Chapter 35
Dave had been tired after all the emotion of the proposal, he explained, and had gone to bed early, much to Kitty’s relief.
‘And there’s nothing on telly,’ he’d said. ‘Mam’s got all the channels. We should get them too.’
Kitty had nodded, miserably, not sure quite what she was agreeing to, but too confused to ask questions or to draw any attention to herself. She was trying to think clearly, to sort out the chaos which was muddling her brain. She even tried to organise the cutlery drawer but gave up when she realised that decluttering and tidying no longer gave her the comfort it once did. It was as though nothing she relied on before worked any longer, as though she had changed as a person in just a fortnight. It couldn’t be true, she told herself. She just had to remain calm and wait for herself to return to normal.
On Sunday afternoon, Kitty was pleased to see Shazza had made a sartorial effort and had on her leopard-skin dress, which she only wore on special occasions. It made Kitty feel that Shazza was more supportive than she had seemed.
Kitty hugged her on the doorstep of Catherine’s house. ‘You’re the first to arrive,’ she said. ‘Mum and Dave are in the living room.’
The atmosphere had been a little stilted but that was only because Dave wasn’t the best at making small talk and Catherine was still a little taken aback by the shock news. But there was cake and sandwiches and sausage rolls, and Catherine’s crystal flutes on the table, with the best Irish linen napkins and matching embroidered tablecloth.
‘Kitty was saying you are hoping to find a new job,’ Catherine was saying, as Shazza and Kitty walked back into the front room where Dave was.
‘That’s right,’ Dave said. ‘I was thinking something at executive level. Information technologists are highly sought after and someone of my level of experience…’ He looked up at Shazza. ‘Ah, Sharon,’ he said, holding out his hand. ‘It’s you… again.’
‘Dave!’ Shazza had her best smile on. ‘Congratulations, it’s such wonderful news…’ She shook Dave’s hand heartily. ‘Now, you look after this precious girl of ours, right?’ She turned to Catherine, who stood up to hug her hello, and Shazza and Catherine clung to each other for a bit too long. ‘Now, isn’t this lovely?’ Shazza went on, when she and Catherine finally released each other, her eyes glazed.
‘I’ll just go and get the sandwiches,’ said Catherine, standing up and leaving the room.
‘I’ll help you!’ shouted Shazza, breaking into a run and almost skidding as she disappeared around the door.
Dave and Kitty were left alone, and for a dreadful moment, Kitty thought they had nothing to say to each other. Perhaps she and Dave were just a little overcome by everything and therefore it was difficult to talk about normal things. They had a wedding to organise and so many big conversations to have, so perhaps small talk was impossible.
He’d slicked down his hair with a jar of Brylcreem which he’d found in his parents’ wardrobe and had belonged to his dead dad. ‘No point in wasting it,’ he’d said. ‘This stuff doesn’t go off.’ He looked like a ventriloquist’s dummy with his combed-down hair and weird suit. She had a very strong suspicion that this brown three-piece number belonged to his dead dad too but couldn’t bear to be told the truth so didn’t ask.
‘I think…’ she began.
‘Shall we…?’ He stopped. ‘You go…’
‘No, you.’ Maybe he would say something loving towards her, how he appreciated her and how he wanted no one else on his team but her… something which would ease her panic.
‘Okay.’ He grimaced again. ‘Shall we order cable television? There are good deals on packages at the moment or should we stick with Irish terrestrial TV? I mean, now we are to be married, it might be a good idea to invest in a decent entertainment system, all the sports channels and everything else.’
‘I don’t know, Dave,’ she said, weakly. ‘You’re the information technologist after all.’
He puffed up his chest a bit. ‘Yes, I am. Well, it will be the first decision I make as a newly betrothed man.’
The doorbell rang again and Kitty almost ran to open it.
‘Good afternoon, Kitty…’ It was Dave’s mother, dressed in a white dress, white jacket and white high heels, with a white bag which was the kind of drawstring bag that was usually reserved for flower girls. She looked as though she was dressed for her own wedding rather than mother-of-the-groom.
‘Hello, Maureen,’ said Kitty, knowing, with horror, that there would always be three of them in her marriage.
‘Show me the ring,’ demanded Maureen, her fingers like tentacles reaching for Kitty’s hand. Maureen pored over it. ‘It’s not every woman who can carry off a ring like that… it takes a certain kind of elegance to do it justice…’ She looked straight at Kitty. ‘But never mind… just don’t lose it, will you?’ And she dropped her voice to a hissed whisper of barely suppressed menace. ‘And if the two of you divorce at any point, bring the ring straight back to me? Don’t you go selling it, you hear me? It’s my ring and you’ll return it.’
‘Of course, Maureen.’ Kitty forced a smile. ‘Would you like to come in?’
‘Is David overheating? He’s wearing his father’s suit and I was worried all day. Those old suits don’t have any of those modern moisture-wicking qualities and the poor boy might be sweating buckets.’
‘He’s just in the front room,’ said Kitty.
Kitty left Maureen to it and walked quickly to the kitchen, where she noticed Shazza and Catherine stopped talking, looking startled when she walked in.
‘Yes, Catherine,’ said Shazza, in a loud voice, ‘I prefer window boxes to hanging baskets as well. Horizontal planting is easier on the eye. Oh, hi, Kitty…’
‘Dave’s mother has arrived,’ Kitty said, looking at the kitchen clock. 3.10p.m. Billy should be here soon. ‘You have to come and say hello.’
They sat in the front room, drinking tea.
‘David,’ said Maureen, ‘tell everyone about the washing line you installed for me. You see, David is very good with his hands. Very talented, always was. He was very good at the old Lego when he was young. I remember he built a car once, with wheels, wasn’t it, David?’
‘That’s right, Mam,’ said Dave, looking delighted with himself. ‘Go on about the washing line because it was not an easy installation job but the kind of thing that wouldn’t be worth the time of your common or garden local handyjobman. So, Mam was stuck, weren’t you, Mam?’
‘That’s right,’ she said. ‘“Don’t worry, Mam,” says David. “I’m here. I wouldn’t let you down or leave you in the lurch with nothing to dry your smalls on.” So, off he goes, hammer, screws… what else did you have, David?’
‘Posidrive,’ he said proudly. ‘It’s a type of screwdriver.’
‘Posidrive,’ repeated Maureen. ‘I’ll have to write that down. That’ll come up in University Challenge, will it not? Everything does at some point. We love that programme, don’t we, David? The youngsters are so clever, aren’t they?’
‘Not that clever, Mam,’ said Dave with a hint of irritation. ‘I mean, it’s not that impressive… Anyway, so there’s I with my tools…’
‘All belonging to David’s late father, David senior…’ said Maureen. ‘And I have to go to the little girl’s room. I find sausage rolls a little too greasy. They go straight through.’
‘Should we open the champagne now?’ asked Catherine.
‘Just wait for Dad,’ said Kitty. She slid her phone out of her pocket to glance at the time and to see if Billy had texted. Nothing. 3.30p.m. now.
The doorbell rang. Thank God.
‘I’ll get it,’ Kitty said, jumping up and rushing out into the hall. She pulled open the door, a big smile on her face…
But it was Annie. ‘Sorry I’m late… lost my keys and couldn’t find my purse and had to ask someone for a lift, but I’m here now… let’s get the party started!’