Page 109 of Calling Frank O'Hare

‘I’ll make some more tea,’ said Netta feeling like a bit-part actor in some long running family saga.

‘Or coffee. Who wants coffee?’ Frank had suddenly found his voice.

‘Sorry about all of that,’ he said when they were in the kitchen and out of earshot.

‘Nonsense, I’m enjoying it.’ Netta smirked. How could she have ever thought things were getting boring with her and Frank?

He gave her an embarrassed grin. ‘It’s not funny.’

‘Oh, but it is. Your mother’s a formidable woman. She had you three squirming like worms on a stick. What do you think’s going on next door?’

‘Da will be giving him a talking to. Then they’ll be working out what to do to get Martin back with his wife.’

‘I wasn’t sure, after…’

‘Oh the battering days are long behind us now. Ma knows that. She just can’t get out of the habit of asserting her authority now and then. It’ll all have blown over soon.’

Finn came in with the empty biscuit plate. ‘Siobhan’s suggested more biscuits.’ He puffed out his cheeks. ‘I think we got off quite lightly with that one, what? Hello Netta. It seems strange having a proper introduction after I’ve just been yelled at for the last half hour in your living room but anyway, it’s nice to meet you.’

So she was finally face to face with the one and only Cousin Finn. Netta had pictured a cross between Huckleberry Finn and John-boy Walton. Needless to say, he was nothing like either of them. He was more like the kind of personal trainer you signed up with because you couldn’t think of anything nicer than being praised by him for managing a push-up without collapsing.

‘Is it safe to go back in yet?’ said Frank.

Finn eyes crinkled. He had quite the loveliest eyes, deep brown and kind. ‘Only if you have very good biscuits.’

Netta reached for the biscuit tin. ‘In that case, it’s lucky for you pair that I recently stocked up on Marks and Spencer’s finest.’

Netta and Siobhan were relaxing in the lounge, finishing off a bottle of wine. After a hastily codged together dinner, the others had gone over to Frank’s. One of Frank’s bedrooms was used as an office, so Netta had offered up one of hers. Siobhan had jumped in before anyone else.

‘I meant to say earlier, I love your dress,’ said Netta.

‘Thanks. I designed it myself. I’ve a woman makes them up for me.’

‘God, you’re talented. Is that what you do for a living?’

Siobhan pulled a face. ‘I wish. No, I work in HR. When I was a kid I wanted to work in fashion. Grand ideas that came to nothing. You know how it is.’

Netta nodded. ‘I do. Life has a habit of messing things up.’

‘Well, parents do anyway.’

‘Oh I see. Do you want to talk about it?’

Siobhan shook her head. ‘No, it’s not worth the effort. But thanks for asking. And thanks for putting me up.’

‘Are you sure you wouldn’t have preferred to stay next door?’ said Netta.

‘Definitely not. I’ve had more than my fair share of that lot this week. It’s nice to have a quiet hour with a sane person for a change.’ Siobhan patted Maud who was sitting on her lap. ‘I wouldn’t mind a little dog like this. I’ve a touch of empty-nest syndrome. My kids have left home now, and I recently got rid of the biggest kid of all. My husband. He was a useless fecker. We get on all right, like, but he was such a drain on me. A dog would be much less work.’

Fecker? Netta liked that word. She tried it out: ‘I don’t get on with my ex. He’s a manipulative fecker.’

‘Like Ellen. It was a bad day when Frank met her. He has told you about Ellen, hasn’t he? I’m not dropping him in it again?’ Siobhan gave her a wicked smile. ‘You’re not too great at hiding surprise. You didn’t know Frank and Adrian were ever that close. And I’m guessing you don’t know about Billy either.’

‘Put it this way, I only recently found out Adrian and Frank went that far back, and all I know about Billy Mac is that he once wrote some band reviews in a fanzine, and Adrian thinks he’s a wanker.’

Siobhan laughed. ‘Well Adrian would know. Fanzine, was it? Would that beCan, by any chance? That was their big claim to fame, the three of them. One very limited edition that only their mates bought.’

‘The three of them?’

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