Chapter 16
‘Don’t be fussing now.’ Liam batted Nora away – she was advancing with her hand at the ready to feel his forehead.
‘He’s all right, Mam. I don’t think he’s sickening with anything. You’re feeling a little better after lying down, aren’t you, Dad?’
‘I’m not a geriatric, Shannon, thanks very much,’ Liam grumped, pulling out his seat at the head of the table.
His mood was much the same, Grace thought, thanking her mam as she passed her a glass of wine.
It wasn’t like Liam to be short with anybody, especially not his girls, and glances were exchanged around the table. Still, it was forgotten as Nora continued doling out the glasses of wine while Kitty carefully carried the enormous, steaming dish of lasagne to the table. A green salad and loaf of garlic bread had already miraculously appeared to be served alongside it.
The sight of the golden, cheese-crusted pasta dish sent an anticipatory ripple of applause around the table, and Kitty flushed with pleasure as she set it down, wasting no time before dishing up.
‘Ah, no, you don’t.’ Kitty tapped her son’s hand with the back of her fork lightly, and he set down the garlic bread he’d been about to chomp into.
‘Can’t a man enjoy his meal in peace?’
‘Liam Kelly, stop behaving like a heathen,’ Nora told him off, and he mumbled a sorry to his mam, whose pursed lips softened.
‘I’d like to say a little blessing.’ Kitty announced. Glasses were put down, eyes on Kitty as she recited.
May God give you for every storm a rainbow,
For every tear a smile,
For every care a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
We cannot share this sorrow
If we haven’t grieved a while.
Nor can we feel another’s joy
Until we’ve learned to smile.
‘Sláinte,’ was chorused around the table.
‘Right, now you can all eat.’ Kitty looked pointedly at her son, but he didn’t touch his food.
Grace’s eyes had welled up at her nan’s traditional blessing for health and the Irish toast, which meant the same. The words were beautiful, and looking about the table, she saw her sisters and mam were misty-eyed, too. She wished Ava, Shane and Hannah were here. They’d struggle to fit around the table, but they’d make it work one way or the other.
‘Actually…’ Grace looked up, blinking the tears back, and cleared her throat before continuing, having decided there was no time like the present, with a large portion of her family gathered, to tell them what had brought her to Emerald Bay this weekend. ‘I’m not just home to catch up with you all. Although, of course, that’s a bonus. I’ve come home to organise a music festival.’
That got everyone’s attention, and forks froze mid-air. Grace explained herself. ‘As a fundraiser for the damage and loss to the school and for Clara to get her roof fixed.’
There was a few seconds of silence as Grace’s words were absorbed, with Nora being the first to speak up. ‘What a marvellous idea.’ She looked at her daughter, pride filling her brown eyes.
‘Good on you, Gracie,’ Shannon and Imogen piped up next. Ryan and James nodded in agreement.
‘You’ve got a Kelly heart on you, all right, Grace.’ Kitty reached out and patted her granddaughter’s hand.
Nobody appeared to notice Liam hadn’t said a word.
‘But how are you going to pull it off?’
‘Well’ – Grace sat up a little straighter in her seat, all business – ‘I’ve already got the site secured.’ After telling them Enda had offered the use of his fields, she said, ‘It was on the condition I put in a good word for him with you, Nan.’
Imogen gave a wolf whistle and received daggers from Kitty, who replied primly, ‘That’s enough of that. And it would take more than him behaving like a decent human being to turn my head.’
‘And I’ll talk to Isla Mullins about licences and permits, that sort of thing. I was hoping to delegate, too.’ She glanced around the table, pleased to see enthusiastic nodding from all but her father. Still, it was seven against one.
‘But she’s not told youse the whole story,’ Liam interrupted, setting his knife and fork down with a clatter, his cheeks reddening. ‘It wasn’t her idea – was it, Grace?’
‘No, but—’ He was going to land her right in it where Chris was concerned. Grace squirmed in her seat then decided she’d come this far, but her dad jumped in once more before she could speak.
‘No, not her idea. It was her flatmate’s. You know the fella in a band she talks about all the time?’
‘Chris, isn’t it?’ Imogen looked bewildered, clearly not knowing what had got into their father. ‘You said his band’s good.’
Grace nodded, knowing there was no point saying anything now, because her dad wouldn’t stop until he’d said his piece.
‘Oh, he’s Chris, all right. Chris Dorrance, as in the son of the only fella in the whole of Ireland I’ve got a grievance with.’
Nora’s eyes rounded as she looked to Grace for confirmation. ‘The young lad who sang in the choir? Mark’s son?’
‘The one and same.’ Liam pushed his seat back in a manner that would have had him telling his daughters they’d break the chair legs if they weren’t careful. Napoleon shot out from under the table and disappeared out the door and up the stairs.
Grace felt all eyes on her. ‘He’s a grown man now, and as I told Dad on the way home from Galway, it’s not as if I set out to deliberately wind up house-sharing with him,’ she protested, getting fed up with having to explain herself. ‘We bumped into each other at my local, where his band, The Shamrockers, were playing. He was looking for a place to stay, and I needed someone to move into Ava’s old room.’ She looked to her dad, willing him to sit down, but Liam was having none of it.
‘I’m sorry, Mam, Nora, everyone. I’ve no appetite this evening.’ Liam took himself through to the pub, leaving the rest of them sitting in an uncomfortable silence around the table, staring at their cooling dinners. For Liam Kelly to leave his meal untouched was unheard of.
Kitty got up next. ‘I’ll put it in the oven and keep it warm. He’ll be wanting it later.’ She rattled around, fetching foil to cover the plate.
‘What I don’t understand, Grace,’ Nora said quietly, ‘is why you felt the need to hide who you were sharing your house with from us.’
‘Oh, Mam, why do you think?’
‘That’s what I’m asking.’
‘Because of this. I knew Dad would overreact.’ Grace threw her hands out, exasperated.
‘Did you not think he might have his reasons? Reasons you don’t understand and have no need to understand, but reasons you should respect.’
‘I’m not a child, Mam. And I’m trying to do something good here with Chris.’ Grace’s voice had raised a notch as she repeated the same thing she’d said to her dad in the car earlier. ‘Besides what I do and with whom is my business, and Chris is his own man – he’s not his father.’ Her appetite had deserted her now, too, and not wanting to burst into tears in front of everybody, she excused herself from the table and took to the stairs.
How had the evening deteriorated so badly? Grace wondered, closing her bedroom door and flopping down on the bed. And how on earth would she fix things between her and her dad?