5 Peppermint Grove (33 page)

“Maybe we can do this again sometime?” he said. “Or something different?”

“Sure, I’d like that very much. You know, I’ve never had a picnic in King’s Park and it’s only around the corner.”

“Hey, that’s a good idea – how about Friday? Actually, Thursday would be even better – it’s sooner!”

Ruth nodded her head. “Yes, I’d like that – what time?”

“Will I drop by shortly after five?”

“Okay and, hey, I’ll do the food because you paid for dinner tonight!”

He bid her goodnight with a friendly kiss on the cheek. She didn’t know whether to be flattered by his restraint or offended but she got out of his jeep and waved as he drove down the road.

Her step was light as she went into the house. There was something so genuine and lovely about the way he treated her that she felt she had met someone very special. Maybe there was something to the way the world worked and all the coincidences were pointing to this moment.

She was in her house five minutes when her phone rang and it was Ian.

“Hey, kitten – are you missing me as much as I’m missing you?” Ian purred down the phone.

Ruth felt sick. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. She had loved this man for ten long years and, after no word at all for weeks, here he was calling her out of the blue.

“What are you calling for?”

“That’s no way to talk to Iansie! Hey, baby, I’ve organised time off! I’m coming over on Friday!”

Ruth was filled with fear and dread at his words.
“Coming where?”

“To
Perth! And I can stay a whole week!”

This was unprecedented behaviour for Ian – did he finally realise what a devoted girlfriend she had been for all these years?

But she’d had it with married men. She wasn’t going to share anyone ever again. If she wasn’t sure before, the lovely evening that she had just spent with Brian, talking from her heart and looking at the stars, had fixed her.

“Well, I’m sorry, Ian, but you will have to change your plans – I don’t want to see you and anyway I’ve met someone else.”

Ian chuckled. “Hey, kitten, I don’t want to share you but if I have to I will – I mean, I really need to see you and have –”

“Ian, don’t call me again,” Ruth cut him off, “or I’ll have to change my number. I am through with you – now have a nice life!” And with that she switched off her phone. She felt liberated. From now on she was only going to have relationships that were honest and where there was no third party involved.

Chapter Forty-three

Michael read the email and then re-read it.

The job was too perfect. It was a permanent position in the Irish Financial Services Centre at a time when most companies in the complex were letting people go. But they would like to meet him to discuss what sort of package they could put in place.

How was he going to tell his boss that he needed more time off? He decided to ring Julia and see what her thoughts were.

Luckily she was online.

“Hey, Julia, how are things there?”

Julia watched her brother’s face appear on the screen and smiled. It was always wonderful to see him and especially at the moment when her family was in such a state of disarray.

“Michael, it’s been the most awful week – right up there with Dad’s funeral but this was even worse.”

“I spoke with Odette last night. She sounds numb.”

“She’s still on sedatives. It’s too difficult to cope with. I think that she has been remarkable.”

“I should have come home . . .”

“No, we told you not to, and although we’d have loved to see you things were so dreadful it really wouldn’t have made much difference.”

“Well, there’s a job opportunity in the IFSC and I’ve a good chance of getting it – I’m not sure of the full package but they want to meet me – should I come back and take my chances?”

“How badly do you want to come home? This has been going on for months. If they offer you crap money would you take it just to be here?”

Michael stopped to think for a minute. His life was passing him by and he knew where he wanted to be.

“I definitely would come home for less money – I couldn’t give a damn about the shares any more.”

“There’s your answer then.”

“And I know you are going to snap at me but have you had any word from
Lydia?”

“She was at the funeral – actually her boyfriend Peter handled the investigation and was wonderful with Odette and the kids. He couldn’t have been more sensitive.”

“That’s good!” Michael huffed at the computer.

“Honestly – he’s really nice.”

“So is she engaged yet?”

“Remarkably not but don’t hold out.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, she seems all set to propose on the 29
th
of February.”

“I really thought you were joking when you said she was doing that.”

“Well, apparently not – and that’s only next Wednesday so you’ll be put out of your misery by then!”

“The best man won, I guess. But I may find my Miss Right when I return – unless you’ve got anyone in mind for me – what’s this Gillian like that’s working for you?”

Julia shook her head. “She’s a good worker but I don’t fancy having her for a sister-in-law.” She was glad she had been able to give Gillian her newfound confidence but she certainly didn’t want her as part of the family. “There are half a million women in Dublin. I’m sure we can find you
one
.”

“I’ll be depending on you, Julia! So – will I chuck it all in here and come home?”

Julia would normally have her sensible head on, thinking through all of the options and considering what would be best, but since Craig died she knew what she wanted – she needed those that she loved around her.

“Yes, Michael – come home.”

Julia called around to Odette after work. Home was the only place that Odette wanted to be and the children needed some sort of routine in their day.
She was keen to tell her Michael’s news – Odette needed to hear positive things now.

Julia didn’t want to see her sister upset about anything after all that she had been through. She was very concerned about how she was going to cope on her own over the coming weeks and months. But Odette wasn’t on her own. When Julia pulled up outside her house there was a car already in the drive. Dylan’s Mercedes neatly fitted into the spot where Craig’s always used to be. Odette had asked that her husband’s car be sold or taken away at the very least – she couldn’t stand to look at it.

Julia hesitated for a moment – wondering if she should go in or not. The last thing that she wanted to do was to crowd her sister. Odette had turned down her offer to stay after the first couple of nights. It had only been a week and Julia didn’t like the idea of Odette staying on her own at night with the children.

Dylan answered the door and greeted Julia kindly but courteously. Too courteously. She wanted to tell him how much she appreciated his care and concern for her sister but there was never a correct moment or place for her to do so. It certainly was not appropriate in front of Odette who appeared as she entered the hall.

“Hi, Ju,” Odette said, walking like a zombie and falling into her sister’s arms.

“I’ve got my bag in the boot and I’ve come for a sleepover if you want me to stay?” Julia said.

Odette didn’t comment. She went into the kitchen and put on the kettle. So many people had called since Craig’s death that she did it as automatically as breathing.

“Where are the kids?” Julia asked.

“In bed,” Dylan answered. “They’ve asked to go to school and see their friends.”

“And will you let them?” she asked Odette.

Odette shrugged.

“I’ve told her that I can get them ready and take them in the morning,” Dylan answered once again.

Julia could see that her sister’s brother-in-law was by all appearances taking on the role of chief caretaker and, as he had no employment to go to, it did seem to make sense. Julia wanted to do more – but it didn’t really matter who did what because everything was a haze for poor Odette and Julia would do whatever to keep things on an even keel – if at all possible.

Dylan attended to the tea-making and they sat and drank it at the kitchen table.

It was more than awkward. Julia didn’t want to upset Odette by talking about the painful facts but neither could she ignore the realities of the situation. She tried to ask about how the kids were taking it but tears welled up in Odette’s eyes and Dylan shook his head slightly at Julia, telling her not to go there.

“I’m going up to check on the children,” Odette said eventually, standing and putting her mug in the sink. “I think I’ll lie down myself then and see if I can sleep for a while. Thanks for everything.”

As Odette left the kitchen and retreated up the stairs, Julia started to follow but her sister turned and stood with her hand on the banisters.

Julia halted.

“There’s no need to stay – honestly, Julia,” said Odette. “Dylan said that he would, as that way it would be easier to get the kids out to school in the morning.”

Julia was astounded but Odette seemed to think that what she had said was normal.

“Okay,” said Julia and retreated back to the kitchen where she sat down again, finding it hard to conceal her feelings from Dylan.

“I was talking to that policeman Peter earlier,” he said. “Apparently there will be no need to ask Odette any further questions so that’s a relief.”

“Yes, I’d heard. Have you been here all day?”

He nodded.

“You must be exhausted.”

Dylan shook his head. “I’m fine – you know, sometimes you wonder about the timing of things and I wondered why I was made redundant at the time but I can see now why and it’s good to be available for Odette.”

He was so calm and composed that she wanted to find solace in his company but she remained uncomfortable – possibly because she had been so wrong about him all along. She lifted her handbag as a signal that she was leaving and stood up.

He saw her to the door and she left for home with troubled thoughts flying through her head. What would the neighbours say about Odette’s brother-in-law staying at the house? But then again what did it matter what the neighbours thought? Craig’s death was a big enough scandal to keep those that were not friends quiet for a while and those that were friends would understand.

And then there was her own mother who had hooked up with a widower and was making a new life of her own.

She parked in the drive of her own lovely home and went into the kitchen where Horatio sat reading a newspaper.

“Hi, Granddad.”

“Ah, love, were you with Odette?”

“Yes, but Dylan’s staying with her tonight – it looks like the kids might go to school tomorrow.”

“He’s a good lad, that Dylan fellow – I have to say I did think he was a bit flash when I met him first but he is one nice guy and so good to Odette and those kids. It looks like Odette married the wrong brother.”

Julia was astonished at her grandfather’s appraisal of Dylan. He would never usually comment on someone in this way. It grieved her that she was so wrong about Dylan all along. It upset her even more the way that she had treated him over the years. There was no longer any doubt in her mind: she was stuck up and difficult to please. Maybe she was no longer attractive to men – after all, she had tried to seduce Brian but he was left cold by her advances.

“Julia, you’re in a world of your own there – tell me.”

Julia sat down beside her grandfather. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I never seem to meet someone. I never really wanted a committed relationship to be honest but now that I see how devastated Odette is it makes me wonder if we all need to have a mate?”

“I loved being married to your grandmother. Don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t all wine and roses – there were times when she would drive me to drink. Literally! I would go down to the
Fairview Inn and stay there for hours until I was sure that she was gone to bed. But that is what being married is all about – tolerance and security. I always knew that she would be there for me and she always was.”

Julia nodded. She remembered her grandmother vividly and she was the sort of woman who fussed around the house all day but always made sure that everything was just right and that you always had a cup of tea in your hand or a ham sandwich.

“I loved her carrot cake,” Julia sighed.

“Ah yes, that recipe went with her to the grave – what a cook! And her tea-brack was even better.”

They giggled, fondly remembering the past.

“But the greatest gift she ever gave me was your mother,” Horatio continued. “There is nothing better than to have your own flesh and blood around you. I can see that you are the same, Julia, and you would be a great little mother.”

“Me!” Julia was very surprised by her grandfather’s commendation.