The Summer Guest

by Emma Hannigan

  ‘We’re delighted to do it,’ Penelope said. ‘Lexie is so fond of you. She’s enjoyed your company this summer no end. We all have.’

  Just then the other guests started to arrive.

  Maia looked stunning in a rather daring backless black dress. ‘Rocking the sexy pregnant style,’ Lexie said, whistling.

  ‘I love it from the back, but then I turn around and I’m like the girl who ate all the pies,’ she said.

  ‘I reckon that bright eye shadow you insisted Cat put on is distracting from your bump big-time,’ Lexie said.

  ‘Calvin adored it. He kept hugging and kissing me.’ She giggled.

  The inclement weather drove the guests inside rapidly so within forty minutes everyone was there, drink in hand. The meal was delicious, with either tian of crab or chicken satay to start, followed by watercress soup, then boeuf en croûte or sea bass. When dessert was nowhere to be seen, Lexie feared the worst. The entire room erupted into an alcohol-fuelled version of ‘Happy Birthday’ and she knew she was scuppered.

  ‘Speech!’ Sam shouted. The momentum built so Lexie knew she’d no choice but to say a few words.

  ‘I’ll attempt to murder Sam later for making me stand up here,’ she said, and went on to thank her family and friends, then sat again as quickly as possible.

  ‘Before we all start dancing the night away,’ Sam said, ‘I’d like you to join us on the balcony. The rain has mercifully stopped and we have a little surprise for you all.’

  All the guests milled towards the back doors and outside into the evening air. Waiters with trays of champagne offered a glass to each guest. Before anyone could question why they were standing there, a magnificent fireworks display was sending popping colours into the sky.

  Kathleen and Rodger joined Lexie and Sam, Maia and Josh, Penelope and Reggie to gaze at them, entranced. As they came to a crescendo there were gasps from everyone as Lexie’s name was written in golden sparkles across the sky. The very final display was a sparkling rainbow, which lit the entire bay.

  Lexie turned to Kathleen and held her hand out. As they gazed into the night sky, the older woman’s smile couldn’t have been wider.

  ‘Happy anniversary,’ Lexie whispered.

  ‘Thank you, dear.’ Kathleen smiled. ‘I honestly didn’t expect to see a rainbow today. Sam is a sweetheart to do that for me.’

  ‘Do what?’ Sam asked.

  ‘The rainbow!’ she said.

  ‘Oh, right.’ He looked confused.

  ‘You did tell him?’ Kathleen asked Lexie. ‘He does know, I presume?’

  ‘Know what? Are you drunk, Kathleen?’ Sam laughed. ‘What on earth are you talking about, woman?’

  ‘You mean you didn’t tell the fireworks people to do the rainbow for me?’

  ‘Eh … Should I lie and pretend I did?’ he asked.

  ‘No!’ Lexie said. ‘Definitely not, but just answer me this. Did you know about Jackson’s promise?’

  ‘No.’ Sam looked more confused still.

  ‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ Kathleen said, and tears coursed down her cheeks.

  ‘What did I do? Kathleen, don’t cry,’ Sam said, in panic. ‘All I asked the fireworks crew to do was spell out Lexie!’

  ‘That’s perfect, thank you,’ Lexie said, kissing him. ‘I’ll explain in a minute, but suffice it to say you’ve just made Kathleen very happy.’

  ‘Why is she sobbing, then?’ he asked. Once Lexie had explained Jackson’s message, Sam looked even more concerned.

  ‘Jeez, Kathleen,’ he said. ‘I’m a little creeped out if I’m totally honest.’

  Kathleen burst out laughing. ‘You look it! Well done. Jackson! Honey, look what you’ve done!’

  ‘Cheers, Jackson,’ Sam said, raising his glass to the sky. ‘You freaked me out no end. I’ll have to drink myself into a coma now or I’ll be awake all night thinking about the afterlife and other things that scare the living daylights out of me.’

  Once the music started, the crowd poured back inside to dance. Lexie spotted Amélie sitting alone. ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘Aren’t you having fun?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Amélie said. ‘It’s such a mint party. I’m just taking a moment to chill. I can’t help thinking how different things could’ve been if you hadn’t come to France with Dad. Or if those drugs had left me in a stupor and that weird guy had done Lord only knows what.’

  ‘It’s scary,’ Lexie agreed. ‘But you’ve got to move past it all and grab life by the coat-tails now.’

  ‘I will,’ Amélie promised. ‘My friends are having a blast. Thanks for letting me host a table.’ Her pals were singing like chipmunks and falling around laughing. ‘Even if they are inhaling all the helium balloons Grandma put up!’

  Amélie’s gaze fixed on a group of Lexie’s friends. ‘What are they doing to themselves?’ she asked, aghast.

  ‘I think it’s called being middle-aged and pissed,’ Lexie said, giggling.

  ‘Did people dance like that in discos and nightclubs years ago?’ Amélie asked, as her father waved, red-faced and sweaty, while doing a hitch-hiker-style movement. ‘He’s sooo embarrassing. He should have his arms and legs tied together so he can’t move. That’s off the Richter scale in mortification. I hope nobody films him on a phone. That’s grounds for suicide if he ever sees it,’ Amélie said, with a watery grin.

  ‘I’m glad your dad’s letting his hair down,’ Lexie said, tucking her hair behind her ear. ‘I hope things get better for you all soon. I love you. You know that, don’t you?’

  ‘Yeah.’ She grinned. ‘You’re slurring wildly. I’m holding my drink better than you.’

  ‘You’re not meant to be drinking. You’re under age.’

  ‘Oops! I’m off to show these old farts how to move on the dance floor,’ she said, dashing to grab her friend Yvonne.

  Lexie burst out laughing.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ Sam asked, as he hugged her from behind.

  ‘Amélie,’ she managed. ‘She can’t cope with middle-aged drunken dancing. I think she’s gone to wash her eyeballs with acid!’

  Sam looked over at the carnage on the dance floor and cracked up too. ‘It’s pretty hideous, isn’t it?’

  ‘Ah, they’re having a ball. So what if they look like they’ve been let out of the lunatic asylum for the night?’

  Once some of the eighties classics came on, Lexie and Sam took to the floor, where they stayed for the rest of the night. Penelope and Reggie left as soon as they could. Agata kept telling Lexie how guilty she felt, leaving Britta asleep in her pram.

  ‘She’s in the private lounge with one of the waitresses keeping an eye on her. She’s perfect!’ Lexie said, flapping her hand. ‘Don’t you worry. Dance the night away!’

  The music stopped at two but the drinking continued until three, by which time Lexie felt as if her head was separating. ‘I have to go to bed, Sam,’ she whimpered. ‘I’m broken.’

  They swayed up the road together.

  ‘Where did Kathleen and Agata go?’ she asked suddenly.

  ‘They left a while ago. It was only the hard core crew left!’

  ‘I’m very hard core, me,’ Lexie said, hiccupping.

  ‘You’re about as hard as a marshmallow,’ Sam said, kissing the top of her head.

  Lexie’s bed had never felt so wonderful as she fell into it.

  Chapter 51

  The following week, Kathleen wanted to do something nostalgic with her last day in Ireland. She’d asked Lexie to join her on an early-morning walk. ‘I’ve invited Betty, Jenny, Agata, Britta and Rodger to afternoon tea. Rodger can’t make it but said he’d come by later in the evening.’

  ‘The two ladies are so kind to come and visit you again,’ Lexie said. ‘You’re going to leave a rather large hole in many lives.’

  ‘I’m going to miss you all desperately,’ Kathleen said. ‘I’m actually quite nervous about returning to Orlando. I don’t know how I’ll cope.’

  ‘I’m sure you have heaps
of friends who are longing to see you and welcome you back.’

  ‘Oh, I do,’ she said. ‘That’s not my worry. It’s the familiarity that should include Jackson I’m fretting about.’

  They sped off towards Cloon woods at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. As the little Fiat 500 climbed the hill to the pretty woodland walk they were lost in their own worlds.

  ‘This is just amazing,’ Lexie exclaimed eventually. ‘I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been here before.’

  ‘You work too hard, young lady,’ Kathleen said, wagging a finger.

  Lexie laughed.

  ‘So the plan today,’ Kathleen said, as they got out of the car, ‘is to collect as many blackberries as we can.’

  ‘Is that why you brought me up here at the crack of dawn?’ Lexie yawned.

  ‘If there’s rain and the fruit is left on the bushes for too long, it’ll be full of creepy-crawlies.’

  ‘Not so nice.’

  ‘Certainly not. Jam made with wild fruit equals delicious. Jam with added maggots equals ick.’

  The picking was decidedly therapeutic, the serene surroundings lulling them as they inhaled the clear, pure air and allowed the early-morning sunshine to warm their skin.

  ‘This is sort of addictive, isn’t it?’ Lexie asked, as her fingers turned a delicious shade of mulberry from the oozing juice.

  ‘I used to spend hour upon hour doing this as a child,’ Kathleen said. ‘Then Mum and I would throw the berries into her huge preserving pan and I’d be allowed to stand on a chair and watch it bubble. I used to pretend I was a wicked witch bubbling up my cauldron.’

  ‘Is this why you asked me to keep all my empty jars for the last while?’ she asked, suddenly understanding.

  ‘Sure is! I even went to the trouble of sourcing a large saucepan from Ben and George’s house to make our jam.’

  By mid-morning they had two sizeable bags of fruit and decided to go home.

  ‘I’d love to have the jam ready for when the guests arrive. I baked fruit scones last night and have clotted cream in the fridge.’

  ‘My mouth’s watering already,’ Lexie said. ‘I’ll be the one with my face pressed up against your window drooling when we get home!’

  ‘You won’t need to do that. I was hoping you’d come in with me and help me make the jam.’

  ‘I’d love to.’

  Lexie was feeling decidedly sad as they pulled up at Cashel Square. ‘Sam’s car is here,’ she said. ‘I’ll just run in and let him know I’m downstairs.’

  ‘No!’ Kathleen said. ‘Eh … don’t do that. We have very little time to get things done. He’ll guess where you are when he sees your car. Let’s just get going, if you don’t mind, dear.’

  Lexie thought Kathleen was behaving slightly oddly, but she made no comment as she followed her into the flat.

  Kathleen showed her how to measure the fruit and sugar quantities and explained how to test the juice after it had all been boiling for a while. ‘I’ll put a saucer in the fridge and once I think the juice is thickening I’ll spoon some onto the chilled saucer. If I push it with my finger ever so gently, it should have formed a skin on top, which will wrinkle.’

  ‘How do you know these things?’ Lexie marvelled.

  ‘My mother passed them down to me and I’m so thrilled to be in a position to share them with you now.’

  ‘I’ll pass them on to Amélie. Although she’d probably spit like a cat if I even suggest an early-morning excursion to the hills, but I’m going to insist. I’ll bribe her with money, if need be. I want her to experience this. I know she’ll thank me afterwards.’

  ‘Do let me know how you get on,’ Kathleen said, with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Email me photos too.’

  ‘I will,’ Lexie promised.

  By early afternoon the jam had been ladled into sterilised jars with wax lids placed on top before their screw tops.

  ‘Why did you put those on?’ Lexie asked.

  ‘Because the wax melts with the heat of the jam, then cools and seals it so it doesn’t go mouldy.’

  ‘Well, you learn something new every day. How come shop-bought stuff doesn’t have that?’

  ‘Because it’s full of preservatives. This stuff is all natural.’

  The other guests arrived and admired the pretty table Kathleen and Lexie had set in the garden. The sun was still shining and the scene was idyllic.

  ‘Oh, this brings me back to when we were children,’ Betty exclaimed. ‘Kathleen’s mother was a great woman for jam-making. Do you remember the delicious Victoria sponge she used to bake? It melted in the mouth and tasted so buttery.’

  Kathleen raised a finger and dashed inside.

  ‘One like this?’ she asked proudly, when she returned with an identical cake that had a thick coating of icing sugar on top.

  Betty clapped in delight as Agata and Britta arrived.

  ‘Hello, all!’ Agata said, looking mildly hassled.

  ‘Hello there,’ Kathleen said. ‘You’re just in time. We’re about to cut some cake and have scones.’

  ‘Hiya!’ Britta shouted, waving vigorously at everyone.

  ‘Ooh, she is just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,’ Kathleen exclaimed. ‘I want to eat her.’

  ‘I felt like eating her last night too, but not in a nice way,’ Agata said, sighing. ‘She was so cranky.’

  ‘Her cheeks are red,’ Kathleen said, putting her arms out to her. ‘Poor little darling.’ She kissed her.

  ‘She’s probably teething terribly but sometimes I get to a point where I need some distraction. Still,’ she said brightly, ‘it’ll be a different story when I begin work at the gallery.’

  ‘When are you starting?’ Betty asked.

  ‘As soon as I can organise a minder,’ Agata said. ‘There are a few agencies in the area, so I won’t have a problem finding someone, I hope.’

  Kathleen stood back and watched as her guests chatted and laughed. She would struggle to keep her composure when she boarded the plane the following day.

  ‘Gaga,’ Britta said, and pointed at her.

  ‘Oh, dear Lord,’ Kathleen said. ‘She tried to say “Grandma”.’

  ‘She certainly did,’ Lexie agreed.

  ‘You’ve made my day, sweet baby girl,’ she crooned. ‘I never thought I’d hear anyone call me that.’ Tears slipped down her cheeks.

  ‘Don’t cry, Kathleen,’ Betty said. ‘You’ll be back soon and we’re going to try and make it to Orlando.’

  ‘If Agata and Britta are living here, you can have our spare room,’ Lexie said firmly, ‘so don’t ever feel you’ve no place to stay.’

  ‘And there’ll always be a room for you in Connemara,’ Betty said.

  ‘Thank you,’ Kathleen said, wiping her eyes. ‘I know I’ll be back.’

  ‘Don’t let it take so long this time,’ Betty warned.

  ‘I don’t think I’ll be around in another sixty-odd years, Betty.’

  It was six o’clock by the time Betty and Jenny decided to leave. ‘We could stay all night, but you’ve to get up really early in the morning for your flight,’ Jenny said. ‘Oh, give me a hug.’

  Kathleen embraced her and thanked her for making the summer so wonderful.

  Betty hugged her too. ‘I’m already looking forward to our visit in November.’

  ‘I am too,’ Kathleen said, holding her hands.

  Agata and Britta waited for an hour or so before attempting to say goodbye.

  ‘Oh dear, this isn’t easy,’ Kathleen said. ‘Thank you for sharing the joy of your precious little girl with me,’ she said to Agata.

  ‘Thank you for being her grandma,’ Agata said, her voice wobbly. ‘Say bye-bye to Grandma,’ she instructed, as the little girl went into Kathleen’s arms.

  ‘Bye-bye, Gaga,’ she said, grinning and showing her little pearly teeth.

  Kathleen buried her face in the baby’s curls and closed her eyes for a moment. ‘I’ll definitely be back here soon. I can’t bear the thoug
ht of being without this little one.’

  ‘Good,’ Agata said, as she hugged Kathleen and took Britta from her arms.

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon,’ Agata said to Lexie.

  ‘See you then,’ Lexie said, waving sadly.

  Once they were alone, Lexie and Kathleen sat on the garden chairs and opened a bottle of wine.

  ‘Seems I came out here at just the right time,’ Sam said, joining them in the garden.

  ‘Sam!’ Lexie said, standing to kiss him. ‘How was your day? Sorry I didn’t pop in to see you. We got caught up making jam, then people arrived.’

  ‘So I guessed,’ he said easily. ‘Not to worry, I’ve been busy too,’ he said. ‘How was your farewell tea party?’

  ‘Lovely,’ Kathleen said. ‘But also quite sad. I really will miss this place and the friends I’ve made.’

  ‘You’ll probably be happy to get back to some decent weather all the same,’ Sam said, accepting a glass of wine from Lexie. ‘I bought some lobster from our old pal Larry.’

  ‘How divine! We’ll have a feast,’ Kathleen said.

  ‘Is Rodger coming for dinner?’ Lexie asked casually.

  ‘I didn’t think that far ahead,’ Kathleen said, looking worried.

  ‘There’s plenty to eat,’ Sam said. ‘You know Larry – he gave me enough for six people, let alone three.’

  ‘Why don’t you text him and let him know?’ Lexie said.

  ‘And if he has any sense he’ll be here,’ Sam joked. ‘I wouldn’t turn down a lobster dinner with two beautiful ladies if I were him.’

  Kathleen did as Sam suggested and was delighted to get an immediate response. She giggled. ‘He says he was going to come over at about eight thirty but he’s getting into his car this second. He’s driving again and is delighted.’

  ‘Super,’ Sam said.

  The front door opened and Amélie walked in. ‘Hi, Lex, hi, Sam, hi, Kathleen,’ she said, out of breath. ‘I can’t do the goodbye thing. I wasn’t going to come over but I couldn’t not say farewell,’ she said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Here,’ she said, thrusting a letter into Kathleen’s hand. ‘Safe journey.’ She flapped her hands in front of her eyes. ‘Ugly crying on the way. Mind yourself, Kathleen. You rock.’