‘But I loved William so much that I can’t–’
‘What did you just say? You loved William? Pat can you not see you’re talking in the past tense. You loved him, but he’s gone and maybe you need to think about how you feel about Tony – before it’s too late.’
Irene washed and Pat dried in silence for a while and the conversation might have finished there, but Irene couldn’t leave it. ‘How do you feel about having to leave the club?’
‘I’ll miss it so much.’
‘Pat get a grip! You’ll miss him so much.’ Irene sighed at the sadness in her sister’s face. ‘I’m sorry but, you know, a first love is so strong it never leaves you, especially if it’s snatched away. You keep it in your heart, safe and pure, and you find love again. It’s not the same, but it can be just as wonderful.’
‘I don’t know; I get so confused.’
‘That’s because you love them both. But it’s not a choice between the two – William’s gone and Tony is right here.’
Pat nodded, ‘You understand my feelings better than I do.’
‘And sure why wouldn’t I?’ and she scrubbed a pan furiously before adding, ‘Amn’t I your big sister?’
The following morning Pat and Tony drove to Windsor Park to check the arrangements for the final of the Uncle Sam Trophy baseball game to be played the following day. Pat had been nervous about facing him after the row about Devlin, but Tony behaved as though the events of the previous day had not taken place. He was buoyant at the prospect of the game.
‘I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd,’ he said. ‘It’s not every day you get to see baseball in Belfast! Did I tell you I was playing?’
Pat smiled. ‘Yes, I think you mentioned it a few times.’
A team of GIs was already there erecting huge tents for refreshments, putting up bunting, marking out the diamond on the pitch.
‘Just like a county show back home,’ said Tony. ‘Only thing we need is the weather.’
But as the morning wore on, dark clouds appeared over the Cave Hill and by noon they were forced to run to the jeep for shelter. It seemed that Tony’s mood had darkened too and, as the rain drummed on the canvas roof, they sat side by side in lonely silence.
‘Tony, I’m sorry about yesterday.’
‘Forget it.’ He continued to watch the rain. ‘I’ve sorted all that. A sergeant from my unit used to run a dance hall; he’ll manage the club for now.’
‘I don’t mean that …’ The sound of thunder made her pause – gave her a moment to reflect, to decide. ‘You asked me to tell you something and I didn’t, but I’d like to tell you now.’ She glanced sideways at his face – jaw set firm, eyes staring straight ahead.
‘His name was William, a civil servant. We sang together and worked together. For a long time there was nothing between us, but gradually we realised how we felt about each other. Soon after that we went to Dublin on business; he had a meeting with the government there. That’s where he asked me to marry him, bought me a ring.’ Could she finish the story? Say it! Say it! She willed herself to go on. ‘That night Dublin was bombed. William was killed.’ Her voice was a whisper. ‘The next day I came home on my own.’
There were no tears; she was beyond that, there was just emptiness.
She felt Tony’s hand on hers, heard the rain quicken on the roof and, after a while, Tony started the engine and drove her home.
Chapter 34
Theresa sat on Irene’s bed with her head in her hands. ‘I can’t believe he’s joined the army. Well, that’s put a stop to the Boston plan.’
‘No it hasn’t.’ Irene picked up the letter. ‘He says here, “You have to get right away from Ireland. I’m trying to raise the money for your fare to America. It will take me a few weeks, but once you’re there you can stay in our apartment for as long as you like.”’
‘But it might take ages for him to raise that much money and I can’t impose on your family any longer.’
‘He’ll get the money, I know he will, and until then you’re–’ Irene stopped. ‘Was that the door?’ She went out on to the landing. Martha was in the hallway below talking to someone outside – a familiar voice. She crept back into the bedroom. ‘Stay here, Theresa, nice and quiet.’
‘Irene,’ her mother called. ‘Come down a minute, will you?’
The light was fading, but the dark green uniform of an RUC officer was unmistakeable. Ted Grimes, once a close friend of Martha’s, was not welcome in her home, not since that bad business two years ago when he had threatened Irene. Martha had never found out the full story but she knew that it had something to do with Theresa’s brother who had fled to America. Now Ted was here again and she had no intention of inviting him in. He could state his business on the doorstep.
‘I’m here on official business, concerning Theresa O’Hara,’ he told Irene. ‘I know you’ve had dealings with her and her family in the past. We need to speak to her about the whereabouts of her husband – wanted for questioning about a serious crime – but she seems to have disappeared. A local informant told us she had gone to stay with a friend.’
‘I don’t know where she is,’ said Irene, ‘I haven’t seen her for months.’
‘Now look here, you’ve lied to me before.’ He took a step forward and thrust his face into hers. ‘If I find out you know where she is, your feet won’t touch the ground on the way to the police station, my girl, and I’ll see to it that they throw away the key!’
‘How dare you speak to my daughter like that, Ted Grimes, you’re not fit to wear that uniform. And, as for Theresa, you should be ashamed of yourself hounding a pregnant woman!’
‘Ho ho, pregnant is she?’ he sneered. ‘Now, how would you know that?’
Too late Martha realised her mistake, but Irene was quick to jump in, ‘A friend from the linen mill told me, of course!’ and she slammed the door in his face.
When he had gone, Martha brewed a pot of strong tea and they all sat down to draw up a plan of action to get Theresa out of Belfast in a hurry.
Ted Grimes had been suspicious, but they didn’t believe he had the proof to search their house for a woman who had not committed any crime. However, as Theresa pointed out, if the police knew she had gone to stay with a friend, the chances were that those who had bombed her out of the house and threatened her on the street would also know that and would be looking for her. The difference being that they probably did not know Irene and certainly did not know where she lived. Not yet.
They agreed that Theresa should leave for America as quickly as possible, but where would she get the fare?
‘Sean will send it. I’m sure of it,’ said Irene.
‘It’s not certain,’ argued Peggy.
Pat spoke up. ‘We can’t sit around waiting. Theresa needs to be away as soon as possible. Did you say the fare was thirty pounds, Theresa?’
‘Yes, when Michael and I checked that was the price for a single, Belfast to Liverpool then Liverpool to America.’
And they sat in silence contemplating the huge amount – more than any of them had ever seen at one time.
Eventually, Theresa spoke, ‘It’s just impossible. You’ve all been so kind, but I can’t stay here any longer. I won’t risk anything happening to you or your home. I’ll go and get my things,’ and she stood to go.
‘Sit down,’ said Martha. ‘We’ve all night to think of something. Put the kettle on again, Sheila.’
Pat arrived late at the club the following morning and as she crossed the ballroom she heard Tony on the phone in the office. ‘Yeah, that’s swell, nine o’clock will be fine. Everything will be ready, don’t worry. Good … good … can’t wait!’
‘That sounds interesting,’ said Pat.
‘Oh, just something about the band tomorrow night. It’s sorted now. Is everything okay?’
‘Yes, I just had some family business to sort out.’
‘Well, Patti, just two more days and you’ll be free from all us Yanks.’
‘Maybe I don’t
want to be free of you. I’ve loved every minute of it – although a day of baseball could change all that!’
‘No, you’re gonna love it, especially when my battalion wins the trophy. Good day for it too after all that rain yesterday.’
It was already very busy when they pulled up outside Windsor Park. Every battalion had sent a lorry-load of supporters. Children from local schools had been invited to watch and some Belfast people not at work had come out of curiosity.
‘There’s plenty of time to eat before the game,’ said Tony. In the refreshment tent they collected a tray of food and went to sit in the stand. ‘The hamburger’s good isn’t it? You like the ketchup?’
Pat nodded, ‘There’s something about American food–’
‘Yeah, it tastes good!’
‘That’ll be why you Americans are always eating.’
‘Are we?’
‘Yeah! Can I try that?’
‘Chilli dog? Are you sure?’
‘Remember that first day when you took me to look at the army bases?’
‘Yeah, you ate two helpings of meatloaf!’ he laughed.
‘That was when you told me about New York, but you said you lived on Long Island.’
‘Yeah, at Long Beach, ’bout forty-five minutes on the Long Island Railway out of the city.’
‘What’s it like there?’
‘Oh, it’s just a beach town built on a strip of sand with the ocean on one side and the bay on the other and about ten blocks in between. The houses are mostly timber-framed clapboard with shingle roofs. It’s just a couple a blocks from our house to the boardwalk and the beach.’ Tony leaned back on the bench and stared into the distance. ‘Of course, summers are real hot. We go swimming in the ocean to cool off, then come back and lie under the boardwalk outta the heat. Winters are hard though, twenty below some days, and when a blizzard comes through and dumps four feet of snow, well we just cosy up to the stove.’
‘I can just imagine it,’ Pat said softly.
Tony turned towards her. ‘Patti–’
‘Hi guys!’ It was Dwight, Tony’s fellow officer. ‘Game starts in thirty minutes, Tony – team captain’s asking for you.’ He nodded at Pat. ‘Are you coming to watch? I’ll sit with you, if you like, and explain the rules.’
‘It’s a bit like rounders, isn’t it?’
Dwight laughed. ‘I can see I’ve got my work cut out here!’
Two hours later Pat was bored stiff and completely confused by Dwight’s commentary. Tony had been fielding and had had little involvement with the game, but now his side was batting and Dwight explained that the game hung in the balance. The batsman swung in a wide arc and the ball flew high in the air and plummeted downwards, straight into the hands of a fielder.
‘Last man in has got to save the game,’ said Dwight and Pat followed his gaze to see the unmistakeable figure of Tony walking purposefully to the batting position.
How strange all this was, thought Pat, watching this man, so strong and handsome, an American, playing baseball. What twists of fate had brought her here to this moment, the moment when she knew absolutely that she loved him.
The ball was pitched, Tony swung at it and it flew – away beyond the pitch, out of the ground, soaring high – a home run! The crowd were on their feet cheering, Pat too was jumping up and down. Surely now the game was won.
‘Great game, great day,’ said Dwight.
‘And we still have the opening of the club tomorrow night to come. You’ll be there won’t you?’
‘Sure will. It’ll be our farewell to Northern Ireland party.’
‘You’re leaving?’
‘Yeah, our battalion is shipping out in two weeks. We’re up to strength and fully trained – time for us to make room for the new arrivals.’
Pat stopped walking and one look at her face told Dwight he had said the wrong thing.
‘Aw gee, Tony didn’t tell you?’
She waited for Tony after the game, watched him laughing with his friends. After a while he looked around and saw her. His smile was easy as he came towards her.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you’re leaving?’ she asked him.
His smile faded and he reached out to her. She stepped back.
‘I wanted you to enjoy tomorrow night,’ he tried to explain. ‘You’ve worked so hard to make everything a success. I couldn’t spoil that for you.’
‘So you were going to wait until we were locking up to say, “By the way we’ll never see each other again, nice knowing you.” Was that how you planned it?’ Her eyes widened. ‘No, wait a minute – you weren’t going to tell me at all, were you? Because on Monday I’d be back at Stormont anyway. ’
‘It wouldn’t have been like that–’
‘No? Well, how would it have been, Tony – tell me!’
‘I planned to make it a special evening for you. I hoped that somehow …’ He shook his head. ‘God Patti, I love you, don’t you know that? I can’t bear the thought of leaving you.’ The anguish in his face gave way to anger. ‘What’s the point anyway? You love someone else! And I can’t bear to share you with anyone, so that’s an end to it!’ and he turned away.
Pat touched his arm. ‘Tell me what you hoped would happen tomorrow night?’
‘Gee, I would know that you loved me as much as I love you and I would ask you to marry me and you’d say yes. And God forgive me for saying it, but that guy you love and the solitaire around your neck would disappear forever.’
Pat took his hand and guided it to her neck before she spoke. ‘I love you more than words can say and I promise you that you will not have to share me with anyone. Tomorrow night is going to be wonderful,’ and Pat watched his face as he heard her words and realised the ring was gone.
‘I’m telling you it’s all organised,’ said Pat.
‘So we don’t need the ten pounds I withdrew from the Post Office or the ten pounds Peggy borrowed from Mr Goldstein?’ asked Irene.
‘No, I had enough to buy the boat ticket with some to spare for Theresa to take with her.’
‘Away on with you!’ said Irene. ‘You got all that money from the pawn?’
‘No, from the jeweller on Royal Avenue who said it was an exquisite ring and would I take sixty pounds for it?’
Theresa stared in amazement at the ticket that would take her all the way to America. ‘I never thought I’d see this,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how to thank you all. Irene you’re the best friend anyone could have and your family are the kindest people I’ve ever met. And Pat, I’ll do my very best to repay you, even if it takes years.’
Pat shook her head. ‘There’s no need, Theresa. The ring was a gift to me and the ticket is a gift to you.’
Martha was just drifting off to sleep when there was a gentle knock and Pat put her head round the door. ‘Are you awake, Mammy?’
‘I am now,’ said Martha. ‘Switch on the light there.’
Pat was in her nightdress, her hair shining from the brushing she gave it every night before bed. Her face was flushed and Martha could see that, even though she tried hard not to, Pat couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. The significance of selling the ring had not been lost on Martha and she sensed that there was more to come.
Pat sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Mammy, this’ll probably come as a bit of a surprise.’
Or perhaps not, thought Martha.
‘You know Tony Farrelly, the American officer I work with? Well …’
‘You’re in love with him,’ said Martha.
Pat gasped. ‘How did you know?’
‘Sure don’t mammies know everything.’
Pat laughed. ‘He’s going to ask me to marry him.’
‘Oh, is he now? And you, no doubt, are going to say yes.’
‘I want to, but you know what that means, Mammy. I’ll end up away in America.’
‘That’s the way things work, Pat. I would never have wished what happened to you on my worst enemy. More than anyone, you deserve a good l
ife, a happy life and, if that means following this man to the other side of the world, I say seize it with both hands. I’ll miss you sorely, but the balm for that is knowing you’re happy.’
Martha settled down again to sleep but, truth be told, she wasn’t surprised to hear another knock on her door. ‘Come in, Irene.’
‘How did you know it was me?’
Martha raised an eyebrow. If she had to choose a word to describe her eldest daughter over the past couple of months it would be ‘blooming’.
‘Mammy, you know Sandy is coming to the opening of the club tomorrow. Well, I’ve got some news for him, but I want to tell you as well.’
‘Is that so?’
‘I’m going to have a baby.’
Martha smiled and nodded her head.
Irene laughed. ‘You knew didn’t you!’
Chapter 35
The magnificent ballroom was festooned with bunting and balloons and the glitter ball scattered prisms of light over the finest dance floor this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Just one couple, an American officer and his sweetheart, waltzed alone to the music in their heads. In less than an hour the club would be filled with the US Army top brass, local dignitaries and specially invited guests, but for now Pat and Tony were alone and they had unfinished business.
‘Patti, you know how much I love you.’
‘And I love you.’
‘You know what’s coming, don’t you?’
Pat feigned innocence. ‘No.’
Tony laughed and went down on one knee. ‘Patti, will you marry me?’
‘Yes, yes, of course I will.’
And Tony took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. Pat felt so full of love she could hardly breathe.
‘We’ll announce our engagement tonight,’ he whispered and we’ll marry on my next leave.’
Pat shook her head. ‘No, I want to marry now. I can’t wait.’
‘But it’s only days until I leave; there’s not much time to–’
‘I want to be your wife now. I want to be with you every minute, day and night, until you leave.’ And her words awakened his own desperate longing for this beautiful woman, his dearest friend, his Patti.
Golden Sisters Page 35
