Tara Road

by Maeve Binchy

  Danny saw that in a way Annie was trying to justify the cost of the expensive meal that he was treating them to, but as a conversation it was going nowhere. 'Right, now do we see anything we like?' He looked from one of them to the other hopefully.

  'What are porcini, is it roast pork?' Brian asked.

  'No, it's mushrooms,' his father explained.

  'Eejit,' Annie said again, even though she hadn't known either.

  'I might have a hamburger but I don't see it on the menu,' Brian said.

  Danny hid his annoyance. 'Look here, they say ground beef served with a tomato and basil salsa, that's more or less it,' he pointed it out.

  'Why don't they call it a burger, like normal places?' Brian grumbled.

  'They expect people to be able to read and understand things,’ Annie said dismissively. 'Do they have vegetarian things, Dad?'

  Eventually the choice was made and Brenda Brennan, the suave manageress, came and took their order personally.

  'Pleasure to see you with your family, Mr Lynch,' she said, showing not an iota of displeasure at the fact that the children were dressed like tramps.

  Danny smiled his gratitude.

  'Is that her?' Brian whispered when Brenda Brennan had gone.

  'Who?' Danny was genuinely bewildered.

  'The one, the one who's going to have the baby, the one that you're going to live with?'

  'Don't be ridiculous, Brian.' Annie's patience was now exhausted. 'She's as old as Mam, for God's sake. Of course she's not the one.'

  Danny felt the time had come to reclaim the purpose of the evening. 'Your mother and I have had a very good conversation today, very good. We had none of those silly fights that have been so upsetting for us and indeed specially for you.'

  'Well, that makes a change,' Annie grumbled.

  'Yes it does make a change, these have been a bad couple of days for us all, but now we're all able to talk again.'

  'Are you coming back?' Brian asked hopefully.

  'Brian, this is what your mother and I were talking about. It's a question of what words we use. I've not gone away, I haven't left you two, of course I haven't. I'm going to be living in a different place, that's all.'

  'What kind of place?' Annie asked.

  'Well it's only a flat at the moment, but it will be a house very soon and you'll come to stay there as often as you like. It's got a lovely garden, and it will be your home too.'

  'We've got a lovely garden in Tara Road,' Annie said.

  'Yes, well now you'll have two.' He beamed with pleasure at the thought of it.

  They looked at him doubtfully.

  'Will we each have our own room?' Annie asked.

  'Yes, of course. Not quite immediately, not the day we move in, but there'll be alterations done. Mr McCarthy's people will divide a room for you. In the meantime when you come to stay one of you can sleep on the sofa in the sitting room.'

  'Doesn't sound much like a second home to me, sleeping on the sofa,' Annie said.

  'No, well it's only temporary and then it will be sorted out.' He kept his smile bright.

  'And how many days will we stay there, in the house with the divided room?' Brian asked.

  'As many as you like. Your mother and I talked about that very thing today. You'll be delighted when you go home and discuss it with her, we both agree that you are the important people in all this…'

  Annie cut across his speech. 'And could one of us stay in one place, and one in the other? I mean I don't have to be joined at the hip to Brian or anything?'

  'No, of course not.'

  Annie looked pleased by this.

  'And when the baby comes if it's crying arid annoying us, can we go back to Tara Road?' Brian asked.

  'Yes, of course.'

  'Well that's all right then.' Brian seemed satisfied.

  'And will she be like Mam and say keep your room tidy and you can't come in at this hour?'

  'Bernadette will make you very welcome. She's so looking forward to meeting you. When will we arrange that, do you think?'

  'You didn't say if she'd be making rules and regulations,' Annie persisted.

  'You'll be as courteous and helpful in this new house as you are in Tara Road. That's all that's expected of you.'

  'But we're not helpful in Tara Road,' Brian said, as if this was something his father had misunderstood.

  Danny sighed. 'Suppose we decide a time and place to meet Bernadette?'

  'Does she have a big bump? Does she look very pregnant?' Annie wanted to know.

  'Not particularly. Why do you ask?'

  Annie shrugged. 'Does it make any difference where we meet?' Danny felt a tic of impatience; this was much harder than he had expected it would be. 'Do we have to meet her?' Annie asked. 'Wouldn't it be better to wait until the baby's born and everything, get all that out of the way?'

  'Of course you'll meet her,' Danny cried. 'We're all going away on a boat on the Shannon for a holiday, all of us. We want to meet together long before that.'

  They looked at him dumbfounded.

  'The Shannon?' Annie said.

  'All of us?' Brian asked.

  'Can Kitty come too?' Annie put in quickly. 'And don't even think of asking about Myles and Dekko, Brian, don't think of it.'

  'I don't honestly think Mam would like a holiday with… you know, her coming too,' Brian said slowly.

  Annie and her father exchanged glances. It was the one moment of solidarity in a nightmare meal. At least his daughter understood some of the problems ahead. Annie said nothing about Brian being brain-dead. Instead they both began to explain to the boy who was, after all, only ten years of age, that his mother would not be coming with them on this long-planned, much discussed holiday.

  In Marilyn's office there was much talk of the annual alumni picnic in August. They had to get a list of accommodation addresses ready. Hotels, guest houses, dormitories, private homes where the past students could stay. Many of them looked forward to this weekend as the high spot of the year. It was a highly successful fund-raiser for the college and maintained close contacts between present and past.

  It had always been a tradition that those who worked in the Alumni Office would offer hospitality in their own homes. Marilyn and Greg had hosted many a family in 1024 Tudor Drive. Pleasant people all of them. They had always been delighted with the pool in the hot August weather and many had kept in touch over the years. The Vines had invitations in return to stay in Boston, New York City and Washington DC any time they liked.

  The plans for the picnic were under way, the wording of the appeal in the first notifications, the details of tax deductions in any gift made to an alumni library and arts centre. They would have to debate the nature of the entertainment, the number of people allowed to address the gathering, the need to keep the speeches even shorter than they were. Soon work would be apportioned. Marilyn knew she must speak before then. She would not accept any tasks and projects which she would be unable to carry through.

  She cleared her throat and addressed the Professor of Education who was taking the meeting. 'Chair, I must explain that I will not be here during the months of July and August. I have accepted the leave of absence so kindly offered to me by the college. I leave at the end of June and will be back after Labor Day, so can I ask you to give me maximum input to the early preparation work in the knowledge that I will not be here for the event itself?'

  A group of faces looked up, smiling. This was good news. The taut, tense Marilyn Vine was finally giving in. At last she was going to join Greg, her bewildered husband, in Hawaii.

  Almost two months before she left. That would give Ria plenty of time. And she wouldn't tell anybody anything until she was ready. The list had been invaluable. She couldn't understand why Danny had laughed at her, ruffled her hair and said she was a funny little thing. It was what people did, for heaven's sake. All right, if they were at work or in an office they used computers, personal organisers, filofaxes. But basically the process was
the same. You wrote down what had to be done, and you clutched it to you. That way you didn't forget anything.

  It would take a week at least before she got the documents from Marilyn. She didn't want to spring this on everyone without being able to show them something to back up that this was a good idea. She had prepared a little dossier of her own, which she would send off today or tomorrow. She had photographs of the house both inside and out and cuttings from the Irish Times newspaper's property section showing the kind of place that Tara Road was. She put in a map of Dublin, an up-to-date tourist guide to the city, a restaurant guide, a list of books Marilyn might like to read before she came. She gave the address of her bank, the name, telephone number and fax of their bank manager. Also a terse and unemotional note to say that the house was owned jointly between her and Danny; its ownership was not in dispute. He would look after the children for the month of July and later she would send a list of friends and contacts that would be of help to Marilyn when she arrived.

  Perhaps a week was too optimistic; she might have to keep her secret for a little longer than she had hoped. She imagined that the whole business could even take as long as ten days. But Ria had reckoned without the speed of the United States and the existence of courier firms. A Fedex van turned up the very next day at her house with all of Marilyn's details. Hardly daring to breathe she looked at the pictures of the swimming pool, the low white house with the flowers in the porch, the map of the area, the local newspaper, and the details of the car, shopping facilities and membership of a leisure centre and club which could be transferred to Ria while she was in residence. There were golf, tennis and bowling near by, and Marilyn also said she would give her a list of contacts with telephone numbers for any emergency that might occur.

  In a note as terse and unemotional as Ria's own letter Marilyn explained that she needed some space to think out her future. She had not joined her husband on a short sabbatical in Hawaii, because there were still matters she had to think through. With her bank details she also added that she had not yet told her husband about the exchange but that there would be no problem and she would confirm this within twenty-four hours. She didn't like to call him and tell him it had been organised just like that. Some things need a little diplomacy, as she was sure Ria would understand.

  Ria understood. She still had to tell Danny. Did they all know in his office, she wondered again, as she rang and asked to be put through to him? It was very, very hard to dial the office now. As Danny's wife she had had some kind of automatic status in their eyes, now what had she? It was easy to read sympathy, scorn or embarrassment into the voice of the receptionist. Perhaps it was none of these things.

  'Can you come around and collect your things soon, Danny? I want to try and organise the place a bit.'

  'There's no huge hurry, is there?'

  'No, not from my point of view, but for the children… they really should get used to knowing that your things are where you stay.'

  'Well, as I said, the flat's a bit small at the moment.'

  'But didn't you say Barney was organising you a new house?'

  'Finding us one I said, not buying one, Ria.'

  'Sure I know that, but doesn't it exist?'

  'It's not in great shape yet.'

  'But it's probably in good enough shape to hold your golf clubs, your books, the rest of your clothes… you know, the music centre, that's yours.'

  'No, sweet… No, it's not mine, it's ours. We're not down to dividing things up item by item.'

  'We have to some time.'

  'But not… no, not this minute.'

  'Come today if you can, with the car. And there are a few other things I want to talk to you about anyway. Come before the children get back, won't you?'

  'But I'd like to see them.'

  'Sure, and you can any time, but it's not a good idea to see them here.'

  'Ria, don't start laying down rules.'

  'But we agreed not to confuse them; they're to be equally welcome in each home. I'm not going to be over in your place when they visit you, and it makes sense for you not to be in my place.'

  There was a silence.

  'It's a bit different.'

  'No it's not, there'll be no sign of me or all my make-up and clothes and sewing machine dotted around in Bernadette's house, so why should all your things be here?' 'I’ll come over,' Danny said.

  Heidi Franks could hardly wait for the alumni picnic meeting to be over so that she could talk to Marilyn. She was overjoyed to know that the woman had finally seen sense. She would offer to go and keep an eye on her garden for her. She knew it was Marilyn's pride and joy and that the neighbours were not green-fingered. But this decision had been long in the making. Heidi would not rush in with cries of delight; she would take it as casually as Marilyn herself. That announcement at the meeting had been deliberately cool and unfussy, even in an environment where she knew they were all very interested and concerned about her plans.

  'I'll be so happy to drop in and adjust the sprinklers for you,' she said as soon as they had a moment to talk.

  'You're too good, Heidi, but truly they are totally automatic; they work themselves.'

  'Well, just to make sure that there are no little bugs or aphids attacking all your lovely beds.'

  'No, actually there'll be someone there, that's why I couldn't offer any accommodation for the picnic.'

  'Really, someone to house-sit? That's a good idea, who's going to do it?'

  'Oh you wouldn't know her, she's from Ireland—Ria Lynch.'

  'Ireland?' Heidi said.

  'I know. I expect she'll find it very different here. I must rush, Heidi, I have to hand this lot in. I'll talk to you later and tell you all about it.' She had left the office.

  Heidi smiled fondly after her. Greg would be so pleased. He had been distraught when Marilyn wouldn't accompany him to Hawaii. He had moved heaven and earth to get the position and the professorial exchange; once it had been achieved he couldn't go back on it. Now Marilyn was going to join him at last.

  Ria had never used a courier service before. It was surprisingly easy; they just came around and took the package. How foolish she had been, thinking that people used ordinary mail any more when things were important. She had a lot to learn. But maybe this summer would teach her quite a few of them.

  She saw Colm in the garden being watched through sleepy eyes by Clement the cat that he had given to Annie when it was a little kitten. He worked so hard and was always so even-tempered and pleasant. She yearned to invite him in for coffee and tell him her plans.

  But she couldn't, not until she had spoken to Danny. Danny, who was going to go through the roof when he heard how she intended to spend the summer. Danny, who had obviously had a disastrous evening with the children in Quentin's… what a stupid place to have taken them in the first place. They hadn't told her it was bad but they didn't have to, it was written all over their faces.

  Heidi picked up the telephone on Marilyn's desk.

  'Good afternoon, Marilyn Vine's phone, Heidi Franks speaking… Oh, Greg, nice to talk with you, no you've just missed her. She'll be back in ten minutes. Can I take a message? Sure, sure. I'll tell her. Oh and Greg, we're all thrilled she's going out to you. It's a great decision. Today. At the meeting. Yes, for July and August. No? You don't? Could it be a surprise or anything? Oh I'm really so sorry I spoke. No I don't think I got it wrong, Greg. She says there's an Irish woman coming to house-sit up in Tudor Drive while she's out with you. Listen, better let her talk to you about it. I know, Greg. Things do get confused.' Heidi replaced the receiver slowly and turned around.

  At the door stood Marilyn listening with a white face. Why had she told the faculty before she had told Greg? She was such a fool. It was partly because of the time-difference between here and Hawaii, partly because she had been considering what to say. Now things would be worse than ever.

  Danny didn't even lift the envelope of pictures, brochure and maps. He just looked at Ria, ast
ounded.

  'This is not going to happen. Believe me, this is so mad that I can't even take it in.'

  Ria was calm. On her list she had written: Don't plead, don't beg. It was working, she was doing neither.

  'It's only going to cost our fares, and I've been on to the travel agency. They're not crippling.'

  'And what exactly would you call crippling, might I ask?' he said with a sneer in his voice.

  'The price of a meal in Quentin's for two children who only wanted a burger and a pizza,' she said.

  'Aha, I knew something like this would come up, I knew it,' he said triumphantly.

  'Good, it's nice to be proved right,' Ria said.

  'I beg of you don't get all silly and smug on me. We're trying God damn it, we're trying for the kids' sake not to make them into footballs. You sounded fine on the phone. Why have you changed?'

  I'm still fine. I haven't changed. I am thinking of the children. You're going to be able to hire a lovely cruiser on the Shannon for them; I don't have the money for that. In fact I don't know what money I'll have so I've arranged a grand holiday for them in a place with a lovely pool. Look at it, Danny, at no cost except the fare. We'll just go out to the grocery and I'll cook there instead of here. I thought you'd be pleased.'

  'Pleased? You thought I'd be pleased to let a madwoman that none of us know into my house…'

  'Our house…'

  'It's not on, Ria, believe me.'

  'We've arranged it.'

  'Then unarrange it.'

  'Will you explain to the children that there'll be no holiday for them with me, no chance to see the United States? Will you look after them for two months instead of one? Well, will you Danny? That's what this is about.'

  'No, it's not about this, it's about you putting a gun to my head, that's what it's about.'

  'I am not doing that, I am trying my very best to pick up all the pieces that you broke. I was perfectly happy to go on here for ever and ever. You weren't. That's what it's all about.' She was as flushed as he was.

  His voice was calmer now, and she noticed that he wasn't calling her 'sweetheart' any more. That much had sunk in anyway. 'We don't know anything about this person, Ria, even suppose for a moment that I thought it was a good idea. Running away is never a good idea.' She looked at him quizzically, her head on one side. 'I didn't run away, I made a decision about life and I told you openly and honestly,' he blustered slightly.