Stand by Me (6 page)
‘I’m sure you’re very proud of him,’ said Brendan politely.
‘Of course we are,’ said Evelyn. ‘Now, can I get you a cup of tea?’
‘We don’t have time, Mam.’ Dominique spoke quickly. ‘We’re supposed to be at the party by eight.’
‘Of course you have time for tea,’ she said. ‘Come along, Dominique, you can help me.’
Dominique shot a helpless look at Brendan, who winked at her. She followed Evelyn into the kitchen. Seamus was sitting at the table, reading the
Evening Herald
but he got up when his wife and daughter entered.
Evening Herald
but he got up when his wife and daughter entered.
‘He’s a bit old,’ said Evelyn to her husband. ‘But you’d better see for yourself.’
‘Mam, Dad. For heaven’s sake!’ hissed Dominique. ‘He’s not here to be checked out. And he’s not old. He’s only twenty-eight.’
‘He’s your boyfriend,’ said Evelyn. ‘And twenty-eight is much more mature than you.’
‘It doesn’t matter how old he is,’ Dominique retorted. ‘We’re going out together. There’s no need to make a big production of it. Please,’ she added, looking at her father. ‘You’ll make him think he’s being investigated or something.’
‘I’ll just say hello,’ said Seamus. ‘Man to man.’
Dominique sighed. Her relationship with Brendan was the best relationship she’d ever had in her life. (Well, she corrected herself, the only relationship she’d ever had in her life. She couldn’t count two trips to the Carlton cinema with John McNulty, who’d worked behind the bar at American Burger but who’d headed off to New Zealand shortly afterwards; or a boring theatre visit with Tom Fitzpatrick, who wanted to be an actor and who was only working in the restaurant until his big break came along.) Now her parents were about to destroy her chance of happiness. Brendan would see that she came from a house full of religious nutters and he’d think that she was a nutter herself.
‘We really don’t want tea,’ she said as Evelyn filled the kettle.
‘Nonsense.’ Evelyn shook some custard creams on to a plate. ‘He’s a guest.’
‘He’s only here to take me out,’ said Dominique desperately. ‘Mam ...’
‘We’re being polite,’ Evelyn said firmly. She put the plate on to her large, gold-rimmed tray along with four cups and saucers, a jug of milk and a bowl of sugar, and carried it into the front room. Dominique stayed in the kitchen, contemplating her ruined relationship.
The kettle boiled and Dominique made the tea. There was no point in trying to outmanoeuvre her parents. They did what they wanted to do. They never listened to her.
There was no sign of Evelyn returning, so she carried the blue ceramic teapot (it matched the cups and saucers; Evelyn had used their good crockery) into the front room.
She thought she saw relief in Brendan’s eyes as she walked in. No doubt he was getting the rundown on Gabriel’s priestly vocation. Everyone who visited the house got that.
‘We only have time for a very quick drop, Mrs Brady,’ he said as Dominique put the teapot down on the coffee table. ‘You know what it’s like trying to get a taxi.’
‘You’re getting a taxi?’ Evelyn looked at Dominique.
‘Easier than trying to catch buses,’ she said. She had no problem about getting a taxi tonight. She was wearing a lightweight pale pink sleeveless dress with a narrow silver belt, as well as high-heeled pink shoes that she’d bought only that day and which were already pinching her toes because they were a half-size too small. Evelyn had told her before Brendan arrived that the shoes were too high and the dress was too flimsy - and that the neckline was far too low - but Dominique had ignored her. She’d also ignored her mother’s complaint that the white jacket she was wearing with it was totally unsuitable for the weather and wouldn’t keep out the cold and that her chunky white earrings and necklace were tarty.
‘In fact, we’d better go now,’ said Brendan. He drained his cup in one large gulp. ‘Lovely to meet you, Mr and Mrs Brady.’
‘Aren’t you going to have a custard cream?’ Evelyn picked up the plate and offered them to him.
‘There’s food at the party,’ said Brendan. ‘We’re grand, thanks, Mrs Brady. Come on, Domino, time to go.’
‘Domino?’ Evelyn frowned.
‘My pet name for her,’ said Brendan easily, taking Dominique by the hand. ‘Thanks again.’
He hustled Dominique out of the room and out of the house. They were on the pavement outside before she looked at him contritely.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘They—’
‘Don’t you worry,’ he told her. ‘They’re concerned about you. Like all parents. It’s fine.’ He put his arm around her and drew her closer to him. Dominique released a sigh of relief. He was holding her tightly. Despite having met her parents. He must really and truly love her.
And she really and truly loved him too.
‘Well, what did you think?’ asked Evelyn Brady as she cleared away the tea and the uneaten custard creams.
‘He’s harmless enough, I suppose,’ said Seamus. ‘He’s a builder.’
Evelyn sniffed. ‘Not much money there,’ she said. ‘Very precarious kind of living.’
‘I think he cares for her, though.’
‘Cares for her? Not loves her?’
‘I don’t suppose he’d tell me that,’ said Seamus. ‘But they haven’t been going out together that long, so ...’
‘I think he’s trouble.’ Evelyn frowned.
‘Why?’
‘Twenty-eight, Seamus. He’s at a different place in his life to her.’
‘Maybe he’ll be a steadying sort of fellow,’ said Seamus.
‘And maybe he’ll just use her. He calls her Domino.’
‘That’s hardly a reason to dislike him.’
Evelyn frowned again. ‘It shows a lack of respect. Though how she expects to get respect when she dresses like she’s done tonight, I’ll never know.’
‘Evelyn . . .’
‘
And
she loves him too much.’ Evelyn picked up the tray and walked into the kitchen, Seamus following her. ‘She loves him too much and he doesn’t care enough, and that’s always a bad thing.’
And
she loves him too much.’ Evelyn picked up the tray and walked into the kitchen, Seamus following her. ‘She loves him too much and he doesn’t care enough, and that’s always a bad thing.’
The party was in a community hall near the Nangor Road. The hall had been decorated with banners and balloons all wishing a Happy 21st to Peadar, who worked with Brendan on the office block site.
‘He’s a great man, is Peadar,’ Brendan said as they went up and wished him all the best. ‘The hardest worker of us all.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Peadar grinned. ‘I cover his lazy ass.’
Brendan slapped Peadar on the back and both of them laughed while Dominique looked around her tentatively. She didn’t know anyone and was feeling suddenly insecure about being here with Brendan among his friends.
‘Come on, pet.’ He grabbed her by the hand. ‘Let’s get some drinks. We’re having a double celebration tonight.’
‘Oh?’ she asked.
‘Today I set up Delahaye Construction and I got my first job – a house extension on Donard Road.’ Donard Road wasn’t all that far from Dominique’s house, and she smiled at the idea of being able to see him when he was working.
‘That’s fantastic,’ she said.
‘Aye.’ He grinned at her. ‘They want a new kitchen added on to the side, which is an easy enough job. Things have been on the up and up for me ever since I met you, Domino. You’re my lucky charm.’
She blushed. ‘You really think so?’
‘I absolutely know so,’ he said as he waved at the barman and ordered a round of drinks.
By the time they left the party in the early hours of the morning, she was feeling woozy. They hadn’t had any West Coast Cooler at the bar, and so she’d drunk Bacardi and Coke instead. She’d grown to like it, but hadn’t realised the effect it was having on her until she got up from the table where she’d been sitting and nearly toppled off her high-heeled shoes. She’d had to blink a few times to focus properly and had walked very carefully to the loos.
‘I think you’ve had enough,’ Brendan said when she came back. ‘And it’s getting late. Time for us to go.’
She nodded and waited for him while he said goodbye to Peadar and his other friends (she’d liked them; they were all very easy-going) and then, when he came back, she clung to his arm so that she didn’t topple over again.
‘It’s my fault,’ he said when they were outside. ‘I didn’t realise that the drink would hit you like that.’
‘I’m fine,’ she told him. ‘Absolutely fine.’
‘You are that.’ He looked down at her and she looked up at him, and then he kissed her, and she didn’t know whether she was drunk on alcohol or simply intoxicated by him, but she felt as though she was floating on air.
‘I love you.’ She’d never intended to say that to him. All the advice in the magazines she read warned against girls saying those words first. But she couldn’t help herself. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you too,’ he said, and she knew that she was the happiest person in the world.
They still hadn’t slept together. There had been kissing, of course, and holding each other close, and Dominique had sometimes felt as though she wanted to rip Brendan’s clothes off and make love to him on the spot. But he hadn’t made any moves to take things further. He’d stop and say that when the time was right . . . and then his voice would trail off. She thought about it all the time, wondering if, when he decided the time was right, he might bring her to a luxury hotel and woo her with champagne and chocolates. Not that he had the money for champagne and chocolates - he earned more than her and might have been OK with taxis, but luxury nights away were asking a bit much. It was a nice dream, though.
As they walked through a nearby housing estate, she wondered what it would be like. And she thought that she should really go to a family planning clinic if she was thinking those kind of thoughts. Sleeping with Brendan would be a major step. But getting pregnant would be a major disaster.
She fell off her shoes again despite his steadying arm. He lifted her up and looked at her.
‘I think I’m going to have to carry you,’ he said.
‘You can’t,’ she told him. ‘Your arms will be pulled out of their sockets with the weight of me.’
‘You’re a little feather.’ He scooped her up into his arms. ‘That’s all. A little feather.’
She was light-headed and giggly. He walked about a hundred yards and then he stopped. They were at the edge of a large field that bordered the estate. Crossing the field, which was dotted with trees and bushes, gave them a short cut to the main road.
‘You’re right,’ he said breathlessly. ‘My arms
are
falling out of their sockets. You’re the heaviest little feather I ever knew. I can’t make it across there with you. I’ll end up stuck in the mud!’
are
falling out of their sockets. You’re the heaviest little feather I ever knew. I can’t make it across there with you. I’ll end up stuck in the mud!’
‘I’m so sorry.’ She kissed him as she slid from his arms and stood beside him. ‘I’ll try to be a good girl and stay on my own two feet.’
‘You’re always a good girl.’ He grinned at her. ‘A good Catholic girl.’
‘Brendan!’ She sounded insulted and he laughed.
‘I like it,’ he assured her. ‘I like the fact that you’ve obviously been brought up well.’
‘Too bloody well,’ she said irritably.
‘Ah, not really.’ He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.
She pulled him tightly towards her so that she could feel every part of him through the light jacket and the pink dress. She knew she was still a little dizzy from the drink, but she was even dizzier with desire. She wanted to melt into him completely, be part of him. She didn’t want to ever let him go.
‘I love you,’ she whispered again as they came up for air.
His eyes were gazing directly into hers and she wondered if it was her own desire that she could see mirrored in them. She knew that she was trembling, knew that she wanted him more than anything else in the world.
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