Are You Ready? (26 page)

Ali, her two sisters, a few of her cousins, and twelve of her friends were all meeting at 6 p.m. in Kilkenny's newest and hippest hotel. Her Dublin friends were all staying there for the night, and had heard the place had opened a fabulous cocktail bar. They were not wrong, the bar was amazing, and as Ali walked in she felt she had walked on to the set of
Sex and the City.
There were beautiful people and Manhattan cocktails everywhere. The bar was all glass, with funky chandeliers and oversized chairs, it was like something from a film. Ali was greeted by a cheer when she walked in, and she saw all her friends had reserved an area and were surrounded by cocktails and feather boas.

‘Well, Ali, I knew that L-plates wouldn't be your style, but when we saw these pink feather boas last time we were in Dublin we had to stock up,' laughed Jill. She was trying to be the perfect bridesmaid and sister by holding Ali's bag, and at the same time struggling to take a picture of Ali being greeted by her friends and also ordering Ali a Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri.

Ali settled into a comfy couch and looked around at her friends. She had invited a selection of her old school friends – who hadn't had far to travel, as most of them still lived in Kilkenny – and then she had her Dublin friends, and girls she had met in college. She had agonized over whether to have her hen in Kilkenny or Dublin, but when all her Dublin friends had said they would be only too happy to spend a night in such a fun city as Kilkenny Ali had been delighted and let Jill and Kate make the plans.

So here they were having cocktails with their pink boas, swapping stories about how they had met Ali. They had dinner booked in an Italian at 9 p.m. Jill knew the owner, and so they had been given their own small function room upstairs, where they could make as much noise as they wanted. Ali had been nervous about the hen, as growing up near Kilkenny city she was well used to seeing hen and stag parties that looked tacky and messy and gave her city a bad name, but her friends had assured her that they knew she was a bit hesitant. They had promised: ‘No L-plates, or tacky veils!'

Robin, on the other hand, had enthusiastically embraced his stag party in Edinburgh, and himself and twenty lads had taken off for Scotland the day before. Ali had received one text from him yesterday to assure her his eyebrows and hair were all still intact, but that the lads had taken all his clothes, and only allowed him to wear a clown outfit! Ben had actually texted Ali a photo of Robin earlier, and Ali had had to laugh at the
photo of him at the bar in a polka-dot jumpsuit, a red curly wig, and big red sponge nose! She was glad he was having a good time, but still slightly nervous that he would end up chained to a lamppost naked in the middle of Edinburgh. But for tonight she had to forget about that, and get back to drinking and having a good time with the girls.

She was on her fourth cocktail when Jill clapped to get everyone's attention.

‘Now, Ali, we've a few surprises for you. A stripper!'

Ali went pale, she had specifically said no strippers.

‘Only kidding, sis! I know that would be your worst nightmare, so we've some gifts for you instead.' And with that Jill and Kate pulled out a large bag that had been hidden under a seat.

Ali was surprised, she had thought her sisters were so preoccupied with their dresses and losing weight that organizing a dinner out tonight would have been enough. Kate stood up.

‘OK, sis, the first gift has taken us weeks, and it is due to your friends' hard work.'

‘And ours,' Jill added as she handed Ali a large thick rectangular parcel that looked like a book.

Ali unwrapped the paper, and stared in shock. It was not a book, but what looked like a red-bound thesis, like the one she had had to submit when she was finishing college. Yet this one had on the front: ‘To Ali, aka the future Mrs Kenny …
This is Your Life
'. And like the old Eamon Andrews show, the red
book was exactly what it said, a book all about her. Ali started flicking through the pages. It was filled with photos of her as a baby, as a child, in college and at the engagement party. It was also filled with stories and memories that each of her friends had typed up and submitted, along with some funny and embarrassing photos. Her sisters had put in pictures of her favourite food, drinks, TV programmes, films – even the movie stars she used to fancy! The whole book was just about her, it was amazing. They had even included copies of her Leaving Certificate results, her Girl Guide badges, and photos of the day she became a qualified solicitor. She had to laugh at all the photos of her with cows and chickens. Those farm photos made her look like a real country child, but she treasured them and appreciated how much time and effort must have gone into finding them.

‘Ali, you have no idea how much time we've spent scanning, typing and printing, trying to get that book ready. Mum and Dad were driven demented! It was hard trying to get everyone to send their bits about you in on time, and we didn't have the book ready for the binders yesterday, but once we'd chosen the dresses today, we ran over there and got it done, thank God.'

All Ali's friends were dying to read the book, and see what memories and photos everyone else had included. Ali began to feel very emotional: she realized how good her friends and sisters were to have gone to all this trouble for her.

After they had all had a good look through the
book, Jill ordered more cocktails and got everyone's attention.

‘OK, now it's time for some of the fun gifts,' she said. She started pulling out lots of little wrapped parcels.

‘Myself and Kate thought we would ask each of your friends to buy you a little inexpensive gift, something that would remind you of a funny or good time with them. And you have to guess which gift goes with which person!'

Ali's sisters handed her the first gift. It was a little toy cow and a pair of flip-flops. Ali didn't know what it meant, or who it was from. And then it came to her: when she was eleven herself and her best friend Liz had decided to have a picnic on the farm, but because they had wanted it to be private they had wandered further and further from the farmhouse until they were in the neighbour's fields. And then, as they set up their lunch of crisps and red lemonade, a bull had come out of nowhere and charged at them! Ali and Liz had manage to outrun the bull, and climbed over the fences to safety, but Liz had lost her brand-new sandals along the way and been in big trouble when she got home. Ali pointed to Liz, who was laughing so much she had tears rolling down her face!

Next was a Take That CD and a bottle of sun lotion. Ali knew who this was: her old school friend Jenny. After their Leaving Certificate they had gone to Majorca on holiday and spent the whole time listening to Take That's latest CD and sunbathing, although Ali had got badly burnt on the first day and looked like a lobster in every photo! After this there were
gifts that made her laugh so much that she attracted the attention of the whole bar, who were all dying to know what was so funny. The girls tried to explain the gifts to the barman, but they were giggling too much. All the same, he still gave them free sparkling wine to celebrate Ali's night.

After a few more cocktails they all headed for dinner. The meal was gorgeous, and made even more special by the tablemats that Jill and Kate had got printed up: all old photos of Ali. The night was perfect, Ali felt so special and cared for by all her friends. They laughed and drank, and eventually ended up in a local nightclub and, as they danced to Beyoncé, Ali felt blessed to have such good sisters and friends. She only hoped that Robin was having such a good night too, and that he was still standing – even if he was wearing a clown suit!

Ben was just out of a big meeting with a client when he got a text from Nikki, asking if he wanted to meet up. Ben did like Nikki – she was great fun, gorgeous and so chatty – but he didn't know if their relationship was going anywhere. I'll reply later, he thought as he sat back down at his father's desk, which was now his. It was amazing how quickly things had changed. In the last few days Ben had officially become the boss of the company, and he could see how differently the staff and clients now treated him. He was no longer Joe's useless son, but a grown-up man running a small yet successful accountancy firm. As new letterheads, business cards and office signage got printed Ben really felt that there was no turning back, he was here to stay. Sometimes on the bus into work he felt like jumping off at Jeremy's newspaper and offering to report on the latest football match, but he knew what he had to do, and looking after his father's company was it. It wasn't all bad, though. With his new increased salary Ben knew he would soon be able
to buy a place of his own, but it depended on how his dad was doing. He couldn't leave his mum alone with his father right now. His dad was still so weak, and would be for quite some time. His dad's illness had changed Ben's life hugely: not only was he now working as an accountant again, but his social life had been affected. He missed seeing his friends as much as he used to, but he hoped that could change as his dad recovered and he stopped feeling guilty every time he left the house.

Ben turned on his computer and checked his emails. Most of them were from clients and colleagues, but there was one from his friend Philip saying that the lads had all taken up tag-rugby for the summer and even though Ben hadn't been able to join earlier, did he want to play tonight, as one of them was pulling out due to a broken leg? Ben was delighted: getting back into rugby and seeing his friends would be great fun. He replied immediately and told Philip he was well up for it.

The rest of the day flew by and Ben was happy to head home and tell his dad that he had had another successful day at the office. Maura had gone out for a few hours, so Ben and Joe cooked dinner for themselves – steaks and mash. As they chatted about rugby, work and books Joe suggested they let Mango out of his cage for a few hours.

‘That poor parrot doesn't get out half as much as it should.'

Ben closed the kitchen door and windows and
then let Mango free. The bird went mental with the freedom and flew all over the kitchen squawking and swooping around Ben and Joe. Joe couldn't stop laughing, and Ben was delighted to see his dad enjoying himself. So much so that he didn't hear his mum open the kitchen door and walk in.

‘Can you help me with these groceries, Ben?'

‘Mango!' Ben and Joe both shouted together, but it was too late: the crazy bird had made a dive for the kitchen door, and as Maura had left the front door open so she could bring in the groceries, Mango headed right out of it.

‘Oh, Ben, quick! Do something,' shouted Maura.

She flung Ben her pink golf jacket.

‘Catch him in that. Run quickly, your dad will die if anything happens to that bird.'

Ben ran out of the house, barefoot and just in shorts and an old T-shirt. He tried to keep his eyes firmly on the multicoloured bird, but it was hard as he also had to watch the road and pedestrians. Some local kids were fascinated by seeing Mango fly through the air, and the bird squawking crazily only encouraged them.

‘What is he trying to say?' the kids asked.

‘
Freedom
, probably,' Ben mumbled, as he tried to avoid them. He ran wildly down the road with his mum's fluorescent pink golf jacket waving from one hand. Mango suddenly made a move to turn into Foxrock village, and at this stage Ben was well out of breath and his feet were killing him. Suddenly he heard a car beeping at him: he slowed down and saw
it was Laura. She had oversized sunglasses on, and her long curly hair tied back, and looked great.

‘Ben, are you OK? Where are your shoes? Why are you carrying that pink coat?'

Ben turned red. This was mortifying: once again he had run into Laura while he was with one of his crazy pets and while wearing horrific clothes. He tried to catch his breath and explain to Laura about Mango's jail break.

‘Are you visiting your friend again?' Ben asked, while keeping an eye on Mango, who was now perched on top of the local petrol station screeching at everyone who came in or out of the shop.

‘Yes, I'm on my way to collect her, as we've got tag-rugby tonight in Blackrock.'

‘So have I,' Ben exclaimed. He couldn't believe the coincidence.

Laura didn't seem that excited that he would be playing tag-rugby with her, but she still got out of her car.

‘Come on, let's get that crazy bird down,' she said.

Ben said he'd appreciate the help, and they made their way to the petrol pumps, where they called to Mango. Laura ran inside the shop, bought some nuts and seeds and laid a Hansel and Gretel trail to her car, thinking Mango might fall for that. At first Mango was too busy lapping up the attention of the passing customers, but eventually the lure of the food got to him, and he started to swoop down to eat some of the seeds, and after a third try Ben managed to catch him.
Ben quickly bundled the now pink-polyester-covered bird into the back of Laura's car.

‘Thanks so much, Laura. Sorry for holding you up,' Ben said.

‘No bother, it was fun. Sure, why don't I give you a lift down to the rugby club? I just need to collect my friend and we can be on our way.'

Ben agreed, and they pulled into his house to drop the now-exhausted jailbird Mango off.

When Ben walked into the kitchen Joe started laughing, while Maura seemed annoyed.

‘I am never leaving you two alone again, if this is the kind of thing that happens. That poor bird, how could you?'

Ben ignored her, and ran upstairs to grab his rugby boots, hoodie and wallet. He wanted to change, as he hated Laura seeing him in his worst shorts and T-shirt, but knew it would look too obvious if he reappeared in his good jeans and jumper. Anyway, she probably doesn't care, Ben thought, as he walked back down the stairs. I messed up with her, and I don't know what is going on with Nikki, so it is probably best to forget what could have happened and get down to the rugby and enjoy it.