49. Catriona
Forty Nine
Catriona
Ipress the doorbell and shuffle back on the sidewalk, fiddling with the edge of my top.
It’s strange waiting outside the house I grew up in and have a key to, but it doesn’t feel right to barge in unannounced.
The door opens and I tense. Mum’s smiling face freezes when she sees me on the doorstep in the evening light… and who I’ve brought with me.
“Hi, Ma,” I squeak.
“Cat?” Her head turns to Rian in a slow, creepy way that would fit perfectly in a Stephen King movie. Even her speech is drawn out. “Mr…Kearney. This is…a surprise.”
“Miss Taylor, it’s nice meeting you again,” Rian says with a smile.
Mum’s head turns back to me in that same slow motion.
“Ma, uh, can we come in?”
For a moment, I’m worried she’ll refuse, but then she takes a step back from the door, letting us into the narrow hallway, her eyebrows drawn so high, they’re hidden under her fringe.
“Why don’t you have a seat in the living room?” she says somewhat reluctantly. This is unusual. We’re always in the kitchen. “Tea? Coffee?”
“A coffee would be lovely, Miss Taylor.”
“Uh-um, yeah.” I nod.
I’m a bit apprehensive, bringing Rian up to Finglas, seeing my childhood home.
Not that I’m ashamed – Mum keeps it modern within her means – but there’s no garden, guest toilet or silver spoons.
And it’s probably the first time Rian has parked his Jaguar on a sidewalk.
I glance out the living room window to check that it’s still there.
We sit next to each other on the two-seater sofa facing the electric fireplace, which I can’t remember ever having been used, while Mum makes coffee.
I shuffle close to the armrest, making sure there’s plenty of room between us.
Rian squints as he scans the half-dozen school photos on top of the mantlepiece.
He snorts. “You’ve definitively grown into your looks.”
“Feck off.” I scoff.
Rian rolls his eyes and places his hand on my tapping leg. “Relax,” he coaxes.
“I can’t!”
“You were all chilled earlier.” He grins, showing off his perfect teeth.
“Stop it!” I hiss, and my cheeks warm at the thought of the shower with benefits – several benefits – we had earlier.
Quickly, I push his hand from my leg as Mum enters the room and sets the mugs on coasters in front of us.
“You have a very beautiful home, Miss Taylor.”
Mum nods gracefully and sits in the chair to the side of us, one hand on top of the other and her legs crossed at the ankles, just like the old queen used to do in pictures. “Thank you, but I’m sure you’re accustomed to much grander places.” Even her accent has turned posh, almost English.
“It doesn’t matter how grand a place is if it doesn’t feel like home. And this certainly has a nice homey feel to it.”
It dawns on me that Rian is using his negotiation skills to win Mum over. However, my mother isn’t easily swayed.
“So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?” Straight to the point as usual.
I flick my gaze at Rian. “We, um, we just wanted you to know that—” I take a deep breath. “We’re going public.”
Next to me, Rian snickers. “You sound like we’re launching a company on the open market.”
I glare at him and turn back to Mum, whose eyebrows again are hidden high up on her forehead. “Rian and I are…boyfriend and girlfriend.” I quickly swat Rian before he can laugh again. “We’re official.”
Mum keeps her composure, turning her gaze to Rian as she tilts her head to the side. “And there’s…no one else…in your life?”
The laughter dims from his eyes. “I assume you’re referring to Alexandra Harrington.”
Mum does that queen-like nod again.
“To tell you the truth, for a long time, I did think that Alexandra and I would end up together. But after I met your daughter, I’ve come to realise that I can’t be with anyone else. I can assure you, there’s no other woman in my life but Catriona.”
I lift my cup of coffee to my mouth to hide my silly smile.
“I’ve already asked Catriona to marry me.”
I spit coffee all over Mum’s table. “Rian!” While trying to wipe the wet stains, I plead with Mum, “Don’t listen to him, Ma, I said no. There’s no way I’m marrying him this soon.”
“I will marry her,” Rian insists. “I love her. So very much.”
My cheeks are on fire, and it feels so good to hear those words, despite this whole surreal situation.
“And do you love him?” Mum asks.
A lump is lodged in my throat, and I forget about the spilled coffee. “I-I do. I do, Ma.”
She glances at Rian through the corner of her eye. “If you hurt my daughter, I’ll hunt you down.”
“Mam!”
But Rian takes the threat seriously. He grabs my hand while holding Mum’s gaze. “I swear, I’ll spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to make your daughter happy.”
It must have worked, because Mum gives me a crushing hug as we leave, whispering, “I’m so happy for you, my sweet, sweet daughter.”
In the car, I cry in relief and happiness as Rian drives us back to my place. He doesn’t ask any questions, just laces his fingers through mine.