5 Peppermint Grove (2 page)

Lately, however, Ruth was finding it more difficult to believe the words out of his mouth. He had been promoted to captain two years ago and was now even more cocky and sure of himself than he had been when they’d met.

“Look, do what you’ve got to do,” she sighed. “I’ll talk to you after the weekend.”

“Good girl, kitten – sweet dreams.”

As he hung up the tears started to stream down Ruth’s cheeks and she felt a deep desire to do something radical. She really wanted to call Julia again but she would pour herself a glass of wine first and think about what she should do.

Julia was only twenty-four when she first dabbled in matchmaking. It was a resounding success, leading to the marriage of her sister Odette and the gorgeous Craig Fagan, and had led her to believe that she had a natural gift. Ruth was with her at the time. It was regrettably the same evening that Ruth met Ian Hawkins but Julia liked to dismiss the fact that the two matches coincided.

Julia loved to be the life and soul of the party. Her sister Odette was the complete opposite and was naturally reserved – especially in the company of strangers.

It was a dull dank evening in February when Julia had coaxed Odette to join her in Gibneys pub in Malahide where she was meeting a crowd of friends who worked at
Dublin airport. Julia had been to school with a couple of the girls who were now flying for the national airline – they had tried to coax Julia to join with them but she was adamant that she wanted to be her own boss.

Julia was very protective of her sister, which was unusual as she was three years younger than Odette. But Odette was recently out of a five-year relationship with an engineer she had met while in college in UCD. Odette had thought they would be getting engaged that Christmas. Instead he announced in the New Year that he was taking a job in
Germany and Odette wasn’t part of his plans.

Odette was naïve and really only longed for a simple life. Having studied Arts, she was in her third year working for Fingal County Council and longed for the security and safety that a happy marriage would bring. Julia thought that Odette was selling herself short – but that was her choice.

Julia didn’t waste time that evening in Gibneys. Craig was an ambitious and steady employee of the national airline and at twenty-nine had been already promoted to a senior position in the finance department. Julia had spent two hours grilling him the week before and all her friends thought that she was interested in him for herself. But that wasn’t Julia’s intention at all. She organised for her sister to be there with her and, within seconds of arriving, had manoeuvred things so that Odette was sitting next to Craig. Her lack of subtlety hadn’t put Craig off and the pretty Odette was instantly attracted to the tall accountant with the strong handsome features.

Eighteen months later Julia was dressed in a cerise-pink cupcake bridesmaid’s gown – but she considered it a small price to pay for her sister’s happiness.

Ruth’s situation, however, was not as easy to remedy. Ian Hawkins was engaged when he met Ruth. And he was married eighteen months later. Her friend of sixteen years was receiving calls from her boyfriend while he was on his honeymoon in Kenya. Ian also worked on the airlines – he was a first officer on a 737 and fancied himself as a smooth operator.

Julia made no apologies for the abrupt way that she always spoke to him. She didn’t like his style and she didn’t like the way that he used her friend. But, instead of being embarrassed, Ian enjoyed the fact that she was party to his affair with Ruth and was thrilled by Julia’s eye-rolls and sharp quips. He had no difficulty organising time away from his bride – filling in several empty roster-sheets with flights that he would never take. His poor beleaguered wife would be none the wiser ten years and three children later.

Julia couldn’t understand how her kind and thoughtful friend Ruth was able to shut off her lover’s family from her world and run her life as if she was as important in Ian’s as he was in hers.

Meanwhile Julia remained single, which wasn’t easy as she enthralled men with her soft brunette curls that rested on her shoulders and her dark brown eyes, such a contrast to the aqua blue of her sister’s. Of the two, Odette was the more natural beauty but she didn’t have the stunning attractiveness of her younger sister whose brown eyes sparkled with mischief and glared with contempt on command.

The only romantic liaisons that Julia would consider were with foreign men visiting Dublin or if she was away in another country herself. The affairs all had a common pattern which involved a broken heart on the part of the men and Julia delving deeper into her work to distract her from any passion she might have felt. It was much better that way and Julia always came out in control of her emotions and the relationship. She had never had to experience a lover telling her that it was over or that it wasn’t working. Instead she remained a mystery.

There was only one boy who had touched her heart, many years before when she was only sixteen. Richard Clery was the heart-throb of the local boys’ school – with translucent blue eyes and dark-brown curls. He rode a motor bike to school and every day Julia would walk to Keogh’s shop at Sutton Cross and wait for him to pass by and wave. It was at the rugby club disco in the year that she sat her Leaving Certificate that she finally kissed him. He didn’t disappoint and their courtship lasted three months. He bought her a bike helmet and took her on trips to Wicklow and Skerries. Then one day out of the blue he announced that he was leaving school and going to work on a cargo ship – he wanted to see the world. Julia never saw him again and sometimes when she allowed her thoughts to run free at night she wondered where he was now.

This was one of those nights.

Julia looked at the alarm clock beside her bed. It was
twelve fifteen and she was wide awake. She pulled on her dressing gown and went downstairs to get a cold drink. The tapping of keys on a laptop came from the front room and she peeked in to see her mother engrossed before the screen.

“Hi, Mum – you’re up late.”

“I’m playing with Omar in Spain and Ellen in Amsterdam – it isn’t often that we can co-ordinate to be on at the same time now that Omar is working in a bar.”

Julia’s mother amazed her. Five years ago she wouldn’t have been able to switch on a computer – she was now playing bridge internationally with her new friends from all over the globe.

“Would you like a drink of something? I’m getting some carrot juice.”

Without looking up, Carol answered, “Nothing for me, thanks – we’re taking a tea break in fifteen minutes and then I’ll skype Ellen for a chat.”

Julia felt very left out – her mother was available for a chat with a complete stranger in Amsterdam but couldn’t say two words to her own daughter who was in the living room in front of her. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a tall glass of juice. She went back to her bedroom and was trying to focus on what she had to do the next day when her phone rang. She knew who would be at the other end of the line.

“Ju-u-lia,” the voice babbled at the other end of the line, “I d-d-don’t think I can take it any more!”

“Ruth – what’s happened now?”

Julia was in her element – straight down to fix-it mode no matter what the hour.

“It’s Ian.”

Naturally. Who else would have her friend in such a state?

“What’s he done?”

“I think he’s seeing someone else.”

Julia was so close to saying ‘Yes, you’re right – his wife’ but she held back this once. Ruth was too upset.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he said that he’s changed his roster and he only ever does that to see me – I feel like the other woman.”

Julia tried hard to be kind but rational thinking was taking over.

“Ruth, I hate seeing you so hurt all of the time and you have been through so much with Oliver who was a complete bully – Ian should have been there for you tonight. Do you think maybe that he just wants you to soothe and comfort
him
but, now that you need help, he isn’t there for you?”

Silence at the other end of the line told Julia that she had said enough. She had to be gentle with Ruth who was used to getting knocks from Ian but needed Julia for support.

“Okay,” Ruth said reluctantly. “I take your point. So what can I do?”

“You can finish with him.”

“I’m too weak – you know that!”

“Ruth, my dear friend – I have known you since you were eight and I can tell you here and now that you can do anything that you want. You must end it with Ian – the relationship has become toxic.”

Ruth started to howl on the other end of the line.

“Please, Ruth,” Julia begged, “I only want what’s best for you. Will I ring Tourism
Ireland in the morning? If you aren’t strong enough to end it with him in Dublin maybe you should consider getting away – out of sight is out of mind!”

Ruth howled even louder.

“I’m sorry, Ruth – look, come in to my office tomorrow – I’m there all day – we need to get you sorted.”

“Okay, Julia, thanks – I’m all over the place.”

Everything was falling in on her friend and Julia hated to see it. She would do her best to fix her, now that she was ready to get help.

Julia took a sip from her glass of juice. From downstairs she could hear her mother cackle on Skype to her new friend in
Holland. Her mother had found a new lease of life after her husband had died. That was a traumatic time. Julia’s father was a builder who would never wear a hard hat and that was to his cost as a JCB digger struck him on the side of his head one day during a routine check of a building development. Julia often cursed the property boom for causing his death but the truth was that she couldn’t blame anyone but himself for his carelessness – and, at the end of the day, it was an unfortunate accident and only one of many that happened where buildings were under construction.

Her mother had been a very quiet and demure woman always – totally needy and dependant on her husband to do everything for her. But that was not the case any longer. After his death, Carol had become a marvel in matters of finance and organising the house in the way that she wanted. Her departure into technology was another change and she was now not only playing bridge on the computer but booking flights and accommodation for weekends away with the bridge club. She learnt to drive within weeks of her husband’s untimely death and was now also helping the ‘old people’ on a Friday with Meals on Wheels. Sometimes Julia wondered if her mother would still be an avid fan of
Coronation Street
and afraid to drive if her father was still around.

Carol’s father Horatio moved in with the family after the death. Julia enjoyed her grandfather living with them. He appreciated his helpful granddaughter. He had been a watchmaker by trade and spent several hours every day tinkering with the old clocks and timepieces that people brought him to fix.

Julia loved to hear his stories about the old days and what her parents were like when they were younger. She had made it her mission to start a family tree before the year was out. Her grandfather was eighty-seven and, although his brain was sprightly, she worried about his cough and wheezing chest. She was the keeper of the family and would do what was best for every member – her sister and brother, mother and grandfather. She was equally busy taking care of her friends and employees.

As she bit into her dressed cracker, she smiled smugly to herself. Life was good – she had plenty to do and plenty around her to care for. Top of the agenda was fixing Ruth and it was time to move drastically.

Chapter T
wo

Odette stumbled in through the doors of Perrin Travel laden with shopping bags.

Gillian, the new receptionist, looked up and smiled.

“Hello, can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m Julia’s sister and I was wondering if she is here?”

“Oh, of course,” the mousy receptionist said, flustered on learning who the visitor was. She put the phone up to her ear and rang for Julia. “Your sister is here.” She paused and hung up. “She says go on into her office.”

“Thank you,” Odette said.

Julia had done well for herself and she was still only thirty-four years old. Her office was in a prime location only a few metres from College Green and, even though it was her father who had bought the lease originally, Julia had taken it over eight years before under her own steam – she was only in her twenties at that time and Odette admired the drive and vision that her younger sister showed and wished that she had a piece of it herself.

Julia rushed to open the door to her sister. She took some bags from her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“What a nice surprise! I didn’t expect to see you in town.”

Odette plopped down on the chair and smiled at her sister. “I don’t have to pick the kids up today – they have after-school activities so I thought I’d catch up on a bit of Christmas shopping.”

“But it’s only November the eighteenth!”

“I know but I want to be organised this year.”

Julia watched her frazzled sister peel off her coat and cardigan.

“It’s hot in here,” Odette sighed.