Page 95 of Calling Frank O'Hare

He looked back to Ellen and Martin. They made a handsome couple. Ellen said something in Martin’s ear. It was the intimate way she brushed her cheek against his as she leaned in that made the hairs on the back of Frank’s next stand up. Now that he thought about it, they were dancing very closely.

Frank pushed himself off the wall and tapped on his brother’s shoulder. ‘Okay if I cut in?’

‘Sure.’ Martin let go of Ellen and smiled. He didn’t even look embarrassed.

63

Summer ends – 2007

Frank was convinced Ellen and Martin were having an affair. He was becoming obsessed with it. Every time they were near each other Frank watched them like a hawk. She was flirting with Martin. That much was obvious. She looked at him the way she used to look at Frank. Occasionally she’d graze Martin’s arm, or rest her hand on his shoulder. Or she’d stand a bit too close. Martin was playing it cool. Other than a blink or a jump, he did nothing to reciprocate. Nothing that Frank could see anyway, but Martin always was a devious bastard. You could never trust him.

She was all over Finn too. More so than Martin, but that was a bit too obvious, like she was trying to throw him off the scent. Finn was lapping it up. He idolised her. If she’d told him to roll over so she could tickle his tummy, he’d have done it.

Sometimes, Frank could swear, she saw him watching and did it all the more. It was her new torture. What surprised him though was just how much it bothered him. You’d have thought his feelings for Ellen were spent, but she’d somehow managed to resurrect his passion. Not the same passion he’d loved her with before everything began to crumble, but something vicious. It was hatred, loathing and jealousy all rolled into one. It was dark and ugly and revolting but he fed off it. Every day he looked for reasons to stoke it and the tighter its grip became. And every day he despised Ellen, Martin and Finn a little bit more.

They were almost at the end of the summer holidays. Frank had taken Robyn out for a day trip to a theme park. When they returned home, Martin and Finn were already back from work. Robyn was straight into the living room to watch the TV. Frank could hear the shower running in the bathroom. He concluded it was Finn when he saw Ellen and Martin in the garden through the kitchen window. She was wearing a bikini. They were sitting talking on her sun lounger, their knees practically touching. She grabbed Martin’s arm. He pulled away, and that’s when he saw Frank. He stood up and for once, looked as if he’d been caught with his hands in the till. ‘You’re back. Did Rob have a good day?’

Frank really wanted to slap Martin right now but his daughter was here. He had to maintain some order. ‘She did. She’s watching her favourite programme now.’

‘She watches too much TV,’ said Ellen. She had her back to Frank so he couldn’t read her expression, but he noticed how low and cracked her voice sounded.

‘What else are the holidays for, eh?’ said Martin. ‘I was just telling Ellen, we’ve been finished today. We’ll head back home tomorrow morning. How about we go for a curry tonight and stop off at the Hope and Anchor. What do you say, FB?’

Frank let his coiled spring unwind slightly. Martin was going home. If anything was going on between them it had to come to an end now. ‘Sure, why not. I’ll ask Adrian and Stella if they want to come along.’

Martin nodded, a little too eagerly. ‘That’ll be grand, won’t it Ellen?’

‘Marvellous, darling. I’ll see if Edie will have Robyn.’ She got up and strode through them without looking at either of them.

Edie was happy to have Robyn stay over for the night, and Adrian and Stella were just as happy to give the boys a send-off.

If Ellen had been upset about her lover leaving, she wasn’t showing it. She’d come out with all guns blazing on the charisma front. She breezed and charmed her way through the meal and was equally delightful in the pub, despite it being well below her acceptable standards. There wasn’t much she and Stella agreed on, particularly when it came to motherly duties, but one thing they had no disagreement about was the Hope and Anchor.

‘I don’t know what you see in this place. It was a dump in its day, and it’s an even bigger dump now,’ said Stella.

Ellen raised her glass. ‘Hear, hear. I don’t ever want to come to this place again.’

‘It’s a bit scruffy but it’s got its own charm,’ said Adrian. ‘And the beer’s cheap.’

Stella rolled her eyes. ‘Ade, my love, that’s you in a nutshell.’

Frank laughed along with everyone else, but in his heart he was screaming. Stella and Adrian really cared for each other and they still couldn’t make things work. What hope did he have?

They were up early in the morning to see Martin and Finn off.

Finn threw his arms around Frank. ‘Bye, FB. Thanks for having us.’

‘Take care of yourself now, Finn. Take it easy on the…’ Frank tapped his nose. He didn’t want to say the words because Robyn was here. He couldn’t even spell them out these days. She was way too good at reading and writing.

Martin went to give him a hug but Frank held back. He didn’t have it in him to be anything other than civil. Martin tensed and gave Frank a sideways glance. ‘Will I tell Ma you’ll be over for Christmas?’

Robyn jumped up and down. ‘Oh yes. Can we, can we?’

‘We’ll see. Don’t say anything yet,’ said Frank.

Martin nodded. He gave Ellen a subdued peck on the cheek. She responded with a tight smile. After final hugs from Robyn, they drove away.

Frank put his arm around his teary-eyed daughter. ‘Coming in for some breakfast, Baba?’

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