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Nikki laughed. “We’ve been loving the photos you’ve sent. The kids think you’re hanging out with leprechauns.”

“I haven’t met one yet,” Cordelia said. “Though Róisín probably has some stories she could tell them.”

“I want to see a leprechaun!” Miles shouted from off screen.

“Shush, Miles, where’s your father? Toby, your sister is on the phone!” Nikki called. She spoke to Cordelia quietly. “Your mom and Gary are out by the pool. Do you want me to go get them or would you rather not?”

Cordelia appreciated how Nikki never pushed her. “No, it’s fine, I’d really like to say hi. To both of them,” she added.

Nikki winked. “Got it. Kids, go get Nana and Gary,” she said as she passed the phone over to Toby. Cordelia heard the sounds of running and screaming and then a door slammed. Toby’s face appeared on the screen.

“Hey,” he said stiffly.

“Hi,” she replied. She felt a twinge of guilt for the fight they’d had before. Seeing their faces reminded her how much she missed her family. “How’s it going there? Looks like Gary got the kids some good loot.”

Toby relaxed a bit. “Yeah, he’s really spoiling them. And Miles keeps losing his teeth. I swear, that kid is going to bankrupt us. Oh, here’s Mom and Gary.” Toby shot Cordelia a warning glance that was entirely unnecessary since she’d already decided to be nice.

Her mother’s face appeared. She was tanner than usual and wore a floral bathing suit with a white lace shawl around her shoulders.

“Cordie!” she said with a huge smile.

“Hi, Mom,” Cordelia replied. “You look great. Is that a new suit?”

“Yes, I picked it up in Tuscany. How are you, darling? Everything okay over there? The light looks gloomy, what time is it?”

“It’s just after three,” she said. “And it’s actually sunny today.”

Louise pursed her lips. “It doesn’t look very sunny.”

Cordelia willed herself not to get defensive. “It’s Ireland, Mom. You get used to it. Hey, can I say hi to Gary?”

May as well do it now while she was still in a somewhat positive mood.

“Of course! Gary, come say hi.”

Gary’s weathered face appeared on the screen. He was a big burly man with a wild thatch of greying hair and a large nose that reminded Cordelia of Darragh.

“Hey there, Cordelia,” Gary said.

“Hi. How was Italy? The pictures looked great.”

“It was fantastic. I think your mother wants to move there.”

“Oh shush, I never said that,” Louise said, pushing her face into the screen. “Jon is a lovely young man, Cordelia. You’d really like him. And the villa is just stunning. You know, it’s so sad to think of him alone in all that space.”

Was her mother seriously trying to push Gary’s son on her?

“Yeah, well, it’s a villa in Tuscany so I’m sure he’s coping okay,” she said. “How are you guys enjoying the place in the Berkshires?”

“It’s great,” Gary said as Louise said, “It’s a bit small but the pool is nice.”

“We wish you were here,” Gary added.

“Maybe we could come visit you!” Louise said suddenly. “Gary, wouldn’t that be nice, to go and visit Cordelia on – what’s the name of the island again, sweetheart?”

“Inishmore,” Cordelia said through clenched teeth. “Mom, I don’t know if – ”

“That’s a great idea, Louise,” Gary said.