Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [109]
It seemed quite mad, and yet she felt like she was going home.
It was early morning in Dublin when the transatlantic flights came in, and the crowds stood around the luggage carousels. Emily reached for her smart new suitcases—a gift from Eric to thank her for being maid of honor.
As they moved out through customs, she thought it would be nice if someone had come to meet her, but then who would have been able to?
Josie and Charles didn’t have a car. Neither did Noel or Lisa. Dingo Duggan, with his van, would have been nice, but that was hardly likely. She would get the bus as before. Except this time she would know what she was getting into.
Just as she came out into the open air, she saw a familiar figure; Dr. Hat was standing there waving at her.
“I thought I’d come to meet you,” he said, taking one of her cases.
In the midst of all the crowds of people embracing each other, Emily was thrilled to see him.
“I’m in the short-term car park,” he said proudly and led the way. He must have gotten up very early to be there in time.
“It’s so good to see you, Hat,” she said as she settled into his small car.
“I brought you a flask of coffee and an egg sandwich. Is that as good as America?” he asked.
“Oh, Hat, how wonderful to be home!” Emily said.
“We were all afraid that you would stay out there and get married yourself.” Hat seemed very relieved this was not the case.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Emily said, flattered that they had wanted her back here. “Now you can tell me all the news before I get back to St. Jarlath’s Crescent.”
“There’s a lot of news,” Hat said.
“We’ve a lot of time.” Emily settled happily back in his car.
It was mixed news.
The bad news was that Muttie had got a great deal worse. His prognosis, though not discussed or admitted in public, was no more than a few months now. Lizzie seemed to find it difficult to take this onboard and was busy planning a trip to the sunshine. She was even urging the twins to speed up their plans to go to New Jersey—somewhere that she and Muttie could come and visit.
Simon and Maud realized that there would be no such journey; they were very down. Young Declan Carroll had been marvelous with them, giving them extra babysitting to keep their minds off things.
Hat’s good news was that baby Frankie was going from strength to strength. Emily didn’t dare to ask, but Hat knew what she wanted to know.
“And Noel has been a brick. Lisa has been away a bit, but he manages fine.”
“Which means that you help him too.” Emily looked at him gratefully.
“I love the child. She’s no trouble.” Hat negotiated the traffic.
“Any more news?” Emily inquired.
“Well, Molly Carroll said you wouldn’t believe how many garments she got from some madwoman.”
“ ‘Mad’? Angry or crazy? I never know which you mean.”
“Oh, crazed is what she was. She discovered her husband had been buying clothes for another lady and she took them all and brought them to the thrift shop!” He seemed amused.
“But are we entitled to them? Were they the crazy lady’s to give?”
“Apparently so. The husband was singing dumb over it all, saying that he had bought them for his wife, but they were entirely the wrong size and the wrong color! Amazing things, I heard, like black and red corsets!”
“Heavens! I can’t wait to get back,” Emily said.
“And you know the old lady who gave Charles the dog?”
“Mrs. Monty, yes? Don’t tell me she took Caesar away.…”
“No. The poor lady died—rest in peace—but didn’t she leave all her money to Charles!”
“Did she have any money?”
“We think, amazingly, that she did.