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Authors: Sinéad Moriarty
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me,’ said Auntie Nuala, firmly. ‘She doesn’t have to have this baby. How far gone is she?’
‘Two months. Nuala, you know as well as I do that Mick would never agree to it. And I don’t think I would either. It’s wrong. It’s murder.’
‘Oh, come on, Annie. It’s the twentieth century. The poor girl’s life doesn’t have to be ruined. If she has this baby and marries that spotty youngster she’ll never go to college and have the life you want for her. Getting married at seventeen is what people did in the old days. We’ve moved on from that. Think about it.’
‘It’s murder, Nuala. It goes against everything we’ve been brought up to believe. The Church is very clear on abortion.’
ABORTION ! I fell back on to the coats. I couldn’t believe Auntie Nuala was suggesting that Siobhan get an abortion. She couldn’t! She’d be struck down by God! Everyone knew that abortion was killing. Only prostitutes had abortions. Even women who were raped had to have the baby: it was a gift from God. Sister Patricia had told us so. I was shocked at Auntie Nuala. Siobhan would go to hell and the baby would too.
‘Annie,’ said Auntie Nuala, sharply, cutting across my mother, ‘Mick wouldn’t have to know. We could just say she lost it naturally. It’s perfectly feasible. Women have miscarriages every day.’
My mother was silent. I couldn’t believe how devious Auntie Nuala was. I wondered did Uncle Tadhg know she thought this way. She must be watching too much Dallas. Sister Patricia said programmes like Dallas were the scourge of modern society.
‘Think of Siobhan. She’s been brought up to believe that abortion is murder. She’d never get over it,’ whispered Mum.
‘Yes, she would. We could organize for her to get some counselling afterwards. Then she could go off to college in Dublin and have all the wonderful opportunities you want her to have.’
‘But where would we go?’
‘I have a friend who had one and she knows a good clinic. At least give her the option. Will you do that? Just ask Siobhan what she wants instead of railroading her into a wedding at seventeen.’
My mother came out and called Siobhan. Then Auntie Nuala explained calmly to my sister that she had options and laid them out for her. My mother said nothing. I held my breath. What would Siobhan say? I could hear her crying softly and then she said, in a very steady voice, which sounded like someone much older was speaking, ‘I’m very grateful to you for offering me a way out, but I could never forgive myself if I had an abortion. I love Liam and I’m happy to marry him. I’m sorry not to be going to college and for letting everyone down, but I know I’d be more unhappy if I murdered this child.’
Sister Patricia had done a good job on Siobhan. She didn’t even take a few minutes to think it over.
‘Are you sure, pet?’ said Auntie Nuala. ‘You’re such a bright girl, you’ve your whole life ahead of you.’
‘I’m sure.’
My mother finally spoke. ‘I think you’ve made the right decision, love. We’ll all help you. Don’t take your father’s outburst to heart. He’s just very upset. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying. He thinks the world of you and he’s disappointed, that’s all, but he’ll get over it. We all will. Don’t worry, pet,’ she said, hugging Siobhan, and stroking her hair. ‘Now, Nuala, in God’s name will you open that bottle of wine? I’m in need of a drink.’
9
I couldn’t sleep that night. My head was spinning. I felt as if I’d aged at least three years. Having tossed and turned for hours, I finally got up and went downstairs for some hot chocolate. As I was walking past the lounge, I could hear my father crying softly. My first instinct was to bolt back to bed – I’d had quite enough emotion for one day. But I knew that would be mean and selfish. Sister Patricia always said that compassion and kindness would lead you to heaven. You only had to look at
‘Two months. Nuala, you know as well as I do that Mick would never agree to it. And I don’t think I would either. It’s wrong. It’s murder.’
‘Oh, come on, Annie. It’s the twentieth century. The poor girl’s life doesn’t have to be ruined. If she has this baby and marries that spotty youngster she’ll never go to college and have the life you want for her. Getting married at seventeen is what people did in the old days. We’ve moved on from that. Think about it.’
‘It’s murder, Nuala. It goes against everything we’ve been brought up to believe. The Church is very clear on abortion.’
ABORTION ! I fell back on to the coats. I couldn’t believe Auntie Nuala was suggesting that Siobhan get an abortion. She couldn’t! She’d be struck down by God! Everyone knew that abortion was killing. Only prostitutes had abortions. Even women who were raped had to have the baby: it was a gift from God. Sister Patricia had told us so. I was shocked at Auntie Nuala. Siobhan would go to hell and the baby would too.
‘Annie,’ said Auntie Nuala, sharply, cutting across my mother, ‘Mick wouldn’t have to know. We could just say she lost it naturally. It’s perfectly feasible. Women have miscarriages every day.’
My mother was silent. I couldn’t believe how devious Auntie Nuala was. I wondered did Uncle Tadhg know she thought this way. She must be watching too much Dallas. Sister Patricia said programmes like Dallas were the scourge of modern society.
‘Think of Siobhan. She’s been brought up to believe that abortion is murder. She’d never get over it,’ whispered Mum.
‘Yes, she would. We could organize for her to get some counselling afterwards. Then she could go off to college in Dublin and have all the wonderful opportunities you want her to have.’
‘But where would we go?’
‘I have a friend who had one and she knows a good clinic. At least give her the option. Will you do that? Just ask Siobhan what she wants instead of railroading her into a wedding at seventeen.’
My mother came out and called Siobhan. Then Auntie Nuala explained calmly to my sister that she had options and laid them out for her. My mother said nothing. I held my breath. What would Siobhan say? I could hear her crying softly and then she said, in a very steady voice, which sounded like someone much older was speaking, ‘I’m very grateful to you for offering me a way out, but I could never forgive myself if I had an abortion. I love Liam and I’m happy to marry him. I’m sorry not to be going to college and for letting everyone down, but I know I’d be more unhappy if I murdered this child.’
Sister Patricia had done a good job on Siobhan. She didn’t even take a few minutes to think it over.
‘Are you sure, pet?’ said Auntie Nuala. ‘You’re such a bright girl, you’ve your whole life ahead of you.’
‘I’m sure.’
My mother finally spoke. ‘I think you’ve made the right decision, love. We’ll all help you. Don’t take your father’s outburst to heart. He’s just very upset. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying. He thinks the world of you and he’s disappointed, that’s all, but he’ll get over it. We all will. Don’t worry, pet,’ she said, hugging Siobhan, and stroking her hair. ‘Now, Nuala, in God’s name will you open that bottle of wine? I’m in need of a drink.’
9
I couldn’t sleep that night. My head was spinning. I felt as if I’d aged at least three years. Having tossed and turned for hours, I finally got up and went downstairs for some hot chocolate. As I was walking past the lounge, I could hear my father crying softly. My first instinct was to bolt back to bed – I’d had quite enough emotion for one day. But I knew that would be mean and selfish. Sister Patricia always said that compassion and kindness would lead you to heaven. You only had to look at
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