by Fox Brison
“I’m sorry, Leesh.” I pulled her close. She smelled good. It wasn’t perfume or body wash, it was all her.
“Now you know why my cousin nicknamed her Isabitcha. I don’t want…”
“Hey, it’s okay.” I gazed into her eyes, but had to look away from the intensity in them. “I’d love to go to dinner with your family.” At the time I meant it, but as Sunday loomed closer, I grew more nervous.
I really wanted Elisha’s family to like me and I couldn’t quite understand why that was suddenly so important.
Chapter 14
Brianna
“It’s nice to meet you.” Isabella was the first to welcome me. Her handshake was that of someone who feared they might contract a deadly communicable disease – tentative and limp. Elisha’s father, Michael, and her brother-in-law Thomas were much firmer in their greetings.
“Have we met before?” Michael eyed me suspiciously.
“No, I don’t think so,” I answered equably and with a smile. The atmosphere already indicated this could be the start of the Gloshtrasna Inquisition, but for Elisha’s sake I was determined not to allow my feathers to be ruffled. I was a duck and anything thrown at me would be like water sluicing off my back.
“What about your parents?” he persisted.
“No, they’re from… well not from these parts,” I faltered and this fuelled his wariness. Gulping, I looked to Elisha for assistance, but she’d been ambushed by her nieces and nephews.
“You must have one of those faces,” he shrugged and I didn’t know whether to be relieved or offended. “How’s the build?” he finally asked a question I could answer semi-confidently.
“It’s going extremely well.”
“Will you finish on time?”
For fuck’s…
“Dad, Brianna’s a project manager not a psychic,” Elisha cut in and gave my arm a gentle squeeze, which didn’t go unnoticed by her family. Isabella narrowed her eyes, Thomas widened his and Michael simply declared,
“Are you a vagitarian?”
I spat out a little of the wine I’d just drank and wiped the dribbles from my chin. “Excuse me?”
“Vagitarian,” he repeated. “Or do you prefer meat and two veg?”
Panicking I exclaimed, “I’ll eat anything!”
“Jesus, Daddy! He means a vegetarian, Bri,” Elisha explained. “And no, she isn’t.”
“That’s a good job because your sister made pig’s head and cabbage.”
“Pig’s head,” I repeated in another half breath. The conversation hadn’t got away from me – mainly because I never had a grasp on it to begin with. Did Elisha’s father ask me if I was a lesbian? And was I about to be served up a pig’s head?
“You okay there, Brianna? You’re looking a little peaky.” Elisha’s tone was one of concern, as very well it might be. I was about to puke.
“No, I’m… yes.” I took my seat at the table and everyone was staring at me like I had two heads, one of which belonged to the pig we were about to eat. Isabella came through from the kitchen with a steaming bowl piled high with fluffy mashed potatoes. It’s now or never, Bri. I leant over and whispered into Elisha’s ear, “I don’t want to be rude, the thing is, and no offence, but I’m not a big fan of random animal parts.” There wasn’t really any need to talk so quietly because her father and Thomas were having a heated discussion about silage. Nice topic, bearing in mind what we were about to eat… pig’s head. I gagged. “Don’t get me wrong I’m not a fussy eater. I like black pudding and liver at a push, but I’ve never had pig’s head before and well, I keep picturing the snout.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, Bri, you crack me up! It’s not an actual pig’s head, we just call it that. It’s gammon. Ham,” she clarified.
“Oh. Thank. God!” I almost slid off my chair in relief. “I didn’t want your family’s first impression of me to be bad, and throwing up sow’s ear over the dinner table might not have been the best.”
“You’re such a drama queen,” she laughed again. “Sow’s ear and snout!”
The meal went by in quiet conversation. Once his wife sat back down Thomas was mute, but Isabella more than made up for it. At every conceivable juncture she gave a caustic dig at Elisha. Some were subtle needle points, others were sharp stiletto daggers of pure bitchiness. For the most part Elisha ignored both the comments and her sister, but by the end of the evening she was clearly pissed off. And I couldn’t blame her. I was raging and none of Isabella’s sarcasm had been directed at me.
The other strange thing about the whole affair was the puzzled glances Michael would cast in my direction. Whenever I caught him, he’d swiftly look away.
And I deliberated whether his vagitarian comment really was completely innocent after all.
***
After dinner Elisha and I headed straight to the Fiddler’s Elbow. We hadn’t managed to get there yet and I’m not sure I wanted to go once she informed me it was a brisk mile and a half walk. In fact, I almost died when she initially suggested it, but here we were, torch in hand, making our way along the winding road.
Which should indicate how desperate I was for a drink!
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“Your sister. I mean. Hmm. Well.”
“The word you’re looking for is evil witch.” Elisha cocked her head. “So that’s two words, but you get my drift. I have to let it go once I leave the house. If I don’t there’s only one place I’ll end up - the looney bin.”
“Well you’re a better woman than me, that’s all I can say. What’s that?” I asked, as something in the field caught my eye. I craned my neck to get a better look; it appeared to be a staircase cut into the side of a hill leading to nowhere.
“That’s Mass Rock. The locals worshipped there in secret when Catholicism was banned by Oliver Cromwell,” Elisha explained as Led Zeppelin’s ‘A Stairway to Heaven’ played in my head. “The church still holds a service there on Good Friday. It’s quite something to behold.”
“I’m not Catholic,” I shot back, sharply. I wanted to discover the circumstances surrounding my first birth before I became born again!
“Hush, don’t say that too loud or Father Horkin will be after you,” Elisha teased. “He gets a toaster for every heathen he converts.”
I snorted. I well and truly snorted. Having Sam as a best friend meant I knew straight girls and toaster ovens was an ‘in’ joke amongst the lesbian community. Then I realised Elisha wasn’t being ironic. Huh.
The torch wasn’t really necessary; the night was clear, filled with stars and a full moon which adequately lit our way. I was struck dumb by the sheer beauty and mythical quality.
“It’s not far from here,” Elisha said. “You’re not too cold?”
I waggled my hand. “I’ll survive. I can’t get over the stars!” I said, raising my arms towards the heavens. I could almost reach out and grasp one they appeared so close. “It’s like I’m ten years old again on a school trip to the Planetarium. I remember being mesmerised then too, but this,” I spun around, “this is a million times more vivid and romantic.” I stopped before I got dizzy and grinned at her. “It more than makes up for the frostbite.”
Elisha laughed. “Good! And I wholeheartedly agree, on a clear night nothing can compare. It’s a shame you’re sharing it with me and not your boyfriend.”
I looked at her sideways and asked, “What makes you think I have a boyfriend?”
“Oh. Well. Hmm. I mean, c’mon,” she blustered and rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously. “You’re beautiful for starters.”
“Good save, Callery,” I nudged her shoulder. It was nice that we were a similar height; for once I didn’t feel like a freak. Even Leo was a couple of inches shorter!
She turned towards me. It was like two stars fell from the sky and landed in her eyes, they were sparkling. “Plus I checked out your facebook page!” she admitted impishly.
“Gosh,
I’ve always wanted my own fangirl.” I held my hand to my chest and batted my eyelashes.
She grinned but I could tell she was embarrassed. "I’m sorry, Bri, I wanted to get to know you a little better, but I should have asked instead of snooping into your private life.”
“Forget it, it’s the modern way. Besides I haven’t anything to hide, and,” I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “you’re not the only guilty party.”
“Go on, I’ll work out how many Hail Mary’s after,” she said every bit as quietly.
“I did the same, although my search proved fruitless unfortunately!”
“Thank God! I mean I don’t do facebook, but at least you tried. It’s nice to know I’m not the lone crazy stalker currently in residence. So,” she paused, “is your partner coming over for a visit?”
“I doubt it, we broke up,” I said with a shrug of my shoulders, an action which was illuminating. Total indifference on my part. Christ. I had been a selfish cow and didn’t realise how much until it was over. I began walking again before my body seized up completely.
“Oh, Bri, I’m sorry! Jesus, I’m going to get myself tested, I think I have foot in mouth disease.”
“Don’t be silly,” I laughed at her clever play on words. “Leo and I weren’t right for each other, which is a story for another time. But suffice to say, it was the best for both of us that we called it quits. How about you? Is there anyone special in your life?” I didn’t want to discuss Leo with Elisha. Not because the wound was still fresh, nor because I didn’t know her well enough, it was simply… odd… it was like the Brianna who dated Leo wasn’t me, a clone who shared my physical attributes but inside was someone else entirely, and here in Ireland I was beginning to discover the real me.
“No one significant and there hasn’t been for a while,” she answered with a wry grimace.
“How come?”
“My last serious relationship with a work colleague lasted a few years and that’s a mistake I will never repeat!”
I felt a rush inside my stomach. I didn’t know why I should find that upsetting, maybe because I felt Elisha was a kindred spirit who deserved to have love in her life. But the fact I reacted so viscerally to her decision to keep her work and love life separate was super weird.
“When I came home I started seeing a nice woman from Sligo, but the distance was a problem.”
“Didn’t you say Sligo was half an hour’s drive from here?” I said, residual miffedness lingering in my tone.
“It is, which tells you everything you need to know about how serious that relationship was.” The torchlight flickered and then went out completely. Elisha gave it a gentle shake, and it spluttered back to life. “Maybe when the camp’s up and running I can start to think about my love life, but at the moment I have enough on my plate without that complication!”
“Speaking of complications… dinner was interesting,” I pointed out.
“Interesting good, or interesting in an ‘oh dear God what have a let myself in for’ kind of way?” she sniggered. “Or do I not want to know?”
“Vagitarian?” I stated with a sarcastic lift of my eyebrows. Elisha stared at me and then laughter peeled out, beginning with hers and quickly followed by mine.
“Christ I thought you were going to have a heart attack when he came out with that!”
“I wasn’t sure if he knew what he was saying, and then when he added the meat and two veg comment I didn’t know whether to laugh or make a run for it! Where did he hear that expression?”
“My sister,” Elisha grumbled.
“Ah, thank God I’m an only…” was I though? And another swift change of topic. “Are we here already?” The pub was barely a hundred yards away. The walk had flown by which was indicative of how rapt I’d been, not just by the stars but by the company. There was an ease about Elisha, even when under pressure or in an uncomfortable situation. She was laid back and yet at the same time uber vigilant. One of Sam’s biggest arguments as to why she remained single was all the good ones were taken. Well here was Elisha, who in my humble opinion was one of the best, and she was footloose and fancy free.
The lesbians in Ireland must be bloody fools!
“C’mon, I’m gasping.” She opened the door to the Fiddler’s, and light spilled into the darkness accompanied by warmth and the gentle sway of lilting conversation.
It acted like a tractor beam pulling me inside… and when I heard the first strains of a violin begin I was hooked.
Chapter 15
Brianna
There was a lull in the conversation as people turned to see who’d arrived. It took us ten minutes to reach the bar, everyone stopping Elisha to say hello, but more were anxious to meet the newcomer.
Lil’ ole me.
The atmosphere was thick with good humour and accompanied by clinks of glassware were calls from one end of the room to another. Requests for songs I think. A young lad, who clearly couldn’t hold his liquor, nudged into me. “Niall, watch it!” Elisha outstretched a protective arm to steady me.
“Sorry, Miss,” Niall said contritely. Miss? And that didn’t make me feel old in the slightest!
“Good crowd tonight, Maura,” Elisha said to the woman behind the bar. Short and extremely efficient with her movements, Maura made my own mother’s multi-tasking look half arsed. She had a couple of pints of Guinness pulled and left to settle, whilst handing over change to one customer, and readying to respond to Elisha at the same time.
“It’s the weather. We’re having a great spell, cold but dry. Sure, you must be delighted. Dominic said the build is going great guns,” Maura answered Elisha; my foot tapped in time to the music, not in exasperation at the fact that there were evidently no secrets within this community. There was a moment when I considered, fleetingly, that perhaps Elisha was as loose with her lips, but instantly discounted the very notion.
Although for an even more fleeting moment, I wondered are keeping secrets the only thing her lips are good at?
“If this carries on we’ll be finished way ahead of schedule, isn’t that right, Brianna? Maura, this is our new project manager, Brianna McAteer,” Elisha introduced us.
“Brianna, I’m very pleased to meet you. How are you making out with this one?”
Making out… whaaat…? Ahhh right! Did everyone in Ireland speak double entendre? “I think I’m coping fairly well.”
“Good woman yourself. Now what can I get you to drink?” she asked briskly as a few empty glasses were raised further along the bar indicating a need for a refill.
“Uhm.” I was undecided. Normally I’d have a white wine, but I spotted the bottle on the side, and not in the fridge, so chose to play it safe. “I’ll try a Guinness. My dad always says there’s nothing like a stout poured straight from an Irish tap.”
“And he’d be right,” Maura said proudly. “Two pints of the black stuff coming up ladies.”
“We might as well grab a seat; Maura will bring our drinks over once they’ve settled.” I wondered where Elisha thought we might sit. Stools, dotted here and there, were quickly swallowed up by the crowd, and the dark wooden benches lining the room were filled to overflowing. You could hardly make out the rectangular tables beneath the bottles, glasses, and instruments… violins, guitars and even the odd tin whistle covering them.
Elisha placed her hands on my waist, and as she guided me between the press of bodies, we began to sway in time with the music. My pulse quickened when she pulled me in close to avoid a collision with an over enthusiastic couple on the dance floor. Close shave? Yes, that’s precisely why my blood was pounding. These pulse increasing moments were becoming a regular occurrence. It was hard to fathom because when they struck I was feeling neither nervous nor anxious.
“You’re going to live to regret saying that to Maura.” I half turned my head, and Elisha’s lips curled into a smile.
“Saying what?”
“You had to call on the construction gods, didn’t you?” I berated half
in jest.
“Construction gods?” She laughed. I never really understood the whole when Irish eyes are smiling thing, despite being Irish myself, however looking at Elisha the song suddenly made sense; it’s like they were dancing with sheer joy.
“Yes. By challenging them they will bring down fury on our heads,” I intoned.
“You’re funny,” Elisha laughed again, but I was utterly serious. As a project manager it was one of the first things you learnt - never taunt the construction gods with chants of ‘ahead of schedule,’ because you could guarantee it would come back to bite you in the arse. “So what do you think of the Fiddler’s?” she asked as Maura set our pints down on the table and swept up the empties in one fell swoop.
I leant in so she could hear me above the din. “You may have trouble getting me home.” I smacked my lips together after taking a cautious sip of my drink. I thought the Irish tap tale was a load of spiel aimed at holidaymakers to increase sales, but no, it was totally true, the Guinness here was far nicer than the one we got back home, and a million times tastier than wine. “Hey, is that…” I inspected a photo that was hanging on the wall behind Elisha’s left shoulder. “You?” Christ, she hadn’t changed a bit. Holding a football in her arms, she posed proudly in front of rugby posts. Weird. I wasn’t a sports aficionado, but even I knew you played rugby with odd shaped balls.
Give yourself a slap, girl! Now I was talking double entendre!
“Yes, me in my inglorious days,” she said shyly. “I was captain of the local club.”
“Footie or rugger?” I asked.
“Gaelic football. It’s a mix of both, but far more skilful than the two combined,” she maintained. My first drink was quickly dispersed whilst she explained the finer points of the game. Having fun was thirsty work! “Another?” she asked.
“Oh go on then.” I feigned reluctance.
The door of the pub swung open and Dominic entered. It was the first time I’d seen him in anything but his work gear. However, unfortunately for him it seemed he was one of those people who, no matter what they wore, always looked scruffy. I returned the wave he sent and groaned as he glided over. “Hey, Bri, you off the Leesh tonight?” he scoffed, and looked delighted with what he considered a clever and hilarious pun. I kept my expression neutral because I really didn’t want to encourage him. He’d been overly flirtatious since I arrived. At first I thought it was friendliness, but the constant winking and smiles he considered charming (and I believed leery) told me otherwise. And I genuinely wasn’t interested, I was more than happy to be on the leesh!
