Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
‘Tea or coffee?’ John asked, as I walked sleepily into the kitchen and ran my fingers through my bed head of matted curls. He’d been up since the crack of dawn to milk “the girls”.
‘Coffee please.’ I knew I’d had a drink the night before. We had such a fabulous evening in John’s parents’ house, they were wonderful company. I could see why he considered them friends as much as parents they were so entertaining, frank, funny and open.
They brought their life experiences to the table, and they were more than happy to share them with us. It was such a relaxing environment, everything at their own pace, no rushing or racing, no outside noise, no one disturbing the peace.
I was beginning to appreciate the appeal of living in the countryside.
If I wanted to sit outside in Winchester at night, with a hot whiskey and gaze at the stars, the neighbours would think I’d gone off my rocker.
Plus, there would be no peace between the man in number 77 coming home drunk and shouting at his wife, the kids in number 79 fighting over whose turn it was on the PlayStation, and every cat in the street screeching out a mating call in hope of a little company. There was no comparison really.
I’d always considered city living as the better quality of life, but my eyes slowly opened to another way.
It was astonishing really; I was preferring this way of life.
The houses in estates and apartments in the city that previously seemed so ideal, convenient and perfectly centrally situated, now seemed overcrowded and claustrophobic.
I liked the privacy and the peace of the country.
‘You have to do it all over again tonight, honey.’ John reminded me, putting his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face into my neck, bringing me back to the present.
We’d arranged to go out for dinner with the neighbours, Jane and Trisha and their husbands, who both happened to be called Michael.
I was looking forward to it. I couldn’t wait to get to know both women better.
Trisha was like an open book, shameless, hilarious and lots of fun.
Jane was more private, slightly more reserved, very classy, and she had a sensitive side to her which really appealed to me.
Both women were absolutely beautiful in their own ways.
‘Do you think I could get my hair blow dried in town this afternoon?’ I asked John, sorry I hadn’t thought to book something earlier.
‘Sure. My friend’s girlfriend is a hairdresser.
I’ll ring her now for you.’ He Googled the number on his phone and once he got past the pleasantries, he had an appointment booked for me less than a minute later.
Another advantage to living in a small place.
If I were looking to get an appointment like that on a Saturday in Winchester, I’d have had to ring around about ten salons, praying one of them had a cancellation.
John dropped me in town half an hour later and told me to ring him when I’d finished. He was going to carry on with a few more jobs while he had the chance. Hopefully that would mean he could lie in with me in the morning.
The salon, Bella Hair the holidays, the next night out, the next class I could enrol in.
I constantly searched for the next thing to occupy the gaping void in my life and to validate myself.
John pulled up outside double parking on the pavement like he owned the place.
He had no problem doing exactly what suited him.
Part of me admired him for it, and part wondered if it was a good trait that he was used to doing whatever he pleased with no repercussions.
He waved at Natalie through the window and gave her a thumbs up.
‘Want to go for a drive?’ he said, after complimenting my hair and assuring me they only had the best hairdressers in the west of Ireland. Yet another incentive to entice me to move.
‘Sure. Why not.’
‘What did you think of Natalie?’
‘She’s lovely,’ I said.
‘Will you come to the wedding with me?’ He placed his hand in its usual position on my lap, as he drove one-handed through the small town, nodding at most of the passers-by in greeting.
‘Is it not a bit odd that I don’t know them though?’
‘Not at all, honey. There will probably be three or four hundred people there.’
‘Wow. I don’t think I know three hundred people. Well, apart from my patients. But I wouldn’t be inviting them to a wedding.’
‘Would you be inviting me to a wedding?’ he asked, his full lips curling into a cheeky smirk. I knew exactly what he was implying. It was more of a “Would you invite me to a wedding if we were the ones getting married,” rather than bringing him as a guest.
‘One day maybe, if you’re good.’ I glanced sideways at him and he laughed.
The thought of getting married again was oddly enough something I would consider, in the right circumstances.
Although I had always assured my friends and mother if I ever got out of the first one, I’d never tie myself to a person in that way again.
But the thought of being tied to John literally and figuratively was overwhelmingly appealing.
He was without a doubt my favourite person on the planet.
It was exactly the opposite to what Clara had predicted, instead of the excitement wearing off, it seemed to grow.
My need to be with him was just as strong if not stronger than it was before.
He physically drew me to him. I felt whole with him, like there was nothing else in the world was as important as us being together.
Our relationship was still new to both of us, but it was glaringly obvious it was on a higher level to anything either of us had experienced before.
I’d only been pretending to play grown-ups before.
There was nothing pretend about my feelings for John.
They were so real, they were openly raw in places.
The only thing that frightened me, was that if John Kelly were ever to hurt me, I feared I would ever physically recover. I prayed to God that would never happen, because I simply didn’t know what I’d do without him.
The restaurant was in an old majestic looking castle called Belleek. It had been restored to its original glory, on the edge of the woodlands only five minutes outside of Ballina. The drive to it was slow and steep. It was unfortunately too dark to appreciate much of the scenery.
I wore a black jumpsuit teamed with cream heels and my favourite cream Mulberry clutch bag, aiming for understated, with a hint of sexy, like my boyfriend. He looked so good in a pair of navy slacks and a white shirt that I’d happily have eaten him instead of dinner.
‘This place used to be a disco, years ago. Mam and Dad could tell you a few stories about it.’ I didn’t doubt it for a second.
The ceilings were high, and the stone walls and floor looked cold, but the roaring open fires were welcomingly warm. Jane, Trisha and the two Michaels sat on antique looking armchairs in the bar area, menus on their laps and drinks in their hands.
‘Lucy.’ Trisha bounded up, giving me a huge bear squeeze again.
‘I love your dress,’ I said.
‘Penny’s finest,’ she said, dusting off the black long-sleeved fitted pencil dress proudly. When you had a figure like hers, you could wear a bin bag and look fabulous.
‘Hi Jane.’
Jane had her own style, sporting a high neck burgundy long-sleeved chiffon top and a tasteful black leather skirt, thick tights and suede ankle boots. Her make-up was a work of art. The boys shook hands in greeting, and we ordered more drinks before heading to the dining room.
The dining room had cold stone flooring, low ceilings with wooden beams and low hanging lanterns.
Cream coloured candles were carefully positioned on each table.
The worrywart in me screamed fire hazard, though the ambience was relaxing and romantic.
Several other couples were already seated; the quiet hum of chat could barely be heard over the tinkling music from a pianist playing in the corner.
John sat opposite me on the same side as the two Michaels, and I sat in between Jane and Trisha.
‘We’ve never done this before.’ Trisha announced loudly, and we laughed. ‘What?’ She looked slightly put out.‘I’m only saying John never had anyone to bring before.’
‘Thanks, Trisha, keep digging,’ John said, as the boys sniggered together.
‘It’s maybe not that he didn’t have anyone to bring, Trisha, more like maybe he didn’t have anyone he wanted to bring before.’ Jane tried to sensitively correct her friend and neighbour.
‘Well, as neighbours, I’m just saying this is the first time we’ve all been out for dinner together.’
‘The way you’re going, Trisha, it will probably be the last,’ warned her boyfriend with a laugh.
The waiter interrupted to disclose the specials and take our order. I glanced around, taking it all in. It was like being in a time warp, suits of armour hung on the wall and flags with proud family crests were mounted for all to see.
I was happier than I ever thought I could be only a few short months ago, surrounded by these new friends I had only just met, yet I felt so comfortable with them already.
John sat back from the table; his arms folded over his chest subtly observing my interactions with the girls as he made small talk with the men.
He was trying hard to line everything up for me, to make moving here a viable option; the support of his family, new female friends, now possibly even a job on the cards, thanks to last night’s encounter.
Jane and Trisha described their favourite hotels in Ireland, insisting which ones John had to bring me to, by the sound of it, there was an abundance of them.
I mentally tried to remember a few. Their company was effortless, and I had a deep satisfying feeling I was finally fitting in somehow.
I was happier than I had been in years. John gazed at me across the table, he knew exactly what I was thinking, a small smile playing on his lips as he leaned across and took my hand.