Where Rainbows End (4 page)

Hi Rosie. Just got ur text. Sent u an e-mail explaining. Can u check e-mail at airport? Alex

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Sorry!

Rosie I am so sorry. This whole day has been an absolute nightmare.

There was a foul-up with the flight. I don’t know what happened, but my name wasn’t in the system when I went to collect my ticket. I’ve been here all day trying to get another flight. They’re all booked because of people flying home from holidays and students returning home etc. . . . I’m on standby, but so far there’s been nothing. I’m just hanging around the airport waiting for a flight. This is a nightmare.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Flight tomorrow

Dad’s talking to the lady at Aer Lingus ticket desk. She says there’s a flight that leaves Boston tomorrow at 10:10am. It takes five hours to get here so that you will make it 3pm, then we’re five hours ahead which will make it 8pm. We could collect you from airport and go straight to ball? Or maybe love, rosie

33

you’d prefer to go to my house first? You can’t wear your tux on the plane because you’ll get all crumpled. What do you think?

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Flight

Sounds good to me. Doesn’t matter if we’re late just as long as I get there. I’ll go see if they can get me on that flight.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Flight

Rosie, bad news. That flight is fully booked.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Flight

Shit. Think, think, think. What can I do? It seems that we can get you here every other bloody day except tomorrow. Somebody up there really doesn’t want you to get on that plane. Maybe it’s a sign?

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

My fault

It’s my fault, I should have double checked with the airline yesterday.

Please go to the debs anyway. I no I’ve messed up your night. You still have the whole day to find someone else to go with you. Take loads of photos, tell everyone I was asking for them and enjoy yourself. Sorry, Rosie.

34

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: My fault

It’s not your fault. I’m disappointed but let’s be realistic, it’s not the end of the world. Make sure you get your money back for that flight, the eejits.

And anyway I’m gonna see you in a little over a month and we’ll be seeing each other EVERY DAY! We’ll have a brilliant time. I better go searching for a man now . . .

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Manhunt

Any luck finding a man?

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Man found

What a stupid question!! Of course I found a man. I’m insulted you even needed to ask . . .

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Mystery man

Then who is it?

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Secret man

That would be absolutely none of your business . . .

love, rosie

35

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Invisible man

HA! You didn’t find a date!! I knew it!

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Big strong man

Yes I did.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

No man

No you didn’t.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Yes, man!

Yes I did.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

What man?

THEN WHO IS IT????

36

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Almost a man

Brian

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Brian?

BRIAN????

BRIAN THE WHINE????

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: Brian?

Maybe . . .

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

HA HA!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha you’re going to the debs with Brian the Whine?!!! I can’t believe it! Talk about scraping the barrel! Brian, who spilled pizza down James’s sleeping bag at my 10th birthday party? Brian who caused mass hysteria in my house and ruined my birthday? Brian who lifted your skirt when you were six, in front of everyone in the school yard to reveal your knickers? The Brian you were stuck sitting beside for all of second class, who ate fish sandwiches every day for lunch and picked his nose while you ate yours? The Brian who followed us home from school every day singing, “Rosie and Alex up a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?” and made you cry and ignore me for a week? The Brian who spilled his beer all down your new top love, rosie

37

at my going-away party? The Brian you absolutely can’t stand and was the one person you hated all throughout school? And now you’re going to the last school dance ever,
with Brian
?

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

No the other Brian

Yes Alex,
that
Brian. Now may I ask that you please stop e-mailing me as my darling mother is currently tying knots in my head trying to make me look half decent? She has also been reading your e-mails and wants you to know that Brian the Whine won’t be lifting up my skirt tonight.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Brian

Well it won’t be for lack of trying. Have fun! May I suggest that you wear your beer goggles tonight. Brian, you see, is a bit of a whine. And I don’t think you’ll find his conversation very interesting . . . hee hee from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Beer goggles

The beer goggles will be well and truly on! You know as well as I do that I can’t go to the debs alone. Brian was the only person I could get last minute thanks to you. All I have to do is stand in with him for the photos so that Mum and Dad can have lovely memories of their daughter going to the debs all dressed up with a man in a tuxedo. The tables seat ten so I won’t even have to talk to him at dinner so there’s really no problem. Anyway he may have traumatized me as a child but he’s not that bad!

You’re enjoying this aren’t you Alex?

38

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Beer goggles

Not really. I’d love to be there instead. Don’t do anything with Brian that I wouldn’t do . . .

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: Beer goggles

Well that doesn’t rule out much. Hair’s done now, have to get the rest of me ready. I’ll let you know how it went tomorrow.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Debs

How were the debs last night? No doubt you’re nursing a hangover. I’ll wait to hear from you tomorrow but I’ll wait no longer! I want to know
everything!

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Debs

Did you get my last e-mail? I keep calling and there’s no answer, what’s up? I hope you’re busy preparing for the big move over to me!

E-mail me soon please.

Steph:

Rosie, stop avoiding Alex and tell him how the debs went. Alex is even e-mailing me wondering what happened and I’m certainly not going to tell him! The poor guy missed out and all he wants to know is who did what, where and when.

love, rosie

39

Rosie:

Well I certainly won’t be telling him who did who.

Steph:

Ha ha.

Rosie:

It’s not funny.

Steph:

I think it’s hilarious. Come on it’s been three weeks now!

Rosie:

Are you sure it’s been three weeks?

Steph:

Oh don’t try to play that one Rosie!

Rosie:

No I’m serious Steph. Has it been
three
weeks?

Steph:

Yeah, why?

Rosie:

Holy shit.

Rosie has logged off

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Hello??

Rosie are you there? Are you having problems with your e-mail? Please reply. You should be getting on a plane soon to come over here.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Please Rosie?

Are you mad at me? I’m sorry I couldn’t go to the debs ball, things with whiney Briany can’t have gone that badly, can they?! What have you been doing all month? This is ridiculous. Why doesn’t anyone answer the phone when I call?

Answer me,

Alex

Mrs. Dunne,

Hi Alice, it’s Alex here. I’m just writing to see if Rosie’s OK. I haven’t heard from her and I was getting a bit worried to tell you the truth. It’s unusual 40

Cecelia Ahern

for me to not hear from her in so long. Every time I call the house it just goes onto answering machine, are you all getting my messages? Maybe you’ve all gone away? Please let me know if everything is OK and tell Rosie to call.

Best wishes,

Alex.

Dear Sandra,

Alex has been leaving messages with us all week and he’s terribly worried about Rosie. I know you’re worried about him worrying about Rosie so I’m just writing to let you know the situation . . .

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

You’re not coming to Boston??

My mum told me today that you’re not coming to Boston. Please tell me what’s happening. I’m so worried. Did I do something wrong? Was it because I missed the debs? Because you know I am so so sorry about that but they just couldn’t get me on another flight. You know that. I am always here for you when you need me.

Whatever it is Rosie please no that I will understand and will always be here to help you. Please let me no what is happening, I’m going out of my mind here. If you don’t get in touch with me, I’m booking a flight back to Ireland and I’m going to see you myself.

Love,

Alex

from:

Stephanie

to:

Rosie

subject:

I’m coming over

My little sis,

Rosie my sweetie, don’t worry. Everything happens for a reason. Just love, rosie

41

take deep breaths and try to relax. Maybe this is the correct path for you, perhaps Boston wasn’t. I’m booking a flight and I’ll be home as soon as I can. Hang in there little sis,

Love,

Stephanie

To Miss Rosie Dunne,

Boston College acknowledges that you will not be accepting your position this year.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Whitworth

Rosie, can’t believe this is the decision u have made. You
know
I am not in support of it. I’m moving away as I had already planned. Hope everything works out well 4 u.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Help

Oh god Alex, what have I done?

Alex,

It was good to see you again. Please don’t be a stranger. I’m really going to need all the friends I can get right now. Thank you for being so supportive last week, I honestly think I will go mad without you sometimes.

Life is funny isn’t it? Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, just when you finally begin to plan something, get excited about something, and feel like you know what direction you’re heading in, the paths change, the signs change, the wind blows the other way, north is suddenly south, and east is west, and you’re lost. It is so easy to lose your way, to lose direction.

And that’s
with
following all the signposts.

There aren’t many sure things in life, but one thing I know for sure is that you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. You have to follow through on some things.

I always give up, Alex. What have I ever had to do in my life that really
needed
to be done? I always had a choice, and I always took the easy way out—
we
always took the easy way out. At our age the burden of double maths on a Monday morning and finding a spot the size of Pluto on my nose was as complicated as it ever got for me.

This time round I’m having a baby. A baby. And that baby will be around on the Monday, on the Tuesday, on the Wednesday, Thursday, Fri-love, rosie

43

day, Saturday,
and
Sunday. I have no weekends off. No three-month holidays. I can’t take a day off, call in sick, or get Mum to write a note. I am going to be the mum now. I wish I could write myself a note.

I’m scared, Alex.

Rosie

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Baby talk

No, it’s no double maths on a Monday morning. It will be
far
more exciting than that. Double maths on a Monday morning is boring; it makes you sleep and gives you a headache.

A baby will fill you with love and pride, make you laugh, make you cry, make you strong, and help you to be more independent. You will learn far more from this experience than a maths class.

I am here for you for whenever you need me. Boston College can wait for you, Rosie, because you have far more important work to do now.

I no you will be just fine

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: Baby talk

You KNOW I will be fine. Watch the spelling, Mr. Stewart.

from: