Divided Loyalties (34 page)

‘I’m tired, Mom,’ Chloe whined.

‘I know, darling, but it won’t be long now and then you can go straight to bed and when we wake up we’ll unpack and settle in and then maybe tomorrow we’ll drive out to
see your cousins.’ Shauna tried to jolly her weary daughter along. It had been a tiring midnight flight from the Gulf on the KLM Airbus and they’d had to wait several hours for their
connecting flight to Dublin. Filomena was nodding off in her seat, surrounded by various duty free bags and two of Chloe’s dollies.

Shauna was longing for a cup of tea and a slice of brown soda bread smeared with butter and marmalade and then a shower and a long sleep in a freshly changed bed, at home, without being
disturbed by the rattle and whine of air-conditioning.

The humidity in the Emirates in the last few weeks had been unbearable. Ten minutes in the open had the perspiration running in rivulets down her back and if it weren’t for the
air-conditioning she would have melted. The breeze that had whispered between the jetway and the cabin door when she’d disembarked at Schiphol had given her a taste of fresh, refreshing
breezes to come. The smell of the air was different, too: no heady scents of the desert, no oven blast of heat. It was great. She didn’t know how Greg stuck it in the Gulf in high summer.
She’d been utterly wilted the last few weeks as the temperatures had soared to over a hundred and the humidity had been intense.

‘Mom, when are we getting on the plane?’

‘Soon,’ Shauna fibbed, watching the disembarking passengers. It would be at least another half an hour before the turnaround. ‘Let’s have one last cup of hot
chocolate,’ she suggested. The hot chocolate in Schiphol was particularly tasty and a firm favourite of her daughter’s.

‘OK.’ Chloe perked up. ‘And some biscuits?’

‘Just this last time now, Chloe,’ she warned. ‘We’re definitely cutting down on the junk this summer.’

‘OK, Mom.’ Chloe rolled her eyes heavenward. She’d heard all this before.

Two hours later Shauna peered eagerly out the cabin window and saw the unmistakable red and white ESB towers, Dublin port, and Dun Laoghaire to the left of her as they flew low over the
glittering blue-green waters of the Irish Sea. The plane banked and straightened for its final approach, minutes away from landing. She could see the Seacat skimming across the white-capped sea
below and two trawlers chugging along towards Howth with their catch of the day. To the right, North County Dublin was flashes of emerald green and gold.

Her heart began to race as the sea disappeared and fields, roads and houses came into clear focus. She could see lanes of traffic streaming in towards the city in the morning rush hour. To the
drivers, hers was just another plane coming in to land, but she was coming home and her heart was singing.

Chloe was asleep and she wanted badly to wake her and have her share her sense of excitement. But Ireland wasn’t home to Chloe, Shauna thought with a sudden jolt. Home to Chloe was a hot,
humid country carved out of desert and Ireland was a place to go for a couple of months for the summer holidays. How awful! she thought in dismay and tried not to let the realization burst her
bubble of excitement.

Filomena was flicking through
Hello!
unaware of her employer’s mixed emotions. Poor Filomena, she was far from home too. Why would she be excited landing in a foreign country? She
was going home to the Philippines for a month in August, and Shauna was going to make sure to give her an extra generous bonus, she decided, as the wings seemed to dip and waver and the ground got
closer and closer. They landed in a blur of green, the wheels hitting the runway with a slight thud.

I’m home, I’m home
, she thought, exhilarated, and closed her eyes, savouring the moment as the brakes eventually slowed the airliner to a gradual crawl. The trees looked
impossibly green, the fields and surrounding grassland lush and rich after the parched thin grass back in the Emirates.

How ordinary everyone looked compared to the richly robed Arabs and veiled Muslim women who had thronged Abu Dhabi airport, she noted, as she emerged from the jetway and began the long walk to
Passport Control followed by a yawning Filomena and a cross, tired Chloe.

‘It’s very cold here, Mom, I’m freezing,’ her daughter complained.

‘Put your cardigan on. Filomena, can you give her a hand, please?’ Shauna instructed as she keyed in her pin number and waited for her phone to connect to the network. A text message
came up and she smiled, seeing that it was from Carrie.
Welcome home c u in a few minutes
, it said, and she knew that Carrie was
outside in Arrivals.

It was another twenty-five minutes before they cleared immigration and collected their luggage and she was in a fever of impatience as she manoeuvred her loaded trolley through the big glass
doors out to the meeting area.

‘Shauna!’ She heard Carrie’s call and turned to see her sister at the barrier, waving madly and smiling broadly. Leaving the trolley where it was she ran to her and they hugged
tightly.

‘Told you the time would fly.’ Carrie drew away from her and turned to cuddle Chloe.

‘Where are my cousins?’ she asked excitedly.

‘I came by myself,’ Carrie said lightly as she turned to hug Filomena.

‘Aw, I wanted to see them,’ pouted Chloe.

‘You will. You’ve the whole summer ahead of you.’ Shauna tried not to give in to irritability.

‘Right, let’s go. Follow me,’ Carrie instructed crisply as they emerged into a fresh, easterly breeze. Shauna stood inhaling the heavy, salty air. ‘Gorgeous,’ she
breathed. ‘Gorgeous! It smells like home.’

Filomena shivered and zipped up her fleece.

‘I slept for a week after I got home.’ Carrie laughed. ‘The air’s just so rich on the coast.’

‘I’ll probably sleep for a month. I’m knackered. I couldn’t sleep on the flight. I was sitting beside this fat lump who smelt of garlic and farted and snored his way
through the flight. It was a nightmare.’ Shauna grimaced as they crossed to the pay machines and car park.

‘Yeah, it was gross.’ Chloe wrinkled her nose at the memory.

‘You’re here now and you’re going to have a good breakfast, have a shower and tumble into bed. The house is aired, the heating is on like you asked, the fridge and freezer are
stocked, and you’ve nothing to do except fall into bed,’ Carrie said.

‘Thanks a million, Carrie.’ Shauna yawned so hard she nearly dislocated her jaw.

‘I brought the station wagon, I figured you’d have a load of luggage.’ Carrie grinned.

‘You know me, I can never travel light,’ Shauna reminded her. ‘And Miss Chloe’s as bad. We have five dolls in the case
and
their wardrobes.’

‘The bad news is that we’re in outer Siberia. I could only get parking in Block C. It’s crazy. So we’ve a bit of a trek, sorry about that.’

‘No problem, the walk will do us good. How’s everyone? How’s Dad?’

‘Good form; looking forward to seeing you,’ Carrie said as she led them to the lift. Ten minutes later they were through the exit barrier.

‘At least we’re going against the traffic,’ Carrie remarked as they slid into the lane heading for Malahide.

‘Look at the traffic jam on the other side. I wouldn’t like to be commuting into the city to work,’ Shauna observed, settling back for the journey home, glad that she
didn’t have to negotiate the traffic and the roundabouts. It was great being picked up at the airport. Carrie was always really good about making sure to be there to welcome her home.

‘That’s Dad’s car,’ she exclaimed twenty minutes later as Carrie pulled into the drive.

‘He wanted to see you. But there wouldn’t have been enough room for all of us
and
the luggage so he’s got the kettle on,’ Carrie explained as she pulled up the
handbrake. The front door opened and Olivia, Davey and Hannah shot out, followed by Noel, who stood squinting in the sunlight, a tea towel over his shoulder.

‘He’s got stooped,’ Shauna observed, taken aback by the first sight of her father. ‘When I was young he always seemed so . . . so imposing. Strange, isn’t
it?’ she murmured, unable to quell the myriad emotions she felt at the sight of him. There were still resentments and hurts but she was conscious of a feeling akin to affection that certainly
wouldn’t have been there before. The fact that he’d written a letter of reconciliation to Bobby had softened her feelings towards him and she was able to hold out her arms to him with a
warmth that had been sadly lacking in their relationship over the years.

‘Hello, Dad. Thanks for coming out to the house,’ she said, kissing his wrinkled, liver-spotted cheek. He really was starting to show his age, she thought with a sense of dismay.

‘Welcome home, Shauna. I’ve a breakfast cooked for us all,’ Noel said proudly, patting her awkwardly on the arm.

‘A fry-up?’ she asked hopefully, smiling into his faded grey eyes.

‘What else for someone who hasn’t had a decent rasher and sausage in months?’ he chuckled. ‘Where’s my girl?’ He turned to Chloe, who was surrounded by her
excited cousins.

‘Hello, Grandpa. We’ve got presents for you.’ She wrapped her arms round him.

‘Well, look at you. Haven’t you got big?’ Noel hugged her back, beaming down at her. ‘Thanks very much for the lovely shirt you sent home with Carrie. I was delighted
with it. Come on in now, I’ve made your favourite thing.’

‘Fried brown bread?’ Her eyes lit up; she was starving.

‘Fried brown bread,’ her grandfather assured her. ‘Especially for you.’

‘Did you hear that, Mom? Grandpa made fried brown bread ’specially for
me
!’ Chloe was chuffed. She loved being centre stage.

‘We’re getting some too.’ Olivia was a tad miffed at the fuss Noel was making of Chloe.

‘There’s fried brown bread for everyone,’ Carrie said firmly, ushering her brood in before her.

‘Dad’s great at cooking breakfast but he certainly leaves a fine mess,’ Carrie murmured to Shauna an hour later as she filled the dishwasher.

‘I know, but it was so tasty. I really enjoyed it.’ Shauna handed her the greasy grill pan. ‘Those rashers and sausages were to die for.’

‘Well, I’ve left a lasagne in the fridge for you. You can have it with a side salad tonight, it will save you cooking.’ Carrie slotted in the last mug, closed the door and set
the cycle.

‘You’re so good to me, Carrie,’ Shauna said gratefully.

‘It works both ways.’ Carrie shrugged. ‘I really enjoyed our holiday at Easter. It was good for me. I was in a bit of a rut before I went out, to be honest. It made me get off
my ass and do something different. You’ll find out what I’m up to tomorrow. I’ve a surprise for you.’ Her eyes danced in her tanned face.

‘Tell me. Come on, don’t be mean. What are you up to?’ Shauna demanded.

‘You’ll see when you come up to us. Patience,’ Carrie said tantalizingly.

‘Aw, Carrie,’ Shauna protested. ‘That’s not fair.’

‘Go to bed. Have a good sleep, drive over to us tomorrow and all will be revealed,’ her sister teased.

‘Meanie,’ Shauna retorted, intrigued. She yawned. ‘God, I’m bushed. I’m going to hit the sack.’

‘You do that. We’ll go now. Ring me when you wake up. Come on, you lot,’ she called to her gang, who were upstairs in the Aladdin’s cave of toys that was Chloe’s
bedroom.

‘Dad, thanks for a great breakfast. I’m going to go to bed now. I’ll drive over to Whiteshells Bay tomorrow.’ Shauna went into the lounge where Noel was reading the paper
and gave her father a peck on the cheek.

‘You have a good sleep for yourself. You look very tired,’ her father advised as he slipped into his jacket.

Olivia, Chloe, Hannah and Davey clattered down the stairs, all talking at the same time. Noisy chaos ensued as goodbyes were said and then her family was gone and a sudden peace descended on the
house.

‘Let’s have our showers and go to bed,’ Shauna said tiredly, her energy dipping all of a sudden.

‘Come on, Chloe,’ Filomena said firmly.

‘Do I have to get my hair washed?’ Chloe scowled.

‘No. Just have a little bath if you prefer, to freshen you up after travelling,’ Shauna urged.

‘OK, Mom.’ Her daughter was too tired to argue and she followed the au pair up the stairs. Twenty minutes later, clean and sweet-smelling, she was fast asleep. Shauna closed her
bedroom door slightly to try to shut out the sunlight that was spilling in from the landing.

It was a relief to stretch out in the big king-sized bed and feel the Egyptian cotton sheets cool against her skin. The ordeal of travelling home was over. She had three months to relax and wind
down. Three months to share with Carrie and the family, a trip to Paris with Greg, and hopefully, with luck and the grace of God, she might even be pregnant by the time she was going back to Abu
Dhabi.

She sighed. This was the last time she’d get to spend three months of the summer at home. Chloe would be starting school in September; all holidays would revolve around her schooling in
the future.

Still, that was for another day. She was home, she was happy and she was very tired. Shauna turned onto her tummy and buried her head under her pillow. Filomena padded across the landing and
closed the door to her room. Chloe was asleep. She’d sent Greg a text to let him know they were home, and that she’d call him later. She’d done all she had to do. Her eyelids
drooped and she snuggled into her bed contentedly.

The doorbell shrilled.

Shauna jerked awake. ‘Bloody hell,’ she muttered, shooting up in the bed.

‘I’ll get it, ma’am.’ Filomena appeared at her door moments later, black hair tousled, tying a dressing gown round her.

‘Just tell whoever it is that I’m in bed. If they wake Chloe I’ll burst them,’ Shauna said crossly.

She heard Filomena hurry down the stairs and open the front door. There was a low murmur of voices and then she heard the door close.

‘Who was it?’ She ran her fingers through her hair, annoyed at having been jerked out of her dozy lethargy.

‘Mrs next door, ma’am. I said you were asleep and she said that she would see you later.’