“I’m leaving.” Emmet almost jumped from the kitchen chair.
“You are not deserting me, Da.” Finn grabbed his arm and hauled him back into the chair.
Emmet gave in. “What needs to be done?” He couldn’t run out the door if Ingrid was about to barge into Finn’s life.
“Thanks, Da.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I didn’t think to ask the assistant to the assistant how many people were in the crew.” She’d been shocked rigid by the news – hadn’t thought to demand details. “My heart stood still when I heard Oisín would be arriving today. I’ve missed him, Da.”
“Why didn’t Rolf ring me?”
“It seems we two were the last to know.” Finn was worried about her two da’s. They had never been apart for this long as far as she knew – what was going on with them? “Do you think I’ll have to feed them?”
“It wouldn’t do any harm to call the butcher and order breakfast meats.” Emmet hadn’t any advice to give – he didn’t know what was going on either. “If we have half a pig in the fridge it won’t go to waste. You know the two boys will want a full Irish breakfast as soon as their feet hit their home soil.”
“I have Maggie coming in to get the bedrooms ready. She’ll do yours too – put fresh linen on the bed. She’ll stay the morning and then we’ll see what’s what.”
“Good enough. I’ll throw a few loaves of soda bread in the oven to go with the meat. We’ll need more eggs and I’m not cleaning the kitchen afterwards.”
“Fair enough. My sons can get their lily-white hands wet. They are the ones who invited this crowd.” She was silent for a minute, thinking. “I’ll have to ask the butcher to deliver – I’ve no car.” She lowered her eyes for a moment. “Do you think it’s wrong to resent all of this, Da?”
“No, I don’t.” Emmet was upset on her behalf. “It was ignorant of them not to inform you.”
“I did the same thing to you and Rolf – just turned up.”
“That was only one person and a delightful surprise. This is different.”
“Do you think they’ll want to film me greeting Oisín?” Finn cringed at the thought. “You know, like those reality shows, where people expose their private life to the world and his brother?” She didn’t have to think about it. “I won’t do it, Da.”
“They will have to take us as they find us.” Emmet hugged her close for a moment. “Rolf and your sons deserve to be greeted with love – the rest of them, they can like it or lump it.” He finished his tea and stood. “I’m going to get dressed. We’ll have to wait and see what we will see.”
Finn stood at the window on the top landing overlooking the street. She was waiting for Oisín who had texted that they were almost there. She would resist the urge to run out and strangle him with hugs. She was trying to respect that her sons were grown men. She didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his company.
The beds in all of the rooms had been made and fresh towels set out. The house had been buffed and polished, thanks to Maggie and Joan.
She watched a stretch limousine followed by a studio van and her da’s familiar camper van turn into her street. Oisín put his head out the driver’s window of the camper van and tooted the horn.
Finn ran down the stars and through the house. She watched the vehicles, holding her breath as the drivers parked on her lawn. She waited while the cameras rolled, filming her son’s arrival home. It wasn’t until the large cameras were put back into the van that she ran out the kitchen door into the back garden. She pulled Oisín into her arms, wanting to examine him from head to toe. She wanted to clutch him to her and never let go.
Dolph had left Ronan, Rolf and Ingrid off to enter the house by the front door. He wanted to be introduced to Finn. He’d been astonished by the story his nephew Pieter had recounted to him. How could his sister Ingrid have done such a thing, to give away her own child?
Finn was introduced to Dolph, then Pieter’s daughter Frieda. The young woman was a blue-eyed blonde ball of bouncing energy. She’d travelled with Oisín and appeared on screen as his camping companion – she’d loved every moment of it, she said.
Emmet wandered over to speak with the camera crew. Surely they weren’t expecting to stay with his daughter?
“Mum, Dolph has booked a hotel in Bray for the actors and film crew but can Frieda and her family stay with us?” Oisín asked. It was so good to be home.
“Of course,” Finn said through gritted teeth.
This was exactly what she’d been worried about. The men in her life never seemed to think about the amount of work involved in taking care of a home. That was all going to change. She’d talk to Angie about staffing the house. She’d be sure Oisín got the bill for the service. She was no one’s on-the-spot maid – not anymore.
“Mum, I need to talk to you.” Oisín put his arm around her shoulders and led her towards the front of the house. Finn was surprised to see the front door standing open but allowed herself to be led inside. “Oh, shit!”
He halted abruptly and stood with his mother, watching Ingrid run a finger over the mantelpiece in the main lounge. The woman was barking demands at Maggie.
Finn stared at the woman – she knew who she was. Her resemblance to Rolf was remarkable. She was stylishly dressed all in black, her greying blond hair pulled back from her face.
“Ah, daughter, at last, I wish to speak with you.” Ingrid reached up to pat Oisín’s cheek. “Hurry away, Ohseen – your brother and mine have gone to the kitchen.”
She mangled the pronunciation of his name, giving Finn a cheap feeling of satisfaction.
Ingrid clicked her fingers at Maggie. “Coffee now.” She didn’t wait to see if her orders were carried out but turned to Finn. “Come, child. I want to look at you. You are tall. This is good. Sit, I wish to see the woman you have become.”
“I am presuming you are Ingrid?” Finn was grateful Maggie had insisted she change and fuss with her hair and make-up. She didn’t know how she was supposed to react to this woman. She had never felt the lack of her in her life.
“Who else would I be? Have you not longed to meet me? My brothers were coming to Ireland. Should I not have availed of the opportunity to see the child that was torn from my arms so long ago?”
“Why are you here?” Finn was wary of the woman ordering her around in her own home. Her da couldn’t stand her and he was one of the easiest-going men she knew.
“You are a mother yourself with two fine sons. Can you not imagine the pain of a mother who has been denied her child?”
“Ingrid, you entered into a business agreement with your brother – an agreement you instigated,” Finn said. “I can admire that. You have known where I was all of my life but never made any effort to contact me. Let us not pretend that this is some great Greek tragedy.” Finn could not see any sign of painful longing about this woman. She’d missed her sons so much in the months they’d been away. It had been a constant pain in her heart. The woman sitting across from her wasn’t even looking in her direction. The pale blue eyes were examining every detail of the room.
“Is that what you have been told.” Ingrid smirked and patted her hair. “Your father has long fought his feelings for me.”
Oh Christ, Finn thought, completely shocked by this unexpected declaration. Ingrid wouldn’t be the first woman to fall for her da.
“Your coffee.” Maggie came into the room, carrying a white coffee pot, milk, sugar and mugs on a tray.
“I will call if I have further need.” Ingrid didn’t even look at Maggie.
Maggie rolled her eyes at Finn as she withdrew.
Ingrid waited for Finn to pour the coffee. “You have no curiosity about your own mother. How is this possible?”
“Ingrid, you are my mother’s sister.” She sipped the coffee she didn’t want. “You are a complete stranger to me.”
“You are hard-hearted.” Tears began to well in the blue eyes.
“That might work with the men in your life,
Ingrid. Tears are not quite so effective when facing another woman.”
“I cannot believe I gave birth to such an unnatural female.” Ingrid sat straight in her chair and glared.
“Ingrid, you were a woman in a difficult situation – you found a way of providing for your young sons and protecting their inheritance – hats off to you. You are welcome under my roof as Rolf’s sister. If you will excuse me. I want to see my sons.” She rose and walked out of the room.
She found her father, two sons, Rolf, Frieda, Maggie, Joan, and Dolph in the kitchen.
“Ronan, let me look at you.” Finn pulled her son into her arms and smothered him in kisses. She was amazed to feel him pull her close. He rocked her gently from side to side. “I’m glad you didn’t leave in those silly hair extensions.”
“I’ve missed you, Mum.” He pressed a kiss into her hair.
“You have met your mother?” Rolf’s gentle voice came from behind her.
“I met my mother’s sister.” Finn turned to throw herself into Rolf’s arms. She pulled back, shocked. “Da-ma, why have you lost so much weight?” The words escaped unchecked from her lips. He looked dreadful. “Have you missed Da’s cooking that much?” Finn hugged the only mother she had ever needed.
“I have picked up a bug.” Rolf shrugged. “I needed to lose weight, sweetling.”
“Not this fast.” Finn bit back the rest of her words.
“Where is everyone?” Ingrid walked into the kitchen. “I thought we were going out for breakfast.”
“I have food in,” Finn said. “I’ll cook. I’ve been looking forward to it.” She turned to her son. “Oisín, show the lady to the green bedroom. I’m sure she would like to freshen up.”
Ingrid left the kitchen, snapping at Maggie to follow.
With a cheeky grin and a roll of her eyes behind the woman’s back, Maggie followed, prepared to be entertained.
“Ronan, set the table in the dining room. We’ll put the food on the sideboard and everyone can serve themselves.”
Ronan jumped to obey.
“Rolf, if you would squeeze oranges, please. Da, check the bread and get the grills started.”
The butcher had sent his eldest son over with the meat. She had everything she needed to hand.
“Da, here’s the meat.” Finn dumped the heavy, brown-paper-wrapped packages on the table. She pushed a pad on her work surface, showing Rolf the electric fruit press when it appeared. “The oranges are in a crate there.”
“I should check on your mother,” Rolf fretted. “She was so nervous about meeting you.”
“Da-ma, I don’t want to be rude to you. I love and respect you.” Finn hugged Rolf, kissing his sagging cheek. “But Ingrid is not my mother. You are. I will not have you give her the title you so richly deserve. Is that understood?” She shook him gently. “Is that understood?” She repeated when it looked as if Rolf would disagree.
“Ja, sweetling, I understand.” Rolf had tears in his eyes.
“Finn,” Dolph said, “I have left my film crews in Bray but my son and grandson are in the camera van outside. They wish to come inside. Will this be a problem?”
“Not at all.”
Finn organised everyone and everything. She was introduced to Dolph’s son Max and his grandson Franz and sent them off with Joan to freshen up.
Shouting out orders, she was soon serving a full Irish breakfast to ten people. The smells were mouth-watering.
They were all sitting with laden plates in front of them when Finn appeared from the kitchen with tea and coffee. Joan and Maggie had started on the kitchen clean-up. They would keep the tea and coffee coming.
“Ronan, why are you sitting in my place?”
“Just keeping it warm for you.” Ronan didn’t mention that he had prevented Ingrid from trying to sit across the table from Emmet at the head of the table. He didn’t know what was going on between Ingrid and his mother but the seat at the head of the table belonged to his mum.
Finn served tea and coffee before shifting her son from her place.
“You should see the footage we have shot!” Frieda said when everyone was seated.
“No talk of work at the table,” Ingrid bit out.
Her brothers and German grandchildren hunched their shoulders.
The only sounds after that were murmurs of appreciation for the cook and the Irish cuisine.
Finn looked around the table, astonished to be surrounded by so many people who shared blood ties with her. It was a strange situation.
The food disappeared faster than she would have believed possible. When everyone at last leaned back in their chairs, she turned to Rolf.
“Da-ma, you go take a nap. My sons will clean up here. They ate most of the food anyway. Ronan, see that fresh tea and coffee are served.”
She watched Rolf leave the room without a word of protest.
“Da, something is wrong with Rolf,” Finn said when chairs were pushed back and fresh coffee and tea were being served. “I don’t like how he looks.”
“Nor do I.” Emmet was fascinated by the Amazon across the table from him. She was a far cry from the timid mouse who had turned up in Deauville.
“I’m going to check Rolf has everything he needs,” Finn excused herself to the company.
She ran up the stairs and tapped lightly on the master bedroom door. She opened the door.
Rolf was lying on top of the bedclothes, his eyes closed. Finn crawled onto the bed with him. She put her arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder.
“You have to tell me what is upsetting you,” Finn whispered softly.
“I am fine.”
“Don’t deny it. I know you. I love you. Something is very wrong in your world. Tell me what is going on?” Finn rose up on her elbow to stare down at Rolf.
“It is nothing.”
“Nothing is not making you look so unhappy. You have always been there for me. Let me help you, please.”
“It is not a subject for your ears.”
“My ears are here.” Finn kissed his cheek. “Let me help.”
“I am an old man.” Rolf sighed. “Fat and tired. I cannot keep up with Emmet. He is vigorous and vital. I am holding him back.”
“That is about the silliest thing I have ever heard you say.”
“Emmet left me in Germany without a backward look.”
“Rolf, Da was not happy without you. He believed you wanted to stay in Germany. He didn’t want to keep you from doing something he thought made you happy.”
“How could he believe I would be happy without him?”
“I’ll get Da.” She left the room before he could object.
“Da, Rolf needs you.” Finn waited until her father had left the room before taking her seat.
“Mum,” Ronan, a pile of dirty plates in his hands, said, “you don’t seem to understand. We are sex symbols. We shouldn’t be doing dishes.” There was a dimple in his cheek she hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Tell that to someone who hasn’t changed your nappy.”
“You tell him, girl!” Maggie walked around the table refilling the coffee mugs.
“Am I the only one working?” Oisín put his head out of the kitchen to shout.
“Have you two made up?” Finn demanded of her parents that evening when the crowd of people were relaxing in the lounge. She could see from Rolf’s beaming smile that they had.
“Yes, nosy parker,” Emmet said with a grin.
“Da, I couldn’t let me ma and da fall out,” Finn said in a broad Dublin accent.
“Rolf mentioned he is putting his affairs in order,” Emmet said in Gaelic under the noise of the company. “Ingrid suggested it. She also suggested he might care to live with her now that I was tired of him and he had no home to go to.” Emmet was furious and trying to handle it without exploding.
“Bitch!” Finn exploded in English.
“Oh, yeah.”
“She’s his sister so we’ll say nothing,” Finn decided. �
��We’ll make sure he knows we love and want him.”
Chapter 37
Finn leaned against the trunk of an apple tree in her garden. She looked at the old wall around the garden, feeling as if she’d run headlong into its unforgiving surface. So many people, so much to think about – what was she meant to be feeling? She heard the noise from the house but didn’t move – they could call if they needed her.
Oisín watched his mother from his bedroom window. He’d set his alarm, he wanted time with her. He watched his mother straighten her shoulders, take a deep breath and step away from the tree. He half expected to hear her give a battle cry.
“Oisín!” Finn opened her arms when her son stepped into the garden. She pulled him into a tight embrace. She climbed onto a low wall that bordered the flowers so she could stand above him. She was his mother, she was meant to be taller. She put her arms around his strong young shoulders and rocked gently, amazed that he allowed her. He was almost nestling into her.
“What’s wrong, Oisín?” Finn ran her hand down the waterfall of red-gold hair.
“An awful lot has happened, Mum.” Oisín closed his eyes, feeling like a little boy again.
“I got that impression.”
“Anything to eat, Mum?” Oisín raised his head and grinned.
“Why did I miss you?” Finn tapped his cheek lightly. “I’m having fruit and yogurt, want some?”
“That my only choice?” He pretended to gag.
“Come on, cheeky. I suppose I can find something for you to eat. This once.”
“I missed you, Mum.”
Oisín sat at the kitchen island watching his mother bustle around the family kitchen. He was home. He almost buried his face in the plate of food his mother put in front of him, trying to suck up the smell of a full Irish breakfast. He’d tried to get something similar in his travels but nothing came close.
“I missed you too, son.” Finn spooned yogurt watching her son. He seemed so serious – what had she missed?
“I don’t know how to say what I want to say.”
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