by Eliza Watson
Had I seriously just said that? What about wanting to start my Flannery research? It was the money talking. Yet I could sympathize with Gretchen wondering about her family history after losing her father at a young age. Omigod. That was the second time this morning that I’d sympathized with her.
Gretchen gave me an appreciative smile. Her most sincere one ever. “That’d be great.”
I killed the awkward bonding moment by talking pay. “I usually charge a $250 flat rate, if that’s okay.” I wasn’t prepared to request as much as Nigel had offered to pay, but I could slowly raise my rate as I became more competent.
“Sounds good.” She pulled two hundred dollars from her wallet. “Would it be okay if I paid the rest in euros?”
She could pay the rest in yen or pesos for all I cared.
My first cash client.
“Sure.”
She counted out the remaining payment. “I’ll send you what little info I have. I think my grandpa came from Germany.”
Germany. That was a new one.
“I’ve always dreamed of retiring in a little mountain village in Bavaria. Too bad it was my grandpa born there and not my dad, or I’d get dual citizenship.”
“Yeah, I’d love to have Irish citizenship.”
“Why don’t you get it? You’re eligible since your grandma was born there. Citizenship requirements vary by country. My friend’s grandpa was from Ireland, and she got dual citizenship.”
Seriously? I was going to look into that, pronto. Excitement zipped through me at the prospect of traveling with an Irish passport. It would be a step in the right direction. To one day live in Ireland.
Blair walked in, and tension filled the air. There’d been more friction between Blair and Gretchen than Blair and me over the macaroon theft. They’d barely spoken since Gretchen had called her out about being as guilty as anyone for stashing stuff under tables.
“I’m going to grab a coffee,” Gretchen said, not offering to get Blair one.
“I’ll be in touch,” I told her.
Something I never imagined saying to Gretchen.
She smiled her thanks and walked out.
“Do you have a sec?” Blair’s tone was much pleasanter than last night.
What was up?
I sat down at her desk.
“I was cc’d on an e-mail Mr. Gauthier sent to the client this morning. He thought the meeting went well and had a lot of praise for the staff. He requested you for their Monte Carlo trip in May.” She smiled despite her tightened jaw. “Hopefully, you’re available.”
It had to be killing her that her “boyfriend” was requesting me, forcing her to put me on that meeting. Especially after she’d just hired Chad for the last position.
“So I’d be on VIPs with Mindy?”
“I only need one staff for the role. I’ll give Mindy a break. Put her on something else.”
Supposedly this meeting had only required one staff for VIPs. Flying solo when it came to accommodating VIPs’ needs would be major stress. Yet I couldn’t believe I’d impressed Mr. Gauthier enough by attempting French and risking life and limb to get him his key that he’d requested me on the next program. A sense of pride consumed me.
“Can you check your calendar?” Blair asked.
“Sure. I’ll get back to you.”
I wanted to get back to Blair that I wasn’t available. But I had to stick with this job until I found something else. At least making her wait for my response gave me a semblance of control. Maybe my Póg Mo Thóin—Kiss My Ass—undies I was wearing were giving me a false sense of bravado. Maybe the reason Blair had come into my life was to give me a push in the right direction. To show me that meetings weren’t all like the ones I’d worked for Rachel and Heather with small groups, sane planners, and time to sightsee.
I found Nigel in the main ballroom, setting for an event that evening with the Grateful Dead guy’s band. The elegant room had been transformed into Haute Goth done in black, gold, and iron décor. I told him about my discovery with George Wood.
“You just never know what skeletons you might uncover in your research.”
I hoped I didn’t find anything too bad lurking in Nigel’s family’s past. I handed him his gratuity envelope, thanking him.
He handed it back. “You keep it as a down payment on my research. You can let me know any outstanding amount.”
“What if it’s too much?”
“Learning my family history is priceless.” He winked. He handed me a cardboard box with a small package of French macaroons resting on top. “The sugar bowl and creamer set. And I threw in a cake plate to serve the macaroons.”
I smiled at his dry sense of humor. It’d be nice to stay in touch with the kind banquet manager and have communication with the outside world when I was hibernating in my bedroom, snowbound in Milwaukee.
“I thought Gretchen might prefer some Bohemian wine flutes and a bottle of Prosecco,” he said.
“Perfect. I think she’ll need a drink tonight.”
I went to shake Nigel’s hand, but he placed a hand on my arm, a kiss to my cheek. “Safe travels home.”
I walked down the hallway, discreetly tearing open the envelope. Four hundred bucks! Along with Gretchen’s payment, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much cash on me. At least not cash that was mine rather than company petty cash for VIP shopping. I wondered if that was a typical tip or if Gretchen had been overly generous. Not a word I ever dreamed I’d use to describe Gretchen.
Did Gretchen now use different words to describe me also?
Chapter Nineteen
I was in my room packing when I received an e-mail from Mom checking again on George and forwarding the link to a new fish fry place we were going to Friday, Earl and Francine’s Supper Club. Their garlic mashed potatoes were supposedly to die for. Artery-clogging potatoes. That was what I had to look forward to. Not a very Irish attitude, but I’d rather be sitting in a Dublin pub eating mashed potatoes off the top of a shepherd’s pie.
I couldn’t put off calling Mom any longer. I’d tell her that George Wood’s story was long and better shared when I got home. This wasn’t the type of information I should hit her with over the phone, especially if she was alone at the time. Grandma’s secret first marriage would pale in comparison to Mom’s secret half brother.
Mom answered on the second ring. “I didn’t think you were going to ever call me.”
“Sorry. I met with George Wood late last night, and I had to be up at four this morning.”
“That’s not what I’m referring to. However, I do want to hear about your visit. I’m referring to the fact that you want to work in Dublin.”
I couldn’t believe Rachel had told Mom about my interest in moving to Dublin. I felt like I was ten years old.
“Ah, yeah, sorry. I didn’t think Rachel would nark on me. Besides, I decided against it.”
“Did you and Declan break up?” Her voice filled with concern.
“What did Rachel tell you about us?”
“She didn’t have to tell me anything. I’m not blind. Your face lights up every time you mention him. You’re all happy after he calls. And yes, I know he calls. I’ve been a mother for almost thirty years.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about us sooner, but I didn’t want you to think I was making another mistake.” Like Rachel had. “And no, we didn’t break up.”
“Because you had one bad relationship I’m going to think you’ll have another? Mistakes are how we learn. One of my big regrets was not taking a summer job at my aunt’s clothing boutique in Napa Valley. I chose to stay in Wisconsin and work at Camp Burning Nettles instead to be close to your father. Of course that wasn’t the actual name of the camp, but almost everyone got burning nettles that summer, including me, and it made all the counselors’ jobs a complete nightmare…”
While Mom described how to identify the nasty plant when out hiking in the woods—which I did, never—I tried to process exactly
where this conversation was headed.
“Anyway,” she said, coming up for air. “I’m surprised you aren’t going to give this job opportunity a shot.”
Rachel and Declan thought I was nuts for even considering moving to Dublin, whereas Mom thought I should go for it? Or was this reverse psychology?
“So you’re telling me to go for the job?”
“Of course I don’t want you to move to Ireland, but luckily your aunt Dottie was here when Rachel called. She convinced me to take the night to calm down and think about this before talking to you.” Mom let out a deep sigh of resignation. “She also reminded me of my regret over not having done the summer in Napa. I don’t want you to live with the regret of not doing this. Don’t get me wrong—I love your father and don’t regret marrying him, most of the time. But I should have taken that summer for myself. And I was only nineteen. You’re almost twenty-five. I’ll worry about you no matter what age you are—that’s what mothers do. But you did fine on your own at Christmas, and you have people in Ireland who care about you.”
In shock, I was unable to utter a word.
“I hope you’re still there after I just rambled on forever,” she said.
“Yeah, ah, I’m still here. This Dublin job wouldn’t just be temporary, like for a summer.” Despite what Rachel believed.
“I realize that.”
I could picture Mom nodding, trying to maintain a calm and rational tone despite her reservations. Like the time she’d walked into my bedroom and found me painting it neon orange and black, our school colors.
“Dublin is only a seven-hour flight. It’s about time I visited Ireland. Breakfast is almost ready…” She had a brief side conversation with my dad. “Your father’s up. Why don’t we discuss George Wood’s family history when you get home?”
“Ah, sounds good. Love you.”
Rachel and Declan might not think I could handle this job, but Mom and Mr. Gauthier did? Rachel was going to flip if she found out Mom had sided with me rather than her, something that rarely happened. And Mom was right about regrets. Wasting two years with Andy was my biggest one yet, but losing Declan would be an even bigger one if our long-distance relationship failed.
Flanagan’s meetings wouldn’t be nearly the stress of this job. Much of my current stress came from constant jet lag, sleeping in unfamiliar beds, and having no routine or balance. Like I’d told Rachel, Flanagan’s meetings were small, cookie-cutter meetings. Granted, I wasn’t familiar with negotiating hotel contracts or planning meal guarantees, but most of the off-site meetings were at the Connelly Court Hotel, so they likely had standard provisions. I could take an online Meeting Planning 101 class and learn the basics within a few months, despite Rachel thinking it’d take me years.
Rachel was still never going to go for it.
What if I pitched the idea directly to Flanagan’s CEO?
My taking initiative might impress him. And I’d paved the way for Brecker landing Finn O’Brien’s business. Telling the CEO I’d applied for dual citizenship would make me look serious about moving to Ireland. That this wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment whim like Rachel feared. If the pay wasn’t great, I’d pick up a part-time job. Maybe Gerry Coffey needed help at the pub.
The thought of going back to snow, four thousand miles from Declan and Ireland, about made me burst into tears. Financial stability meant nothing without emotional stability. I was always asking myself what Rachel would do in a situation.
Rachel would go after this job.
My life had looked bleak until my first trip to Ireland and meeting Declan, both of which made me feel grounded. Suddenly, I didn’t want to waste another second. Rachel had cc’d me on an e-mail with Flanagan’s CEO while planning the current Dublin meeting, so I had his addy. I shot off an e-mail telling him I was in Dublin for a few days and asked if he’d have time to meet.
My palms started sweating, my heart racing. I couldn’t believe I’d just gone behind Rachel’s back. I’d been working so hard at rebuilding our relationship. My ancestry research had helped us reconnect and had brought us closer together and closer to Mom. We’d become friends, not just sisters. However, Rachel more than anyone should understand this was a professional decision, not a personal one. And she’d told me not to be a quitter, so I was going for this job.
Besides likely having alienated my sister, what if I couldn’t change my airline ticket or get a decent-priced hotel room in Dublin? I e-mailed our sales rep at the Connelly Court Hotel to see if she’d give me a deal on a room. If not, I’d stay at the River Liffey dump. I checked my airline reservation. A change to my current return ticket of Prague to Chicago would cost $600 with fees and availability. Luckily, if I flew Aer Lingus instead, a new one-way ticket for Dublin to Chicago was only $250, and a ticket from Prague to Dublin was $100. The cash from Nigel and Gretchen would cover my trip.
Within a half hour, the CEO confirmed he could meet tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
I did a mental happy dance. Then my stomach dropped.
He’d cc’d Rachel on the e-mail.
He likely assumed our appointment was about their upcoming meetings since I’d helped Rachel plan the one currently taking place. Rachel was going to go ballistic. She hated being blindsided. I had to call her before she read the e-mail. I set the alarm on my phone for 6:05 a.m. Milwaukee time.
Hopefully, she was still talking to me.
* * *
I stood in line at the Aer Lingus ticket counter, immersed in the sound of Irish accents and tourist attractions displayed on overhead monitors: Birr Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry…
My phone alarm chimed, and my stomach clenched.
Time to call Rachel.
She answered on the first ring. “I can’t believe you went behind my back like that.”
She’d obviously read her e-mail.
“I’m sorry. But I was down to the wire. I’m leaving Prague today. It’s ideal timing for me to stop in Dublin.”
“You should have at least told me before contacting him. I got you the work with Flanagan’s. They’re part of my company.”
“Mom forced you to put me on that first meeting. If I hadn’t proved I could do the job, you wouldn’t have hired me for those other meetings or had me helping you plan Flanagan’s.” A group of girls ahead of me were shooting curious glances my way. I lowered my voice. “You’d have expected me to understand that it was a professional decision, not a personal one.”
“Well, this feels personal. And me not wanting you to take the job was also personal. I worry about you, Caity. You’re still recovering from your relationship with Andy. I don’t think it’s smart to make such a major move that at least partially revolves around a guy.”
“I knew you’d have talked me out of it.”
“Of course I would have. What if Matthew McHugh gets pissed, thinking I should have run it by him first before you put him on the spot? What if he thinks I’m putting him on the spot? You’ve put me in a really shitty position. If they hire a planner for the first time, they’re going to want someone who can hit the ground running.”
“I’m more competent than Gemma, even if you don’t think so.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You think it’d take me a year and a half to be qualified for a planner position when you got one with no experience. I’ve worked Matthew McHugh’s meetings. He knows I’m more capable than Gemma. And I’m not in way over my head.” Just a bit. “I’m going to sign up for an online meeting planning class, and I’m looking into applying for Irish dual citizenship. If I don’t move there for a job at Flanagan’s, I’m moving there for another one.”
“I just can’t believe you did this without telling me.”
Her hurt and disappointed tone caused my confidence to waver.
“You know why I sent that e-mail?” I wasn’t going to say Mom and put her in the middle of this. Besides, Mom and Rachel had both played a role in my decision.
“Hmph?�
��
“I always ask myself, ‘What would Rachel do in this situation?’ And in this situation, I knew you’d go for the job.”
“Seriously?” Rachel sounded like she’d had the wind knocked out of her. “You think I’d have gone behind your back like that? I wouldn’t have. Not now. Not knowing what it could do to our relationship. Maybe the old Rachel would have done that, but the old Caity never would have.”
Click.
Wow. Low blow. I’d always admired my sister’s ambition and determination, but I’d vowed not to turn out like her, allowing my job to control my life and putting it before family and friends.
Had I just done that?
I was torn whether I believed that Rachel wouldn’t have done the same thing in my shoes. I didn’t blame her for being ticked that I hadn’t given her a heads-up that I was sending the e-mail. Yet if I had, I wouldn’t have gone through with it. And I felt this was something I really needed to do. I would pitch the job in a way that wouldn’t reflect badly on Rachel. I’d mention that I was moving to Dublin and currently looking for a planner’s position. I didn’t have to admit Flanagan’s was the only place I was looking. If the CEO didn’t bite, I’d mention the contract planning idea. Yet I couldn’t afford to live in Dublin and contract plan without benefits. As a contract planner, I’d need to still live at home and for Rachel to allow me in her office.
I called Declan, but he didn’t answer. Since this wasn’t something I should leave in a voicemail, I said I’d try him later. I didn’t want to tell him I was going to Dublin until I knew how the interview went.
An American couple standing behind me were chatting about their first trip to Ireland. “There’s no way Ireland will be as beautiful as Prague,” the man said.
“It’ll be hard to beat,” his wife replied.
I turned toward the middle-aged couple. “Prague is beautiful, but Ireland is breathtaking. All the shades of green are like a patchwork quilt, even in winter. The grass is the most cushiony carpet ever. Ivy wraps around huge tree trunks, and thick hedges divide fields. Sheep are everywhere.” I laughed at the thought of Zoe and me herding the red and green dyed sheep off the road. “The countryside is so peaceful, you can hear sheep baaing and cows mooing five fields away. The people are the nicest ever. They welcome you into their homes like they’ve known you all their lives.” I smiled, consumed by an overwhelming sense of longing to visit Declan’s parents in the country.