He read her thoughts.
“
Look, let
’
s drive straight to Clontarf right now
and if it takes longer than fifteen minute
s then I
’
ll forget about it. What do you say?
”
“
Okay.
”
They locked up behind them and
,
getting into the car,
they synchronised their watches before he drove her acros
s the East Link Bridge to her parents
’
house
.
“
Eight minutes forty, exactly,
”
David whooped as he stopped on Kincora Road.
“
I can
’
t believe it!
”
Ellie cried.
“
It
’
s faster than coming from Malahide or even Sutton.
”
She had to agree that he had a point.
“
If you agree to it, Ellie, I
’
ll even buy you a new car to celebrate so that you can come and go here as often as you want. And
,
if you really hate living there, then we can sell and buy somewhere else
.”
He obviously wanted it so much that she couldn
’
t resist him.
“
Okay, let
’
s go for it!
”
He grabbed her in a bear-hug and squeezed her so hard that she thought she might deflate completely
.
“
It
’
s going to be perfect, Ellie. I just know it!
”
She wasn
’
t quite as convinced as he was but at least it was another major problem solved. They would now have their own place to move into after their wedding
.
Dress and house sorted in one weekend. Things were looking good!
Ronan was having a less good day. Having spent a long hard day in the wine shop on Saturday he
’
d met Conor later for a few pints too many. Nursing a hangover this morning, he
’
d played the worst golf of his life and he now sat eating a packet macaroni cheese which was doing nothing to cheer him up. He was watching the football on TV when he heard the door bang and Louise came breezing in. She looked beautiful and he could see that she was in an exhilarated mood.
“
Had a good weekend then?
”
he asked.
“
Brilliant!
”
she replied, going to the fridge and opening
a bottle of white wine.
“
Drink?
”
she asked, waving the bottle at him.
“
Why not? I need to talk to you.
”
He figured he might as well get it over with. He
’
d have to tell her about losing his job. She
’
d know soon enough when he didn
’
t go to work tomorrow.
“
Me too,
”
she said brightly
,
pouring the wine and raising h
er glass to him.
“
Well, I don
’
t know how to tell you . . .
”
“
Me first
!”
she cried, looking straight at him.
“
I want a divorce.
”
If she
’
d said
‘
Pigs are flying outside
’
Ronan couldn
’
t have been more gobsmacked.
“
A
. . .
divorce?
”
he repeated, hardly
able to say it.
“
Yes,
”
she replied as she smoothed her skirt with her elegan
t hands.
He looked at the perfectly manicured nails, mesmeris
ed by their stroking action.
“
A divorce?
”
he repeated yet again, thinking that he must
have misheard.
“
Yes, I
’
ve met someone else and I realise now that you and I are not meant for each other.
”
Her voice was matter-of-fact
.
“
Are you serious, Louise?
”
he asked her
,
standing up and pacing the room. He couldn
’
t quite believe what he was hearing.
“
Deadly. I plan on moving out tomorrow.
”
“
Who is this guy? Did you just meet him this weekend?
”
Ronan couldn
’
t believe that even she could be that stupid.
“
No. It
’
s someone I
’
ve known since I was single and I ran into him again recently. We
’
re in love and he wants me to move in with him as quickly as possible.
”
Ronan was almost speechless.
“
How long has this been going on?
”
he managed to croak.
“
Not long, but we know we
’
re right for each other.
”
She even smirked as she said it.
“
Don
’
t you think you should take the time to consider this carefully? I thought maybe we could go for marriage counselling.
”
“
No, it
’
s much too late for that. I
’
ve made up my mind and so has Alan.
”
The manner in which she said his name, lovingly with a smile playing on her lips, made him want to throw up.
“
I
’
ll want a divorce of course but I won
’
t want anything from you. Alan is very wealthy.
”
Not for long, with you around, Ronan thought bitterly
.
“
Well, I take it there
’
s nothing I can do to get you to
change your mind?
”
he asked, knowing the answer already
.
“
Absolutely not. It
’
s been decided. Now what was it you wanted to say?
”
“
Nothing, nothing at all,
”
he answered sadly.
“
Well
,
in that case, I
’
ll go and start
packing. Obviously, I
’
ll sleep in the guest room tonight.
”
She got up and headed for the bedroom.
Ronan sat for
he
’
d no idea how long
,
listening to her opening and closing doors and drawers and clattering hangers in wardrobes. She was serious. She was leaving him.
Bolting from the house, he walked down to the local pub. There, to the surprise of his mate, Jim, he downed the best part of a bottle of whiskey before finally telling him of his problem. Jim was horrified and took an almost comatose Ronan home with him and settled him comfortably on his sofa for the night.
Louise knew that she had given Ronan a huge shock but there was no point in beating around the bush, was there? There was no way she could have sweetened the bombshell she
’
d dropped so it was better all round to be honest and not fudge the issue. Their marriage was over and he would come to realise that it was for the best. Life was too short and they both needed to move on.
She did feel a little guilty that he hadn
’
t come home last night and she hoped that he was okay but
,
really, he wasn
’
t her responsibility any
more.
She had packed all her clothes and shoes and was shocked at just how many cases and large black plastic bags she
’
d filled. She looked around
,
wondering if she had missed anything
,
but there was nothing more she wanted from the house except for her CDs. In any case she had run out of bags. With a last look around the house she
’
d lived in for the past fifteen years, she left to start her new life with Alan.
Alan had organised a van to move her stuff and
,
when the guy had loaded up
,
she ordered him to follow her in the chauffeured car that Alan had sent to take her
to her new abode. She gasped in awe as they pulled up at the beautiful big detached house on the leafy Ailesbury Road in Ballsbridge. It was simply fabulous.
Alan was standing at the front door and ran down the steps to greet her, swinging her off her feet. She gasped with pleasure, laughing up into his face with sheer joy. She was home. Everything was going to be simply wonderful from now on. Her life was truly beginning.
30
Ronan finally surfaced and felt bewildered to be in a strange room. He started to get up but the blinding pain in his head knocked him back. Then he remembered where he was and why.
“
Well, you certainly did a good job on yourself last night,
”
Jim said, coming into the room with a steaming cup of coffee.
“
Oh God
!”
Ronan moaned, holding his head in his hands as he tried to sit up.
“
Here
,
drink this
,”
said Jim.
“
It might help you feel better.
”
Ronan took the coffee.
“
Sorry for all the trouble. I hope Sheila didn
’
t mind my staying here last night.
”
“
Of course not. My wife was very sympathetic when I explained about you and Louise.
”
Ronan moaned.
“
Yeah, well
,
what
’
s done is done. What time is it?
”
He looked at his watch
,
surprised to see it was almost midday.
“
Just as well I don
’
t work Mondays in the wine shop. I suppose I
’
d better get home. I
’
ll feel better after a good shower.
”
He started for the door.
“
I
’
ll drive you home.
”
“
Thanks, Jim. I appreciate what you
’
ve done. Sorry if I talked the ear off you last night.
”
“
What else are friends for?
”
Jim replied, his voice gruff.
He felt sorry for his pal but
,
really, that Louise was a bitch and Ronan would be far better off without her, though he
’
d never tell him that.
Ellie bounced into the wine course that evening, full of beans and smiling brightly.
“
You look like the cat that got the cream,
”
Rachel
observed.
“
Yeah, well, I had a good weekend. I found the most d
ivine wedding dress. Honestly, it
’
s just out of this worl
d,
”
Ellie
’
s eyes were sparkling as she spoke.
“
And . . . we found the cutest little house as well,
”
she a
dded, her big smile making her dimples more pronounc
ed than ever.
“
That would rate as a good weekend, I guess,
”
Rachel smiled back at her, happy for the bubbly young
woman
.
“
Where is the house?
”
Sam asked, on hearing the exchange.
“
In Sandymount.
”
Sam raised his eyebrows, his eyes twinkling with merriment
. “
Oh, so you
’
re deserting Mars then?
”