‘What? You want her to stay with me?’ I ask, bewildered. I know I was thinking about getting a sheep earlier, but this wasn’t the kind of poor wee lamb I had in mind.
‘Sure I do. I mean, you have plenty of space. The rooms over the gallery aren’t ready, and the holiday lets are all booked up.’
‘Can’t she stay in Macduff, or even Aberdeen? There have got to be places she can go to!’
‘I’m sure there are, Rory,’ she replies, eyes narrowed, voice in a huff as she folds her arms over her chest and glares. ‘But she won’t be doing that! She found the card, man – don’t you get it? That means that she has to stay here in Bonnie Bay! It’s fate!’
I rub my face, and run my hands through my hair. For feck’s sake, she means it, doesn’t she? And when she says ‘it’s fate’, I know it’s more than that – it’s a complicated mix of hope and belief. The legacy of the dead husband I know she still misses. I’ve rarely seen her so determined, so completely focused. How can logic compete with all of that? I take a deep breath, and when I look back at her I see tears in her eyes despite the ferocity of her tone. This means something to her, way beyond finding board and lodging for another waif and stray. What is going on here?
‘Are you all right, Moira?’ I ask. ‘I’m a bit worried about you.’
‘I’m fine! I’m just… give her a chance, will ye?’
Is it that simple? Is that what’s upsetting her – me not going along with her plans? Does she think this woman is the answer to her prayers on my behalf?
I smile gently, hating seeing her so upset, whatever the reason. ‘I’m guessing this woman isn’t in her nineties and the spitting image of Nanny McPhee, is she? Are you… are you making me part of your scheming, Moira?’
A complicated set of emotions flickers over her face, but then she stands up tall. She still barely reaches my shoulder. ‘So what if I am, son? I told you I was putting a call out to my friend the universe, didn’t I? Now, I’m not a complete idiot – I’m not so doolally that I think you two are going to take one look at each other and fall in love, Rory. I know the human heart is more complicated than that. But… look, if nothing else, I think you’re lonely out there in that big old house. She genuinely needs somewhere to stay, and frankly you could do with the company.It’ll make everything easier if you just see sense and agree. Please. I… I just would so love one more happy ending.’
I do want to argue. I want to tell her to stop interfering, to mind her own business. But she’s Moira. I could never say any of those things to Moira, especially in her current complicated mood.
‘But what makes you think she’ll want to stay with a strange man?’ I ask. ‘She doesn’t know me from Adam.’
‘She has her daughter with her,’ Moira adds, her tone sweeter now, obviously sensing my weakness.
‘Even more reason for her not to want to!’
‘Och, I’ll reassure her. Promise you’re a saint. And if she says no, then so be it – I’ll accept defeat. But if she does say yes…’
I sigh, and stare at her. ‘You’re an old witch, do you know that?’
‘Aye. Fire burn and cauldron bubble, Rory. Will ye do it? Say you’ll do it!’
‘She’s at the cottage for tonight, you say?’
‘She is,’ Moira replies, grinning mischievously, suddenly so much happier. ‘The place where the magic happened last time.’
‘You can’t always expect magic to happen, Moira!’
She frowns and shakes her head. ‘Why ever not, man? That’s the problem with you whippersnappers – no faith! So, is that a yes then?’
‘It’s a maybe. Look, I’m tired. I need to get some rest?—’
‘You mean drink Guinness all alone, sitting in that big living room with no company but your television set? Getting all the questions right onThe Weakest Linkand patting yourself on the back for how clever you are?’
Damn her. How does she always know everything? How does she stay five steps ahead of me every time?
‘I’ll be doing exactly that and have no shame in admitting it. You’re just bitter because I always beat you in the pub quiz.Look, let me think about it, okay? I love you to bits, Moira, you know that, but I’ll not be bullied into doing something I don’t want.’
She gives me a wink.
‘Of course not, Rory. All I’m asking is that you keep an open mind.’
The mind in question flickers back to the couple I saw earlier. To their quiet affection, the way they shared such an obvious bond. The gaping wound that is my own personal life.
I’m overthinking this. Doing a favour for Moira will not result in a life-changing experience. It will just be a few karma points notched up, and, like she says, maybe a bit of company. Moira knows me well, and she wouldn’t suggest them as house guests if she thought we wouldn’t get on.
I nod. ‘All right. Get back to your wine, and don’t get ossified, all right?’
