The turkey was sitting steaming, surrounded by roast potatoes, the vegetables were covered. Kathleen had put the small table from the kitchen in the front room, covered it with a cloth and laid out five places with crackers. She was watching the Top of the Pops Christmas show. Aine was on the floor and Father Pearse was sat with a small glass of the beer he’d brought with him. When Liam and his father came in, Kathleen asked Aine to turn off the TV. They all sat at the table. Sean was too much on the one side of his chair, arms hanging, chin loose.
Father Pearse carved and Liam served them all a glass of lemonade. Sean asked for a beer.
‘It’s a fine bird,’ said the priest.
‘Ach, I’ve forgotten the gravy,’ said Kathleen, getting up. ‘Pull the crackers or something.’
‘And a beer for your husband while you’re out there.’
Aine offered one end of her cracker to Liam and he held it with limp disdain.
The father served the turkey around, starting with Sean.
‘Get started,’ called Kathleen from the kitchen.
‘Go on then,’ said the father. ‘Do as your mother says,’ and he uncovered the vegetables and served the potatoes too. Sean gave him a long stare.
‘Shall I serve you, Sean, or will you do it yourself?’
Sean got up with a grunt and went to the kitchen. Father Pearse shrugged, sat down and offered his cracker to Aine.
Kathleen had the kettle on the boil and some gravy granules in a bowl. The kitchen was steamy; her hair was damp and her apron messy.
‘I’ll be there in a minute.’
He was looking at her. She looked up and saw that he seemed to be moving in and out of himself. His cheeks inflated with a suppressed burp. She shook her head.
‘I didn’t know the priest was coming to dinner.’
‘Well it’s a nice surprise then.’
‘Are you having him, as well?’
Her back stiffened. ‘No, just the turkey. Keep your voice down.’
‘They’re all talking about you down the pub. Do you know that? Are both of those children mine?’
She carried on stirring. ‘Voice down.’
‘I want to know. How many men have there been?’
‘Och get out of my way.’ She went to the kettle for more water. He grabbed her upper arm. ‘Is Aine mine?’
‘Ah, now you see there’s only me who knows that for sure.’
He went to put a hand on her other arm but she pulled away and stood back from him, grabbing a ladle from the counter top and holding it up as if to hit him.
‘Dirty whore!’
Suddenly Father Pearse came between them with his hands up, and Sean grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket.
‘Come on now, the pair of yous.’
‘You two-faced fat fucking cunt of a man.’ Sean was swaying back and forth, concentrating on staying still. He pushed past the children at the kitchen door and took to the stairs. Kathleen ran after him.
‘The only cunt of a man here is you! You’ve ruined another Christmas you useless bastard, I hate you!’
‘Don’t say that Mummy!’
Father Pearse put his hand on Aine’s shoulders. ‘Let’s eat the dinner your mother has made.’
They sat and said a prayer of thanks for the food and then the plates were passed around. After a while, they heard the sounds of Sean snoring. When Kathleen served the pudding, the father clapped his hands with exaggerated bonhomie.
‘I’ve never seen the like of this. What a lucky old fellow.’
‘Father, please forgive us for the performance on this day of all days.’ Father Pearse demurred, a ripple passing through the birthmark on his brow. ‘None of it is easy.’
She looked at Liam whose spoon was lying on top of the custard-covered mound, balanced like the needle of a compass. ‘Eat your pudding love.’ She reached towards him with her fingers. He flinched. Aine and the father set to eating, onerously.
Suddenly Liam took his mother’s hand and kissed it.
‘Bless you love. Thank you for that,’ and she looked at him with her eyes pricking, then ate her pudding.
With the bowls in the sink, and the father’s glass filled, she left them to The Sound of Music and went upstairs.