place again,” said Noeleen. “I’ve two daughters in the States and one in London. I miss them something terrible.” She sat in silence for a while, a half-smile playing across her lips. Her kitchen had a comfortable feel, despite the modern built-in units which her sons had installed. A dusty St Brigid’s cross hung above the door and she had kept the old-fashioned range in preference to a modern oven.
“It’s a relief to hear Emily laughing again.” Lorraine stirred her tea and wondered what it would be like to wave goodbye to children as they boarded a plane to begin a new life elsewhere. She listened to Noeleen talking about her daughters, relaxed in the company of this friendly woman who had been the first to welcome her to Trabawn.
When the match ended, Lorraine accompanied the brothers and Emily to the stables. Con led an old mare forward and stood back, observing Emily as she saddled the horse. Sitting gingerly on the saddle she rode Antoinette in a wide, slow circle around a fenced-off sand arena, waving excitedly at her mother when she passed her by. Con spoke in a low voice, obviously encouraging her to relax, and her posture settled. Her smile grew more confident as the mare responded to her commands. To Lorraine, watching from the sidelines, it was obvious that the love affair was well underway.
“Of course, Antoinette’s very old,” Emily explained when they returned to the house. “But Con says I can practise on her until I get a proper pony. Do you think there’s any chance of that happening? If I’m going to be a culchie I might as well have the trappings.”
“We’ll see what’s possible down the road. For the moment, though, it’s out of the question. All this is costing an arm and a leg.” Lorraine pointed towards the central-heating pipes which had been delivered that afternoon. She needed to start earning again. With the sale of the house and her Painting Dreams collection, she was financially secure for the time being but the costs of repairing her new home and setting up the studio were making serious inroads into her savings. “We’re going to Dublin for a few days,” she said. “You’ll have a chance to see your friends again … and your father, if you want to?”
“I’ll meet him in McDonald’s. Isn’t that where all the Saturday dads hang out?”
“You can meet him anywhere you like.”
“Seeing as how you refuse to let him set foot in this house, McDonald’s will do fine.”
Lorraine moved to the window and stared out into the gathering dusk.
“Bat watch time again, is it?” Her daughter yanked open the fridge door and removed a plate of left-over lasagne. “I’m going to feed Antoinette. She may be old and bony but at least I can rely on her not to wreck my head.”
It was dark when she returned from the farm. “I’m sorry.” She came straight over to Lorraine and hugged her. “I can’t get used to it. I just can’t .”
“It will get easier.” Lorraine brushed her daughter’s hair back from her forehead and kissed her. “I don’t know when … or how. But I know it will.”
On Wednesday evening, Emily flung herself into the car and waved out the window at the Donaldson brothers who intended painting the bathroom Bravado Blue while they were away.
Brendan stopped singing “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and closed the gate behind them.
Back in familiar childhood surroundings, witnessing the pleasure with which her parents greeted them, Lorraine felt guilty over her long absence. After dinner, when Emily had persuaded her grandfather to drive her to her friend’s house, Donna had an opportunity to speak alone to her daughter.
“Teenagers are resilient.” She cleared dishes from the table and stacked the dishwasher. “Emily looks well and she appears to be settling down. I’m glad she’s decided to meet Adrian again. Her birthday must have been difficult for you.”
“I got through it. There’ll be other occasions. It’s something
“It’s a relief to hear Emily laughing again.” Lorraine stirred her tea and wondered what it would be like to wave goodbye to children as they boarded a plane to begin a new life elsewhere. She listened to Noeleen talking about her daughters, relaxed in the company of this friendly woman who had been the first to welcome her to Trabawn.
When the match ended, Lorraine accompanied the brothers and Emily to the stables. Con led an old mare forward and stood back, observing Emily as she saddled the horse. Sitting gingerly on the saddle she rode Antoinette in a wide, slow circle around a fenced-off sand arena, waving excitedly at her mother when she passed her by. Con spoke in a low voice, obviously encouraging her to relax, and her posture settled. Her smile grew more confident as the mare responded to her commands. To Lorraine, watching from the sidelines, it was obvious that the love affair was well underway.
“Of course, Antoinette’s very old,” Emily explained when they returned to the house. “But Con says I can practise on her until I get a proper pony. Do you think there’s any chance of that happening? If I’m going to be a culchie I might as well have the trappings.”
“We’ll see what’s possible down the road. For the moment, though, it’s out of the question. All this is costing an arm and a leg.” Lorraine pointed towards the central-heating pipes which had been delivered that afternoon. She needed to start earning again. With the sale of the house and her Painting Dreams collection, she was financially secure for the time being but the costs of repairing her new home and setting up the studio were making serious inroads into her savings. “We’re going to Dublin for a few days,” she said. “You’ll have a chance to see your friends again … and your father, if you want to?”
“I’ll meet him in McDonald’s. Isn’t that where all the Saturday dads hang out?”
“You can meet him anywhere you like.”
“Seeing as how you refuse to let him set foot in this house, McDonald’s will do fine.”
Lorraine moved to the window and stared out into the gathering dusk.
“Bat watch time again, is it?” Her daughter yanked open the fridge door and removed a plate of left-over lasagne. “I’m going to feed Antoinette. She may be old and bony but at least I can rely on her not to wreck my head.”
It was dark when she returned from the farm. “I’m sorry.” She came straight over to Lorraine and hugged her. “I can’t get used to it. I just can’t .”
“It will get easier.” Lorraine brushed her daughter’s hair back from her forehead and kissed her. “I don’t know when … or how. But I know it will.”
On Wednesday evening, Emily flung herself into the car and waved out the window at the Donaldson brothers who intended painting the bathroom Bravado Blue while they were away.
Brendan stopped singing “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and closed the gate behind them.
Back in familiar childhood surroundings, witnessing the pleasure with which her parents greeted them, Lorraine felt guilty over her long absence. After dinner, when Emily had persuaded her grandfather to drive her to her friend’s house, Donna had an opportunity to speak alone to her daughter.
“Teenagers are resilient.” She cleared dishes from the table and stacked the dishwasher. “Emily looks well and she appears to be settling down. I’m glad she’s decided to meet Adrian again. Her birthday must have been difficult for you.”
“I got through it. There’ll be other occasions. It’s something
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