Despite her best efforts, Ruth could not persuade Aisling to take up running. Instead they began walking in the park each afternoon, once the kids finished their homework after school. Most days Ava joined them, too. DJ and Anna would play on the swings while they did a few laps in the park.
It was a few days since Ruth had last seen Tom and she scanned the park once again for a sight of him but he was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he’d disappeared off the face of the earth since they’d had lunch last Tuesday. DJ was withdrawn and sullen again. He blamed Ruth for Tom and Bette Davis’s absence, as well as everything else.
‘You must have said something to him to make him leave,’ he’d accused. Ruth had gone over every conversation they’d had and fretted that she’d offended him when she gave him new clothes to wear.
‘Things any better with DJ?’ Aisling asked as they walked.
Ruth shook her head.
‘It’s a funny age,’ Aisling replied. ‘Neither a kid, nor a teenager. I feel for them. Anna burst into tears the other night. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she didn’t know. She just felt frustrated and fed up.’
‘Welcome to the complicated world of womanhood,’ Ava said.
They all giggled at that.
Aisling said, ‘Speaking of womanhood, you know our noisy neighbours in number 125? Well, Kian filled me in on all the gossip there. Turns out their kids are staying with their grandparents, who have a huge house out in Dun Laoghaire. Those two chancers are only pretending that they are homeless so that they move up the list quicker.’
‘They lied?’ Ruth asked, incredulous.
‘Yep. Sure they’re having the time of their lives. Shagging morning, noon and night. It’s like a fecking holiday for them.’ Aisling shrugged.
‘That is downright despicable,’ Ava said. ‘If they get a house ahead of me and Brian, I’ll swing for them. And don’t get me started on that Melissa one.’
‘What has she done?’ Ruth asked.
‘Well, to start with she’s turned down three houses that I know about. For someone who is forever moaning that she had to sleep in a car for weeks, she’s fierce fussy about where she goes next. You’d think that with four children in one room with her she’d be desperate to take any house. Especially with Christmas coming,’ Ava said.
Hearing the stories of the other social housing residents was a revelation to Ruth. She took people at face value and was shocked to hear about some of the shenanigans going on.
‘Speaking of Christmas, we should decorate the Library. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a tree there? It’s not as if we can fit one in our hotel bedrooms,’ Aisling said.
Ruth replied, ‘I love a well-hung Christmas tree.’
‘Don’t we all?’ Aisling joked. ‘I’ll talk to Kian about that later.’
‘Ooooh, I bet you will … well hung, is he?’ Ava teased.
Aisling flushed a brighter shade of red, which did not go unnoticed by her friends.
‘You’re going scarlet!’ Ava said.
‘I’m just knackered from this walk, that’s all. Slow down, women!’ Aisling said.
‘You’re fooling no one,’ Ava said.
Aisling whispered, ‘If you must know, he asked me on a date!’
As Ruth watched Ava and Aisling jump up and down with delight, she felt happiness bubble its way up inside her. For the first time in her life she felt like she belonged in a sisterhood. She’d watched other women in groups bounce up and down with delight over some shared good news. And she’d always been on the outside, wondering what it would feel like. Warm and fun, that’s what it felt like.
‘Where will you go?’ Ava asked.
‘It’s tricky. We are both in the same situation that we don’t have any family who can take our kids. And as we are not allowed to go for a drink in the bar downstairs we can’t leave the kids on their own in their rooms. So it’s gonna have to be a family date.’
‘That is unacceptable,’ Ruth said.
‘You don’t think I should go on a date with Kian?’ Aisling’s face fell.
‘That is acceptable, but bringing your children with you on a first date is not. I will take them to the National Museum of Ireland. Then you can have a drink or dinner, just the two of you,’ Ruth answered.
‘I can’t ask you to do that!’
‘You did not ask. I offered,’ Ruth said.
‘Ah, Ruth. What would I do without you? You’re a pal.’
A pal. Nobody had ever called her that before. She felt a rush of emotion and could not wait to tell Dr O’Grady later on. He would be so happy for her. If she saw him again.
Where are you, Dr O’Grady?
‘Spending all that time with Kian cleaning the Library, well, it made me realise how great he is. I mean he’s got a mouth on him, but his heart is good,’ Aisling said.
‘I shall find more cleaning jobs for you all. Maybe by the time you finish the next, he will propose!’ Ruth joked.
Aisling and Ava shrieked with laughter at that.
‘Speaking of cleaning, what’s Erica been like over cleaning the communal room? Bitch, right?’ Ava asked.
Ruth shook her head. ‘She gives clear direction. I like that. However, I do not like all her chitchat. She talks a lot.’
Aisling snorted. ‘My Billy this and my Billy that. Sure we have never seen sight nor sound of him. Maybe he’s worn out with all of her chatter!’
As her two friends talked on, Ruth began to panic that she would do something wrong that might cause them to leave her.
Just like her father. Mark. Cathy. Dr O’Grady. And Dean. Always Dean.
Without realising, Ruth started wringing her hands.
Pop, pop, pop.
‘Ruth?’ Aisling’s voice cut in. ‘You OK? You’re doing that thing with your knuckles again.’ She turned to Ava and said, ‘She does that when she’s upset.’
‘What is it, Ruth?’ Ava asked.
Ruth looked at the two women who stood in front of her. Concern on their faces.
Find your tribe and hold them close. Do not let go.
‘I want to be understood,’ Ruth blurted out.
‘About what?’ Aisling asked.
Ruth struggled to form the words.
Pop, pop, pop.
‘I want you to know who I am,’ Ruth continued.
‘Well, tell us then,’ Ava said. ‘We’re listening.’
‘I always say the wrong thing. I upset people. I am an Aspie!’ she blurted out.
‘Is it like a disease or something?’ Aisling asked.
Ruth shook her head and wished that it was as simple as that. ‘It is a syndrome. Asperger’s is part of the autistic spectrum. I am not very good with people. I get things wrong a lot. I do not mean to upset anyone, but sometimes the words I say come out wrong. And I do not want that to happen with you both. I like our chats and walks. I do not want to lose you both.’
Pop, pop, pop …
‘Why didn’t I cop that? I should have copped that,’ Ava said. ‘It’s so fucking obvious now that you say it!’
‘Is that like yer man, the guy from the movie, what was he called? The rain man guy?’ Aisling asked.
‘As in, will I take us all to a casino and win us all a fortune, so we can get out of here?’ Ruth asked.
‘Yes!’ they both answered, grinning.
‘No,’ Ruth replied. ‘That is just in the movies. And it is not how it is for most people who are autistic.’
‘Pity. I could do with a few bob to buy a new dress for my date!’ Aisling said.
‘Tell me about it! Are you wicked clever then, Ruth?’ Ava said. ‘Sorry if that’s another generalisation.’
‘If you meet one person on the spectrum, then you have met one person on the spectrum,’ Ruth said.
They let the words sink in, nodding as they got it.
‘You are clever, though,’ Aisling said. ‘Anyone can see that.’
‘Correct, I am cleverer than most. And I do have a superpower. Or at least, that is what DJ calls it,’ Ruth told them.
‘What?’ Aisling squealed. ‘You’re not going to start flying or anything, are you?’
‘You’ve been watching too much television, you nut,’ Ava teased. Then she looked at Ruth and said, ‘You’re not, are you?’
‘Sometimes I flap a bit when I am really stressed. But no, I have never actually flown. But I can guess the weight of things,’ Ruth said. ‘I realised this when I was a child and correctly guessed how many balloons were squashed into a vintage car at a fair.’
‘No way!’ Aisling exclaimed. ‘Show us, show us!’
Ruth thought for a moment then looked Aisling up and down and said, ‘Based on the assumption that you are five foot two …’
‘That’s exactly what I am,’ Aisling said. ‘See, clever.’
‘… I normally like to lift things, to confirm the exact weight, but you are too fat for me to do that.’
‘Awkward …’ Ava said.
‘You weren’t lying when you said you could say anything … jeez …’ Aisling said.
‘Should I stop?’ Ruth asked.
‘No, go on … just don’t talk about my weight in front of Kian. I prefer to hold onto the thought that he only sees a supermodel when he looks at me.’
‘OK. I estimate you are between 244 and 246 pounds,’ Ruth said.
‘What’s that in stones?’ Aisling asked.
‘It is just over seventeen and a half stone,’ Ruth confirmed.
She looked at Ruth with eyes wide in awe. ‘I wish you were wrong. But, Lord above, that’s bang on the money.’
‘You carry the weight well,’ Ava said, patting Aisling’s arm in sympathy. ‘Bloody hell, Ruth. That’s some superpower to have.’
‘If you ever need me to go with you to a village fair to help you guess how much the oversized turnip weighs, just call me …’ Ruth joked.
‘You are one funny lady,’ Aisling said.
Ruth’s arms flapped, but this time in delight.
‘Well, I for one am delighted you told us a bit more about you,’ Ava said.
‘Me, too,’ Aisling agreed. ‘And who cares if you say the wrong thing every now and then? Friends don’t mind about that.’
Friends.
‘Yeah. Let’s stick together, right?’ Ava said. ‘We’ll get through this bullshit situation together. I have to tell you ladies, you’ve been such a tonic to me lately. I was so low only a few months ago, but now I feel like I’ve got people who are on my side. Who’ve got my back. It’s getting me through this nightmare, it really is.’
Stick together. ‘I never had friends before,’ Ruth whispered.
‘Never? Not even in school?’ Ava asked.
Ruth shook her head. ‘People do not like others who are different. My mother told me that. In my experience she was right about that.’
‘You are less different than you believe or have been told before,’ Aisling said. ‘For goodness’ sake, we’ve loads in common.’
‘We are all homeless, for a start,’ Ava said.
‘And you and me both failed epically at school sports. Right?’ Aisling asked.
‘True,’ Ruth confirmed.
‘I was bleeding brilliant,’ Ava told them.
‘Show off.’ Aisling shoved her good-naturedly.
‘And let’s never forget that we’re all beautiful,’ Ava said. ‘Here, come here, you beauts. Let’s do a selfie.’
‘I have never done one of those before,’ Ruth said.
‘A selfie virgin in Dublin? Jeepers! Didn’t think they existed!’ Ava exclaimed. She manoeuvred them into the perfect position and snapped. ‘I’ll insta that later. #besties. #mytribe.’
‘Tag me,’ Aisling said. ‘And there’s another thing we have in common, Ruth. You and I are both single mums.’
‘Where is DJ’s father?’ Ava asked. ‘If you don’t mind me asking.’
‘I wish I knew,’ Ruth replied.
‘What was he like?’ Aisling asked.
‘Funny. Kind. Good. Strong. We were soul mates.’
Ava and Aisling looked at Ruth in sympathy. She had it bad.
‘I met him on the day that I was supposed to meet my soul mate.’ She told them the story of the ice cream and the fortune-telling machine.
‘That’s so romantic,’ Aisling said.
‘My world in Wexford was jam-packed with Seans and Jacks. I never met a Dean before until he walked into me with his shiny black shoes,’ Ruth said.
‘You like that name?’ Ava asked.
Ruth nodded. ‘My number-one favourite book is Odd Thomas, written by Dean Koontz. I have read it two hundred and thirty-one times so far.’
‘Wow,’ Aisling and Ava said in unison.
‘Was he gorgeous then, this Dean?’ Aisling asked.
Ruth scrunched her nose up and said, ‘He was short with a round face. He had scrawny legs.’
‘You’re not selling him very well,’ Ava remarked.
‘I had never been kissed until I met him.’
‘My first time was with Don McIntyre in the back of his car,’ Aisling said, shuddering. ‘I cannot for the life of me work out why I ever agreed to that. Worst five minutes of my life.’
They all had a giggle at that.
‘He had long eyelashes,’ Ruth said. ‘When he was asleep, they rested on his round cheeks like two caterpillars.’
‘Aw, that sounds so romantic. Was he a great ride?’ Aisling asked.
‘The first time was not as good as I hoped it would be. But by the time we got to six times, it was most excellent.’
Aisling spluttered, then said, ‘Oh, I do love you, Ruth.’
‘So what happened then? Did you split up when he found out about DJ?’ Ava asked.
Ruth shook her head. ‘The last words he said to me was that he loved me and would see me the next weekend. I am still waiting for that to come.’
Aisling and Ava moved closer to Ruth, who was now standing on the gravel path, lost in her memory. Aisling touched Ruth’s arm gently and Ava stood shoulder to shoulder with her. Ruth did not mind. In fact she liked it very much.