‘Louis doesn’t look so well, Cat,’ Maeve said as they walked into town together.
‘No, he’s had such a cough Mummy, all last winter, and it took everythin’ out of him. I hoped comin’ home would help; the fresh air and all.’
‘He’s got awful thin, Cat.’
‘Not really, he’s still wearin’ the same size shirts Mummy.’
They arrived at Peggy and Breda’s shop and Cat felt a wave of nostalgia. She could smell toffee apples. Peggy must have been busy. Then she remembered Mary filling up the sweet jars - so long ago now.
‘Well here we are then,’ Maeve said, opening the shop door, ‘and where’s my little darlin’?’
‘I’m here Granny,’ Marie called from the back of the shop.
‘C’mon out then, here’s yer mammy to see ye.’
Marie came running out and threw her arms around Maeve who kissed the top of her head repeatedly.
‘C’mon now pet, give yer mammy a kiss.’
Marie stepped forward and raised her lips up for Cat to kiss.
‘Hello darlin’,’ Cat said putting her arms around Marie, ‘my ye’ve grown into a big girl, ye have.’
Marie extricated herself from her mother’s embrace and Cat noticed that her child didn’t seem to want her to hold her. She felt a stab of jealousy, quickly replaced with the sobering thought that she couldn’t expect anything else. They had decided to leave her to be brought up in Fethard so it was no wonder Marie felt distant from them.
‘Where’s Billy, Eileen and Anna, Ma?’ Marie asked Cat.
‘At Monroe with Granddad. Ye can walk back with me when I go.’
It amused Cat that she called her Ma. None of the others did and it set Marie apart, as well as her strong Tipperary brogue.
Peggy finished serving a customer and rushed to greet Cat.
‘Ah Cat, ’tas been too long. And will ye look at this one,’ she said pointing at Marie, ‘nearly as tall as her mother.’
‘Well that’s not very hard, there’s nothin’ of her at all,’ Maeve laughed.
Cat walked into the side of the shop where Breda usually worked, but she wasn’t there.
‘Where’s Breda, Peggy?’
‘She’s away up at Paddy Hogan’s doin’ a fittin’ for his wife’s new outfit.’
When Cat came back into the sweet shop Peggy could see by the look on her face that she’d made a mistake telling her.
Cat felt as though she had been kicked in the diaphragm. She couldn’t say anything, but her thoughts were running riot. What on earth was Breda doing cavorting with Paddy Hogan’s wife?
Suddenly Cat wanted to get away. She burned inside with anger at what she felt was their betrayal but was also confused because she felt deep sorrow. She made an excuse about having to get back to Monroe as Louis wasn’t feeling too well.
‘Shall I come with ye, Ma?’ Marie asked uncertainly.
‘Oh yes, if ye want to.’
Marie turned to Peggy. ‘I’ll be back later, Auntie.’
‘That’s fine,’ Peggy said turning to Maeve. ‘Mummy, ye’re stayin’ for a while, aren’t ye?’
‘Sure I am. Is the kettle boilin’?’
‘’Tis. I’ll just make the tea. Cat, stay for tea won’t ye?’
‘No. No thanks Peggy. I’m away now.’ And she left the shop quickly with Marie running to catch her up.
Peggy nervously bit her lip and stared at the empty doorway after Cat had left.
‘Oh Lord, I’ve said the wrong thing haven’t I, Mummy?’
Maeve nodded and raised her eyebrows.
‘She’s been gone from home a long time, Peggy. She probably has no idea that things have settled down here and that Paddy has changed now he’s married.’
‘I didn’t think. I could bite my tongue off for lettin’ it come out like that. We should have warned her before. I wouldn’t hurt her for the world.’
‘I know, Peggy. But what else could we have done? It’s not easy to put in a letter that Breda is makin’ Paddy’s wife’s clothes now, is it?’
Peggy continued biting her lip and Maeve could see she was worried.
‘All the same Mummy, it must have been a shock for her to find out in that way that we’ve forgiven him. She doesn’t know he’s changed because we’ve not spoken of him in years. I think I wrote and told her he was getting married, that’s all.
I’m worried what she’ll say if she finds out Marie has been to his place ridin’ around on his horses too. I hope Marie doesn’t tell her before I get a chance to.’
Maeve crossed herself. ‘Jesus, Mary and Holy St. Joseph let’s hope the saints keep all our mouths shut.’