He had an old-fashioned politeness about him which Nicola found endearing.
“Eliza was just about to show me a vacant apartment,” she said.
“Your client is welcome to it if she wants it,” Hugo assured her and Nicola and Eliza went up the wide staircase towards the accommodation.
“These are our own quarters,” Eliza said, waving her hand vaguely to the left. “And here are the apartments for our guests. We have two three-bedroomed ones, both occupied at present, and three two-bed ones.Only one of them is occupied. If your client comes to live here, her girls will have to share a room, but they are very big – unlike modern apartments.”
“How can you afford to do this?”Nicola asked.
“It’s not difficult.We have no mortgage on the house, we have investments and we make a bit from the garden.When the women are settled they often get rent allowance and that helps with the running costs of the house.The apartments pay for themselves in this way.”
“What if a tenant was unable to get rent allowance for some reason?”Nicola held her breath as she waited for the answer.
“That’s not a problem.Most of them are in such a distressed state it takes weeks for them to recover sufficiently to even apply for it but when it comes it is often backdated.In any case we can do without it if we have to. Our most important role is to provide support for women who have been abandoned and money is not an issue for us.”
Eliza showed Nicola into a spacious apartment on the first floor.It was simply furnished, Shaker style.There were two quite large bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen-cum-living-room.It was bright and cheerful with large old-fashioned windows and looked quite cosy.Nicola could see Alice’s family settling in here quite nicely.
“The apartment is lovely but could I possibly meet one of the other tenants?It would give me some idea whether my client would be happy here.”
“I’ll see if Mary is home.She has been with us six months now. She is very friendly.Obviously these apartments are their home so though there are a few ground rules we don’t monitor the movements of the tenants at all.I’ll knock.”
Mary opened the door with a smile.“Hello, Eliza.You caught me napping literally.The baby was awake all night – teething – but he has gone to sleep now so I lay down on the sofa.”
“In that case I’m sorry we disturbed you,” Eliza said.“This is Nicola McCarthy – she’s a social worker with the HSE.She has a client who she feels might benefit from a stay here until she gets back on her feet – rather like yourself.”
“Oh, come in and I’ll make a cup of tea.”
“Not at all,” Nicola said.“You get back to sleep.That baby will probably be up all night again tonight, if I know anything about babies, so you’ll need all the rest you can get now.I am sorry we disturbed you.”
Eliza and Nicola went back downstairs to the kitchen where they continued to talk over coffee.
“How long do the women stay here?”Nicola enquired.
“As long as they need – it varies from three months to about three years.We don’t put any pressure on them.”
Nicola felt that the place was perfect except for its distance from the school which Alice’s children attended.
“What’s the public transport like?” she enquired. “I’m worried about getting the girls to school.”
“Public transport isn’t great. But there’s nearly always someone going into town first thing.Four of the other children here go to school so someone usually takes them in the jeep.They love it.They think they’re on safari.”
“If my client wishes to come here, could I bring her today?”
“Of course – as I say we have two vacant apartments.”
“How is that? There’s an acute shortage of emergency beds in the city.”
“We’re not officially part of the system. We usually get our tenants by word of mouth. All of them have recently been deserted by a partner.We don’t take conventional families even if they are in crisis. I bet you heard of us from someone outside the social services field.”
“Yes, but now that I know about you I might want to place other families here.I had better be off.I’ll speak to the client and will probably be returning with her later today. One way or another I’ll call you.”
As she drove away from the house Nicola wondered how she could have the Lynches checked out by the police without their finding out.She couldn’t place an at-risk family here without doing that.After this morning’s little episode with the Gardaí she wasn’t keen to phone them to do the check but then she remembered a really nice sergeant who had accompanied her on a child-protection issue when she first came to Galway. She phoned him from her mobile immediately and he assured her that he would carry out the check and get back to her as soon as possible.
Feeling reasonably cheerful, considering all that had happened in the previous few days, she drove back to the office.
Alice was due to call immediately after lunch, before she picked up the children from school, and Nicolahad started to work on the PPS number when Pat, her manager, came in.
“I won’t beat about the bush, Nicola,” he said, not taking a seat as he usually did. “I have had a most serious complaint about you.”
Nicola was shocked.She was overstepping the mark considering placing Alice in The Coven but she hadn’t informed anyone about her intention and she had hoped to get away with it. It was not uncommon for a social worker to find rented accommodation for a client and most people would judge that that was what she had done. She wondered how Pat had found out about it and how she was going to talk her way out of this.
“I can’t imagine what it might be about,” she lied, closing the file she had been working on.
“One of your clients has complained about a breach of confidentiality.She says that her ex found out where she was living and turned up and created hell for herself and the children last night. The Guards had to be called and she had to take the children to the A&E because she thought her son had a broken arm. Since you were the only one who knew both him and her, she is blaming you.”
Nicola was both relieved and surprised.“I can’t imagine who you mean, Pat.But you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t do that. Who made the complaint?”
“A woman called Christine O’Neill. She is adamant you must have done and she’s very angry.So I hope you have your i’s dotted and your t’s crossed.A breach of confidentiality such as this could cost you your job.”
“I know, Pat, but I haven’t done anything.I remember working with her a few years ago and I have done nothing unethical.The woman is mistaken.Has she made a formal complaint?”
“No. But I told her that if she had a complaint she had to follow our procedure and I gave her the form.”
“I think she has her wires crossed,” Nicola answered but she was perplexed.
Alice was just walking in the office door when the Garda Sergeant rang Nicola back and said that the Lynches had never come to the attention of the Gardaí if you discounted the odd parking ticket which, he assured her, was paid promptly. That was a relief. Alice looked so apprehensive that she was glad to be able to tell her that she had found her a place to stay.
“I can take you there in my car,” Nicola said. “We’ll put your belongings into the boot now and collect the girls from school.You don’t have to worry about anything.They seem to specialise in looking after women in your situation and they can wait until your social welfare and rent allowance are sorted out.They even provide food for the first few weeks if that is necessary.”
“Will it be awful?” Alice’s voice was small and tired.
“Your situation is very difficult,” Nicola replied gently, “so I suppose it will be depressing sometimes but it’s a lovely old house and the apartment is perfect. I think you’re very lucky that Cassandra told me about this place.It’s unique in that you are not expected to pay your way until you can. I think you will like it. It is a very safe place. It will be a new beginning for you and th
e girls. Let’s pack your things and take the girls to their new home.”
When Nicola dropped Alice and her family off at Cappagh Hall she promised to call to see them after the weekend.She felt a bit guilty when she saw the fear in Alice’s face but a weekend without a social worker was the least of what she would have to face over the next few months or so until she got herself on her feet.In any case Nicola rarely called on people over the weekend unless she felt they were at risk and Alice didn’t fall into that category now.
Getting back into her car, she thought about the fact that she had her own new beginning to plan.She was not looking forward to going home. In the car Drive Timewas full of the political situation.Jack Madden as Tánaiste was now, in theory at least, running the country. The state funeral would be on the following Tuesday and it was anticipated that the leadership election would take place within a month of that.Practically the whole programme was taken up with speculation about the future of the country, the party and the leadership of the party.
They attempted to draw Jack Madden out on the subject but in very sombre tones he said: “I am very busy at present with affairs of state, for which I have so suddenly and unexpectedly become responsible. I don’t believe it to be appropriate to discuss my future intentions until after the funeral of the Taoiseach, may he rest in peace, and that is all I have to say on the matter.”
“Creep!” thought Nicola. But I am going to forget about him and Alice and deal with my own problems over the weekend. Hopefully I will come into work on Monday ready for anything.
By the time she got home it was six thirty.Jonathan was chopping vegetables but the apartment was as untidy as when she left it that morning.Well, after today, if the apartment was untidy she would have done it by herself and she could live with that.
“What are you cooking?” she asked.
“Stir fry.It’s all there is.”Jonathan appeared to be sulking.
“Sure what’s wrong with that?It’s fine.Will I open a bottle of wine?”
“Suit yourself.”
“Is there something wrong?Why are you so cranky?”
“I was going to Dublin this evening and you decided that we had to discuss something that couldn’t wait until after the weekend.I really don’t see why it couldn’t have waited.I was really looking forward to the break.”
“But you’re going tomorrow anyway.What difference does a night make?”Nicola asked, reasonably enough she thought.
“If a night is so unimportant, why couldn’t what you want to discuss wait until I came back?That will be in two nights, three at the most!”
Nicola hesitated.There was no point in procrastinating.
“Because I don’t want you to come back.”
He spun around, obviously incredulous.
“What?”
“I think this relationship has run its course.It’s over.I don’t want you living here anymore.Given that you are going to Dublin tomorrow anyway and will be visiting your family, it seems to me to be a practical time for it to end.You can stay with them until you get a place of your own.”
“You can’t be serious!”
“I am.” Nicola was surprised by the certainty in her own voice.
“Where did this come from?We were getting on great. You never said you were unhappy.You gave me no indication that you wanted to end this.”
“We haven’t been getting on great, as you call it, for ages.You know I’m unhappy about your drug-taking and that I feel vulnerable because you do it here. I was absolutely petrified this morning when the Gardaí came. We haven’t had fun in ages.We only visit your friends and you have no interest in mine.You’re always broke and complaining about it, as if in some way it’s my fault.I am fed up of carrying both of us.Life has to be easier than this.”
“Maybe it is, but it can be lonelier too.I seem to recall that you couldn’t get enough of me when we met first.You were all over me like a rash.When did that change, I wonder?When you realised that I was not about to become a famous artist?”
His voice was whiney and it irritated her.
“No, when I realised that for you earning a living would have to wait until you became famous, even if it took a lifetime.”She was surprised at the coldness of her own voice.
“That’s not fair! You know that I really try.” He looked at her as if she had dealt him a physical blow.
“You only try to sell your art and you’re half-hearted enough about that. You rarely paint anything new these days.All artists subsidise their art with teaching or commercial work but not you.You are waiting for the world to recognise your genius, when even you must know that most geniuses don’t get recognised in their own lifetime.I’m fed up of going it alone, of your constant demands and your unwillingness to pull your weight here.”
“What do you mean I don’t pull my weight?”
“Well, apart from the fact that you make no financial contribution to the upkeep of this apartment, you don’t make any other contribution either.There is no question of you having a meal ready at dinnertime even if I have had a particularly hard day.In fact, you don’t even ask about my day.The whole country is in turmoil because the Taoiseach has died but you haven’t even mentioned it.You must be the only person in the country who hasn’t an opinion on it.”
“Oh, I have an opinion alright.I can’t see what the fuss is about.That Madden guy will hold the fort and will probably be elected as party leader. Where’s the big deal? What’s it got to do with me? And when do you really have a hard day?You’re well able to deal with your job.”
Nicola decided not to even try to explain.He was so egocentric that there would be no getting through to him.She just realised that this guy was not for her and she wanted an end to it.
“I don’t see the point in having this conversation now,” she said quietly. “I have decided that I don’t want to live with you anymore and, seeing as this is my apartment, I want you to leave.”
“Oh, that’s lovely! There’s many a man who supported a woman just because she wanted to stay at home and mind children, but he’d be the worst rat in the country if he said that it was his house and he wanted her out.”He said this as if he had made a clever point.
“We have no children and you make a song and dance if I ask you to make a cup of tea, let alone mind a child!” She could hear the anger in her voice and she didn’t want to continue this conversation.He was, understandably perhaps, beyond reasoning.
“So what am I supposed to do?Pack my bags and leave in the morning?”
“Ideally, yes, but I suppose if you can’t take everything I could send the rest to your parents’ house.”She was hoping he would go without much ado.
“My God, you’re serious!”
“I am.I can give you cab money and money for the train, if you are short, but I would like you to take your things in the morning.I have a lot on at work and I don’t want anything else to worry about at home.”
“What kind of woman puts her job before her relationship?”
“There is no relationship any more so my job is now my primary concern.In any case, you wouldn’t say that to a man.Now can we eat?I’m starved and I want to have an early night.”
She helped him serve the meal and they ate in silence. She wondered how they were going to get through the next twelve hours.
“I can help you pack if you like,” she said as they got up from the table, hoping he would refuse the offer.
“I’ll manage,” he responded sullenly but she knew that she would at leasthave to get his cases out or he wouldn’t make a start.
She put the dinner things in the dishwasher and tidied up.Jonathan sat sullenly at the table, saying nothing.She got out his cases.
“If you need any help, give me a shout.”She went into their room and got ready for bed.They didn’t mention what their sleeping arrangements would be that night but she hoped he would have the cop-on to sleep in the spare room.She turned on the bedroom television and decided she would not leave the room unless
he needed her help.It was at times like this that she would have loved a sleeping tablet but she had never needed them before so there were none about.She hadn’t even had a glass of wine which might have relaxed her enough to make her sleep.
She flicked through the channels until she found a suitably inane soap and soon felt herself get drowsy.
When she woke in the morning Jonathan was gone.
Chapter 5
Nicola felt positively cheerful as she set out for work on Monday morning.She had spent the weekend putting what remained of Jonathan’s belongings in boxes and had rung a courier to collect them on Monday evening.It was like taking a ton weight from her shoulders. By evening all traces of Jonathan would be out of her apartment and out of her life. No longer did she have to worry about who might know about Jonathan’s habit – which he never admitted he had. No longer did she have to jolly him along like a child to get him to do even the smallest task.No longer did she have to massage his incredibly fragile ego.She could look after herself first for a change and it was a long time since she had done that.In fact it was a long time since she’d had anybody reliable to look after her so she decided that she was the best person to do it.
She had scarcely sat down at her desk when she got a call from Cassandra.
“Alice’s apartment, Number 3, was gutted over the weekend,” she said in conspiratorial tones.
“You mean there was a fire?”Nicola was incredulous.
“No, I mean that every stick of furniture, every carpet, every rug was removed – bed linen, personal effects – the lot.Three or four men came on Saturday and put everything in a skip.I tried to get a look into the apartment but they kept the doors closed while they were working.However, I did see some correspondence sticking out of a packing crateone of the men had left in the hall as I passed, so I swiped it, in case it would come in handy in the future. In fact I made several trips to the car that afternoon and took any papers that looked like they might be helpful.”
Who is Alice? Page 5