cellars and have a bit of fun.’
‘I see,’ Róisín said with a smirk. Her dad’s ‘cellar’ consisted of a cheap thirty-six-bottle wine rack that was tacked to the wall under the stairs. He enjoyed the odd glass of wine, but wasn’t exactly what one would call a connoisseur. There were never more than three or four bottles on the rack and they were all gifts from her shop.
‘This retirement lark is the business,’ he said happily. ‘I should’ve done it years ago.’
‘Yes, except you probably couldn’t have afforded it,’ she pointed out, rubbing her temples.
‘What’s up? Did you need me for something in particular?’
‘I sort of did. But I’ll speak to you when you return,’ Róisín said.
‘Shoot! What is it?’
‘I need a quantity surveyor to check out the shop. I’m hoping to make an offer on the place.’
‘Really?’ he said. ‘That’s great, love. I didn’t realise old Mr Grace was selling up. It’s a great opportunity.’
‘Maybe. It’s all up in the air at the moment, so keep it under your hat just now. I’m just gathering information so I can make him a fair offer. I’m hoping he’ll like the idea of a lump sum and run with it.’
There was an almighty crashing noise in the background.
‘Dad?’
‘Sorry about that, love,’ he said as he burst out laughing. ‘Jimmy and I are in the mini casino on the ferry. There’s a one-armed bandit machine and we’ve just hit the jackpot! Woo-hoo!’
‘You go on, Dad,’ she said, not wanting to ruin his fun. ‘I’ll talk to you when you get back.’
She hung up, shaking her head and smiling. Her dad was like a naughty teenager with Jimmy lately. But still, he was right to have a bit of fun! As she was about to leave the café a text came through from Doug with the name and phone number of a lady called Yvonne, who Jimmy said was a fantastic quantity surveyor.
She left the café and dialled the number immediately.
Yvonne was based in Galway city but said she had business in a nearby town and could meet Róisín at Nourriture within the hour.
‘Are you sure?’ Róisín asked.
‘Absolutely, I’d only have to make a return trip another day and I have all my equipment in the car, so it makes sense.’
Róisín gave Yvonne directions and rushed back to her car. Jill called as she was almost back at Nourriture.
‘Well?’
‘It went brilliantly,’ she said. ‘Even better than I’d hoped. I’ve to get a current valuation and I’m meeting a quantity surveyor right now. Once I get all the paperwork in order, I’ll be able to make an offer.’
‘Excellent! I knew you could do it. Do yo
u need me to help at the shop while you’re doing your meeting?’
‘No, I think it’ll be fine. But thanks for the offer.’
‘No problem. Listen, I hope you don’t mind but I’ve invited a few friends over to ours for a barbecue tonight.’
‘Yeah, sure,’ she said. ‘Sounds great. It’s a lovely evening.’
‘Great, I’ll get beers and can you swipe a couple of bottles of Prosecco? I got burgers and sausages. That’ll do for food.’
‘I’ll bring some other more edible stuff as well,’ Róisín said pointedly. It never ceased to amaze her how much junk Jill put in her body yet her skin was beautiful and she had a figure to die for.
‘See you later on then,’ Jill said hanging up. Not wanting to attract attention to the quantity surveyor, Róisín told Brigid she was having a meeting upstairs in the office and that she needed privacy.
‘No problem,’ she said. ‘The juice bar is flying, by the way. We put up that offer of a juice and a muffin and it went down a bomb. We’ll need to add to the order going forward.’
‘That’s great Brigid, and to think I was worried about spending the money on the machines!’
She dashed upstairs and put on a pot of coffee, just in time for Brigid to shout up the stairs that someone called Yvonne was there to see her.
The meeting was swift as Yvonne took down the details and asked if she could work away at surveying the place.
‘The main thing is that this must be kept quiet for now,’ Róisín reiterated.
‘That’s fine by me. You’re hiring me, Róisín, so it’s nobody else’s business what I report. I’ll get started and if I need anything, I’ll let you know.’
The shop was super busy, so Róisín went behind the counter to help out. A short while later Keeley arrived with Billy and Jess.
‘Hi guys,’ she said. ‘Are you here for a little snack?’
Róisín led the children to a table and took their order. ‘Coffee, Mum?’ she asked. Keeley nodded, looking truly exhausted. Róisín brought it over and hugged her mum. ‘How are you doing?’
‘I’m fine, love. I’m just feeling a bit of pressure. Your father went away on an impromptu holiday with Jimmy and the B&B is full. Liv is finding the students a bit much so I’m trying to help out with these two munchkins.’ Róisín brought her mother a slice of lemon cake and sat with her for a moment. She was just about to work out how she could be of help to her when Yvonne appeared.
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