The Carmel Sheehan Story

by Jean Grainger

  Bill did as she asked, though, and Julia was called off. And, what’s more, he signed all the divorce papers when the time came. Carmel didn’t want a penny, or any bit of his precious farm, and that helped smooth things over. Still, she was surprised the morning she married Sharif to find a special delivery of a lovely Waterford Crystal frame from Bill, along with a card wishing them well and a note saying the frame was for their wedding picture. It was a sad life she had with him, but it ended as well as it could have.

  She’d had no contact with him since that day. The divorce was handled by solicitors, she didn’t even need to turn up, and so ended her association with Bill Sheehan, Birr, Co Offaly, and she thought with Ireland forever. And yet here she was, looking down on the land of her birth, preparing to meet her father’s family. Life was very strange sometimes.

  Chapter 12

  Looking down on the country that was her home for so long, Carmel saw Tim doing the same thing out of the corner of her eye. They were both going back, and though the circumstances were different, it was going to be a complicated trip for both of them. She hoped he’d be OK, that the legal business with the farm would go smoothly and nothing bad happened. He looked so distinguished, so tall and together looking, but she knew that inside he was in turmoil. Brian had been the stronger of the two in some respects, and Tim missed him immeasurably.

  She caught his eye, and he smiled.

  ‘Well, here goes. We’ll stick together, Carmel, and we’ll be grand.’

  She would have liked to hold his hand as the plane touched down on Irish soil, but Zeinab was snoring loudly between them and they didn’t dare wake her. They needn’t have worried, as the slight jolt of touchdown roused her anyway, and she self-consciously dusted the crumbs from the two ham and cheese croissants she’d had on the plane from the front of her top.

  ‘That was a nice easy landing,’ she remarked. ‘Sometimes they are so bumpy.’

  ‘Oh, that’s the Irish pilots, they are very well trained,’ Tim quipped, winking at Carmel over Zeinab’s stooped head as she bent to retrieve her unfeasibly huge handbag.

  Sharif, with Tim’s help, managed to gather all of the luggage, and soon they found themselves in the arrivals area smothered in hugs and kisses. Carmel beamed as she saw not just Joe, but Jennifer and baby Sean, Luke and some of the other McDaids she recognised from Brian’s funeral. They had all made the trip to the airport to meet them.

  ‘Welcome home, darling.’ Joe grinned, embracing her warmly. All available hands grabbed suitcases as they made their way to the bus in the car park, the noisy chatter causing other travellers to look up in surprise.

  ‘I got a sixteen-seater, so I thought we might all go for lunch. I’ve arranged a kind of buffet lunch, since we’re so many at a hotel on the Galway road. This gang of relatives wanted to catch up with you before the wedding, so they’ll come for lunch too, and we can strike off afterwards on the big adventure. How does that sound?’

  ‘Wonderful.’ Carmel smiled up at her dad as he walked with his arm protectively around her shoulders.

  Her cousin Aisling was all chat, and Carmel asked her about the upcoming wedding.

  ‘Ah sure, they all think I’m being a right bridezilla, but you know how it is. If I left it to anyone else, t’would be a total train crash, so if you want something done, do it yourself. My sister is taking the flower girls to get their shoes this morning, and there’s going to be a standoff because my eldest niece doesn’t want baby shoes, but I told Aoife just to put them in something that kind of matches, after that I don’t care.’

  Carmel grinned. ‘So how many in the bridal party?’

  Aisling caught her Uncle Joe’s eye, and she playfully thumped him on the shoulder. ‘Oi, you, what would you know about weddings? Keep your opinions to yourself.’

  He chuckled. ‘I never said a word.’

  ‘You didn’t have to.’ Aisling rolled her eyes and turned back to Carmel.

  ‘Well, there was to be ten bridemaids and seven flower girls, and then ten groomsmen, but we only have five little boys so we only have that many page boys, but then one of my bridemaids went off and got herself pregnant, which was very inconsiderate...’ She deliberately spoke loudly enough to include Jennifer in the conversation.

  ‘I had to take extreme measures to get out of wearing that horrific dress you picked out, honestly, I looked like a demented flamingo, all peach and feathers. So even though me and Damien don’t want another kid, I had to do something.’ Jen laughed.

  Aisling looked mock outraged. ‘Don’t mind her, Carmel, she wouldn’t know fashion if it came up and bit her on her ever-widening arse! She’s a mammy these days, so it’s all tracksuit pants and greasy hair.’

  Carmel marvelled at the way the two girls hurled insults at each other in such a jovial way. They were almost the same age, and Carmel had often talked about Aisling with Jen. They were best friends as well as cousins, and everyone was thrilled for Aisling that she was finally having the wedding of her dreams despite the slagging she got from her uncles. Aisling had been engaged before, but her fiancée was killed in a road accident, and she took years to get over it. Her soon-to-be husband was a lovely guy and didn’t mind a bit that the wedding was a match for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s bash.

  Joe chuckled, too, used to the two of them knocking sparks off each other.

  Sharif was deep in conversation with Luke. Nadia and Tim were being escorted by presumably another cousin, while pushing Sean in his stroller. Only Zeinab seemed unaccompanied.

  Carmel stopped and allowed her to catch up.

  ‘Dad, this is Zeinab, Nadia’s sister who is visiting from Pakistan. Zeinab, this is my dad, Joe McDaid.’

  Joe stopped, released Carmel and gave Zeinab his full attention.

  ‘Well, Zeinab, it’s my pleasure to meet you. Carmel has been telling me all about you, and I want to say how sorry I was to hear about your husband’s death. My own wife, Mary, died four years ago, and I miss her every day. All I can tell you is that it does get easier, but those early days were just a fog to be honest. We won’t expect too much from you, and I hope the trip just helps you to get through these early days some kind of way.’

  He offered her his arm to link, and she took it. Carmel watched in amazement as Zeinab seemed to be totally under his spell. Her cranky expression had changed to one of contentment, and she was basking in the glow of Joe’s attention.

  Living in England for a year, Carmel had forgotten some of the subtle differences between English people and Irish. In England, people were very conscious of the need for privacy, and nobody would dream of discussing someone’s recent bereavement so openly, but in Ireland people were much more forthright. It was refreshing, but somewhat scary too, as she had no idea how Zeinab would react. She needn’t have worried; the woman clearly was enthralled with Joe. Then Carmel remembered how Sharif always said Irish and Pakistani culture was similar in that way—people were quite forthright, and emotions were allowed.

  ‘Thank you, Joe, it’s a relief to speak to someone who understands how hard it is to lose a loved one,’ Zeinab fawned with a saccharin smile. ‘Tariq was my life, and I was his. We did everything together, and we were so united, life without him, well, it just seems so bleak...’

  Carmel was glad Nadia was out of earshot. Zeinab spoke as if Nadia hadn’t lost Khalid, and the way the lecherous Tariq was being eulogised after his demise was enough to drive poor Nadia up the walls. While Zeinab was playing the distraught widow, they knew the reality: Tariq had an apartment in the Central Business District of Karachi, hardly ever visiting his wife in the Clifton house.

  The fact that Nadia knew that was one of the many reasons Zeinab resented her. She spun her tale of the devoted Tariq regardless to all and sundry, but she hated that Nadia knew the truth.

  ‘Tell me, Joe, do you live alone?’

  Here we go, thought Carmel.

  ‘I do, Zeinab, but to be honest, I’ve such a huge family there’s
always someone on the doorstep or some place to be. And my daughter Jennifer, that’s her over there with the dark hair, lives very nearby with her husband Damien and little Sean, and of course, there’s another on the way so we’ll all be kept very busy, I’m sure. And then my son, that’s him’—he pointed with pride at Luke—‘he lives in town, and I see him very often too, so I’m very lucky. After Mary died, I was inclined to stay at home, but they kind of made me get out and about, even when I didn’t feel like it. And you know, ’twas the best thing for me. It doesn’t do you any good, moping around the house, so I’m delighted you’re here with us.’

  ‘Well, thank you for inviting me. I was delighted when dear Sharif mentioned it. I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland, such a fascinating country, so rich in culture and language and everything. I can’t wait to learn more about it, and I’m sure you’re a wonderful teacher, Joe.’

  Carmel couldn’t believe her ears. Zeinab really was a piece of work. All that stuff about the Irish being backward and ungrateful and only speaking gobbledegook was out the window and suddenly Ireland was a cultural kingdom? The woman was something else. Now, she was squeezing Joe’s arm and giggling up at him like a teenager.

  Oh, great, Carmel thought. Zeinab is flirting with my father.

  They boarded the bus, and Sharif sat beside Carmel.

  ‘OK?’ he asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. ‘They love you; it’s going to be fun.’

  ‘I know, it is, I’m not nervous really, and amazingly, Zeinab seems to be behaving herself so far, so barring any unforeseen disasters it should all go fine.’ She took a deep breath to steady herself.

  ‘Don’t worry about Zeinab. Between Ammi and Tim, they’ll keep her on a tight leash, and anyway, as you say, she’s behaving well. In fact, I think she has a thing for your father.’

  ‘Did you notice that too? Oh my God, I hoped I was imagining it. I can’t think of anything worse than Zeinab trying to get her claws into Joe. Do you think he noticed?’

  ‘He’s a man, and I know we are not always the most perceptive of creatures, but Zeinab isn’t exactly subtle. She was practically salivating at the prospect!’

  ‘Oh no, should we warn him?’ Carmel didn’t know whether to be amused or horrified. She was a little of both.

  Sharif chuckled. ‘I think Joe is a big boy. He’ll manage Zeinab just fine. Now, let’s go on this mad Irish adventure and enjoy ourselves, OK?’

  ‘OK, let’s do it.’

  Chapter 13

  The lunch was a noisy, fun-filled affair, and everyone mingled and chatted happily. Carmel was introduced to yet more cousins, and they seemed to have taken the news that Joe had a daughter with another woman before he was married to Mary in their stride. She felt welcome and like she’d always known them. Her cousin Tadhg, Aisling’s brother, even teased her about getting an English accent. There was no formality, it was just straight into laughing, talking and good-natured banter. It was amazing.

  Several times she looked up from a conversation to find either Joe or Sharif watching her protectively, and she basked in the warm glow of their love. She thought of all those years in Trinity House, watching families on the street, or in the park where the care workers took them sometimes, and she remembered wondering if her cousins were among those children playing, or were those mothers and fathers holding their kids’ hands on Grafton Street at Christmastime her aunts or uncles?

  Maybe she passed these very people on the street and never knew her blood ran in their veins. She allowed herself to feel that loss—Nora was working hard with her to allow her to feel her emotions. The idea that this huge extended family of hers had lived in the same city as her all through her childhood but she never knew them made her immeasurably sad, but she tried to focus on the positive: the fact that it had all turned out OK in the end.

  After a longer lunch than anyone anticipated, Joe finally herded everyone onto the bus. Nadia was glowing, possibly helped by the brandy Joe had insisted she try, and Zeinab was laughing happily while clinging like a limpet to Joe at every opportunity. Tim talked with Joe’s brother Colm, and Carmel was so happy for him, to get to meet another of Brian’s brothers and have him accept Tim for what he was to Brian. Joe had told the whole family, with Tim’s permission, a few months ago that Brian was gay and Tim was his partner. The tenderness and respect they’d all showed to Tim since he arrived was heartwarming.

  The bus was loaded, and everyone was buckled up when Joe slid into the driver seat and announced, ‘Now, I’m not claiming to be an expert of anything, but I’ve been swotting up and I think I’m going to do OK as a tour guide. But you’ll have to bear with me. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. If I don’t know the answer, sure, I can make something up, all right?’

  ‘And he will,’ Luke teased from the back seat. ‘We’ve been victims of his Irish tours since we were kids. I ended up failing history in the Leaving Cert because of all the claptrap he told us!’

  Jennifer was sitting in front with Sean strapped into a car seat that Joe had made sure was safely installed. Damien and Luke had started out across the aisle from Jen and the baby, until Zeinab announced that she was very unused to busses so the front seat was the best place for her. Carmel suspected she just wanted to be behind Joe. Tim, Sharif and Carmel had taken their seats behind the others. The bus was big for their little group, but the extra space allowed them to spread out, and luckily, Joe had a bus driving licence—one of his many jobs back in the day, he explained.

  They were just pulling out of the hotel car park when Luke jumped up and called, ‘Stop, Dad, stop a sec..’

  Bewildered, Joe opened the door to allow his son out. The group on the bus watched in bemusement as an ethereally beautiful, tall willowy girl with long dark hair threw herself into Luke’s arms. She was absolutely stunning, all silky hair and toned abs, though she was dressed a little optimistically for Ireland, in teeny-tiny denim shorts showing off her slim, tanned legs that went on forever, and a tie-dyed t-shirt that said Woodstock Forever on top. Carmel guessed it was probably meant for ages five to six, because it barely covered the girl’s rib cage. Her bare abdomen was adorned with a glittering belly button ring. She had a pull-along case beside her.

  Luke, who seemed thrilled to see her, kissed her fully before grabbing the case with one hand—and her with the other—and helping her up the steps of the bus.

  ‘Everyone, this is Carrie,’ he announced. ‘She wasn’t sure if she’d make it, so I didn’t say anything, but here she is!’

  Carmel melted; he looked thrilled. But since nobody had even known about the existence of Carrie—though Jen had some inkling—the welcome was somewhat delayed.

  Jen recovered first. ‘So, you’re joining us for the whole trip, Carrie?’ she asked, and Carmel sensed the reticence in her voice, though her tone was friendly enough.

  ‘Ya, like, I totally want to see, like, Ireland, and like the culture and stuff, like it’s all so green and so historical, and I’m really psyched about the Wild Atlantic Way, so when Lukie said I could come, I was totally, like...psyched.’ She smiled sweetly.

  Sharif glanced at Carmel, and she suppressed a giggle.

  ‘So, are you American?’ Joe asked innocently.

  She laughed, and everyone started. She sounded like a braying donkey. Her speaking voice was husky, seductive almost, but this laugh… It was straight off the stage.

  ‘Like American from the U.S.?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Jennifer said slowly. ‘From the United States of America?’

  ‘No, like, not really, like, but I watch a lot of vloggers? That’s video bloggers, like on the internet? Y’know, stateside, but I’m not actually from there.’ She smiled sweetly, glad she was able to explain the concept of the cyber world to these hopeless cases. She had that highly irritating habit young Irish people seemed to have developed of late, of upwardly inflecting every sentence so all statements sounded like questions.

  Luke saw the direction this was
taking and shuffled her into a seat, clearly delighted she’d made it.

  Carmel caught Jen’s eye and tried not to react. Carmel knew Jennifer was not amused. This girl hadn’t made a great first impression with her fake American accent, condescending attitude and barely there clothing, and Jen worried about her brother, especially after last time. But Carmel just wanted Luke to be happy, and this Carrie seemed to put a very genuine smile on his face. If she was good to him, what difference did her accent make?

  ‘Right. Sure, we’ll get going so, I suppose.’ Joe grinned as he sat back into the driver’s seat.

  ‘Joe, it is wonderful how you can drive such a big machine. How ever did you learn such a skill?’ Zeinab was bordering on simpering, which made Nadia grit her teeth.

  ‘She normally wouldn’t deign to engage with a mere bus driver,’ Sharif whispered in Carmel’s ear. ‘She must be smitten.’

  ‘Your mother will strangle her if she doesn’t go easy with the flirting,’ Carmel whispered back with a grin. ‘I don’t know which is scarier: Zeinab being horrible or Zeinab being nice.’

  ‘So, folks, I thought we’d begin our tour with a trip to New Grange. Now, I took Jen and Luke there as kids, but we haven’t gone for ages, and it’s all been developed, I believe, so it will be worth a visit. It’s older than the pyramids, older than Stonehenge in England. An amazing place. It’s a passage tomb, and it is huge. The stones used to build it were pulled from over a hundred miles away as the crow flies, and over five thousand years ago, that was no mean feat.’