understand the Internet. That’s part of the problem.”
“You’re right.”
Sandra swallowed a deep breath, wiping away the tears sliding down her cheeks with the palms of her hands. “This one’s going in the books. Especially the bit about her wanting to give the old thumbs-up or -down.” She giggled. “They’re like Holmes and Watson, your folks. Maybe they can solve the mystery of who stole the tea biscuits from Finnegan’s Market.”
“Don’t be mean.”
“I’m just saying.”
Erin had “the day off,” and as was usually the case, she spent part of it with Sandra. Sometimes she wondered if it was unhealthy that Sandra was her only female friend. It wasn’t like they’d separated themselves from the other girls at school: they’d both drifted in and out of various cliques. But at the end of the day, no one measured up to Sandra in Erin’s eyes, and vice versa. They’d probably wind up living together when they were old, two mad cows subsisting on crisps and tea in some dodgy caravan park somewhere.
Sandra leaned against the wall of the launderette, lighting a cigarette. “Don’t tell me I’m ruining my health, because I know it.” She took a drag and blew it out with force. “So your mam’s still pushing for Jake?”
“Yeah,” Erin said glumly. “Said I need to take a look at him with new eyes and all that.”
Sandra took another puff, looking thoughtful as she blew a stream of smoke out the side of her mouth. “Mightn’t be a bad idea.”
“What? You’re the one who said you couldn’t picture him in bed!”
“I know. I do feel a bit guilty saying that, since he’s a friend and all. But I was having a good think on it the other day.”
“That’s a terrifying combo, San, you and thinking.”
“Shirrup. Here’s the thing: There’s something to be said for a fella who worships the ground you walk on, you know. A fella who’s dependable and romantic and all that.” Her eyes tracked a handsome, sturdy man down the street.
“Did Jake talk you into saying this to me?”
Sandra looked affronted. “Of course he didn’t.”
Erin remained skeptical. “Are you lying to me?”
Sandra’s mouth formed a shocked
O
. “Of course I’m not lying.”
“Then what accounts for the abrupt about-face?”
“I was thinkin’ about me and Larry,” she said in a melancholy voice. “What a right bastard he is. How my lifemight have been different if I’d kept me legs closed in school and held out for someone like Jake.” She smiled sadly. “We could have double dated. You ’n’ Rory and me ’n’ Jake. It would have been brilliant.”
“You could still marry a fella like Jake, easy. All you’d have to do is divorce the lummox.”
“Thinkin’ about it,” Sandra muttered tetchily.
“What?”
Erin said, trying to restrain herself from jumping up and down with glee.
Sandra’s hackles went up. “Don’t get yourself all worked up. It might not even happen. It’s just…like you said, I’ve got to start thinking about the big picture. The kids.”
“And?” Erin prodded.
“I went to the One Family place in Crosshaven, right? The one that gives free legal advice to women?”
“And?”
“They have free courses that train you up to get back in the workforce.” Sandra tossed her cigarette to the ground, snuffing it out with the bottom of her well-scuffed sandal. “Not that I’ve ever really been in the workforce.”
“Taking care of four children and Larry qualifies as work if you ask me.”
Sandra smiled weakly. “Anyway, it seems it might be something worth thinking about. They have day care, too. I could bring Gina with me on the bus. Larry Jr.’ll be in football camp all day, and Oona’s old enough to fend for herself, or I can talk with Becca Lafferty up the road about her spending time there, since Oona and her Britney are thick as thieves. I’d be home in time for tea.”
“What about Lucy? She could help out a bit.”
“Right. Twelve years
“You’re right.”
Sandra swallowed a deep breath, wiping away the tears sliding down her cheeks with the palms of her hands. “This one’s going in the books. Especially the bit about her wanting to give the old thumbs-up or -down.” She giggled. “They’re like Holmes and Watson, your folks. Maybe they can solve the mystery of who stole the tea biscuits from Finnegan’s Market.”
“Don’t be mean.”
“I’m just saying.”
Erin had “the day off,” and as was usually the case, she spent part of it with Sandra. Sometimes she wondered if it was unhealthy that Sandra was her only female friend. It wasn’t like they’d separated themselves from the other girls at school: they’d both drifted in and out of various cliques. But at the end of the day, no one measured up to Sandra in Erin’s eyes, and vice versa. They’d probably wind up living together when they were old, two mad cows subsisting on crisps and tea in some dodgy caravan park somewhere.
Sandra leaned against the wall of the launderette, lighting a cigarette. “Don’t tell me I’m ruining my health, because I know it.” She took a drag and blew it out with force. “So your mam’s still pushing for Jake?”
“Yeah,” Erin said glumly. “Said I need to take a look at him with new eyes and all that.”
Sandra took another puff, looking thoughtful as she blew a stream of smoke out the side of her mouth. “Mightn’t be a bad idea.”
“What? You’re the one who said you couldn’t picture him in bed!”
“I know. I do feel a bit guilty saying that, since he’s a friend and all. But I was having a good think on it the other day.”
“That’s a terrifying combo, San, you and thinking.”
“Shirrup. Here’s the thing: There’s something to be said for a fella who worships the ground you walk on, you know. A fella who’s dependable and romantic and all that.” Her eyes tracked a handsome, sturdy man down the street.
“Did Jake talk you into saying this to me?”
Sandra looked affronted. “Of course he didn’t.”
Erin remained skeptical. “Are you lying to me?”
Sandra’s mouth formed a shocked
O
. “Of course I’m not lying.”
“Then what accounts for the abrupt about-face?”
“I was thinkin’ about me and Larry,” she said in a melancholy voice. “What a right bastard he is. How my lifemight have been different if I’d kept me legs closed in school and held out for someone like Jake.” She smiled sadly. “We could have double dated. You ’n’ Rory and me ’n’ Jake. It would have been brilliant.”
“You could still marry a fella like Jake, easy. All you’d have to do is divorce the lummox.”
“Thinkin’ about it,” Sandra muttered tetchily.
“What?”
Erin said, trying to restrain herself from jumping up and down with glee.
Sandra’s hackles went up. “Don’t get yourself all worked up. It might not even happen. It’s just…like you said, I’ve got to start thinking about the big picture. The kids.”
“And?” Erin prodded.
“I went to the One Family place in Crosshaven, right? The one that gives free legal advice to women?”
“And?”
“They have free courses that train you up to get back in the workforce.” Sandra tossed her cigarette to the ground, snuffing it out with the bottom of her well-scuffed sandal. “Not that I’ve ever really been in the workforce.”
“Taking care of four children and Larry qualifies as work if you ask me.”
Sandra smiled weakly. “Anyway, it seems it might be something worth thinking about. They have day care, too. I could bring Gina with me on the bus. Larry Jr.’ll be in football camp all day, and Oona’s old enough to fend for herself, or I can talk with Becca Lafferty up the road about her spending time there, since Oona and her Britney are thick as thieves. I’d be home in time for tea.”
“What about Lucy? She could help out a bit.”
“Right. Twelve years
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