The Traveller's Daughter

by Michelle Vernal

  Kitty felt her face heat up; she knew who Kit was referring to just as she knew that the attraction she had been feeling for him was a one-sided affair. She decided it was time to change the subject. “And the boys are they married? They’re a handsome pair aren’t they do they look like their dad?”

  Kit sat up a bit straighter. “They’ve got Davey’s looks those two alright, and they’re good boys. That’s Ryan he’s a mammy’s boy that one. He’s married to Tegan, and they live by her family in Sligo. I worry about that boy with her though, she’s a slovenly housekeeper. They’re trying for a baby but not hard enough in my opinion.” Her expression grew sage. “I think if she made a bit more effort in keeping her caravan clean they’d stand a much better chance of conceiving. It’s the stress of coming home to a midden. I think it’s affecting the – ” she pointed at her lap. “You know.”

  Kitty nodded she got the idea. Next she stabbed at the picture of the smaller of the two lads with a shock of black hair and the cutest set of dimples. Kitty liked him immediately “That’s my baby Regan he lives over yonder in the small caravan and he’s stepping out with a lass from Wicklow. She’s not a Traveller.” Kitty smiled, at the dismissive tone of Kit’s voice.

  Kit had been making mention of organising a big family get together in a couple of months when Ciara had had the baby so that Kitty could meet them all. “They’ll love you, their English cousin so they will. They all have this idea that everything’s exciting and glamorous over the water, but none of them has ever been.” When the caravan door opened, and Jonny reappeared looking weary. “I’ve been hearing all about Tommy’s days of fixing tractors in County Clare.”

  “Ah yes.” Kit said. “You don’t want to get him going on that. He can talk for hours about how they don’t make them like they used to.”

  Kitty glanced up at the clock on the kitchen wall and saw with a shock that two whole hours had indeed slipped by.

  Jonny looked from one to the other. “So have you two gotten to know one another a bit?”

  “We have haven’t we Kitty my girl?”

  Kitty smiled. “Yes, we have.”

  They’d left with the promise of Kitty coming back over to Ireland in a few weeks’ time. They would say a proper farewell to Rosa then and this time she would be armed with photographs from her childhood.

  Now as Tess idled at the lights, and they headed back into the hustle and bustle of Dublin’s suburbia joining in with the throng of harried mum’s doing the school run. Kitty smiled to herself. Leaving her aunt hadn’t been hard because it wasn’t goodbye it was just the beginning.

  Kit had promised too that she would begin organising the family reunion. Kitty couldn’t wait, she already felt like she knew all her mad, crazy cousins after spending the afternoon in their mad, crazy mother’s company. She’d felt she realised, as the light turned from orange to green, and Tess juddered forth like she’d finally come home.

  Chapter 29

  Mere words do not feed the friars - Irish Proverb

  “I’m booked on the ten o’clock flight tomorrow morning. Thanks for letting me stay again and thanks you know for today.” Kitty was hovering in the living room doorway her phone in hand, not sure where to put herself. Jonny muttered something that sounded like ‘it’s alright’ from where he was sprawled on the couch holding a takeaway menu.

  “Indian or Chinese? I’ve not much in, so I thought I’d get a takeaway. I’m fecking starving.”

  “Um, Indian please. We forgot about lunch today, Kit and I had so much to talk about.” She was hungry too she realised but if there was anything else on offer she’d rather a bit of that than a curry. He was a handsome man, Jonny with that dark hair flopping down into his eyes. The white shirt he was wearing set off the olive tones of his skin to perfection oh, and the way his long, leanly muscled legs filled out his jeans. She pulled her mind back out of the gutter as she realised he was waving something at her.

  “Here have a look and pick a dish.” He sat up making room for her, and she took the menu from him sitting down as she scanned the dishes, but her eyes blurred. She couldn’t concentrate with him sitting so close to her. It was crazy she’d been sitting next to him in Tess all the way back from Wicklow and managed to contain herself. It felt different now that they were back in his apartment with the proximity of a bedroom. The atmosphere had grown tenser something had shifted between them she could feel it. The easy rapport of earlier was gone, and she felt awkward as her senses went into overdrive. She was acutely aware of everything about him from the musky scent of his aftershave to the soft dark hairs peeking out from where his shirtsleeves ended. What she wanted to say as he looked at her expectantly with those coal coloured eyes was. “Feck the Indian just get on with it and kiss me.”

  What came out of her mouth though, was; “Um can’t go wrong with Butter Chicken and a plain naan, please.” Her voice sounded squeaky, Minnie Mouse like, and she cringed.

  “Right, Butter Chicken it is.”

  He dialled the number and ordered her dish, and a Lamb Tikka Masala for himself. “It’ll be half an hour.” He said to Kitty, hanging up.

  Her tummy growled reminding her that yes actually she was hungry, and she hoped she didn’t begin nibbling on the furniture between now and then. “Great thanks.”

  “Beer?”

  She’d rather a nice crisp glass of white, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. “Yes ta.”

  Jonny got up to get a couple of cans, and Kitty turned her attention to tapping Yas out a message to distract herself.

  Today was wonderful. Will tell you all about it tomorrow night, on 10am flight home in the morning and do not expect to walk in on you doing the wild thing with your Carlos chap, remember the golden rule of first dates – keep your knickers on and have the best time ever LOL me xxx

  “Here you go.”

  Kitty pushed send, and reached for the can. “Cheers.” As she took it from him, her fingers brushed his, and they lingered there just touching his as an electric frisson of excitement coursed through her body. He felt it too she could tell by the hungry, searching look in his eyes just before he took the can from her hand. He placed it down moving his lips to where she’d longed to feel them, on top of hers. They kissed each other long and hard rolling about on the couch like frisky teenagers whose parents were out for the night until he pulled her T-shirt up over her head. Kitty began to wrestle with his shirt, and they staggered half naked in a lip-locked dance into the bedroom.

  ***

  Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms waiting for their breathing to slow as they felt their bodies sweat cool on each other’s bare skin. The sheets were a tangle at the foot of the bed. Kitty kept her eyes tightly closed as she tried to capture the essence of this moment. Her finger traced an unconscious heart shape, and she could feel the light tickle of the smattering of dark hairs on his chest beneath it. It was pure contentment, happiness in its raw state. It was how her mother must have been feeling as she looked at Michael at that moment Christian’s camera clicked she realised.

  She wanted to photograph her moment now with her mind’s eye. She wanted to be able to bring back the feeling of lying here entwined with this beautiful man with his messed up past and whose strong arms were wrapped around her at will. That somehow, she had fallen completely in love with his ever so slightly arrogant ways in the last three days, she knew without a doubt. They were ways that masked a marred upbringing thanks to a past he couldn’t change. She started as he disentangled himself from her, and sat up.

  “I’m going to go and pick up the food.”

  Kitty had forgotten she was hungry, but she supposed after the performance Jonny had just put in he deserved sustenance. “Okay.” She pulled herself up on one elbow.

  “I’ll be ten minutes or so.” He looked at her for a moment. She waited for him to lean down and kiss her, but he didn’t. Instead, he got up and pulled his jeans and shirt back on before walking from the room. She heard the front door slam
and tried to quell the uneasy sensation beginning to build as she got up and put her clothes back on to wait for him in the living room.

  ***

  He’d returned toting a plastic bag, and she got both of his plates down spooning the contents of the different plastic containers onto them. There was an awkwardness between them now, and she could see him distancing himself from her in his body language. Her appetite dissipated as soon as she’d dished the meals up. She sat next to him toying with her food managing to nibble down a bit of naan as he wolfed down what was on his plate in silence.

  “Do you not like it?”

  “It’s not that.”

  He raised an eyebrow waiting for her to elaborate.

  “Are you regretting what we just did?”

  He coughed taken aback by her directness. “No not regretting it. It was great, it’s just that I don’t want to take it any further.”

  Kitty felt as if she’d been punched.

  “I don’t want to get involved with you Kitty or with anyone for that matter. I am happy the way I am on my own, and there isn’t room in my life for another person. I’m sorry that’s just the way it is.”

  She got up and tipped her meal in the bin. “Nice of you to tell me beforehand and don’t be sorry. I’ll be fine.” She stalked out of the room and shut the door on the bedroom before he could see her cry.

  ***

  Kitty sat in the near-empty Starbucks thanks to the ungodly hour of the morning, huddled inside her jacket. She blew on her coffee, and stared at the half-eaten scone on the plate in front of her. She hadn’t felt like eating but knew she had to put something in her stomach or risk feeling nauseous, and she felt bad enough without that thrown into the mix. She’d slipped out of Jonny’s apartment before the birds had begun to sing unable to sleep, and not wanting to be there when he got up. He had set up camp in the lounge, knocking once on the bedroom door later that night to ask if she was okay. When she hadn’t answered him, he had opened the door a crack to check on her but she’d pretended to be asleep. The pillow was wet beneath her cheek as he closed the door again. She wished she felt angry at his treatment of her. It would be easier to handle than this awful flatness at the knowledge that something that had felt so very right to her was over before it had even had a chance to begin.

  Kitty thanked God for technology as she looked up the number for a local taxi company on her phone. She sat on the step of Jonny’s building in the grey morning light with her wheelie-case at her feet, waiting for the operator to answer. Trundling it into the airport a short while later where a skeleton staff was on duty at the check-in desks, she was relieved to smell the freshly brewed coffee. At least she’d be able to get a couple of cups into her while she waited.

  Taking another bite of the scone she saw the WH Smith’s bookstore was opening. Good, that meant she could go and buy a book to read. She’d need something to fill in the next five hours. She knew it wouldn’t matter how good a tale it was though, nothing would help her forget.

  Chapter 30

  You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – Irish Proverb

  Kitty unlocked the door to her flat nearly dead on her feet. It had been such a long day already, and it was only just after lunchtime. She’d dozed off briefly on the flight back to London but had been jolted awake by the Captain’s cheery voice. It had boomed over the speakers as he told them to expect a little bit of turbulence due to a storm over the Irish Sea. Surprise, surprise she’d thought, opening one weary eye. She’d had to fight the urge to fling her shoe up at the speaker before telling him to shut-up, so that she could get a bit of sleep.

  The flat was blessedly empty with Yasmin and Paula both at work. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone, not even Yasmin until she’d gotten a couple of hours sleep. Her plan was to have a hot shower and then she would climb between her familiar sheets and try to stop thinking about everything for a little while.

  ***

  Her plan must have worked she thought, as the slamming of the front door woke her up. One of the girls must be home from work. She sat up rubbing at her eyes before picking her phone up. She’d slept for three hours! It was after five she realised, hearing a knock on her door.

  “Kitty?”

  “Yeah come in Yas,” she croaked.

  Yasmin opened the door and flicked the light on, Kitty blinked against its brightness.

  “Geez you look rough on it but I’m glad you’re home. I’ve had such a crappy day,” she said entering the room, and flopping down at the end of the bed.

  Kitty looked at her friend properly. “Actually Yas for someone who is all loved up with a potential new man I have to say you’re not looking too darn hot yourself.” She hadn’t bothered to do her hair, and it hung limply from her head, her face was bare too with dark circles beneath her eyes. “Hey, are you okay?” Reaching out she took her hand. “Did something happen?” she frowned; you heard about things going badly wrong on first dates.

  “No, yes, kind of.” Seeing the look of panic on Kitty’s face she quickly added, “I am okay. He didn’t hurt me or anything. Just my pride that’s all.”

  Kitty pulled herself upright. “So what happened?”

  “Well I got all dressed up. I toned down the rockabilly look, and wore the black dress like you suggested because I had the feeling he was the kind of guy who would take me somewhere classy, you know?”

  Kitty nodded. “I bet you looked great.”

  Yasmin gave her a wan smile. “We went to The Cantina. The food was gorgeous, it lived up to all its rave reviews, and he was good company too. We were having a right laugh. It turned out we both love Elvis, and neither of us can stand those cheesy impersonator shows. Oh, and his favourite chocolate bar is a Mars too, or so he said. I thought it was going well. Honestly Kitty I thought I had hit the jackpot this time. It went pear-shaped after dinner when we moved onto the after dinner, tequila shots. He put his hand on mine and asked me if I was keen to try something a bit different.”

  “Uh-oh, fifty shades different?”

  “No, two plus one different. The woman I saw him dining with is his girlfriend, and they’re into menage-trois’s. When I said that wasn’t my thing he got quite nasty. He said that after the amount he’d spent on me with drinks and dinner it was the least I could do.”

  “You’re joking! So this guy goes out trying to groom women he fancies to take home to share with his girlfriend.”

  “I wish I were joking and yeah that’s obviously how it works. Sick I know.” Her bottom lip trembled. “An asshole like that could only happen to me. It’s in my DNA.”

  “Rubbish, and I hope those are angry tears because the guy is not worth wasting your energy on. If it helps my track record’s not exactly outstanding either when it comes to the male species you know. So what did you do then?”

  A small smile played at the corners of Yas’s mouth as she blinked the tears away. “I picked up the glass of water on the table, and dunked it in his lap. I said that should help to cool the old boy down then I got my bag, and tossed down some cash on the table. I told him that was my share of the meal because I like to pay my way. Oh and before I walked out I said I would appreciate it if he didn’t dine in Bruno’s again. I told him if he did I would ask my cousin Mario, the maître de who is in the Ashwin Street Mafia, to deal with him.”

  Kitty clapped her hands together. “Is there such a thing as the Ashwin Street Mafia?”

  “I don’t know, but Mario looks the part.”

  “Well good for you! Well done. He’ll think twice before propositioning anyone else like that.”

  “It’s not so much the propositioning it was the way he tried to make me feel cheap afterwards. He was a right nasty bugger.”

  “Yes, but you didn’t let him succeed.”

  “No, I was shaking afterwards but I was glad I said my piece.”

  “Well, I for one think you are fab. Give me a hug.” Kitty held her arms out, and wrapped them around her friend who lea
ned her head on her shoulder. “I guess I am going to have to meet a few toads before I find my Prince,” Yasmin mumbled.

  “You and me both. Now I suggest we go and open a bottle of wine. Let’s go and get good and tipsy while I tell you all about how I slept with Jonny, and got short shrift afterward. Kitty Sorenson once again meets a commitment-phobe.”

  Yas pulled out of the embrace and looked at Kitty with her eyes widened. “Right my friend you’ve got some explaining to do. Best you throw some clothes on, and I’ll crack open the vino.” She got up and paused as she got to the doorway. “Have you told Mario you’re back yet? He was muttering on about shifts tomorrow and asking me when you’ll be back. He’s been such a grump lately. Honestly, I don’t know what’s up with him.”

  “Sorry, I can’t face it today. Actually I don’t think I can face it tomorrow either. I am going to be so busy getting everything ready for Saturday’s stall.”

  Yasmin shot her a look. “You might be loaded, but you still need to let them know your plans and work your notice out.”

  “I know. I will I promise. I’ll phone him tomorrow and sort some shifts out, so he doesn’t put them all on to you okay? It’s just my head is all over the place, and I don’t know what I am going to do next.”

  Appeased, Yasmin left her to get dressed.

  Kitty mooched out a few minutes later in her pyjamas and Ugg boots. Yasmin as promised had opened a bottle of wine, and was throwing together whatever bits she could find in the fridge suitable for a platter. From what Kitty could see it didn’t look very exciting. So far she had produced a jar of pimento stuffed olives, a block of cheddar and a packet of half eaten crackers that she had begun to arrange on a plate.

  Catching her friend’s frown Yasmin waved her over to the couch. “Go sit down. It is the best I can do on short notice. Besides eating is cheating when you are having a Bridget Jones girls’ night in. This here food is just a token gesture.” She put the meagre offerings down on the coffee table before heading back to the kitchen to pour two very generous glasses of the wine she’d opened.