The Geary Series Boxed Set (62 page)

“Oh hell, why didn’t she say anything?” Dylan said and remained seated in his chair. His chin hit his chest and he wept. Tears streaked his face, when the sobs came, Jane got up and hugged him. She awkwardly knelt at his knees and shoved her arms between him and the cloth material of the deck chair.

Dylan rested his cheek on the top of her head and let out all his pain from the last thirty plus years. “When Lilly had been born I doted on her, loving my little girl the moment I set eyes on her. Gale wouldn’t let me into the birthing room so I had to wait until she had been cleaned and wrapped in a blanket. Gale didn’t speak to me for months, I put it down to post birth stress or whatever they call it. It was me and Lilly, Gale didn’t come anywhere near her. I took a six-month leave of absence from work to be a stay at home dad while Gale remained locked away in the spare room.”

Jane’s heart ached for the misery that Dylan had gone through, she wished that he never loved her all those years ago, she wished she could go back and change history. Her one mistake had set up a domino effect and she hated herself more for it.

“Once Lilly started to grow up she forced her own aspirations on her, conditioning her to be the way she wanted. Lilly went along with because she had little choice, slowly I saw the happy child turn into a studious teenager and then a hard working adult, but the happiness was lost. That all changed when she met Elijah, I saw the joyful daughter she was when she was a child. Gale saw all her plans fall apart, she couldn’t live vicariously through her any more. She didn’t know how to be happy on her own terms.” Dylan said as he tapped Jane on the shoulder. She knelt up and held his hands for a few moments and then stood bringing him up with her.

“It’s not too late to fix your marriage, there must have been a spell when you reconciled because William was born.”

“Yes we did for a while, we went on a second honeymoon, to try again. We must be the most fertile couple in the country. We have only had sex twice and she fell pregnant both times.” He said ruefully. “She adored William, it was her chance to start again and be the mother she wanted to be, but she went too far with him, he could do no wrong and now look at him.”

“William made his own choices, he’s an adult and too smart for his sake. Things will work themselves out. The question is, are you going to hang around to see what happens next?” Jane asked.

“I don’t know Jane, I really don’t know.” He said.

“We have the dinner tomorrow night at the Geary’s house, let’s see what comes to light, don’t make any rash decisions until then,” Jane said and walked away back into the house. She had her own demons to come to terms with, she couldn’t help Dylan.

Jane drank the last of her glass of wine and picked up the bottle to pour another glass full, except the bottle was empty. She had consumed the wine within an hour and the buzz she felt was enough for her to get her through the door of the Geary house. She had taken a leaf out of Gale’s book and had her hair cut and styled that morning.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror she fiddled with the belt of her dress, it wouldn’t sit properly, it was an empire line dress. Her ample breasts left little space for the belt buckle at the front to stay still, each time she relaxed it folded over and dug into her skin. Jane had gained a significant amount of weight since her teenage years. The slow increase wasn’t noticeable year on year but now when she stared at her reflection, she could see how much she had let herself go.

“Why don’t you turn the belt around so it buckles at the back instead,” Gale said from the doorway. Jane looked at her through the reflection of the mirror and smiled. Gale stepped into the room and up to Jane and twisted the slim belt so it lined up with the zip at the back.

“Thank you,” Jane said and turned to face her sister. “Will you always hate me?” she asked.

“I don’t hate you Jane, I’ve never hated you, you broke my heart that’s all. I thought sisters were supposed to support and love each other but what you did was heartbreaking. It sent me to a place I have never been able to leave.” Gale said and walked out of the room.

Michael stirred the stew on the stove absent minded, thinking about how the evening would play out. He didn’t know how his sons would react to the news that he had fathered a child before he married Ruth.

“It’s going to be fine sweetheart, they will understand, we’ve raised fine, level-headed men,” Ruth said and stroked his back when she passed him to get to the fridge.

“I hope so, I keep wondering what would have happened if she had kept the baby. Would my life have taken a different path.” He said and tasted the stew and then adding a little more pepper and salt.

“Stop fretting dad, whatever happened we’ll support you,” Jack said from the other side of the kitchen.

Ruth walked over to her sons and hugged them both.

“What he said,” Elijah said and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and bit into it.

“That will spoil your dinner,” Ruth said and pointed her finger at him.

“Hardly mum, six bites and the apple will be history. Dad, what time is everyone arriving?” Elijah asked, coming over to sample the stew. He held the teaspoon he had pilfered from the drawer aloft and sought permission to take a sample.

Michael laughed and invited him to taste, Elijah put the teaspoon to one side and lifted the tablespoon that was in his back pocket and plunged it into the thick brown liquid.

“Hey, Elijah, that’s cheating,” Michael said and went to the fridge to get the white wine out.

“It tastes fantastic dad, one of your best,” Elijah said and offered the spoon to his brother, but Jack declined, stating he would wait for the dinner table.

“The girls should be here soon, they’re coming separately.” Jack offered and helped open the bottles of wine on the counter.

Jack was lost for words, he didn’t know why they needed to have everything out in the open, what was in the past should be left in the past. He supported the need for his parents to explain what happened before they were born but was uncomfortable to have to sit through it.

“Dad, why are we here this evening?” Jack asked, “why do you feel the need to tell us?”

Michael stopped stirring the stew and met Jack on his side of the dining room table, he pulled out a chair and sat down slowly, inviting Jack to sit down too.

“Gale is about to reveal a secret that Jane doesn’t want to be heard. I get the impression that there is more to this story and I would rather know now while we are all around the table. Jane wants this buried, but Gale doesn’t. You and Elijah are my family, you’re both married and you have a baby on the way. I don’t like secrets and if I have any way of controlling what is said then let it be said under this roof.” Michael stopped talking and waited for Jack to respond.

“I have to say I am curious,” Jack said and patted his father on the arm and turned around when he heard his wife chatting to Lilly.

He got up and met Olivia in the hallway and kissed her, bringing her through to the kitchen with open plan dining room. Lilly followed and met her husband at the pot of stew bubbling away on the stove.

“What time are Jane and Gale arriving?” Lilly asked, taking a teaspoon to taste the stew.

“If you two keep eating dinner then you will have smaller portions,” Ruth said jovially and hugged her two daughters in law. She finished laying the table with the glasses for wine and water and then put the bread rolls in the oven to warm. They had made a simple supper of stew with mashed potatoes, the cheese bread was an old favourite of the boys.

The doorbell rang and Ruth wiped her hands on the tea towel to answer the door. The room fell silent while they listened to see who had turned up. They heard a male and a female voice that didn’t sound like Dylan and Gale.

“Oh, Angie’s here, I didn’t think that they would make it,” Lilly said and jumped up to go and meet her best friend.

“Shit, dad I’m sorry, I don’t think I explained the reason why we were all having dinner to Lilly. I think she thinks it’s a family gathering and because I always refer to Mickey as my pretend brother she must have invited them along.” Elijah said, he panicked and stood then paced along the wall adjacent to the dinner table.

“Don’t worry about it son, we can’t get out of it now, just welcome them in and maybe Gale won’t show up.”

The doorbell rang a second time before Mickey and Angie had entered the dining area. Michael busied himself at the stove, adding more liquid. He took the bread out of the oven and put the rack on the countertop. Mickey strolled into the kitchen and hugged Michael and then went on to greet the others. Angie was already chatting away with Lilly and Olivia, talking about Dublin and the Leprechaun Museum. The girls laughed at the story of Angie trying to clamber up onto the giant dining room chair and once she had managed it, couldn’t figure out how to get back to ground level. Mickey had left her in that room and had moved on with the crowd on the tour.

Gale, Jane and Dylan arrived in the room silently, they observed the occupants and Jane started to step backwards slowly. She came to an abrupt halt when she backed into Ruth, who stood in her way.

“You’re here now, see it through,” Ruth whispered into her ear and hugged her from behind. Jane dropped her shoulders and placed her arms over Ruth’s. She took a deep breath and broke out of Ruth’s embrace and sat at the dinner table next to Olivia. Angie included Jane in the conversation and asked her advice on how to overcome seasickness.

“I have no idea, maybe Mickey could help, he is the sailor after all.” Jane answered, she had little to offer, she had never been on a boat and didn’t know if she had sea legs.

“He was no help, he laughed the whole time and told me to lie down.” Angie harrumphed and listened to Olivia’s latest pregnancy news. The excited talk of a newborn baby sent Jane into a spiral of panic, she hoped that Gale wouldn’t talk about everything that had happened.

“Are you offering your sage advice about pregnancy Jane?” Gale asked as she stood behind her, she placed a hand on Jane’s right shoulder. Jane shrugged off her hand and stood, the chair scraped across the tiled floor alerting everyone to her location and next move.

She excused herself and asked the direction of the bathroom.

“Behave, Gale,” Dylan warned her. He entered the kitchen area and asked Ruth if there was anything he could help with. Ruth told him to make himself comfortable at the table and help himself to wine.

Ruth and Michael plated up the stew and mash and brought them over to the table. Olivia, Jack, Lilly and Elijah sat at one end. Mickey and Angie sat in the middle on opposite sides of the table and so did Gale and Dylan. It only left two more seats. Jane had come back into the room and sat next to Dylan at the table while Ruth placed the food onto the table. Michael observed from the safety of the kitchen and then brought another chair into the dining room and sat at the head of the table.

Michael and Angie remained quiet now that dinner had been served, neither of them knew that Lilly’s family would be there too. Mickey wasn’t planning on meeting his mother quite so soon and publically.

“It’s good to see you again Jane, have you been keeping well?” Jack asked from his end of the table.

“I’m the one that’s been in the hospital, why are you asking about her?” Gale heckled in between her mouthfuls of dinner.

The diners remained quiet, no one knowing what to say.

“I'm all right, by the way if you were interested,” Gale answered again to an unasked question.

Lilly and Angie smirked at each other over their forks and quietly chatted about her plans to return to work.

Different conversations were carried out through the dinner, the noise levels were quiet and subdued.

“When shall we discuss the elephant in the room, dinner is over, I think now would be a good time.” Gale announced pushing her plate away from her setting. She was the last to finish, the others were finishing off their glasses of wine and making fun of one or more of the Geary brothers.

“What is it that you want to say, Gale?” Ruth asked, “Why don’t you start things off.” She suggested.

Gale’s face flushed, she wasn’t prepared to be put on the spot, she expected Jane to intervene.

“Ok, I’ll start,” began Michael, “Jane and I had a child together, but the child was never born.” He concluded. “It was a long-”

“Hold on, who told you that the child was never born?” Jane asked, her irritation showing through her words.

“Gale did when I came to see you,” Michael said

“I knew it,” Jane shouted, she picked up her fork and pointed it at Jane. “You told me that it wasn’t Michael I saw at the train station, you lied to me. It seems you lied to me Michael too.” She yelled.

“There was a child?” Ruth asked quietly.

“Yes there was a child but I put him up for adoption, I was seventeen and didn’t know how to raise a child,” Jane answered.

Michael sat motionlessly and looked to his sons, both of them smiled warmly back at him and held their wife’s hands.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me, why did you lie to me? I told you that I would’ve taken care of Jane and I would have married her and given the child a home.” Michael said, still shocked at the news that he had a child out there somewhere.

“You would have?” Jane asked, tears flowed down her cheeks.

“Yes, I would have, I am half responsible for the baby that we created, I wouldn’t have left you alone,” Michael said.

Jane dropped her fork, she picked up the napkin that lay across her lap and placed it neatly on the table, and walked out of the Geary home. The door slamming in the distance signalled her exit from the conversation.

Jack and Elijah started to talk at the same time, Jack offered Elijah to speak first.

“Does that mean we have a brother or a sister out there somewhere?”

“You have a brother, the baby was a boy, but I don’t know where he went, I tried my best to find out but she was so secretive,” Gale said.

“I know where the baby went,” Mickey answered and stood. He signalled to Angie that they were leaving and Angie obediently kissed everyone on the cheek before she left and told Lilly that she would call her later.

Mickey and Angie left the house too.

“Well, what has gotten into Mickey, why drop that bombshell and not stay to tell us the rest of the story.” Gale said, “I have been waiting years to know what happened to Michael’s son.”

“When will you learn to mind your own business. The cat is out the bag now, everyone knows that Michael knocked up Jane, I hope you’re happy now, there are no more secrets you can hold over people.” Dylan said and also left the dinner table.

Gale sat and tidied the dessert cutlery on the place setting in front of her. All eyes looked her way, no one uttering a word.

“I think I should go too, it seems we are not going to get any further in this story.” Gale said and left them alone. When she stepped outside, she climbed into the car with its engine on. Jane sat in the back of the car while Dylan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel waiting for her to leave. He knew that she wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure.