Under the July Sun (28 page)

‘He seems to have settled in well. Ernie's brother has taken a liking to him. At least it's helped the atmosphere at Lize's, especially now Iris is helping to run the shop with her. Seems things have worked out well all round doesn't it?'

* * *

‘We're off now Reggie – and thanks again. 'Tis not often your uncle and I get out.'

‘Goodbye, have a nice time both of you, and enjoy the film.'

‘Don't forget now, Reggie. Help yerself to anythin' you want, there's some apple pie in the pantry and plenty of bread and jam.'

‘I will Auntie. Goodbye now.'

Reggie closed the door and strolled into the lounge to sit in Louis' chair. After a while, feeling restless, he ambled out to the back garden and stood listening to the birds quarrelling in the hedgerow.

He liked living with Louis and Cat. He was treated more as an equal and felt more grown up than at home. He also knew he was getting on better with his Grandmother, now there was some distance between them.

The evening sun washed over him and he felt at peace. Then as though remembering something he suddenly went inside and closed the door. He sat back down again in Louis' chair for ages, thinking.

It was growing dark and Reggie heard Eileen call out in her sleep, so he tiptoed into the bedroom and stood watching over her for a while. She settled in her sleep and became peaceful again, so he crept out of the room and went to see if Billy was asleep. Satisfied that he was, Reggie returned to watch Eileen and Anna.

Eileen had kicked the covers off in her sleep and lay sprawled out on the bed, her nightdress riding up over her buttocks which were peach-coloured in the diffused evening light.

Slowly, and carefully, Reggie lifted Eileen from the bed and cradled her in his arms then slid silently from the bedroom into Cat and Louis' room.

He laid the sleeping child on the bed and, satisfied she had settled back into sleep, carefully lifted her nightdress and stood gazing at her tiny body.

‘Uncle Louis, a chap I work with has a dog that's had pups. He's looking for homes for them and, well, I wondered if I could bring one home for the children?'

‘Oh I don't know, Reggie. Dogs cost money and I'm not sure we could afford to waste food on a dog.'

‘Well I‘ve thought of that, and it shouldn't be a problem. I would be able get all the meat scraps from the shop. What do you say? Only Billy's been going on about having a dog for ages.'

Louis looked across at Reggie and seeing the enthusiasm on his face found it hard to refuse him. He shook out the paper he was reading and folded it up.

‘You'd have to ask Auntie Cat. She's in charge of that sort of thing. If she says yes, then you may. What sort of dogs are they?'

‘Something like a Border Collie. I've already seen them. They are mostly black and white with little brown patches over their eyes.'

Louis smiled at him. ‘So you've already been and picked one out have you?'

Reggie looked embarrassed. ‘Not exactly. But I, well I was invited to tea last Friday and—'

Louis put down his paper. ‘Do you mean the Friday just gone?'

‘Yes, that's right.'

‘But you said you were going to the church dance.'

‘Yes, I did. But this was before the dance. I went to tea with Maureen first and then on to the dance after.'

‘Oh Yes? And
who
is Maureen?'

Reggie blushed. ‘A girl I know.'

‘Clearly, it's a girl you know. You would hardly go to tea with a stranger. Tell me about her. Where did you meet her, and everything else about this Maureen?'

‘Well, she comes into the shop pretty regularly.'

‘Go on.'

‘And, well… we struck up conversation.'

‘What about, liver and kidneys or was it the hearts?'

Reggie looked distinctly uncomfortable, so Louis decided to stop poking fun at him.

‘Go on Reggie, I'm only joking.'

‘And, so I asked her out. She wanted me to meet her aunt and uncle, so I went to tea last Friday.'

‘And are we to be presented to this Maureen? Or are you keeping her away from us for some reason?'

‘Oh no, Uncle. It's not like that. I didn't know whether you'd mind me bringing a young lady home, that's all.'

‘Well, I'd rather you did, so that we can see the kind of company you are keeping.'

‘Alright. I could bring her to meet you and Auntie Cat on Sunday if it's convenient.'

Louis picked up his newspaper again, shook it straight and began reading. From behind the paper Reggie heard him mutter.

‘Bring her to tea. Four o'clock on the dot and don't be late. Now go and tell your aunt all about it and don't forget to ask her about the dog.'

Reggie hurried out to the garden where Cat was deciding which lettuce to pick. He silently walked between the rows of lettuce until he was about three feet from her.

Hearing someone behind her, she turned quickly and gave a gasp. ‘Reggie, you gave me a fright. You shouldn't creep up on me like that!'

‘Sorry Auntie, but Uncle Louis said I should discuss something with you.'

‘G'w'on then. I'm all ears,' she said turning her back to him and continuing to look for a good lettuce.

Reggie related the conversation he had just had with Louis, and Cat listened, amused at Reggie's enthusiasm.

‘Well aren't ye the dark horse? I was wonderin' when ye'd start takin' an interest in girls. Yes of course ye can bring her home on Sunday.'

‘What about the dog then?'

‘Yes, the children would love it. When will it be ready to leave its mother?'

‘Soon. Maybe by Sunday even.'

‘Fine. We'll have to think of some names then.'

Billy had been listening intently to this conversation and, delighted at the prospect of the puppy, ran off to tell Eileen and Anna.

* * *

On Sunday Billy stationed himself at the garden gate waiting to catch the first glimpse of the puppy. As soon as he saw Reggie and Maureen appear in the distance he darted inside the house, slammed the door shut, and announced that he'd seen them coming. Then he went to sit next to Louis and waited for them to knock on the door.

‘Oh well, I'll say one thing for them,' Louis said looking up at the clock, ‘at least they're on time.'

A little while later, he heard Reggie open the front door and some muffled voices in the hallway. The children rose from their chairs expectantly and Louis looked at them with a grave expression so they lowered themselves back down, to wait.

Reggie poked his head round the door.

‘Is it all right to bring Maureen in now?' he asked.

Louis stood up, ‘Yes of course it is, bring her in.'

Reggie reappeared, his hand cupping the elbow of a petite redhead.

‘This is Maureen, Uncle Louis and Auntie Cat.'

Louis stretched out his hand to shake Maureen's, saying he was pleased to meet her. The girl smiled revealing a row of slightly uneven teeth, the front ones crossing over at the tips. Strangely enough, Louis thought this looked rather endearing.

‘Ach, 'tis good to meet yerselves too.'

‘Ye're Irish?' Cat laughed.

‘Sure I am. And 'tis lovely to make yer acquaintance, Mrs. Ross.'

‘I didn't realise ye're from home. Welcome, Maureen, c'mon and sit yerself down and have a nice cup of tea and somethin' to eat. Where is it ye're from now?'

Louis was astonished and looked from Maureen to Cat, then to Reggie wondering what on earth his mother would have to say about this. Not one, but two Irish women in their midst.

‘I'm from Fermoy.'

‘Well, that's not a million miles away from Fethard. I can see we'll have plenty to talk about, Maureen.'

Reggie cleared his throat as if to remind Maureen of something.

‘Oh yes, I nearly forgot, so if ye're not getting' too much in one go, I've brought the puppy along with me for the children.' She turned to Reggie. ‘Would ye go out now to me basket and bring in the puppy for them?' Maureen then turned to the children who were lined up waiting to see Reggie's young lady.

‘Well these must be the darlin' children Reggie keeps goin' on about.' She stooped down and kissed them all on the cheek one by one as Reggie brought Maureen's basket in and placed it on the floor.

The children gasped. Sitting in the basket was a small black puppy with a snow white breast and two little brown patches over his eyes that looked like eyebrows. They swooped over the basket, each wanting to pick the puppy up first.

Billy grabbed at it. ‘My go first 'cos I'm the eldest.'

‘Let me have it first.' Eileen argued and tried to pull the puppy from his grasp.

‘Oh dear, we seem to have caused a problem,' Maureen laughed and the children completely forgot about their esteemed guest as they jostled for supremacy over the little dog who licked their faces furiously.

Cat stepped forward and rescued the puppy from Billy's grasp.

‘We'll call him Tipper,' Cat said, ‘because I'm from Tipperary. What do ye think Louis?'

Louis stroked the puppy's ears and took him from Cat.

‘Right then. Tipper it is. Funny, I've never thought of getting a dog. But it's rather nice isn't it?'

Louis headed for the garden with Tipper under his arm and fondled his ears while the children scrambled behind him, arguing for the next hold.

Cat read the letter from America while eating her breakfast, then looked up at Louis with tears in her eyes.

‘Praise be to God, Louis. Ellie's given birth to a little girl and both are fine. At last, she's done it!'

‘That's wonderful, Cat. Does she say what they've called her?'

‘Catherine, after me! Oh Louis, I wish I could see her. It's been so long.'

‘Yes, but there's a big stretch of water between them and us, it's not going to be possible. Not unless they come to us.'

She put the letter from Ellie down and picked up the dress she was hemming. ‘I bet Michael's over the moon, don't you?'

‘Sure to be.' Louis lit up a cigarette, then bent down and stroked Tipper's head. The dog licked his hand, turning faithful brown eyes upwards to his master.

As much as Billy had tried to take control of the dog's loyalty, Tipper had chosen Louis. Wherever Louis went, Tipper wasn't far behind. At night he would lay before Louis' chair by the fire at the feet of his master, sighing as if in ecstasy and making little yelping noises in his sleep.

‘What else did Ellie have to say?'

‘Only that she'd heard Paddy Hogan has married.'

‘Only! Well, I should think you'd be mightily relieved to hear that piece of news.'

‘I'm not bothered either way. Why should it matter to me? Good luck to the fool who's taken him on.'

‘Does she say who the blushing bride is?'

‘Yes, it's someone from Thurles. Nobody I know. I wonder if he's still up to his old tricks with that band of murderin' thugs.'

‘Probably. They've certainly not curbed their ways since the signing of the treaty. It seems to go from bad to worse.'

They sat quietly for a while, listening to the crackle of the fire as the embers shifted and blazed in the grate. Soot, clinging to the fire back, glowed and faded simultaneously - like an advancing army climbing the chimney in the darkness. Louis sat mesmerised watching the coals, deep in thought.

Suddenly he stood up and took the savings tin down from the mantelpiece. He counted out their savings and Cat watched his lips moving as he added up the money.

‘What are ye up to?'

‘Adding up what we have?'

‘Yes, but why?'

He smiled and put the money back in the tin.

‘What would you say to us buying a motor cycle and side car?'

Cat drew in her breath, puzzled by his suggestion, not knowing how to react.

‘Well, what do you say, woman?'

‘I'm not sure what ye're on about, Louis.'

‘Someone at work has a motor cycle and side car for sale.'

‘What on earth would we do with such a machine?'

‘Go out for a spin. Go to Ireland! We could drive all the way to the ferry in Fishguard, get off on the other side and drive to Fethard. Go for little breaks to the seaside, and.'

‘Whoa. Slow down! Are ye suggestin' we actually go ahead and buy this machine?'

‘Cat, it's going for a song. We can afford it and I think it would be ideal for us. So what do you say? No don't say anything. Just think about it. Imagine yourself speeding along in the sidecar with the wind in your hair as we make our way to the coast. The sun on your face and the children with their buckets and spades - even Tipper could come.'

‘Louis, how could we all get into a sidecar?'

‘You, Eileen and Anna in the sidecar with Tipper, and Billy can ride behind me on the pillion. So what do you say?' He rubbed his hands together in excitement.

Cat thought for a while. There were other things they needed like some decent furniture to sit on, clothes for the children, for her and Louis. But then she decided there was little fun if they couldn't enjoy life while the children were still young. And then there was the prospect of going to the seaside!

Her face suddenly lost its serious expression and animatedly she threw her arms round Louis neck, reflecting his enthusiasm and laughing.

‘Yes, Louis, let's do it!'

The church bells peeled as Reggie and Maureen emerged from the church smiling. She wore an oyster coloured silk wedding dress and Reggie looked handsome in a charcoal grey suit with matching silk tie. Iris, Eileen and Anna wore pink bridesmaid's dresses and Billy, much to his annoyance, was dressed as a pageboy.

‘Can we have the bride, bridegroom and bridesmaids please?' the photographer said, then as Cat whispered something to him he added, ‘Oh, and the page boy.'