Moving On

Pub

Pub

‘HELLO, STRANGER,’ CLAIRE SAID, HOPPING OFF the bus, flinging her arms around Ellen. ‘You’re a sight for sore eyes.’

‘Took you long enough to get here.’

‘I know. Sorry. I had to practically donate a kidney to Dad before he let me go.’

She wore a red coat Ellen hadn’t seen before – ‘on sale in A Wear’ – and platform patent boots that added three inches to her height. Her eyes were ringed with black, her lipstick the same shade of red as the coat.

She wasn’t here to stay. This visit was just for the night. Martin hadn’t come home at the end of the summer as he’d promised, opting instead to stay in London for as long as his job lasted, which meant that seven weeks after her arrival in Galway, Ellen was still living with Frances, and there was no way of knowing when Claire would be free to join her.

It was a blow, but not the end of the world. She had a job she loved, and Danny and his friends for nights out, and she and Frances were getting on OK. She’d survive until Martin finally showed up and freed his sister to come to Galway.

‘So tell me,’ Claire said, linking arms with Ellen as they walked to the bus stop, ‘who we’re meeting tonight.’

‘Danny and his gang will be in the pub, and you’ll meet others at the college disco.’

‘Can’t wait. And which man do you have your eye on, so I can leave him alone?’

‘Nobody. None of them. You’re welcome to any of them.’

‘Oh come on – there must be someone.’

‘There’s nobody. I’m still biding my time.’

‘What about Danny? Hasn’t he made a move yet?’

‘Claire, I told you, we’re friends.’

Good friends, as close as they’d been before life had pulled them apart. Did she want it to change, to turn into something more? She honestly couldn’t say. For now, she was happy as things were.

‘Ellen Sheehan, you will die a spinster. And worse, a virgin.’

She’d heard it all before, many times. ‘Biding my time,’ she repeated, and Claire gave up.

At the house she presented Frances with the box of Black Magic she’d brought on Ellen’s advice. ‘Thank you so much for letting me stay the night. I’ve heard great things about you.’

‘Have you.’ There was a brief pause. ‘Your skirt is very short.’

Claire laughed. ‘Isn’t it? It must have shrunk in the wash. I’m mortified.’ Ellen had to bite her lip to stop smiling as she watched Claire pulling down the skirt, or pretending to.

Frances wasn’t fooled. ‘Don’t come crying to me if you go home with pneumonia.’

‘I’ll keep my coat on all night,’ Claire promised, and Frances made no response to that. She’d got the measure of her, Ellen thought. She saw the wildness in her friend, right from the start. Clever Frances.

After dinner they went upstairs to make Claire’s bed and freshen up. In Ellen’s room Claire pushed open the window and poked her head out. ‘Just checking I’ll know the one to throw pebbles at when I come home in the small hours.’

Ellen laughed. ‘That won’t be happening, because you’ll be coming home with me.’

Claire pulled in her head. ‘Say I meet someone, though.’

‘But what if you don’t remember the way back to this house?’

Claire pushed up a sleeve. ‘Write the name of the road there,’ she said, and Ellen found a pen and wrote it on her arm.

‘Just stay safe.’

‘I will of course. Frances is a howl, isn’t she? The fierce looks she gives.’ Claire pulled a small silver flask from her bag and unscrewed the top. ‘Here, take a swig of that.’

‘What is it?’

‘Brandy, to keep the cold out.’

Fifteen minutes later they came downstairs giggling like schoolchildren, and Ellen was relieved that Frances was already installed in the sitting room for the evening. ‘Goodnight,’ they called, and through the closed door they heard her response. Frances didn’t take a drink, and Ellen wasn’t sure what she’d make of them getting a bit tiddly before they even went out.

They pulled the front door shut and walked up the path. ‘We need to be quiet coming in,’ Ellen said. ‘She’ll be cross if we wake her.’

‘We’ll be like the grave.’

The pub where she’d arranged to meet Danny and the others, like many Galway pubs on a Saturday night, was filling up with students. Claire took off in search of stools while Ellen went to the counter. By the time Danny showed up alone, they were halfway through their second round of gins.

‘Finally,’ Claire said, getting to her feet as Ellen made the introductions. ‘The mysterious Danny from Ellen’s past.’

‘Not that mysterious,’ he said.

‘Let me be the judge of that. What are you having?’

‘I’ll go—’ but she planted palms on his shoulders and pushed him down onto her stool.

‘You can go next,’ she said. ‘Keep my seat warm.’

She made it seem effortless, Ellen thought. She knew just what to say and do, and just how to look as she said it. It’s easy , she’d tell Ellen, but it wasn’t easy, not for everyone.

‘Where are James and Fergus?’ she asked Danny.

‘On the way’ – and as Claire returned they appeared with a few more, and in the ensuing reshuffle of seating Ellen found herself separated from Claire. By now the pub was properly full, people without seats standing in knots, talk becoming louder. Claire would be in her element, out for the night with nobody to answer to. Ellen would track her down before they left for the disco.

In what seemed like no time at all, another drink that she hadn’t looked for appeared. ‘From Danny,’ Fergus told her. At some stage, she felt the room sway a little. When she needed the loo she stumbled as she made her way through the crowd. She cast around for Claire, but saw no sign. Could be anywhere.

After that, time took on a new and uncertain rhythm. Faces came and went before her, spatters of laughter erupted, cigarette smoke made her eyes sting. She caught snatched remarks that seemed to slide away before she could grab them. Someone was singing ‘American Pie’. No, the entire place was singing ‘American Pie’, including her. Belting it out, making up words to replace ones she’d forgotten.

‘Right,’ a voice said, ‘time to get you home.’

James, placing a glass of water in front of her. ‘Here, take some of this.’

She looked around blearily and realised that the pub was emptying out. She had no idea what time it was. She could see no sign of Claire or Danny.

‘They went off,’ James said when she asked.

‘Off?’

‘Yeah, a little while ago.’

‘Why didn’t she wait for me? I have to find her.’ The words slurred into each other. Her tongue refused to cooperate.

‘Danny will look after her,’ James said. ‘She’ll be fine. Drink some water.’

Suddenly it was all too much. ‘I need to go home.’ She struggled to her feet and fell back onto her stool, the room spinning, the world spinning. She grabbed the table to steady herself and the glass toppled, water splashing.

‘Steady on,’ he said, ‘I’ll take you home. Let’s get your coat.’

Outside, the cold air hit her like a slap. She clung to him and he led her away.