HOLLY LAY ON HER BED like a demented woman, switching the lamp on and off with a smile on her face. She and Sharon had gone shopping in Bed Knobs and Broomsticks in Malahide, and both girls had eventually agreed on the beautifully carved wooden stand and the cream shade, which matched the cream and wooden furnishings of the master bedroom (of course they had chosen the most ridiculously expensive one, it would have been wrong to spoil tradition). And although Gerry hadn’t physically been there with her as she bought it, she felt that they had made the purchase together.
She had drawn the curtains of her bedroom in order to test her new merchandise. The bedside lamp had a softening effect on the room, making it appear warmer. How easily this could have ended their nightly arguments, but perhaps neither of them wanted to end them. It had become a routine, something familiar that made them feel closer. How she would give anything to have one of those little arguments now. And she would gladly get out of her cozy bed for him, she would gladly walk on the cold floor for him, and she would gladly bruise herself on the bedpost while fumbling in the dark for the bed. But that time was gone.
The sound of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” snapped her back to the present as she realized her mobile phone was ringing.
“Hello?”
“G’day, mate, I’m hooooome!” shrieked a familiar voice.
“Oh my God, Ciara! I didn’t know you were coming home!”
“Well, neither did I actually, but I ran out of money and decided to surprise you all!”
“Wow, I bet Mum and Dad were surprised all right.”
“Well, Dad did drop the towel with fright when he stepped out of the shower.”
Holly covered her face with her hand. “Oh Ciara, you didn’t!” she warned.
“No hugs for Daddy when I saw him!” Ciara laughed.
“Oh
yuck, yuck, yuck. Change the subject, I’m having visions,” Holly said.
“OK, well, I was calling to tell you that I was home, obviously, and that Mum’s organizing dinner tonight to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?”
“Me being alive.”
“Oh, OK. I thought you might have an announcement or something.”
“That I’m alive.”
“O. . . K. So who’s going?”
“The whole family.”
“Did I mention that I’m going to the dentist to have all my teeth pulled out? Sorry, I can’t make it.”
“I know, I know, I said the same thing to Mum, but we haven’t all been together for ages. Sure when’s the last time you’ve even seen Richard and Meredith?”
“Oh, good ol’ Dick, well, he was in flying form at the funeral. Had lots of wise and comforting things to say to me like, ‘Did you not consider donating his brain to medical science?’ Yes, he’s such a fantastic brother all right.”
“Oh gosh, Holly, I’m sorry. I forgot about the funeral.” Her sister’s voice changed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it.”
“Ciara, don’t be silly, we both decided it was best you stay,” Holly said briskly. “It’s far too expensive to be flying back and forth from Australia, so let’s not bring it back up, OK?”
“OK.”
Holly quickly changed the subject. “So when you say the whole family do you mean. . . ?”
“Yes, Richard and Meredith are bringing our adorable little niece and nephew. And Jack and Abbey are coming you’ll be pleased to know, Declan will be there in body but probably not in mind, Mum, Dad and me of course, and you will be there.”
Holly groaned.
(No Ratings Yet)