‘She’s worried that you’re drinking too much, Dad.’
‘She told you that, did she? Knew I was fed up with the nagging and thought she’d get you to do the work for her now?’
‘Dad—’
‘I am fine, Orla. I’m grand. The one who isn’t fine is your mother. She doesn’t leave the house and she keeps track of Erin like she’s starring in an episode ofFBI. That poor girl can’t take a crap without your mother wanting to know the consistency of it.’
Now Orla was confused. Was this turning-the-tables talk because he was a proud man who knew he was struggling and didn’t want to admit it? Or was there some truth to his comments about her mum? She was very invested in finding out everything about Erin and Burim and being concerned about Erin’s coursework but surely that was just being a good mother.While she was thinking she tuned into the background noise across the line.
‘Dad, where are you?’
‘Why? Are you going to tell your mother?’
She sighed. ‘No, I’m just… wondering.’
‘I’m on the bus with Greta.’
Who was Greta? It wasn’t someone Orla was familiar with. And it was a woman’s name…
‘And before you go reporting back to FBI Agent Dana,’ her dad carried on. ‘Greta is an Irish Wolfhound who’s having a diabetes check at the vets.’
She didn’t really know what to take from that sentence. Why was her dad with a dog that wasn’t his on public transport going to the vets?
‘I don’t?—’
‘The person you should be talking to is your mum,’ her dad carried on. ‘She’s the one who’s fallen out with all of her friends except Helen. She’s the one who’s doing nothing all day except finding fault with everyone else. She’s the one who barely leaves the house and accuses people of doing things they haven’t done.’
Orla didn’t know what to say to this. Who was telling the truth? And why would whichever one it was be lying to her anyway?
‘Listen, love, I’ve got to go. The vets is the next stop. But, don’t be a stranger, will you? Call me again if you need to. Bye, love.’
There wasn’t a chance to say anything else before her dad ended the call and she was left even more confused.
26
‘Delphine, we need to talk.’
Jacques had bided his time while Delphine hadvery slowlyserved customers at the checkout of the store, then attended to service in the café despite all her staff being there, then made a fuss of Tommy and Erin and made their hot milkshakes. But now there was no reason for her to be able to avoid this conversation he needed to have.
‘I know what you are going to say,’ Delphine replied, adjusting her glasses and plucking some festive chocolates from the shelf.
‘Oh, really?’
‘Yes,’ she answered. ‘You are going to ask to see the progress of the installation of my new windows in the guest bedroom.’
‘Yes, I am,’ he agreed.
‘And I am not going to show you,’ Delphine said. ‘Because I already know that you will have been around the building outside and seen for yourself.’
‘Delphine, there is a black sheet over that entire section.’
‘I wonder why!’ Delphine said, putting the chocolates into a different section. ‘Because I am having the windows replaced.’
Jacques shook his head. ‘In the winter. When it has been the coldest spell for years.’
‘And now it is thawing so they come.’ She picked up some cinnamon rolls. ‘Anyway, who is to say when the right time really is? Also, everybody knows if you have your windows replaced in the winter it is cheaper.’
‘This is sounding like the reindeer being pregnant when it cannot be,’ Jacques said.
