by Caragh Bell
Dominic took a swig of beer. ‘I suppose he trusts her.’
‘Of course,’ said Lydia.
Luca arrived back in at that moment. ‘I dig you with curly hair.’
Lydia giggled. ‘I thought I was so beautiful.’
‘You were, Lyd, you were.’ Molly patted her back.
Andy burst through the door.
‘Molly! Adele is puking in the downstairs toilet.’
‘What?’ Molly looked alarmed. ‘Why?’
‘Too much Coca Cola, I suppose.’ Dominic shook his head gravely. ‘I’ve seen it many times in the emergency room.’
‘Shut up, Dom,’ Molly glared at him and grabbed some kitchen roll. ‘Coming, Adele!’
Luca opened another beer. He knew he’d had enough but he was beyond caring. He sat on Seán Kelly’s favourite armchair and rested his head against the cushiony back. This house was so warm and homey. He loved the books and magazines piled everywhere, the family pictures thrown haphazardly up on the wall, the magnets on the fridge. Everything screamed family: something he was not that accustomed to. He envied the Kellys. They all seemed super close and happy. Taking a sip of beer, his gaze drifted as always to Lydia. She was laughing with her head thrown back. He watched her flick her hair and smile at Colin. Her eyes sparkled.
Why was she under his skin? For some reason he couldn’t think of anything else. One day he was reading about Provence and he immediately thought of her. Hell, he couldn’t even get a burger in McDonald’s anymore. Jessica’s laugh jolted him back to reality. He knew that everyone was wondering why he didn’t pull her away from Ollie. He just didn’t care. Yeah, she was beautiful. Yeah, she was dynamite in bed, but that was it. He couldn’t talk to her about anything. Her interests consisted of fashion and make-up.
Still, she suited him. She was always available. She didn’t put pressure on him and he liked that.
Suddenly Dominic walked into the room and pulled Lydia into his arms. Luca felt something knife his heart. Why did he have to be so cool? He couldn’t hate the guy. He was pretty good-looking too which made it even worse. Why would Lydia even look at him with Dominic in her life?
But then sometimes she looked at him in a special way. Sometimes he got the impression that she felt something. Sometimes ...
Helen swept up the last of the debris. It was four in the morning. Colin dumped the remains of the smoked salmon onto a plate and put it in the fridge.
‘Colin, you are such a great help, love. You are the best cleaner in the world.’
‘No worries, Auntie Hel. I enjoy it.’ He scraped the hummus out of a bowl and tipped the remaining bread rolls into the refuse sack in his hand.
‘It was a good party, wasn’t it?’ she said.
‘Amazing!’ he agreed fervently.
‘It was nice that new and old friends got to meet each other.’
‘Sure. I tweeted that it was the best party I’ve been to in ages.’
Helen looked at him fondly. ‘That means a lot.’
Colin poured himself a pint of water. ‘Lydia crashed early.’
‘Yes, she had far too much wine. I always warn her to drink water in between glasses, but she never listens.’
‘It takes the soul out of the experience, I suppose. Although I’ll be glad I drank this tomorrow morning.’ He downed the last few drops. ‘Is Uncle Seán okay?’
‘He’ll be dying tomorrow.’
‘I thought he was the life and soul in the end.’
‘He’ll be like a weasel in the morning. The head will be bad.’ Helen absentmindedly threw a paper cup in the fire. ‘Who is that American with the pretty girlfriend?’ she asked quietly.
Colin raised an eyebrow. ‘Luca. He’s Craig’s cousin. They live together. Why?’
‘He seems a bit intense, doesn’t he? He kept looking at Lydia.’
Colin shrugged. ‘They’re friends, I wouldn’t worry about it.’
Helen bit her lip. ‘I have a funny feeling about him – call it mother’s instinct – but I think he’s trouble.’
Colin threw the refuse sack on the ground. ‘Auntie Hel! You’re so dramatic, girl!’
‘Still and all, Colin, watch him for me, will you?’
Colin pulled her close and kissed her forehead. ‘I’ll watch him like a hawk.’
Lydia surfaced at midday.
‘Oh my God, my head is splitting,’ she groaned as she sat down at the table.
Colin was cooking French toast in the kitchen, decked out in a stripy apron and whistling One Direction.
‘Breakfast, Lydia?’ he asked, frying pan poised over a plate.
Lydia shook her head violently. ‘Just tea for me, thanks.’
‘Is Dom awake?’ asked Helen, buttering her toast.
‘Not yet. He’s so exhausted all the time. His shifts in the hospital seem endless.’
‘Doctors are never off duty,’ said Seán, opening the sports section of The Sunday Times.
Lydia said nothing. Her head throbbed. Frowning, she tried to piece together the night. Everything was fine until the Jägerbombs. Colin’s idea, of course. She cursed him silently. She could remember singing a duet with Ollie but then nothing.
She inwardly cringed. How mortifying!
Andy arrived into the kitchen, pulling earplugs out of his ears. Looking at his attire, Lydia guessed that he had been out for a run.
‘Fair play, Andy,’ she said in admiration. ‘I barely have enough energy to lift my cup of tea.’
‘Did you enjoy yourself last night, love?’ asked Helen.
Lydia nodded. ‘Thanks so much. It was like the twenty-first I never had.’
‘Exactly!’ affirmed Colin, plonking down on the chair next to her. ‘It had to be done, Lyd.’ He picked up the maple syrup and poured it generously over his eggy toast. ‘Yum!’ he exclaimed, biting into it with a flourish.
Lydia closed her bleary eyes. The thought of food was nauseating.
‘So, Auntie Hel, I booked the ski trip.’ Colin swallowed loudly and took a sip of his coffee. ‘We’re all set to go.’
‘Really?’ Helen looked up from the magazine she was reading. ‘Which dates?’
‘Flying out on the twenty-seventh – coming back on the first.’
‘That will be lovely.’
Lydia brightened slightly. ‘We’ll have New Year out there!’
‘Like, duh.’ Colin looked at her as if she had two heads. ‘That was the plan all along.’
‘Is Dom going?’ asked Helen, looking at her daughter.
‘Yes. He asked for the time off. I’m so excited.’
Colin munched on his toast. ‘I have a feeling that it will be the best ski trip yet.’
Ollie called down the stairs. ‘Mum, can I get a coffee?’
Helen jumped to her feet. ‘Sure, love, I’ll bring it up in a minute.’
Colin giggled. ‘She has no self-respect.’
Lydia grinned.
Over in Samantha’s house, Luca lay on the floor, wrapped around Jessica. Craig had set up a lilo bed on the ground and covered it with duvets. Samantha refused to budge from her bed, so Craig busied himself making sausages and toast.
The smell of frying woke Luca up. Untangling himself from Jessica, he sat up and stretched. Getting to his feet, he glanced around the sitting room. He could see Samantha from age two upwards mounted on the wall. Stepping over his sleeping girlfriend, he joined Craig in the kitchen.
‘Any spare for me, man?’ he asked, yawning.
Craig nodded. ‘Make a pot of tea.’
‘How’s the head?’ asked Craig, tipping sausages onto a plate.
‘Not great,’ admitted Luca, rubbing his temples. ‘I went a bit crazy with the Jägerbombs. Colin is into some crazy shit.’
‘They finished Sam off. She can’t move at all.’ Laughing, Craig placed two mugs, a bottle of milk and two plates on the table.
Luca flicked the switch on the kettle.
‘Where are the teabags?’ he asked, looking a
round.
‘In that jar by the breadbin. The teapot is on the windowsill. Oh, grab the sliced pan too as you’re at it.’
Luca busied himself making tea while Craig got some butter and ketchup.
‘Where are Sam’s folks?’ asked Luca, placing the china pot on the table.
‘In Tenerife. Thank God – I don’t think I could handle them today.’
They started to eat.
‘That guy Dom is really cool.’ Craig munched thoughtfully. ‘He comes across as a decent guy.’
‘Yeah,’ was the reply.
‘Ollie is gas too. He has some stories.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Jesus, Luca, let me get a word out of you anyway.’
Luca gave him a look. ‘I just want to eat – can’t you just let me eat?’
Craig shrugged. ‘Lydia was in a state in the end. Did you see Dom picking her up and carrying her to bed?’
There was silence.
‘Can you pass me the ketchup?’ said Luca eventually.
Craig passed it.
‘Thanks, man.’
Luca squirted a huge dollop of red on his toast but suddenly didn’t feel hungry anymore. Sure, he saw Dominic taking Lydia away. She had been singing and laughing. In his opinion the party was only getting started. Why was Dom so goddamn perfect? It would have been so much easier to take her off a loser.
‘What time are you driving back?’ he asked.
Craig looked at his watch. ‘Soon. I want to see the rugby.’
Luca got to his feet. ‘Right. I must jump in the shower.’
Craig nodded as he filled the sink with water. ‘Tell Jess to make a move too.’
Chapter 20
‘Can you believe it’s December?’ exclaimed Colin, filling his trolley with Marks and Spencer’s finest.
Lydia smiled. ‘I absolutely love Christmas, Col. Especially this year. I mean, only three weeks to skiing!’
‘It will be legendary. I’m already packed!’ He paused to pick up a bottle of orange juice.
Lydia took in the Christmas produce that littered the store. Biscuits, puddings and cakes were all piled up on a stand near the entrance. Advent calendars, chocolates and poinsettias were for sale near the cash registers. Red, green, silver and gold were the predominant colours. It was certainly atmospheric.
‘What’s your favourite Christmas song, Lyd?’ asked Colin, pushing his trolley down the cakes and bread aisle.
‘I don’t know. I like the Pogues’ one.’
‘Mine is Wham!’
‘Oh yeah, that’s cool too.’
‘I’m thinking of singing it at karaoke on Sunday.’
‘Very festive.’ She paused next to a stand filled with rows and rows of mince pies.
‘Will I throw in a few boxes?’ she asked.
Colin nodded. ‘Oh, definitely. I’ll take some home to mum tomorrow.’
‘How is Auntie Di?’
‘Oh, the usual. Busy as can be. She spends more time in that bloody law library than anywhere else. I feel like I have to make an appointment to see her at this stage.’
Lydia raised an eyebrow. ‘Hardly. You’re the apple of her eye. She adores you, Col.’
‘She adores her job, too.’
He joined a long queue at the checkout.
‘Do you want to come to mine for dinner?’ he asked. ‘We could order some Thai food.’
‘What about Val?’ she enquired, lifting groceries out of the trolley.
‘He blew me off to go to see some play down town. Some dark tale from the point of view of a Nazi or something. Not my cup of tea.’
‘Sure, I’d love to come. Sam is probably in Craig’s anyway.’
‘Cool. We’ll put all the food on china plates so it looks like a real restaurant.’ Colin beamed.
‘That was so nice.’
Lydia sat back and surveyed the empty plates. They had gorged on chicken satay skewers, green chicken curry, beef stir fry and jasmine rice. Colin took a swig of his Tiger beer.
‘It was close to the standard I would produce myself,’ he said, burping loudly.
Lydia threw a prawn cracker at him. ‘What will we do now?’
‘We could watch a movie.’
‘I don’t mind. Nothing too strenuous anyway. I’m stuffed.’
She pulled herself to her feet and padded over to the living-room area. She knew better than to offer to clean up.
Grabbing the remote, she switched on the huge flat-screen TV that was mounted on the wall. Come Dine with Me was on. Lydia settled back into the couch and watched a posh woman burn her pheasant.
Suddenly her phone buzzed.
What U doing?
It was Luca. She paused and bit her lip.
In Colin’s U?
The reply came immediately.
Watching Sam and Craig make out. Gross. Mom coming over next week.
Lydia smiled. That would be nice for him. She could tell that he adored his mother. She punched in a reply.
Great news. Hope she has a good time.
Colin flopped down on the couch next to her.
‘Who are you texting?’ he asked, grabbing the remote.
Lydia jumped. ‘Um, no one ...’
Colin narrowed his eyes. ‘Hand over the phone,’ he demanded. ‘No secrets here.’
‘Piss off, Colin. I’m entitled to some bit of a private life, you know.’
Colin pounced on top of her and pulled the phone from her grasp. She squealed in protest. He was surprisingly strong for his slim build. Holding her down with one arm, he accessed her messages with his free hand.
‘It’s only Luca,’ he observed, puzzled. ‘Why would you be cagey about him?’ The penny dropped. ‘Oh, Lydia, you don’t fancy him, do you?’ His eyes widened.
Lydia blushed furiously and she pulled her phone from his grasp.
‘I do not! Stop being daft.’
Colin stared at her as he let her go and sat back. ‘You do! I can tell.’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Then why keep texting him a secret?’
‘As I said, I want to have a private life.’
Colin didn’t look convinced. ‘You know Auntie Hel was all freaked out about him at your party?’
Lydia looked at him in surprise. ‘Why?’
‘She thought he was staring at you too much.’
Lydia blushed. ‘I don’t believe you. She isn’t like that.’
Colin put his hand on his heart. ‘I swear! She told me to keep an eye on him. I forgot about it because I thought she was crazy, but now I’m not so sure.’
‘Colin, there’s nothing to worry about.’
‘Hmmm …’ He glanced at her sideways.
Her phone buzzed again and she went scarlet.
‘I’ll just check this in the loo,’ she muttered, getting to her feet.
‘I’m on to you!’ yelled Colin as she closed the door of the bathroom.
Hastily, she unlocked her phone to find another message.
Will U meet her? She would dig U.
Lydia hugged herself. Part of her was against it but another part of her was intrigued by this Tara Jacob. She sounded interesting and cool. What harm would it do? A quick coffee wouldn’t kill anyone. Plus, it was nice to be asked. Damn it, why not? It’s not like it was a date or anything. Jessica would be presented as the girlfriend; she could be the friend. Simple.
Text me. We can do coffee. Talk soon.
She pressed ‘send’ and put her phone in her pocket. No harm done whatsoever. An innocent coffee with his mum wouldn’t put the world up or down.
She wouldn’t bother telling Colin though. He’d take it completely the wrong way.
She readjusted her hair in the mirror and rejoined Colin in the sitting room.
‘Will we have a mince pie?’ she asked, nodding in the direction of the kitchen counter where Colin had stacked them neatly.
‘You’re still hungry?’ gasped Colin, amazed.
‘Yeah, I suppose
. Can I have one or not?’
Colin shrugged. ‘Go for it, girlie. I’m watching my figure.’
‘Give it a rest.’ She opened the box and eased a pie out of its silver casing. She sank her teeth into the buttery pastry and closed her eyes.
‘These are so yum.’ She savoured the taste. ‘Now I feel Christamssy.’
Colin flicked the TV channels. ‘Want to watch some Nordic Noir?’
Lydia nodded. ‘Stick on The Killing.’
Samantha stretched up until she secured the star on the tree. Lydia plugged in the fairy lights. Suddenly their little Christmas tree sprang to life. The garish tinsel sparkled and shone, the baubles glistened in the lights.
Lydia clapped her hands in delight.
‘It’s just beautiful!’ she exclaimed.
Craig, who was lying on the couch watching football, looked up.
‘Beautiful,’ he echoed in a bored tone, raising his eyes to heaven.
‘Just because you hate Christmas, Ebenezer,’ she scolded playfully. ‘I love it.’
‘Me too,’ agreed Lydia.
She surveyed their flat in satisfaction. Garlands were draped over the pictures on the wall, holly sprigs were hanging from every available fixture. She had downloaded all the Christmas music she could find on iTunes. Placing her phone on the iPod dock, she pressed ‘shuffle’. Suddenly ‘Frosty the Snowman’ filled the room.
Craig jumped to his feet in horror. ‘Jesus, guys, a man can only take so much, you know!’
‘Calm down,’ said Samantha, pouring herself a glass of wine. ‘Dinner is almost ready.’
‘What is it? Roast turkey?’ asked Craig sarcastically.
‘No, smarty, we’re having baked enchiladas.’
‘Oooh, fancy!’ said Craig, pouring a glass of wine for himself. ‘What packet did you get that from?’
‘Old El Paso,’ retorted Samantha, her eyes blazing. ‘You have a problem with that?’
Lydia backed away into her room. ‘Call me when it’s ready!’
She decided to have a long hot shower. She undressed and, grabbing a big fluffy towel, she put on her robe. She walked out into the small corridor and bumped straight into Luca.