Certain Sure (5 page)

“Any idea what you’ll do?” his mom asked as they sat together at the round kitchen table twenty minutes later. Maggie clattered plates and pots, serving up ham sandwiches and potato leek soup. The old brown teapot sat squat in the center, two mugs, steamy and fragrant, in front of each of them.

“You’re not going to try to talk me into going back?” Fin said.

“No. Perhaps your brother and I should have let you go your own way the first time. I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I don’t want you to worry. How did you find Rose and Katie?”

“Fine. Katie’s sure grown up.” Fin thanked Maggie when she placed a plate and bowl in front of him.

“Yes, she’ll be twenty-four in a couple weeks. She’s a good girl.”

Fin shifted in his chair. “Not much like Maureen. I mean, they look different.”

“Katie takes after Mavis a little, but mostly like Pat’s mother. Maureen resembles Aleen, only…” his mom trailed off, a wistful smile accompanying the far-off look in her eyes.

“Pat and Mavis implied you all didn’t really know each other when you were younger. They seemed to be hiding something from Katie.”

“Would you tell Rose all you know about her parents, even when she gets older?”

“No, I suppose not.” He never wanted Rose to get hurt.

“That’s how we all feel about Katie.”

“So there’s something to hide?” Fin asked between bites.

“Now isn’t the time to talk about the past. You promise you’ll go to the Dillons’ for dinner?”

“I promise,” Fin said. “And I promise to call and let you know where I’m going.”

She patted his hand and smiled, just a ghost of a smile. He didn’t know if he’d ever seen her smile exuberantly, like Mavis did. He exhaled. If she’d cried, he might have stayed. Hopefully, no one at the Dillons’ would start in or he’d be done for. Maybe he could handle Rose, but if Katie’s eyes gleamed the way they had when he’d told her about Michael, his plans would have to change.

Chapter Four

Rose, of course, woke Katie at six thirty, as light peeped in through the curtains. Rose’s first concern was where her uncle Fin went. She wasn’t happy to hear he’d gone back to the Dunbars’ and was even less so when Katie refused to take her over to their house. She was placated only by Katie and her grandma’s promise that Uncle Fin and Grandma and Grandpa Dunbar were all invited to dinner, though they hadn’t accepted yet.

It was a drizzly May Sunday and Katie and Rose both sighed as they kneeled on the kitchen banquette, staring out the window. The greens and pastels of the plants popped against the grey sky. The phone jangled. Katie jumped up to answer. Sure enough, it was Michael.

“Hang on,” she said after the hellos. “Rose, honey, go up and find Grandma so she can finish getting you ready for church.” Katie’s father was safely out of earshot, reading the paper in the living room. “We need to talk.”

“This doesn’t sound good. I only called to tell you I love you and can’t wait to see you later in the week.”

“I can’t, I can’t do this. Did you and Maureen ever date each other?”

“What? Who told you that?”

“No one, not exactly.”

“Has Rose been rambling on? You know how fanciful she is, Katie. Surely you’re not going to break up over something a five-year-old said.”

“Rose hasn’t said anything.”

“Then what’s put this crazy idea in your head?” Michael said in a clipped tone.

“Please, tell the truth.”

“This is ridiculous, Katie. Why don’t you ask Maureen? She’ll tell you.”

“Sure, she’ll tell me what she wants me to hear. She’s an even better liar than you.”

“There’s no call for that.”

“Isn’t there?” Katie rubbed her forehead.

“We should talk another time. Cool off for a couple days and I’ll phone you when I get home.”

Katie was about to respond but Michael said goodbye and hung up before she could. She wanted to call Fin, but he had his own troubles. Fergus had told her about the forklift accident and how, as manager, Fin was responsible. He knew his father would be livid, but Fergus made Fin come home so he could clean up things there. Katie knew Fergus probably felt it was past time for Fin and his father to have it out. Katie hugged herself at the thought. The last time Fin and his father argued, he’d sent Fin away to Cork. Katie scuffed into the front entry. They needed to leave for church.

“Katie,” her father called. “Come here.”

Katie walked into the living room, where her father sat on the couch. Her father motioned her to sit so she eased into one of the two overstuffed, rosy chairs.

“I notice you’re not wearing your ring again.”

“I’m not marrying Michael.” Katie poked a finger through the crotched arm cover.

“Does he know?”

“I tried to tell him.”

“No man will put up with you changing your mind every five minutes.”

“I have my reasons.”

“And?” He tapped his hand on the cushion.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m an adult, Dad. I can make my own decisions.” She clasped her hands.

“You don’t act like one and you live at home, your mother and I support you. We have a right to know what’s going on.”

“Maybe I should move out, then.” Her body tensed. She didn’t want it to come to that.

“Maybe you should.” His voice chilled like a steel knife edge.

“Pat! Katie!” her mom called. Rose tromped down the stairs. “We’re ready to go.”

Her father rose, brushed past her, and met them by the door. Katie followed, smoothing her freshly ironed green sundress.

“Look at my two girls.” Her dad kissed her mom and Rose. “Let’s go,” he said, walking out.

Katie sat in church and almost laughed. She had prayed and, in a way, God answered. She felt everything she wished for, all the fire and yearning, but she felt it for Fin. Fin, the charmer, the womanizer, the drinker, the flirt, the former jailbird, she longed with every inch of her being for him! Her dad was right. God must be an Irishman, who else could have such a sense of humor toward his beloved children?

Chalk another line up on the board of things Katie wanted but couldn’t have: helping her dad at the pub, having him be proud of her, being respected enough to be told the family secrets, stop being lied to, now Fin. Katie prayed for him and his parents. She worried about them, how they could get past all their disappointments and anger. She couldn’t help. She didn’t know how to help herself.

After lunch, her dad went down to the pub to work on the books. Katie begged him to let her help, but he wouldn’t even talk to her. Katie’s business degree and her pleas for him to let her be assistant manager at the pub didn’t persuade him. Her mother finally pulled her into the kitchen. Rose wanted to bake again, but Katie convinced her to pretend with play dough instead since the freezer was nearly full with the mini quiches and other goodies for her mom’s upcoming fiftieth birthday party. They shaped little cakes and cookies, decorating them with cut out hearts and flowers. Rose put them on baking sheets and showed her grandma, who sat on the family room sofa reading the latest Maeve Binchy novel.

Rose whined and banged drawers and cabinets in boredom, so they cleaned up. When the phone which hung on the kitchen wall rang, Katie’s mom indicated Katie should let Rose watch something, if only to get her out of the kitchen for awhile. As Katie returned to the kitchen, she heard the tail end of her mother’s phone call, which from the sound of it was Mary Dunbar, and it wasn’t good news.

“Well, Katie,” her mom said as she hung up the phone, “I guess you know who that was. It seems Fin and his dad had a big argument and James wants him gone but Mary is sending Fin over here. She would really like him to stay in town, both for Rose and herself. I told her we’d be glad to have Fin here, not only for Rose, but because I hope he’ll be willing to go to work down at the pub with your dad. He needs someone he can trust to help him.”

Katie rolled her eyes. He couldn’t trust his own daughter?

“Whatever his dad might say, I think Fin’s a good lad, just slow to grow up. Your dad was much the same, you know. Most men don’t ever become as responsible as James and Fergus. It’s too bad they don’t know it. So, I’ll need you to help me convince Fin to stay here, though I think he’ll do it once he sees how upset Rose will be when he says he’s leaving town.”

Katie’s stomach lurched. “Did Mary say he’s going?”

“She seemed to think so, but she’ll get him over here first.” Her mom bustled around, checked the refrigerator, wiped the counters with a cloth.

“Oh. He wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Rose, anyway,” Katie said, brightening, though her stomach hollowed thinking of Fin’s situation. It was harsh that his dad would throw him out, especially with his mother unwell. She hoped they could get him to stay and things might work out eventually.

Once they had everything prepped for dinner, Katie’s Mom suggested they all change before Fin and Katie’s dad got home. Rose wanted to help Katie, but thankfully, her grandma requested her assistance. Katie, though she’d never had Maureen’s special touch with her hair, clothes, and makeup, could at least look better than she had yesterday. After putting on a little mascara and lipstick, she spent almost twenty minutes trying to decide what to wear, before choosing a lightweight sky blue v-neck sweater and dark boot cut jeans. Satisfied with her outfit, she then didn’t know what to do with her hair. Her mom and Rose appeared at her door.

“You’re pretty, Aunt Katie. Maybe I should wear my blue sweater, too,” Rose said, settling herself on the bed. Katie fought the nervous urge to smooth the white bedspread where Rose crumpled it. Katie brushed her hair again until it shone.

“No, dear, your grandpa and Uncle Fin will be here anytime. Do you want me to put up your hair?” Katie’s mom asked.

“No, thanks,” Katie said, remembering Fin’s compliment. Katie’s musing was interrupted by a shout from her dad downstairs.

“Hello! I’m home! Where are my three girls? Fin’s here too.”

Rose started to run out, but her grandma grasped her hand to take her downstairs.

“You coming, Katie?” she said.

“Yes, I’ll be right there, Mom,” Katie said, her stomach jittery. Checking herself in the mirror, she told herself to stop being ridiculous, it was only Fin. He was like her brother or something. But he certainly wasn’t her brother. Fergus had become like a brother to her, but not Fin. It doesn’t matter, she thought, go downstairs or Dad will get annoyed. When Katie walked in, everyone sat in the living room, Rose monkeyed all over Fin. He tried to get up to say hello, but Rose had a grip on him. Katie smiled and said hi.

“Aunt Katie, come sit here with us. Uncle Fin’s staying for dinner and I told him about the cookies we made,” Rose said, jumping on Fin.

“Thanks for inviting me. Now, Rose, why don’t you sit next to Katie, I need to talk to you,” Fin said. He frowned. Katie’s stomach flip flopped as she sat with Rose, who peered expectantly at Fin.

“Your grandpa James and I had a little disagreement and he wants me to go back to Ireland.”

Now Katie felt sick and she gripped Rose’s hand.

“Can I go too?” Rose pleaded.

“No, sweetie, your mom and dad are still busy and they’ll be back in a couple weeks,” Fin said.

“He wants you to go back to your job, Fin?” her dad said.

“No, he said he’d let me go back as a line worker, like I was when I started.” Fin shook his head.

“But Uncle Fin, if you’re going, I want to go too. It’s not fair.”

“I don’t think I’m going, at least not to Ireland. I thought maybe I’d go to New York or Los Angeles for a while.”

“Why don’t you stay here, Fin?” her dad said. “If you’re interested, you could be my assistant manager down at the pub on trial, to see if you like it. Mavis has been telling me to get some help, someone I can trust.”

“My dad wouldn’t advise putting your trust in me. I’m sorry,” he said. Rose’s chin quivered. “I think I should go.” He tried to stand up, but Rose grabbed him, crying on his shoulder. Katie felt tears in her eyes, too, both for Rose and herself, while anger at her dad for offering Fin the job she’d asked for boiled.

“Nonsense, Fin,” Katie’s mom said. “You can stay with us. You can decide what to do when Maureen and Fergus get back. We’d love to have you, and you can see Rose will be upset if you go.”

“Yes, and you needn’t feel pressure about the job. You’re welcome to stay regardless,” her dad added. Fin looked at her parents then questioningly at Katie, who swallowed.

“Couldn’t you spare a couple weeks for Rose?” Katie sighed out. At Fin’s raised eyebrow, she realized once again what she said didn’t sound like what she meant.