The river was busy as they arrived into Athlone Town, where they were due to pick up the other girls, who had travelled down by train.
They passed crowded tour boats and cruisers and dinghies as they searched for a place to moor and pick up the others.
‘I told them to wait down near the quayside for us!’ said Jess, craning to see if she could spot them. The Midlands market town was packed with visitors and shoppers attending the local Saturday morning farmers’ market. ‘I’ll try and tie up here and wait for them to get on board.’
‘Hey!’ shouted Orla, waving madly. ‘There’s Sarah and Nikki! I’ll tell them to run down to the quayside where we can pick them up.’
‘Great,’ shouted Jess, trying her best to concentrate as she carefully manoeuvred The Emerald Princess into position and steadied it against the bank. A few minutes later Nikki, Sarah and Kerrie stepped on to it.
‘The boat is huge,’ screamed Nikki, racing all around it.
‘Isn’t it wonderful?’ Amy beamed. ‘And we’re having the best time ever.’
‘We didn’t get to bed till nearly four in the morning.’ Tara laughed. ‘And we had great crack in this fantastic restaurant last night.’
‘I’m so looking forward to a night away from Sam and night feeds and bottles and dirty nappies,’ admitted Sarah. ‘If I fall asleep at the table tonight someone please wake me up, as I don’t want to miss the fun!’
‘Me, too,’ added Kerrie. ‘It’s bad enough with the baby, but I’m trying to train Alice, and every night she keeps wetting her bed.’
‘Yuk!’ groaned the girls in unison.
‘I’ve had it the whole way down on the train,’ whispered Nikki under her breath to Amy. ‘Remind me: I’m never having kids!’
As they cruised on the river through the town they had to join a queue of other boats waiting at the lock. They watched in fascination as the water level of the river changed and the lockkeeper let them pass through, and then they headed upriver.
‘We are stopping for a picnic lunch on Lough Ree,’ Amy announced. ‘And then we’ll head to Carrick-on-Shannon for the night. Jess has booked a table for twelve in Carew’s, and later we can go on to the nightclub in the local hotel, Hickeys, which is very near it.’
‘Wow, sounds great!’ purred Kerrie, already beginning to forget about her children at home.
They sat in the sunshine with the picnic: chilled wine, sliced sugar-baked ham, rolls, salad, and baby potatoes tossed in a vinaigrette dressing, followed by two dozen pink and yellow iced cupcakes with ‘Amy’s Hen’ iced on them – which had been provided by Sarah.
‘How do you get the time to make them?’ asked Orla, stunned by Sarah’s baking prowess as she bit into the melt-in-your-mouth sponge.
‘To be honest, I’m usually up feeding Sam during the middle of the night, and it’s got way worse since he started teething, so I put on the oven and make bread or buns or cakes. It’s a kind of sanity-saver.’
They took photos and reminisced about school and college and starting work.
‘I’m not going to die, folks,’ teased Amy. ‘I’m just getting married.’
‘But it’s the end of a part of your life!’
‘It’s the end of being single!’
‘The end of having fun!’ added Sarah.
‘Sarah!’ they all chorused. ‘Don’t be so mean!’
‘Sorry, I guess I’m so exhausted most of the time that Tom and I forget about fun.’
‘You were having a lot of fun the last time you had dinner at our place,’ reminded Amy.
Sarah blushed. ‘Oh yeah, Tom’s mum and dad had taken Sam for the night, so we went crazy. Overload of drink and sex and more drink and sex!’
‘I think that dinner at our place came somewhere in the middle!’ Amy laughed.
Jess relaxed as The Emerald Princess cruised along. Orla and Aisling had a good feel for the boat, so the sailing wasn’t all down to her.
En route they passed a group of foreign tourists on a big cruiser similar to theirs. ‘I think they must be German or Dutch,’ remarked Aisling as they went by.
The group of guys looked like they were fishing, but up close you could see they were more intent on the beer cans in their hands.
‘Hey! Hey, girls! You want a beer?’ The guys shouted, trying to attract them to their boat.
‘No, thanks!’ they shouted. ‘Bit too early in the day for us!’
Tara and Aisling kept up a bit of banter with the guys, discovering that they were from Frankfurt, and over on a three-day trip to Ireland. The German guys had fluent English and, like themselves, were out for a bit of a laugh on the water. Waving goodbye to them the girls headed up to the immense beauty of Lough Ree: a huge natural lake which bordered two counties.
‘I can’t understand why I’ve never come sailing on the Shannon like this before,’ remarked Susan. ‘It is so beautiful, far better than going and staying in crappy B & Bs in small towns. The scenery is magnificent, and it is so peaceful out here on the water. It’s bliss.’
‘I’ll certainly do it again,’ added Tara. ‘It’s amazing.’
It was so warm up on the middle of the lake that they all stripped off to their bikinis and lay out on the deck. The gentle rocking of the boat made a few of them doze off.
‘Well, I’m having a swim again today!’ Orla announced. ‘Anyone care to join me?’
‘You nearly froze yesterday,’ Amy reminded her.
‘Well, today is a lot hotter, and besides, I’m used to it!’
‘I’ll go,’ volunteered Lisa.
‘Me, too.’ Susan laughed.
Before they knew it they had all agreed to jump into the lake.
‘Someone has to stay on board,’ warned Jess, not wanting to be a killjoy.
‘I’ll stay,’ volunteered Nikki. ‘I didn’t bring a bikini with me, and besides, I have a policy of never putting foot in Irish water, as it is too bloody cold.’
Without further ado the rest of them all jumped in. The water was freezing, as predicted, so they screamed and splashed, swimming and chasing each other around, and Nikki grabbed Amy’s camera and took photos of everyone.
As the icy cold water of the lake gripped them they made a mad rush to get back on deck, then wrapped themselves in their towels and downed mugs of hot chocolate and coffee to warm up.
Jess pulled on a fleece and her jeans and took over the wheel. The time was running away with them, and they had to get a move on if they wanted to make it back to Carrick-on-Shannon for the evening.
The marina was busy, but luckily Jess managed to get a mooring in one of the prettiest towns on the river. With its selection of pubs and restaurants it was always popular!
Pre-dinner they opened more champagne, and presented Amy with her friends book: a big album looking back on her life and her friendship with each of them.
Jess and Nikki had been putting it together for weeks, and seeing Amy’s reaction to the photos, mementoes and individual letters from each of them they knew that all the effort – the emails and phone calls to all the girls, and the hours spent scanning photos and school and college memorabilia – had all been worth it.
‘I love it,’ Amy cried. ‘I’ll keep it for ever!’
Everyone took more photos as they each gave Amy their token hen gift, which had to come in under ten euros. There were naughty knickers, a muffin tray, a romantic cook book, a baby-doll nightie, a pink-patterned apron, a feather duster and matching slippers, a manicure set, a set of bowls and some lovely body treats.
‘Thanks, girls!’ said Amy, giving them all a big hug. ‘You’re the best.’
Then they all made a big effort to look stylish for the big night out. Jess felt a bit self-conscious, as Amy had persuaded her to wear a bright blue dress of hers instead of the black V-neck top and ruffle skirt that she had intended to wear. Amy absolutely insisted that she try on the blue dress, which she had brought along as a spare.
‘I know it’ll suit you, Jess. Please try it,’ urged her best friend. ‘It’s different, but it will work, I promise.’
Jess knew that she tended to play it safe with black: a dress or a top or a skirt, anything which she considered might make her look slimmer. She was sure that the blue dress wouldn’t go near her, but to her surprise it did. Amy usually wore it cinched in with a big belt, but Jess didn’t need one, and instead opened two or three of the top buttons to soften the neckline. She felt good in it, and with her strappy black shoes felt she did look very different from usual. Amy looked divine in a pretty pink-and-white dress with a little rose-coloured shrug to keep her warm.
‘Hey, girls, drink up! We need to get to the restaurant!’ urged Jess.
Carew’s was literally perched on the riverbank, an old wooden restaurant from years back that was originally a café-cum-bar for local fishermen, and over time had become one of the best restaurants in the area. Fairy lights twinkled along the wooden railings and window shutters, and honeysuckle trailed over the walls. On the small jetty, four or five circular tables were perched where you could have a pre-dinner drink, but the girls’ table was ready and they were shown straight to it.
‘Oh, it’s lovely!’ murmured Amy, delighted, as they all trooped in.
The table for twelve had flickering candles on it, and small glass vases of freesias, her favourite flower.
‘Wow!’ declared the girls appreciatively, as they sank into their seats near the windows overlooking the water.
‘Well done, Jess!’ cheered Mel and Orla. ‘This is just gorgeous.’
The waiters in Carew’s danced attendance on them as they ordered wine and made their choices from the extensive menu. The restaurant was totally full, and Jess thanked heaven that she had had the foresight to book it eight weeks ago. Getting a table for twelve was tough enough at any time, but on a Saturday night nigh on impossible.
Carew’s deserved its reputation, as the food was superb. They ordered bottle after bottle of wine, talking away nineteen to the dozen as the restaurant gradually emptied.
‘Where to next?’ asked Lisa and Sarah as they all settled their bills.
‘Hickey’s is only a few minutes away,’ said Jess, and they all gathered their bags and jackets and wraps, thanked the waiters and set off up the road.
Hickey’s Hotel was caught in a time-warp with its seventies decor and style.
‘But that’s back in fashion again,’ declared Nikki as they hit the bar. The music was pounding in the nightclub and they were all in the mood for dancing. Everyone cheered Amy as she took to the floor and danced to ‘Venus’.
‘She’s got it,’ yelled the girls.
Jess joined in the fun as the DJ spun a load of Motown hits followed by some Elvis Presley classics, the place jumping with a mixture of locals and tourists.
‘Hey, aren’t they the guys we passed on the boat today?’ gestured Tara, waving madly at the group of guys standing over on one side of the room with their pints.
‘Tara, stop!’ warned Orla. ‘You’ll have the crowd of them over on top of us before you know it.’
‘That’s the plan.’ She smirked as a tall guy in a black shirt came over to her.
The ten German guys were on a stag outing! They couldn’t believe it. One of the guys, Marten Furtinger, was getting married in three weeks’ time to his long-term partner Martha, with the celebrations being held in a big wedding barn in a farmhouse forty miles outside Frankfurt.
‘My boyfriend Dan is going to Edinburgh for his stag next weekend.’ Amy laughed, telling them all about her own wedding plans.
‘Cheers for the bride! Cheers for the groom!’ everyone roared, pushing on to the dance floor together. Amy lapped up the attention as Marten swung her around in his muscular arms.
Marten insisted on buying them even more drinks, and Jess found herself being chatted up by a tall blond guy called Erik who was a pharmacist.
‘I love Ireland and you Irish girls.’ He smiled as he asked her up to dance.
They had such good fun, and the German guys were a laugh. They had spent most of the weekend drinking on their boat, and were out to ensure Marten remembered his last few days of freedom on the Shannon. Tomorrow afternoon they were all flying back to Frankfurt.
Jess had never been to Germany, and the only thing she really associated it with was beer, sausage, and BMWs, but Erik paid her so much attention, buying her drinks and dancing with her, that she began to enjoy his company. He was pretty nice, and she just wished he didn’t live so flipping far away.
As the dancing ended and the nightclub lights went up Hickey’s began to empty. Marten was footless drunk, and Jess thought it was just as well his fiancée wasn’t there to see the state of him. Amy was at least standing up straight and in giggly form. Erik held Jess’s hand and she hoped the night wouldn’t end too soon.
‘Hey, guys, thanks, we all had a great time,’ slurred Nikki, who had started drinking cocktails about three hours earlier.
‘Come on, Cinderella, let’s get you home,’ sighed Mel, grabbing her handbag.
‘Can we walk you down to the jetty? We are moored there, too,’ offered Dieter, who was in a serious clinch with Tara.
The girls fell into step with the guys, everyone singing as they linked arms and made their way down to the waterside.
It looked so beautiful with the lights reflected on the water, the clear sky above them speckled with stars. Jess sighed. It had been such a perfect night. She would never forget it.
Amy and Marten were involved in a big sentimental bear hug, wishing each other well with their wedding days!
Erik tilted Jess’s face to his and they kissed. It was so lovely. Jess wished that they could stay on the jetty for ever.
‘It was good to meet you,’ he said, serious.
‘Good to meet you, too.’ Jess giggled.
‘Come on, girls! Back on the boat!’ yelled Orla.
‘Hey, can’t we come on board, too, for a nightcap?’ pleaded Marten and a few of the guys.
‘Of course they can!’ beamed Amy, arm in arm with Marten as they got back on to the deck of The Emerald Princess.
Erik had his arm around Jess as they climbed on deck, and she was delighted to have more time with him.
Orla, Nikki and Tara were linking arms, singing Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’, weaving their way along the jetty and trying to balance themselves as they stepped on deck, when suddenly they all heard a huge splash and a stream of curses.
‘Tara’s fallen in!’ Orla giggled, almost falling in herself.
Tara was soaking wet and roaring with laughter, as three of the guys bent down to help drag her out of the river. Luckily the water wasn’t too deep, and she was safely on board in a jiffy, dripping all over the deck as they wrapped her in towels and blankets.
‘I’m fine,’ she protested. ‘I hadn’t planned a midnight swim but it’s sure woken me up!’ Giggling, she raced to her cabin with Aisling to change into some dry clothes. Emerging in tight jeans and a warm knitted sweater she demanded another drink to steady herself.
‘I’ve had a big shock, you know!’ she said, as she cuddled up to her German friend.
‘You’ve given us all one, too,’ said Amy as they raided the bar.
It was very late, and dawn was beginning to creep over the horizon when they finally got to their bunks and the last of the German guys went.
Jess had reluctantly said a final goodnight to Erik.
‘I’ll email you, Facebook you,’ he promised, as they kissed.
‘Great,’ she smiled, knowing that despite seeming nice and being the kind of guy she could really fancy she was unlikely to ever hear from him again. For all she knew, he probably had a wife and two children back in Frankfurt!
She looked around the living area. Orla and Mel and Lisa were snoring in the two double beds, wrapped in the duvets, fully clothed. There were bottles and glasses and shoes everywhere. She couldn’t even think about it!
‘It was the best night ever, Jess.’ Amy hiccupped, weaving her way to their cabin. ‘The best hen night ever!’
Jess grinned. It certainly had been.