‘Are you ready, Tommy?’ shouted his ma from downstairs. ‘You can’t keep us waiting. We can’t be late today of all days.’
Tommy glanced at himself in the bedroom mirror. He had gelled his hair and was wearing the new shirt his ma had bought him, pale blue with a T-shirt under, and his jeans.
Yeah, he didn’t half look good.
‘Your father is going crazy, Tommy. He’s sitting out in the car. For heaven’s sake, will you hurry it up or he’ll drive off without you,’ she threatened. ‘And then you’ll have to get the bus.’
‘I’m coming,’ he roared, ‘so tell the old fellah to keep his hair on.’
He grabbed the black-plastic-wrapped hatbox from the bottom of his wardrobe and carried it gently down the stairs. The front door was open and the rest of them were all sitting in the car. He closed the door and, releasing the lid of the car boot, placed the box carefully inside.
‘What are you doing?’ asked his brother, eyes gawping, curious, his large box of handmade chocolates on his lap.
‘I was just putting Nan’s present in the back.’
‘What did you get her?’
‘You’ll see when we get there.’
‘Go on, tell me.’
‘No. You’ll see soon enough. It’s a surprise.’
‘Rubbish,’ jeered Ray. ‘Something stupid and useless!’
‘Will you two stop fighting,’ ordered their mother. ‘I’ve had enough of it. Today is a day of big celebration for your grandmother and all the Butler family and you two boyos better behave.’
The two of them glared at each other, knowing by their mother’s warning tone that she meant it.
Tommy grinned. He had no intention of spoiling his grandmother’s day. He was so excited about it himself. All the family were coming. Aunt Maggie and Uncle Phil from Liverpool and their five kids and three grandchildren, and Uncle Matt and his wife and four kids had flown in from Canada. His cousin Peter had come from Sydney with his girlfriend, Melanie, and of course the Irish cousins were going to be there in full force. None of his grandma’s own old friends was alive but obviously the people in the home with her and a few others had been invited along. He had cadged an invitation for Mr McHugh and given it to him on Wednesday after history class, and had posted the one to the hat lady, Ellie Matthews, though he wasn’t really expecting her to turn up.
‘Are you OK, Pat?’ asked his mother. Tommy was aware that he had never seen his father so quiet when driving anywhere.
‘I’m just watching the traffic.’
Normally his father would be blowing the horn, moving lanes, trying to edge the car past the lights, revving the engine for the off once the green signal came. He supposed it must be hard when you realize that your own mother is a hundred and that you are pushing it too, almost over the hill.
‘Sure!’
His father gave a huge sigh.
‘I’m just worried that all this fuss and the party and seeing everyone might be too much for her,’ he admitted slowly. ‘Give her a turn, a heart attack or a stroke even.’
Tommy’s eyes flew to his mother.
‘Pat Butler, do you think for one minute that your blessed mother is the type to keel over because people make a fuss of her? Well, if you do, you are wrong. Lily loves fuss, loves to be centre of attention. With all the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren flying in from all around the world and all over the country to see her, she’ll be in her element! Don’t you dare give everyone the glooms today.’
Tommy could see the weight lift off his father’s massive shoulders as he listened to Mary Butler’s good sense. Only a few minutes later he gripped the wheel and honked at the car moving slowly beside him, not even indicating as he pulled across.
Yeah, the king of the road – his da was back on track!