Foreign Affairs

by Patricia Scanlan

  ‘Look, I’d better go over and say a few words to Rachel, I haven’t had much of a chance since she arrived,’ Jennifer murmured.

  ‘She’s not a bit like Ronan,’ Brenda observed. ‘She’s not the world’s greatest conversationalist.’

  ‘She’s had a hard life,’ Jennifer said.

  ‘Haven’t we all? Anyone who’s had to live with that little Napoleon,’ Brenda glared at her grandfather, ‘knows what a hard life’s all about.’

  ‘Why don’t you move out and get a flat if you find it so difficult?’ Jennifer tried to keep the irritation out of her voice.

  ‘We can’t all take off like you did, Jenny,’ Brenda said loftily. ‘I didn’t like to leave Ma to put up with him all by herself.’

  Bitch! Jennifer was furious. Brenda could be a right cow. Trying to make her feel guilty for going to Spain. It was all an excuse. She wouldn’t have the nerve to get off her fat ass and go and do something with her life instead of wallowing in her rut and moaning about it. ‘I’m going to talk to Rachel,’ Jennifer said coldly. Brenda was taking all the good out of her engagement party.

  ‘What’s up?’ Ronan asked as she walked past him to talk to Rachel. ‘You look as if you could murder someone.’

  ‘I could. Brenda!’ Jennifer scowled. Ronan put his arm around her waist and drew her out into the hall.

  ‘What did she say?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh she was just having a dig at me for going off to Spain. She says she couldn’t do it, because she wouldn’t go and leave Ma to put up with Grumps all by herself. She’s trying to make me feel bad.’

  ‘Ignore her,’ Ronan said firmly. ‘You’re too soft with her. One of these days you should let her have it and that would settle her hash for her.’

  ‘Yeah, well I don’t want to cause a row here. It would be the height of bad manners. Let’s forget it and pretend we’re having fun.’ Jennifer sighed.

  ‘Look on the bright side, it could be worse. My dad could be here.’ Ronan laughed.

  ‘Ronan Stapleton!’ exclaimed Jennifer. But she had to laugh. William and Ronan had had a rapprochement of sorts. When Ronan came back from America, he went to Rathbarry, told William he was home for good and intended to get married. He bluntly asked his father whether he was going to keep the row going for ever. William sulked for a while before holding out the olive branch. He invited his son to bring his bride-to-be to tea some Sunday.

  Jennifer was delighted with the news. It had always worried her that Ronan and his father were estranged. At least father and son were talking again even if they would never be close. She couldn’t say she was thrilled at the prospect of having tea with Mr Stapleton but she would put up a good front for Ronan.

  ‘What plans are you two hatching?’ Kit appeared from the kitchen with a plateful of sandwiches.

  ‘We think we might elope,’ grinned Jennifer.

  ‘Ah don’t do that! You’ll do me out of the chance to wear a big hat.’ Kit laughed. ‘Now bring in these sandwiches and mix with your guests and stop trying to have a sneaky snog.’

  ‘Some chance in this house,’ Jennifer retorted. She took the plate from her mother and went to rejoin her guests.

  Kit dried the last glass and put it in the press, switched off the light in the kitchen and went in to the sitting-room. There wasn’t a sound in the house. Jim was in bed, as was Grandpa Myles. Everyone else had gone to a night-club in town. The embers in the grate glowed. Kit threw a log on them and watched the flames lick around the base of it. Only the soft glow of the Christmas tree illuminated the room. It was nice sitting in the half-light. She decided not to switch on the lamp. The party had gone very well, she mused. Jennifer and Ronan were as happy as could be.

  Kit sighed. They were setting out on the rocky road of marriage with such optimism. She hoped nothing would spoil it for them. From what she’d heard, Ronan’s father was a tough nut. That poor girl Rachel had an awful time of it. Kit hoped he’d never have to go and live with Jennifer and Ronan the way her father-in-law had come to live with her. Grandpa Myles caused more rows in the house. He and Brenda didn’t get on at all and it could be very wearing listening to them sniping at each other. Brenda was in terribly bad form ever since she’d heard about Jennifer’s engagement.

  Kit absentmindedly popped a chocolate into her mouth. Brenda had no get-up-and-go in her, unlike Jennifer. She moaned about Bugs Bunny Powers and the hard time she gave her at work and yet when Kit suggested she change her job, Brenda shrugged her shoulders and said she’d think about it. If only she could meet someone and settle down. That was all she wanted. It was funny the way life went. Jennifer had never really been pushed about going with fellas, had never expressed a desire to marry and now she was engaged to the love of her life. Brenda had always wanted to be out on dates or going with someone. She’d dated quite a few lads since the break-up with Eddie, but none of the romances seemed to last. Kit sometimes thought that her eldest daughter’s desperation to get a husband frightened men off. It was all a worry. Even when they were grown-up, you worried about them. In fact, Kit decided, as she finished off the few remaining chocolates, you worried about them even more.

  ‘This time next year, we should be in our own house,’ Ronan murmured against Jennifer’s ear as the taxi drew up outside her house.

  ‘Are you going to come in?’ She snuggled in close against him.

  ‘No, I’d better not. It’s hard to get taxis this time of year, I’ll hang on to this one,’ Ronan said regretfully.

  ‘Would you not stay the night on the sofa?’ Jennifer asked. ‘I hate the thought of you going back to that old flat.’

  ‘No I won’t,’ Ronan replied. ‘Your parents were very good to put me up until I got a place of my own. I don’t want to take advantage. We’ll start looking for a place of our own soon.’

  ‘I can’t wait. The sooner the better,’ Jennifer said. She didn’t relish the thought of sharing with Brenda for much longer.

  ‘We’ll go to tea with Dad next Sunday. There’s a few new estates being built in Dean’s Grange and Shankill, on the way to Rathbarry. We can start having a look at the show houses and get a few ideas. What do you think?’

  ‘Brilliant,’ Jennifer agreed happily. ‘That’s a great idea. Ronan, you’re a genius.’

  ‘I know,’ agreed her intended modestly. ‘You’re a very lucky woman.’

  ‘What can I say to that?’ laughed Jennifer. She gave him a loving kiss and stood waving after the taxi until it disappeared around the corner of St Pappin’s Road.

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Brenda shivered and yawned as she dressed for work, and cursed as she looked out the window and saw a lone magpie sitting on the telephone line. Just her luck, she thought glumly. A lone magpie was the first thing she’d seen on New Year’s morning a few days before. What an omen. What a way to start the New Year. It was bad enough starting a new year knowing that your younger sister had just got engaged and you were still on the shelf, without single magpies to add to your misery.

  It was the morning after Jenny’s engagement party and she was whacked. She’d a hell of a hangover too. And she was utterly depressed. The thought of facing yet another year working under Bugs Bunny Powers was enough to make her weep. She was sorely tempted to get her mother to phone in and say she was sick. But she’d already taken five sick days and only had two left. And they had to last her until April. How she envied Kathy, able to stay at home all day with her children. She was her own boss, she could get up when she liked. Do what she liked, when she liked. It couldn’t be that hard to mind two children, even if they were only babies. Poor Kathy had got caught very soon after the birth of her first baby and found herself unexpectedly pregnant, much to her dismay. Brenda couldn’t understand what the fuss was about. At least Kathy was married, she had her own house, and a very nice one at that, she had a husband who was nuts about her and she didn’t have to go out to work.

  ‘See you later,’ she said to Jennifer, who was st
ruggling to wake up. Her sister gave a grunt. Brenda wasn’t sure if it was a friendly grunt or not. She’d been a bit mean to poor old Jenny at the party last night, she thought guiltily. Implying that Jenny had waltzed off to Spain without a thought for their mother. Jenny had been hurt. It was her special night, after all, even if Brenda envied her from the bottom of her heart.

  ‘Do you want me to bring you up a cup of tea before I go?’ Brenda feigned a cheeriness she did not feel. She wanted to try and make amends.

  ‘Naw. Thanks.’ Jenny yawned.

  ‘Don’t go back to sleep or you’ll be late for work,’ Brenda warned.

  ‘Kieran gave me the morning off, he knew about the party,’ Jennifer said drowsily and then turned over and burrowed down under her quilt and went fast asleep again.

  Brenda looked at her. Why didn’t things like that happen to her? Why couldn’t Bugs Bunny tell her to take a morning off? Snowballs would roast in hell before that happened, Brenda thought glumly as she brushed her hair and slapped on a bit of make-up.

  A few minutes later she cursed frantically as she saw the 13 bus disappearing down the road. The last thing she needed was to get a late. Bugs Bunny loved giving lates. It was her ultimate power-trip. Brenda started to run, she might get a 19A on the Ballymun Road if she was lucky. It was raining and it was hard to run with an umbrella whipping around in the wind. Brenda felt like crying. The year was turning out to be a disaster and it was only a few days old. She made the 19A by the skin of her teeth and stood in the aisle panting. She wouldn’t have minded a seat but the bus was packed so she resigned herself to standing all the way into town.

  The bus broke down at Hart’s Corner. Brenda was ready to explode as she got off the bus with the rest of the grumbling passengers. She couldn’t decide whether to start walking or wait for another bus. There wasn’t a bus in sight anyway so she decided to walk. She’d just stuck up her umbrella when she heard a car horn toot. She turned and saw a small van pull in. On the outside in big black letters was the writing HANLEY ALARMS.

  The passenger door opened and she heard her ex-boyfriend Shay say, ‘Hi Bren, do you want a lift?’

  ‘Shay! How are you?’ she said, closing her brolly and easing herself into the van. ‘Isn’t it a horrible morning? The blasted bus broke down and I’m heading for a late. Bugs Bunny’s day will be made.’ Brenda smiled at Shay.

  ‘Is old Bugsy still going strong?’ Shay laughed.

  ‘She sure is.’ Brenda sighed as they moved into the stream of traffic. ‘Aren’t you lucky you’re your own boss? It must be great. When did you start up your own business?’

  ‘A couple of years ago. I was doing a lot of nixers, putting in alarms and I just decided to go for it.’

  ‘Well congratulations, Shay, I hope it works out well for you,’ Brenda said.

  ‘It’s going OK, thanks.’ He smiled. Shay had nice eyes. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring either, she noted. Although that didn’t mean anything these days. Lots of men didn’t wear wedding rings.

  ‘How’s all your family?’ Shay enquired as he negotiated his way into the outer lane.

  ‘Fine. Jenny got engaged at Christmas,’ Brenda said brightly.

  ‘That’s great news. Have you got anything on the burner yourself?’ he asked casually.

  ‘Not me.’ Brenda laughed in what she hoped was an offhand manner. ‘You know me, Shay, I like to be footloose and fancy-free.’

  ‘I thought you’d be well married by now,’ Shay remarked.

  ‘And how about yourself?’ Brenda did not care to get into a discussion about her single state.

  ‘Me? I’m like yourself, Bren. No-one special.’

  ‘I suppose you’ve been too busy building up your business,’ Brenda murmured.

  ‘Yeah, something like that,’ Shay agreed.

  ‘I hope I’m not putting you out,’ Brenda remarked as they passed Berkeley Road Church. ‘Just let me out wherever it suits you.’

  ‘Listen, I’m going to get you into work on time. Bugs Bunny can do without her thrills for today,’ Shay declared.

  ‘Thanks very much, Shay.’ Brenda was touched. Shay had always been extremely nice and good to her. Only she’d been so in love with Eddie and it had meant nothing.

  Minutes later Shay pulled up outside the office. It was a minute and a half to nine.

  ‘Thanks a million, Shay,’ she said hastily. ‘I’d better fly in case the lift is out of order.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ He leaned over to help her open the door.

  Brenda smiled at him. ‘See you,’ she said.

  ‘Mmm . . . would you fancy going for a drink sometime?’ he asked diffidently. Brenda paused. Did she want to see Shay again? A vision of Jenny’s sparkling solitaire came to mind. She saw Patsy Kelly, a spinster in her late fifties, puffing up the steps to the doors. She’d be like that unless she did something drastic, Brenda fretted. Years of misery until she collected her pension beckoned. Brenda turned back to Shay.

  ‘I’d love to go for a drink, Shay. It would be nice to catch up on all the news.’

  ‘When suits you?’

  ‘I’m free tonight,’ Brenda replied. Years ago she would have played hard to get and suggested Friday night and let him wait for a week. But times had changed and so had circumstances. She was twenty-five. No spring chicken. Jennifer, four years younger than her, was engaged. Her best friend was married and the mother of two children. Eddie, the love of her life, was married. And she was rapidly approaching her sell-by date. Desperate measures were called for.

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  ‘Do you intend giving up work once you’re married?’ Mr Stapleton queried, as he passed Jennifer a plate of scones.

  ‘No, I don’t think so. I like my job, and two salaries will help pay the mortgage,’ Jennifer said. Talk about the Spanish inquisition, she thought to herself. Her father-in-law to be hadn’t stopped quizzing her since she sat down to tea. Ronan was in the kitchen making another pot of tea. Rachel sat silently at the other end of the table.

  ‘I wouldn’t have liked my poor dear departed wife to have had to work, once we married. Call me old-fashioned, if you will, but I like the idea of a man providing for his wife.’ William gave a tight little smile.

  ‘I like the idea of being able to contribute to buying our house and to sharing in its upkeep. I like the idea of being Ronan’s partner. Whatever we do, it will be a partnership. And, as I say, I like my job,’ Jennifer said firmly.

  ‘Oh, you’re one of these feminist independent career types we hear so much about.’ William pretended to be amused. ‘Ronan told me you lived in Spain. Didn’t your parents mind you being in a foreign country by yourself?’ His comment and tone implied that Kit and Jim were negligent parents. I’ve had enough of you, Buster! Jennifer decided.

  ‘Not at all,’ she said lightly. ‘My parents felt it was a great opportunity for me to travel and learn about other cultures. They were always very anxious for us to stand on our own two feet and be independent. They’re not the clingy sort, thank goodness.’ She smiled sweetly. ‘They want us all to live our own lives. They don’t expect us to dance attendance on them. You know, like some parents who never let their children grow up,’ she added pointedly.

  William pursed his lips. ‘I see,’ he said curtly. Rachel smiled at Jennifer.

  ‘Your parents seem to be very sensible people,’ she said demurely.

  ‘Oh, they are,’ Jennifer said. ‘My mother said you must come to dinner some Friday and stay the night, and not go rushing back to Rathbarry. You could come househunting with Ronan and me some Saturday. It will give you an idea if you ever look for a place of your own.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ Rachel agreed enthusiastically, ignoring her father’s cold stare.

  ‘You’d like what?’ Ronan arrived in with the teapot.

  ‘I’ve asked Rachel to stay some Friday night. She can come house-hunting with us. It will be good experience for her if she ever decides to buy her own h
ouse.’ Jennifer knew Mr Stapleton was seething but she didn’t care. He was a horrible man and he needn’t think he was going to get away with trying to slag off her parents.

  ‘Great idea,’ Ronan approved, giving Jennifer a tiny wink. He knew exactly what she was up to.

  William couldn’t take any more. ‘There’ll be no need for Rachel ever to get a house of her own. She’ll always have a home here.’

  ‘Oh yes, I know that,’ Jennifer gushed. ‘But you know us career women these days. We love our independence.’

  ‘Mmmm . . . That’s all very well,’ William said disdainfully. ‘But I see the result of this sort of thinking and how it affects children I teach. Children whose mothers aren’t content and want to go out working and be . . .’ he paused and gave Jennifer a supercilious look, ‘“independent.” As a result we have these so-called “latchkey kids.” I think society will suffer because of it.’

  ‘Maybe, economically, these women have no choice,’ Jennifer argued politely.

  ‘Nonsense.’ William made his favourite retort.

  ‘Jennifer has a very good point there,’ Ronan said sternly. ‘We were looking at houses today and if she wasn’t working, we wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage. And when we do get one we won’t be able to manage unless she works. That’s not nonsense, Dad. That’s a fact of life, unfortunately.’

  ‘Well I suppose if you’re going to live in a palace . . .’ William sniffed. ‘There are some nice cottages down by tenacres that you’d be able to afford.’

  ‘We have to work in town, Dad. Commuting isn’t on. Apart from the inconvenience, it’s expensive.’

  So stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Jennifer thought. If she never saw Mr Stapleton again she wouldn’t care. When you married someone you took on their family as well. The thought of having Mr Stapleton as her father-in-law did not make her ecstatically happy. Having met him for the first time she found him cold, superior, arrogant and narrow-minded. Grandpa Myles was saintly in comparison. For Ronan’s sake, of course, she would tolerate his father. But she didn’t have to like him and she wouldn’t let him treat her in the dismissive rude way he treated Rachel. And she certainly wouldn’t let William Stapleton interfere in her marriage. If he tried it, he’d soon realize his mistake, Jennifer resolved as she lay in bed that night thinking over the events of the day.