by Maeve Binchy
‘I just happened to be passing by, Mrs Ryan, and I knew Bobby had been invited to supper here … so I … well I …’ Her voice trailed away.
‘Come in and join us, Kay. Bobby should have asked you in the first place.’
‘You didn’t say to ask her, I thought it was just family!’ Bobby did not want to be blamed.
‘But Kay is family in every sense, isn’t she?’ Nan was bright and casual as she introduced Derek and got another plate for Kay.
‘You look so different, Pat,’ Kay remarked suddenly. ‘Like a new person altogether.’
‘Thank you Kay,’ Pat said.
She was even behaving differently. Nan realised that the old Pat would have shrugged and been unable to accept the praise.
Nan and Kay seemed the only people able to have a conversation. The other four were struck with a strange silence. It was as if they had heard too much news already and there was no place for idle chat.
‘Oh Jo, your husband came round to our flat looking for Bobby. He seemed upset.’
‘He’s not my husband,’ Jo said. ‘He’s my ex-husband, and I hope he’s very upset.’
‘Heavens,’ said Kay.
It seemed such a mild thing to say under the circumstances but she couldn’t think of anything else.
‘Did you know this, Bobby?’ she asked.
‘I know nothing. Nothing about anything,’ Bobby said, very firmly.
‘I’m sorry Jo,’ Kay said politely.
‘Well I’m not, and I’m the one who was married to him. If it hadn’t been for Mother’s friend Mr Doyle here I might never have known how far he’d gone.’
‘Oh dear, I didn’t mean to be putting my big foot in it,’ Derek began.
‘You didn’t, you just made things clear,’ Jo assured him.
‘No, it was none of my business. I should have kept my mouth closed,’ Derek said. ‘It’s done nothing but harm, my interfering. If I could have the last twenty-four hours over again I would, believe me.’
‘But why? You only said what was true, Mr Doyle. Better that I should know sooner than later.’
There was another knock on the door.
‘I’ll go,’ Bobby said.
They could hear him on the doorstep, saying ‘Who will I say wants her?’ With that, a man pushed past him and entered the room.
It was Ronnie Flynn, the developer.
‘Sorry to bother you, Mrs Ryan, but I’ve just had my accountant on to me moaning that I told you all his private business. I wanted you to confirm that I never told you a single word …’ He stopped when he saw Jo.
‘Oh hello Jo, I didn’t see you.’
‘No Ronnie, I can see you didn’t.’
‘It’s just that it’s a bit of a mess.’
‘Indeed it is Ronnie. A great mess, but let’s not worry everyone with the details.’ Jo’s smile was bright and insincere.
Ronnie looked around further and saw Derek Doyle.
‘God almighty, Derek, what on earth are you doing here?’
‘I was asked to supper here Ronnie. Mrs Ryan kindly invited me to meet her family.’ Derek seemed at ease.
‘Family? You’re part of the family that lives here Jo? Here on Chestnut Road?’
‘Yes indeed Ronnie, this is my mother’s house, my mother’s supper party that you’ve suddenly barged in to …’
‘And of course if you’d like to join us.’ Nan Ryan was quite unflappable tonight.
‘No, Mother, I’m sure Ronnie has to get on home, or did you want to talk about Number Twelve with Mr Doyle?’
‘All this can be sorted out you know, Jo, there’s no need to make such a production out of it.’
‘Oh I do agree with you,’ Jo smiled a very cold smile. ‘That’s just what I said to Jerry this afternoon before going to my lawyer. No need for a song and dance, I said. No need for the details of everything to come out if he’s reasonable.’
‘The details?’ Ronnie’s voice was a whisper.
‘No need on earth for all his business deals to be brought to the public eye. I mean who wants to know what he and you paid for that house at Number Twelve next door, or what you’re going to sell it for?’
‘And what did he say?’ Ronnie and Jo seemed to be having a private conversation. It was as if they had forgotten anyone else was in the room.
‘Well I think he sort of saw the sense of it. Not happy about it of course. That’s why he must have come after you and — what was it you said — moaned at you?’
‘I’ll go now, I’m very sorry for interrupting your party, Mrs Ryan. I didn’t know, you see.’
‘No of course you didn’t.’ Nan soothed him.
‘Lord, I wonder who’ll come next!’ Pat said when Ronnie had gone out the door.
‘Second helpings anyone?’ Nan asked.
‘And why wasn’t your wife able to come, Derek?’ asked Bobby, thinking he was helping with the conversation.
‘For two reasons. Because she wasn’t invited and because I haven’t seen her for fourteen years,’ Derek replied.
‘Well, and I thought we’d had all the surprises tonight. I was wrong,’ Jo said.
‘You never said.’ Nan’s voice was low.
‘You never asked,’ said Derek
‘You never mentioned her at all until last night when you told me that she said you always fell on your feet, getting neighbours to cook for you when you went on building jobs.’
‘So she did. She said that a long time ago, before she disappeared with one of my mates.’
Now these two were talking as if there was no one else in the room.
‘I’m sorry,’ Nan said.
‘I was at the time, but I got over it. There were no children. I learned to build my life as I imagine you did when your husband left.’
‘And how did you know?’
‘Mr Johnson, Number Twenty-eight, always believes people should be informed,’ Derek said, and they smiled at each other across the table.
There was a knock on the door. This time Pat went to answer it.
It was Jerry. Could he have a word with Jo?
Pat checked back at the dining table.
‘Apparently not, Jerry,’ she said.
‘Well just tell her, everything she wants. Just no details, no business details. She’ll understand.’
‘I think we all understand,’ Pat said, and closed the door.
And somehow they all did understand.
Kay and Bobby understood that they were much more committed to each other than either of them had admitted.
Jo understood that her sister Pat would be a fine companion to go out clubbing with.
And Derek Doyle and Nan Ryan understood a lot of things.
That Derek should buy Number Twelve.
And then he and Mike and Shay would build a huge arch between the two sitting rooms, so that Nan and Derek would have a really fancy house between them.
And they knew they would travel together, and they would do jigsaw puzzles.
And they would make sure that the house where the Whites had lived in fear would become a happy home and that proper money would go to the charity so that what they had done at the lakeside was not in vain.
They didn’t know all this at once.
But they knew a lot of it.
OPEN DOOR SERIES
SERIES ONE
Sad Song by Vincent Banville
In High Germany by Dermot Bolger
Not Just for Christmas by Roddy Doyle
Maggie’s Story by Sheila O’Flanagan
Jesus and Billy Are Off to Barcelona
by Deirdre Purcell
Ripples by Patricia Scanlan
SERIES TWO
No Dress Rehearsal by Marian Keyes
Joe’sWedding by Gareth O’Callaghan
It All Adds Up by Margaret Neylon
Second Chance by Patricia Scanlan
Pipe Dreams by Anne Schulman
Old Money, New Money by Peter Sheridan
SERIES THREE
An Accident Waiting to Happen
by Vincent Banville
The Builders by Maeve Binchy
Letter From Chicago by Cathy Kelly
DrivingWith Daisy by Tom Nestor
The Comedian by Joseph O’Connor
Has Anyone Here Seen Larry?
by Deirdre Purcell