Behind Every Cloud (36 page)

34

Ellie was chatting to David on Thursday evening when he mentioned Sandrine.

“
I think maybe you were a bit hard on her. She really only wants to help, you know.
”

“
What
?”
Ellie shrieked.
“
What do you know about it?
”

“
She rang me yesterday. She was upset that you wouldn
’
t
listen to her suggestions.
”

“
How dare she keep going to you behind my back
!
I
can
’
t believe it! And I did listen to her ridiculous suggestion
s. She wanted the bridesmaids to wear black. Black! It
’
s not a goddamn funeral – it
’
s a wedding.
”

“
Well, black might not be such a bad
–”

“
I will decide what my bridesmaids wear and if Miss Smartypants doesn
’
t like it, well
,
she needn
’
t be a bridesmaid at all.
”
Ellie was near to tears
. “
And now you can call her back and repeat everything I
’
ve said.
”

“
Ah, Ellie
–”
he started but she
’
d hung up on him.

She was incensed. What a little sneak Sandrine was, appealing to David indeed. Did she think he
’
d get Ellie to agree to her wearing black? Well, I
’
ll let her know in no
uncertain terms that she
’
d better not try and bully me. She sighed. Sisters! Who
’
d have them? All of a sudden she felt sorry for Kim Kardashian. She
’
d had to suffer at the hands of her sister too but at least her sister had some kindness in her and a sense of humour
.
She thought of Rachel who said she
’
d always longed for a sister. Well, she didn
’
t know how damn lucky she was! She
’
d donate Sandrine to her any day!

Rachel had spent the evening at a lingerie party organised by the wife of one of Carl
’
s constituency workers and was obviously the worse for wear when she arrived home at eleven
.

“
Hello, dahling,
”
she said as she weaved her way into the room
,
her words slurring.
“
Look what I got
,”
she giggled, stumbling a little as she held up the racy black bra and thong she
’
d bought
.
He looked at her, disgusted, as she poured herself a gin and tonic before joining him
,
tripping over the mat and almost falling as she located the sofa.
“
Oops-a-daisy
!”
she giggled again.

“
Don
’
t you think you
’
ve had enough to drink?
”
Carl asked.

“
Don
’
t be such a sport spoil – ohhh
–
I mean sporl . . . oh
, what the hell, you know what I mean.
”
She pealed with laughter.

Carl had never seen her so bad
. “
Just what have you been drinking?
”
he demanded to know, his voice cold
.

“
Cock . . .
tails
,
an . .
.
tequila . . . an canna rememmmber.
”

She had trouble getting this last word out and Carl realised that she was totally pissed. What a lethal cocktail of drinks she
’
d consumed. Had she no cop-on?

“
I think you should quit now and go to bed,
”
he suggested, taking her glass from her.

She grabbed it back, so forcibly that half the contents spilled all over her. She giggled again.

Carl sighed. There was no point in trying to talk sense to her now. He waited till she drained the glass and then gently he took it from her. Then he half carried her up the stairs where she fell on the bed, fully clothed. He covered her up and then left to sleep in the guest room, looking in on Jacob and Becky on the way.

Tomorrow he would have to talk to her. Her drinking was getting totally out of control. He was worried.

The following morning she was still sleeping when he left for work. When he got home there was a message to say that she
’
d taken the children to a school-friend
’
s birthday party. That evening Carl had to attend the removal of an old friend and by the time he got home Rachel was in bed. The empty bottle of wine on the kitchen counter told him all that he needed to know.

Come what may, he would have to have a serious talk with her about her drinking.

35

Ronan was expecting to hear from Louise every day but he received not a word. She might just as well have vanished off the face of the earth. It was a weird feeling. They
’
d lived together for fifteen years and then in the flash of an eye she was gone. In one way, his life had become more peaceful without the constant arguing and the uncertainty of never knowing what she was going to do, not to mention her spending sprees.

He had a lot of support, of course. Conor and Betty were being rock solid and there wasn
’
t a day that went by that he didn
’
t thank Sam for his kindness. Without the job in the wine shop he would have gone crazy, pure crazy. Keeping busy was the best thing for him and the shop certainly took care of that. Dermot was on holiday so he was doubly busy and grateful for it.

Jim rang him every day and he met him for a pint the nights he wasn
’
t working or at Conor
’
s or at his wine course
.

He
’
d been very surprised when Rachel had popped into the shop
to ask how he was doing.

“
I
’
m sorry I didn
’
t get a chance to talk to you on Monday night but I was talking to Zita and when I looked around you were gone
.
Is everything okay? You didn
’
t seem like yourself. I
’
ve been worried about you all week.
”

He was touched by her concern.

“
That
’
s very kind of you. I was pretty shell
-
shocked last Monday night because Louise left me over the weekend.
”

“
Left you?
”
Rachel sounded shocked.

“
Yes. She
’
s met someone else apparently,
”
he told her, trying to sound upbeat about it
.

“
Oh God, I
’
m so sorry. How awful for you!
”
She reached over and gave him a hug just as a customer came into the shop.

“
Sorry, I
’
ll have to go,
”
he explained, slightly embarrassed yet touched by her concern
.

“
Look
,
why don
’
t you come to supper next week? We
’
ll arrange a date when we meet next Monday. Then we can have a good chat.
”

“
That would be lovely. Thanks, Rachel. I really appreciat
e your dropping in.
”

“
See you then,
”
she smiled, waving as she left.

Fiona was, as always, a soothing influence. Nothing seemed to faze her and Ronan figured that if with all her problems she could cope alone and still keep smiling then he could surely do the same
.

She came down to the shop on Friday afternoon
,
walkin
g slower than usual.

“
You okay?
”
he asked.

She grimaced.
“
I had an awful night. I was having contractions and I thought for a while that I was in labour but they stopped early this morning.
”

“
That must have been scary.
”
Ronan was very concerned
about her.
“
I really think it
’
s time you went and stayed with your mother
.”

“
Yeah, she
’
s saying pretty much the same thing. I suppose you
’
re right. Much as I love my independence, last night gave me a right fright.
”

“
I can imagine. When will you go?
”

“
I was going to ask you if you could help me move my things. I don
’
t have much but Mam
’
s car is tiny and she suffers with a bad back.
”
She patted her stomach.
“
And I
’
m not exactly in any condition to lug stuff around.
”

“
Don
’
t you even think about it
!
Where does your mam live?
”

“
In Blessington. It
’
s not too far for you
,
is it?
”
she asked anxiously.

“
Course not. Would Sunday morning be okay?
”

“
Perfect,
”
she grinned.
“
Mam will be relieved.
”

They high-fived each other. He was happy to be able to help her out. She had become a good friend and he
’
d miss their daily chats
,
but it was better that she should go
.

Carl never did get a chance to have that chat with Rachel. It had been a crazy week. He
’
d been going hard at it from early morning till late at night every single day and had hardly seen anything of her or the kids. She was right – they had become like ships that pass in the night. Well
,
he
’
d make it up to her in France. A whole month with nothing whatsoever to worry about.

On Friday morning he had arranged to meet up with the Director of Programmes at the TV station. They knew each other quite well as he was a supporter of the party. Carl suggested, ever so subtly, that Zita was the best person for promotion to the job in question. The director, knowing which side his bread was buttered on, readily agreed with him. It would be very handy to have an influential member of the government owing him one.

He called Zita into his office that very afternoon and informed her that she was being promoted. She would now be a fully-fledged producer.

“
You certainly have friends in high places,
”
he remark
ed, smirking.

She didn
’
t reply but smiled knowingly
,
letting him know she wasn
’
t to be trifled with.

“
Yes, yes, yes
!”
Zita pumped the air with her fist after she left his office. Carl had come through after all. Now she owed him. Well, that would be no hardship. She would certainly show her gratitude.
She rang him later that day.
“
I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude,
”
she stated
.

He roared laughing.
“
Well, if you like to put it like that. I take it I
’
m talking to the latest producer at TV2.
”

“
You are indeed and I
’
d like to invite you to dinner to say thank you.
”

“
I
’
ll be delighted to accept but only if you
’
ll cook it for me.
”