Oak & Mistletoe

by McCauley, J. Z. N.

“A what?”

  “You don’t have paracetamol where you’re from? Where are you from?”

  “The States. I don’t have anything called that, sorry,” Catherine answered confusedly.

  “Yea, you seemed it to me. My headache’s getting worse with all this shouting, maybe reception will have some . . .” Bella looked over to the front desk.

  “Oh! I’ve never heard of that word. We usually use a brand name, or say aspirin,” Catherine laughed.

  Bella chuckled slightly, rubbing her temples.

  “I have ibuprofen actually if you want that?” Catherine offered.

  “Yea, I’ll take anything at this point. Thanks mate,” Bella said gratefully.

  Catherine went to retrieve the pills from her room.

  “Thank you, ah! You’re sweet as pie!” she said taking two pills from Catherine’s palm and chucking them in her mouth followed by water in a cup from the kitchen.

  “Are you Australian?” Catherine asked when she was done.

  Bella nodded.

  They continued to talk for a time, and when an hour passed Catherine noticed she felt happier. The two went to get something to eat. Upon returning Catherine told her she was thankful to have met her. It had cheered her up dramatically.

  “I’m glad to hear it. You seemed a bit down when I first saw you sitting there,” Bella said patting Catherine on the shoulder.

  “Why did you come talk to me?”

  “You were the only one not shouting at the game.”

  *

  One afternoon, Catherine was sitting in the lounge room of the hostel eating lunch with her new friend Bella. Since their first meeting, she had learned that Bella was in Dublin as an Au Pair. She often stopped into the hostel to mingle with other foreigners on the weekend. As she told Catherine a funny story from the pub the night before, a man with dark hair and very green eyes came through the doors. Bella’s eyebrows raised when she saw him. “Look at that. Cute guy, Cathy,” she elbowed her to look up from her magazine.

  Catherine hated it when Bella called her Cathy. She rubbed her now sore ribs in irritation. Before she could look, a large group of rowdy men came bursting through the lounge and the man disappeared. Danny showed up just then. “Where have you been?” she asked.

  “Just went for a small hike this morning.”

  “How was it?”

  “Really great, but not exciting enough,” he answered as he sat down. “I’m going to my extreme sports assault course next week. You should come with me!”

  Catherine quickly shook her head. “No, thanks.”

  Danny laughed. “Hey, don’t you have to get ready for your interview?” he asked, then looked across at their stunned friend “Hi Bella,” Danny smiled.

  “Oh, he’s gone!” Bella said exasperated. “Hey Dan,” smiling back.

  Catherine finished her drink before answering. “Already went. It was this morning . . .”

  “Oh, was it?” he said, dumbfounded. Shrugging he continued, “So?”

  “I think it was good,” she said between bites of her salad.

  Kathleen returned then with some ice cream. “They were out of strawberry, Catherine. Here ya go,” she handed Bella her vanilla cone as she slid into a chair to feed her own chocolate craving.

  “How can you be out of strawberry?” Catherine mumbled to herself, frowning.

  “What’s this now? Interviews?” Bella asked.

  “A few internships are available here, so I’ve been interviewing. I know it’s a long shot though,” Catherine answered.

  “You might move here?”

  “For the length of the internship, yes. It would only be for six months, but it’s a start,” Catherine sighed.

  “You’re the best new face out there. Don’t worry about it,” Bella encouraged. Danny and Kathleen nodded.

  Catherine felt a little nervous of course, but hoped she had a chance. Besides the States, Ireland was the only other country on her list and it was her first choice.

  “Thank you. It won’t be a waste even if I don’t get them. It’s good experience.”

  “What does your family think?”

  “They don’t mind,” Danny said, “as long as we get a job.”

  “My parents hate that I live far away, but I want to travel for a while, maybe even stay,” Bella sighed.

  “Our parents encourage distance actually. I think they only had children because all their friends did,” Catherine mused.

  “That’s terrible,” Bella said sympathetically, tilting her head to the side.

  “No, it’s okay, they’re good parents considering how demanding their careers are. Just not very affectionate. They only meant to have Danny. Kathleen and I were a surprise.”

  Kathleen simply nodded while enjoying her ice cream in silence.

  “Having twins would be quite a surprise,” Bella laughed.

  “Until recently we had our grandparents at least,” Danny added, “that was enough.”

  Catherine’s phone rang, and she left the table to answer, returning only a few minutes after.

  “Who was that?” Danny asked taking a napkin to wipe his mouth.

  “It was the internship from this morning,” she replied.

  “That was fast,” he said.

  “Out with it then!” Bella demanded.

  “They offered it to me,” Catherine smiled.

  “That’s great! Why aren’t you more excited?” Kathleen asked with sparkling eyes.

  “Oh I am, it’s just the terms are different than I expected.”

  “Like how?” Danny asked.

  “They want me for the six-month internship, but they also want to keep me on permanently when it’s over.”

  Danny blinked a few times, understanding fully. “So you’re moving here forever?”

  CHAPTER ONE

  CATHERINE WAS WALKING home from work when it started to pour. Reaching the door to her small place, she rushed in shaking off the drops over her hardwood floor. Having just cleaned it that morning, she frowned as she continued to dry herself and placed her jacket on one of the hooks by the door.

  “Kathleen?” Catherine yelled.

  “Yeah?” her sister called back.

  “Will you please order something for dinner?” she yelled again. “I’m in no mood to cook tonight,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Sure thing!”

  It had been two years since their trip to Ireland. Accepting the job had proved to be a marvelous opportunity for Catherine. The museum found her to be an invaluable addition. Catherine enjoyed her work, even on a day like today when everything seemed to pile up. She was thankful that Kathleen was living with her now. Her sister had moved in only a few short months ago. Sometimes it had been lonely without her, though Kathleen was still occasionally selfish and materialistic. Catherine never imagined Kathleen would come back to her rainy new home. But Kathleen was getting divorced from her rich, absent husband. Catherine never understood why Kathleen had taken that path, but she was thankful to see her sister living a healthier life again. The marriage had only lasted a year. Kathleen didn’t appear to be in any hurry to move out, but was back to dating again. Only casually this time.

  Kathleen answered the door to pay when the Japanese food arrived, turning the delivery guy down when he asked for her number. Kathleen laughed quietly to herself after the door was shut and she carried the food to the kitchen. Catherine came in the kitchen a few moments later already dressed in lounge clothes, dabbing her hair with a towel.

  “What’s with you?” Catherine asked, seeing her sister’s funny face.

  Kathleen shrugged.

  Half way through their quiet meal Kathleen spoke. “Wanna go see a movie tonight?”

  “Not really . . .”

  “Oh come on! We could go to the pub after to meet up with some friends?” Kathleen begged.

  “My friends, or yours?” Catherine looked up.

  “Mine preferably.”

  “In that case, espec
ially no,” Catherine said, bringing the last bite of her Yaki Udon to her mouth. After savoring the noodles, she sighed with satisfaction.

  “Okay, okay, yours and mine! I’ll compromise!” Kathleen dropped her napkin and crouched down from her perch on a tall stool to pick it up, her red hair falling over her face. She had decided a while ago that her sister was right to keep their natural hair color, and grew it back fully natural and lengthy.

  “You? Compromise? Amazing . . .”

  “Please!”

  “Please? I’m shocked at how much you’ve changed in the time you’ve been here Kathleen. Fine, I’ll go. Just no Abby this time. I can’t stand her.”

  “Deal.”

  A few hours later the two young women were at the cinema, sitting as comfortably as possible in their seats.

  “Those my glasses?” Catherine said noticing her sister lay a pair of glasses atop her nose.

  “Yeah, I need them, I lost mine,” Kathleen replied. Seeing Catherine’s glare, she quickly added “Oh don’t look at me like that, you don’t need them for movies, just for reading.”

  “You’re borrowing a lot of my things recently. First my jacket, now my glasses . . .”

  “Shhh, it’s starting.” Kathleen whispered.

  After the romantic comedy flick, they went to the pub to meet up with a few of their friends. Mostly they had separate acquaintances, but they were both happy to see Bella when she came in.

  “So Cathy, what are we drinking tonight?” Bella smiled brightly.

  “I’m having water.”

  “Only that?” Bella chided playfully.

  “Hmm, lemon too,” Catherine chuckled, as Bella stuck her tongue out at her.

  Still wearing her sister’s glasses, Kathleen cinched Catherine’s blue jacket tighter with the belt while standing with a small group of friends on the other side of the pub. Catherine made a mental note to get her glasses back before Kathleen broke them and turned to the bartender to get a few drinks.

  “I’ll take two Guinness, and a water with lemon please,” she asked.

  “That’ll be all for ya?” asked the curly-haired bartender, flashing a winning smile.

  Catherine couldn’t help but laugh a little, “Yes, that will be all for me. Thanks.”

  Just then a man arrived and was walking up to Kathleen. He was mysterious looking, and appeared a few years older than the twins, Catherine guessed twenty-seven. He wore plain fitting gray pants and a black T-shirt under a long black trench coat that looked more like a cloak. Though mysteriously dressed, his face was strongly chiseled, the hair on his head was a curly dark brown. He held a vague expression that leaned more towards sinister at the moment, and his green eyes held you in their gaze sharply like a wild animal.

  Catherine grabbed the drinks. She felt unconcerned; guys always came up to Kathleen. It was amazing. Though the two women were twins, men didn’t approach her as often. It was like the sleazy ones could tell that Kathleen was flighty. She sat down to wait the guy out and briefly looked around the pub. It was rather large, though quiet at the moment. She admired the old styled buildings. It made her feel like even though times change, some nice things remained the same.

  Following Catherine’s gaze Bella looked the man over as well. “Ooo, he’s cute!” she said quietly.

  Catherine nodded.

  Bella’s brows furrowed. “Though, I think I’ve spotted him before . . .”

  The friends with Kathleen saw the man coming and became quiet rather quickly. She turned around suddenly, startled by his presence.

  “Oh!” she gasped. “You scared me . . .”

  The man didn’t say anything in response, he just looked right through her, focused on something else in his own mind. He took one of her hands roughly and tried to forcefully pull her to the door. “You need to go.”

  Kathleen let out a muffled yelp. “Ouch! You’re hurting me!”

  Several of her friends stood up to stop this but Catherine beat them to it. She shoved the taller man back, releasing Kathleen from his grasp. Catherine glared at him, flames in her eyes.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she shouted angrily.

  He ignored her and repeated to Kathleen, “You need to go . . . Catherine you mu-”

  “Catherine? I’m not Catherine!” Kathleen interrupted while rubbing her hand carefully.

  The man grew puzzled.

  “I’m Catherine,” she said, still livid.

  “You . . .” he looked down at her finally.

  “Need to go? You said that already. That’s what you need to do, or apologize to my sister right now!”

  “I thought . . . I’m sorry,” was all he said. Catherine thought his Irish accent sounded strange.

  Kathleen simply nodded in return. Patting Catherine’s shoulder, she sat with their friends who had calmed and followed suit.

  Catherine raised an eyebrow, continuing to glare at the strange man. “What’s this about?” she asked, her tone annoyed.

  “Just get out of here, out of Ireland,” he said.

  “What?” she jutted her chin out. “Why?”

  He stood there with a serious expression for a few seconds. “Because if you don’t, you’ll unleash them.”

  “What?!” she repeated.

  Suddenly he turned and strode out the door.

  Catherine stood there dumbfounded. Kathleen got up from her seat, gripping Catherine’s shoulder. Catherine looked to see her glasses folded up in the palm of Kathleen’s hand.

  “Here. Take them back. I’ll give you the jacket when we get home,” Kathleen said with a frown.

  “Okay . . .”

  “I never want to be mistaken for you again,” she said, then sat back down.

  Catherine smiled to herself. At least one good thing had come out of this strange experience.

  Bella carried over the drinks then. “That was simply crazy!” she said.

  The food that had been ordered by the group arrived after that, and Catherine was almost able to enjoy herself with their friends. But she had not forgotten what the strange and rude man had said. What did he mean? Was he simply nuts? She was mostly concerned that he might be loitering outside the pub ready to pounce when she and her sister left.

  Kathleen had certainly forgotten it after the first drink, now laughing with her friends. Catherine began to wonder if Kathleen’s proclamation tonight would stick. She did worry for her sister sometimes.

  If this man was stalking her, then Kathleen was, as tonight’s events showed, also the target. Catherine decided she’d have Kathleen report the incident to the Gardai in the morning. In the meantime, she tried to think who the man could be. Was he connected with someone at work? Did she pass him regularly on the street? She couldn’t be sure. Though something about him did seem familiar, and oddly alluring. But she didn’t think she’d spoken to him before. These thoughts continued to buzz the rest of the night, so that by the end of it she was quite ready to leave and hurry home.

  *

  Catherine awoke from her warm bed two days later to a busy day. Kathleen burst into her bedroom just then.

  “Don’t forget to pick up Danny,” she said, too loudly for Catherine’s taste.

  “Of course, Kathleen,” Catherine answered.

  Danny had called the day before and asked if he could stay with them for a while. He had lost his job, and just wanted to “get away from it all.” Catherine agreed on the condition that he start thinking about getting his act together while he was there with her. She was tired of being the one they relied on for everything. She figured she could make up a space in her small living room, since Kathleen stayed in the extra room.

  When Catherine first woke up she had a strange feeling that stuck with her, a feeling she couldn’t shake off. She recognized it, and knew it would last all day. It wasn’t a bad feeling, or even a good one. Just a strange feeling that something was waiting to happen. She would try to understand it, but couldn’t quite figure it out. She kept thinking ab
out this strange feeling on the way to pick up her brother from the airport.

  “So how are you?” Danny asked when they were in the car driving away.

  “Busy. How are you?”

  “I’m good,” he shrugged.

  Catherine tilted her head, “Really? What are you doing here then?”

  “Can’t I come see my sister?”

  “Danny, why’d you leave your job? I thought you had a good thing going at that company. You stayed with them since business school.”

  “I know,” Danny shifted in his seat. “I felt . . . trapped. I don’t like corporate life, it’s just not me,” he sighed.

  “I’m sorry . . .”

  “It’s all right. I thought . . . maybe I would figure out what I want here. I’m always happy here.”

  Catherine gave a small smile. “Well, you can stay with me until you figure it out.”

  They drove on, and Catherine was so distracted running errands that she almost forgot her keys. She’d set them down for a second to look through her purse to find her “lost” sunglasses that were atop her head the whole time.

  “You seem frazzled,” Danny said, leaning on the side of the car parked in her driveway. He eyed Catherine as she bent to lift groceries from the back seat. He had been patient with the several errands, but he was worn out after a long flight.

  “Thanks,” she said sarcastically without looking up from the list she had stopped to check over.

  “I’m not trying to be rude . . . Maybe I can help with something?” he shrugged.

  Looking up at her brother with his lopsided smile and amber colored sunglasses, she smiled. “Thanks,” she said again, without the sarcasm. “I’m just having an off day. It’s not such a big list really.”

  “Are you sure? Seriously, I can figure out whatever you throw at me,” he said confidently, as he shrugged his backpack on his shoulders, the only “luggage” he had brought.

  “Well . . . okay sure, can you run and pick up some stamps for me at the post office?” She handed him some money. “That way I can just stay home and do some research for work before I start dinner,” she finished with a wave of her hand.

  “On it,” he winked.

  Catherine yelled back her thanks as she hurried away. She just couldn’t shake this feeling. She was becoming more anxious with each passing hour.