Page 22 of The Widow’s Irish Secret (Magnolia Manor #4)

The following few days were hectic and left little time for any kind of meeting with Cillian.

But they managed to talk from time to time late in the evenings when they were both in bed, chatting about old memories and planning things to do together for the weeks ahead when things calmed down and they would have more time to relax.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing a bit more of you,’ he said one evening. ‘It would be fun to go on a hike like the old days.’

She laughed. ‘Yes but let’s not be too adventurous. What we did when we were in our twenties could be too much for us now, forty years later.’

‘Can’t believe we’ve known each other that long,’ he said. ‘It’s nice to remember those happy days, though. Aren’t we lucky to have had them?’

‘Many more to come, I hope,’ Tricia said wistfully. ‘Even if someone is missing.’

‘I feel lucky to have had Fred in my life,’ Cillian said. ‘I wouldn’t want to have missed knowing him, if you see what I mean.’

‘That’s a lovely thought,’ she said softly.

‘I hope it didn’t make you sad.’

‘No, it made me happy,’ she replied. ‘I don’t want you to feel that you can’t talk about Fred. Because when we do, he’s still with us.’

‘That’s what I feel too.’

‘I’m glad you do.’ Tricia suppressed a yawn.

‘Sorry, can’t keep my eyes open. I was babysitting for Lily today and I took Naomi and Liam to the beach.

They were running around like crazy and then they wanted to go into the water so I had to make sure they were safe.

They both had their water wings on, of course, but it’s still hard to keep them afloat on the waves.

It was exhausting and I was like a drowned rat afterwards.

Then they wanted ice cream so I had to take them to the shop and then home to get the sand off them and rinse their togs and get them ready for bed before Lily came home. ’

‘I’m tired just listening to that,’ Cillian joked. ‘How old are they?’

‘Naomi is seven and Liam is four. Of course, Naomi is a real bossy-boots and was ordering me around all day.’

‘Well, what did you expect from a Fleury girl?’ Cillian asked.

Tricia giggled. ‘I know. She’s the original Fleury woman with attitude.’

‘I’m looking forward to meeting them one day. Perhaps at the party,’ Cillian said.

‘Oh, you can meet them before that. Lily will want them to get to know their grandfather’s best friend.’

‘That sounds nice.’ He paused. ‘I can’t imagine Fred as a granddad. He’s forever young in my mind.’

‘Frozen in time at the age of thirty-two,’ Tricia said wistfully. ‘Do you remember when the three of us were on that hike to Mount Brandon and we talked about growing old?’

‘Oh, yes, I do.’ Cillian laughed. ‘He said I was already old because I had a few grey hairs and then he kept calling me granddad all through the rest of the day. But I beat him to the top and said he was the old man who couldn’t keep up.’

‘And I was the one who felt like the auld woman trying to compete with the two of you,’ Tricia filled in. ‘Boy, were you fit then.’

‘We all were. God be with the days.’ Cillian sighed. ‘We were so young and fit and hopeful with life in front of us. Little did we know what was ahead.’

‘We didn’t have a clue.’

‘I feel lucky to have you found you again,’ Cillian said.

‘We’re both lucky,’ Tricia said, feeling a mixture of sadness and joy. It felt good to have met him again and be so comfortable in his company. ‘I have this bittersweet feeling, you know. Part of me is crying in the rain, but the other part of me is dancing in the sunlight. Isn’t that weird?’

‘Weird and beautiful at the same time. But that’s what life is all about, isn’t it?’

‘Very true,’ Tricia agreed. She felt a sudden dart of happiness. It was wonderful to be able to talk about Fred with someone who had known him so well and with whom she shared so many memories.

‘But now I will let you get some sleep,’ Cillian said. ‘I have an early start tomorrow anyway.’

She said goodnight and hung up, despite her desperate desire to ask what he was busy with. The memory of their chat made her smile even if she still felt like she was lying to him. She hadn’t found out anything about the drawings yet. And Cillian hadn’t mentioned it either.

Ted sent Tricia the promised quote which she accepted and then the work could start on the cottage.

Ted had all the workers lined up, including the electrician who promised to have the rewiring done within a week.

They went through the whole house together and marked the positions of every light switch and plug outlet which took up nearly a whole morning with input from Ted, who offered advice and suggestions which were very helpful.

Then there were discussions about dry lining of all the interior walls and what it all would cost. Ted was incredibly organised and had every single detail written down on a document he sent to Tricia by email so she could discuss it with Dominic before the work commenced.

Tricia went through it all with him when she came to the house in Ventry for dinner one evening.

‘That looks great,’ Dominic said when he had studied the plan sitting at the kitchen table while the children ran around chasing each other. ‘Ted knows what he’s doing.’

‘He’s a darling,’ Tricia said. ‘I feel I can trust him with everything.’

‘But you didn’t move in yet?’ Dominic caught Liam as he ran past and put him sitting on a chair. ‘Calm down, willya? And sit still for a minute. We’re trying to work here.’

‘Granny Tricia doesn’t work,’ Liam said, fixing Tricia with his brown eyes. ‘She’s on her holidays.’

‘Not really,’ Tricia argued. ‘I’m doing up my new house. And no, I haven’t moved in. Cill— I mean, I didn’t think it was a good idea to live there until the rewiring is finished.’

‘You said Kill,’ Liam remarked. ‘Is that the electrician? Nora said you were reconnecting with him.’

Dominic laughed and ruffled the little boy’s hair. ‘You shouldn’t listen when grown-ups are talking. I’m sure your granny meant something completely different.’

‘I was talking about Cillian,’ Tricia said, deciding it was better to drop in his name casually. ‘He was friends with Fred. He’s here on business and dropped in to see the cottage.’

‘Cillian O’Malley?’ Lily turned from the counter where she was chopping vegetables for dinner. ‘Is that our dad’s friend that Granny was talking about?’

‘Yes, that’s him,’ Tricia replied, the mere mention of his name making her cheeks hot. ‘We bumped into each other just after I arrived.’

‘You were great friends, too, Granny said. Must have been nice to see him again,’ Lily said over her shoulder. ‘Liam, go and tell your sister it’s nearly time for dinner. You should both go and wash your hands.’

Liam slid down from the chair. ‘Okay, Mum. I’ll tell her. Are we having pasghetti for dinner?’

‘That’s called spaghetti,’ Lily corrected. ‘And yes, that’s what we’re having. With meatballs and vegetables.’

‘Yum,’ Liam shouted before he ran out of the room calling Naomi.

‘So you met Cillian?’ Lily said. ‘Must have been strange to see him after all these years.’

‘It was a bit of a shock,’ Tricia replied. ‘Especially as he just appeared right in front of me at this speed dating thing.’

Lily laughed. ‘He was at the speed dating? That’s some coincidence. Like two oldies at a lonely hearts’ club or something.’

Tricia bristled, feeling annoyed at Lily’s joke.

‘Look, Lily, you’re young and lovely with a gorgeous husband and two beautiful children.

I’m very happy for you. I, on the other hand, am growing older by the minute.

I have been through a lot, as you know. Your father was the love of my life and I still love him – or the memory of him, in any case.

Sean was also someone I loved dearly. I miss him terribly, but not as much as I miss Fred.

But… I want to live again, maybe even love again before I get too old.

So yes, I might join a lonely hearts’ club or any kind of club where there are people like me who don’t want to spend the rest of their lives alone.

Cillian was there maybe for the same reason, but I doubt it.

He said it was accidental, whatever that meant.

He and Fred were like brothers and we share so many memories of him.

That’s why I was so happy to see him.’ Tricia drew breath and looked defiantly at her daughter.

‘I didn’t mean…’ Lily started.

‘What did you mean, Lily?’ Dom asked, looking annoyed. ‘I think you’d better stop talking about oldies before your mother walks out of here in a huff. Tricia is a lot of things, but “oldie” is not one of them. She looks more like your older sister than your mother.’

Lily put her knife on the counter and went to Tricia and gave her a hug. ‘I’m sorry, Mum. I didn’t mean to say you’re old or anything. I was just teasing you. Now I feel both mean and stupid.’

Tricia hugged her back. ‘It’s okay, sweetie. I know you didn’t mean anything bad. It’s just that one gets a little sensitive about things like that at my age. And I’m trying to adjust to my new life. There’s so much going on and then meeting Cillian again at an event like that…’

‘I bet it was a little awkward for you both.’ Lily went back to the counter and resumed chopping the vegetables. ‘Must have been like stepping back in time in a way.’

‘It was. I thought I was dreaming when he was suddenly there in front of me.’

‘But he must have changed a lot since the last time you saw him.’ Lily started to fry the meatballs.

‘Er, yes, of course,’ Tricia said, feeling that there was no need to say anything about them dating twenty-five years ago. The girls had been in school and hadn’t known who Tricia was seeing. ‘So have I,’ she said. ‘But I would recognise him anywhere even after all the years.’

‘Unless he had grown fat and bald,’ Lily said. ‘But I bet he hasn’t.’

‘No, he looks really good,’ Tricia said, feeling that annoying heat in her cheeks again.