‘No problem’ Adam returned tapping his foot and looking at his watch. He was in a hurry.
Unable to go any faster, Amy felt a little annoyed at Adam’s impatience. Grabbing her bag from the bed, she made her way down the stairs slowly to get the cake from the fridge. The wine already at the front door, she made her way out to Adam. ‘You look pretty’ he ushered her into the car before she had time to answer.
‘Are you ok?’ Amy asked realising that Adam was a little bit stressed. Maybe it was work or maybe it was the fact that his sisters were home but he was not the type to stress easily. She put it out of her mind and decided to concentrate on not letting her legs stick together. The bloody tan would take ages to dry. She should have faked sick. The thought of finally meeting Adams two sisters were making her ill. Amy knew that against all odds they could be nice. Remembering his lovely mother, she doubted that were the case.
Pulling into a gated house in a densely wooded area on the outskirts of Salthill, she took a breath. It was very familiar. Often strolling by this property on an early morning walk with Frank, they fantasised about what it would be like to live in such luxury. She knew from staring at it in the past on many cold mornings, that whoever lived inside was indeed very rich. Already having an idea that Adams family were upper middle class. She moved them from that bracket into ‘seriously upper upper class’.
Passersby got a sneak peak of the actual house. From the road, one could see that it was unique, resembling the beautiful homes in the overpriced glossy home and garden magazines. The outside wall matched the stone coving the exterior of the house. Many different trees and rose bushes were scattered around the huge gardens, easily a number of acres in size and smaller shrubs led the way along the lengthy drive toward the main house. The house itself was stunning. It was not a typical rectangular dwelling that dominated the Irish countryside but instead had beautiful nooks and crannies jutting out here and there. The Georgian style windows on the third floor created a sense of old style but the rest of the house had a modern flair. It had the typical conservatory on the side of the house which was covered in ivy and lights shone from all angles creating a picture perfect view of the house.
Walking towards the front door, Amy noticed that there were huge pillars on either side stretching up to the second floor of the house. Out front, there was the most idyllic little fishpond with a beautiful ornate fountain creating a wonderful crisp splashing sound. The trees surrounding the pond were covered in fairy lights twinkling in the early evening. She suspected that this was the most exclusive property in Galway if not the West of Ireland. Looking at Adam with a nervous smile, she thought he seemed a little more relaxed than earlier. She, on the other hand, was more nervous than ever. She had seen where he had grown up. How could she fit into a life like this?
‘Daarrrrrling, you’re late’ Adam’s mom snorted after taking a sip from a brandy glass barely looking in Amy’s direction.
‘Hello Mrs Staunton’ Amy erupted nervously ‘Nice to see you again’
She started to sweat profusely. Leaving the wine and cake she had brought with her on the marble worktop in the kitchen, the gracious Mrs Staunton looked critically over her glasses. The bitch. She shouldn’t have bothered her arse getting the old cow anything.
‘I didn’t know what to bring so...’ Amy eyed the wine and cake.
‘Yes, yes. Well no need in future darling. We’ve a cellar full of wine, imported from our vineyard in Italy. But what’s it they say?’ She purred ‘It’s the thought that counts isn’t it’
Amy was mortified. She was only trying to be nice and this witch was making her feel small and inadequate.
‘Mum, I’m going to take Amy on a tour of the house’ Adam interrupted.
‘Yes sweetie you do that and will you tell your father and sisters that the dinner is almost ready’
Amy wondered how such a neatly turned out woman could look so manicured if she had been slaving away in the kitchen all day. Walking out towards the hall entrance again she realised how she looked as well as she did. A small middle-aged woman, wearing an apron, raced by her with four bottles of wine in her hands. She lifted her head as she passed giving her a tired smile and nodding her a quick hello. Ah hah! Bingo. She knew that Adam’s mother was more inclined to be drinking her way through the cupboards rather than killing herself making a meal for her family. Amy imagined they had all sorts of helpers. Cooks, cleaners, drivers, arse wipers! God her life was so far removed from this world that she wondered if she was in the right place.
‘Are you ok?’ asked Adam placing his hand on the small of her back.
‘Yeah I’m good, why?’
‘Nothing, it’s just you look a little like...’
‘Deer caught in a headlight?’ Amy answered before he had a chance to finish.
‘Well yeah’ he chuckled.
‘It’s ok. I’m just trying to get used to this’
She looked around her indicating she was a little uncomfortable.
‘Sorry, I know my mother can be a bit of a handful but she’s really fairly harmless’
Amy smiled back and turned to follow Adam as he showed her some of the house. She doubted that anyone else other than her immediate family would call Mrs. Staunton ‘harmless’. She’d nearly bet that the witch held oompa loompas or little elves captive in the east wing of the house.
Showing her around, Adam seemed unfazed by the size and grandeur of his childhood home. This was quite different to the four-bedroom house where she grew up. Hearing the squeal of a child before she rounded a corner for the ‘everyday living room’, she knew it was time to meet the rest of the clan.
‘Uncle Adam’ came a shriek from an over excited little girl. Adam lowered himself to the ground as the two little girls ran straight into him nearly knocking him to ground.
‘How are my favorite little girls?’
‘Fine’ they answered in unison.
‘I’d like you to meet my friend Amy’
Amy bent over and shook both of their hands, smiling at their matching outfits.
‘Well aren’t you the most beautiful little things I’ve ever seen’ she laughed grateful for the distraction. Kids were easy to deal with in comparison to the adults looking at her now.
‘Thanks’ they replied again at the same time beaming their biggest smile. Walking towards her was a slim dark haired beauty with a smile very similar to the two little girls looking up at her.
‘Hi Amy, so good to finally meet you. We’ve heard lots about you. I’m Eva’ she shook Amy’s hand. Pointing over to Mr. Staunton who was fixing himself a drink ‘You’ve already met dad’
‘Hi again, Amy! You’re looking beautiful!’ Mr. Staunton made her blush. Eva moved her towards the couch to take a seat and pointed to the corner.
‘That’s Andrea over there in the corner being her usual unsocial self’ Eva whispered ‘Don’t take any of her lip’
Andrea was indeed being unsocial talking loudly on her mobile. Nodding a hello, Andrea turned quickly as she looked at Amy waving her hands to gesture her annoyance at the person on the other end of the phone. On first impression, it seemed that Andrea was as lovely as her mother. Both of Adams sisters looked very much like him. All of the brood looking like their mother. Eva was by far the more beautiful of the two girls. It wasn’t that Andrea was not beautiful, she was, very much so. It was just that Eva had more of a movie star aura about her. She had long luscious dark hair falling almost to her waist. She had sharp even facial feathers with a Mediterranean skin tone. Her figure was beyond slim, very much a gym goer Amy guessed.
Andrea, who was also on the skinny side, had more of a tired worn look. She too had a beautiful face but there were lines, which told Amy there was more to her than met the eye. Amy supposed that a very stressful high profile job would do that to you.
The evening passed without too much strain. Much to Amy’s gratitude, Adams mother sat at the far end of the table and Andrea spent most of her time on h
er phone. Adam let her know that he was unimpressed at her rude behaviour but Amy didn’t care. It was one less person to make small talk with. That said, she was enjoying the banter between Andrea and Mr Staunton.
‘Please Amy’ Adam’s father gushed nearing the end of dinner. ‘You must call me James. I feel like an old codger when I’m referred to as Mr.’
‘Ok James’ Amy replied emphasizing the James part. The wine was agreeing with her and she started to let her guard down as desert was being served.
‘God love her’ she thought to herself, at the housekeeper who silently placed plate after plate of food. It was nine thirty and the poor woman was still running and racing. Mrs. Staunton was cackling away at the end of the table about some charity function she was organising and didn’t even pay any attention to this poor woman who must have been exhausted. She blatantly ignored her as she raced in and out serving everyone and making sure the wine had been topped up. Amy noticed that no one even said thank you to her, apart from Adam’s dad.
As dinner ended, Amy made it her business to help clear the table. Getting up from her Chair to pile some plates on top of another as everyone still chatted around her, Caoimhe who was running around the table, let out a bellow of laughter.
‘Ha ha, Amy pooed on the chair’
Amy’s heart did a flip. Christ, what had she done now? Turning to look at the chair, she noticed that the cream material covering the chair was no longer cream.
‘Oh Jeeesus’ she cried putting her hand to her mouth nearly dropping the couple of plates she had lifted from the table. The tan, which had refused to dry, had rubbed from her legs onto the cream upholstery of the antique chair. It did indeed look like poo.
‘Sweet lord, what have you done to my chair’ cried Adam’s mother clearly annoyed at what was unfolding before her. Wishing a huge hole would open up and gobble her up, Amy ran from the room towards the kitchen to get a cloth.
‘I’m so sorry Mrs. Staunton. I had no idea the fake tan would run’
She now wished she hadn’t let herself relax and drink that wine.
‘Honestly, I’m so sorry I don’t...’ the tears came. Following her into the kitchen Adam was trying to contain his amusement. He didn’t know which was funnier. The fact that his mother was having a canary over her silly chair or that his poor girlfriend had unwittingly caused havoc in the dining room.
‘Adam, I’m mortified’ Amy whispered desperately searching for some class of a cloth. Mary, the housekeeper jumped in and told her not to worry that Elizabeth, aka Mrs. Staunton, probably wouldn’t even remember it in the morning. Adam agreed and told Amy not to worry. Of course, Amy would not be forgetting this anytime soon.
‘Seriously love, don’t even worry about it. That woman should know better than to have white chairs’ Andrea declared, patting Amy on the shoulder.
‘Eh sorry, but have you ever heard of tights?’ Eva spat. ‘My mother imported those chairs from Italy along with the grand piano and the dresser in the hall’
‘EVA’ Adam and Andrea said in harmony.
‘There’s no need for that, can’t you see the poor thing feels bad’ added James, strolling in from the dining room to join the commotion.
‘God Adam, can’t I just go home?’ Amy pleaded. She didn’t need to ask twice. Adam was more than happy to get out of dodge.
The ride home Amy sniffled her way through a packet of Kleenex. Why she was being so emotional she had no idea. Adam pleaded with her to forget about it. She tried but to no avail. Next time she would buy the effing tights!
16
‘You did what?’ cackled Liz over the phone.
‘Yeah, thanks for the support’ replied Amy sarcastically.
‘No worries. So well...tell me, apart from you crapping yourself on the chair, how did the rest of the evening go? Any mention of your one in Namibia or Mongolia….Where is she again?’
‘It went fine. Adam’s mother is always going to be a bitch and his sister is following suit’
‘The seven foot size zero perfectly primped and pruned one?’ teased Liz.
‘That’s the other sister! Eva is the nice one. Also, no. No word of the fabulous Celia. His mother was far too concerned about her precious chairs’
Amy rolled her eyes to heaven.
‘What’s her problem anyway’ questioned Liz, as she took a bite out of a big mars bar nearly dropping some in the process.
‘Dunno. Maybe it’s that pole shoved so far up her...’
‘Amy…stop stop…lovely image there. Thanks for that!’ Liz screeched, cutting her short.
‘Look would you ever forget about the lot of them. It would be more in your line to be thinking about our holiday’
Their long awaited trip was just around the corner. Only four weeks away and they would be jetting away to New York. Amy literally could not wait. She had her case already half-packed. Liz on the other hand knew that her suitcase wasn’t going to fly out of the press without her. Her packing was always done the night before going anywhere. For Amy, looking at her suitcase every time she entered her room reminded her of the impending shopping trip away. She was more than excited. After the past six months of drama, this was exactly what she needed. Work was busy which suited her fine and Tom was out of the country for the next few weeks, which meant she could relax a little. Sean was keeping himself busy and out of her way. She wondered how things were going with his girlfriend. She remembered her having perfect long legs. She was beginning to feel a little bit of a plain Jane lately with all of these new skinny minnys showing up.
Adam, on the other hand, told her on numerous occasions that she was nowhere near a plain Jane. They had finally spent their first night together the night of the poo poo disaster. She blushed remembering him practically tearing her clothes off in a rushed effort to devour her. He had been patient with her, as she didn’t want to rush. Too much hurt and confusion had been swirling around her head for far too long and she wasn’t about to let anyone mess with her any further. Not that Adam would mess with her. He was the perfect gentleman, never presuming anything. He cooked for her, bought her gifts, constantly reassured her and never pressured her into anything. Essentially, he was the perfect boyfriend. They talked about everything, often late into the night, laughing over childhood memories and teasing each other over this and that.
With Adam, Amy felt very content. They had been together now about four months, which had flown by. She even felt a little sad at the thought of leaving him behind to fly to New York.
‘We could always go together’ his eyes sparkled questioningly, as they lay in bed together.
‘And I suppose I’ll put poor Liz into my suitcase?’
‘I’m sure she wouldn’t mind’ Adam joked.
Amy gave him a dig and turned over to face the window.
‘I could book myself onto your flight?’ He persisted, snuggling into her nibbling her naked shoulder. Amy knew he was not joking. Feeling bad for him, she turned to face him. There was no way she was going to let Liz down on this but she hated hurting his feelings too. He was not the pushy type but he was clearly letting her know that he wanted in.
‘I’m sorry. I really am! I promised Liz and we’ve this booked for ages. I just couldn’t do that to her’
‘No worries’ he replied a little disappointed as he turned to get out of bed heading for the shower.
‘It’s not that I don’t want you to go it’s just...’
‘Ah, forget about it seriously, if you don’t want me there you don’t want me there. It’s your choice. If you choose to leave me that’s your prerogative’ came his even cooler response as he hit the power to the shower.
Amy charged out of bed beginning to get annoyed at his tone. The last thing she wanted now was a fight but if he wanted to act like a little spoiled brat, she was going to let him know that she did not intend to listen.
‘Now, that’s not what I said at all! I simply said that I’ve promised my very good friend that it would be the tw
o of us. I’m not in the habit of breaking promises, so if you want to act hurt and spoiled then go ahead but you can do it by yourself!’
The sound of the shower was obviously overpowering her. That or he was pretending not to hear her. She stormed in to the bathroom ready to fight her corner. Why should she have to explain herself? Adam was used to getting his own way at the click of his fingers but Amy refused to entertain him.
‘Now listen to me bucko. I have put up with a lot of shite over the past while and I’m not about to let you go and ruin my holiday. I’ve been planning this with my best friend for ages!’
Adam still ignoring her, washed his hair acting oblivious to her rant.
‘Oh, fine’ she bellowed.
‘Ignore me...real mature....reaaaal mature!’
‘I’m sorry did you say something’ Adam finally retorted as he turned off the water and started to dry himself off.
‘Ah piss off you spoiled brat’ Amy tore down the stairs in a temper hurting her sore leg as she rounded a corner for the kitchen. What an idiot! Did he think that she was going to drop all her plans just because he felt like it?
‘I don’t think so’ she spat aloud to herself. She listened to his thumping around upstairs and decided that she would give him as good as he gave. She too started to thump around the kitchen. Banging cupboards closed and throwing cutlery into the sink.
After the noise had died down both upstairs and downstairs, Amy sat at the kitchen table sipping a coffee pretending to read a newspaper. Adam entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee machine. Still not saying a word to each other, not wanting to give in, they both stuck to their guns. After making a few slices of toast, Adam debated whether to sit in the lounge or take a seat beside her at the table. While he was annoyed that she didn’t want him to go, he knew that things always had their way of working themselves out. He would definitely make it his business to make sure that they would both get to New York at some stage.
Whiplash Hotel Page 14