‘Ah, bliss,’ she said out loud once she’d slipped them on—like a second skin they were. There were no belt loops but sure she could stick her thumbs inside the waistband. She did a practise twirl and clap before buttoning up her plaid shirt, knotting it at the bottom, country style! Lastly, she slid her feet into her boots and gave herself a once-over. She still looked the part, she decided, humming Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town as she headed off to make breakfast.
A toast solider was dipped into her soft-boiled egg when the telephone began to shrill. ‘That’ll be Moira,’ she muttered, getting up from the table to answer it, knowing the buttery yolk would be congealed on the toast next time she saw it.
‘Good morning, Moira.’
‘How did you know it was me?’ Jaysus, she was all seeing was Mammy, Moira thought, wondering if she knew in that mysterious mammy way of hers, she was wearing Aisling’s black Valentino booties.
‘And get your sister’s shoes off because there’ll be murder if she knows you’ve been wearing them while she’s been away.’
It was spooky, Moira thought, glancing down at the leather booties. It was a shame because they suited the grunge rock chick look, she was after. So what if she was only off to college for the day? She was an adult student at art college where image mattered and as such it was her duty to set the fashion trends for the young ones fresh out of school. She’d risk it, she decided, remembering why she’d rung.
‘You were out last night.’ Her tone was accusatory.
‘I was indeed; is there a problem with my being out, madam?’
‘It was Tuesday, Mammy. We always swap notes on Fair City on a Tuesday.’
‘Not always, Moira. You, yourself, have been out and about on occasion come Tuesday night and did you spare a thought for your poor Mammy at home by herself.’
‘You’ve Pooh to keep you company.’ Moira brushed the poor mammy routine aside. ‘Where were you? I was worried and so was Roisin.’
‘Roisin wouldn’t have been worried at all if you hadn’t telephoned her.’ Maureen pursed her lips.
‘Well, I had to because Aisling’s over in ABBA land and I was home by myself.’
Maureen sighed. She might as well own up or she’d get no peace. ‘I, was out for dinner with my man-friend, Donal, if you must know.’
‘I thought as much.’ Moira’s eyes narrowed. She had mixed feelings about this Donal business.
‘You don’t need to sound like I just told you I was prostituting myself on Mabbot Lane.’
‘Mammy! Don’t be disgusting.’
Maureen was unrepentant. ‘We went to a grand Italian place in Raheny, lovely it was too. I had the ravioli and it came with a very nice cream sauce. We had tiramisu for afters, thank you very much for asking.’
‘There’s no need to be smart, Mammy. I only rang to make sure you were alright. It’s my daughterly duty because there’re some strange people in this world and you’ve led a very sheltered life, so. We’ve not met this Donal fellow. I mean what exactly do we know about him?’
‘Moira O’Mara. Don’t you be forgetting who’s the mammy and who’s the child. I am a good judge of character, thanks very much. I married your father, didn’t I? Now then, for your information he’s not America’s Most Wanted he’s a widower with two grown-up daughters, one of whom has children of her own. He’s gas fitter by trade who’s semi-retired and he owns his own home in Drumcondra. He’s plenty of money so you don’t have to worry he’s after mine.’ She pushed the image of Patrick aside. He’d make good on his promise, she was sure of it. Should she tell Moira about Donal’s hobby? No, she decided, that was a whole other conversation and she’d never get off the phone and back to her soldiers and egg were she to mention she was going to be taking a turn with the microphone, too. ‘He’s a good man with a kind heart and you’ll find that out for yourself soon enough because we’re all going to Johnnie Fox’s for lunch to get to know one another, his two daughters included once Aisling’s back from her honeymoon.’
That gave Moira pause and the wind was momentarily blown from her sails.
‘Anyway, I can’t be standing around justifying my actions to you all morning, I’ve a line dancing class to be getting to.’
‘Well, I’m busy too you know, but I’m never too busy for my mammy.’
Maureen snorted. She was full of it and she knew as soon as she got off the phone, she’d be burning up the wire ringing Roisin. ‘And don’t you be ringing Roisin at work either. You’ll get her in bother with her boss man, tying her up on personal calls.’
Moira frowned; she really did have the sight she was sure of it.
‘Moira, do you hear me? You go and get yourself along to that college of yours and stop worrying yourself about things that are not for you to be worrying about.’
‘I hear you.’ Moira’s nose was out of joint as she hung the phone up, hitting Roisin’s work number, which she had on speed dial the moment she heard the dial tone.
Maureen sighed and went back to her breakfast although it was nowhere near as enjoyable as it had been when it was hot. The dishes didn’t take long and she ran them through the sink instead of loading the dishwasher. That was another thing about living on your own. It took forever to fill the dishwasher and by the time you had it was beginning to smell and there wasn’t so much as a cup left in the place. It was easier to wash-up the old-fashioned way. While the sink filled she looked out the window observing the howling winds of yesterday had settled down, leaving a swept-clean, blue sky
