Where Rainbows End (34 page)

word, what was with all the personal questions about my love life?

Alex:

Because I want you to find someone that’s why. I want you to be happy.

Rosie:

Alex, I’ve never found happiness with another human being and you know it. I’m separated from my husband; I’m not looking for another victim just yet. Possibly never.

Alex:

Never?

Rosie:

Possibly. Well I’ll never marry again that’s for sure. I’m getting used to my new life again. I have a new apartment, a new job, a teenage daughter, I’m 32 years old and I’m entering a new phase of my life.

I think I’m finally growing up. Anyway there’s nothing wrong with being single. Being single is the new black. You should know.

Alex:

I’m not single.

Rosie:

Not
yet.

Alex:

No I’m not. I won’t be.

Rosie:

Why, have you changed your mind?

Alex:

My mind was never made up in the first place to be changed.

Rosie:

Oh dear, hello Mr. Chicken Shit, my name is Rosie Dunne. Nice to meet you.

Alex:

I’m not chicken shit. I never said I was going to end mine and Beth’s relationship.

Rosie:

Well it sounded like that to me when we discussed it at dinner last month.

296

Cecelia Ahern

Alex:

Yes well never mind that dinner, my head was elsewhere. I didn’t quite get to finish that conversation . . . So what I’m saying is that I want me to be happy with Bethany and you to be happy with someone and then we’ll both be happy with people. I don’t like the idea of you being
without
someone when I’m
with
someone. It’s an awful waste of a woman. (Joke.)

Rosie:

I know what it is. You just don’t want me to be single because I’m a distraction to you. If I’m with a man then you think that
perhaps
you just might be able to keep your hands off me. I know deep down that’s what this is all about. I’ve sussed you out Alex Stewart.

You love me. You want me to have your babies. You can’t stand another day without me.

Alex:

I . . . don’t no what to say . . .

Rosie:

HA! Bloody hell Alex I was only joking. No need to get all serious on me. So tell me. What happened to make you change your mind about Bethany?

Alex:

Oh not back to this again . . .

Rosie:

Alex I’m your best friend, I’ve known you since I was five. No one knows you better than I do. I’m asking this for the very last time and do not lie. What happened to make you change your mind about breaking up with slutty Bethany?

Alex:

She’s pregnant.

Rosie:

Oh dear god. Sometimes because you’re my best friend I think that you’re normal, like me. Then every now and again you remind me that you’re a man.

Phil:

Hold on a minute Alex. Last year you were trying to
break up
Rosie’s marriage and now you’re telling me that you
want
her to meet somebody new?

Alex:

Yes.

Phil:

Just so that while you’re with Bethany, you won’t feel
tempted?

Alex:

No! That’s not what I said!

Phil:

Well that’s what it sounds like. At the rate you’re going, I don’t think the two of you deserve each other at all.

p a r t 4

8

Welcome home Mum and Dad! (Fáilte go h-Eirinn!) Glad you arrived home safely and in one piece!

Can’t wait to hear all the stories of your adventures and see all the photographs.

See you at the weekend,

Love,

Rosie and Katie

DEAR STEPHANIE AND PIERRE!

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ARRIVAL OF YOUR NEW BABY GIRL!

WE CAN’T WAIT TO MEET LITTLE SOPHIA, IN THE MEANTIME HERE ARE

A FEW LITTLE OUTFITS TO KEEP HER AS TRENDY AS HER MOTHER!

LOTS OF LOVE,

ROSIE AND KATIE

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY JOSH,

LOTS OF LOVE,

ROSIE AND KATIE

300

Cecelia Ahern

Hi Katie,

Thanks for your card and present that you gave me fro my brithday. I guess my dad told you guys about Bethinny being pregnint. That means I’m gonna have a brother or sister. I think I’m the only person around here who thinks it’s cool.

She is four months gone they say. Gone where, I don’t know. I only saw her yesterday. My mom just laughed when my dad told her but then she can’t have thought it was too funny cos she was cursing too. She was saying she bets your mom is real happy about it. But she’s wrong cos your mom’s not happy with Dad is she?

Dad is sad because he said all the grils in his life are mad at him. Your mom is, my mom is, and Bethinny is too. The other night he told me that he should have told your mom sooner and he should have done something about it. I don’t know what he was talking about. I hope he starts acting normal again.

Bethinny is mad at him cos he won’t marry her. I heard them fighting about it. Bethinny was crying and saying that Dad didn’t love her and he was saying that he did but that he needed to take things slower. She said how much slower could they take things seeing as it was fifteen years since they started going out? Dad said that he would mind her and the baby but he said it was too soon to get married. She said she wanted them to buy a house near her parents and Dad said she only wanted to do that so she could lunch with all the other ladies. He said he supposed she wanted a summer house in Nantucket as well and she said of course she didn’t. She preferred Martha’s Vineyard. I’ve never met Martha and I don’t know how she would feel about us just moving onto her vineyard all of a sudden. And I hate grapes.

Dad said that they needed to get to know more about each other before they got married. Bethinny said he knew everything there was to know about her, that they had known each other since they were sixteen and that she was still the same person and that she was pregnint with his baby and if he didn’t marry her, her dad would be really angry and would fire him.

I think dad should marry her. I want a brother, and Dad really, really love, rosie

301

likes his job. I’ll fill you and Toby in on more stuff as soon as I know.

Because I’m only here at weekends I miss all the good stuff.

Thank your mom fro my pressent,

Form,

Josh

DR. WILLIAMS REWARDED

Reginald Williams, M.D., was presented with an award last night at the National Health Awards in Boston. He was nominated through a highly selective process that recognizes those who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences and public health.

This award is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health. He was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, Miranda, his daughter, Bethany, and her newly announced fiancé Dr. Alex Stewart, cardio-surgeon at St. Jude’s Hospital in Boston.

See page four of the Health Supplement for Wayne Gillespie’s report.

You have received an instant message from: ROSIE

Rosie:

You wanted me to learn about this in the newspapers first?

Alex:

I’m sorry Rosie.

Rosie:

You’re sorry? You get engaged and you let me read about it in a newspaper? What the hell has happened to you these days?

Alex:

Rosie, all I can say is sorry.

Rosie:

I don’t understand the way your mind works Alex, you don’t even love her.

Alex:

I do.

Rosie:

Well that’s convincing.

302

Cecelia Ahern

Alex:

I shouldn’t have to
convince
anyone.

Rosie:

Only yourself. Alex, you told me you didn’t love her. In fact a few months back you were planning on breaking up with her. Gee, I wonder what happened to make you change your mind all of a sudden.

Alex:

You no what happened. There’s a baby involved now.

Rosie:

That’s bullshit. The Alex I know wouldn’t marry a woman he doesn’t know for the sake of the baby. That’s the worst thing you could do to the poor child, raise it in an environment where the parents don’t even love each other. What’s the point of that? You’re not with Sally and things with Josh work out fine. It may not be the most desired position to be in, everyone wants to play happy families but it doesn’t always work out that way. This is ridiculous.

Alex:

I’m a weekend dad to Josh; I don’t want a repeat of that. It’s not right.

Rosie:

Marrying someone you don’t love is not right.

Alex:

I’m extremely fond of Bethany; we have a great relationship and get on well.

Rosie:

Well I’m glad you and your future wife “get on well.” If you don’t think this through properly, Bethany will be another Sally. Another failed marriage is not what you want.

Alex:

This marriage won’t fail.

Rosie:

No you’ll just be miserable for the rest of your life and that’s great just as long as the tongues of disapproving people can’t gossip about you.

Alex:

Why should I take advice from you Rosie? What on earth have you done in your life that makes you such an expert on telling me how to live mine? You lived with a man that cheated on you for years and you kept taking him back time and time again. What do you no about marriage?

Rosie:

I know enough not to go racing up the aisle with someone else I barely know or love. I know enough to not allow my life choices to be influenced by my desire for money and power and prestige. I know enough not to marry a man so a bunch of rich people will love, rosie

303

smile at me and tell me how great I am. I wouldn’t marry a man to get my picture in the paper, my name on an award trophy, or for some dumb promotion at work.

Alex:

Oh Rosie, you make me laugh. You have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ve obviously been spending too much time in your flat doing nothing but concocting conspiracy theories.

Rosie:

Oh of course, because that’s all I do. Sit around my council flat doing nothing, being the poor uneducated single mother that I am while you and your Harvard pals sit in your gentlemen’s clubs smoking cigars and patting each other on the backs. We may live in very different worlds, Alex Stewart, but I know you and I’m sick of seeing who you’ve turned into.

So what would good old Reginald Williams have done if he had learned that his daughter was pregnant and that the fool who was responsible wouldn’t marry her? Oh the shame that would bring on the family, how the people would talk. He would just have to let you go from the hospital, have a few words with his fellow colleagues on the hospital board, and bye, bye Alex.

But at least now, she’s got the ring on her finger and you’ve got the job promotion and we can all live happily ever after.

Alex:

Not everybody walks away, Rosie. They might in your life, but not in mine.

Rosie:

Alex, for Christ sake! Not marrying Bethany isn’t “walking away.”

As long as you’re there for the child then you’re not walking away.

You don’t have to
marry
her!

Alex:

Look I’m fed up with all this Rosie, with you constantly checking up on me, me having to explain everything to you. You’re not my wife or my mother so give it a rest. Who says I have to run all my life decisions by you anyway? I’m tired of you nagging at me and moaning at me about people I see and places I go. I can make decisions on my own you no. I’m a grown man.

Rosie:

Then for once in your life ACT LIKE ONE!

Alex:

Who are you to insult
me
and lecture
me
when you haven’t done a 304

Cecelia Ahern

thing right in your life yourself? Just do me a favor and don’t bother getting in touch until you have something decent to say.

Rosie:

Fine! Well then, I think you’ll find you’ll be waiting a long, long time.

Rosie has logged off

Alex:

No change there then.

Phil:

What are you doing?

Alex:

You no what I’m doing.

Phil:

Why are you marrying her?

Alex:

Her
name is Bethany.

Phil:

Why are you marrying
Bethany?

Alex:

Because I love her.

Phil:

Really? Because last time you stepped into the virtual confessional box, you told me you were planning on ending your relationship. Why do you feel you have to do this? Is her dad putting pressure on you?

Alex:

No, no, no. There’s no pressure. I want to do this.

Phil:

Why?

Alex:

Why the hell not? Why did you marry Margaret?

Phil:

I married Margaret because I love every inch of the woman with all my heart and plan to be with her for the rest of my life, through sickness and in health, till death do us part. She is my best friend, we have five beautiful children and as much as they drive me up the walls, I couldn’t live a day without them. I don’t sense you have this with Bethany.

Alex:

Not all relationships are like yours and Margaret’s.

Phil:

No they’re not but the intention should be there at the beginning.

Was there the silence thing with Bethany?

Alex:

Oh shut up about the silence Phil.

Phil:

You’re the one who’s obsessed with it. So, come on, was there the silence thing?

love, rosie

305

Alex:

No.

Phil:

Then you shouldn’t marry her.

Alex:

OK I won’t just because you say so.

Phil:

What does Rosie say about it?

Alex:

Nothing. She’s not talking to me.

Phil:

How do you feel about that?

Alex:

At this stage, I’m so mad at her, I don’t care what she thinks. I’m moving on from her. Bethany and this new baby are my future. Can I leave the confessional box now?