My Naughty Little Secret (25 page)

“Jesus Christ! Are you sure that’s a good idea? He’ll probably drown me! I stole his baby girl.”

“Don’t be such a drama queen! He’s always in good humour in the water. Besides, he’ll have one up on you as he can surf and you can’t, so it’ll make him feel better,” I pointed out.

“Fine,
one day
and we will see how it goes,” Michael reluctantly agreed.

“How’s work?”

“The offices were closed obviously since its Saturday but the store is mad with last-minute Christmas shoppers. I don’t know how you managed it, but that pep talk about the admin staff supporting the shop resulted in each department sending in someone to help out today. Your new assistant came in. They have others organised for tomorrow. Dad’s well impressed with you,” he told me.

“Brilliant, fair play to them, I’ll have to organise a night out for the volunteers after Christmas. Was James in?”

“’Course he was, he still gets excited about Christmas. At least now he can spend most of his time down on the shop floor without feeling guilty about what he should be doing in the office. Catherine is a Christmas widow. I’d say she’ll be glad to see Monday.”

“I nearly missed my flight yesterday,” I told him expectantly.

“Aw, Shiv, how many times do I have to tell you, you need to learn to be punctual,” Michael lectured.

“Is that it? Have you nothing else to say on the matter? Fuck it, Michael, what do I have to do to get a spanking these days. I swear at you, I turn up late, I wind you up, and still you ignore it. I miss it. I could really do with one. It de-stresses me and makes me feel good,” I implored.

“All you have to do is ask,” he said huskily.

“That’s not the kind of spanking I mean. I want the bossy kind back. You haven’t done it since the day you went to France,” I whined.

“Shiv, you know I don’t want to hurt you like that again,” Michael said for the hundredth time.

“But you didn’t hurt me much. You upset me. That’s different.”

“We’ll see,” he fobbed me off; obviously not wanting to argue when there was such a distance between us.

“I’ll never make you a good wife if you don’t train me,” I provoked, trying to use any advantage I could.

“When you agree to be my wife, I’ll start training you,” he quipped.

“Well, at least you still stalk even if you don’t spank,” I laughed.

“I’d better go. Dad wants me to go home with him tonight. I think he’s afraid I’ll mope without you. He misses you too. I caught him wandering up to your office today. He forgot it was Saturday and you wouldn’t be here. I told him if it was urgent he could ring you, but he said he was just going up to say hello. You have us all hooked with your cheerfulness, Miss Brennan. He was very impressed that you got the staff to turn in.”

“It’s a pity I wasn’t there to do the same; maybe next year I’ll have to stay home for Christmas.”

“I’d like that. We’ll chat later. Love you.”

“Love you too, Michael.”

Mam was unpacking the shopping as I came out of the bedroom. “Were you talking to Michael?” she asked with interest.

“Yes, Mam, I miss him already. I wish he was here.”

“Well, maybe it’s as well you got a day on your own with your father first. He’s in much better humour. He has even accepted that you can share a room when Michael arrives. Up ‘til now he was saying it’d be over his dead body,” my mother pointed out, ever the optimist. “I hear you brought him surfing. He hasn’t done that in a while.”

“Yeah, I think he really enjoyed it too. He probably needs more exercise. Since he’s given up the farming, he doesn’t get out as much.”

“I think I’ll get him golf lessons. That takes all day, doesn’t it?” Mam quipped.

“Mam, you’re so bold,” I giggled.

“Messing aside, it’s good to see him smile again. You’re such a little Miss Fix-it. You jolly everyone along.”

“What’s this, national analyse Siobhan day? First Dad, then Michael, and now you.” I piqued. “Did you get the shopping finished?”

“Yes, except the stuff I can get in the village tomorrow,” Mam sighed with relief. “Do you need to do any shopping?”

“God, no, Mam, after last week in Banbury’s, Christmas shopping is definitely off my to-do list. It was great fun though. The offices were quiet enough so I spent half my time in ladies’ wear mucking in. There’s this great pair of women there. They really pull the customers, suck them in. And they’re great craic too. I could watch them all day. You’d love them.”

“What did you get Michael?” Mam asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

“Well, he loves horse riding so I found this beautiful bronze of a wild horse jumping a fence. I hope he likes it. He’s hard to buy for; if he wants anything he just buys it.” I don’t think she wants to know about the rest of it, I thought naughtily, remembering the little surprise package I added.

“I suppose you’ll get the watch. That comes before the ring,” Mam muttered almost to herself.

“
Mam
!” I shouted, disgusted.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to say that out loud. You know me and my sayings. Anyway, have you thought about how you will entertain a city gent in a country village for five days?” she asked, swiftly changing the subject. It wasn’t off the stones I had licked that talent!

“Well, we’ll hire a car, do some sightseeing, some horse-riding and Dad’s going to teach him to surf.”

“Ah, so that’s how you did it,” Mam sniggered.

“Mam! Leave me alone. I don’t fix it.”

I knew half the village would be in the pub that night so I decided to coax my brother Niall to come out with me and leave the books behind for an hour or two. I met up with Pauric for the first time since I got home and was really pleased to see there was no awkwardness between us since our last interlude. I didn’t want to lose him as a friend.

“I saw you and your dad out on the water today. He’s still a class surfer, even at his age. Pity he doesn’t go out much anymore.”

“I think he feels it’s too risky. He still loves it though. He was in great form after it. Are any of the old crowd round for Christmas?” I asked him.

“Only a handful—the ones in Dublin or England, most of them are too far afield.”

“That’s a pity; I would’ve liked to catch up with a few people,” I said sadly.

The bar started filling up and I met up with a couple of surfing friends, and a few more school friends. I was happy to catch up, but at about half past eleven I got unnaturally tired. I told Niall I was heading home.

“I’ll come with you,” Niall agreed. “I need to get up early to study. God, you must really be getting in on the English way of life, sure that place is only beginning to fill up now, what has you leaving so early?”

“I‘m wrecked, I suppose it’s the fresh air and travelling. I wouldn’t mind, but I slept late today too. I must be getting old.”

“It’ll be the free bus pass soon!” he teased.

“How is the study going anyway? The last year is always hard,” I sympathised.

“Ah, the course is fine; it’s just there aren’t many jobs out there. I want to try to graduate top of the class just for the kudos it will bring in interviews,” he explained.

“From my experience, employers look for a work-life balance as well as good results. You have to keep your other interests going too. You have to be seen to be versatile and motivated,” I advised.

“Yes, Mammy. Seriously, Shiv, I have lots of other stuff I enjoy, but just this year it’s on the back burner. I can’t wait to get my life back.”

When we arrived home, mercifully everyone was gone to bed so I was able to head straight there too. Within minutes of my head touching the pillow, I was out like a light, aware of nothing until morning.

“Christmas Eve, time to hang up our stockings, yeah hurray!” chanted Aislinn at 8:00 a.m. I woke up very reluctantly.

“God, what age are you, Aislinn?” I laughed. “Did nobody tell you Santa doesn’t exist?”

She poked out her tongue at me.

“Killjoy! The stockings are the best bit. I still love them, old and all as I am.”

“Yeah, me too,” I agreed, secretly revelling in my sister’s childish behaviour and the seasonal enthusiasm.

Even after we children were too old to believe in Santa, Mam had kept the tradition of the Christmas stocking alive, to try to keep a bit of the Christmas magic in the house. She always filled the stockings with all sorts of little luxuries and frivolities that we wouldn’t buy for ourselves and we loved opening them on Christmas morning.

“Do you remember when we were small we used to plague Mammy and Daddy to let us open some presents on Christmas Eve?” added Keeva, joining in the excitement.

“All day long from when we would get up in the morning, ‘til they eventually agreed to just one, after Midnight Mass. You’d think we’d learn, but we did the same thing year after year and we never got to open one ‘til after mass. God, kids are such annoying brats really,” she laughed. “Remind me never to have any.”

“Jaysus, you’re an even bigger misery-guts than Shiv, why would you never want kids? Look at all the fun they can be,” Aislinn complained.

“Snotty noses, dirty nappies, no nights out, no leaving the house without a military operation. No, thanks.” said Keeva, shuddering at the memory of the summer job she had last year as
au pair
in Dublin.

“You’ll change your tune in time, mark my words,” Mam prophesised.

We had a very noisy traditional Irish breakfast of rashers, sausages, black pudding, fried eggs, and potato bread. Then we got down to the serious business of wrapping gifts and pre-preparing what food we could for Christmas Day.

Niall and Dad were put on potato and vegetable peeling duty. The giblet soup was my department, which we would have today with sandwiches and then again tomorrow before dinner. Keeva was in charge of parboiling the ham and glazing it. Aislinn was to keep clearing up after everyone so the kitchen didn’t get out of hand. Mam would collect the turkey and ham from the Flynn’s, the butchers and get the last minute supplies of milk, cream, and bread rolls. She would do the smoked salmon salad tomorrow.

“Janey Mack,” she said when she got back, “you’d think the shops are going to be shut for a month. The world and its mother are in the village. There are tailbacks on the main street.”

“Tailbacks in Easkey, Mam,” snorted Aislinn with derision, “will you stop exaggerating. There were probably five cars on the road, and that’s a tailback here.”

“Or cows going in for milking, that’s a tailback round here! Will we go to the pub later?” added Keeva hopefully; she knew some of her school friends were being allowed out tonight on account of Christmas. Mam and Dad never permitted her go to the pub, but she was hopeful they’d make an exception since I was home.

“Pub, my backside,” said Dad crossly, ruining the jollity, “we’ll all be going to Midnight Mass as usual, and you’ll not be going smelling of drink.”

“Dad, Midnight Mass is now the Christmas Vigil, it’s from nine to ten and I am planning to go to the pub after it for a couple of drinks if that’s ok. Maybe I can bring Keeva? I’ll keep an eye on her,” I reminded him, winking at Keeva.

“No more than two drinks for her,” Dad warned grumpily. Bah humbug. He needed a visit from the ghost of Christmas past to remind him what it was like to be young.

Keeva waited until Dad left the room. “Thanks, Shiv, I owe you one. You could always wrap him around your finger.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Christmas Day dawned bright and frosty. Everyone was up early, nearly as bad as when we were kids.

“What’d you get in your stocking?” Aislinn bounded into the room where I was still sleeping.

“Dunno, Ash, haven’t woken up properly yet.” She grabbed my stocking and jumped into bed beside me.

“Have a look, Shiv,” she entreated. “I got that new Lancôme perfume I like and make-up and truffles and phone credit and a few fancy soaps and things.”

It looked like I had no choice but to get caught in the moment and see what Santa brought. Satisfied that I had been looked after as well as she had by Santa, Aislinn loped off to give the others the benefit of her enthusiasm. I decided that while it was quiet I would open the parcel Michael gave me. It was about the size of a shoebox, and beautifully packaged. It felt strangely light for such a large container. He had warned me to make sure I was alone when I opened it, so I was expecting something naughty, maybe lingerie.

When I opened it, I was greeted by another box and a note which simply said keep going.

This was repeated six times, then I got to a note saying, “my love runs even deeper than that” and a small little box. Opening the box, I gasped as I saw a beautiful emerald and diamond ring. My immediate reaction was to shake my head in denial, but then I noticed the letter tucked into the lid. I read it greedily.

My Dearest Siobhan,

When I saw this emerald in its uncut form, the rich green stone reminded me of your eyes, with the yellow fire in the centre. The jeweller tells me the yellow is considered a “flaw” in the stone. I don’t think it’s a flaw; I think it’s like you, just perfect. I had hoped to be able to give it to you as an engagement ring, but I couldn’t wait. I wanted you to have it now, so consider it a “stalkers ring.”

You can wear it on your right hand, and then when you are ready, you can switch it over. I will watch every day for that switch, hoping it will come soon, but then I can stop annoying you by asking you to marry me so often. Know I am yours when you are ready for me.

I wish I could be there with you for our first Christmas, but maybe it’s as well the sea is between us as you read this.

Your loving stalker,

Michael

My eyes filled with tears. He was such a dear sweet man. I really wished I could commit, just to give him the sheer joy that he brought to me constantly. I knew my biggest enemy was my own insecurity. I slipped the ring on my wedding finger and looked at it. It really was beautiful. I knew now why he insisted I wait until Christmas day to open it. He wanted me to be far away. I swapped it over to the other hand and sent him off a text.