Breakfast at Darcy's (40 page)

‘Come on, if we’re going to do this you can at least help me with carrying the wood. We’ll be back in a bit, Darcy.’

‘Good luck,’ I smile, watching them go.

‘She’s a grand young one,’ Eamon says. ‘She reminds me of you when you were that age.’

‘You were here, then, when I used to come and visit the island?’ I turn to Eamon. ‘It’s just that I don’t remember you.’

‘What about yer man that used to bring you and your aunt across in the boat?’ Eamon looks at me with interest.

‘You mean, the chap that used to give me sweets if I felt sea-sick on a rough crossing?’ I say, as a sweet taste begins to
form in my mouth.

Eamon nods.

‘He was such a lively fellow. I remember he used to do this thing where he’d leap off the boat with a rope when we got to
the island. Sometimes I didn’t think he was going to make it across the water, he’d try and jump from so far out.’

‘And would he sometimes carry your picnic basket up the hill and down to the beach for you, if you were carrying a lot of
other stuff? Do you remember him doing that, Darcy?’

I nod slowly. ‘And my aunt would ask him to stay and join us, but he never would.’ I look into Eamon’s eyes. ‘That was you?’

‘It was.’

‘When I first arrived here with Conor he leaped off the boat in a similar way – I thought it seemed familiar.’ I think back
to that time. ‘But why didn’t you mention this before?’

‘It wasn’t the right time,’ he says slowly, leaning on his stick.

‘So why is it now?’

‘Let’s sit down,’ Eamon gestures to one of the benches; ‘my old legs don’t like standing too long these days.’

We sit on one of the benches that Dermot carved for us at the beginning of our time here on Tara.

‘You’ve done a grand job here on the island, Darcy, so you have,’ Eamon says, looking around at everyone enjoying themselves.
‘When you first came here I wondered just what you were going to do with Tara, with all your fancy ideas, but you’ve come
up against some situations since you’ve been here that have tested you, and you’ve passed those tests with flying colours.’

I’m touched by such high praise from Eamon.

‘Thank you. But you don’t know the half of it, stuck all the way over there on the other side of the island. You miss most
of the dramas that go on over here, and the things I get wrong.’

‘Oh, I hear about it all,’ Eamon says, nodding slowly. ‘Be in no doubt of that. Young Conor keeps me informed of a lot when
he brings my post and supplies.’

Of course, I’d forgotten Conor still popped over with all Eamon’s bits and pieces when they arrive from the mainland, just
like he had before we’d all arrived.

‘You must have known Conor a long time now, Eamon,’ I say, smiling at him. ‘Do you remember when Conor was a boy and he used
to visit Tara?’

Eamon looks oddly at me. ‘No, Conor wasn’t here when he was a boy. I only met him a couple of months before all of you got
here and he took over the job of sailing the boat from young Liam. I always wondered why Liam gave up that job, he seemed
happy enough in it.’

That’s odd. I distinctly remember Conor saying he grew up with a view of Tara. Perhaps Eamon’s mind is starting to go a little,
as well as his body. He has been looking quite frail of late.

‘But then my memory isn’t quite what it used to be,’ Eamon says, backing up my own thoughts. ‘I might be mistaken.’ Eamon
considers this for a moment. ‘But we must return to your aunt, Darcy. It wasn’t until young Megan turned up that I truly understood
just why Molly wanted you to come to Tara so badly.’

I was keen to know the answer to this one myself. ‘Why
was
that, Eamon? Everyone keeps saying that Tara’s special, and that she can help you know what you want in life. But if it was
Molly who wanted me to come here so badly, what was it she want me to find out?’

‘Darcy, quick, while Megan is out of the way, let’s get her cake ready!’ Paddy calls, running across the grass towards us.
‘It’s a deadly birthday cake Aiden has knocked out, like. Have you seen it?’

I look anxiously at Eamon.

‘Go,’ Eamon says, nodding. ‘They need you. They all need you, Darcy. And Tara, that’s what all this has been about.’

‘What do you mean, Eamon?’ I ask, half standing up. I’m desperate to know what Eamon is about to reveal.

‘Darcy, come on!’ Paddy calls again.

‘You’ll know when the time is right,’ Eamon says. He reaches out his hand to me. ‘You have my blessing, though, Darcy,’ he
says, and I feel his bony yet firm grip on my arm, just like I had that first day we’d met on the cliff edge. ‘Look inside
yourself and always do what feels right, and you’ll never go far wrong in life, just remember that.’

‘Sure, Eamon, I will,’ I smile at him, my eyes looking deep down into his bright blue ones. ‘Can we talk again later? I’d
really like to remember more about my time here as a child, and for you to tell me more about my aunt.’

‘Trust me, Darcy; you’ll know the truth very soon now. About many things here on this island. Now go.’

I take a couple of steps away when I have a thought. ‘Eamon, my aunt, she wore a Claddagh ring, didn’t she?’

Eamon nods, ‘Yes she did, on her right hand.’

‘What happened to it, do you know?’

‘Soon, Darcy,’ he says mysteriously. ‘Soon.’

I rush over to the pub kitchen with Paddy, and help him light the twelve candles on Megan’s birthday cake. I’m still thinking
about Eamon’s words, and as I do I suddenly remember which way round the ring faced …

The rest of Megan’s birthday party is a great success. We do indeed have a bonfire, and after much of the wonderful food has
been demolished by everyone, a sing-song and then some party games. Some of these are traditional, like blind man’s buff and
musical chairs – which ends up being hotly contested by Conor and Ryan for the last chair, with Ryan narrowly being crowned
champion.

We then move on to some less well-known games, but according to Eamon traditional to Samain. One of these involves peeling
an apple and throwing the peel over your shoulder, the shape the peel forms apparently determining the initial of the person
you’ll marry.

This sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, with the amount of couples already on Tara. But Niall and Paddy are ecstatic
when they both form what roughly look like each other’s initials during the game. Most of the others who join in get on well
with their predictions, even the ones that are
already married. Conor throws a shape illegible as any initial, and Dermot as usual refuses to join in. Roxi is in raptures
when her apple peel forms a shape resembling a W.

‘I’m going to marry Will
Smith
, I’m going to marry Will
Smith
!’ she calls, dancing around and throwing her arms up to the clear night sky above. ‘I knew it was written in the stars all
along!’

‘I don’t want to put a spanner in the works,’ Dermot says, inspecting the apple peel, ‘but isn’t he already married?’

‘Listen here, Mr Cowell,’ Roxi says, eyeing Dermot fiercely, ‘you can’t mess with true love.’

‘Roxi, why do you insist on calling me Mr Cowell?’ Dermot asks, matching Roxi’s dark brown stare with his own equally forceful
one. ‘I clearly don’t look anything like Simon Cowell.’

Roxi stares hard at Dermot, then she screws up her nose and shrugs. ‘Don’t know, really, it just kind of stuck. If anything,
you’ve more of the George Clooney about you than Simon Cowell.’

I can’t help but grin at the expression of shock and pride that sweeps over Dermot’s face.

‘Just don’t go telling anyone I told you that, though,’ she threatens him.

Roxi’s right, though, now I consider this statement; Dermot does look a bit like George, only broader and with more muscles.

‘Come on, Darcy,’ Megan encourages me. ‘It’s your go now.’

‘I’m not sure I want to know,’ I say, twisting my apple peel up in my hand.

‘It’s only a game, and you’re the last one. Then I think we’re going to have some dancing! Apparently Seamus has written me
my own song as my birthday present.’

‘Oh, all right then,’ I sigh, standing up. I quickly toss the apple peel over my shoulder and turn around to look. ‘There,
you can’t really tell what it is,’ I say, glancing down at the apple peel in relief. ‘It’s very round, most probably an O.’

‘Could be a C?’ Roxi says, her eyes twinkling. ‘With the two ends almost joined up. See, they’re not actually touching each
other on that side.’

I daren’t look at Conor.

‘No, it’s definitely not a C, Rox,’ I say quickly.

‘I think it’s a D,’ Megan says, with her head tilted to one side. ‘See, that left side is much straighter than the other curved
one.’

‘Maybe the D is for Darcy, and it means I’m just going to stay single all my life then,’ I conclude, swiftly gathering up
the peel. ‘Now, let’s get that music started. Where’s Seamus when you need him?’

We have great fun for the next hour, dancing to Irish jigs and reels with music provided by our now resident musician Seamus.
I’m just taking a breather and sitting this one out with a well-earned drink, when Eileen comes over and sits down next to
me. As always, it’s not many minutes before she lights up a cigarette, and I’m glad we’re outside as her smoke begins to swirl
around our faces.

‘You’ve put on some party for my daughter here tonight,’ she says as she watches the dancers spinning around. She takes a
long drag on her cigarette, then exhales the smoke through her mouth in long, toxic spiral.

‘Megan seems to have enjoyed it.’

‘She’s done more than that,’ Eileen says, still facing
forwards. ‘She’s just informed me she doesn’t want to come back with me tomorrow, and wants to stay here with you and Dermot
permanently.’

‘What?’ I swivel around to face her. ‘Eileen, I had no idea. Megan has never mentioned this before.’

Eileen turns to face me now. Like a dragon breathing fire on its victim, she empties a plume of smoke in my face before speaking.
‘Don’t think I don’t know what your game is, Darcy, with your holier-than-thou attitude and this perfect little set-up you’ve
got going on here.’

I open my eyes wide, and then have to blink hard to try and get rid of the stinging sensation from the smoke. ‘What do you
mean?’

‘You’re after him.’

‘Who?’ I need to take a sip of drink to try and get rid of the taste of smoke from my mouth as well now.

‘Dermot.’

I nearly spit my drink all over Eileen,which considering what she’s just emptied all over me, wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

‘Why on earth would I want Dermot?’

‘That’s just what I’ve been trying to figure out. Mind you,’ Eileen looks across to where Dermot stands, keeping well away
from the dancing by talking to Daniel and Orla. ‘I suppose he is still quite handsome, if you like the more rough-and-ready
type. And he can’t be that bad; after all, I once saw something in him myself.’

I rub at my forehead, knocking my crown back slightly in the process. Why does everyone think that Dermot and I are desperately
in love with each other? Are we the only two that haven’t been told?

‘You are completely wrong about this, Eileen. I don’t want Dermot. Anyway, I’m in a relationship with Conor.’

‘
This
is where my little theory goes slightly off track,’ Eileen gazes across at Conor now. ‘Why on earth would you want Dermot
when you’ve already got that rather handsome specimen over there?’ Eileen looks Conor up and down admiringly.

‘Eileen,’ I’m beginning to get impatient now, ‘have you got anything more concrete to add to this conversation other than
some ridiculous fantasy you seem to have dreamed up for yourself?’

‘Yes.’ Eileen manages to turn her attention away from Conor for a moment. ‘Stop making my daughter’s time here so enjoyable.
That’s all I heard when she came back after the summer, Tara this and Darcy that. It got so bad that I nearly didn’t let her
come back again this holiday.’

I stare at Eileen in disbelief. ‘But you must let her come and visit Dermot. He loves having her back in his life again after
all this time, and Megan loves being with him, too.’

‘Well, they’re going to have to get used to going back to the way things were before,’ Eileen flicks grey ash onto Tara’s
grass. ‘Because
I’ve
decided to move back to the States again.’

‘But why?’ I ask, completely stunned by her latest declaration. ‘You’ve only just moved back to Ireland. You said you had
business to attend to here.’

‘My business is with an ever-changing, multinational company. Sometimes we need to change our plans.’ She takes another long
drag on her cigarette, before slowly blowing the smoke out into the atmosphere to pollute it even more than her words have.

I shake my head in frustration. ‘But you can’t just drop
Megan into Dermot’s life like this, and then simply pull her right back out of it again. Like … like a tea bag dunked in and
out of a mug! It’s not fair on either of them.’

‘I’m her mother, Darcy, I can do whatever I like.’

Now I’ve heard the phrase ‘seeing red’ before. But right now I actually
feel
like my whole body is burning a very intense shade of bright fiery red from my head right down to my toes. I try to calm
myself by holding onto my little rose quartz crystal, but even that is powerless against the force that’s rising up within
me, as an emotion I’ve never felt before explodes inside.

‘But that’s exactly what a mother
isn’t
supposed to do,’ I turn around so my body is fully facing her, and my mind is perfectly prepared for a head-on battle. ‘A
mother is supposed to do what’s best for her child, not what’s best for herself. You should be putting Megan’s happiness first,
not your own. When you gave birth to her, you gave up the right to do whatever you liked, whenever you wanted to. You gave
that right to your daughter, to look after until she was old enough to make her own decisions in life.’

Eileen’s face looks as shocked as her Botox will allow at my outburst. She opens her mouth to speak, but I’ve not finished
with her yet. More fireworks are exploding inside me.