Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [144]
You must tell me if this is something you would be happy with and I would find myself an apartment, rather than crowd you out. Who knows, during my year there we might try the father-son thing and see how it goes. In any case, I’d like to meet Clara and even my nearly stepsisters?
They were both silent when they read the letter. It was the first time Des Raven had shown any sign of wanting a father-son relationship. And also the first time that he had any thought of meeting Clara.…
The results of the examinations had been posted on the college notice board. Noel and Faith and Lisa had all done well and the diploma would be theirs. They celebrated with giant ice creams at the café beside the college and planned their outfits for graduation day. They would be wearing black gowns and there would be pale-blue hoods.
“Hoods?” Noel asked, horrified.
“That’s just what they call them—they’re just the bits that go over our shoulders, to mark us out as different, not engineers or draftsmen or anything.” Lisa knew it all.
“I’m going to wear a yellow dress I have already—you won’t see much of it under the gown. I’ll spend the money on good shoes,” Faith said.
“I’m going to get a red dress and borrow Katie’s new shoes.” Lisa had it sorted as well. “Now, Noel, what about you?”
“Why this emphasis on shoes?” Noel asked.
“Because everyone sees them when you go up on the stage for your parchment.”
“If I polished up these ones?” He looked down dubiously at his feet. The girls shook their heads. New shoes were called for.
“I’ll get you a pale-blue tie from one of my brothers,” Faith promised.
“And I’ll iron your good shirt—any money there is, spend it on shoes,” Lisa commanded.
“It’s a lot of fuss about nothing,” Noel grumbled.
“Nights of lectures, hours of study—and you call it nothing!” Lisa was outraged.
“And what about the photos to show Frankie?” Faith asked.
“I’ll get the damn shoes!” Noel promised.
The day of the graduation in September was very bright and sunny. That was a relief: there would be no umbrellas or people squinting into the rain. Frankie was excited to see them all dressing up.
She crawled around the floor, getting under everyone’s feet and mumbled a lot to herself about it—words that didn’t make much sense until they identified “Frankie too.”
“Of course you’re going too, darling.” Faith lifted her up in the air. “And I have a lovely little blue dress for you to wear. It will match your daddy’s tie and you’ll be the most beautiful little girl in the whole world!”
Noel looked very well. He was much admired by the women, who dusted flecks off his shoulders and examined his new shoes with cries of approval. Then Emily arrived to take Frankie in the buggy wearing her new dress, and they all set out for the college.
Frankie behaved perfectly during the ceremony. Better by far than other babies, who cried or struggled at crucial times during the graduation. Noel gazed at her with pride. She was indeed the most beautiful little girl in the whole world! He had done all this for her—yes, for himself too, but all this work had been worth it for the chance to make a life for her.
The new graduates filed onto the stage and the audience raked through the ranks until they found their own. The graduates also searched the audience. Noel saw Emily holding Frankie and he smiled with pleasure and pride.
Lisa saw her mother and sister both dressed up to honor the day; she saw Garry there and all their friends.
Then she saw Anton.
He looked lost, as if he didn’t belong there. She remembered writing down this date in his diary months back. It didn’t mean anything to her that he was there and it had all been her own fault. Anton had never loved her. It had all been in her mind.
The president spoke warmly about the graduates.
“They had to give up a lot of social life to do this course. They missed television and cinemas and theaters. They want to thank you, their families and their friends, for supporting them on this undertaking. Each and every graduate here today has gone on