Dan opens the door looking surprised.
I dive straight in. ‘Dan, hi, look, about the job, the one you were telling me about the other week. I know it’s a long shot, but I was wondering if there was any chance it was still free?’
He stares at me blankly. I try to slow down a bit.
‘Dan, I’ve come about the job. Have you found someone, in Boston? If not, I’m your woman. I can leave now,’ I gabble. His face lights up.
‘This could be perfect!’ he exclaims. Then his face drops to a frown again. ‘What about you and Sean? I thought you were still working with him.’
‘I just think it’s time I moved on.’ I muster a smile from somewhere, but find I’m swinging my arms to and fro nervously and knock over a lamp which we both try and catch.
‘You think we can work together?’ Dan asks.
‘Absolutely!’ I say, neither of us letting go of the lamp. ‘I think we’d make a great team …’
He looks at me. ‘There’s just one thing,’ he says cautiously. ‘I may have misled you, given you mixed signals. I may have suggested there was more on offer than a job.’
‘Oh no, I …’ The elephant in the room just got bigger.
‘But the thing is, I’m sort of … involved with someone now,’ he says slowly.
I hold my hands up. I’ve heard enough.
‘Dan, I want a job. One as far away from here aspossible. I want to work for you, I definitely don’t want to sleep with you,’ I say.
‘That’s what you said before, remember?’ A voice cuts across us and then she appears from the bedroom wearing nothing but one of Dan’s T-shirts.
‘Oh my God! Margaret!’
She can’t help but grin from ear to ear as Dan pulls her to him and kisses the top her head.
‘Margaret, what I did was unforgivable. And if it’s any consolation I am hurting now more than I ever thought possible. I was a fool to myself and to you.’
‘Well, he was pretty fanciable.’ Margaret looks up at Dan. ‘But I think you did me a favour.’ She breaks into a broad smile and I hug her and then him.
‘So, about the job?’ Dan breaks up the hug. ‘It’s yours if you want it. I still have more business here in Ireland,’ he looks at Margaret, ‘so I can’t leave yet. But it would be great to know the office is in safe hands. You can leave straightaway?’
I nod, more than I need to.
‘But what about the festival?’ Margaret suddenly looks horrified. ‘It’s tomorrow!’
‘It’s all organised. I’d only be doing coat duty and I just don’t think I can watch the happy couple any more.’
Margaret’s eyes fill up and she hugs me.
‘I have to go,’ I say, but choke. I feel her nod as we hug again. She understands.
‘You are the best friend I have ever had,’ I tell her as the tears roll down my cheeks.
‘Ditto,’ she says.
Back at the farm, Sean is just closing up the shed. The oyster bags are all laid out on the mended trestle tables, which I destroyed all those months ago. They’re ready for tomorrow. Further down the bay the dark clouds are rolling in. Even Grace looks like she’s lost a chicken leg and found awishbone. She’s lying with her head between her paws, like she knows everything is about to change.
‘High tide tonight,’ Sean says.
‘Hadn’t you better go and get ready? Nancy’ll be wondering where you are. It’s your engagement party after all.’
‘Fi, about that …’ he says.
