5 Peppermint Grove (10 page)

“What’s the bet you’ll be playing bridge online before the night is out?” Michael said.

“See,” Julia said. “He’s only home two days and already he knows your form!”

Angela hardly spoke all the way down in the car. It reminded her of a journey to a funeral. In a way it would be her son’s wake. Her beautiful grandchildren were moving to the far end of Canada and she had no idea when she would see them again. Things would be tough for Kevin for the first couple of years. No one understood that better than Angela herself. And then there were the temptations and new people and friends – people that you weren’t sure if you could trust or not. It wasn’t like home where everyone knows someone belonging to somebody. If her children brought a boyfriend or girlfriend home she would be able to track down their family from any part of Ireland and have some idea of what they were like. New countries held all sorts of secrets. It was in her interest that those secrets and events from her own past were tucked far away on the other side of the world and that is why it didn’t sit comfortably with her that Ruth would soon be returning to the very same city she herself had fled so long ago.

“Penny for your thoughts, Angela,” Fred asked gently as they drove along the M7 in silence.

“Oh, I’m just going to miss the grandchildren.”

“It’s for the best – it will all sort out.”

“And where will we be spending next Christmas then?” she snapped.

“Don’t blame me – we still have Niall in
Dublin.”

“And we can always visit Ruth in
Australia, I suppose,” she said.

“Ah, it’s a long way to be going – she’ll only be gone two years.”

“Maybe not – she might meet an Australian and settle down.”

“Ruth is a home-bird. She’ll be back,” Fred assured her.

Angela turned and looked out the window. “I do hope that you are right.”

Julia basted the turkey for a second time. It was browning nicely and the succulent juices flowed down the side of the bird. The aroma from it wafted through the house along with the scent of her cedar-pine scented candles. She was excited about the stunning feast and the addition of her brother and Ruth was making the day perfect. Perfect apart from the absence of her father of course, but, as she put the bird onto the granite surface that he had built himself, she felt his spirit with her.

Carol had a glass of wine in her hand and Horatio was settled in front of the fire.

The doorbell rang with the first of the guests to arrive. She wiped her hands in a tea towel and went out to the front door. Ruth’s arms were laden with colourful packages tied up with silver string and bows.

Julia reached out and took some from her friend and planted a Christmas kiss on her cheek.

“Merry Christmas, Ruth – I’m so glad you’re spending the day with us.”

“Me too. I don’t think I could stand the tension between my mother and Orla for a full twenty-four hours – especially in Orla’s house.”

“I’d love to be a fly on the wall in Kerry,” Julia giggled.

“I don’t know who I feel more sorry for!” said Ruth. “Actually, I do I feel for Mum. It can’t be easy for her. First losing her son to Kerry and now her grandchildren to
Canada, but maybe this will make her get on the plane and hopefully visit us both during the year.”

“I love your mum, Ruth,” Julia said, “but I’ve always wondered how she managed living in
Australia. Maybe you’ll get some insight now that you’ll be living there.”

Ruth nodded hopefully. “Where’s your mum – in the living room?”

“Yeah, go on in to her – she’s with Granddad.”

Ruth carried two presents in with her. Horatio was dozing in the armchair and Carol was having a quick sneaky game of bridge on her laptop.

“Merry Christmas, Carol,” Ruth said. She kissed her friend’s mother on the cheek and handed her a gift, then went over to Julia’s grandfather.

“Merry Christmas, Mr Daly.”

“Aah, Ruth, lovely to see you – and what’s this Julia’s been telling me about you going off to the other side of the world?”

“Well, it’s all your granddaughter’s doing, Mr Daly.”

The old man sucked in his cheeks.  “Aah, she can’t help stickin’ her nose into other people’s business but she has a good heart.”

“I’m looking forward to going now, Mr Daly.”

“Is Perth anywhere near Rockingham?” Carol asked. “I’ve a very good friend who I play with most mornings and she lives there.”

“I can’t say I know, Carol. I’ll find out when I get there. How was your trip to
Cologne?”

Carol blushed. “It was very nice, thank you, Ruth.”

“Maybe you can get the info out of her, Ruth,” said Julia as she came in. “She’s been very coy with us – hasn’t she, Granddad?”

Horatio looked up. “I can’t keep up with the lot of you and all of your travel around the world. Yis are just trying to make me jealous!”

“Come on, Ruth, we’ll go back into the kitchen and see how the turkey is doing,” Julia prompted.

“Can I help with anything?” Ruth asked.

“You could mash the potatoes if you like – that would be a great help.”

“So how many are coming today?”

“It was just meant to be us, Michael and Odette’s crew – but Craig asked if we had room for Dylan and much as I wanted I couldn’t say no!”

“Is he really that bad? I mean, he’s always been very pleasant when I’ve met him.”

“You’ve only seen him at weddings and such occasions. He can be such a pain. And the tension between Odette and Craig is getting worse – I’m at a loss to know what to do about it.”

“But surely it’s between Odette and Craig, whatever is going on in their marriage?”

“Odette looks to me for advice and she’s not coping very well with anything at the moment.”

“What does Dylan say about all this?”

Julia drained the Brussels sprouts and put them back on the hob.

“I’m sure Dylan wouldn’t even notice,” she said. “He hasn’t a serious bone in his body and is too quick to make jokes and be smart about those around him – especially me!”

“Oh, okay.” Ruth knew when to stop prying.

Odette was next at the door and her children rushed in past Julia to get into the living room and see what their granny and great-grandfather had waiting for them.

“Happy Christmas, Julia,” she said, giving her sister a kiss on the cheek.

“Where’s Craig?”

“Oh, he’ll be here soon – had to pop into the office for something.”

Julia cocked her head in surprise. “On Christmas Day?”

Odette just nodded and went into the living room after her children.

What sort of accountancy nightmare couldn’t wait a couple of days, Julia wondered?

Odette’s children loved Ruth and called her Aunty Ruthy. They collected their presents with gusto and sat down at Horatio’s feet in front of the fire. Torn paper surrounded each of them in seconds.

“Time to put the laptop away, I think!” Horatio nodded to his daughter who
wistfully did as she was told.

Suddenly the doorbell rang again and Julia ran out to get it. At first she thought that it must be Craig but sighed when she realised it was Dylan.

“Happy Christmas, Julia!” he said, handing her a Poinsettia and bottle of expensive Fleurie wine.

“Thank you and Happy Christmas to you too.” She smiled politely.

“I love Christmas – it’s one of the few days you have to be civil to me.”

“Don’t push your luck!” she said, kicking the door closed behind her with the heel of her shoe. She nodded in the direction of the living room. “They’re inside.”

Dylan went over to his sister-in-law first and looked around for his brother.

“Oh, Craig had to go into work for something!” Odette explained.

Dylan was troubled by the news. What on earth could have him in head office on Christmas Day? And it was a Sunday so he shouldn’t be in there anyway. He would have to have serious words with his brother after dinner.

“Will you have a glass of sparkling wine or something warmer?” Julia asked Dylan.

Dylan raised his left eyebrow and with a glint in his eye asked, “What would the warmer option be then?”

Julia clicked the roof of her mouth with her tongue. “I’ve mulled wine in the pot – or you could have a cup of tea!”

“Well, the first option sounds lovely.”

Ruth came out from the kitchen with a glass of the mulled wine in her hand.

Dylan smiled warmly. “Nice to see you again, Ruth – Merry Christmas.”

“Hi, Dylan, Merry Christmas.”

Julia interrupted. “I need to get some wine for Dylan – will you join me in the kitchen, Ruth?” She beckoned to her friend.

“You can have mine – I haven’t touched it,” Ruth said, handing her glass to Dylan with a gracious nod and following her friend out to the kitchen.

Julia started to clatter around in the big drawer under the hob. “Where is my carving fork? I’m sure I left it in here.”

“You never said how dishy Dylan has become – I love the unshaved look – he’s so much cooler in those casual clothes.”

“Oh, he’s retired now – or redundant if that’s the way you want to look at it. He’s so jammy and such a smoothie that he really makes my skin crawl.”

Ruth poured another ladle of mulled wine into a clean glass. “He’s fairly dishy-looking to me and it’s obvious that he has the hots for you, Julia. Did you see that look he gave you when you suggested he tried something warm? I was watching from the kitchen door and I could see the desire oozing out of him.”

“Don’t be silly – he just likes to tease me and I have no idea why!”

Ruth wasn’t going to argue with Julia and have a pointless debate that she would never win.

It was almost time to serve dinner when Craig finally rang the doorbell. Odette jumped up to let her husband in.

Julia had sensed Odette’s tension and the way she had been looking at her watch for the previous half hour. Something was very wrong and she needed to intervene.

“Time to carve the turkey!” she announced.

The juices flowed and Ruth helped by dishing out the plates of meat. Julia had prepared the most perfect table and lit red candles to shine on the baubles and holly in the centre display. Every guest had a goblet and cloth napkin that co-ordinated with the gold serving dishes catering for the roast potatoes, buttered parsnips and curried Brussels sprouts. Christmas burned in the air from the aroma of the scented apple-cinnamon candles dotted along the table. All present, ranging in age from five to eighty-seven, were content and blessed to be sharing this special day, and everything about the mix just worked.

Ruth laughed and chatted happily to Dylan who sat at her side. Julia was pleased that he was distracted and concentrated her energies on ensuring that her sister and brother-in-law were in good form. Their children were most definitely having a good time and Horatio was enthralled by the speed and alacrity with which they demolished their dinner.

Julia produced a Baked Alaska – knowing it was Horatio’s favourite and she felt that he deserved the call for dessert. By the time Irish coffees were served she was ready to collapse and sat in the corner of the living room on the recliner with her feet up.

The other guests were still at the table, busy in a debate about the state of the European Union led by Craig who was wholeheartedly sickened by the state of the public and semi-private sector. He had never been so serious and Odette sat mute and noncommittal throughout the conversation.

Dylan took a break and went into the living room where Julia was sitting.

“That was a fine dinner, Julia!”

His tall figure filled the door frame.

“You can’t go wrong sticking a turkey in the oven and peeling a few vegetables!”

“Why can’t you take a compliment from me?”

“What was wrong with what I just said? Why do you always pick holes in everything I say?”

Dylan laughed out loud. “You are saying exactly what I feel! I think you’ll find that it’s the other way around, Julia!”

Julia was tired and in no form for a discussion. “Whatever!”

Dylan stood out of the way as Ruth entered the room.

“Thanks, Julia,” she said. “That was wonderful.”

Julia shook her head. “You’re welcome! Sit down and keep me company, Ruth – Dylan was just going – weren’t you, Dylan?”

He waved his empty glass in a gesture of concession and left the room.

“He’s really interesting,” said Ruth. “Did you know that he plans to travel?”

Julia shook her head. “No. Well, I hope that he goes sooner rather than later. And, the way I feel about his brother, I hope he takes him with him.”

“What happened with Craig today?”

“I don’t know – he’s been acting really strangely and you saw how late he was today. I don’t know what’s going on but there’s some awful strain between Odette and Craig and I hate to see it.”