‘Ah,’ said Indy slowly. ‘I don’t think it’s the first time he’s done it this week.’
‘You knew?’ said Eden in an accusing voice.
‘I didn’t know for sure, Eden, but Steve saw him coming out of a pub during the week. One of the pubs in Ballybrack, somewhere he thought we wouldn’t see him.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘There was nothing to tell; Steve was driving past and saw Dad coming out, that was all. I mean, he could have been fine, he could have been meeting someone for a coffee.’
‘Very likely,’ said Eden sarcastically. ‘I mean, so likely that a raging alcoholic with a gambling addiction was in a pub just to have a coffee. I’m sorry, he’s pretty hungover and I’ve to get to the hotel and make sure everything’s OK. So do you. I was hoping that maybe Steve could come over and help Ralphie sober him up, babysit him until the wedding so he doesn’t go on another bender, and then get him into his suit.’
‘Good idea,’ said Indy. ‘The girls and I are ready. And Steve just has to throw himself into something respectable.’
Eden could hear Steve in the background, laughing.
‘What’s this about me throwing myself into something respectable? That sounds like a very X-rated conversation altogether.’
‘It’s Dad,’ Eden heard her sister say. ‘He got drunk last night. Eden’s hoping you’re going to go over and help Ralphie sober him up, while myself, Eden and the girls go to the Sorrento and smile and make sure the place is ready.’
‘But your mother will have to know,’ said Steve.
In unison, Eden and Indy said: ‘She’ll smell it off him.’ They laughed.
‘He does smell a bit like a brewery,’ said Eden. ‘Not a chichi craft one: one of the giant ones with vast tanks of beer.’
‘Figures,’ said Indy.
‘It’s up to Mum now; she’s got to make the call.’
‘Yep,’ said Indy.
‘I did tell her she was nuts to even consider remarrying him. I don’t think he’ll ever change.’
‘You don’t know,’ said Indy, ‘people do.’
‘Whatever. The thing is – there’s something else. It’s Calum. He’s an abuser. He’s emotionally abusing Savannah. I don’t know how I haven’t seen it. Jesus, I’ve been working with a women’s shelter, for God’s sake, and I didn’t see it. We need to get her away from him.’
Eden heard her sister’s sharp intake of breath.
‘I’ll meet you there. Will you phone Rory?’
‘Yes.’
Meg
Meg moved quietly through the hotel. She was getting married in a few hours. Her hair had been curled and rippled down her back in glossy curls. Her make-up made her beautiful sea-green eyes look bigger and the make-up artist had been amazing at using products that gently disguised the inevitable creping of skin around the eyelids. She had a bit of a tan so she’d rubbed something glowing into her skin. Once she’d got the wedding dress on, she knew she’d look as good as she could. Which was all she wanted to be – as good as she could be in everything, especially today on her wedding day with all her family there, her beautiful girls, Stu, her sister and her mum. Ann O’Reilly was a bit fragile and Meg worried about her. But today was going to be special, her three little granddaughters, Minnie, Daisy and Clary, were going to be bridesmaids.
There was even Chloe, Stu’s daughter.
Meg had always known about it, about him and Lori.
Lori had been beautiful and young. Lori had always hero worshipped Stu. But nothing had ever happened until the last few months of Lori’s time at the hotel and it had been the final nail in the coffin of their marriage for Meg.
That her husband had gone off with a younger woman. But the very fact that he’d gone off at all … she could never forgive that.
She’d always known that Lori had ended up pregnant but Meg had not been able to be her best self about it at the time. She had not been able to put her own pain aside and think about Lori and the innocent baby. Not then, anyway. She’d been grappling with keeping her daughters safe and their financial heads above water. Later, she’d been able to move on and talk to Stu about it, help him understand that when Chloe wanted to come to him, she would.
He’d begged forgiveness then but it had taken years before she’d been able to let it go.
