Are You Ready? (31 page)

When Ali got there, she headed for the fax machine and sent her mum the page from the bridal magazine, with a note explaining what she thought they could do. Then she sat down at her desk, which was covered in files, faxes, empty coffee cups and phone messages. She had a lot of work to get through before the big day. She scanned her phone messages and saw there was one from her old college friend who worked in family law. Ali rang her back, and was delighted when Linda informed her that with all the information Paddy had supplied – and if they got more character witnesses involved – they had a winnable case. It needed a good bit more work, but Ali was determined to make this happen. Just then her boss came in and stood over Ali's desk. Ali informed Mary of the progress she had made with her cases, in particular the Paddy Fleming one. Mary just nodded, but then turned to Ali.

‘Ali, as you know, I've to go to Cork for some court work this afternoon for a few days, and I thought in case I'm not back before you head off to Kilkenny for the wedding, that we would have cakes in the canteen for you today at 11 a.m. I presume you can make it?'

Ali was a little shocked; she couldn't believe Mary was organizing a celebration for her. She thanked her boss and looked at the clock. She had an hour before
the cakes, so she got down to work. At 11 a.m. Ali grabbed her empty coffee cup and headed for the small office canteen. All the other office employees were there, and she walked into a big row of smiles. Ali wasn't that friendly with her work colleagues, but appreciated the cakes and wedding wishes. When Mary arrived everyone went quiet; Ali was not the only one scared of her. Mary stood up.

‘Well, Ali, we want to wish you good luck in your marriage. I hope you and your partner are very happy. We got you a wedding gift, I hope you like it.'

And with that Mary handed Ali a small envelope, gave her a half-hug and left the canteen. Ali put down her chocolate eclair and opened the card, which had been signed by the office staff. Inside was a five-hundred-euro voucher for Arnotts. Ali was shocked and so happy at the same time, and was already thinking of all the different things herself and Robin could buy – luggage for Hawaii being the first thing! Debbie from accounts sat beside her and poured her some more coffee.

‘Mary was very good, you know, Ali. It was her idea for the collection and cakes.'

‘Really?' Ali said, thinking Mary barely spoke two words to her most days.

‘Yes, I don't think she's that bad, after all. I suppose she has had it hard,' Debbie said, biting into a doughnut.

‘What do you mean?' Ali enquired.

‘Do you not know? About five years ago Mary's fiancé was killed in a car crash only one month before
their wedding. It was so sad. I had only just started here, but apparently she was a very lively fun person before, but I suppose tragedy will do that to you. She has had it hard.'

Ali felt so guilty. No wonder Mary never asked about my wedding plans, it must have reminded her too much of her own loss, Ali thought. She finished off her cake and headed back to her office. Mary didn't even raise her head when Ali walked in, but Ali stood over Mary's desk.

‘Thank you, Mary, I appreciate your generosity and kind words.'

Ali would have said she was also sorry for Mary's loss, but she didn't think her boss would want her knowing her personal business, so instead she just offered Mary an eclair that had been left over in the canteen. Mary took it, and half-smiled at Ali, before pulling her cardigan tightly around her, fixing her ever-perfect hair bun and turning back to her computer. Ali got back to work, but couldn't help marvelling at how you could think you knew someone, and be entirely mistaken. But she didn't have long to ponder this before getting a call from her mum who had ‘loved the pictures in the fax' and was all excited about the table arrangements and her plans for ‘Project Flower Arrangement', which seemed to involve a lot of ‘making your two sisters get up off their asses and begin cutting, tying and arranging the roses'. Ali smiled. She knew it was going to be hard work, but she also knew it was all going to be all right.

Ben was in Dalkey for dinner with his parents. It was his mother's birthday, but as Joe was still not feeling his best they had decided to delay any big celebrations for a few weeks and instead were in Nosh, drinking wine and enjoying the good food and atmosphere. As Ben tucked into his prawn starter he watched his parents as they hugged and his dad presented Maura with a new painting. Ever since he had started questioning his relationship with Nikki he had begun watching his parents more and more, and realizing what they had. He envied the love and respect they had for each other, and the interest they took in each other's thoughts and feelings. In the last few months Ben knew he had truly grown up: not only had his father's heart-attack made him go back into the family business, but his attitude to his parents and his behaviour had changed. It had been a real wake-up call.

As he poured his mum more wine, Ben's mind flashed back to Saturday night, his last date with Nikki. They had gone to a nightclub, and as she had tried to
wrangle some celebrity photos for her magazine she had almost drunk her own weight in wine, and ended up too drunk even to talk to Ben. So he had brought her home, and while she slept he had watched TV, and regretted ever agreeing to see her that night. She had been away with work for the last three days, but Ben was planning to meet her later for drinks, and he knew that they needed to end whatever kind of relationship they had. Yes it was fun, but it wasn't right for Ben any longer. Ben's sea bass arrived, and he tucked into it and some potato gratin as his mum and dad laughed at stories of birthdays gone by. Joe was getting stronger and healthier every day. He was still a long way off playing eighteen holes of golf, but Ben and Maura were both relieved he was on the road to recovery. Maura was more relaxed about Joe's health and future now, and was beginning to enjoy having him around the house during the day – and Ben often came home to find them both sunning themselves in the back garden, or playing bridge.

After another bottle of wine, Ben could see Joe was tired, and as Ben had been drinking he couldn't drive his parents home. He arranged for a taxi to collect them, then kissed his mum goodnight and headed for the nearby pub where Nikki was waiting. Ben took a deep breath as he entered, and prayed Nikki wouldn't look too hot, as that would make this even harder.

‘So, you are single again?' Jeremy asked Ben.

Ben nodded as he ordered two drinks for himself and his friend. It was a gorgeous evening, so Ben and Jeremy had met for a drink after work in a great beer garden on Harcourt Street. They spotted a seat and sat down to enjoy their pints.

‘So, what happened?' Jeremy asked, lighting a cigarette.

‘She was fun and very pretty, but just not that bothered about anything half the time. And the other half she was too drunk, or at celebrity parties. I don't know, Jeremy, she just wasn't what I'm looking for any more, I guess. I know that sounds very soppy,' Ben said, opening a pack of crisps.

‘Soppy? Sure, I'm the married one, here, and soppy is my middle name! But you are right, time is too short to be wasting on people that aren't right.'

Ben nodded in agreement.

‘Anyway, it was probably too good to be true,' Jeremy said to Ben.

‘What do you mean?' Ben asked, puzzled.

‘Well, you know, that you would get so grown-up, what with taking over your dad's place, and settle down with the woman of your dreams all in the space of a few months. That's too much growing up for you!'

Ben laughed, but still felt a little disappointed that he and Nikki were over, even though he knew it had been the right thing to do. He decided to change the subject by teasing Jeremy. So he asked him when he was going to have kids and become a dad. ‘That's the real grown-up married thing to do,' he laughed.

They enjoyed the rest of the night: catching up, drinking and watching football on the large outdoor flat screen TV. At 11 p.m. they headed for a late-night burger before heading home, and Jeremy asked if Ben wanted to go surfing the following weekend.

‘Great idea, but I can't. I'm off to a wedding in Kilkenny,' Ben said. Only then did he remember he had no idea where his tuxedo was, and that he needed to get Ali and Robin a wedding gift.

‘No bother. Sure, I'll see you soon, and maybe I'll help find a nice girl for you. What do accountants go for? Book worms? Tax consultants? TV licence inspectors?'

Ben playfully hit Jeremy. ‘Just because you are an old married man now, doesn't mean you have to be jealous of single young men like myself!'

And with that, Ben hopped into a taxi and made a mental note to remember to find his tuxedo and good shoes for the wedding – and buy that present.

Molly was in Coast on St Stephen's Green, trying to find something to wear for Ali's upcoming wedding. Even though she would be busy working for most of the day, she was going to the church while her cousin Eve kept an eye on the food. Then, straight after the ceremony, when everyone else would be posing for photos and having a drink in the local pub, Molly planned to rush back to Ali's farm, change into her catering gear and get going on the food. It would be hectic, but Molly was delighted to be helping her friend and gaining the experience of catering a wedding. She realized how much she loved doing jobs like this: planning menus, being her own boss, and getting joy from seeing clients well-fed and happy. It gave her hope that her career and job prospects would improve in the future, and that maybe one day she would have enough money to live away from home.

She zipped up a short, white dress that had large black flowers printed all over it, and a wide black ribbon trim. There were matching shoes and a clutch
bag. It showed off her long brown hair and dark brown eyes, and as she looked in the mirror Molly knew she had found the perfect wedding outfit, so she made her way to the till.

She was going to Kilkenny the night before the wedding, to get the kitchen and food set up. Ali's dad had booked her into a small hotel near the farm. He had also hired some local waiters to help serve the food on the big day. Molly was actually looking forward to getting away: she was so sick of alternating nights in with her mum with nights out with the girls – who all seemed obsessed with finding her a man. After the disaster with the singer, Will, Molly had been put off all men, and was just happy working and enjoying the summer sunshine, but she thought a few days away would do her good. She paid for the new dress and headed home. Tonight she was going to the cinema with her brother Patrick. He might be nearly thirty-two but he had almost died from excitement when he had heard
Spider-Man 3
was out, and when his girlfriend had refused to go, Molly had given in to her brother's obsession with comic-book heroes and booked for them to see it together, followed by a pizza in Dundrum.

When she got home she did a quick fashion show for her mum, who agreed the new dress was perfect, before her brother knocked on the front door. Molly grabbed her handbag, and after her mum had made Patrick promise to come for dinner the following weekend, they headed for Dundrum cinema. As she sat in the car, listening to Patrick rattle on about his
job, his football team's disastrous relegation, and his plans for a holiday Molly realized how much she had missed male company. Even though she had her dad at home, and Eve's boyfriend André at work, she missed just sitting in a car listening to a man chat and drive. Her girlfriends were great, but they were all obsessed with men and weddings, while boys could chat about a good dinner, or
Star Wars
for hours. Molly laughed when Patrick asked if she could teach him some special meals to cook for his girlfriend who was getting sick of takeaway every time it was Patrick's turn to cook. When they got to the cinema Molly picked up the tickets while Patrick went hell for leather on the food and came back with huge cokes, popcorns, pick'n'mix and nachos.

‘How will we fit dinner in after?' she laughed.

‘Oh we will, don't you worry,' he said, as he handed his sister her share of the food. They found their seats and waited to see how Tobey Maguire was filling out the new black
Spider-Man
suit.

After the cinema Molly and Patrick had started walking towards Milanos for a pizza when Molly stopped dead. There, across the path, was Luke, walking hand in hand with a girl. Molly actually thought she was going to be sick. Patrick noticed them at the same time, and put his arm around his younger sister.

‘Just keep on walking, Molly,' he said as he almost lifted her, and pushed her towards the restaurant.

Molly just stared at Luke, who hadn't seen her. He was laughing and chatting, and having the time of his
life. When they sat down Patrick ordered a bottle of white wine, and it wasn't until he had poured Molly a large glass that he finally spoke.

‘Molly, that must have been so hard for you. I'm so sorry, it's my fault we came to the cinema tonight. I'm sorry.'

Molly knocked back the wine and poured herself more.

‘It's not your fault, Patrick,' she eventually managed to say. ‘I just can't believe Luke has moved on so fast. I mean, yes, I went on a couple of kind of dates with that guy Will, but nothing in broad daylight, stone cold sober, and holding hands.' Molly spoke in shock, thinking back to all the millions of times she and Luke had held hands. It was a normal everyday thing that she had taken for granted, yet now that she had no one to do it with it seemed as priceless as gold dust.

Patrick ordered them each a pizza, not having to ask what his only sister wanted; he knew pepperoni was her favourite.

‘Molly, I'm sorry, but maybe it will help you move on, you know?' Patrick said, looking worriedly at her.

Molly sighed to herself. Patrick was right. And Luke was a nice guy. He deserved to have someone in his life. He had never liked being on his own, anyway, so it did not surprise her that he had found a new girlfriend.