Page 54 of The Widow's Irish Secret
‘No, I wouldn’t.’ Tricia leaned over and kissed his cheek. ‘But first I need to speak to you about something.’
Cillian looked intrigued. ‘What is it?’
‘Something I need to tell you. But maybe we could have dinner somewhere nice and talk?’ She smiled reassuringly at him as she felt a surge of love for the man she had known nearly all her adult life. It felt like the right moment to tell him everything. She was sure he’d understand her once he knew what she was running from. He just had to.
‘Sounds good,’ Cillian replied just as Tricia’s phone rang in the van. She rushed in and groped around in her large handbag and pulled it out and saw it was Vi calling.
‘Vi? Has anything happened?’
‘Yes,’ Vi said and sobbed. ‘It’s Granny. She’s in hospital in Tralee. Her heart…’ Then there was more sobbing. ‘She seemed to have had a heart attack or something. Can you come?’
‘Oh, no,’ Tricia said, horrified. ‘How terrible. Is anyone with her?’
‘Yes,’ Vi replied. ‘Lily went with her in the ambulance. Rose is on her way there now, so we should go too. Jack’s on his way back so I’m waiting for him. But you could drive over and be there very soon, can’t you?’
‘But… but I’m not at home. I’m in Clifden.’
‘What? In Clifden?’ Vi exclaimed. ‘What are you doing there?’
‘I’m on a little bit of a break with Cillian. We’re… Oh, never mind. I’ll come as soon as I can.’
‘Okay,’ Vi said. ‘See you there. I’ll tell Lily to call you as soon as there’s any news.’
‘Thanks. I’ll leave straight away.’ Tricia hung up and then her knees wobbled and she had to sit down on the seat at the back of the van. She couldn’t believe it. Sylvia having a heart attack. But she had seemed in such good form last Sunday. Tricia had always thought Sylvia was invincible, always in the middle of the action, always bright and present and on hand whenever she was needed.
Cillian walked back from the driver’s seat. ‘Trish? What’s wrong? Who was that on the phone?’
‘Vi,’ Tricia said, still in shock. ‘Sylvia has had a heart attack and she’s in hospital in Tralee. We have to go back straight away. Oh, I can’t believe it. Sylvia, the tower of strength, in hospital? It doesn’t seem possible.’
‘Well, you have to take her age into account.’ Cillian sat down beside Tricia and took her hand. ‘I know you’re very fond of her despite your differences. She is – was – your mother-in-law, so you must be quite close really.’
‘Of course we’re close,’ Tricia said irritably. ‘You don’t have to tell me that. Sylvia has always been important to me. Yes, we’ve had arguments and I always felt I wasn’t really good enough for Fred in her eyes. But she was kind to me when we were first married and helped me through that tough time when I lost both my parents, one after the other. Liam was a darling, too, so they became like substitute parents when I was pregnant with the girls. I don’t know how I would have managed without them.’
‘And then Sylvia helped you with the girls after you lost Fred,’ Cillian said quietly.
Tricia nodded as tears pricked her eyes. ‘That’s true. I think the girls were a huge comfort to her when she had lost her only child. Lily and Rose, anyway. I kept Vi close to me as she was so small then. Sylvia was there for me despite her own terrible grief.’ She wrung her hands. ‘I have to go and see her as soon as possible, if only to tell her how much she means to us all.’
Cillian got up. ‘We’ll go as soon as you’re ready.’
‘But it’s late and you’re tired,’ Tricia argued. ‘I can take a train or bus to Tralee.’
‘Sylvia is important to me too,’ Cillian said in a tone that didn’t allow argument. ‘We’re going together and that’s it. Now get dressed and we’ll go.’
Tricia quickly changed out of her swimsuit and then, their romantic evening shattered, they began the journey back to Kerry and the hospital in Tralee.
Tricia hugged Paddy and stared ahead at the road illuminated by the headlights, thinking about poor Sylvia and what she might be going through.Darling Sylvia, she thought as if in a prayer,please don’t leave us, we wouldn’t be able to cope without you. Hang in there and I’ll be by your side very soon.
Cillian glanced at Tricia. ‘Sylvia is a tough old boot, you know. She’ll get through this and then she’ll be back home in no time annoying the pants off us as usual.’
‘Do you think so?’ Tricia asked. ‘Or is it just wishful thinking?’
‘I’m absolutely sure of it,’ Cillian stated.
‘I hope you’re right. I wish we’d hear from Lily soon.’
They were approaching Limerick when Tricia’s phone rang. Her heart raced as she picked it up. ‘Lily?’ she said.
‘It’s not Lily, it’s Ilse,’ the voice said. ‘I know you’re gone on a trip up the coast with Cillian but you must have heard the news by now. About Sylvia, I mean.’
