Chapter Thirty Two

A cold wind howled around the corner from where Jenn was hunkered down, quietly dragging on a cigarette. It had been raining solidly ever since she had landed at Dublin and the weatherman promised no let up for the days ahead. A large drop of water fell from the gutter above her head and all but put out the rest of her smoke. Sighing she looked regretfully at the sodden filter and tossed it in the drain beside her. From somewhere behind her she was vaguely aware of the sound of car engines turning over and hushed voices. The wall of the house she was huddling against shielded her from view as she pulled another cigarette from the pack in her pocket and cupped her hand to light it. Inhaling deeply she continued to stare out at the rolling fields in front of her, the turbulent grey clouds racing low along the horizon. She was in no hurry to go anywhere.

Karen filled the kettle for what felt like the hundredth time and flicked it on. Arching her back to ease the stiffness she peered out the back window of the kitchen. She could just about make out the faint cloud of smoke before a gust of wind took it away. A glance at her watch told her it had been nearly an hour since Jenn had gone out for a ’quick smoke’ as she’d put it. She must be soaked by now! Pouring a hot mug of coffee from the pot, she added a dash of milk and two sugars for good measure. Smiling and nodding she pushed her way through the pockets of people congregated in the small house. As she opened the back door she braced herself against the blast of wet air that soaked her face instantly. Damn weather! Muttering to herself as she hugged the coffee close to her body she made her way down the back path to where Jenn was crouched.

“Here…drink this before you get pneumonia!” She thrust the steaming coffee at her.

Jenn looked up blankly and took the mug without protest. “Thanks”

“I’m sure nobody would mind if you smoked inside you know?” Karen nestled down beside her friend, hugging her chin close to her chest in an attempt to keep out the stinging rain.

“I’m fine out here…” came the muted reply.

She hooked her arm under Jenn’s and squeezed gently. “You know you’ve got to come in sometime right?”

Wrapping her cold fingers around the warm mug, Jenn took a sip and nodded, “I know, I’ll be there in a minute, I just needed……”she trailed off as she stared bleakly ahead.

Reaching out to tuck a flyaway strand of sodden hair behind her ear, Karen gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. “I know honey, I know.” Standing up to leave, she gazed down sadly at her. Her heart ached for what her friend was enduring and she didn’t know what else she could do.

Back inside, she did the rounds once more with the teapot and coffee giving everyone refills. Passing her husband, she smiled gratefully as he pulled her into a hug.

“You doing okay pet?” Mark was concerned for his wife who had been running around non stop for the past couple of days.

“I’m okay honey, honestly!” she gave him a small kiss and leaned against him for a moment. “I don’t know what else to do Mark - she won’t eat, she won’t sleep, she won’t talk!”

“She’ll get through it sweetie,” he looked grimly at her, “She’s no other choice and you can’t do it for her.”

Pulling back, she looked up at him in wonderment. “Have I ever told you you’re a genius Mark? A bloody genius!” Grinning she kissed him again and went on her way about the room leaving him staring after her in puzzlement.




Over three thousand miles away, Jon groaned and rolled over in bed. His head was pounding and his mouth felt like he’d swallowed a mothball. Groggily he shuffled his way into the ensuite to take care of business, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he passed the sink. He looked as rough as a badger, a day and a half of stubble sprouted from his jaw and his hair resembled the top of a kitchen mop.

Frowning his way through the bright light streaming into the kitchen, he flicked on the coffee machine and took in the mess surrounding him. Empty wine bottles littered the surface tops, sticky with spillages. Gathering up a few to fling in the trash he groaned even louder when he saw the empty bottle of Jack Daniels already sitting in the can. No wonder his head felt like it was about to spontaneously combust!

Once the coffee brewed he filled two cups and deposited one beside a slumbering Richie in the guest room. There was a small chance the smell of it might wake him but it was a pretty slim one at that. Back in the living area he slumped onto the couch and willed the pounding in his skull to go away.

It was Sunday morning, it had turned out that Jake had woken up with a stomach bug of sorts yesterday morning so the trip to the Hamptons had been cancelled. Jon had been relieved, although he hated to see any of his kids sick, he hadn’t been relishing the thought of spending the weekend with Dot and putting a brave face on things. Instead he’d called Richie and obviously they had decided to drink half the alcoholic contents of the city last night.

It was sitting on the little table in front of him. That perfectly white envelope with it’s soul destroying contents. He’d shown it to Richie last night and ranted and raved over it. Funnily enough he remembered Rich giving him a slap to the head and telling him to get a grip, wasn’t this what was supposed to happen when a couple separated? He supposed it was, just the fact that it was there, waiting for him to sign on the dotted line was surreal. It all seemed so final. Richie had sold the deal though with one sentence, “You owe it to her man, give her the chance to be happy with someone else.”

He was right, as usual but he still hadn’t signed it. You were supposed to be of able body and mind when you signed your life away and last night he definitely possessed neither. Leaning forward he pulled the sheets of expensive paper from the envelope and stared glumly at the pages. Shit Jonny just be a fuckin man and do it! Before he could change his mind, he scribbled his signature at the bottom of several pages and stuffed them back into the envelope. Flinging it back on the table he sank back in the soft cushions, massaging his forehead gently. It was done.

As he sat there, Jenn drifted into his thoughts. He hadn’t called her since he had last seen her, mostly because of everything that happened between Dorothea and himself obviously but also a little bit of him was scared. He had sorted everything out regarding Steph and studying yesterday with Dorothea so the plans were still going full steam ahead he just wasn’t sure if Jenn even wanted to be a part of it anymore. He should have been straight up with her from the start, he knew that now and he had been for the most part. Things had just gotten muddled very quickly and spiralled out of control before he had realised what was going on. He’d seen it in her eyes - the panic - and he couldn’t blame her for that. He was the one who was married after all, well legally at least.

Spying his phone poking out from under a cushion he snagged it and rolled his eyes when he saw at least thirty missed calls on it. He’d put it on silent early yesterday, he just hadn’t been in a fit state to talk bullshit to anyone. Scrolling down his eyes widened as he saw the majority of the calls were either from the farm or from Paul’s cell number. His pulse quickened a little until he remembered Steph hadn’t been going near the place yesterday, so she was safe. His baby girl getting hurt was always at the back of his mind. Just as he was debating which number to call Paul back on, the phone came to life in his hand, an unknown number blinking at him from the screen. Cautiously he pressed accept and held it silently to his ear.

“Em…hello? Is that Jon?” a nervous voice came through faintly from the other end.

“Who’s this?” his voice was thick with suspicion.

“It’s Karen……you probably don’t remember me……I’m Jenn’s friend……from Ireland?”

Sitting straight up, his face fell as he listened to Karen speak on the other end, his heart racing wildly. Thirty minutes later, he was dressed and showered as he burst into Richie’s room.

“RICH! Wake up! I’m going to Ireland - lock up when ya go!”

Without waiting for a response he marched from the room, grabbing his holdall containing a bunch of clothes that he had hastily gathered and headed straight for the airport.