Divided Loyalties

by Patricia Scanlan

  ‘Well, if you can’t fit it in now, you can have some later,’ Carrie assured him.

  ‘I’ll be hard put to it to fit pudding myself, Shauna. This is a delicious dinner.’ Dan smiled at his sister-in-law. ‘Thanks to the both of you for going to so much trouble. A toast to our hosts.’ He raised his glass.

  ‘To our hosts,’ echoed Bobby. ‘The hosts with the most.’

  Davey guffawed, amused by his uncle, as they all clinked glasses, Olivia insisting on getting out of her chair and clinking everyone’s glass. Chloe waved her plastic mug in the air until kindhearted Davey clinked with her, and then Dan, and then Bobby.

  ‘Cheers,’ Olivia explained. ‘Say cheers.’

  ‘’Eers,’ Chloe echoed, delighted with herself.

  Why would Della want to miss moments like this with her child? She would have been perfectly happy to let the kids eat on their own. She’s an idiot, Shauna thought scornfully, watching the fun the trio were having with their toasts.

  ‘I suppose this time next year you’ll be in the Gulf,’ Della observed.

  ‘Oh, let’s not talk about that now,’ Shauna said crisply, seeing the sadness cloud Carrie’s eyes. ‘Who’s for pudding?’

  ‘Maybe I could fit a teeny piece,’ Davey said seriously.

  ‘Go for it, Davey,’ Greg encouraged him as he began to clear the plates.

  ‘Can we pull the crackers?’ Olivia asked, her eyes dancing with excitement.

  ‘Go right ahead.’ Shauna held out her cracker to her niece, who pulled vigorously. Soon the table resounded with bangs and laughter and silly jokes.

  ‘Della, Kathryn says she feels sick. You better deal with it.’ Eddie appeared at the door.

  ‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ his wife exclaimed in exasperation as she stood up from the table. ‘Why can’t you do it?’

  ‘Well, she’s calling for you,’ Eddie muttered.

  ‘I’ll get you a basin,’ Shauna said hastily, hurrying out to the kitchen.

  ‘Is she going to go blagh?’ Olivia asked. ‘Remember when I went blagh and there was carrots in it?’

  ‘Stop it, you horrible child. We haven’t finished eating.’ Bobby made a face and Olivia giggled.

  ‘And sweetcorn,’ she added.

  ‘Ugh!’ Bobby grimaced even more wildly.

  ‘I’ll have some pudding if it’s going,’ Eddie declared.

  ‘With custard and brandy butter?’ Carrie asked coolly.

  ‘Anything that’s going. You wouldn’t get that in our house, so don’t be delicate with the helpings.’ Eddie didn’t even notice Carrie’s hint of sarcasm.

  She went out to the kitchen to salvage some pudding for him, and looked up as her sister came back into the room after bringing Della the basin. ‘What a pair they are,’ she fumed. ‘That Eddie is something else.’

  ‘Imagine bringing a child with a tummy bug into someone’s house. If Chloe gets that I’ll swing for her. Can you just believe it, Carrie?’ Shauna was hopping mad.

  ‘No. She sure takes the biscuit, and as for greedy-guts at the table, what a slob. He hasn’t an ounce of manners.’

  ‘Well, Kathryn is sleeping in their bed and if she pukes all over them, tough luck,’ Shauna raged as she slashed a slice of pudding for her brother-in-law and poured custard over it. ‘Give him a tiny little bit of brandy butter, the big walrus, and make sure he doesn’t sneak any more.’

  ‘Yes sir!’ Carrie teased. ‘You know, if I were you I’d suggest they go home. I bet Eddie doesn’t want to be puked on all night.’

  Shauna’s eyes brightened. ‘That’s an idea. I’d better run it by Greg, though. I don’t want him to think I’m getting rid of them.’

  ‘Here he comes now. I’ll make myself scarce,’ Carrie murmured, picking up the tray of desserts and smiling at her brother-in-law as he held the door open for her.

  ‘Will I see if anyone wants trifle?’ Greg asked, bending to put dirty cutlery into the dishwasher.

  ‘I bet Eddie will,’ Shauna retorted.

  ‘Umm.’

  ‘They shouldn’t have brought Kathryn, knowing she had a bug,’ she burst out.

  ‘I know. That was a bit much,’ Greg admitted.

  ‘She’s going to be sleeping in the same bed as them. If she’s puking that’s going to be very awkward. I think they’d be better off bringing her home,’ Shauna said bluntly.

  ‘I suppose. Unless we bring Chloe into bed with us and give them her cot.’

  ‘No, Greg. I don’t want her puking all over Chloe’s cot,’ Shauna exclaimed indignantly.

  ‘Oh! Right.’

  ‘Will you say it, then?’

  ‘No, you do. It’s awkward.’

  ‘Well, do you want them to stay the night?’ she demanded. ‘I don’t mind. It’s up to you.’

  Della hurried into the kitchen. ‘Do you have any kitchen towel and Dettol?’ They could hear Kathryn howling in the playroom.

  ‘Greg, will you get it,’ Shauna said tautly. Why could he never back her up when she needed it?

  ‘Kathryn’s covered in puke, Della. I think you’ll have to give her a bath,’ Davey said helpfully. He’d gone to investigate the howls, and come to the kitchen to report. ‘What will you do if she pukes in the bath?’

  ‘Davey, go in and eat your dessert like a good boy,’ Shauna instructed. She was beginning to feel somewhat queasy at his questions. Greg followed his sister out of the kitchen armed with Dettol, kitchen towel and a mop.

  ‘Ah, shag it,’ Shauna muttered and went back in to the table to eat her dessert.

  ‘Everything OK?’ Eddie mumbled.

  ‘No, Kathryn’s sick. Maybe you should go and give Della a hand,’ Shauna suggested grimly.

  ‘Ah, she’ll manage fine.’ Eddie smirked. ‘That’s what women are for. I’ll have another helping of pudding if you have one.’

  ‘I’ll go and give Della a hand.’ Carrie stood up, disgusted.

  ‘Sit down, Carrie. Greg’s with her,’ Shauna ordered. ‘The last thing you need to get is a tummy bug,’ she said pointedly, but it was wasted on her brother-in-law, who was helping himself to a chocolate biscuit. She took a deep breath. ‘You know, Eddie, maybe it would be a good idea to take Kathryn home to her own bed. Because she’ll be sleeping with you and she could have an accident—’

  ‘And go blagh all over you,’ Davey added helpfully.

  ‘Exactly,’ Shauna said firmly.

  ‘Well now, I can’t drive,’ Eddie said slowly.

  ‘Della can,’ Bobby interjected. ‘She only drank minerals.’

  ‘It’s entirely up to yourself,’ Shauna said silkily. ‘I’m just pointing out what could happen. I wouldn’t fancy getting puked on myself, if it was me . . .’

  ‘Couldn’t we borrow acot?’ Della suggested when her husband reluctantly suggested going home to her a while later. He did not like the idea of Kathryn up-chucking on him one whit. ‘What about your friends next door? Would they have one?’

  ‘They’re spending Christmas in Galway.’ Shauna couldn’t believe that she was still angling to spend the night.

  ‘Could Chloe sleep with you and—’

  ‘No, that’s not an option. If you knew she had a bug you really shouldn’t have come. It wasn’t fair on the child.’

  ‘I wanted to spend Christmas with my brother before he goes away,’ Della snapped.

  ‘Nevertheless it wasn’t a good idea, Della.’ Shauna didn’t care any more. She’d had enough.

  An hour later, after Kathryn had been sick again, a sulky Della, a pissed Eddie and a sleeping Kathryn were sitting in their car.

  ‘I think it’s the best thing all round. At least she’ll be in her own bed and you’ll both get a chance to sleep,’ Shauna said crisply.

  Della ignored her. ‘Thanks for having us, Greg,’ she said pointedly as she started the engine. ‘I hope the roads won’t be icy.’

  ‘You’ll be fine,’ Dan said kindly. ‘It’s a cloudy night; it won’t freeze. Safe journey.’
r />   ‘’Bye.’ Carrie waved cheerfully, delighted for Shauna’s sake that they were going.

  ‘You’ll be home in no time. There won’t be a soul on the road, they’ll be all nodding beside the fire, smashed. Weren’t you the wise one not to drink?’ Bobby smiled innocently.

  Della was furious; Eddie was already practically snoring. If Kathryn got sick on the journey home she was on her own.

  ‘I better get going,’ she snapped. ‘’Night.’

  ‘Thanks for the wine,’ Shauna said insincerely, feeling not the slightest bit of sympathy for her sister-in-law.

  ‘I’ll say a prayer for you,’ Noel said earnestly.

  That was the last straw. Della gunned the engine and roared out of the drive, tyres screeching.

  ‘And it’s only six fifteen,’ Shauna murmured to Carrie, trying to hide her delight until Greg had gone in.

  ‘Yippee!’ Bobby punched the air when they were on their own.

  ‘That was a stroke of luck.’ Carrie tucked her arm into Shauna’s. ‘If you could call it that!’

  ‘Yeah, well, it’s her own fault for being so mean as to invade someone’s house when her child had a bug. I wouldn’t do that to my worst enemy. Now let’s really party,’ she whispered as they hurried back into the warm house and closed the door on the cold, grey night.

  13

  ‘That last vodka was a vodka too many,’ Bobby groaned as they walked along the beach in the watery, hazy sunlight that threw lemon glints onto the glittering sea, making him wince. It was mid-morning on St Stephen’s Day and he, Carrie and Shauna were taking some badly needed fresh air. Ahead of them, Greg, Dan and the kids were skimming stones across the water.

  There were plenty of people out and about walking their pets or striding briskly across the strand in an effort to walk off the excesses of the previous day.

  ‘It was great that you could stay, Carrie. Thanks for sleeping on the sofa, Bobby,’ Shauna said gratefully.

  ‘I didn’t think Dad would be up for it, but once he said he’d stay so that Carrie wouldn’t have to drive home, it was no problem,’ Bobby assured her.

  ‘It was a good night, wasn’t it?’ Carrie grinned. ‘Davey and Olivia couldn’t believe their luck when Greg suggested we should stay.’

  ‘It couldn’t have worked out better. They’ll always remember this Christmas. You should have seen Chloe’s face when she saw them this morning. She danced with excitement. Did they sleep OK, Carrie?’

  ‘Like logs. That blow-up bed Colin and Maria lent us was perfect.’

  ‘It was a good job I thought of it after Della and Eddie were gone.’ Shauna burst out laughing. ‘Colin and Maria are good fun, aren’t they? It was great they came back with me when I went to borrow the bed. All in all, not the worst Christmas ever,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘Well, apart from Dad’s remarks on “Christian marriage” at the table,’ she added wryly. ‘I thought Greg was going to blow a gasket. I wouldn’t mind, but I’m desperate to have another baby. The irony of it.’

  ‘Are you?’ Bobby looked at her in surprise.

  ‘I’d love one.’ She sighed. ‘Chloe needs a sister or brother, but unfortunately Greg’s not on for another child at the moment. I’m hoping that he’ll change his mind when we’re settled in Abu Dhabi.’

  ‘I suppose this isn’t the ideal time to be pregnant. It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen,’ Bobby said comfortingly.

  ‘I hope so,’ Shauna said longingly, watching with pleasure as Chloe galloped along the beach in her red wellington boots, as fast as her little legs would carry her, chasing Davey with a clump of seaweed.

  ‘Hello?’ Noel answered the phone after its third ring, looking for a pen in case he had to take a message.

  ‘Oh! Who’s that?’ a vaguely familiar voice asked.

  ‘It’s Noel, Shauna’s dad. Who am I speaking to?’

  ‘Oh!’ There was a pause. ‘It’s Della.’

  ‘Ah. How is the little one?’

  ‘Much better. Actually, we were thinking we might even take a trip down again.’

  ‘Well now, Greg and Shauna are gone for a walk with Dan and Carrie and the children so I’ll get them to give you a call when they come back.’

  ‘Dan and Carrie? Did they stay the night?’ Della’s voice rose an octave. ‘Where did everyone sleep?’

  ‘Well, I slept in the small guest room, Bobby slept on the sofa and Dan and Carrie slept in the double room and the children slept on the floor—’

  ‘On the floor? That wasn’t very comfortable.’

  ‘Ah no, they were in a pump-up bed type of thing,’ Noel explained patiently. ‘Their friends brought it over. They stayed and had a couple of drinks. A very nice couple,’ he carried on, oblivious.

  ‘I see,’ Della said coolly. ‘Well, tell them I rang.’

  ‘Indeed I will,’ promised Noel affably. ‘Take care now.’

  He put the phone down and went out to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. He’d been asked if he’d like to go for a walk, but he hadn’t been in the mood for it. He hadn’t slept very well in the strange bed. He’d like to be at home, but he didn’t want to spoil Carrie’s day. She’d been delighted when Greg had suggested they stay the night. She’d suggested he ask his neighbour, Mrs O’Neill, to feed Twiskers, which the kind woman had done willingly.

  As he waited for the kettle to boil his gaze fell on a white envelope that contained what looked like a bank statement. Shauna and Greg certainly weren’t short of a bob or two, he conceded as he flicked open the envelope and took a peek. It was a Visa bill. Noel didn’t possess such an item. That was for rich, posh people.

  He studied the statement, noting the expenditure on frivolities like catering companies, beauty salons and off-licences. More money than sense, he sighed as he stuffed the bill back in the envelope. Another bill, an ESB one, made his eyes widen. It was three times the amount of his bill. Such waste! He tutted as he peered along the bottles of wine in the large wine rack under the island. It was far from Chablis and Sauvignons and Chardonnays and Merlots that Shauna was raised. Where had she got her notions? He wasn’t too fond of Greg; he far preferred Dan. Dan had much more respect for his elders. Dan would never have spoken to him with such disrespect. Noel’s lips tightened at the memory of Greg’s snub. Shauna hadn’t even spoken in his defence; none of them had. It was hard being a father. They’d learn that someday and then they’d understand what he’d been trying to teach them.

  Noel made himself a cup of tea, cut a slice of Christmas cake and went to see if there was anything worth watching on the TV. The house was lovely and warm and after a while his chin drooped onto his chest and he fell asleep.

  ‘That Shauna is a two-faced bitch,’ Della muttered as she slapped a piece of goat’s cheese onto a rice cake, poured herself a cup of peppermint tea and sat down at her kitchen table. A pump-up bed would have suited Kathryn fine last night. She hadn’t been sick any more and it was obvious she had passed the worst stage of her tummy bug. They could have stayed last night if Shauna hadn’t got into a tizzy. And to think Carrie and Dan had jumped into their bed. Would they be as quick to jump into their coffins? So much for family loyalty. Greg had shown none.

  The only good thing was that she hadn’t had to put up with that irritating old bore, Noel. She’d make sure never to sit beside him at anything again. He’d wittered and waffled until she’d wanted to clobber him. She was going to ring Greg and try to wangle another invitation to Dublin today or tomorrow, or at the very least New Year. Shauna needn’t think that she’d pulled a fast one on her!

  ‘Della was hoping to drive back down!’ Shauna couldn’t believe her ears. She, Carrie and Noel were in the kitchen making coffee while Dan and Greg were watching horse racing on TV. Bobby was playing football with Davey out the back and Olivia and Chloe were playing with their dolls.

  ‘Hmm. She said something like that. Give her a ring, and she can tell you what she wants to do,’ Noel suggested.

  �
��Can you believe her nerve?’ Shauna muttered to Carrie, then returned her attention to her father. ‘Did she know that Carrie and Dan and the kids stayed the night?’ she asked with pretended offhandedness.

  ‘Yes. She was worried about the children sleeping on the floor but I told her you’d got the loan of a pump bed.’ Noel looked quite pleased with himself.

  ‘Oh, no. I’m sunk,’ Shauna groaned.

  ‘No you’re not. You and Greg and Chloe are coming to stay with us tonight.’ Carrie grinned.

  ‘And we’re going to Colin and Maria’s for New Year, so we’re covered there in case she tries to muscle in next week. Oh, you’re a lifesaver, Carrie. Thanks.’ Shauna gave Carrie a quick hug. ‘I’m going in to tell Greg we’re off to your house tonight. Are you sure now? We’ll have dinner here before we go.’

  ‘I’m certain. I’d love it. We’ll have a good night for ourselves and a lazy day tomorrow. Will it be OK with Greg?’

  ‘If he doesn’t want to come he needn’t bother,’ Shauna retorted. ‘I’m coming with Chloe.’

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ Greg agreed when she put it to him.

  ‘Great. You can have a few beers and a drink at dinner and I’ll drive, if you like?’ Shauna offered magnanimously.

  ‘What a wife!’ He patted her ass as she stood beside him and he pulled her onto his lap. Shauna laughed and kissed him.

  ‘Ditto for you, Dan.’ Carrie had followed Shauna into the lounge. ‘But it’s only because I’m pregnant.’

  ‘You’re such a tough nut,’ Dan teased, squeezing her hand.

  ‘You bet I am.’ Carrie traced a finger down the side of his jaw, thinking how much she loved the way his eyes crinkled up when he smiled.

  They spent a lazy afternoon playing card games with the kids, and sprawled in front of the TV. Around three fifteen, Shauna murmured, ‘Oh, gosh, we were supposed to ring Della. Dad said that she phoned when we were out. Do you want to give her a call, Greg?’

  ‘You do it,’ he said lazily.

  ‘OK. I’ll do it in the kitchen; it’s quiet out there.’ She smiled at Davey and Olivia who were playing a rambunctious game of snap with Bobby and Dan.