Are You Ready? (33 page)

Sarah gave Hugh's hand a squeeze as she poured him some more wine, but Hugh's expression did not reflect her good mood.

‘Sarah,' he said, leaning forward and looking serious, ‘I've been mad about you for ages, and the last few months have been great, but I'm thirty-six now, I'm too old for long-distance relationships. I want and need someone I can come home to every night. I want that person to be you! Even if you were only gone for three days, that would be too much. I can see you still want to stay in Dublin, and you're not ready to give up your life here. And I can't compete with that, I don't want to compete with that. I want someone who wants to be with me twenty-four hours a day, no matter where I live.'

‘But I will be with you,' Sarah replied.

‘Sarah, I can't do this half-hearted attempt at moving in together. I want us to start our lives as one, and be together full-time.'

Sarah was taken aback. She had thought her idea was perfect. She began to feel angry, but then, as she looked at Hugh's expression she realized he only wanted them to be together seven days a week because he loved her. And even though Sarah thought he was a great guy, and they shared so many interests, she could see now that he might be a prince, but he wasn't the right one for her. If he had been, she would not have
hesitated when he had asked her to move: she would have moved to Outer Mongolia if necessary. But no, instead she had got caught up in how the move would affect her job, her family, her art; even though she had known those elements shouldn't really have come into it. She did love Hugh, but not enough. And a part of her thought back to what Mel had said. If he really wanted her to move to Galway would Hugh not have asked her to marry him? Maybe they both weren't 100 per cent sure.

‘I'm sorry, Hugh, but I can't do it,' Sarah said. Her throat choked up with emotion.

Hugh didn't look up from the table, he just called for the bill. They'd only had wine.

‘Hugh, I don't mean to hurt you,' she babbled. ‘I just don't know what to say. I can't help how I feel.'

Hugh nodded slowly and gave her a hug. ‘I know, and even though I feel heart-broken right now I'm glad I finally got up the courage to ask you out all those months ago, because it has been great. If you change your mind you know where I am.'

Sarah felt heart-broken herself. She was saying goodbye to so much, but when you know something is right you just have to go with your gut instinct, and trust it. When she got home she was glad her mum was out for the night, as she barely made it to her bed before bursting into tears. She was mourning the relationship, even if in her heart she knew that breaking up with Hugh was the best thing to do.

Today was Ali's last day at work before the wedding; that evening she was heading home to Kilkenny. The marquee was going up, and she had been receiving text messages all day from her sisters saying the cows were all very put out by having to give their field up for the next few days, and seemed to have been getting their revenge on everyone by leaving cowpat after cowpat all over it. Ali's mum had rung to say she was mortified when Father Conway had popped by to make sure everyone was OK, and, while admiring the marquee, had slipped and fallen right into the biggest cowpat of them all.

‘God will never forgive us for that, Ali, and even though I'm getting his suit dry cleaned, I don't know how we are going to look him in the eye on the wedding day. Your father will have to triple his usual church donation.'

Ali felt sorry for the priest, but was too busy at work to stay chatting to her mum. This morning she had a big meeting with two other solicitors and an
official from the Department of Family Affairs. Paddy Fleming's case was really looking up. Ali had put in long hours and it had paid off; the solicitor that Paddy had had before her had been doing the work pro-bono, too, and hadn't looked into the details of the case properly at all. Ali knew this meeting today could end up with Paddy getting more access to his children and more joy back in his life. Even though Robin had complained he hadn't seen Ali properly for the last few weeks, Ali thought that with all her luck and happiness at getting married it was only right she should help someone less fortunate. And, as she kept reminding Robin, they would have the whole honeymoon to catch up! Ali quickly grabbed her case file and headed downstairs, where the meeting was about to start. Paddy had bought a new suit, and at Ali's suggestion had cut his hair. He looked very presentable. As they entered the room she squeezed his hand.

‘Trust me, this will work out. You will see your kids soon.'

After two and a half hours Ali and Paddy were finally able to relax. The Department of Family Affairs agreed Paddy had a case, and a very successful family law specialist, Ray Moore, had said he would take the case over from Ali, now that she would be away for a few weeks. They still weren't guaranteeing Paddy full access, but it was a start. Ali walked the men to the door, and as she said goodbye to Ray Moore, he handed her his business card.

‘You have done great work here, Ali. I'm sure you are very settled here in this firm, but if you would
like a career helping the less fortunate, give me a call. Now, you won't make the money like all these private solicitors, but will sleep easy at night knowing you are making a difference.'

Ali thanked him, and as she stared at the card decided that the minute she was back from America she would give him a call. She had entered law to do work like this, and the last few weeks, although hard, had given her great pleasure. She could also do with never seeing her boss Mary again! And, anyway, she thought, change never hurt anyone.

She walked Paddy to the bus stop, and as she gave him a hug he said: ‘Ali, I can't thank you enough. Robin is a lucky man to have found you. Good luck on the big day. I got you something small, I hope you like it.'

Ali took the small package from her client, opened it, and was surprised to find a Christmas tree decoration inside.

‘I know Christmas is a long time away, but when the kids were small I started buying them each their own inscribed ornaments, and you should have seen their excitement each year as they hung their own piece on the tree. Maybe you will start that tradition in your family, too.'

Ali looked at the silver star. Paddy had inscribed it with her and Robin's names and their wedding date.

‘It is beautiful, Paddy, thank you so much.' Paddy walked off quickly, but Ali stared at his thoughtful gift for a long time.

Molly was busy trying to help her aunt in the café, and get herself organized for her biggest catering job yet. She was heading down to Kilkenny the next day for Ali and Robin's wedding. Her cousin Eve was going to come down to help with the cooking, but even so Molly felt the pressure was really on her. Although Ali was her friend, and kept reassuring her that she was sure Molly would do a good job, Molly also knew that a wedding was the biggest day in people's lives, and she didn't want to mess it up. As she put some scones into the oven her aunt came into Heavenly.

‘Molly,' her aunt said, ‘I know you are busy today, but Sterling Bank rang this morning, and asked if, when you drop over their sandwiches, you could also drop over a selection of cakes or buns, as someone is leaving work there today. Do you think you will have time to do it? They need you there by twelve.'

Molly looked at the time.

‘Yes, the sandwiches won't take long, and I can take
over some scones, eclairs and caramel slices. I'm fine with it.'

‘Thanks, pet,' said her aunt, as she put on her own apron and the two women got down to work.

By twelve Molly was entering Sterling Bank with a very large basket in her arms.

‘Little Red Riding Hood, what have you got in that basket of yours?'

Molly turned, and saw Scott.

‘Let me help you,' he said. He took the large basket from petite Molly, and they headed upstairs.

‘Thanks,' Molly said. ‘So who is leaving?' she asked.

‘It's someone who works for me, actually, a very nice young girl, and a hard worker. She has decided to follow her boyfriend to Australia for the year. I advised against it, as not only is her career going very well here, but she is only going because she suspects he is cheating on her.'

‘That's awful,' said Molly as they got into the lift.

‘Yes, the poor girl told me about it the night of that summer barbecue. I spent an hour trying to talk her out of it, but she's stubborn, and insists on going. So all I can do now is wish her well.'

Molly thought back to the barbecue and realized that that must have been the girl that she had seen Scott with. So that hadn't been his girlfriend after all. It all made sense now.

‘So, how is work with you?' he asked, sneaking a peek at all the cakes and sandwiches.

Molly filled him in on Ali's wedding, and before she knew it she was telling him her fears about messing the food up, or giving everyone food-poisoning. The more she got to know Scott the more she realized that, even though he still ate exactly the same boring sandwich every day, he was easy to talk to. He listened intently to her anxieties, before giving her a quick pat on the back.

‘Molly, I eat your food every day and all you have given me has been a lot of pleasure and a bigger waistline. Believe in yourself: you are a great cook, and your friend is lucky to have you working for her.' Before Molly could reply the lift opened, and Scott was greeted by a secretary asking him to sign off on some document, so she took the basket from him and made her way alone into the large open-plan office. There she saw the girl from the barbecue, who was now being hugged and wished bon voyage by everyone. Molly put down her basket and started setting the cakes and treats out on paper plates. When she finished she headed back to the café, intending to collect the basket later.

After a busy day at work, and at least a hundred phone calls to Ali, Molly, Eve and Fran were cleaning up the kitchen and getting ready to go home, when Molly heard a knock on the door. She wiped her hands on her apron and opened it. Outside stood Scott Williams, with Heavenly's basket in his hand, except that instead of being empty, it was filled with tulips: pink, red, purple and white ones. Molly gasped.

‘Before you say a word, Molly, I want to tell you something,' Scott said. ‘For months you have been delivering my sandwich to me every day, and every day I've fancied you more and more. But I just didn't know what to do about it. I always presumed you had some equally successful chef boyfriend and I was just a boring banker to you. Well, I've decided I need a change. A change of sandwich and a change from being single. Molly, I know you are off to that wedding tomorrow, and are probably up to your eyeballs in work, but I just wanted you to know that.'

He handed her the basket. Molly looked at him, and thought of the compliments he always paid her cooking, and how he had invited her to the barbecue, and given her a lift home when she was upset over Luke. She realized that right here, under her nose, a nice guy had been interested in her for ages, and she had been too busy being upset about Luke, or chasing men at rock gigs to notice. She smiled.

‘Well, Mr Williams, for starters you are right.' She noticed what great eyes he had. ‘Your sandwich will have to change. Even if we just had Ballymaloe relish instead of mustard. Or maybe I could tempt you with some salami.'

‘Salami I could do.' Scott smiled.

Molly's stomach was full of butterflies, and even though she was at a loss about what to say to Scott, she leant forward and gave him a quick hug.

‘You know, I always did have a thing for Mr Benn,' she whispered, and Scott started laughing.

Inside the café Eve was just turning off the lights and
handing her mum the keys when she stopped and saw Molly and Scott outside the big window.

‘Finally!' she said. ‘I knew he had it in him. You always said, Mum, that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. And you were right!' And with that Heavenly closed for the day, but Molly didn't even seem to notice, she was walking up the road, chatting to Scott and starting to get to know him properly.

Sarah walked out of the Stone Studio. She was off to Kilkenny the next day and had been busy all day leaving notes for Clodagh and getting the gallery tidy for the usual busy weekend visitors. She was meeting her sister Mel after work to discuss the whole ‘Hugh situation'. After changing into her runners and cut-off jeans Sarah was ready, and made her way to the pier. They both got an ice-cream in Teddy's and sat down on a bench overlooking the water.

‘How do you feel?' asked Mel. Sarah stared at the boats bobbing on the water.

‘I don't know, Mel. I mean, in one way I'm so sad not to see Hugh again, but then there is a part of me that knows it was the right thing to do. But I feel so cold and clinical for even reducing our relationship to such a statement as “the right thing to do”. I do still wish I could have it all but that's not going to happen.'

Mel gave her sister a hug.

‘It will all work out, Sarah, I promise. And I know I shouldn't say this but I'm glad you didn't go. I would
have missed you so much, and so would John and Fiona.'

Sarah smiled and licked her ice-cream.

‘Did you ring Maggie to say that now you are not going to Galway you can work full-time in the gallery again?'

‘No, Mel, I didn't. I need some kind of change, and the one thing Hugh and then Ali's wedding invite has opened me up to is being an artist again, not just selling other people's work. So I'm going to start working part-time next week, and try to earn a living as a painter. Clodagh is delighted to get the extra hours and Maggie has big plans for exhibitions of my work. I'm still nervous, but I need something new, and now that I'm single and definitely not buying a house a new career is as good as any change.'