Where Rainbows End (24 page)

love, rosie

211

Ruby:

Oh alright then. At least Greg won’t be there wrapping a leash around your neck to hold you back from Alex.

Rosie:

Yeah I just might be able to hump Alex’s leg in peace this time.

Ruby:

Here’s hoping. So what do I get for the teenage girl who wants everything?

Rosie:

Straight teeth, magic spot removal cream, Colin Farrell, and an organized mother.

Ruby:

Ah, now the organized mother bit I can help out with.

Rosie:

Thanks Ruby.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Flight Details

My flight is landing at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow. Really looking forward to meeting up with you and Katie again. Will what’s-his-name be there to greet me too?

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

my HUSBAND

His name, my
husband’s
name, is Greg. GREG. Get it? And no, he will not be there to collect you because he is away on business. He’s in the States so you two have luckily swapped countries for the next few days. Let’s hope that will be far apart enough for the both of you.

TO MY WONDERFUL DAUGHTER,

YOU’RE A TEENAGER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING,

LOTS OF LOVE,

MUM

212

Cecelia Ahern

TO KATIE,

YOU’RE A TEEN TODAY,

HIP HIP HIP HOORAY!

IT’S A JOYOUS DAY,

YOU’RE A TEEN TODAY!

GREG

YOU’RE A GROOVY CHICK!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PET,

LOVE YOU LOTS LIKE JELLY TOTS!

LOVE GRANDMA AND GRANDAD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLITTER GIRL,

TAKE THIS MONEY AND BUY YOURSELF AN ITEM OF CLOTHING THAT’S

NOT BLACK. I DARE YOU.

LOVE RUBY, TEDDY, AND GARY (GRUDGINGLY)

from:

Katie

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Grudgingly

In Ruby’s birthday card, she has signed it—Love Ruby, Teddy, and Gary (grudgingly). What does grudgingly mean?

from:

Rosie

to:

Katie

subject:

Grudgingly

She wrote that? Honestly, I sometimes think she’s lost the plot completely. It means that Gary was only too delighted to wish you a happy birthday. That’s what it means. Now stop e-mailing me or I’ll be fired.

FOR MY NIECE,

HAPPY 13TH BEAUTIFUL!

love, rosie

213

BON ANNIVERSAIRE!

LOVE STEPHANIE, PIERRE, & JEAN-LOUIS

TO MY GODDAUGHTER,

HAPPY 13TH YOU LITTLE ADULT!

I’M SO HAPPY TO SHARE THE DAY WITH YOU,

ALL MY LOVE,

ALEX

YOU MAY BE A TEENAGER BUT YOU’RE STILL UGLY.

FROM TOBY

from:

Kevin

to:

Rosie

subject:

Secret visit!

Kevin here. I can’t get through to your phone so I thought I’d send you an e-mail seeing as that seems to be all you do every day.

Sorry I couldn’t be home for Katie’s birthday, but it’s absolutely crazy here at work. The golf open is being held here this week and all the world’s greatest golfers and their dogs and goldfish have booked in. I’ve been rushed off my feet but they’ll thankfully be gone by the weekend. I seem to keep missing the family do’s. (Or family don’ts) Anyway the reason I’m e-mailing you is because I can’t believe you kept it a secret from me that you were coming down here for the weekend! Don’t even ask what I was doing checking the reservations but it seems that you have the honeymoon suite booked out for the weekend!

Good ol’ Greg’s a bit flash paying for all that isn’t he? Anyway I’m glad you’re finally coming down to see me. It’s about time. Don’t think I’ve seen you since Christmas. I’ll make sure all the staff treats you extra-specially and I’ll even tell the lads in the kitchen not to spit into your food as an extra treat.

214

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Rosie

to:

Kevin

subject:

Re: Secret visit!

Sorry my baby brother but it must be another Rosie Dunne. I wish it
was
me!

from:

Kevin

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Secret Visit

There’s only one Rosie Dunne! No, the booking is actually under Greg’s name. Shit! I hope I haven’t spoiled a surprise. FORGET I said anything.

Sorry.

from:

Rosie

to:

Kevin

subject:

Re: Secret visit!

Don’t worry Kev—what day is the booking for?

from:

Kevin

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Secret visit!

Friday until Monday. Oh please don’t tell him I told you. It was stupid of me to say anything. I should have used my head first. I really shouldn’t have been looking at the reservations anyway. What an idiot Greg is, he should have known I work here.

from:

Rosie

to:

Kevin

subject:

Re: Secret visit!

love, rosie

215

And in order for him to know where you work you two would need to have a conversation with each other once in while. Don’t worry! Greg’s away in the States for the week so I’ll be able to hide my excitement from him! I better go shopping for a few outfits, that hotel of yours is very classy!

from:

Kevin

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Secret visit!

Enjoy it and I’ll see you at the weekend. I’ll have a look of pretend shock on my face.

Ruby:

I have to admit that I’m shocked. That’s very romantic of him!

Rosie:

I know! I’m so excited Ruby. I’ve dreamed of staying in that hotel for years. Oh I bet the little shampoos and shower caps in the bathrooms are just the most beautiful things.

Ruby:

Christ Rosie, you could open your own shop with the amount of hotel products you’ve stolen.

Rosie:

It’s not
stealing
. They’re not just there to be
looked
at. Although, they do seem to be nailing down the hair dryers a lot more these days.

Ruby:

Just as well you’re not strong enough to drag the beds out of the rooms.

Rosie:

Now that would be too risky. They’d see me at reception. Although the bedsheets I got from the last hotel I stayed in for my birthday are by far my favorite.

Ruby:

Rosie, you have a problem. Swiftly moving on, when are you being whisked away to the lap of luxury?

Rosie:

Friday. I can’t wait! I completely maxed out my credit card buying a few outfits for the weekend. I’m so pleased that he’s made this effort. Things with me and Greg have reached an all-time high the last while, it’s like we’re back at our honeymoon stage. I am really, really happy.

216

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Rosie

to:

Greg

subject:

Coming home?

It’s Friday and I was just wondering what time you’ll be home? You must be on the plane because your phone’s going straight to answer machine.

Maybe you can reply via your laptop from the clouds!

from:

Greg

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Coming home?

Hi love. I told you I’d be here in the States until Monday. I should be home in the evening sometime. Can I call you from the airport for a lift?

Sorry if there was some confusion. I’m sure I told you it was Monday and not Friday. I wish it was today darling, I really do.

How’s Katie after her first wild teenage party? I haven’t heard from her. I thought she might have thanked me for the present by now.

from:

Rosie

to:

Kevin

subject:

This
weekend?

Do you think you could be mistaken about that booking for
this
weekend?

from:

Kevin

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re:
This
weekend?

It’s definitely correct Rosie. Greg checked in this morning. Aren’t you here?

from:

Katie

to:

Greg

subject:

My present

love, rosie

217

Hope you are having a good time in America and that you’re not working too hard. I grudgingly thank you for my birthday present. You will be pleased to know I bought a black sweater with the money. See you when you get home.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

What’s-his-name

What’s-his-name is gone. For good.

from:

Alex

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: What’s-his-name

I’ll book flights for you and Katie to come over here immediately. I’ll let you know the details within the next hour. Don’t worry.

from:

Rosie

to:

Alex

subject:

Please wait

Just give me a little time before you book those flights. There are a few things I want to tie up here before I leave. And once I go over to you in Boston I’m
never
coming back here. Just please wait for me.

love, rosie

219

Hi, it’s me, Alex.

Look I’m really sorry but I’m not going to be able to make it out for dinner tonight. I’m sorry to tell you in a letter but it’s the best way I no how.

You’re a wonderful, intelligent woman but my heart lies with someone else.

It has done so for many, many years. I hope that when we meet we can remain friends at least.

Take care,

Alex

Dear Bill Lake,

It is with great sadness that I submit my resignation. I will remain working in the Two Lakes Hotel for the next two weeks as I’m contracted to do so.

On a more personal level, I would like to thank you for seven great years of allowing me to work in your company. It was an honor.

Yours sincerely,

Rosie Dunne

from:

Toby

to:

Katie

subject:

Disaster!

YOU WHAT?? You CAN’T be moving away, this is awful! Ask your mum if it’s OK for you to stay with me for a while. I’ll ask my mum and dad too. They’ll definitely say yes. You can’t leave.

What about school?

What about the basketball team?

What about wanting to DJ for Club Sauce?

What about your grandparents? You can’t just leave them. They’re old.

love, rosie

221

What about your mum’s job and the house and everything? You can’t just leave it all behind.

What about me?

from:

Katie

to:

Toby

subject:

Re: Disaster!

I can’t change her mind. I can’t stop crying. This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me in my whole entire life. I don’t even want to go to Boston. What’s so good about Boston? I don’t wanna make new friends. I don’t want anything “new.”

Oh I hate Greg so much. You no he hasn’t even come home because he’s so afraid of Mum. She’s scary she’s so mad. I’m even afraid to talk to her sometimes. She screams down the phone at him like a crazy woman. No wonder he’s not coming home. She said that if he did, she’d cut off his you no what. I’m kinda hoping he’ll come home just for that.

It’s all his fault. It’s all his fault we have to move away. It’s all his fault Mum is upset. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.

At least Alex and Josh are in Boston. That’s something. I think we’re gonna stay with them for a while. So we’re really going Toby. She’s not just threatening. She told Greg she couldn’t stand to be in the same country as him never mind the same house. I suppose I no how she feels. I feel sorry for her but I really don’t want to go. I just cried all night Toby. It’s so unfair.

Grandma and Granddad keep trying to talk her out of it. We’re staying with them tonight because Mum can’t stand to be at home. Every time she touches something of Greg’s she shudders and wipes her hands. Ruby keeps telling Mum to go because it’s where her heart is or something. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Ruby cry. I didn’t think she knew how to. Mum’s cries down the phone to Stephanie for hours every day. Last night I could hear her throwing up in the toilet for ages so I got up and made her a cup of tea. She stopped for a while. She slept in my bed last night. It’s only a single bed and we were kind of squashed but it was sort of nice. She squeezed me like I was a teddy.

222

Cecelia Ahern

Mum has started packing her bags now. She’s gonna help me do mine in a while. She says she’s sorry about moving me to Boston and I believe her. I don’t blame her because she’s so sad. It’s Greg’s fault but I haven’t really seen him do much to make her feel better.

Mum said you can visit us all the time. Promise me you will. You may annoy the hell out of me Toby, but you’re my best friend in the whole entire world and I’ll miss you so much. Even if you are a boy.

We can write to each other all the time. That’s what Mum and Alex did when they were younger and he had to move away.

Love,

Katie

You have an instant message from: RUBY

Ruby:

So you’re leaving in two weeks.

Rosie:

Yep.

Ruby:

You’re doing the right thing you know.

Rosie:

Funny. You’re the only one who seems to think that.

Ruby:

I’m the only one who knows how you feel about him.

Rosie:

Oh no, I’m not in the mood to go jumping into another relationship right now. I don’t have the energy. At the moment my heart feels like it’s been ripped out of my chest and tap-danced on. I hate all men right now.

Ruby:

Including Alex?

Rosie:

Right now including Alex, my father, George the lollipop man, and my brother for telling me.

Ruby:

You would have wanted to know though.

Rosie:

I know and I’m not blaming him. He hadn’t a clue Greg was messing around. Again. The lying little . . . aaaah! I just feel like punching the shit out of him. I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry in my life. The first time he did this I was hurt, now I am just plain pissed off. I can’t wait to get out of this country. I’m glad Kevin told me because I will be the fool no longer.