Page 61 of The Last Saturday In July
‘Jess!’ Faye and Sarah hugged her in a three-way embrace.
‘I’m so glad we had a hen weekend,’ Faye whispered. ‘Today is going to be pretty tame.’
‘Speaking of tame, is anyone coming from Simon’s side of the family?’ Sarah winked and Jess suppressed a sigh. They’d clearly been listening to Zoe.
‘I don’t think Úna is coming, and he has no sisters.’
‘Just us lunatics, then.’ Faye grinned. ‘Uncle Tom, how are you?’
Jess turned to see her dad escorting Moira into the dining room.
‘Nana, let me help.’ Jess let Moira link her until she was sitting in the best armchair, her booted foot raised on a footstool.
‘Let me look at all you beautiful girls.’ Moira beamed and thanked one of Jess’s aunts as she handed her a drink. ‘I’ve never been to a bridal shower, you know. Will there be chocolate willies and crotchless knickers?’
Faye and Sarah started to giggle. ‘They’re for the hen weekend, Moira,’ Faye said when she composed herself. ‘Your hair is great, by the way.’
Moira put a hand to her curls. ‘Thank you, sweetheart. I was thinking of getting a few red streaks put in.’ She sipped her Prosecco. ‘Ooh, that’s lovely. Pity about the chocolate willies, though. Did you get any on your hen weekend, Jess?’
The doorbell rang again, sparing Jess an answer. Thank goodness Úna wasn’t coming. Her poor nana was obviously experiencing a rush of euphoria after being cooped up at home.
Kate stood outside, holding a bunch of flowers.
‘Kate, you’re here!Wow!Gorgeous flowers, are they for –?’
‘They’re for your mam.’ Kate’s eyes slid past Jess.
‘Oh, she’s in the kitchen. I’ll head down with you; I haven’t seen her yet.’
Jess turned to her as they descended the stairs to the basement kitchen.
‘Nana arrived a few minutes ago. I think she was hoping for a few chocolate willies!’ She laughed.
Kate gave a tight smile but said nothing.
Jess quickly changed the subject. ‘Hey, whatever you said to Simon last night did the trick. He told me earlier that he forgives me.’
Kate sighed but her smile gentled a bit. ‘I didn’t do very much, Jess. It wasn’t like he was never going to forgive you.’
‘Right – but still.’ Jess nodded. ‘Did Luke have a match this morning?’
‘No, that’s tomorrow. I went out shopping with Dad this morning, he had to get his tux for the wedding.’
Jess stepped aside so Kate could go downstairs first. ‘Maybe he should have rented it.’
Kate shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter. We had a lovely morning. Dad insisted on treating Luke and me in Bewleys afterwards.’ She pursed her lips. ‘I just wish he wasn’t so obsessed with my love life.’
Jess wondered how much Kate had told her dad about David, but she didn’t get a chance to ask, because they’d stepped into the kitchen.
Jess hung back while Carmel hugged Kate and thanked her for the flowers. No wonder Kate was so tense – she was clearly under pressure, Jess thought. Everyone close to her was pushing her towards David, except for Simon, who seemed to think she shouldn’t date anyone.
Carmel interrupted her thoughts.
‘Hello, pet, I didn’t hear you come in. You look lovely, doesn’t she, Kate?’
Kate clasped her hands in front of her. ‘Jess always does.’
‘You both do,’ Carmel said firmly. ‘Jess, did I hear your dad’s voice upstairs?’
