“But you were different. Even at fifteen you were mature for your age, with a good head on your shoulders. You were in such a hurry to grow up.”
“I needed to.”
“No, you didn’t. No one expected you to. I never expected it from you.”
“Anyway, I obviouslydidn’thave a good head on my shoulders. I ended up marrying Steven Hill.”
“What an arse.”
“Iris!”
“What?”
“You’re not helping.”
“You’re right, let’s get back to the matter at hand. Who’s her father?”
I take a deep breath. “Niall Kerry.”
Iris’ mouth tumbles open for an instant. “Doesn’t he play for Dublin?”
“He used to. Now he’s moved back here, with a teenage daughter, a whole host of problems, and – from what I understand – no job.”
“I didn’t know he had a daughter.”
“Neither did I.”
“What a surprise…” she comments, finishing off her wine.
“You should eat, too,” I say, nodding towards her almost-full plate.
“Later, later. This story is too exciting.”
“I knew you’d enjoy it.”
“Go on, honey. Let’s not lose ourselves in useless chit-chat.”
“Anyway, Kerry has asked me to give his daughter a chance.”
“And you’re considering it because…?”
I sigh sadly. I have to tell her everything, or coming here and asking her advice would make no sense.
“I slept with him.”
The bottle of wine very nearly slips out of her grasp as she pours herself another glass.
“When the hell did this happen?”
“Last Friday.”
“Oh, Jesus.”
“It was a mistake, just an impulse that will obviously never happen again,” I say, hurriedly trying to clear things up.
“I’m still in shock.”
“It was stupid.”
