The Gift of Friends

by Emma Hannigan

  ‘I’ve got Calpol here,’ Betsy said. ‘That should do the trick. His cot is all newly made up and I’d say he’ll sleep if we change his nappy and make him more comfortable. I think you’re making the right decision to let the poor little mite have some relief, Graham.’

  ‘Yeah sure.’ He blushed and scratched his hair, which she noted was well overdue a trip to the barber’s. He had a heavy beard too, which she knew was all the rage with young men, but his was like a rat’s nest and she had an immediate urge to trim it so it wasn’t quite as scraggy. ‘And please call me Gray. It annoys Tash so much when people don’t.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Noel as he passed them to get more things from the car, ‘we’re not to call him the name we chose and called him all his life. That’s fine, isn’t it, love?’

  Betsy gave Noel a warning look and he stopped being sarcastic and continued with the unpacking.

  Betsy rushed to the kitchen to find the Calpol and then she gave Arnie the dose suggested on the bottle. He snatched the plastic measuring spoon, biting down on it. Knowing he’d bawl if she took it away, she replaced it quickly with a teaspoon.

  ‘Now, pet, that’s nice and cool and it’ll help with those bold teeth.’

  Noticing a changing bag slung over the banister, she wondered if there’d be a supply of nappies. Mercifully there were nappies, but no wipes, no cream and no bags to put the soiled one into. Noel had scolded her for ‘going overboard’ and buying everything at the supermarket, but now she was glad she was so prepared. She carried Arnie up to his bedroom.

  He looked around at everything with wide eyes, chewing on the spoon all the while. Betsy laid him on the change mat she’d bought and opened his onesie and removed his nappy. She gasped at the sight of his bottom. His poor skin was scalded and on fire with the worst nappy rash she’d ever seen. No wonder he was screaming during the flight! The nappy he was wearing was a cloth one, although there were a couple of disposable ones in the bag. While she had no objection to using cloth nappies, Betsy did have a problem with allowing his poor tender skin to become so horribly sore. Delighted to be free of the heavy, soaked nappy, Arnie kicked his legs.

  Almost in tears, Betsy kept one hand on him in case he rolled off the mat while she rooted in the drawers.

  ‘Yes!’ she said with such gusto that Arnie giggled. She’d secretly built up quite a lovely wardrobe for Arnie and had been planning on gifting it all to them when they were leaving. The little tracksuit looked as if it would fit him perfectly. She couldn’t remember if she’d bought the matching long-sleeved t-shirt and so was thrilled when she found that too.

  ‘Who’s got a clever nana, then?’ she said, tickling his tummy. Biting the tags off with her teeth, she lathered his bottom with nappy rash crème and dressed him in his new dry, cosy clothes. As she stood him up and told him how handsome he was, there was a loud bang on the front door, almost as if it were being kicked. Scooping Arnie into her arms, she peered out of the window to see Tasha pulling enormous bags out of a minibus taxi. Betsy braced herself.

  ‘Right, sweetness,’ she said. ‘Mummy’s home. Let’s see what wonderful transformation you’ve brought over her, shall we?’

  Betsy carried Arnie downstairs, expecting Tasha to rush in and grab him. Instead, she barely looked over at either of them. She didn’t even start with hello, but chose instead to yell at Graham like a fishwife.

  ‘Eh, are you expecting me to do all this on my own, ya lazy shit? In front of your parents too!’ she shouted, rolling her eyes. ‘Pay your man too, yeah,’ she said to Noel without greeting him. In utter shock, poor Noel walked out and paid the taxi man and joined them in the ‘playroom’. All the bags and boxes were abandoned higgledy-piggledy in the hallway. Betsy stepped over them and brought the baby into the room, where Noel soon joined them too.

  ‘Wow, look at all this stuff!’ Graham was saying. ‘Ah yeah, I remember this. Oh, and this,’ he said as he looked at the things. ‘Look Tash, Mum and Dad have kept my old stuff as well as buying a whole heap more, isn’t it great?’

  ‘I assume you’ve told them our plans?’ She folded her arms and stared at him as if she might punch or kick him at any given moment.

  ‘Hello Tasha,’ Betsy said tightly. ‘I hope you had a good flight.’

  Tasha didn’t look at her. ‘Well?’ she demanded, still staring at Graham.

  ‘Yeah, so I hope you don’t mind, Mum and Dad, but we’ve decided to come back home for good.’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ said Betsy. Her head was spinning. ‘For good as in, you’re moving back?’ She was astonished. ‘Sorry, I must sound like an eejit, but I’m so shocked. I’m delighted, though,’ she said, recovering and then promptly bursting into tears. ‘It’s the best news, isn’t it, Noel love?’

  ‘Ah that’s super news, son, we’re delighted we’ll have you both, and especially little Arnie who seems to be best friends with his nana already!’

  ‘Yup,’ said Graham, ‘if you’ll have us, can we stay here for a bit? We won’t be in your hair for too long, I hope. I aim to find a place for me and the wife and the little fella and we’ll be all set.’

  ‘We don’t want to stay with his olds for any longer than we have to,’ Tasha said, looking at them as if they were depriving her of something rather than coming to the rescue of her family.

  ‘Well, rental accommodation really isn’t easy to come by,’ said Betsy. ‘So don’t worry about it for the moment. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you wish, isn’t that right, Noel?’

  ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Let’s wait until you settle in first. We have all the time in the world for figuring out the logistics. The important thing is that our Graham is home, and with little Arnie!’

  ‘It’s Gray,’ Tasha spat, but they all ignored her.

  Half an hour later, the house was still littered with bags and boxes and Betsy was at a loss. She liked order. Everything had its place and she was the first to admit that it was over the top, but she hated shoes inside the house. That was why there was a shoe rack to the side of the porch with slippers of all sizes ready for people to help themselves. She’d bought them at IKEA and they were made of towelling material and could be washed.

  Making a mental note to explain that particular house rule and a few other things, she let it go for the moment. She knew the best policy was to start as she meant to go on, though, so the house rules would be put up sooner rather than later.

  ‘Let’s have some lunch and we can discuss plans,’ she said. At least if they were in the dining room and the kitchen, she wouldn’t have to look at the chaos.

  ‘Jeez-Louise!’ Tasha shouted as she walked into the room. ‘Look at this! A full-on fancy dining room, with handmade-expensive dishes and all! Ah, thanks so much for going to so much effort, Mum.’

  Betsy winced. She didn’t expect her daughter-in-law to be formal around her. She wouldn’t like it, in fact. But she wasn’t keen on being called Mum by anyone but Graham – Gray.

  She served the prawn cocktail with a little wedge of lemon that she’d wrapped in gauze and tied with a little bow.

  ‘This is just dinky!’ Tasha said.

  Betsy wasn’t sure if she was being overly sensitive or what, but that girl shouted and bellowed every word. If she didn’t stop, Betsy would have a permanent headache. Arnie was in his new high-chair and seemed very pleased, if a little perplexed. The redness of his cheeks had subsided and he seemed in much better form.

  ‘You needn’t have bought that chair,’ said Gray. ‘We brought his old one. But having said that, this is far nicer. We bought his at a garage sale. I think we paid four or five dollars for it, didn’t we, Tash?’

  ‘Yeah, something like that. We don’t believe in spending tonnes of cash on stuff. We were living in shared accommodation for the last while. Since Arnie here was a baby really.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Gray said, shovelling tuna pasta into his mouth. They weren’t the manners he’d been reared with, Betty thought, but like everyt
hing else, she let it go. ‘That way we didn’t need to work too much. Paying rent and lecky bills and all that stuff is a total waste of energy.’

  ‘How did you avoid paying bills?’ Noel asked, looking confused. ‘Every house costs money.’

  ‘Not ours,’ Tasha said, grinning. ‘We didn’t own it.’

  ‘But the landlord didn’t let you stay there for free,’ Noel said. ‘Or do your parents own it?’

  Tasha laughed. ‘Nah, I don’t come from the bourgeoisie, mate. I’m a real person. I don’t mind roughing it a bit. It’s good for the planet if we live more simply, ya know.’

  Noel shook his head. ‘I still don’t get it,’ he said. ‘You can’t acquire a house without acquiring bills with it.’

  ‘We were squatting,’ Tasha said with a shrug. ‘That clever solution wouldn’t even occur to someone like you, with your fancy stuff and your too-big house and your climate-changing emissions, but to people like us, people who care, it’s obvious.’

  Betsy and Noel exchanged a look.

  ‘You mean . . .’ Noel said, staring over at Arnie, ‘you had a baby staying in an illegal situation, with no electricity or warmth or comforts?’

  Tasha shook her head. ‘See, I knew it was beyond your tiny, narrow view of the world. Completely beyond you, mate. But yeah, we had our baby living with us the way we love to live. Me and Gray. That’s our way of making the world a better place. And as soon as we can, we’ll find a squat here and we’ll be out of this frigging monstrosity of a house. Can’t happen quick enough for me.’

  As she tried not to choke on her prawn cocktail, Betsy looked at Noel, whose face had gone an oddly florid shade.

  Chapter 7

  MAIA PUT DOWN HER PHONE AND SIGHED. THE party was going to be stupendous, but my God there was a lot of work to get through to get it right. She’d just been on to the marquee people, explaining how it had to be blush and gold because that was the colour theme of the night. Eventually the woman had offered to have it tailormade – for an extra five grand. Maia had agreed. It had to look right, and she wasn’t changing her colour scheme now she’d got the chair covers, pelmets, napkins, plates and banners all sorted in blush and gold. Anyway, Freddie wouldn’t mind. He trusted her to make the money decisions in the house and she’d never let him down. He’d want it to look right as much as she did.

  She hoped he’d feel the same way about her dress. It was from Harvey Nicks and it had cost an absolute fortune, but it was blush and gold, so it had to be done. She knew he’d love her in it. It had a plunging neckline and a slit up the thigh, so it was exactly the kind of dress he loved her to wear. It was all going to put a dent in the bank account, but it would be worth it.

  Speak of the devil! Freddie walked into the kitchen, looking preoccupied as usual. He was staring at his phone as he walked, frowning.

  ‘Jesus, Freddie, the meaning of life must be on that screen you study it so much,’ she said, teasing him.

  ‘What?’ He looked up. ‘What?’

  She sighed again. ‘Nothing. We have to be ready to go at six o’clock, okay. The school wants everyone in their seats by six-forty-five, so we can’t be late. Can you believe it, our kids graduating? It sounds daft, doesn’t it?’

  Freddie was still staring at his phone. ‘Yeah,’ he said absently.

  ‘I’m having an affair with the milkman,’ Maia said.

  ‘Yeah,’ he said again, then he suddenly looked at her. ‘What did you say?’

  Maia rolled her eyes. ‘It seems I have to be dramatic to get your attention these days. Is that work?’ she said, nodding at the phone.

  ‘Do I ever do anything else?’ he muttered.

  Maia walked around the counter and went over to him. She snaked her arms around his neck and nuzzled him. ‘Come on, do you not have any nice words for your wife?’ she said. ‘Or maybe a few minutes to hop upstairs and make each other happy?’

  The phone began to ring and Freddie nearly jumped.

  ‘Not now, love,’ he said gruffly. ‘This is a private call.’ He turned and walked quickly out of the room and into the study next door, shutting the door tightly behind him.

  Maia stood there feeling stupid and unattractive. That seemed to be how things were between them lately. He never had time for her and wasn’t interested in anything she had to say. There was something eating him up, but he refused to talk to her about whatever it was. It had to be work, but she hadn’t a clue beyond that. She’d never really known the ins and outs of that side of his life, so she was in the dark.

  He’d always been private about his business affairs, and that was fine with her. It was his business and he ran it well. He had a jewellery shop in Vayhill and it had seen off all competitors and pretty much had a monopoly in the area now. He’d always done well, but over the last years the money had really been rolling in, and that had made her wonder, but she didn’t want to rock the boat.

  ‘You don’t ask no questions and I’ll tell you no lies, yeah?’ he’d said recently, when she’d tried to ask him about it.

  She was worried, but at the same time she knew Freddie was no fool. She just had to trust him that he wasn’t into anything he shouldn’t be, like illegal stuff. She had a dread in the pit of her stomach that maybe he was, that that’s what all the secret phone calls were about, but she just couldn’t bring herself to ask him. He had never involved her in the business in any way, it was his domain, so she pushed down her fears, kept spending money and prayed he knew what he was doing.

  She went off to get ready, knowing her new dress and makeup would help her feel better. The graduation ceremony was the biggest night of the year in the twins’ private school, and with that lot, that was saying something. Freddie was shelling out twenty grand a year each for Zach and Zara, but he always said it was a solid investment. No kid ever came out of that school and didn’t end up wealthy and successful, and that’s what they wanted for the twins.

  She was just zipping up her royal blue off-the-shoulder cocktail dress when Zara walked in.

  ‘Wow, Mum, you look amazing,’ she said, eyeing her from head to toe.

  ‘Well you look utterly gorgeous in that gown,’ Maia said, feeling teary at the sight of Zara looking like a well-groomed woman. ‘We nailed it with that Alaïa number, didn’t we?’

  ‘I love it,’ Zara said, looking down at herself admiringly.

  The graduates wore evening wear for the ceremony, and they had spent weeks finding the perfect dress. It was a pearl grey silk gown, with beading on the bodice, and cinched in at the waist to show off Zara’s perfect figure. Her hair was loose and made her look youthful and very beautiful.

  ‘Are you ready for Sorcha?’ Zara asked. ‘She’s just arrived.’

  ‘I certainly am,’ Maia said. ‘Bring her on up.’

  Sorcha was Maia’s makeup artist, and she came to the house regularly to get them ready for nights out. She was quick and professional and made Maia look ten years younger every time. She knew she’d get a big tip at the end of each session, so she made it her business to be the best, and Maia made it worth her while.

  At six o’clock, Maia and Zara were waiting in the kitchen, made up to perfection. They each had a matching fur wrap for their dresses, made especially by the seamstress in the village.

  ‘Come on, boys!’ Maia shouted. ‘Time to roll.’

  Zach wandered into the kitchen, grinning at them. ‘How are the super models?’ he drawled.

  ‘You look so handsome,’ Maia said, admiring his tux. ‘Just perfect.’

  ‘And do I pass muster?’ Freddie asked, walking in from the study.

  ‘As ever,’ Maia said, straightening his dicky-bow. ‘And I’m so glad you’ve torn yourself away long enough to join us.’

  ‘Just doing business,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s important.’

  ‘Okay,’ Maia said, smiling at him. ‘But now it’s time to have some fun.’

  The school assembly hall was almost unrecognisable from its normal daytime look. It
was set out with chairs for the audience, and the stage was bedecked in a heavy red velvet curtain. The lighting had been designed by a professional team, and the caterers were on standby, ready to move away the chairs and set out the buffet meal and disco after the ceremony. The crowd was so glamorous, that even Maia in her stunning dress felt a bit dowdy. Everywhere she looked were designer outfits and Louboutins, and as for the car park – it was wall-to-wall Land Rover, Lexus, Audi and Porsche.

  ‘It’s like bleedin’ Maxwell Motors out there,’ Freddie said, grinning. She hadn’t seen him look so like himself in ages. He used to feel intimidated by these sorts of gatherings, but over the years she reckoned he’d come to enjoy the feeling that he’d paid his way in and actually belonged here.

  It was rare to see so many parents because so many of them were high-fliers, with incredibly demanding jobs, and their children were full-time boarders. But they had turned out for this special night in their children’s lives. The school had come top of the league tables for the Leaving Cert results, so there was much to celebrate. This was the final farewell, and they were sending off their students in some style.

  ‘It’s a far cry from St Assumpta’s, isn’t it?’ Maia whispered to Freddie.

  ‘You can say that again,’ Freddie said, looking around. ‘This is like a film star party, like something in Cannes.’ He shook his head. ‘If our kids don’t make it big after this, Maia, they’ve only themselves to blame. We’ve given them some start.’

  Maia smiled. ‘Yeah, we have, and I’m proud of us. I’m really proud of you, though, for bankrolling it all. You’re an amazing dad.’

  Freddie looked as though he’d burst with pride. ‘Thanks, love,’ he said, kissing her cheek. ‘And I’ve the most beautiful wife here by a country mile.’

  Maia appreciated the thought, but she was feeling far from beautiful. The other women looked so classically stylish, it was effortless chic. Her loud dress and silver skyscraper heels and matching wrap suddenly didn’t look so hot. She felt a bit cheap. She felt like exactly what she was, in fact – a woman from the wrong side of the tracks made good, but not quite hitting the mark. These women didn’t have a Marjory, that was for damn sure.