“I’m on my way to get your mother!” Damien called up the stairs.
“I’ll be here!” she shouted back.
The day had been all worked out. She would cook a traditional roast and they would have family lunch like they used to. It would be like some sort of last supper as Philip was returning to England in the evening. She felt poignant that all this should happen on her fortieth birthday. Philip would have Gloria at the table and she would be on her own. She felt a pang of need, wishing that Shane was available. She wished it was the day before when he sat by her side and massaged her ego. But she had to get through the day on her own. She wondered about Annabel. She certainly would have got the hint by now – especially as they hadn’t made peace before her birthday the previous Friday.
She patted the bedcovers one more time before leaving her mother’s bedroom.
* * *
When Betty appeared in the hall she looked better than before the operation but Kate suspected that the reason behind it was the drugs that she was taking.
“It’s so lovely to be home!” She turned to Damien. “Put my bag up to my room,” she ordered and he climbed the stairs without uttering a word.
“How have you been getting on?” she smiled at Kate.
Kate embraced her mother gently, careful not to bang into her tender torso. “It’s great to have you home.”
Philip and Gloria appeared from behind the kitchen door and welcomed Betty warmly.
“I’ll have a cup of tea first before I take a little rest,” she beamed.
Kate knew the next few weeks were going to be unbearable. Her mother liked to be the one rushing around doing all the household chores for everybody. What was she going to be like when she was unable to do anything herself?
* * *
Even though it was Rosa’s day off, she accompanied Annabel and her children down the twisting pathway that lead to the fisherman’s harbour. The brightly coloured marquees attracted visitors and locals alike.
“What do you buy here?” Rosa asked.
“Homemade breads, jams, patés, cakes and so on . . . some stalls do speciality coffees and you can even get handmade jewellery.”
“Can I have a chocolate bunny?” Rebecca begged.
“We’ll see,” Annabel replied, knowing full well that her daughter would get one as always on a Sunday morning.
Although Annabel had taken the short walk many times to the market she felt an air of anticipation about this trip. She had to find out who organised it and how to get a stall. This was the start of a new and exciting venture that would give her life a sense of identity and achievement. She fancied herself as providing the stall that sold the best humus and people travelling from all over Dublin to buy her wares. It was only the start, something small, but something for herself, where she wasn’t known as Colin’s wife or the children’s mother.
Rebecca and Taylor were already at the counter where the delicate chocolate animals on a stick were sold. The Frenchman on the other side of the stand recognised Annabel as a frequent customer.
“Bonjour, Madame,” he smiled. His dark moustache widened as he took her money.
“Good morning,” she greeted him. “How are you today?”
“It is not raining so we are good,” he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
“I was wondering if you could help me? I need to know who organises this market.”
“That is Sean Doonan – he will be here at half past three to collect money from traders who are in arrears.”
“You wouldn’t have a number for him, would you?”
The Frenchman shrugged again. He took his mobile phone out of his breast pocket and read out a phone number.
Annabel was quick to take the details down and was careful to thank him. After all, she could be working alongside him in a couple of weeks.
“Annabel, Annabel!” a voice called in the distance. The shrill singing quality in the voice meant it could only belong to Melissa.
Annabel turned around and caught a glimpse of the glamorous mum with her scrubbed and polished eight-year-old daughter and five-year-old son.
“Hi, Melissa, thanks again for the other night,” she said once Melissa was within earshot.
“That was my pleasure – wasn’t it a fabulous night!” Melissa sang.
Annabel nodded.
“I’m very pleased about getting Louise Kane to attend – I’m only sorry I couldn’t get Image Magazine.”
Annabel was appalled. Not because of what Melissa was saying but because Image Magazine had actually mattered to her a few short weeks ago – how could she have been so shallow? Louise Kane’s presence at her fortieth celebrations had only served to highlight Kate’s absence.
“You did way too much,” Annabel insisted. Way too much!
“Have you bought anything nice?” Melissa asked in her subtle enquiring tone.
“I’m actually doing a bit of research, Melissa,” she said reluctantly. “I’m thinking of setting up a stall.”
“Really?” Melissa was agog. “Doing what?”
“Making humus and salads to start, then maybe quiches.”
Melissa let out a little squeal. “Now you are teasing me!”
“No, honestly,” Annabel replied earnestly. “I want to start a stall with my own produce.”
“But why on earth would you do that?” Melissa asked, shaking her head in amazement.
Annabel had her answer ready. “A hobbie.”
“But you already play tennis!” Melissa gasped, showing how truly flummoxed she was by the revelation.
Annabel grinned internally, careful not to give any more away.
* * *
Shane straightened the lapels on his crisp white shirt.
“Where are you off to today?” Natasha asked, pulling herself up in the bed.
“Double Paris, I’ll be back about eight o’clock,” he said as he knotted his tie in the dressing-table mirror.
“I’m going to Avoca for the day with Trudy.”
“Have a good one,” he said, leaning over the bed to kiss her goodbye.
He had hopped out of their bed anxiously a good ten minutes earlier, on seeing that she was still asleep. She had opened her eyes as he shook the last drops of water from his body after his shower. He didn’t want to be in a position where she expected them to make love. Her demands were getting more and more frequent in her anxiety to get pregnant and he was beginning to feel like a stud stallion every time she suggested making love.
He grabbed his wallet from the bedside locker and put it into his back pocket as was his habit.
“See you later,” he smiled at his wife.
“Have a good day, and be careful!” she called, combing her long golden hair back with both her hands as she lay splayed out on the bed. She smiled smugly to herself. She loved being a pilot’s wife. She loved it even more than Shane if she were being honest. Shane had been dating her friend Maria when she spotted him on a flight to Rome and she carefully had changed around her timetable for the following week to ensure that she was on all his flights. She cornered him on an overnight and told him about Maria’s little exploits with the other captains on the fleet. He was putty in her hands. Natasha was always good at manipulating people and getting what she wanted and now that she had the house and sports car of her dreams she was bored. A baby was the next accessory that she desired and as her sister had given birth only two months before she was losing patience with the whole pregnancy process. She ruffled down lower in the bed. Yes she was a lucky girl. Shane could afford to get a full-time nanny to help her after the baby was born so that her lifestyle wouldn’t be too impinged upon. Natasha had it all worked out.
* * *
Shane could honestly say he was glad he was working today. He would be kept busy and have less time to think about Kate and how she was spending her birthday.
Breakfast was a cup of black coffee and a banana before he sat into his BMW and made the arduous journey along the M5
0 to Dublin airport. He hit the radio controls on his dash and felt his world rock beneath him as Boston drummed out from the speakers. “More Than a Feeling,” was always their song. It wasn’t often played on any of the stations but he felt it particularly moving to hear it today of all days.
He reached out to his mobile handset resting on the dashboard. Before he could consider what he was doing he hit her name on his phone and waited while it rang out.
One ring, two rings, three rings. He felt a jolt as he heard hello at the other end of the line.
“Happy Birthday, Kate! I couldn’t let the day go by.”
“Shane, thank you!” Kate answered with a mixture of surprise and pleasure.
“How are you getting on,” he asked. “Doing anything special?”
“My mum’s just arrived home from hospital actually but she’s chatting to Philip and Gloria. What are you up to today?”
“I’m going to Paris – twice.”
“I wish I was going with you, I’m really missing the boys.”
“It must be hard. How is your mum?”
“She’s bearing up well but we had bad news – the secondaries were confirmed and there is no way she wants another operation. They aren’t even sure if it would do much good.”
“Jesus, Kate, I’m sorry to hear that.” He was genuinely saddened. “Poor Betty!”
“We’re all still in shock.”
“Listen, I’m off tomorrow – is there anything I can do to help?” Shane wanted to see her and console her personally.
“I could do with getting out for a walk in the afternoon sometime if you feel like dropping out,” she suggested.
“About three?”
“Sounds good,” she said, nodding even though she knew he couldn’t see her.
“I’ll be over at three then, Happy Birthday again.”
“Thanks, Shane.”
Kate switched off her phone and walked with a spring in her step back to the kitchen. She had received two nice phone calls to cheer her up so far. Deep down she wanted to hear Annabel’s voice but pride wouldn’t allow her to take a call from her friend, even if she did phone after all the rebuffs.
“Who was that, dear?” Betty called down from her bed.
She’s still got a good pair of lungs, Kate thought. “Shane, Mum. He was asking for you.”
Betty smiled to herself. He was definitely the most handsome boy that Kate ever brought into Greenfield Close. She could understand what Kate saw in his mild and gentle ways. He reminded her so much of Liam in appearance. But Liam was really a wolf in sheep’s clothing, as Betty had to find out the hard way. It was ironic that Kate should be attracted to someone similar to him.
Betty had settled for Damien and he had given her and her children a good life. At times she thought of Liam and today was one of those days. She was saddened when she realised that she would never see him again. She would put on a brave face for her family and friends but deep down inside she resigned herself to the ravages of the cancer. Liam would remain on the other side of the world where he had been for the last forty years and, for everyone’s sake, that was probably the best place for him.
“Will you have a cup?” Kate stood at the bedroom door holding a china mug filled with piping hot tea.
“I didn’t hear you come upstairs.” Betty manoeuvred herself carefully up in the bed. “I’d love one.”
Kate placed it down on the bedside locker.
Betty patted the bed, encouraging Kate to sit down. “Tell me about your date with Shane.”
“It wasn’t a date, Mum!” Kate rolled her eyes. “He’s married.”
“Well, so are you, technically.”
Kate was shocked by her mother’s attitude. “We went for a coffee in town and then a walk around the Green. That was pretty much it.”
“Did he look the same?” Betty was becoming animated.
“The same – I mean, he has hardly any grey apart from around his temples. He looks well.”
“He was the one,” Betty nodded.
“Hang on, I did have two husbands,” Kate said. Even though she agreed with her, she was confused by her mother’s reaction.
“There’s only ever one though!” Betty grimaced.
Kate had never heard her mother talk like this. “And you found Dad!” She wasn’t sure how her mother was going to react.
Her mother just nodded. “If you get the chance to be with him again, grab it, Kate!”
“He’s married, Mum. I’m not a home-wrecker.”
“There are worse things than wrecking a marriage,” Betty said, the words tasting bitter in her mouth. “You could stay in a loveless one.”
“Well, I’m about to sort that out – Stefan and I will be divorced by the end of the month.”
“He was never right for you, Kate. You were on the rebound and you had the boys. You should have come home that time.”
Kate squirmed as she recalled the barrage of demands that the Mackens had made on her from another country. There was no way she could have raised her sons under their grandparents’ watchful gaze. “I did what I thought was best at the time, Mum, and the boys are fine.”
“Get them out of boarding school and bring them home, Kate,” Betty pleaded.
The words hung in the air as they left Betty’s mouth. They were like the wishes of a dying woman and Kate knew that she could not ignore them.
“I’ll think about it, Mum, but France is their home, and mine.”
Betty nodded. “You must do what you think is right, but if you get the chance to be happy with Shane again, take it! Grab it with both hands and don’t let go!”
Betty’s eyes were fixed on Kate’s. She had never seen her mother look so intense. It made her wonder what secrets Betty was taking to the grave with her.
* * *
The front door swung open as Annabel was walking down the stairs.
“I didn’t expect to see you home so early,” she exclaimed.
Colin’s furrowed brow told a multitude. His golf clubs were flung onto the maple-wood floors with a crash.
“Where are the kids?” he grunted.
“I’m bringing them for a swim with Rosa.”
He didn’t reply but went out to the car to get the rest of his stuff. Annabel swallowed hard. She hated it when he was like this. No one on the outside knew that this was the price she had to pay for being his wife. If she had a means of supporting herself she could do something about his moods, have the strength to stand up to him. He often treated her like one of his apprentices in his shiny office in the IFSC. At least they could move job to get away from him.
Rosa came out from the kitchen with Rebecca in her arms.
“Colin’s home – we may as well go soon,” Annabel said.
On his return to the hall, with another large bag, Colin changed his expression like a light switch. “Rosa, good to see you! I hope Annabel has been looking after you well?”
“Oh, yes, Mr Hamilton!”
“Rosa, I told you, call me Colin!”
It really annoyed Annabel to watch her husband turn on his bogus charm in this way – who did he think he was fooling? He always did it with attractive women and his friends’ wives.
“We are going now,” Annabel said curtly. “Is Taylor ready?”
“Don’t let her get grumpy with you, Rosa,” Colin snorted. “Just tell me if she’s being bossy.”
Annabel wanted to hit him over the head. She had little enough power or decision-making in the house when he was around, and now he wanted to mess up her position with the au pair. It was just as well Rosa was so nice. Annabel hoped she could see through his shallow ways.
She drove efficiently but silently to the pool. Rosa sat in the back with the girls playing Gameboy. If only she could do something more positive. She remembered she needed to call the guy who organised the market and, while she was stopped at a traffic light, hit his number on her hands-free kit.
“Sean Doonan,” he answered.
“Hi, my name is Annabel Hamilton and I was wondering what the procedure is for anyone wanting to set up a stall in the Farmers’ Market in Howth?”
“What do you produce?”
“I make humus and salads but I would like to do more . . .”
“You could be in luck. The harbourmaster has increased the space available for stalls. I could give you a twelve foot square area for fifty euros per week.”
“Oh, really, I think I’d be very interested in that.”
She let him talk on about the rental costs and overheads – she would definitely be able to finance it from her housekeeping and use the profits from week to week to build the business up. “This all sounds great. When can I start?”
“Next week if you like,” he replied.
Annabel couldn’t believe there was a space free so soon. She would have a lot of work to do during the week to get ready. She couldn’t make the produce too early or it would go off. Little butterflies gathered in her stomach as she pulled into the car park of the leisure centre. Things had changed since her two days in Biarritz – but it wasn’t all negative.
* * *
Shane looked at his watch. “Good,” he said out loud but there was no one else in the car.
Again the weather was smiling on him as he crossed the toll-bridge and arrived on the north side of the city. He didn’t want to turn up with the roof down. Kate wouldn’t be impressed twice!
He stopped off at Vernon’s off licence and picked up a drinkable Chilean red that had a new style screw-off cap for convenience. He took two plastic cups from the counter-top and smartly made his way back to the car.
* * *
Kate checked her hair in the bathroom mirror on realising that it was almost three o’clock. The pressures of looking after her mother, and the impending art exhibition that she wasn’t doing any work for, were starting to show. Her own usually tanned face was looking pallid and tired, and she was still off her food.
Two Days in Biarritz Page 12