Chapter 41
Christmas Eve had gone by in a blur of food preparation: they had chopped vegetables, boiled the ham and brined the turkey, but as the evening closed in and there was still no sign of their mother, they began to worry.
It was almost eight o’clock. In years gone by they would have been tucked up in bed, deep in slumber, waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus, but today it was Madeleine they were waiting on.
The sisters were both exhausted from the day of Christmas preparations, but they wanted to wait up to welcome her when she arrived.
Only when they were all together again would it truly feel like Christmas.
‘I hope nothing has happened to her.’ Faith chewed on her nails, a childhood habit that still resurfaced whenever she was anxious.
Lucy and Faith had each tried phoning her several times, but she hadn’t picked up.
‘I’m sure it’s work-related,’ Lucy said, trying to disguise the anger in her voice in case Faith picked up on it.
She was transported back to their final hours with Elizabeth, when they had been waiting for Madeleine to arrive.
They had worried that something had happened to her that time too, but it turned out that she just hadn’t left the office on time and then had been caught speeding…
It was yet another let-down in a long list of let-downs from their mother.
‘But she promised she’d be back on Christmas Eve,’ Faith said. ‘She said she’d come. She’ll be here.’
Lucy didn’t feel so confident, but she didn’t want her younger sister to see that.
Even though they were grown women in their thirties, she still felt the need to protect Faith from being disappointed by their mother.
‘I’m sure she’ll be here soon,’ Lucy said to appease her little sister.
Lucy adored her sister’s goodness, her purity and inability to hold a grudge for any length of time.
Finally, they saw the name ‘Mum’ flashing up on Lucy’s phone.
‘It’s her!’ Lucy cried, answering it quickly and putting it on speaker so that Faith could hear too.
‘Where are you, Mum?’ Lucy asked. ‘We thought you’d be here by now.’
‘I’m really sorry, but I’m afraid I’m not going to make it.’
Lucy’s heart thudded to the floor like an elevator whose tension cables had snapped.
‘Y-you’re not coming?’ Faith stammered. She had been adamant that their mother would come.
‘I’m still in the office. Something has come up here. We’ve a new client’s sale campaign ready to go live on St Stephen’s Day but it has been glitching during testing, so I offered to stay in the office and be on standby in case there are any issues.’
‘On Christmas Day?’ Lucy asked in disbelief. Surely no company would expect someone to sacrifice their family and friends at Christmas time.
‘I’m new in this job and I need to prove myself, so I put my hand up. I want them to know that I’m dedicated and am one hundred per cent committed,’ Madeleine added proudly.
‘What about showing dedication and commitment to your family?’ Lucy barked.
‘Can’t you do it remotely?’ Faith suggested, ever the peacemaker. ‘You could bring your laptop with you.’ It wouldn’t be ideal, but they would much rather have their mother present, even if she was distracted by work, than not have her with them for Christmas Day.
‘I need access to all the company systems, and I wouldn’t have that in Inishbeg Cove. The internet down there is a nightmare at the best of times.’
‘I can’t believe you’re doing this to us, Mum!’ Lucy cried. ‘You promised! You promised we’d have a Christmas to remember!’
‘But we’ve spent almost three weeks together! It’s only one day, and then we’ll all be together again for the new year.’
‘Can’t you come down in the morning at least?’ Faith suggested. ‘We can wait for you to get here before we open our presents, and then you could be back in Dublin before the campaign goes live?’
‘But I said I’d be here in the office for the day in case there were any issues.
Besides, I’m still not able to drive, and I don’t think any taxi driver would be willing to take me all the way to Inishbeg Cove and back again on Christmas Day.
You girls enjoy your day, and I’ll see you as soon as I can get there on St Stephen’s Day. ’
Lucy hung up without saying goodbye. She knew she would end up saying something she’d regret if she stayed on the call any longer.
Faith stared at her, dejected. ‘I can’t believe she’s done this to us…’
Lucy could see the heartbreak plain on her face. Faith had been sure that their mother would keep her word and return, even when Lucy had grown doubtful. Faith had clung to hope and now Madeleine had let them both down spectacularly.