Where Rainbows End (46 page)

Rosie

Rosie,

I’d love to come over honey. Thanks for the invite. Can’t wait to see little Katie. Not so little anymore I suppose!

Love,

Mum

392

Cecelia Ahern

from:

Katie

to:

Mum

subject:

Coming home

Thanks so much for Christmas dinner it was absolutely yummy as always. It was good for us 3 to be together again. Just the girls!

Grandma has changed a lot since the last time I saw her and you look tired. I was thinking of coming home for a few weeks and helping out. Maybe I could get a job around Dublin for a short while? I want to help out (plus there’s the added bonus of meeting up with that guy I met while I was there!).

Let me no.

from:

Rosie

to:

Katie

subject:

Re: Coming home

Do
not
come home! That is an order! Everything is just fine here. You need to live your life too so you can continue on with your travels, work hard, and enjoy yourself! Don’t worry about your grandma and me, we’re absolutely fine!

I’m really enjoying the job and I don’t mind the long hours. It’s also nice to be able to go away every week to breathe the fresh air of Connemara.

Although I do have one favor to ask, Ruby and I would love to go over to you for a week sometime in February if you could fit us into your schedule.

Ruby said she wants to go to a foam party and win a wet T-shirt competition before she’s fifty!

Let me know when a good week is for you.

from:

Rosie

to:

Steph

subject:

Mum

I’ve a favor to ask. Do you think you might be able to take Mum for another week in February? I’m sorry I know you’re really busy too but love, rosie

393

Beanie has finally given me a week off and I really wanted to get over to Katie to check out how she’s living these days. I want to meet her friends and see where she’s working; you know, annoying things that mothers do.

If you can’t then I understand. Perhaps I could twist Kevin’s arm into caring about someone else for a change.

Give my love to the family.

from:

Steph

to:

Rosie

subject:

Re: Mum

Of course I’ll take Mum. In fact I’ll go one better and take the family over to Connemara for the week. Pierre dragged me to his mother and father’s for Christmas dinner so I think I’m entitled to have my turn!

You deserve a break Rosie. I’m so sorry you’re stuck over there doing everything. Sometimes I feel like going over there and giving Kev a good kick. I’m going to have a good talk with him when I go over and perhaps he may even want to see his niece and nephew for a change.

Have fun with Katie. I can’t believe how grown up she is now. When she stayed with us a few months back I felt like I was talking to you.

Enjoy the week with Ruby, I need to spend some quality time with Mum anyway.

from:

Alex

to:

Katie

subject:

Surprise 40th

I don’t no where you are in the world right now but I hope you’re still checking your e-mails! Seeing as your mum is going to be 40 next month and you are going to be 21, I thought it would be a good idea to have a double birthday party. But I was hoping that we could fly you home and surprise your mum with a party?

You can invite all your friends and we can organize all of Rosie’s friends too. Perhaps we can bring Ruby in on this too for help? Let me no 394

Cecelia Ahern

if you think it’s a good idea. Noing Rosie the way I do, I think she would love it.

Rosie:

I’m 40 in a few days Ruby.
40
. The big 4-0.

Ruby:

So?

Rosie:

So it’s
old.

Ruby:

Then what does that make me, ancient?

Rosie:

Oh sorry you know what I mean.

Ruby:

No not really.

Rosie:

Well we’re not exactly 20 years old are we?

Ruby:

No thank god for that because if that was the case I would have to go through a shit marriage and a divorce all over again. We would have to go out and look for jobs, be all uncertain about our lives, care about dating and how we look and what car we’re driving, what music we’re playing in it, what we wear, whether we’ll get into certain clubs or not bla bla bla bla. What’s so good about being 20? I call them the materialistic years. The years we get distracted by all the bullshit. Then we cop on when we hit our 30s and spend those years trying to make up for the 20s. But your 40s? Those years are for enjoying it.

Rosie:

Hmmm good point. What are the 50s for?

Ruby:

Fixing what you fucked up on in your 40s.

Rosie:

Great. Looking forward to it.

Ruby:

Oh don’t worry Rosie. You don’t need to make a song and dance about the fact the world has spun around the sun one more time.

We should just take it as a given by now. So what do you want to do for your 40th?

Rosie:

Nothing?

Ruby:

Good plan. Why don’t we go down to my local on Friday night for one too many?

Rosie:

Sounds perfect.

Ruby:

Oh hold on though. It’s Teddy’s brother’s birthday that night too and we’re all gathering in the Berkeley Court Hotel.

love, rosie

395

Rosie:

Oh very snazzy! I love that hotel!

Ruby:

I know, I think he’s on the fiddle again. Honestly you would think he’d know the gardai are watching him after he’s just got out of prison. Some people never learn.

Rosie:

Oh well, would you rather change it to Saturday night then?

Ruby:

No! Will you collect me from the hotel and we can head to the pub together?

Rosie:

Why don’t I just wait for you at the pub?

Ruby:

Because. If you come and meet me then they’ll know that I actually do have plans and that I’m not lying and trying to get away from them. Besides if you’re not there to drag me away they’ll never let me leave.

Rosie:

I don’t want to get stuck talking to Teddy’s brother though. The last time I met him he tried to put his hand up my skirt.

Ruby:

He had only been out of prison a few days though Rosie, you can understand how he was feeling.

Rosie:

Whatever. When I turn up, we’re gone. Out of there.

Ruby:

Absolutely, like a flash.

Rosie:

So what time should I pick you up?

Ruby:

8p.m.

Rosie:

8p.m. are you joking?! What time does it start?

Ruby:

7:30p.m.

Rosie:

Ruby! You’ll have to stay a lot longer than that! I’m not arriving to take you away after only a half an hour; everyone will think I’m so rude! I’ll come at 9:30p.m. At least that way you’ll have two hours.

Ruby:

No! You
have
to come at 8p.m.!

Rosie:

Why?

Ruby:

Well, for one thing the party is in the
penthouse suite
of the Berkeley Court Hotel.

Rosie:

Oh my god why didn’t you just say so? I’ll be there at 7:30p.m.

Ruby:

No! You can’t!

Rosie:

What is wrong with you, why can’t I?

Ruby:

Because you’re not invited and they’ll think you’ve a cheek just 396

Cecelia Ahern

turning up like that. If you come at 8p.m. you can quickly see the place and then leave.

Rosie:

But I want to stay at the penthouse. Have you any idea how much that would mean to me?

Ruby:

Yes I do . . . but I’m sorry you can’t stay. Anyway once you meet the rest of Teddy’s family you’ll want to leave straight away.

Rosie: OK fine but I hope you know that you’re breaking my heart and I don’t care what you say, anything in the bathrooms that isn’t stuck to the floor is going in my handbag. Actually I think I’ll bring my camera!

Ruby:

Rosie, it’s a birthday party. I’m sure lots of people will have cameras.

Rosie: Yes I know but I’ll take some photos for Katie too. She’d love to see what it looks like. I was hoping she would be able to come over but she can’t. Bless her she works so hard. It’s her 21st birthday a few weeks after me and I was hoping we could celebrate it together but unfortunately it’s not to be. Mum is going over to stay with Stephanie again so she’ll miss it as well. I was a bit upset about that but she’s been so ill lately I didn’t want to cause a fuss. I was just glad she said she wanted to go somewhere, even if it was on my birthday.

So it will just be you and me once again, but at least this year I’ll get to sneak a peak at the penthouse suite! I’ll steal a few ideas for my own hotel. What a treat!

Ruby:

Looking forward to seeing the look on your face when that happens, Rosie. See you at 8p.m., room 440.

PENTHOUSE SUITE

440

SURPRISE ROSIE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSIE & KATIE!!

love, rosie

397

Happy 40th Rosie,

I had a wonderful weekend at your party, we really did surprise you, didn’t we?! It broke my heart pretending to you that I was staying with Stephanie but it was worth it to see the look on your face (and the tears in your eyes). Alex arranged the entire thing. He’s a lovely, lovely man Rosie.

Shame about the wife though, I always thought you and he would get together when you were children. Silly isn’t it?!

Anyway thank you, thank you,
thank you
for being a wonderful daughter and for all of your help over the past few years. Your father would be proud of you, I’ll be sure to tell him all about you when I see him!

You are a beautiful young woman Rosie Dunne, your father and I did well!

Lots of love, Mum

HAPPY 70TH MUM!

YOU MADE IT TO THE BIG 7-0 AND YOU LOOK AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER!

WE’LL HAVE YOU OUT OF HOSPITAL AS QUICK AS WE CAN; IN THE

MEANTIME HERE ARE SOME GRAPES TO MAKE YOU FEEL
REALLY
SICK!

LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER MUM.

LOVE,

ROSIE

Hi Kev. Steph here. Can’t get you on the phone. You might want to come to Connemara now. It’s time.

Hi love, get in touch with ur dad ASAP. He’s booked u a flight home 2morrow. I know it’s short notice but Grandma has been asking 4 u. Kev will collect u from airport t bring u here. C u 2morrow.

Love mum.

Dunne (nee O’Sullivan) (Connemara, Co. Galway and formerly Dundrum, Dublin 10)

-Alice beloved wife of Dennis and loving mother of Stephanie, Rosie, and Kevin; will be missed by her grandchildren Katie, Jean-Louis, and Sophia, love, rosie

399

son-in-law Pierre, brother Patrick, and sister-in-law Sandra. Removal at 4:45p.m. today from Stafford’s Funeral Home to Oughterard Church, Connemara. May she rest in peace.

“Ar dheis lamh De go raibh a anam uasal.”

This is the Last Will dated the 10th day of September, 2000, of ALICE DUNNE

HEREBY REVOKING
all former Wills and Testamentary Dispositions made by Alice Dunne.

If my husband survives me by thirty days I Give, Devise, and Bequeath the whole of my estate to him and appoint him my execu-tor. If my husband does not survive me by thirty days the following provisions shall apply:

1. I Appoint Rosie Dunne (hereinafter called “my Trustee”) to be executrix and trustee and appoint her trustee for the purposes of the Settled Land Acts, Conveyancing Acts and Section 57 of the Succession Act.

2. I Give, Devise, and Bequeath to my Trustee the whole of my estate upon trust to sell the same (with power to postpone such sale in whole or in part for such time as they shall think fit) and to hold the same or the proceeds of sale thereof on the following trusts . . .

You have an instant message from: STEPH

Steph:

How’s my baby sister holding up?

Rosie:

Oh hi Steph. I’m not sure. There’s an eerie silence in my world these days. I find myself switching on the TV and the radio just to fill the background. Katie had to head back to work; people have stopped ringing and calling around to offer their sympathies. Everything is calming down now and I’m left with this silence.

I’m not quite sure what to do with myself on my days off now. I’m so used to hopping on the bus and traveling over to Mum in the west.

400

Cecelia Ahern

Life is strange now. Before even when she lay in bed looking frail and weak she still managed to make me feel safe. Mothers do that don’t they? Their very presence can help. And even if I ended up mothering her in the final days, she still was taking care of me. I miss her.

Steph:

I do too and at the oddest times too. It’s only when you get back to the normal routine of life that you really feel it. I keep on having to remind myself that when the phone rings it’s not her. Or when I get a free moment in the day I pick up the phone to call her and then I remember that she’s not there to call. It’s such an odd feeling.

Rosie:

Yeah it is. Kevin is still in a huff with me.

Steph:

Ignore Kevin; he’s in a huff with the entire world.

Rosie:

Maybe he’s right though Steph. Mum has put me in such an awkward position by leaving me the house. Perhaps I should sell it and split the profits three ways. It’s fairer.

Steph:

Rosie Dunne you will not sell that house for me and Kev. She left it for you for a reason. Kev and I are both financially secure, we both have houses, we really don’t need the Connemara house. It would be different if we were both broke but Mum knows that me and Kev are OK so that’s why it was left to you. You work harder than the two of us put together and you still can’t get out of that flat. Mum discussed it with me before and I agreed with her. This is the best way. Don’t listen to Kev.

Rosie:

I don’t know Steph; I’m not hugely comfortable with it . . .

Steph:

Rosie trust me, if I needed the money so badly I would tell you and we could work something out. But I don’t. Neither does Kevin. It’s not like we were forgotten about in the will. We’re both fine, honestly. The house in Connemara belongs to you. You do with it whatever you wish.