‘Pay no attention to Callum,’ Liam advised her when Callum had nipped to the toilet. ‘He has always been materialistic,’ he said, with a shake of his head. ‘Always upgrading everything in his house when it isn’t necessary.’
‘That is rather wasteful, I must admit,’ said Alice.
‘Honestly, he could have paid his mortgage off ten times over with some of the massive bonuses he has earnt over the years,’ Liam divulged. ‘But what did he do? Only go and buy a bigger house. And he is constantly upgrading his car. He is never satisfied. He will probably be paying out for a hair transplant next,’ he said, with a mischievous grin, and Alice suppressed a laugh.
She wondered if Callum was secretly mad that his brother had inherited his mum’s healthy thick locks. ‘Well, he has no need to worry about his inheritance,’ Alice told Liam as she speared some broccoli onto her fork. ‘The proceeds of the house sale on Marine Terrace are to be split between you both. It is all in my will.’
‘Which is more than generous, Auntie Alice, really. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if you want to donate all of your money to a cats’ home, should you wish to. I have always rather liked cats.’ He grinned. ‘I don’t see why either of us should feel entitled to anything.’
‘Thank you for understanding,’ she told Liam. She reached over and patted his hand.
She could not help but feel disappointed with Callum. She thought of a frequently misquoted Bible scripture that tells us that theloveof money is the root of all evil. It seemed a shame that so many people chose to worship at the altar of riches these days.
Alice had enjoyed a thoroughly lovely afternoon with her nephews, and when Callum dropped her off at the apartments, in his impressive-looking car, she wished him well over the contract for the refit of the flooring in the arena.
‘Thanks, Auntie Alice,’ he said, placing a kiss on her cheek, as did Liam. ‘I will let you know how it goes. See you again soon.’
As he drove off she felt a brief pang of sadness. She envied those people who had family on the doorstep, who would drop in regularly for a cup of tea and a chat. How wonderful must it be to never feel truly alone, knowing you could call on someone if you needed to. But she felt grateful to have made some wonderful new friends. And they were quickly becoming like family to her.
FIFTY-SIX
DECLAN
Declan was dying to tell Jess the good news about his job but thought he would call his mum first.
Besides, he still did not know whether she would want to bother with him again. He had thought it best to give her space but was not sure for how long. Surely she would have made contact with him by now if she was interested? Should he knock at her door or take her silence as a sign he should stay away? he wondered, his mind a jumble.
‘Your own office? That sounds fancy,’ said his mum when he called her. ‘Well done, love.’ She paused for a second. ‘But do you think it’s sensible walking away from a job with the council?’
She had a point, of course, and she was only looking out for him, but it was the opportunity of a lifetime. And he did have a modest amount of savings he could fall back on.
‘I’ll make it work,’ he told his mum confidently.
‘Well, if anyone can, you can,’ she told him proudly.
He had picked himself up from the most terrible situation after all. Being imprisoned whilst still grieving his sister would have sent many people under, but Declan had battled on bravely and focused on the day he would have his freedom once more.
His mother had not been quite so courageous and sought comfort in alcohol. Thankfully she was now living a life that although not exactly filled with joy, at least brought her some contentment.
They chatted for a while, and he told her he would call over one evening after work.
‘Will you be bringing the new girlfriend with you? What’s her name, Jess?’ she asked and his heart sank.
‘She’s not exactly my girlfriend, Mum,’ he said. ‘But I will explain that when I come over.’
‘Alright, love. I have something to tell you too,’ she said. ‘And don’t worry, it isn’t anything bad. In fact, it is something nice.’
‘Come up on the bingo, have you?’ he joked.
‘Something like that.’ She laughed. ‘Anyway, see you soon.’
‘Wednesday after work, then. Bye, Mum.’
Declan wondered what good news his mum would be sharing when he went to visit. He hoped it was something nice. She deserved it.
FIFTY-SEVEN
JESS
