The Rose Garden (35 page)

Martin Cassidy suddenly looked deflated.

‘My duty is to carry out your aunt’s wishes and that is what I intend doing,’ Michael Quinn continued, brooking no further argument as Martin and his wife got up angrily and left his office.

MOLLY HAD BEEN SURPRISED WHEN ROB HAYES PHONED TO ASK
her to come to a jazz night in the Store House on Saturday.

‘I wanted to say thank you for letting us use Mossbawn. It was the perfect venue and our chairman and my colleagues were most impressed.’

‘That’s good to hear.’

‘Johnny Kershaw and Drew Fox are playing there and Dianne Rubin is singing. It’s a great line-up,’ he said excitedly. ‘It’s totally sold out, but I managed to nab two tickets because I know you are a bit of a fan, like me.’

‘Rob, it’s so nice of you to ask me,’ she said, without even thinking. ‘I’d love to come. I saw Dianne a few years ago at the Cork Jazz Festival and she was amazing.’

‘Well, I’m looking forward to it.’ He sounded pleased. ‘I’ll pick you up about seven thirty.’

Afterwards she sat staring at her phone, asking, ‘What the hell have I done? I’ve agreed to go out with Rob Hayes. What if he thinks it’s a date or something like that?’

She phoned Cara immediately as she was in such in a quandary about accepting.

‘Molly Hennessy, don’t you dare say no to Rob. He’s a lovely man – you know that!’ declared Cara dramatically. ‘If he’d have asked me, I’d go with him!’

‘And what would Tim say?’

‘I mean if Tim was not around, or if Tim was away, of course I’d go,’ she replied. ‘Rob’s good company, intelligent and actually quite good-looking too. And it’s not like he’s asking you to go away for a dirty weekend with him or something like that. It’s just a bloody concert!’

‘I suppose you’re right.’

‘Of course I’m right. It’s just tickets to a concert, Molly, and Rob is trying to be nice.’

‘You’re right, Cara … I’m just over-thinking it,’ she agreed as they finished the call.

She spent most of Saturday in the garden, directing Paddy and young Tommy as they edged all the pathways and cut and trimmed the hedges beside them so that they looked neat and structured. Then she showered quickly, washed her hair and slipped into a pair of taupe linen trousers with a linen-mix top. It was a warm night, but she decided to bring her warm cream wrap just in case she needed it later. Lip gloss, perfume and she was good to go.

Rob was very prompt and chatted easily as they drove to Kilkenny.

‘I’ll collect the car tomorrow,’ he said as they pulled up into one of the town’s car parks.

The Store House was already busy but they managed to find a table for two quite near the stage.

‘Molly, I’m so glad that you could make it,’ beamed Rob, ‘otherwise I’d be sitting here on my own.’

‘I’m sure there would be lots of takers for tonight!’ she replied with a smile.

‘People have their own things on at the weekend. Don’t you find that?’ he asked.

Molly hadn’t really thought about it. She was happy at the moment to be on her own.

‘Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining,’ he continued as the waitress served their drinks. ‘It’s just that it’s nice to have company sometimes, someone to talk to, go to a movie or
concert with … have a meal with rather than always eating alone.’

‘I know what you mean.’ She sighed in recognition of his sentiments. ‘David and I loved going to dinner on Friday night – just the two of us, somewhere local, no big deal. It was kind of a routine since the kids grew up. It’s funny, but I miss those Fridays more than anything.’

Rob was easy to talk to and she soon found herself telling him all about her cottage and the rose garden.

‘Obviously I still have Mossbawn, but now with the house getting busier at the weekends it will be nice to escape to the peace and quiet in my cottage. I hope to move in there in a few days’ time.’

‘You certainly are a busy lady,’ he said approvingly. ‘I must come and visit this garden of yours.’

‘I’ll give you a tour,’ she promised.

‘I’ve moved too,’ he confided. ‘With the plant open, I decided to rent an apartment in that development in Riverside. At least I have a bit of space for when my kids or friends come to visit.’

After the food was finished and the tables cleared, the lights went down and Johnny came on to introduce the band and straight away kicked into a Miles Davis classic. The band held the crowd as they worked interpretations of Coltrane and Brubeck and Dizzy Gillespie, Drew using his saxophone to captivate the soul of everyone present. Dianne sang everything from Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ to ‘My Funny Valentine’ and Billie Holiday’s ‘Good Morning Heartache’, then swung into the mellow
bossa nova
sound of ‘Girl from Ipanema’. Johnny launched into the ‘Jelly Roll Blues’ and they performed a few of their own songs before finishing with their rendition of ‘Fever’.

‘What an amazing night!’ said Molly as she thanked him. ‘I’m so glad that you asked me along.’

‘It was pretty special all right,’ he smiled, delighted. ‘How about one last drink before we head for the hills?’

An hour later they were still chatting. Molly thought again what good, easy company he was.

‘I hope that we can do this again sometime?’ he asked, as they went outside to pick up a taxi on the main street.

‘I’d like that,’ she said, realizing that she genuinely meant it. She really had enjoyed the night – not just the music and concert, but being with him, feeling relaxed and able to talk together. It was as if Rob understood what it was like for her to be alone …

The perfect gentleman, he dropped her home to Mossbawn first before going on in the taxi to his own place. Daisy was sitting in her bed in the kitchen, waiting patiently for her. She opened the back door for the dog to go out and made herself a cup of decaf tea. She smiled at a text message from Cara:

‘
Hope u are home safe and sound and enjoyed the concert!
’

She laughed at Cara checking up on her and immediately phoned her back.

‘You were right – I had a great time,’ she said, sitting down on the couch for a chat.

MOVING DAY, AND THE WEATHER WAS BRIGHT, SUNNY AND DRY.
All the building work was done and the Gardener’s Cottage was finally ready. Paul Sullivan had gone through a complete building snag list with Trish and herself to ensure everything was functioning perfectly and that nothing had been overlooked. He was a very thorough type of man, reliable and trustworthy, and had done an amazing job converting the empty old cottage for modern living.

Molly still couldn’t believe how well it had all turned out. The small, poky cottage was now airy and bright, the painting finished, the colour scheme of soft whites and buttery creams making it seem more spacious, the new modern kitchen fitted, with its oven and hob and fridge-freezer and washing machine all working properly. She knew that she was taking the right step by downsizing and moving in here.

She was taking a few favourite pieces of furniture from Mossbawn – a cherrywood desk, a coffee table, a bookcase and some ornaments, but otherwise most things were brand new. She’d had such fun shopping for her new home with Grace and Emma over the past few weeks. A couch and armchairs, a circular painted dining table, plates, towels, bed linen – everything was new. She had also treated herself to a new king-size bed and fitted wardrobes for her sunny bedroom and two new beds that could be made into a double bed for the other bedroom.

She was nervous about the move, but standing in the cottage gave her an immense sense of peace, calm and independence – something she had yearned for since David’s death.

‘What a lovely day for moving!’ remarked Grace as they ate breakfast together.

‘Paddy and Tommy are coming at eleven to move the bookcase and the desk and some of my heavier things.’ Molly smiled, realizing that today’s move really was happening.

‘And I’ll help you with all your clothes and shoes and the things you need.’

‘I’m leaving some of my very heavy winter clothes and boots in the wardrobe in the Willow Room,’ she explained. ‘I don’t want the place to be cluttered and to be squashed out the door on day one!’

‘Mum, leave whatever you want here!’ chided Grace. ‘This is still your home. You know that.’

‘Of course, love, but I’m really looking forward to moving into the cottage.’

Molly got dressed into her jeans and a T-shirt quickly, ready to supervise Paddy and Tommy moving the furniture, and to direct them where to put everything in the cottage.

‘The desk is going in my bedroom – there, near the window. The bookcase is for the living room on the far side of the fireplace. The coffee table – try it there near the armchair.’

She and Grace did a number of trips back and forth in the car, moving clothes from one set of wardrobes to the next, knitwear and underwear and shoes. She had carefully packed her books and some family photographs and albums. She wanted to have some familiar things around her in her new home, pride of place given to the photograph she and David had had taken with the girls five years ago, all of them wearing white shirts and tops, all smiling, relaxed and happy, into the camera.

‘Mum, do you need any more things?’ asked Grace, in her cutoff shorts and checked shirt, flopping down on the couch.

‘I think that’s it for today,’ she agreed, exhausted, as she threw
her feet up on the comfy ottoman with Daisy lying down beside her.

She was aching all over and there were still boxes everywhere.

‘Maybe we should do the boxes.’

‘Not yet!’ pleaded Grace. ‘We need a break.’

‘I’ve some beer in the fridge. Do you want one?’

A few minutes later they were both stretched out in her new garden chairs in the sunshine, sipping chilled beer and eating bread with pesto and cheese as Daisy rambled around.

‘I never imagined this being my first meal in the house!’ she laughed.

‘I’m sure there will be lots of fancy dinners here, Mum, but this cottage is the perfect place to chill. I really like it. It’s so relaxed.’

Later they unpacked some of the boxes and made the beds. Molly felt delighted at the way it was all shaping up. Everything around her looked clean and fresh and totally different from Mossbawn. Tonight she and Grace would just relax and settle in.

They were taking another break from unpacking some of her books when Kim and Luke arrived. Kim had brought her a present of three off-white and pale-blue ceramic bowls, with two serving plates and some matching napkins.

‘Kim, they’re gorgeous!’ she said, appreciatively. ‘They go perfectly with the kitchen.’

‘That’s what I hoped when I saw them in the Design Yard!’ her niece beamed, hugging her.

Molly was giving them a quick tour of the place when she spotted Gina and Paul’s car pulling up outside.

‘I thought maybe you didn’t want to cook your first night here,’ explained Gina, laughing, as she carried a big pot of chicken casserole and an apple tart into the kitchen, ‘so I brought you dinner. There’s enough here for two nights.’

‘Gina, how thoughtful you are,’ Molly said, thanking her.

‘You can just pop it in your new oven to heat it up.’

Paul was wandering around each room, taking in how the cottage worked with furniture and beds.

‘It looks great, Molly,’ he said, approvingly. ‘Really great!’

‘I’m so pleased with it, Paul. Thank you for all your hard work.’

‘Hey, more visitors!’ called Grace, opening the door for Cara and Tim.

‘Molly, we just had to come over to wish you luck,’ Cara said, hugging them both. Tim, following behind her, carried in two boxes of wine, red and white.

‘Just a small house-warming gift,’ he said, kissing her.

‘We are both dying to see the place now that it’s all finished,’ Cara urged her, looking around.

Molly laughed. Cara always had to be the first with news and to go places.

Cara admired everything. ‘It’s just so perfect for you! I love all the prints of flowers you’ve hung around the place. And your bedcover is gorgeous.’

‘It’s called white rose.’

Tim was fascinated by the way they had managed to create so much space.

‘Paul, you’ve done a great job on the place,’ he acknowledged. ‘It’s far better than most renovations I’ve seen.’

‘It’s a very special house,’ said Paul softly. ‘It just needed some tender loving care to restore it to what it should be, but also to ensure that it was in keeping with the traditions of Mossbawn.’

‘Well, you certainly have achieved that.’

‘What about a glass of wine, everyone?’ Molly offered. ‘Let’s open some of these bottles! We should celebrate. I was planning on having a house-warming party in a few weeks, but we can have a mini one now.’

‘Are you sure?’ asked Gina.

‘Yes, I’d love a bit of company for my first night here.’

Molly got Grace to root out some more glasses and plates as they spilled out on to the patio.

‘I’ll put the chicken in the oven and there’s lots of French bread, and we’ve one of Gina’s amazing desserts, some beer and, thanks to Tim and Cara, plenty of wine. Please stay!’

Molly couldn’t believe it – everyone did stay! They moved between the courtyard garden and the kitchen, eating and drinking and chatting.

‘Mum, I know what I’m getting you for here!’ Grace teased her. ‘A bigger garden table and more chairs!’

In the middle of it all, Emma phoned from Galway.

‘Grace just sent me some photos. It looks so gorgeous! I can’t believe you’ve moved in and are already having a bit of party!’ she teased.

‘You’ll see it all properly next weekend,’ Molly promised. ‘Everyone’s so good, calling in to say hello and check that I am okay.’

A few hours later the last of the visitors had gone, with Jimmy Mac, the local taxi driver, taking everyone home. Molly yawned as she loaded the dishwasher, realizing just how tired she was. Grace had gone upstairs to bed and Daisy was dozing in the kitchen as she locked up, turned off the lights and went to bed.

Climbing into her new bed, she pulled the quilt around her and lay against the pillows. She loved the atmosphere of this new bedroom, with its simplicity and uncluttered feel. The calm and stillness of the cottage seemed to wrap around her, making her relaxed and at home here. As she closed her eyes ready to sleep, she thought of a gardener, alone in this room, surrounded by his books and drawings and plans, finding contentment and acceptance here in this cottage.