The Gift of Friends

by Emma Hannigan

  ‘I’ll be late for work,’ Justin said. ‘I better go. Excuse me.’

  Nancy, Betsy and Maia walked slowly back down the driveway and back across the road.

  ‘I miss Danielle being here already,’ Betsy said. ‘She’d be a huge loss to the road.’

  ‘It’s not looking good,’ Maia said. ‘Poor Danielle.’

  ‘But what about Pearl?’ Betsy said suddenly. ‘Has anyone seen her since last night?’

  ‘No,’ Maia said. ‘Myself and Nancy went around there, to ask Seth about it.’

  ‘That was brave of you,’ Betsy said. ‘I wouldn’t relish that idea myself.’

  ‘Well, he wasn’t exactly delighted to see us,’ Nancy said, ‘but he said it was a minor incident and they’d be home from the hospital soon.’

  ‘Let’s hope that’s the case,’ Betsy said. ‘I was so worried when I saw that ambulance, but I didn’t want to run down and get in the way. But then when Pearl shouted, it just didn’t sound like her at all.’

  ‘What did she shout?’ Maia said. ‘Zara didn’t mention that.’

  ‘She shouted, “Go on, have a good look”,’ Betsy said. ‘She sounded distraught.’

  ‘I hope she’s back soon,’ Maia said, looking worried. ‘I can’t bear this not knowing.’

  ‘Keep me informed,’ Betsy said. ‘I better go in now. It’s Arnie’s lunchtime.’ She headed off up her driveway, and Maia and Nancy walked on.

  ‘There’s a car parked outside your place,’ Maia said.

  Nancy looked down the road. It was Steve’s car. He was sitting in it, obviously waiting for her, and when he spotted her, his face broke into a smile.

  Nancy felt now was as good a time as any. ‘Actually, Maia, that’s someone I’d like you to meet. Come on.’

  They walked on down and Steve stepped out of the car to greet them.

  ‘Hi Nancy. I just came to see how the meeting went and if you’re doing okay.’

  ‘It went much better than I expected,’ Nancy said, her eyes twinkling. ‘You won’t believe it, but the council has dropped the CPO. It’s over.’

  ‘What?’ He looked at her in astonishment. ‘No way! That’s fantastic news. It’s completely dropped? No CPO, no offers of money and accommodation?’

  ‘Exactly,’ Nancy said. ‘It’s all gone off the table. I’m free to stay and there’s no threat of eviction.’

  Steve picked her up and swung her round.

  ‘Oh my goodness,’ she said, throwing back her head and laughing. ‘You crazy boy, you’ll break your back.’

  ‘I just can’t believe it,’ he said. ‘I thought I’d be a shoulder to cry on, and here we are, all sorted. I couldn’t be happier for you.’

  Maia looked curiously from him to Nancy and back again.

  ‘Maia,’ Nancy said, ‘this is Steve. My son.’

  Steve looked at her in surprise, then smiled. ‘Yes, I am,’ he said.

  Nancy thought Maia was actually going to fall down in the street. Her mouth opened and shut, but nothing came out. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

  ‘Son?’

  Nancy nodded. ‘It’s a long story, Maia, and one I never wanted to share, but I had a baby when I was sixteen and ended up in a Magdalene. The baby was taken from me, I put the whole sorry episode behind me, but about a month ago I got a letter asking me to meet Steve. I agreed, and now we’re building a relationship.’

  ‘Jesus Christ,’ Maia said, turning to sit on the wall. ‘I’ve known you seventeen years and you never told me this?’

  ‘We all have our secrets,’ Nancy said.

  ‘Well, I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr Very Big Secret,’ Maia said, holding out her hand to Steve.

  He laughed. ‘Thrilled to bits,’ he said. ‘This is all very new for me and Nancy, but we’re finding our way.’

  ‘That’s lovely,’ Maia said.

  ‘Such fantastic news,’ Steve said, shaking his head. ‘And you know, Nancy, it still doesn’t rule out the opportunities we talked about.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Nancy said.

  ‘Well, you’ve stared down the barrel of changing your life now,’ Steve said, ‘and you might still want to make some changes. I mean, the house is very big. Might not be a bad idea to get a valuation, just to see where it stands, you know. And that investment opportunity is still live. I got mine sorted yesterday, and was thinking I should mention it to you again.’

  ‘You’re very kind,’ Nancy said, ‘but I think I’ll stay put and keep a tight hold on the finances.’

  ‘No problem,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to dash now, I’ve got a job on, but I’ll be in touch and we can celebrate in style.’

  ‘Thanks, Steve,’ Nancy said. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

  When he drove off, Maia rounded on her. ‘A son? Seriously?’

  ‘I know it’s a bit crazy,’ Nancy said, ‘but it was a horrible time for me back then, how I got pregnant and everything, and I never wanted to talk about it.’

  ‘Oh my poor Nancy,’ Maia said, squeezing her arm.

  ‘It’s early days, I’m just trying to be the mother he wants.’

  ‘And is he the son you want?’ Maia asked.

  ‘I need to focus on being there for him,’ Nancy said. ‘I want to make a strong connection with him.’

  ‘Okay,’ Maia said, ‘but that cuts both ways. What was that stuff about valuations and investments?’

  ‘It’s just a good investment he’s bought into and was hoping I might do the same.’

  ‘Is that not an odd opener when you’re reconciled with your mother?’ Maia asked.

  ‘No,’ Nancy said, feeling irritated. ‘He’s absolutely lovely and very eager to help me. He just mentioned it as something I might be interested in. That’s all.’

  ‘Right,’ Maia said.

  ‘I’m going in for a nap, I think, Maia. I’m wrecked after all that. But thank you for being there today. It was very fitting that you got that news with me. You’re the one I’d have missed the most.’

  ‘You old flatterer,’ Maia said, laughing. ‘And you know I adore you.’

  ‘Well you’re not getting rid of me now, that’s for sure,’ Nancy said. ‘I’m going out of this place in a pine box and not a moment before.’

  Chapter 26

  PEARL FELT EXHAUSTED DOWN TO HER BONES. THE past forty-eight hours had been stressful and hectic, and she longed to crawl into her own bed and shut her eyes and disappear for hours in sleep. It was a craving for rest and escape and it burned through her whole body. But she had to push that feeling aside because she was Drew’s mother first and foremost, and her boy still needed her by his side.

  The doctors had kept Drew in that night they’d arrived, and then again the following night. They had dealt with his physical injuries quickly and were happy that he was in good health other than the cut on his arm, but during the treatment Drew had cried inconsolably and repeated, ‘I hate Daddy’ over and over. It wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out that the two things were connected, and soon a nice nurse began to gently ask Pearl about the situation at home. In the past, Pearl would have lied, or glossed over the truth, because the fear of the repercussions of being honest would have been too much for her. But she was past that fear now. Seth had turned their home into a savage place, had terrorised them and hurt Drew. This was the same man who had just retired and was going to be around them all the time. No. For the first time in her life with Seth, Pearl allowed herself to think that tiny little word: no.

  She was done with the life Seth had imposed on her. She couldn’t live it anymore and wouldn’t make Drew live it for one second longer. He didn’t deserve that, innocent Drew, who couldn’t understand why his father hated him. Pearl had taken Tommy’s hand in hers, taken a deep breath and through tears, she’d told the truth. She told the lovely nurse all about her life with Seth, and how Seth detested Drew’s disability, and how he blamed her for it. She told her that Seth had beaten them both, and that’s why they were in th
e hospital. The nurse listened intently, not interrupting, but her eyes were filled with pity.

  ‘Okay, Pearl,’ she’d said at last. ‘I know that was really hard for you to say, but you’re so brave to have said it. You’re going to have to be even braver now because you have to make the changes necessary to get you and Drew out of harm’s way, do you understand me?’

  Pearl nodded, feeling the horrible weight of her responsibility, and her failure. She was responsible for Drew, and she had let him get hurt. The nurse was being nice about it, but she was probably appalled that any mother could mess up so badly. But Pearl knew exactly what she was saying: she had to deal with Seth once and for all. It didn’t matter how scared she was, it was now or never.

  A while later, two very nice gardaí had arrived to talk to her. Pearl was utterly mortified, but the nurse explained that they had to inform the police of suspected domestic violence cases. Pearl did understand, but she had really hoped she could deal with this on her own, in her own way. That wasn’t an option, though. The woman, Garda O’Neill, had been very kind, listening to her story and making notes. Her colleague, Garda Regan, told Pearl he had dealt with many such cases and that he admired her for taking a stand. Pearl wanted the ground to swallow her up. Admired her? That was a joke. Her life was a shambles and it was her fault.

  ‘Now, Pearl, I need to advise you that we are going to call to your home and talk to your husband about this matter,’ Garda O’Neill said. ‘You need to be aware of that because it could anger him and create a volatile situation. We also need to know, will you sign a statement and press charges of assault against him?’

  Pearl glanced at Tommy, then down at her wedding ring. ‘No, I don’t want to go down that route,’ she said. ‘I’d like him gone from our lives, but I don’t want to get all official and drag us all through the courts.’

  ‘Well now, it wouldn’t be you inconveniencing people, Pearl. It would be justice,’ Garda Regan said gently. ‘He has hurt you and your son, so making him answer for that is perfectly acceptable.’

  ‘I suppose,’ Pearl said, feeling tired and confused. ‘But his family are very nice people, and his dad is elderly and still alive, and it would break their hearts if this ended up in the courts and Seth in jail. I couldn’t do that to them.’

  ‘I understand,’ Garda Regan said. ‘But if you change your mind, contact us immediately, okay? We aren’t going to arrest him without a statement from yourself, Pearl, but we are going to call around and give him a very strong caution. And I recommend that you discuss a protection order or barring order with your solicitor or with the Citizens Advice Bureau. I can give you a contact number. You have rights, Pearl, and even if you don’t want to take this to court, I think you should use the law to put protection in place for you and Drew.’

  Pearl didn’t even want to think about how Seth would react when they pulled up at the house, or what the repercussions might be.

  Later, after the police had left and Drew had fallen asleep, Pearl sat with Tommy, the two of them whispering, heads bent together, talking about Pearl’s options and Seth’s likely reaction. And then her phone lit up and vibrated and it was his name: SETH.

  Pearl looked at Tommy and he nodded at her. ‘It’s alright, I’m here,’ he said. ‘You do have to deal with this, like the nurse said. Let’s see what he has to say for himself.’ With shaking hands, Pearl took up the phone and opened his email:

  Pearl,

  I’m going to stay at a hotel until this is sorted to my satisfaction. I received a visit from the local police this evening, which was deeply shocking. I explained the situation and countered your false beliefs. They seemed to think our marriage couldn’t survive this incident, but I believe them to be wrong.

  I can no longer live in this household in its current make-up. This has been crystallised for me by my retirement plans, which do not and will not include your son. My proposal is simple – you will organise residential care for Drew, whereby he will live in a facility that can cater for his condition. He will live there permanently, and you may visit him once a week. You will fire Tommy as he will no longer be needed. When these things have been completed, contact me and at that point I will return to our home and our marriage. I will not return until these items have been resolved fully.

  You have created an unacceptable and untenable home life for me, Pearl, and I hold you entirely responsible for that gross failure. But you are my wife, so we can renew our marriage once these issues have been eradicated. You created the problem, and I’m giving you the chance to solve it, to the advantage of you and me and our future life together. I trust you will understand that this is a gesture of compassion and tolerance on my part and respond in kind.

  Seth

  Pearl stared at his words until they blurred into a big clump of grey nothingness. He was certifiably insane if he thought she was going to farm Drew out to anyone. Then the anger began to course through her, replacing the horror and giving her the clarity that she sorely needed.

  ‘I’m divorcing him,’ she said, looking at Tommy. ‘I’m going to get him out of the house and out of our lives. I’ll call the police in if I have to, but this is over. It stops here and now.’

  ‘I think you’re right,’ Tommy said quietly. ‘I’m not saying that because of anything to do with us, it’s just that what he did to Drew that night . . .’ he rubbed his face tiredly. ‘It’s vicious, you know. Drew is so traumatised by it. I swear to God, if I have to look at that man again, I’ll knock his teeth out. He’s a bully, the very worst kind of bully. Total lowlife.’ He shook his head.

  ‘I know,’ Pearl said. ‘I’ve let this happen, Tommy. I’ve been frightened of him for so long, and it made me weak and stupid. This is my fault.’

  Tommy’s jaw tightened. ‘If you say that, you’re playing right into his way of seeing you,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘You’ve got to move on, Pearl, and see this for what it is, otherwise you’ll never be free of it, even when he’s moved out.’

  ‘It’s hard,’ Pearl said, bending her head as the tears started to fall. ‘Everything I feel, the anger, the shame, the guilt, it’s all directed at myself more than at him.’

  ‘So what are you going to do?’ Tommy said. ‘You need a plan of action so you don’t bottle it again. Why don’t you write out a list of things you need to do to get rid of him?’

  Pearl was a bit stung by his tone of voice, and by the acknowledgement that she’d wimped out before, but what Tommy was saying did make sense and she tried to focus on that. If she could see a direct path to being free of Seth, that would make it easier to achieve. She took an address book out of her bag, found a blank page and dug out a pen from the bottom of the bag. Then she wrote out a list that she hoped would save her life: 1. Send Seth email to say he is to remain out of house or else I will contact the police, 2. Get solicitor to send a letter to Seth outlining allegations against him, and tell him these allegations and supporting evidence are lodged in the solicitor’s safe, and warn him that if he tries to contact us again, the file will be sent to the police, 3. Counselling for Drew, 4. Research divorce proceedings and initiate them asap, 5. Research barring order and take steps to put it in place, 6. Change locks on house.

  She turned to Tommy. ‘Can you think of anything else?’

  He shook his head. ‘That’s a great start,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you send an email to your solicitor now and go do it in the morning. I’ll stay by Drew’s side while you’re gone.’

  Pearl was too tired to argue, plus she wanted to feel like she was doing something concrete for Drew. So even though it was 4 a.m., she sent off an email asking her solicitor to see her later that day, urgently. She went online and looked up the number for the locksmiths in the Vayhill Shopping Centre and left a message on their phone saying she needed an urgent job that day, and leaving her contact number. Then she laid her head back against the wall and tried to stop the images of Seth’s fists from taking over her mind. The horror kept being repla
yed on a loop, and each time the shame she felt increased. Why, oh why had she allowed this to become her life?

  At half-seven, Pearl kissed the sleeping Drew lightly, hugged Tommy and left the hospital. She called a taxi and then made the driver stop down the main road, so no one would see her pull into Kingfisher Road. She couldn’t cope with talking to anyone just yet. She snuck into her own house, head down, hurrying. When she put her key in the door, her heart began thumping madly. What if he had tricked her and was still here? She opened the front door slowly and quietly, ears strained to hear any sound. His car wasn’t in the driveway, so he probably was as good as his word and was holed up in a hotel somewhere. Pearl crept from room to room, and only breathed properly again when she was sure the house was empty. She ran back downstairs and put the chain-lock across the front door.

  She had a quick shower, changed her clothes, then gathered her things and some things for Drew and ran out of Kingfisher Road. It was only half-eight and the place was quiet. Once she reached the pub on the main road, she took out her phone and rang her solicitor’s office. The receptionist was already on duty and after Pearl explained briefly what she needed, she was told to come in immediately. She rang for a taxi and was sitting at her solicitor’s desk by nine-fifteen, relaying the events of the other night, and of the last sixteen years, since Drew’s birth. Annmarie Keegan was her solicitor, and she was visibly shocked by Pearl’s story, although she maintained a professional composure throughout. Once all the formalities had been carried out, Annmarie sat back and looked at her.

  ‘I’m so sorry to hear that, Pearl,’ she said. ‘I had no idea. You hid it very well.’

  ‘I was stupid,’ Pearl said.

  Annmarie frowned. ‘No, you weren’t,’ she said. ‘You were living under duress and you were terrified. It’s no easy matter to own up to an abusive relationship.’