Page 59 of Fling

‘Now listen here, Tara,’ Tom began to say playfully to the cameraman. ‘I know you work in Dublin now at your big fancy job but when are you coming back to visit me in O’Malley’s?’

‘Aww bless him,’ Tara said. ‘I feel so bad – I haven’t gone to see him in years!’

Colin fast-forwarded to Tara pulling up in a vintage white car and walking towards the church doors.

‘Oh my God, I was so SKINNY!’ Tara screeched in disbelief.

‘You still are skinny,’ Colin laughed.

‘Oh please, I’m a beached whale now compared to then. I didn’t even have a pouch! That’s it, I’m starting that keto diet,’ Tara decided.

‘Isn’t that the no-carb one? What about your cheesy garlic bread?’ Colin asked.

‘I’ll just have to air-fry some cucumber until the pouch is gone.’

The video cut to the inside of the church, capturing Colin’s face as Tara walked down the aisle.

‘Oh my God, you were so handsome!’ Tara said.

‘Sorry . . . I was so handsome?’ Colin said.

‘Oh, you know what I mean,’ Tara said, brushing it off.

‘Imagine if I said, “You were so pretty!” It would be World War Three,’ Colin said.

Tara knew Colin had a point. She hadn’t meant anything by her statement, but if the shoe was on the other foot, she would have used it to give Colin the boot. She knew well that Colin was still handsome. She saw the way other women looked at him, even the likes of Celine. The stress of IVF hadn’t aged his body the way it had aged hers. Sometimes she wished he was a little less handsome. On some occasions, she actually felt quite jealous of the attention he would receive, though her pride always prevented her from expressing it out loud.

‘OK, you’re right. You were boyishly handsome back then but you’re more ruggedly handsome now. Is that fair?’ she said.

‘I can work with that. But for the record, men need to be complimented once in a while. Literally one compliment a year will keep us going,’ he joked.

The video cut to Tara walking down the aisle with her father by her side, giving her away. Tara felt a pang of loss seeing him alive on screen.

‘Are you OK?’ Colin said, sensing her sadness.

‘Yeah, just weird seeing him. He was taken far too soon,’ Tara said.

‘At least he got to give his only daughter away. I’m sure that meant a lot to him,’ Colin said, tightening his grip around her.

On the screen everyone had turned around to see Tara walking down the aisle. Everyone except Colin’s mother Patricia. Tara’s sadness was replaced by shock.

‘Look at that! Your mother didn’t even turn around. I told you she hates me,’ Tara said, pouting.

‘She doesn’t hate you, she was just focusing on my reaction,’ Colin said, unconvinced.

‘Typical Irish mother, obsessed with her golden boy,’ Tara said, sipping her wine.

‘Let’s just skip to the vows,’ Colin said, trying to change the subject. He fast-forwarded until he saw Tara’s younger self begin to read her vows on screen.

‘Colin. When you walked into O’Malley’s for the first time, I didn’t see a stranger. I saw someone I had known my whole life but just hadn’t met yet. You know I’ve always been superstitious, but the gut feeling I experienced when I saw you was love at first sight. Of all the pubs, in all the towns, in all of Ireland, you had to walk into mine. And when you did, I knew there was a reason for everything. It was like we were together in a past life and had been reunited once again. And I know that even when we eventually lose each other in this life, we will find each other once again. We will always find each other, Colin, no matter what. Because our flame has been burning from the beginning of time. Destiny will always find a way of bringing us together and keeping our eternal flame burning. I love you, Colin. Forever and always.’

Tara looked at Colin on the couch beside her and could see there was a tear in his eye.

‘Oh my God, are you crying?’ she said, shocked.

‘No, my eyes are sweating. Probably from that stupid incense,’ he said defensively.

‘I thought it irritated your nose, not your eyes,’ Tara slagged him as she sipped her wine.

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