Chapter 65
Chapter Sixty-Five
I knew where Mr O’Callaghan was buried. He was buried at the back of the cemetery in a plot of land that Mr and Mrs O’Callaghan had bought so that they could all be buried there together one day. I wondered if Maggie Ryan had bought the plot next door, then she really would take their secret to the grave.
Niall was already there. The rain had stopped though the sky was grey and the air was damp, but I could still see the top of Slievenamon in the distance. We stood there for a moment, looking at it.
‘Did it take you long to walk up?’ Niall asked.
‘Huh?’ I said with a frown.
‘When you went up with Jack?’
‘Oh, about that,’ I said. ‘I lied. We didn’t go up.’
‘You said he took you for a picnic?’
‘That was a lie too. We were going to go for one, I organised it, but he had to leave.’
‘His loss,’ Niall said. ‘Thanks for coming.’ He looked down at Mr O’Callaghan’s grave. ‘My mum wanted me to speak at his funeral.’
‘Do you wish you had?’
‘No, I think I would have blurted it all out in anger. I was so drunk.’
‘Probably best you didn’t then.’
Niall nodded but kept his eyes fixed on Mr O’Callaghan’s grave.
‘Why don’t you get it all out now?’ I said.
‘Now?’
‘Yes.’
‘And say what?’
‘Oh, I don’t know, if it was me I’d say something like, “Mr O’Callaghan, your cock gave me OCD”,’ I said loudly, and a crow flew out of a tree above our heads in a flappy panic. But it didn’t fly away. It landed on the next tree along. ‘There goes my grandmother,’ I said.
‘What?’
‘Never mind. Your turn.’
Niall cleared his throat.
‘Why did you do it, Dad?’ he asked.
‘It might be best not to ask a question. He can’t answer you,’ I interrupted. ‘Just tell him how you feel.’
‘I can’t get the vision of Maggie Ryan sucking your cock out of my head, Dad,’ Niall said. ‘It’s stuck there, and it’s your fault, and I hate you for it and for doing that to Mum.’
‘Keep going,’ I whispered, and it was only then that I realised I had my hand on Niall’s toned arm.
‘And I saw your cum.’
‘You saw your dad’s cum?’ My mouth dropped open.
‘Yes.’
‘Jesus.’
‘Niall, I don’t know if this will help you, but maybe Maggie Ryan and your dad loved each other? Maybe it wasn’t some sordid affair, maybe it was a love affair?’
I watched him ponder over what I had said.
‘But he still cheated on my mum.’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I know. But maybe they weren’t happy? You never know, maybe your mum wasn’t happy either?’
‘She loved him.’
‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean she was happy. Try and think about it in a different way, it might help let it go.’
‘How do I let it go though?’
‘You let it go down the river,’ I said.
And then I told Niall all about the river, the rafts and the trees.
* * *
When I got home Niall texted me.
Thanks for today.
You’re welcome.
I tried the river raft thing.
Did it work?
I think it actually did.
That’s great!
Maybe the therapy stuff isn’t so pointless … you should give Mairéad a call.
Or I could just get tips off???????you.
You could.
What are you up to tomorrow?
Not much, I need to feed the woodlice.
You don’t need to feed them, Pearl.
Don’t I?
No, they feed themselves.
Oh.
Do you fancy a picnic?
Was Niall O’Callaghan asking me on a date? Did I want him to?
Where?
Please say Slievenamon.
Slievenamon?
YESSSS!
You know it takes seven hours and four minutes?
I know.
OK.
Great, see you in the morning. I’ll come to yours, seven OK?
In the morning?
Means we’ll get to the top in time for lunch.
Do I need to bring anything?
Only yourself.
* * *
I called Una straightaway.
‘I think Niall O’Callaghan just asked me out on a date.’
‘At last!! Where’s he taking you?’
‘For a picnic up Slievenamon?—’
‘You two are a match made in Drangan!’ Una butted in.
‘Shut up, what shall I wear?’
‘I’d go with something different – salmon pink?’
‘Ha ha. I mean it, Una. Do you think he thinks it’s a date?’
‘Do you want it to be one?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Oh my God.’
‘What?’
‘You do!’
‘No, I said I don’t know.’
‘Pearl?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you want those condoms back?’
‘Fuck off.’
But I kind of did.