He shrugged. ‘Didn’t stay long,’ he said. ‘Home by midnight.’ And then he was distracted by two golden tea bracks that Mary had just unwrapped. ‘I’ll buy one of those,’ said Red. ‘Look even better than the ones my mamused to make. Here’s €10 to get us started.’ He passed a note to Mary which she put in the ice cream tub. Put one aside for me? Dad will love it. And I’ll head over to the tea stall. Apparently that’s where I’ve been put. Not to be trusted with the cakes or I might eat them.’
‘Knowing you, you will,’ teased Mary. ‘Go on, off with you!’
She turned to me and laughed. ‘He’s a divil,’ she said,as soon as he’d gone.
‘That’s one way of putting it,’ I said moderately, but thinking, a sexy divil at that. However, these adulterous musings were disturbed by a voice.
‘I’ll have that chocolate one.’ It was Clodagh wearing dark glasses. ‘I mean, I won’t actually eat it, but I can sniff and study it for a while and imagine I am eating it’
I laughed, delighted and amazed to see her. ‘Please.Just eat it. I’llmakeyou eat it. Anyway, what are you doing here? I’m wrecked, you must be destroyed!’
‘I think I’m still drunk, actually,’ said Clodagh, in a low voice. ‘But I said I’d come and – ta-dah! - here I am.’ She groaned. ‘God, that was a bit enthusiastic.’
Mary was bristling beside me, waiting to be introduced.
‘Clodagh this is Mary Hooley, school secretary and the brains of theoperation. Mary, this is my friend Clodagh Cassidy.’
‘Indeed it is!’ said Mary, giving Clodagh a hearty and prolonged handshake. ‘And what a pleasure it is to have a celebrity here! You might help us sell even more cakes!’
‘Thank you, Mary,’ said Clodagh, taking off her glasses. ‘Tabitha is always telling me about you, how she couldn’t do a thing without you.’
Mary blushed. ‘Well, you know,I do my best…’
‘Why don’t you put me to work and I will try and sell a few cakes for you?’ Clodagh offered.
She came behind the table to us and I gave her an apron. ‘How are you?’ I asked out of the corner of my mouth.
‘Like a terminally ill amoeba,’ she said quietly, while smiling at everyone radiantly. ‘It’s all your fault for ordering that tequila.’
‘You ordered it,’ I reminded her. ‘It’sall your fault that we both feel like this.’
‘That’s why I’m here. Solidarity,’ she said. ‘Friends who do shots together, sell cakes together.’
‘Thanks Clodes.’
‘My pleasure. And sorry for the tequila.’
‘Let’s just never do it again. Next time afternoon tea. Anyway, have you heard from Max?’
She nodded. ‘He called this morning,’ she said. ‘Said he was sorry.’
‘Sorry?’
‘For being tired.I think it was one of those apologies that aren’t really meant.’
‘Like, sorry for breathing.’
‘For being alive.’ She gave me a half-smile that almost broke my heart.
‘Can we just sell some cakes?’ she said. ‘Before I eat them all. This room is either my greatest nightmare or the best dream ever. Cakes as far as the eye can see.’ She stopped. ‘Don’t worry about me, Tab,’ she said. ‘So he’s abit of a prick. Maximus Prickus.’ We both giggled immaturely for a moment. ‘But I’ll be all right, okay? Good riddance et cetera.’
‘Oh my God, Bridget!’
‘What?’
‘Yo! Clodagh!’ And now Bridget was making a beeline towards us, through the crowds of parents and pupils who had begun to arrive. She didn’t look at all hung-over, she was as fresh as a daisy, flaunting her youthful ability to flashdetoxify.
‘Bridget?’ said Clodagh. ‘What areyoudoing here?’
