“You’re very good to offer to take them home,” Doris told him. “I’m not much use to her with this old back. John had to drive me up this evening.”
“It’s no problem. You’ll be a great help over the next few weeks. That’s when Fiona will need you most,” he assured her.
“I don’t know what I’d have done without Ronan,” Fiona said, tears springing to her eyes.
They made arrangements for the journey home the following morning.
“I’ll have a nice roast ready for you,” Doris beamed.
“Why do you think I offered to take her home?” Ronan teased.
They all laughed aloud as baby Oisín slept peacefully on.
Ronan spent the rest of the evening studying his wine manual. He wanted to do well in this exam as he wanted to continue on and do the Higher Certificate Course. He was becoming utterly fascinated with this whole wine thing. If he was offered a job now with an architect, he knew he would miss the wine business terribly. The chances of that happening were very slim, however.
At around nine thirty Rachel took a break from studying to make herself a hot chocolate. She decided to give Ronan a call.
“Hi, there. It’s me, Rachel. I hope you’re not studying too hard.”
“I have grape varieties coming out my ears.”
She laughed. “Me too. I’m just having some hot chocolate for sustenance. I’ve been studying all evening. I’m really nervous about the exam.”
He sensed her apprehension. “Don’t be. You’ll fly through it. You’ve done the work.”
They chatted on, enjoying the sense of camaraderie, until Ronan said, “Now I’d better get back to the Rhône Valley,which is where I was when you rang.”
She laughed. “See you tomorrow night.”
He was such a pet, she thought to herself as she poured the hot chocolate. Taking it back to the den she contemplated how different her life would be if she’d married someone like Ronan. With a sigh she immersed herself in her manual once again.
50
Fiona was ready and waiting for Ronan when he arrived to pick them up the following morning. He carried Oisín in his little carry-chair as Fiona thanked the nurses and said goodbye to the other patients. She was a little tearful as they walked out to the waiting world.
“Don’t mind me, it’s these bloody hormones. Nobody told me I’d be crying at the drop off a hat,” she said, wiping away the tears. “It’s just that I’m so happy.”
“I understand,” he replied gently. “My sister-in-law Betty was like a waterfall after her babies were born and she never cries normally. She’s very down-to-earth.”
He saw people smile at him carrying what they obviously thought was his new son and he smiled back at them, almost feeling that Oisín was his son. Strapping the chair into the back seat beside Fiona, he said, “Well, little fellow, welcome to the big wide world.”
Fiona smiled, thinking what a shame it was that Ronan had no children of his own. It was obvious that he’d make a great father. They headed off on the journey down to Blessington and Fiona saw everything through new eyes –the eyes of a mother, she thought happily.
Doris was there to greet them and couldn’t wait to take her grandson into his new home. As always there was the delicious smell of food roasting. After Fiona had fed and changed Oisín, they sat down to a lunch of roast pork with the best crackling and roast potatoes Ronan had ever tasted.
“We’re thinking of having the christening next Sunday,” Fiona said. “I’d really like to have him christened as soon as possible. Do you think you can make it down for then?” She looked at Ronan hopefully.
“Try and keep me away,” he teased. “Of course I can make it. I’m off next Sunday.”
“It’ll be a wonderful day,” Doris predicted, “and you can stay overnight if you wish. We wouldn’t want you driving back to Dublin after all the champagne, would we, Fiona?”
“Definitly not.”
“That’s settled then,” Doris announced.
“That’s very kind of you.” Ronan was touched by their thoughtfulness. “I look forward to it.”
After lunch he told them he had to get back as he wanted to study for his wine exam that night. Fiona was going for a lie-down anyway as she was exhausted. He kissed both the baby and Doris goodbye and Fiona walked out to the car with him.
“Ronan,” she began shyly, “I can’t tell you how much this has meant to me – you coming to visit in the hospital and bringing us home. I’ll never forget you for it. You’re the kindest man I’ve ever met.” She started to cry again.
“Oh, no! Waterworks again,” he teased as she tried to brush away the tears.
“Come here,” he commanded, putting his arms around her. He held her close and rocked her gently. “You’re so brave,” he whispered, “and I know you’re going to be a wonderful mother.” He kissed her gently on the cheek and released her.
Doris, who had been watching all this from the front window, said a little prayer. “Please Lord, let them fall in love. They’d be so good together.”
She decided there and then that she would make a novena to St Jude. He never let her down.
51
Ronan was the first to arrive at the wine course. Sam had asked him to come early and help himarrange tables so that nobody would be sitting too close to anyone else. Just as they finished doing this,Rachel arrived. Ronan could see that she was a bag of nerves.
“Hi, Rachel, are you all set?” Sam greeted her before going to his office to collect the exam papers.
“Are you okay?” Ronan asked her gently, worried at how pale she was.
“I’m terrified. I was tempted to stop off for a drink on the way to calm my nerves but I resisted the urge. Now I’m sorry I didn’t!” She laughed but in fact she was deadly serious.
“You’ll be fine,” he assured her with a smile.
“I spent the day cramming but now I can’t remember a thing.” She twisted her hands nervously.
“Don’t worry. It will all come back once you get the paper. Anyway it’s multiple-choice questions so you have a one in three chance of getting it right.”
“I suppose that’s one way of putting it,” she laughed, relaxing a little. “I suppose you were studying all day,” She looked at him enquiringly, her eyebrows raised.
He laughed. “I wish. Actually, I collected my friend Fiona and her new baby from Holles Street today and dropped her down to her mother’s in Blessington. I didn’t get a chance to do as much last-minute cramming as I’d have liked.”
“Oh!” Rachel was a bit taken aback. “How nice. Is it her first?”
“Yes, I’m going to be godfather. His name is Oisín and he’s the most beautiful baby.” He took out his phone and showed her the photo he’d taken in the hospital.
Rachel admired the baby and looked at Ronan strangely. Was he trying to tell her something? Was the baby his? Surely not! “Who is Fiona? Is she a girlfriend?” For some reason she felt a little jealous and that bothered her.
Ronan laughed. “Of course not – she’s the girl I’m filling in for in the wine shop. She’s a wonderful girl and I’m very fond of her.”
“Oh, I see,” she replied, surprised at her feelings. She was being stupid. Ronan was just a good friend and there was absolutely nothing between them.
They had no more time to talk as the others filed in one by one and Sam returned with the dreaded exam papers.
They were all quiet, some of them reading through their manuals one last time. The usual chatter was missing and there was a sombre air in the room. They sat where Sam directed them. He was surprised to see how nervous they all were, with the exception of Zita, who seemed totally unconcerned.
Sam handed out an exam paper to each of them and then explained how to fill it out. Then he set the timer he’d brought with him for one hour, the time allotted for the exam. And with that they were off.
He sat at a table at the front of the room, his laptop in front of him. He w
atched themas they read all the questions first, as he’d directed, and smiled at their intent faces poring over the pages. There were fifty multiple-choice questions and as he read down through them he had no fears for his students. He had covered all of the subjects asked, although there were a couple of tricky questions included. Otherwise it was quite straightforward, for those who had studied the manual.
Hayley looked as if she might chew her pencil to bits as she pondered some of her answers.
Ellie was finished first and one by one the others finished too, till finally Sam called time-up. He collected their papers and put them into the official envelope, sealing it and putting it in his briefcase. It would be on its way to London the following morning where the papers would be marked.
“Okay, everybody, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked, grinning as he looked around at them.
They all started gabbling at once, relieving the tension that had built up and asking each other the answers to the trickiest questions.
“It was much easier than I expected,” Rachel acknowledged, “but I’m still glad it’s over.”
The others agreed with her.
“Great!” said Sam. “But let me warn you, the Higher Cert exam is a lot more difficult, for those of you thinking of going on. Okay, takefive, everyone, while I set up the tasting wines!”
Sam started opening bottles while Keith helped Ronan move the extra tables to the side.
The wines they tasted that night were superb and much too good to spit out so, by the time the party started, they were all in great form.
Ellie and Rachel set the food out on the side tables as Sam and Ronan opened some more bottles. Hayley had her manual out and was checking the answers to the questions that the others had been unsure of. By now most of them knew what questions they’d messed up and which ones they’d been lucky enough to guess correctly. They all seemed happy with how they’d done and so the party began.
“How did you do in the exam, do you think?” Sam asked Ronan, as they were opening bottles.
“I’m just worried about one question that I wasn’t sure about.”
“Only one? What one was that?” Sam was curious.
“At what temperature should you serve sparkling wines?”
“What did you answer?”
“Between 7 and 8 degrees.” Ronan look at him anxiously.
Sam grinned wickedly and said nothing.
“Oh, damn, I got it wrong, didn’t I? It’s 8 to10, isn’t it?”
Sam roared laughing. “No need to worry. You got it right.” He clapped him on the back as Ronan sighed with relief.
“When will the results be back?” Ronan wanted to know.
“A month to six weeks. I thought we might organise a meal out somewhere and I’ll present the certificates then.”
“Great idea!”
As the party got under way, Rachel came over to Ronan to ask how he’d done in the exam. Henoticed thatshe was drinking water.
“You’re not drinking,” he observed. “Are you driving?”
“No. I came in a taxi. I’m just trying to pace myself.” She kept her voice low, not wanting anyone else to hear. “I’m trying to cut down on my alcohol intake.” She smiled wanly.
“I’m really pleased to hear that. Drinking can spiral out of control very easily.I’ve seen it happen to some friends of mine. It’s a killer.”
“I know. I’ve started to realise that.”
Everyone was in great form and the decibels in the room rose with every glass of wine that was poured. They were all relieved that the exam was over but a little sad that it was the last night of the course.
Shortly after the party started Zita came over to Rachel. “I’ve been working on the footage of what we shot last Thursday, and it’s excellent, really good. You come across great on camera and as for Carl – what can I say? I think we may do a programme on him alone in the autumn.”
“That’s wonderful. He will be pleased. When can I see myself?” Rachel asked.
“I should be finished it by Friday. Can you call out to the station then?”
“Well, we’re off to France on Sunday so I’ll be up to my eyes, but I’ll make time.”
Ronan, who was listening to this exchange, thought he saw a strange look flit across Zita’s face but was sure he must have imagined it.
“Right, I’ll be in touch before Friday. I’m off now. Goodnight, Ronan. See you Friday, Rachel.”
“But it’s still early . . .” Rachel started to say but Zita had gone.
“Weird!” Ronan observed.
“Yeah, she’s been acting strange tonight,” Rachel agreed, worried that there was something the matter with her new friend. “I’ll call her tomorrow and make sure she’s okay.”
The party continued on until after midnight but Rachel and Ronan left just after eleven. She insisted that her taxi drive through Raheny and drop him off. He was so tired that he didn’t object.
As the taxi pulled up at his house, Rachel leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “You truly are a gentleman, one of the kindest people I’ve ever met,” she said, her voice sincere and gentle.
Gosh, twice in one day I’ve been told that! He smiled to himself, as he waved her goodnight and let himself into the house. Pity my wife never thought it, was his last thought as he fell into a deep sleep.
52
Sam was sending off the exam papers to be marked and he hoped they’d all done well. He’d chatted to all of them the previous night at the party and, from what Ronan had said, Sam thought that it was a possibility thathemight even have scored 100%. That would be amazing. None of his previous students had ever scored that. 98% had been the previous best. He figured Ellie had done well too. She’d checked out the answers to some of the questions after the exam and she knew she had got two of them wrong for sure. He smiled to himself. For all her giggling and madcap ways she was really extremely bright and intelligent. Rachel and the young ones seemed very happy with what they’d done too. The only one who hadn’t discussed the exam with him was Zita. He’d often thought that her mind was a million miles away and wondered why she was on the course in the first place. She was an enigma. She’d been acting strangely after the exam. She was weird. He couldn’t figure her out at all. He didn’t give her another thought as he sent the papers off.It was highly unlikely that she would want to go on any further whereas all of the others had expressed a wish to join the Higher Cert Course which would start in the autumn.
Carl and Zita passed another sex-fuelled night together on Tuesday and it was midnight before he could drag himself away. She tried not to think that she would have to live without him for the whole month of August but every time she mentioned it he shushed her. She was terrified that he would forget her, or rejuvenate his marriage – which she suspectedhad cracks in it – or her worst fear of all, that he would meet someone new. He tried to brush her fears away but they were very real to her.
Thankfully, Rachel was in bed when he got home and he tip-toed into bed beside her, careful not to wake her. In fact, Rachel was wide awake and got the faint scent of perfume from him. She knew now without a doubt that he was seeing another woman. Her instinct had been right. Well, this would be sorted out in Cannes. She wasn’t going through that scenario again! She was no fool, as Carl would find out to his cost.She would not ‘stand by her man’ a second time. He’d used up that chance.
53
Ronan was in exuberant form as his redundancy cheque had arrived and was already safely lodged in the bank. It was such a relief to be able to clear off all his bills (well, Louise’s bills actually) and his overdraft. It was a burden lifted from his shoulders.
He still couldn’t believe that Louise had not been in touch. He assumed that no news was good news and wasn’t about to tempt fate by calling her. If she wanted anything he had no doubt that she’d get in touch. He had settled into his new life without her and, if truth be told, he was much happier than when they’d been together. He had
peace now and he also had two new female friends, Fiona and Rachel, and Sam was turning into a great mate. Oisín was thriving andevery minute thing he did was recounted in Fiona’sdaily phone calls. The baby was seemingly the best baby ever born. Ronan was delighted that she was so happy.
On Friday afternoon Rachel went to the TV station to view the footage that Zita had taken. To her surprise, Carl wanted to accompany her.
“I’d like to see it. I can work late tonight finishing up things in the office,” he’d said.
She shrugged her shoulders. “If you want.”
They agreed to meet there.
It was obvious that Zita was thrilled that Carl had come too. She was being very charming and attentive.
“I’m really glad you’re happy with it,” Zita purred. “I definitely think we should do a programme on you, Carl. The camera just loves you.”
He grinned.
Rachel looked from one to the other of them. Zita was being unusually coquettish. God, he can even charm and seduce her, Rachel thought disgustedly. From talking to Zita, she’d concluded that she was anti-men – but not where Carl was concerned apparently. She and Carl parted ways, she to go home and finish packing, he to the office to finish up, or so he said.
“I’ll probably be late tonight,” he told her, kissing her goodbye.
Zita grinned at him as he winked at her over Rachel’s shoulder.
Carl wentstraight to the Merrion Inn after Rachel leftand Zitajoined him shortly afterwards. They drove back to her apartment where they made non-stop love for two hours, the last time in the shower.Zita would have been happy to stay there all night but Carl had made a reservation for the restaurant in Dalkey and he was starving. He hadn’t eaten all day. Reluctantly, she got dressed for their outing.
Arriving at the restaurant, he scanned the clientele to make sure he knew nobody. All good, the coast was clear! He had requested a secluded table and they were shown to a quiet one in the corner. He ordered a bottle of champagne and they both chose scallops for starters and black sole meunière for mains. When the waiter had poured the champagne Carl handed her the glass and, lifting his glass, wrapped his hand around hers which brought their faces very close together. They sipped it and she giggled as the fizz went up her nose.
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