When I reached the door at the end I could hear Mrs McCoy on the other side, talking quietly. My heart was beating fast, my shoulders must have been up to my ears, and I was probably holding my breath, hoping that when I pushed the door open Ronan wouldn’t react the way he did when I last saw him. I pushed the door open.
Ronan’s eyes met mine. His mouth opened wide, his eyesrolled up into his skull, his whole body tensed up and I braced myself for what was to come.
Ronan erupted in laughter.
He laughed as he threw his head back, looking up to the ceiling and then down again and up again and then down to lock eyes with me once more. He stopped. Hiccupped. Chuckled, then took a big inhale and sighed out with a wide grin on his face.
‘Well, if that isn’t a big “Merry Christmas, Brendan” then I don’t know what is!’ said Mrs McCoy, laughing too.
‘I think that’s the loudest yet,’ said Mr McCoy behind me.
‘I can’t believe that,’ said Mrs McCoy. ‘Honestly, you’ve been so quiet all day and then here comes Brendan and you’re all laughs and smiles? Well, we certainly know where your loyalties lie now, don’t we?’ she said and Ronan hummed more laughter through closed lips. ‘Cheeky,’ Mrs McCoy said, still laughing. She got up to welcome us.
I stood staring at Ronan, not knowing what to do or what to say, so I held the gift bag I’d been gripping out in front of me.
‘I got you a present, Ronan,’ I said. He looked at it and then back up to me. I wasn’t sure what to do so I turned round to his parents and said, ‘Will I just put it under the tree for tomorrow?’
‘Yes, that’d be great, Brendan, thanks for that,’ said Mrs McCoy.
‘Sorry about the state of the tree,’ said Mr McCoy. ‘I had to decorate it this year myself, that’s normally Ronan’s job but …’ he glanced at his wife and she looked down and then at Ronan who was staring at me with smiling eyes, ‘… but I took on the task this year with Ronan watching me like one of them judges fromPop Idolor something. What do you make of it, son? Full marks?’
Ronan blew out through his lips.
‘I think that was nil points there, was it?’ laughed Mr McCoy. ‘Can I get yous a cup of tea or anything? Cathal, we’ve beers in the fridge there if you want one?’
‘Ah, thanks, Aaron, sure I’m driving otherwise I would.’
‘Sure is Brendan not near enough able to drive now? I saw the L plates up on the car there,’ said Mr McCoy.
‘Ah he’s getting there,’ said Dad, but he knew I wasn’t, we hadn’t had a lesson over the Christmas holidays so far. At the rate I was going I wouldn’t be making it out of St Matthew’s car park onto the main roads any time soon. ‘Just takes a bit of getting used to and a bit of time,’ Dad said with a sorry-for-me smile on his face.
‘Aye, all things take time,’ said Mr McCoy. ‘The good things, anyway. We’ve non-alcoholic beers, God only knows why, would you want one of them if they’re still in date?’
‘Aye, that’ll do rightly, thanks, Aaron.’
‘Brendan?’
‘A cup of tea would be great, thanks, Mr McCoy.’
‘Ronan, wee drink of something?’
Ronan was still staring at me and didn’t seem to hear his dad.
‘I think he’s alright, Aaron, he had plenty of water earlier,’ said Mrs McCoy.
‘Rightio, sit yourselves down and I’ll be back in a sec,’ said Mr McCoy.
Mrs McCoy sat down at the other end of the sofa to allow me to sit beside Ronan. His eyes followed me the whole way over.
An open fire was blazing, low-volume festive music was playing on a stereo; Nat King Cole or someone like that. Ronan was breathing loudly and calmly and smiling at me sitting beside him.
‘Goodness,’ said Mrs McCoy, ‘this feels like the first calm moment in the house for weeks.’
‘You must be exhausted, Emma. A lot of change,’ Dad said.
‘Yes, a lot of changes but that’s our choice. Ronan not being at home wasn’t even a consideration, it’s a lot and we’ve so much to learn, but it’s what we want.’
‘I wouldn’t even know where to start,’ Dad said.
