The Heart of Winter

by Emma Hannigan

  ‘Nobody thinks that,’ Skye said. ‘But I was so scared that you’d hate me. It’s hardly the best timing for me to appear with a bump.’

  ‘Yes it is,’ Lainey said firmly. ‘This little person will be the most amazing thing. He or she will be Ely’s little cousin and my niece or nephew. It’s wonderful news, Skye!’

  ‘Thank you for understanding,’ Skye said sobbing with relief. ‘Ooh I’m so emotional all the time,’ she grinned. ‘It’s a crazy feeling, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes, but it’s wonderful,’ Lainey said. ‘Now will you have tea?’ Skye nodded.

  Over the next hour the two girls chatted ninety to the dozen.

  ‘Oh I’ve missed our chats,’ Skye said as she relaxed. ‘I’ve been so scared and lonely over the past while. I’d nobody to turn to and I was really beginning to convince myself that I’d be raising this child alone.’

  Skye filled Lainey in on all the awful arguments.

  ‘I can certainly relate,’ Lainey said with a sigh. ‘I’ve been falling out with everyone it feels like. I’ve patched up with Matt, now, and Mum and I are going to work really hard at finding a new “us”.’

  Skye laid her hand over Lainey’s. ‘I don’t know what went on in the past, Lainey, but to me it’s plain that right now, today, Holly loves you to bits. You might drive her scatty at times,’ she said, smiling, ‘but she’s devoted to her three children.’

  ‘Skye, you’re too nice,’ Lainey said, shaking her head. ‘You’re going to be the most amazing mum.’

  Pippa met Danny out the front of the house and climbed into his car.

  ‘What’s happening?’ asked looking puzzled.

  ‘The fecking house is crawling with people. Drive. Up the back field to the wooded part. We need to get this car rattling and rolling!’

  Danny didn’t wait to be told twice as they shot off in the direction of the love zone.

  As the daylight eventually faded, Holly went about turning on fairy lights and grouping large red pillar styled candles. Once lit, along with the roaring fires, the place took on the most magical and festive aura.

  ‘Do you think I’ve overdone it with the pomanders out here?’ she asked Paddy, sniffing the air loudly.

  ‘It does smell a little bit like marmalade now that you mention it,’ he said seriously. Holly spun around and caught him smirking.

  ‘You’re not teasing me are you, Paddy?’ she laughed.

  ‘Darling, would I dare?’

  A knock on the door sent her flurrying forwards waving her arms.

  ‘Jeez, she’s off,’ Joey said appearing down the stairs.

  One by one the local orchestra members filed in and made for the bottom of the stairs where they proceeded to set up.

  ‘I didn’t know you’d organised music,’ Joey said with his hands on his hips.

  ‘Ah Mrs Hogan has looked after everyone over the years. I mentioned tonight to a few people and hey presto, we’ve a couple of surprises for her.’

  The orchestra had agreed to be paid in pies. Lainey had half a dozen wrapped for each of them in cellophane tied with festive red ribbons.

  This was turning out to be a real community event. Mrs Hogan had been there for all of the local inhabitants at different times over the years. She’d never bat an eyelid at anyone knocking on the door of her flat above the shop looking for eggs or milk late at night. Any time they were stuck for an ingredient, she’d oblige. She gave so much of her time to others over the years. She always supplied the biscuits at the community centre without so much as a whisper for anything in return. She’d hand out home grown shamrock on safety pins at St Patrick’s Day and tiny chocolate eggs to the children at Easter. Every year without fail she raffled a hamper that sat on the counter for Christmas, giving the proceeds of the ticket sales to a worthy recipient.

  The whole village knew she was heartbroken when her only child, Owen, had been forced to take a job in Australia. The sole hint that she wasn’t happy were her red-rimmed eyes and the defeated expression she sometimes couldn’t manage to hide. She never complained and certainly didn’t create an atmosphere where folk were loath to go into her shop for fear she’d moan.

  As the weeks had turned to months she seemed to accept Owen wasn’t coming home. Three years ago she’d proudly showed photos of Owen’s wedding to anyone who asked after him. When the pictures of the baby scan came up on her Facebook page, she beamed with delight.

  ‘I know it’s only a scan, but I think it looks like Owen.’ Her laptop was kept behind the single cash desk in her mini market and she’d check it constantly to see who had ‘liked’ the latest photo of Scott. She mastered Facebook and moved seamlessly onto Skype, where she’d chat to Owen as if he were in the chair beside her.

  ‘Wouldn’t you go to Australia?’ Holly asked her once.

  ‘How could I leave the shop, Holly? Besides I don’t have the money or the energy to get there and back alone. It’s not London or America. If my Michael is looking down on me, as I suspect he is, he’ll send our son back to me some day.’

  Holly also believed that good things came to those who wait and nobody was more delighted than she was when Owen finally announced that the plastics manufacturing firm he worked for were opening a branch back home in Ireland. Although they wouldn’t be living in Wicklow, the new motorways meant they’d only be a two-hour drive from Mrs Hogan’s door.

  Owen was what the girls of the village deemed ‘a catch’. Clever in school and witty as Oscar Wilde, his biggest asset, in Pippa’s opinion, had always been his eyes.

  ‘There was more to him than bedroom eyes,’ Lainey giggled.

  ‘Not where I was standing,’ Pippa said. ‘God he was gorgeous. He has one of those faces that would look amazing whether he was male or female.’

  As Mrs Hogan, Owen, his wife Cindy and baby Scott arrived in the door of Huntersbrook that evening, a lively version of Mary’s Boy Child struck up.

  ‘God dang it he looks even better than I remember,’ Pippa hissed to Lainey. ‘Look at that face and tell me he’s not divine.’

  ‘He’s pretty dishy,’ Lainey agreed.

  ‘You two are a disgrace,’ Joey said poking his head in between his sisters. ‘You’re like two vultures waiting to pounce on your prey.’

  ‘Go on out of that, Joey,’ Lainey scoffed. ‘I’m married, Pippa is half way there. We’re only doing a live version of Google.’

  ‘Ogle more like it,’ Joey smiled. ‘Still it was awfully considerate of him to bring such a fox of a wife for us boys to look at.’

  The girls followed Joey’s gaze to the tall bronzed woman with full wavy blonde hair who was cheerfully shaking hands with people. In her arms baby Scott was calmly looking about seeming perfectly at ease with all the new faces.

  ‘Beautiful child too,’ Pippa commented. ‘They’re the beautiful people sent to give the village a lift!’

  The hallway was filled to the brim so guests spilled into the living room where the tree and decorations were complimented non-stop.

  ‘We all help,’ Holly said proudly. ‘The men get the tree and our Joey hung the huge baubles and bells in the hall. The girls do the more intricate work. We love it.’

  They were thrilled to see the mince pies disappearing as people munched happily. Lainey had told Holly that there was no need to get chef Sally involved and capably made a couple of trays using a recipe she’d tweaked herself. She’d added orange rind to the mix, thinking it might go with the mince-meat.

  ‘How on earth did you make that pastry, Lainey?’ Sandra from the village asked. ‘No matter what I do, mine looks and tastes like leather.’

  ‘It’s easy when you know how,’ Lainey insisted. ‘I’m about to do a cookery course actually. I’ve always loved cooking and I’m hoping to take over the catering here at Huntersbrook.’

  ‘Well I wish you’d teach me some time.’

  ‘Um, me too,’ said another lady. ‘You wouldn’t consider doing a few classes in the New Year, would you?’<
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  ‘Ah no,’ Lainey laughed. ‘I’m only starting out. I’m hardly in a position to teach!’

  ‘I’d beg to disagree,’ the woman argued. ‘I think you’re gifted at baking.’

  Lainey thanked them and walked over to Matt, who was ladling mulled wine into paper cups.

  ‘OK, love?’

  ‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Some of the ladies have given me an idea.’ She explained what they’d asked for and Matt nodded, immediately agreeing.

  ‘We could easily set up some classes. Either in the kitchen or out in the marquee. There’s a gas hob in the shed that would be perfect for demonstrating on.’

  ‘Let’s wait and see how it all goes,’ Lainey said. ‘I’ll have to be pretty on the ball and take it all in on my course or it won’t work.’

  ‘I’ve no doubt you’ll manage if I know you,’ Matt said. Lainey grinned, thrilled at how project Huntersbrook was constantly evolving.

  After a while Lainey got chatting with Owen and Cindy and they turned out to be a really fun and friendly couple. There was a matter of weeks between Scott and Ely, so they arranged to hook up over the next few days.

  ‘I’m delighted to meet another Mum,’ Cindy said. ‘I’ve left my sister behind in Australia. We’re really close and I don’t know how I’ll survive without her.’ She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. ‘Still, this is a new venture for us all and I’m excited about our life together in Ireland.’

  Lainey thanked her lucky stars that her own family was in such close proximity. She couldn’t bear the thought of having to leave her family. Lainey couldn’t imagine being without Pippa.

  Mrs Hogan made her way over to the base of the staircase and spoke with the musical director. The music ceased as she waved happily and appealed for silence.

  ‘Sorry to interrupt, folks,’ she said. ‘I’ll only speak for a moment. Thank you all for coming this evening. This is a moment I’ve prayed for and longed for, ever since Owen got on that plane five years ago. Not only has he returned but he’s brought Cindy and Scott too. I hope you will all make them welcome and let them know how thrilled we are that they’ve agreed to join our community.’

  Paddy took to the microphone next.

  ‘Before we ask the band to resume with some more delightful Christmas music, Jacob and I would like to invite you all to step outside for a few moments.’

  Holly looked at Lainey, Matt, Pippa, Skye and Joey in confusion.

  ‘Don’t ask me,’ Joey said holding his hands up.

  The crowd filed out the side door in the kitchen to see what was awaiting them.

  The once clutter-filled shed was dimly lit with white outdoor fairy lights. Inside was the most attractive live crib imaginable.

  ‘The only fake parts are the people,’ Jacob said. ‘But as you can see, we’ve modelled them as best we could.’

  Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus were fashioned from straw, just like Jacob’s scarecrows. But his attention to detail was jaw-dropping.

  ‘Mary’s cloak looks familiar,’ Holly laughed as she spotted the pale blue duvet cover she couldn’t find the week before. The donkey, sheep and cows all seemed perfectly delighted with their new home as they chewed on straw while lazily gazing at the delighted onlookers.

  ‘The crib will be open every afternoon between now and Christmas,’ Jacob announced. ‘All donations will be gratefully received, with the money raised going to Wicklow’s under-privileged children’s fund. We’ll buy toys which we’ll distribute on Christmas Eve.’

  Instantly the guests began to toss coins and notes into the bucket Paddy and Jacob had attached to the front of the shed.

  The biting cold wind sent people back into the house, where they all huddled around fires and enjoyed the music as the band struck up with a medley of well-known Christmas tunes.

  ‘I’ve been thinking,’ Paddy said to Holly. ‘We might be wise to have a couple of kegs installed. One of Guinness and one of lager.’

  ‘I see,’ Holly smirked. ‘It could become Paddy’s bar, open for business three hundred and sixty-five days a year eh?’

  ‘Why not?’ he grinned.

  ‘You’re a good man, Paddy,’ she said wrapping her arms around his waist. ‘That’s a lovely thing you and Jacob did out there. I’m sure there’ll be a decent amount raised for the kids too.’

  ‘It’s nice to be nice,’ he said. ‘It was a good bonding session for Jacob and me too. He’s been ever so good to our Lainey and I didn’t want him thinking that goes unnoticed.’

  The party went on until the wee hours of the morning as the locals reminisced on the many happy evenings they’d spent at Huntersbrook over the years. Between events and hunts, they all had happy memories of the Craigs’ hospitality.

  Holly was delighted to take several bookings for a whole range of events, from a sixtieth birthday to a christening as well as a spring wedding.

  Even though they were mostly local bookings, all the people had expressed an interest in renting the house in its entirety.

  ‘I’m a curious old beggar,’ said Mr Lukas. ‘If I’m having my daughter’s wedding here, I’ll take the opportunity to see what it feels like to wake up in this magnificent home. I’m dying to see the bedrooms.’

  Holly and Paddy laughed, adoring his honesty.

  ‘I’d do the very same if I were you,’ Holly said. ‘I’m one of those people who loves to see into other people’s lives. I used to love that programme Through the Keyhole on the television years ago.’

  As the last person left, Holly and Paddy pulled on their coats, linked arms and made their way down the drive to the gate lodge.

  ‘I’m so looking forward to Christmas now,’ Holly said. ‘I’ve finally stopped feeling hollow in my heart about Huntersbrook. We’re very fortunate and it’ll serve me well to remember that.’

  ‘Good for you, love. You and Lainey seemed to be getting on fine.’

  ‘It was a bit awkward when she arrived over at first but I honestly think the worst is behind us. She’s a great girl.’

  Holly was always wide-awake after hosting a party. Paddy went on into bed and she began to add to the decorations she’d begun to hang in the gate lodge. It was all on a much smaller scale to Huntersbrook, but that didn’t mean the pleasure was any less.

  The new and modern feel to the place gave her a different canvas on which to work. She’d gone for colours that would be alien to the main house, such as raspberry pinks and bright clean turquoise. The non-traditional colours lifted the look of the gate lodge, making it seem almost trendy.

  The big shopping centre in Wicklow had a discount store where she’d picked up a huge selection of baubles and swags for next to nothing. Her wreath wasn’t finished, so she figured it would be just the thing to help her unwind. The base was done, so she picked up the green fuzzy circle and found the bag of glitzy treasures she’d bought to decorate it. Instead of the usual berries and tartan ribbon, she attached fairies and frosted fruits in bold colours. By the time it looked good enough to hang, Holly’s eyes were heavy and peppery. Knowing it would only take Paddy a few minutes to hang it the following day, she laid it carefully on the kitchen table and stood back to admire her work. Huntersbrook had always dictated similar and very traditional pieces. Holly was enjoying embracing this new and alternative slice of life she and Paddy had been given.

  For the first time, Holly could understand why her mother, Maggie, had absconded for a year in the winter of her life. It had been her widowed mother’s job to keep the estate running at a profitable pace for so many decades. The news of her cancer had clearly prompted her to see things in a different light. She’d suddenly wanted to taste different foods, wines and inhale another type of air.

  Holly hadn’t seen past her own hurt and disappointment when her mother had skipped off into the Australian sunset. For a full year, Holly had actively encouraged the family to shun Maggie. Nobody bar Sadie had even kept in touch with her.

  Regret and shame washed over
Holly in a fresh wave of clarity. How ridiculously selfish she’d been. Not for the first time, she wished she could have that year over again.

  ‘Now I understand, Mum,’ she whispered into her reflection as she cleansed her skin and brushed her teeth.

  As she remembered the good and the bad times with Maggie, she knew how fortunate she was to have another chance with Lainey. Holly climbed into bed, spooned her body around Paddy’s and drifted into a calmer sleep than she’d had for quite some time.

  Lainey

  THE NEXT MORNING LAINEY WOKE TO FIND MATT sitting up in bed staring at her.

  ‘Good morning,’ she said with a smile.

  ‘Hey,’ he said as he pulled her into his arms.

  ‘I’m lucky to be alive,’ she said. ‘I’m even luckier I don’t have cancer. I know all of that and believe me I remember it each and every day, but every now and then it creeps up behind me and bites me. It’s like a horrible nightmare that still scares me even though it’s over.’

  ‘I know, honey.’ He sat around and faced her. ‘I don’t want to put any pressure on you here,’ he began. ‘But I’ve been doing a little research.’

  ‘You have.’

  Matt took a folder out from the chest of drawers. Lainey had noticed it when she was putting his T-shirts away, but hadn’t thought much nor had she opened it. She trusted Matt and figured it was either work or something that didn’t concern her.

  As Lainey read the documents Matt looked incredibly nervous.

  ‘It’s about surrogacy,’ she said in astonishment.

  ‘Neither of us ever wanted Ely to be an only child. So I figured there was no harm in finding out the facts.’

  ‘Wow,’ she said. ‘This place is in America and we can purchase a donor egg and use a surrogate mother.’

  He nodded and filled her in on the details. Being an accountant, he’d worked out the cost right down to the price of the flights over. He’d need to go and donate sperm and then the IVF cycle would be conducted.

  ‘We’d go back over when the baby or babies are due.’