‘Sorry! That’s a great sign, though,’ declared Maxine joyfully. ‘The sicker you feel, the more hormones are flying around.’
‘Well.?.?. that explainsa lot,’ exhaled Mam at last. ‘That’s why you shot down poor lovely Philip and let him get away.’
‘Mam, will youshut up,’ shouted Maxine good-naturedly.
It only took a moment for Mam to recover her decorum.
‘Actually, there’s somebody I’d like you to meet. Sorry for the short notice.’ Cassie vanished into the house and then reappeared with Finn, who was sheepishly holding a bunch of flowers.
‘Mam, Maxine, this is Finnian, Finn .?.?.’
She met Mam’s and Maxine’s gazes.
‘Heavens above, Cassie, did you ever do anything the simple way? Finnian, you’re most welcome to our house. Please take a seat. Now tell me, how are all the kids?’
Maxine rolled her eyes while Mam surveyed Finn thoughtfully, before commenting, ‘Well, you’re very good-looking, I must say.’
‘Jesus, Mam,’ said Maxine.
‘Maxine, for the love of God, will you get me a Bloody Mary. This is far too big news for anything else. A big family is a blessing, of course. Three, is it? But I’m sure they’re all very good, are they?’
Finn laughed. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem too fazed by Mam’s grilling. He exchanged a glance with Cassie.
‘Some of them.’
‘But, sure, isn’t that always the way. Children go in phases. These two were always like that.’
‘Mam, will you stop talking about us as though we’re still children,’ said Cassie.
‘Ah well, he knows what I mean, don’t you, Finn?’
‘I do, Mrs Kearney.’ He smiled.
‘Morton now, since yesterday. But call me Iris,’ she purred.
It was becoming ever clearer to Cassie just how Mam had managed to bag herself two husbands.
Finn reached down and took Cassie’s hand.
By this time, Maxine had returned with a tray of Bloody Marys.
‘Still feeling like crap?’ Maxie nodded sympathetically at her.
Cassie’s main focus had switched to why, in her distraction, she’d knocked back a glass of fresh orange juice, which was now curdling in her stomach.
‘How long are you gone, Cass?’ she asked.
‘Seven or eight weeks.’
‘Well, a new baby is always a joy,’ announced Mam, as though she’d just read it off the side of a passing bus. ‘I’m thrilled for you, I truly am. But tell me, Finnian, how are you going to manage, with all your responsibilities?’
He was now having the experience of being nailed by Mam.
‘The way I see it, Iris, when you love someone, you just make it work.’
All of a sudden, Mam’s face lit up. She gazed at him fondly. ‘Well now, Finnian, isn’t that the pure truth?’
For all her bluster, she was a hopeless romantic at heart.
