‘They’re gorgeous but you shouldn’t of, Donal,’ she said, burying her nose in their soft petals and inhaling the heady perfume. She was very glad he had, though.
‘The florist told me pink symbolises grace and elegance which I told her was perfect for the lady I was presenting them to. They smell lovely too but not as lovely as you. I’ve a soft spot for that Arpège of yours.’
‘You’re very kind.’ Maureen turned as pink as her roses. She stepped aside and gestured for him to come in. ‘C’mon now and make yourself at home.’
Donal stepped over the threshold, scanning the room for Pooh the way a person in the wilderness would keep a wary eye out for grizzly bears. The poodle was sitting in his basket and if it were possible for him to have a sulky look on his little poodly face he would have. He eyeballed Donal as though sizing him up for dinner and Maureen followed his gaze.
‘Ah now, don’t you worry about him. I’ve gotten the hang of the positive reinforcement so I have and he knows which side his bread is buttered on.’
Donal chuckled moving into the living room. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’ He addressed Pooh. ‘Hello, boy. How’re you doing?’
Pooh gave a woof and Maureen exclaimed, ‘There you go he said hello. He’s very clever, you know.’ She bustled into the kitchen, putting the flowers down on the worktop while she retrieved a doggy treat. Consistency was the key.
Donal wasn’t so sure, it was hello. He thought it more likely to be a ‘feck off away with you’ but he didn’t say anything. He sized the dog up and decided giving him a pat might be pushing the boundaries of their tenuous relationship.
‘There you go, Pooh. See? Nice things happen when you’re a good boy.’ Maureen held out her hand so he could snaffle his reward.
Donal began to relax now he was sure he wasn’t going to be mauled and took a moment to look about the room. He’d been here before, but just the once and not for long, when he’d picked Maureen up to take her for a country drive. ‘You have it lovely, Maureen. It’s you to a T.’
‘Thank you. It took a while for this place to feel like home. It was such a change from O’Mara’s but it’s home now alright.’
His gaze swung to the array of ornaments decorating a wall shelf, one in particular, and he crossed the room to take a closer look. ‘This is unusual, do you mind me asking what it is?’
‘Not at all.’ Although Maureen thought it was self-evident. ‘That, is a canoe.’
‘A canoe you say?’ Donal eyed the phallic-shaped wooden creation on the shelf with a raised eyebrow. ‘Ah yes, now I can see it. I didn’t twig because there aren’t any oars.’
‘I carved it myself in a small village in Vietnam on the holiday I was after telling you about with Moira. I wouldn’t fancy my chances at carving the fiddly little oars. I’d have probably taken a finger off.’
‘You’re a woman full of surprises, Maureen.’
Maureen was pleased he found her mysterious. She’d always wanted to be mysterious and wasn’t it a bonus he found her so when she wasn’t even wearing her mammy of the bride hat?
‘Whatever you’ve got cooking smells wonderful.’
‘I hope you like fish?’
‘I love fish which is why I suggested Johnnie Fox’s for our family get together; the seafood is delicious there.’
‘I’m glad to hear it because we’re having roasted salmon in lemon butter with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.’ Maureen liked saying seasonal vegetables. It sounded far more interesting than green beans and broccoli. She remembered the flowers and located a vase in her cabinet that would do nicely to display them in. As she was titivating the roses, Donal put the wine he’d brought down beside her and suggested he open it to allow it to breathe.
‘You’ll find the corkscrew there in the top drawer and I thought I’d leave it to you to choose some music.’
Donal tended to the wine and then searched through Maureen’s CDs settling on Fleetwood Mac which led to Maureen telling him all about the singing lessons she’d taken it upon herself to have. ‘I want my voice in tip-top condition for the party in Clontarf. We’ll be rehearsing beforehand I hope.’
‘The boys and I were talking about getting together to practise next Saturday afternoon. You could come along to that if you like.’
‘Ah, no, I can’t. Rosi’s coming over from London and we’re holding a yoga pants party.’ She explained the premise and breathed a sigh of relief he didn’t get all muddled with the Tupperware side of things. ‘I wondered if the Sunday would work for you and your girls to have lunch, what with Rosi being here too.’
‘That sounds a grand idea. Leave it with me and I’ll check with Anna and Louise tomorrow and get back to you. We could have a practice ourselves tonight after dinner if you like. I saw your Kenny Roger’s CDs.’
‘I’d like that.’
Maureen had set the table earlier and Donal did the honours, lighting the candle and pouring the wine while she plated their meals.
There was no shortage of conversation over dinner as he told her about the job he’d done this week for a woman whose wiring needed replacing because a family of mice had chewed their
