Where Rainbows End (11 page)

what have you learned that you think you can bring to the table here at the Two Lakes?”

Please
, like that’s even worth asking.

94

Cecelia Ahern

OK I have to go now, actually, because Katie just got home from school with the look of evil on her face and I haven’t made dinner yet.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Two Lakes Hotel

It’s a shame you had to rush off, I was enjoying that e-mail. Glad to hear your interviews are going so well—it’s cheered me right up!

But I’m dying to no, what did you tell them you could bring to the company?

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: Two Lakes Hotel

Alex, isn’t it obvious??

Paper clips!

(They just laughed so I got myself out of that one easily.) OK so I’m really going now, Katie is shoving pictures that she drew in school in my face. Oh by the way, she drew one of you . . . you look like you’ve lost a bit of weight. I’ll scan it to you . . . )

Dear Ms. Rosie Dunne,

It is our pleasure to inform you that we are offering you the position of head receptionist at the Two Lakes Hotel.

On a more personal note, I am proud to say that Bob and I are very excited about having you here following the success of your interview last week. You come across as being a bright, intelligent, and witty young woman; the kind of person we like to have working at the hotel.

We take pride in hiring people we ourselves would like to be greeted by in a hotel and we have great faith that the smiles you brought to our faces when we met will also be brought to the customers of the hotel when they arrive at reception. We are proud to have you as a member of the team and love, rosie

95

hope our working relationship will continue on successfully for many years into the future.

We ask that you get in touch with Shauna Simpson at reception with regard to your work uniform.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Lake

Bob Lake

Owner and manager

Owner

PS: We would also appreciate it if you would bring those paper clips with you—office supplies are rather low!

You have an instant message from: ROSIE

Rosie:

My god Ruby could it be possible that I’m actually going to have a
nice
boss/bosses?! I think everything is finally falling into place.

Ruby:

And then she goes ahead and jinxes herself . . . she will never learn . . .

from:

Rosie

to:

Stephanie

subject:

Congratulations

I’m delighted to hear that you and Pierre got engaged! I know we spoke on the phone for hours last night but I wanted to send you this e-mail too.

Congratulations!

Something rather bizarre is happening in my life, Stephanie. I have a boyfriend who loves me, and who I love back, I’m about to start work in the hotel of my dreams, Katie is beautiful and healthy and funny and I finally feel like a good mum. I feel happy. I want to enjoy this feeling and revel in my good fortune but there’s something niggling at me in the back of my mind. There’s a little voice whispering to me, “Things are too perfect.” It almost feels like the calm before the storm.

Is this how normal life is supposed to be? Because I’m used to drama, drama, drama. I’m used to things refusing to go my way, I’m used to having 96

Cecelia Ahern

to struggle, moan and, whinge my way into getting something that’s not exactly what I want but that will
just do
.

This is not something that will “just do,” this is perfect; this is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to feel loved by someone, I wanted Katie to stop wondering if it was all her fault that she didn’t have a daddy like all the other kids, I wanted to feel that the two of us not only belong together but that someone else would accept us in their lives too, I wanted to feel important, I wanted to feel like
somebody
, I wanted to know that if I called in sick to work that I would be
missed
. I wanted to stop feeling so sorry for myself, and I have.

Things are going great. I’m feeling really good about myself and I’m not quite used to that. This is the new Rosie Dunne. Young and confused Rosie is gone. Phase two of my life now begins . . .

p a r t 2

8

Dear Ms. Dunne,

I was hoping that you could come to the school to discuss Katie’s rapidly deteriorating behavior in class. Her attention span is short and she distracts other students by her note-passing.

How does Wednesday after school sound? You can reach me at the school. You know the number.

Ms. Casey

To Katie,

What do you mean your mum just laughed?

From Toby

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Flight details

Hey there, OK our flight is landing at 1.15 p.m.—flight number is EI-4023. I’ll be the woman dragging a terrified-looking man by the hair through arrivals, carrying a hyperventilating child by the other arm, and pulling twenty suitcases along by my toes. (Greg hates flying, Katie is so excited I’m 100

Cecelia Ahern

really very concerned that she’s going to explode, and I couldn’t decide what to bring with me so I packed my entire wardrobe.) Are you sure Sally knows what she’s got herself into, allowing me and my mad family to stay with you?

from:

Sally

to:

Alex

subject:

Re: Rosie’s stay

Of course it’s not OK Alex. You couldn’t have chosen a worse time to invite her and you know it.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Flight details

Of course Sally doesn’t mind. I can’t wait to see you and Katie and to meet what’s-his-name. I’ll be waiting at arrivals for you.

Dear Alex,

I just want to thank you so much for the holiday! I had such a fantastic time. Boston seemed even more beautiful than I remembered, and I’m glad I didn’t have to run home early in embarrassment this time round (ha ha best way to deal with it is to make fun of oneself). Katie just loved the whole experience, and the child will just not stop talking about you!

Greg really enjoyed it too, I’m glad you finally got to meet him and also learn that his face isn’t usually the greenish kind of color that it was when you met him coming off the plane. It was such a treat to finally have my two favorite men in the same country together, never mind in the same room! So what do you think of him? Does he get the best friend seal of approval?

So apart from the fact that your wife absolutely hates me, everything else was very comfortable and enjoyable. But I actually don’t mind Alex; I’ll just accept it. It just makes it official and confirms what I already thought: for love, rosie

101

some unknown reason, any girlfriend or wife of yours will forever hate me.

And that’s fine with me. I’m over it.

I just hope she lets me see your son or daughter when he or she is born.

Now there’s something else I never imagined would happen! Alex Stewart is going to be a daddy! Every time I think about it I just have to laugh out loud.

God love your child to have a father like you! Just joking, you know I’m thrilled! Although I can’t believe you kept it a secret from me for three months. Shame on you.

By the way, I’m really sorry Katie spilled her drink over Sally’s new dress. I don’t know
what
got into her; she’s usually not so clumsy! I’ve told her to write a letter of apology to Sally. Hopefully she won’t hate us all so much then.

Anyway, my few weeks of fun are over now; it’s back to reality again. I start work at my new job on Monday; I’m just hoping I’ll like it. All my life I’ve wanted to work in a hotel and I’ve put the thought away, with the rest of my dreams. I just hope it isn’t hell, or all my little dream bubbles will burst in an instant.

There’s one more thing I forgot to tell you, Greg has asked me and Katie to move in with him. I’m not quite sure how to feel about it. I’m over the moon of course but you know the saying, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

Things are going really well at the moment between us and it’s not just me that I have to think about. Katie really likes Greg, and she loves to spend time with him (it may not have been that obvious in Boston because she was so excited to see you), but I don’t know if she would be ready for such a huge change in her life. We’re only in the flat together two years now and we’re learning to live our lives with just the two of us as opposed to having the rest of my family around. I’m not sure if uprooting her
again
would be the right thing. What do you think?

Well, I suppose all I need to do is ask her. But what if she says no? Do I say to Greg, “Eh . . . sorry I love you and all but my eight-year-old daughter doesn’t want to live with you?” Do I tell Katie, “Tough luck you’re moving house,” or do I do what she wants? I clearly can’t just do what
I
want because there’s two other people involved. I’m going to think about it for the next while anyway.

102

Cecelia Ahern

Thanks again for the break, I really needed it. I’ll make sure Katie sends on that letter to Sally.

Love,

Rosie

Welcome to your first day at the Two Lakes. I hope everyone has helped you to settle in so far. I’m sorry I’m not there to greet you but I am currently in the States finalizing a few things at our new Two Lakes Hotel in San Francisco.

In the meantime, Amador Ramirez, the hotel manager, is there to show you the ropes. Let me know if you have any problems.

Once again, welcome!

Bill Lake

You have an instant message from: RUBY

Ruby:

Remember me?

Rosie:

I’m sorry Ruby, it’s just that I don’t get to spend much time on the computer like the last job; it’s a bit difficult to pretend I’m doing work here.

Ruby:

So you’re still there then?

Rosie:

Ruby you know I am.

Ruby:

I’ll give you one month . . .

Rosie:

Thank you for your support; it’s always very much appreciated.

Ruby:

No problem. So how’s life with Greg?

Rosie:

Great thanks.

Ruby:

So you don’t hate each other yet?

Rosie:

No not yet.

Ruby:

I’ll give you one month . . .

Rosie:

And once again, thank you.

Ruby:

Just doing my duty as a friend. Gary has a girlfriend now.

Rosie:

Gary?! Your baby Gary?!

Ruby:

Well he’s 20 now but I can see how you could be confused, he’s yet to lose all that baby fat . . . like his mother.

love, rosie

103

Rosie:

Oh stop it! Who’s the girl?

Ruby:

Gemma is her name. To be honest I think there’s something a bit wrong with her.

Rosie:

In what way?

Ruby:

In the way that she has deliberately chosen to go out with my son.

Rosie:

Oh Ruby that’s awful! Gary is a nice boy.

Ruby:

Nice my bum! I don’t know what she sees in him; all he does is occasionally make grunting sounds and point to things. Usually at food, and then to his stomach. Any news with you?

Rosie:

Well actually I have a bit, I’ve only told Alex so far but you’re not allowed to tell anyone.

Ruby:

Ooh lovely, I love it! The most magical words you’ll ever hear in a sentence. What is it?

Rosie:

Well a few weeks ago when I came home from work Greg had a beautiful dinner cooked, the table was set, candles were lit, and the music was playing . . .

Ruby:

Go on . . .

Rosie:

Well he asked me—

Ruby:

To marry you!

Rosie:

No actually, he asked me if I was interested in moving in with him.

Ruby:

Interested?

Rosie:

Yeah.

Ruby:

Were those his exact words?

Rosie:

Eh, yeah, I think so why?

Ruby:

You think that’s romantic, do you?

Rosie:

Well he went to a lot of trouble to cook the meal, and set the table and—

Ruby:

Jesus you do that every day Rosie. Do you not think it sounds a bit like a business proposition?

Rosie:

A business proposition? In what way?

Ruby:

If I wanted to open a joint bank account with Teddy I would say,

“Teddy, would you be interested in opening a joint bank account?”

If I wanted to move in with Teddy, I would not say, “Teddy would you be interested in moving in together?” Do you see what I mean?

104

Cecelia Ahern

Rosie:

Well I suppose I—

Ruby:

That is not the way to broach the subject. And what about marriage? Did he say anything about that? Or about Katie? If you and he get married, will he want to adopt Katie? Did you discuss any of those things?

Rosie:

Well actually . . . no we didn’t even discuss marriage. Moving in together is the same commitment as a marriage, Ruby. Anyway I thought you were anti-marriage.

Ruby:

I am but I’m not the one who does want to get married and who is in a relationship with a man who doesn’t. There lies a problem.

Rosie:

I never said that I wanted to marry him.

Ruby:

Well then if neither of you feel comfortable marrying each other then go ahead and move in together; that sounds like a fabulous idea!

Rosie:

That’s exactly what you and Teddy are doing!

Ruby:

I’ve been married before and so has Teddy, we both don’t want to go through it again. I’ve been there, done that, while this is just the beginning for you.

Rosie:

Anyway it doesn’t matter because I told him that I wasn’t ready to move in with him right now. It’s a bad time, with me trying to settle down in the job and everything and Katie settling down in the flat. I need to allow a little more time to pass so that Katie can adjust to the whole situation. It’s been a huge change in her life—