There was a pause before I saw three dots jumping back and forth on the screen as Ronan replied.
RONAN: Fair. Can’t argue with that, like. Darragh tells me he and Seamus are out on the pull tonight.
JOHN-FRANCIS: I may have suggested that he give him a wee call. Darragh is up for it, then?
RONAN: Like a dog with two dicks. Guess that leaves us free to do what we like, aye?
Excitement was already burning in my chest, lips curled into a smirk. I genuinely couldn’t wait, and I couldn’t even bring myself to be embarrassed about it.
JOHN-FRANCIS: Looks like. Gimme a wee knock once Darragh’s off out?
RONAN: Done. See ya in a wee while, Top Ride.
I chuckled again, tucking my phone away and sinking my teeth into my burger as I stared up into the vast expanse of blue sky above my head. Yep – another craic’er day, that was for certain.
Chapter Six
Ronan
“I’d somethin’ I want ta talk t’ ya boys about, now.”
Both Darragh and I looked up from our lunch, mouths full. We glanced at one another – whenever Ma said that it almost always meant trouble.
Darragh swallowed his mouthful. “Aye? What’s the craic, like?”
“How’d ya boys feel about stayin’ in Appleby a wee while longer? After the fair is done,” she asked, dusting her hands off and resting them on her hips.
I frowned quizzically. “Why, like?”
“Y’remember me wee pal Florence, aye?”
I shrugged. Not really, but I’d heard the name banded around when Ma had been telling us about her nights of partying.
“Well, she’d lost her husband early last year. Her health ain’t the best, now an’ she’s got no one lookin’ out f’her. Ya’d not have ta stay wi’ me, like, but I’d be thinkin’ o’ hangin’ back a wee while. What says yaselves?”
There was a thoughtful silence as both Darragh and I mulled over Ma’s suggestion. It was dumb, but John-Francis was the first person to cross my mind. I wondered where he was headed after the weekend was done. Would it be crazy to ask him if he’d be looking for company? I rubbed the back of my neck.
“I mean, I’d be thinkin’ Appleby is a nice enough hitchin’ spot, like,” Darragh eventually replied with a shrug before looking at me. “Whatcha thinkin’?”
“Aye, it’s decent enough, now. Can I be havin’ some time ta think on it, like?”
“‘Course.” Ma smiled. “Y’know I like ta wind ya up, but the pair o’ ya’d be grown men now. Don’t feel like ya’d be havin’ ta stay wi’ ya ma outta pity if ya got better offers.” She paused to smack the back of her arm against Darragh’s shoulder. “Lord forbid ya give me some grandbabies, now.”
“Oi!” Darragh grumbled.
“S’no’ f’want o’ tryin’, Ma,” I replied, taking a big mouthful of my roll with a smirk. “He’d be tryin’ ta get on anythin’ that moves, like.”
Ma cackled, squeezing Darragh’s shoulder before moving off to check how the wet clothes were drying on the line.
“Feck off, the both o’ yas!” Darragh whined.
It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Ma wasn’t pressingmefor wains. It seemed to be an unspoken understanding that it wasn’t ever going to be on the cards, and I was grateful not to have to pretend like it was.
“‘Ey, speaking’ of – how’d ya night pan out, like?” I asked through a mouthful of food. “Y’get anywhere wi’ that Pearl?”
“Pearl?” Ma perked up. “Who’s Pearl, like? A wee girlfriend?”
“Ma,” Darragh groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face before casting me a venomous glare. “Aye, I’d be thankin’ ya f’that, like.”
