72 Derry Lane, Dublin, 2014
‘Hello, Luca,’ Rea said. She felt her legs buckle and she thought she might faint. She clasped the back of the sofa to support herself. Was today a dream? From waking up feeling desolate with loneliness, to surprise pamper sessions, to this, seeing her first-born standing in front of her.
‘You look … ‘ he paused, taking her in, ‘well, you look good.’ He didn’t move from the doorway and Rea didn’t move a step closer towards him either.
‘What are you doing here?’ Rea finally asked.
‘I came to see you.’ Their eyes never left each other.
‘I hear nothing from you for nearly a year and then suddenly you feel the need to see me?’
‘Something like that,’ he answered, his tone clipped. ‘And last I heard, phone lines work in two directions, Mam.’
Stella moved forward to touch Rea’s arm, ‘we are going to leave. Let you two catch up in private.’
‘That would be great,’ the man said.
‘No!’ Rea turned to her. ‘You’ve prepared a beautiful meal for us all and we’re going to eat it. Together.’
‘If you’re sure? We don’t want to intrude,’ Stella whispered. ‘Honestly, I think we should leave.’
‘I’m quite sure. Let’s sit.’
But nobody moved and silence once more claimed the room. ‘It’s like an episode of Eastenders. So much drama!’ Charlie declared loudly. He walked over to Rea’s son and said, ‘I’m Charlie, the hairdresser.’
‘I’m Luca, the wayward son.’ They shook each other’s hands, smiling wryly. ‘Nice work, by the way.’ Luca gestured towards his mother’s hair.
‘You should have seen the state of it …’ he trailed off, ‘sorry, Rea.’
Stella took the muffeletta sandwiches from the oven, where they had been warming. She placed a quarter on each plate, then spooned some of her slaw and green salad beside it.
The pink lemonade was already on the table with pretty glasses.
Stella felt eyes on her, knowing she should say hello to Rea’s son, but his presence threw her. Her loyalty was to Rea and until she worked out whether he was good or bad she was going to remain neutral.
‘My name is Luca.’ He was beside her, taking a couple of plates from the counter and helping to bring them to the table.
Then suddenly Charlie started to sing, ‘I live on the second floor. I live upstairs from you …’
When they all turned to look at him, he said, ‘Ah I’m sorry. Couldn’t help it. Just there’s a song called My name is Luca.’
‘I’ve heard that once or twice before,’ Luca replied.
Charlie continued to sing, ‘if you hear something late at night, some kind of trouble, some kind of fight …’
Stella placed a plate loudly in front of Charlie, stopping him mid-note, ‘That song gives me the creeps.’
‘Less singing, more eating,’ Rea turned to Stella, ‘sit down, pet. This sandwich smells divine and the colours … it’s like a symphony of rainbows inside the bread. What is it?’
‘A muffeletta,’ Luca butted in. ‘If I’m not mistaken?’
‘Yes. That’s right,’ Stella answered, then turned to Rea, saying, ‘I hope you like it.’
‘Damn girl, this is some serious eats right here!’ Charlie said, mid-mouthful.
‘The best thing I’ve ever eaten between two slices of bread,’ Rea agreed. ‘The flavours are wonderful together. You both have me spoiled today.’
Luca was silent as he eyed up the scene at the table. Stella couldn’t work out what he was thinking, his face was unreadable. He had yet to eat anything, he just watched them all silently.
Then he spoke. ‘How do you know my mother?’
‘I live next door,’ Stella answered, thumbing the wall that divided their houses. She looked at Rea and Luca noted something pass unspoken between them.
‘Stella kindly visits me every now and then and today she surprised me with this firecracker Charlie. If you had arrived two hours ago, you would have seen a different version of me. Or at least a greyer one.’
‘That was kind of you,’ Luca said.
‘Your mother has been good to me. It was nothing.’ She turned her attention back to her sandwich. Stella wasn’t sure how Luca’s arrival would affect her plans. Would that be the end of her time here? What if he told Matt? She picked up her phone quickly to check there were no missed calls.
‘How long are you home for?’ Charlie asked and Rea thanked the heavens for him. His chatter filled the awkward silences that kept filling the room.
‘I’m not sure. That depends.’ He turned to look at Rea. She looked away.
‘Eat,’ she commanded him, so he picked up the sandwich and took a bite.
‘One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten,’ Luca said.
Once they’d finished eating, Stella cleared the plates and brought the lemon drizzle cake over to them. She’d added her raspberries and a quenelle of crème fraíche to the side.
‘How pretty!’ Rea said.
‘Eating with the eyes, that’s what you used to call it, Mam.’ Luca murmured. ‘Apt, for all of this, Stella. Looks every bit as good as it tastes.’
‘What he said,’ Charlie added, digging into the cake.
‘You have a talent,’ Rea said. ‘You could do this professionally, you know.’
Stella was so chuffed at their praise. She had worried that she’d gone overboard, that she should have kept it simpler. But now she was delighted.
‘I picked a good day to come home,’ Luca said softly and then the doorbell rang. ‘Shall I answer that?’ Luca asked.
‘No, it’s okay. I’ve been managing on my own for long enough now. I don’t need you to suddenly jump in.’
‘Ouch,’ Charlie whispered.
Rea opened the door to Louis, who marched down the hall shouting over his shoulder, ‘You know what, Rea? Those wheelie bins of yours get out more than you do!’
His face formed a perfect O of surprise when he walked into the kitchen and saw three faces staring at him.
‘Is it halloween or something?’ he said to Rea, nodding at Charlie.
‘Less of your cheek.’ Rea replied, giving him a small dig.
He shrugged and said, ‘Just saying. Hey, what kind of cake is that?’
‘Lemon drizzle,’ Rea answered, enjoying the looks on everyone’s faces.
‘Ah here, I hate lemons. Can I have a Twix?’
‘Help yourself,’ Rea said and he walked over to the treat tin, pulled it down and opened a bar in under three seconds.
‘I see there’s been quite a few changes since I left,’ Luca said. ‘Who are you?’
‘Oh, I take out the trash. Who are you?’
‘I’m Rea’s son.’
Louis walked over to him and said, ‘I never knew she had one. Don’t think just because you’re back I’m out of a job. I have rights, you know.’
‘I’ll remember that,’ Luca looked amused.
‘Fundamental rights. Just because my job is a domestic waste issue, doesn’t mean that it’s any less important than any other job. I’m not afraid to stand up to radical attacks.’
‘Do you get a lot of that around here?’ Luca asked.
‘With your mother as a boss. Yeah.’
‘Oh I like him,’ Charlie whispered to Stella. ‘When you asked me to do this favour, Stella, you never told me it was going to be so much fun!’
‘I’m not sure it’s like this in here every day,’ Stella answered.
‘Louis, you can relax. Your job is safe. Now if you put as much energy into doing the bins as you do running your mouth …’
‘Mrs B loves me really,’ Louis said, reaching for a second bar.
‘I can see that,’ Luca replied.
‘Did you eat yet today?’ Rea asked, grabbing the bar from him. He shrugged in response.
She pulled out some ham and quickly made him a sandwich. ‘None of Stella’s gorgeous lunch is left, but this will do ya.’
They all watched him as he wolfed down the two cuts of bread in a couple of mouthfuls.
‘Dave ate the last of the bread for his breakfast before he left,’ he said, gulping down a glass of the pink lemonade.
‘Earring guy?’
‘Yep. He’s there most nights. On the plus side, there’s pizza for dinner every night.’
‘Every cloud …’
He nodded. ‘Right, I’ve places to be, have you anything else for the bins?’
Rea walked into her utility and pulled out two black sacks. ‘The black bin bag is for the general waste, the white one for the recycling bin.’
‘I know! I’ll be back on Saturday.’ He threw a look at Luca, as if to say, don’t be thinking about muscling in on my turf.
‘Where’d you find him?’ Luca asked with amusement.
‘He lives across the road. His mam is a nice woman, but is led by her heart rather than her head.’
‘In other words, she’s a man-eater,’ Charlie said seriously.
‘Stop!’ Stella warned, but Rea laughed in response.
‘She forgets that she’s got a young fella who needs feeding sometimes when she falls in love. That’s all.’
‘Does he come here a lot?’ Luca asked.
‘Sometimes he comes every day, other times I can’t find head nor tail of him. He’s been particularly bad lately. But I wouldn’t trade him. He makes me laugh.’
‘Well, that’s good then,’ Luca said and Stella watched him closely to see if he meant that or was being smart. No sign of a smirk on his face whatsoever.
‘Listen, I think it’s time we left. You must be tired from travelling, from, wherever you travelled from …’
‘Western Australia.’
So that’s where he’d been. ‘Rea, I’ll pop over in a day or two if that’s okay?’ Stella asked.
‘Course it is,’ Rea said, hugging her tight. ‘Thank you for today.’
Charlie hugged her tightly too, as if she was an old, dear friend. ‘I don’t do house calls for many, but as far as I’m concerned you are now one of my regulars.’ He handed her a business card. ‘Here’s my number. Just call me when you want me back.’
And then, loaded up with their bags, Stella and Charlie left. Rea wiped down the kitchen table for the second time and Luca said, ‘would you sit still for five seconds and just ask me.’
‘Ask you what?’
‘The question that has been burning you since I walked in the front door.’
Rea took a deep breath and turned to face her son, ‘Is your father with you?’