Are You Ready? (12 page)

Mel said having a baby was a real shock to the system and she hadn't slept one wink yet, and that, as everyone kept reminding her, she wasn't going to sleep properly until the baby was eighteen! Sarah loved calling in and holding Fiona, there was nothing like the smell of a newborn baby. Her mum had practically moved in and spent every minute advising Mel what to do and not do, in-between ringing her friends to give them every
possible update on Fiona. They were all very excited and couldn't wait to be grandparents themselves, she informed Sarah.

It was so cute to see Tom so excited also. He was madly in love with his new niece, had helped his brother John erect the baby crib, and didn't bat an eyelid when Mel had to breastfeed in front of everyone. It was lovely to see men so excited about babies, and Sarah just wished her dad had still been alive to help them all celebrate.

While she was discussing baby gifts with Tom, Sarah received a phone call from Hugh. In just over a week, they had seen each other three times. He was very interesting, and more grown-up than any of her previous dates: a real man, who rang when he said he would, and was not at all scared of making plans a few weeks down the line.

‘Sarah, I'm running into a meeting, but wanted to see whether you were free on Saturday afternoon. My local rugby club from home, Galwegians, are coming to play in Dublin this weekend against Blackrock. Anyway, my two brothers are coming up to see the match, and they would love to meet you, and it would be great if you came. What do you say?'

Sarah wasn't so sure, meeting someone's family was way down the line in dating – it wasn't supposed to happen so soon – but then Hugh was so nice, and she didn't want to disappoint him, so she agreed. As she hung up the phone, Tom looked at her with his big blue eyes.

‘So you have got another boyfriend? That was quick!'

Sarah knew he was referring to his friend Ross.

‘Tom, I really don't want to talk to you about this and get into a he-said, she-said thing, but Ross was not who I thought he was, and he was hardly my boyfriend. So, yes, I'm entitled to date someone else, someone who is just perfect.' After that Tom shut up and just stirred his cappuccino.

Later that night Sarah was meeting Ali to go and see the latest Leonardo DiCaprio film. Sarah filled Ali in on Hugh Hyland and the impending rugby match date.

‘Rugby matches are a nightmare for girls,' she said. ‘You need to wrap up warm to go to the match, so you go along in your hat, gloves, and plenty of warm sensible clothes, but then when you go for drinks after, you don't want to be standing there all night in your fleece and sensible flat shoes. And you can't go to the match in stilettos and a string top just to look good later, as you then look like you've tried too hard – and freeze to death. It's a nightmare!'

‘You will be fine. Sure, guys don't notice anything – you could run into the bathroom and come out in your deb's dress and they wouldn't notice you'd changed!' Ali laughed.

‘You are probably right, Ali. It is just that I'm nervous about seeing his two brothers. Meeting family for the first time is always hard, everyone is scrutinizing you, and you don't know what to expect.'

Ali paid for their popcorn and drinks and they started walking up the cinema escalators still continuing the conversation. Ali said: ‘You think that rugby match will be hard? The first time I met Robin's parents it was a real nightmare. We were all going to Cork for the night for his granny's eightieth birthday. So first of all I had to sit facing his parents for three hours, and that is a long time face-to-face with your boyfriend's parents who you have just met. And then when we got to the hotel I didn't know what to expect, as his dad had booked three hotel rooms. One was obviously for the parents, but then there was me, Robin and his brother and sister, and as this was my first time meeting them, I didn't know if they would let me stay with Robin or if I would have to share with his sister. So you should have seen my bag: one side had all my Victoria's Secret best lingerie, while the other had my Penney's granny-style fleece pyjamas and dressing gown! It was so funny, but such a relief when his dad handed me and Robin the keys to our own room.'

Sarah was relieved to hear that really everyone was nervous about meeting their partner's family, and decided to relax and enjoy the movie, and not worry about what to wear until Saturday came.

Luke was walking into his apartment when he froze: all over the kitchen table were wedding magazines, and little bride and groom ornament cake-tops. There were also candles everywhere and wine open. Oh my God, was Molly going to propose? Had she lost her mind? He didn't even hear Molly approach from behind to give him a big hug and kiss. She stopped when she realized he was stiff with shock – literally frozen.

‘What's wrong?' she asked.

‘Molly, what are you doing? What's with all the wedding stuff?' Molly looked at the magazines and wedding-cake toppings and started laughing.

‘Luke, did you think I was trying to give you engagement hints? As if I would be that obvious! No, I just want to start getting ideas for Ali's wedding, so I bought some magazines today, and I got a bit carried away when I saw some lovely Mr and Mrs cake toppings. Relax, they are for them, not us!' But Luke didn't laugh.

‘It's obvious you are thinking about it, why else
would you leave this stuff here for me to trip over? Well, if you think we are going to get married when every night our house is full of your work projects, and all we talk about is other people's parties and what you will make for them to eat, then you can forget it. I don't bring my work home and I don't see why you have to, either.'

And with that Luke walked back out of the door. What was wrong with him? Molly worried. She looked down and saw one of the little marzipan bride and grooms had fallen off the table and smashed in half, totally broken.

On Saturday morning Ben booked a restaurant for that night with Laura. He hadn't seen her for a few weeks, and was eager to make a good impression. He didn't quite know her taste yet, but thought Baan Thai in Ballsbridge would be a safe bet. Thai was his favourite and that restaurant was always busy and had a great atmosphere. It would be perfect. He was looking forward to meeting her later, and was trying to iron a shirt when he saw his mum out in the garden pruning bushes and planting new flowers.

Maura O'Connor was having a dinner party that night and was trying to get the garden looking just right. She still had the shopping to do, but would run out to Donnybrook Fair for fish and a nice dessert for later. Joe was taking Honey for a walk while he went to get the newspaper, in the hope of tiring the over-energetic dog out. Maura did not want a night of dog-barking and whingeing to ruin her dinner party. Maura dragged the lawnmower out of the garage and dumped it in the middle of the lawn. The grass was
in desperate need of a cut, and she wanted it looking well tonight. Her gardener was away, but since Ben was home she would get him to do it. As Ben made himself a BLT and watched
Soccer AM
his mum came into the kitchen.

‘Ben, I need that lawn cut this afternoon, before our guests arrive later.'

‘What? Mum, I can't. I'm running late for meeting the lads, we are all going to watch the Blackrock versus Galwegians rugby match at two p.m.'

‘Well then, you can race home from the rugby club and do it after the match, it needs to be done.'

‘I can't, I'm meeting Laura for dinner right after. Sorry, Mum. I'll do it next time, I promise.'

And with that Ben headed out the door, but as he did Maura shouted after him. ‘Ben, you will have that grass cut by tonight or I'll let Mango out of his cage to fly away, I really will.'

But Ben did not hear his mum, and jumped in his car and headed for the rugby club. Maura followed him out shortly, herself, to buy food for the dinner party, all the while complaining to herself that Ben was so lazy – and how would any girl ever marry him?

Joe O'Connor came home from his walk, and after making sure himself and the dog had plenty of water to help them cool down, he put the kettle on for a cup of tea. Then he saw the lawnmower out on the lawn. Maura must want the grass mowed. As he couldn't see Ben anywhere he decided he would give it a go
himself; he hadn't cut the grass in a while, but he knew how important it was to Maura that the place looked good for their guests. He was an avid gardener himself, and it was a passion they both shared, but cutting the grass held no passion for him! Even so, he changed into a T-shirt and his old gardening shorts, and started up the engine.

Within ten minutes the mower started feeling heavier and a shooting pain ran up and down Joe's right arm, but it wasn't until his chest felt like it was about to burst, and he couldn't breathe that he thought something more serious than being unfit might be wrong. But by that stage he was lying on the lawn, and as he fell unconscious all he could worry about was that Maura wouldn't be able to cope with seeing him like this, and he prayed that Ben might find him first. And then everything went dark.

Ben had just congratulated the Blackrock captain over their mighty win over the Galway team when his mobile rang. It was home. He ignored it at first as he thought it would be his mum asking him to come back and mow the lawn. But when it rang for the fifth time he answered and heard not his mum or dad's voice but their neighbour Breda.

‘Ben, it's Breda, I'm so sorry to tell you this, but your father has had a heart-attack. He is in a bad way. Your mum found him right in the middle of the lawn, but we've no idea how long he was there for, he was trying to cut the grass. Your mum has gone to the hospital in
the ambulance, but asked me to ring you. You need to go there straight away, Ben. It is serious.'

Ben didn't even reply. As she talked he just started walking, and then running out of the clubhouse. His dad was dying, and he needed to get there as soon as he could.

Sarah was having a great Saturday at the rugby match. After hours of stress about her clothes she had decided to wear a v-neck cream top from River Island, but with a black Roxy polo neck and a warm puffa jacket over it to keep her warm, and now she was relaxing and enjoying a few beers with Hugh and his two brothers. They looked very like him, but older. Both were enjoying the day, even if their team had lost. But, as they said, they had really come to see Hugh anyway, so they weren't too upset. She was very nervous at the start, and felt like she had to crack lots of jokes, but they were kind, and laughed, and seemed to enjoy her company. It was still all very new with Hugh, and when he rested his hand on her lower back as she chatted to people she felt tingles go up her spine. It felt nice, right.

She had spotted Robin's friend Ben earlier, and he had waved over at her. Wanting to say hi properly, she had made her way over to him, but he had literally run past her while on his mobile phone and hadn't even
said hello. How rude, she thought. Thank God Robin never succeeded in setting me up with him. And with that she had headed back to Hugh.

Hugh's brothers loved telling embarrassing stories about Hugh when he was a kid, and joking about how he was now a city boy and not a true Galway man any more. Hugh took great offence at this and insisted he was going to go back one day to live there. All four of them enjoyed the live music that the rugby club had arranged and settled in for a few more beers, before deciding to go for dinner to a local Italian.

‘You are doing great, Sarah, they love you. Thanks so much for coming,' Hugh whispered to her as they walked in the door of Toscana's Italian restaurant overlooking Dun Laoghaire harbour.

Sarah was delighted at how it was all going, and as they ordered bruschetta and big bowls of pasta she felt herself relax and enjoy just being there with Hugh.

Laura was on her second glass of white wine when the waiter asked her for the fifth time if she wanted to order any food. Food? Laura thought. I just want to cry. She had never been more embarrassed in her whole life. Ben had said he would be here by 9 p.m., and it was now after 10 p.m. She had tried his mobile but it was turned off. How immature to stand me up like this! He was old enough to just say he didn't see them going anywhere, instead of arranging a dinner date and then not turning up, leaving her mortified and the talk of the whole restaurant. It was obvious she was waiting for someone, but she'd waited long enough, so as she signalled for the bill she rang Ali to see if she was still out for drinks with the girls, and if they could meet up. She wasn't going to waste this new dress and the fact that she had gotten her long curly hair straightened in the hairdresser that afternoon. She might as well go out and have a good night, and as she jumped into a taxi she vowed never to talk to Ben O'Connor ever again.

* * *

Ali was having drinks with some of her friends in the Clarence Bar. They had ordered bottles of sparkling wine, and it was going down a treat. She was having a great night, retelling the Table Mountain story again and again. It was a great feeling to have everyone wish you well and offer congratulations. The barman had even been persuaded to give them a bottle of wine on the house to help celebrate the engagement ring!

It was funny, though, Ali thought for the millionth time since she had come back from South Africa, how people didn't seem to feel happy you were committing yourself to someone you adored, and they didn't congratulate you on finding your soulmate. Instead, once they saw the ring all anyone was interested in was how you would be doing your hair on the big day. It did get to her, sometimes.

One of the girls was asking which church she was booking. ‘I presume Donnybrook, or maybe Booterstown? I mean, that would be the closest if you are going to book the Four Seasons in Ballsbridge or something for after.'

‘Donnybrook? Ballsbridge? Are you girls mad?' Ali asked. ‘I'm from Kilkenny, in case you have forgotten. Myself and Robin have decided that we are going to have the reception at my family home, on the farm, in Kilkenny.'