Me and My Sisters (2 page)

‘Isn’t that a bit dangerous?’ Harry held up one of the wheels. It did look quite big.

‘It’s OK, there’s a brake. Here it is.’ I held up a piece of steel.

‘Where the hell does that go?’

I shrugged.

An hour and a lot of cursing later, we finished assembling the sleigh. It looked fantastic.

‘Well done! It’s gorgeous – they’ll be thrilled.’ I handed Harry a well-earned beer.

‘Never again, Julie. Next year they’re getting something that comes ready-made.’

‘I thought you’d be good at putting things together because of your job.’

He was incredulous: ‘I’m a computer programmer, not a carpenter!’

‘I guess Joseph would have come in handy tonight so.’ I grinned. ‘I bet Jesus’s presents were all perfectly put together.’

Harry laughed.

‘Sesus,’ Tom cooed.

I checked his temperature. It was finally down and he hadn’t got sick after the last bottle I’d given him an hour ago. I pulled him up on to my lap. ‘Do you think Tom’s going to know Santa isn’t real now that he’s seen us assembling the sleigh without any sign of a bearded man in a red coat coming out of the chimney? Do you think we’ve ruined Christmas for him?’

‘Julie, he’s eighteen months old. He can’t even speak, not to mind process who or what Santa is. He’ll be all right – I don’t think he’s going to become a serial killer because he saw me making a sleigh.’

‘Well, I hope not. I love them believing in Santa.’

‘Me, too, and I want them to believe for as long as possible.’ Harry picked Tom up from my lap and gave him a cuddle.

Harry’s mother had died when he was only three years old and his father was a very strict, stern schoolteacher. When Harry was four he had asked Santa Claus for a bike. His father sat him down and told him that Santa didn’t exist and there was no money for any bike. That year he’d got new shoes for Christmas. His childhood was officially over. Because of this, Harry wasn’t at all strict with our boys and sometimes I found myself wishing he was a bit stronger on discipline. I understood that he didn’t want them to experience the same coldness he had from his father, but the boys were a bit wild and needed to be reined in.

I was delighted last week when Harry lost his cool and bellowed at them because they poured honey into the keyboard of his laptop and then Super-Glued it closed. But for the most part I was the ‘bad cop’ to Harry’s ‘good cop’. Sometimes I think the triplets are only ever going to remember me shouting at them. My vocabulary from dawn to dusk consists of ‘Stop it’, ‘Get down’, ‘Share’, ‘Get off him’, ‘Stop hitting him’, ‘Don’t do that’, ‘I’m warning you’, ‘You’re in big trouble’ and, for the last month, ‘Santa’s watching you.’ Every day I wake up and vow, Today I will not raise my voice. And within ten minutes of being awake I’m hollering like a fishwife. I’m surprised I don’t have permanent laryngitis.

We finished wrapping the little presents for their stockings.

‘I wonder what Louise’s news is?’ I said, as I put a small racing car into Luke’s. My older sister Louise, who lived in London, had texted yesterday and said she had some news to tell me on Christmas Day, but when I rang her to find out what it was I just got her voicemail.

‘Boyfriend?’ Harry suggested.

‘She didn’t sound excited, so I don’t think that’s it.’

‘Probably not. She’s pretty scary. I can’t imagine guys are queuing round the block to go out with her.’

‘Hey! That’s not fair. Louise is great – she’s just very focused.’

‘I’m a fan of Louise’s, but I wouldn’t want to go out with her. She can be a bit icy.’

‘She just doesn’t suffer fools – and she’s very successful. For some reason men find that intimidating.’

‘Julie, we’re simple creatures. We want to be with a woman, not a woman who acts and thinks like a guy, which is what Louise does.’

‘Maybe she’s got a new job.’

‘I thought she’d just been made senior partner at the law firm.’

‘Oh, yeah. Maybe she got head-hunted, then.’ I stifled a yawn. ‘Well, whatever it is, I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out.’

‘You mean today. It’s after three a.m.’ Harry pointed to the clock.

‘Oh, God, let’s get to bed quick. The boys are bound to be up early.’

‘Are Sophie and Jack coming to your parents for dinner, too?’

‘Yes.’

‘Great,’ Harry drawled.

‘Come on, you like Sophie and you just have to ignore Jack.’

‘It’s difficult to ignore someone who takes over every conversation.’

‘He’s not that bad, just a bit over the top.’

‘He’s an arrogant tosser. I swear if he tells me how much money he made this year, I’ll deck him.’

My brother-in-law, Jack, was an incredibly successful hedge-fund manager. He had told Harry and everyone else ‘discreetly’ last Christmas that he had earned four million that year. Harry, who had earned a tiny fraction of that, had almost choked on his wine. Jack had then insisted on taking Harry for a spin in his brand-new Maserati, which was parked beside our people-carrier. When they’d arrived back, Jack had made a big show of giving Sophie her ‘real’ present – apparently the Jimmy Choo boots she’d got that morning were only a token. Louise had rolled her eyes at me across the room while Dad muttered, ‘Gobshite,’ under his breath. Jack had produced a large Tiffany’s box. Inside lay an incredible platinum-and-diamond chain with a big diamond S on the end.

I’ll never forget the look on Harry’s face. He’d given me a Tiffany’s box that morning, and inside was a lovely silver chain and a round silver pendant with J inscribed on it. I was thrilled and had shown it to my sisters when we arrived, but I knew Harry now felt belittled. Ever since then, all hope of the two brothers-in-law being friendly was gone. Jack had always been showy, but in the last few years he had gone to another level. Harry, who liked most people, couldn’t stand him. I knew Dad wasn’t keen on him either, but he tried not to show it out of loyalty to Sophie. To be honest, I thought Jack was a bit of an idiot, but I tried to like him for Sophie’s sake.

I hung up the stockings on the fireplace and stood back beside Harry. Three big stockings, for Luke, Liam and Leo, and a mini-stocking at the end for Tom. I was suddenly overcome with love for my four boys. My little men. I fought back tears.

Harry put his arm around me and kissed my cheek. ‘We’re very lucky.’

I nodded, the tears now rolling down my face.

We tucked Tom up in his cot and collapsed into our bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

5.50 a.m
.

Three hours later, I was woken by a stocking smacking me on the head. ‘SANTA CAME!’ the triplets squealed, bouncing up and down on our bed.

‘It cannot be morning already!’ I croaked.

Harry looked at his watch. ‘Well, it’s dawn.’ He leant over and kissed me. ‘Merry Christmas, Julie.’

‘Come on, Mummy! Come and see! Santa brought us a real live sleigh! It’s so cool.’ The triplets pulled at my arm until I stumbled out of bed.

‘Erry Issmas, Mummy.’ Tom clung to my leg.

I bent down to pick him up and we all headed off to go sleigh-riding around the hall.

2

Louise

I hated being delayed. My plane to Dublin had been held up and there didn’t appear to be any good reason for it. It was infuriating. The flight wasn’t leaving until nine thirty, so I wouldn’t get to the hotel until eleven and I had at least two hours’ work to do. Thank God all the Christmas presents were organized. I had ordered all the children’s things from Hamley’s in November and the adults’ from Selfridges. They’d been gift-wrapped and delivered to Mum and Dad’s house.

I poured myself a coffee – my second of the day: I never drank more than two, it dehydrated me – and sat down at an empty table in the lounge. I avoided eye contact with the man sitting at the table opposite me. He’d been trying to catch my attention since I’d walked into the Gold Club lounge and I was determined to ignore him. I didn’t feel like being chatted up. Not tonight. I had too much on my mind. Besides, he wasn’t very attractive and he had a beer belly. I never went for men who were unfit or overweight. They were clearly lazy, unhealthy and unfocused.

I couldn’t imagine a life without exercise. It cleared my head in the mornings and gave me a physical and mental high. Over the last few months exercise had kept me sane as I tried to work out what to do with the mess I’d got myself into. I was still shocked when I thought back to that day. It was so unlike me to lose control. What an idiot I had been. I sighed, sipped my coffee and forced myself not to wonder how my family was going to react to my news. I didn’t want to think about it any more: I was worn out.

Julie thought I was addicted to exercise and she might have been right, but at least it was a positive thing to be addicted to. I wished she’d start working out. She really needed to lose her baby weight and start taking control of her life. The triplets were a nightmare and she was always too tired to discipline them properly, which was hardly surprising considering she survived on a diet of chocolate biscuits and left-over fish-fingers.

Last winter she’d rung me crying because she couldn’t fit into her fat jeans – her skinny ones were long gone – and I’d spent ages creating a detailed schedule of what she needed to do. I had typed up a day-to-day meal plan for her and given her an exercise regime that she could fit easily into her chaotic life. But it didn’t last. She said she had tried really hard for four days, but then the boys got expelled from summer camp for cutting off a little girl’s ponytail during the arts and crafts class and Julie had turned to chocolate for comfort. When I suggested she could have tried to eat carrot sticks and nuts instead she’d told me to ‘Shove your carrot sticks up your arse,’ and slammed down the phone.

It wasn’t that I didn’t see it was tough for her – the triplets were a real handful – but I did think that if she managed her time better she’d be able to fit everything in, including more sleep, exercise and some time for herself. I was just trying to help.

My youngest sister, on the other hand, had far too much free time. I couldn’t understand how Sophie wasn’t bored out of her mind. How many pedicures can you have? She had only one child, Jessica, and a full-time housekeeper-childminder. Sophie was always perfectly groomed and she looked great, but I found it incredible that, with all her spare time, she never seemed to read the paper or even watch the news. She was completely clueless about current affairs – all she seemed to read were fashion magazines. Her life consisted of tennis, beautician, hairdresser, and endless coffee mornings talking rubbish with other bored, wealthy housewives. When Jessica started play-school last year I suggested Sophie should get a part-time job or go to college and do a course, but she looked at me as if I was mad and asked, ‘Where on earth would I find the time?’

I was tempted to say, ‘How about in between your skinny latte and your blow-dry?’ but Julie kicked me under the table, so I shut up.

It also bugged me that Sophie never,
ever
, asked me about work. I didn’t have a family, and my career was a huge part of my life. I had recently become only the second woman ever to be made senior partner at Higgins, Cooper & Gray. It was a really big deal. I got front-page coverage in the
Law Gazette
, the
Law Journal
and
Legal Week
.

I asked Sophie about Jessica and Jack all the time, and listened to her going on about Jessica’s talent as a ballet dancer, the pros of an Aga versus a gas range and how Jack was making millions, but she never once asked me about my job. She was only interested in finding out what cool new restaurants were opening up in London and if I’d seen Priscilla Haddington – some kind of ‘It girl’ socialite who lived in my apartment block.

The thing that shocked me most, though, was the money issue. Five years ago Dad had sold his business, just before the bottom dropped out of the economy. His timing really was impeccable. With the money he made he gave all four of us €80,000 each, a ‘rainy-day fund’, he called it. I had ordered Gavin to hand his over to me to look after because I knew he’d waste it otherwise, and when Julie had asked my advice on how to invest hers, I’d offered to look after it for her. The money was really important to her. They weren’t well off and she really wanted to send the boys to a private school. I was delighted to be able to tell her last month that her money was now worth €92,000.

When I was doing that for Gavin and Julie, I had called Sophie to see if she wanted me to invest hers too, but she said she’d given it to Jack. When I asked what he was doing with it, she said she didn’t know and got really huffy when I said I thought it was ridiculous to have no idea where your own money was or how it was being invested. Considering how successful Jack was, she reckoned it was in pretty safe hands, she snapped.

The flight was finally called and we were able to board the plane at nine forty-five so I got to my hotel, as predicted, at eleven o’clock. I never wanted to stay at home with Mum and Dad – which Mum strongly resented: I found it claustrophobic. I’d been living on my own since I was eighteen and I liked my own space.

I worked on my laptop for two hours and collapsed into bed at one. I set my alarm for seven. I wanted to go for a run, have a nice long soak in the bath, finish reading the Grogan file and check on my apartment before heading over to Mum and Dad’s. The two-bedroom apartment in a development near UCD was the first investment I had made fourteen years ago when I got my first big bonus. It was just before property prices in Ireland went through the roof. I never had any problem renting the place, but I only let it to mature students or lecturers. I didn’t want younger students trashing my pension property.

I tossed and turned for ages, trying to figure out the best way to drop my bombshell at Christmas lunch. Eventually I fell into a fitful sleep.

At two thirty the next day I pulled the rental car into my parents’ driveway and took two deep breaths. Here we go …

Mum rushed to the door to welcome me. We gave each other an awkward hug.

‘I’m delighted to see you,’ she said, ushering me into the lounge. ‘Look, all your presents are here. They were delivered four weeks ago. I never heard of anyone buying presents in November, really and truly!’

‘I had a busy December so I just wanted to be organized.’ I tried not to snap.

Ignoring me, Mum continued, ‘Well, you’re the first here. Sophie and Jack were popping into his parents’ house this morning and Julie’s late as usual. Now, let me look at you.’ She held my shoulders and peered into my face. I braced myself. ‘You look tired, Louise. Working far too hard, I’ve no doubt. You need to get out in the fresh air and join a tennis club or something,’ she suggested. ‘You won’t meet any nice men locked up in your office.’

‘I went for a run this morning, Mum. I’m getting plenty of fresh air.’

‘Running is a solo sport – you won’t meet anyone doing that.’

‘I’m happy being single,’ I reminded her for the hundredth time.

‘No one is happy on their own.’

‘Maybe I’m just a freak of nature.’

‘Don’t get smart with me, young lady.’

‘I’m just –’

Thankfully, before we ended up having yet another argument about my lack of desire to get married, Dad came in. He kissed me on the cheek. ‘Welcome home, Louise. How’s the corporate world?’

‘Busy, thanks.’

‘She’s overdoing it as usual,’ Mum said, picking up a bottle of wine. ‘Now, sit down and have a glass of red before Julie arrives and the madness begins. Those children are completely out of control. They need a firm hand but Julie and Harry are walkovers.’

‘Ah, you can’t be shouting at them all the time. They’re just lively.’ Dad defended the boys.

‘Boys need discipline.’ Mum wagged a finger at Dad. ‘Maybe if you’d been stricter with our Gavin we wouldn’t be in this mess.’

‘I’m not the one who spoilt him rotten all his life,’ Dad muttered.

I decided to interrupt them. ‘What time is Gavin coming?’

‘Apparently he’s going to grace us with his presence at three.’ Dad fiddled with his tie.

‘Mortified, we are.’ Mum sniffed. ‘We’re the laughing stock of the golf club. Can you imagine how humiliating it is to have everyone looking at your son, your only son, living up a tree?’

‘I wouldn’t mind if he was protesting against child slavery,’ Dad said, between gritted teeth. ‘I told him I’d plant ten trees to make up for it. He says, “Dad, would the birth of ten babies replace me if I was murdered?”’

I suppressed a smile. ‘At least he believes in something. Most young guys are out getting drunk every night.’

‘Easy for you to say. You haven’t been here,’ Mum remarked pointedly. ‘You haven’t had to listen to his eco-this and eco-that for the last six months.’

‘If you’re tired of listening to it, tell him to move out,’ I suggested.

‘And live where?’ Mum asked. ‘Sure he can barely boil water – he’d never survive on his own.’

‘That’s because you do everything for him,’ Dad growled.

‘Us girls had learnt to cook and do our own laundry by the time we were sixteen,’ I reminded my mother. ‘You never let Gavin do anything for himself. Maybe it’s time you did.’

‘Isn’t he up a tree by himself?’ Mum retorted.

‘Yes, but you’re bringing him casseroles and clean clothes every night,’ Dad said.

Mum stiffened. ‘What am I supposed to do? Let him starve? Let him wear dirty underpants?’

‘It might make him grow up a bit,’ I said.

‘He’s not tough like you. He’s very sensitive,’ Mum told me.

I bristled. ‘You can be sensitive and self-sufficient at the same time. He’s twenty-three, for God’s sake. Stop mollycoddling him.’

‘He’s different from you, Louise. You’ve always been independent. The first chance you got you ran away to England and we hardly ever see you now. I don’t want that for Gavin. I’d miss him too much.’

‘I didn’t
run away
to England. I took up a place to study law at Cambridge. I can see what a disappointment that must have been for you.’

‘Now, now, you know your mother and I were very proud of you getting into Cambridge,’ Dad said.

‘Of course I was proud.’ Mum pulled her cardigan around her. ‘I just don’t understand why you can only come home once a year and why you can’t stay with your own mother when you do.’

I sighed. ‘We’ve been over this a million times. It’s not personal, it’s just that I’m forty-one and I like my own space. I don’t think it’s such a terrible thing.’

‘Noreen Ryan’s daughter’s forty-three and she always stays with her when she comes back from New York. She doesn’t seem to have claustrophobia.’ Mum took a noisy sip of her wine.

Thankfully, before it could escalate further and end up with me saying something I’d regret, Julie and her gang arrived. I rushed outside to say hello.

‘Merry Christmas,’ Julie said, hugging me.

‘Thank God you’re here.’

‘What’s she giving out about?’

‘Working too hard, lack of a man and staying in a hotel.’

‘Home sweet home.’ Julie laughed.

‘Nice ears,’ I said, smiling at her red sparkly reindeer antlers.

‘Hold on.’ She pressed a button and the ears began to sing ‘Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer’.

‘You should have married Santa Claus.’ I grinned.

‘He’s a bit old for me, but he might suit you!’

‘Thanks a lot.’

‘Here you go, Mrs Claus.’ She fished a second pair of antlers out of her bag and plonked them on my head. ‘It’ll help get you into the spirit of the day.’

Harry came over, carrying Tom. ‘Hi, Louise.’ He kissed my cheek. ‘How has your morning been?’

‘A lot more civilized than yours, I imagine.’

‘Don’t talk to me.’ He groaned. ‘I’m exhausted already.’

He looked it. Since they’d had the triplets, Harry and Julie had aged ten years. Julie looked knackered too, and she’d put on more weight.

The triplets were running around in circles in the garden, wrestling each other to the ground. ‘GET UP!’ Julie roared, pulling Liam out of a puddle. ‘Look at you. You’re covered in mud and I went to all the trouble of dressing you up.’

They were wearing jeans and navy jumpers. Each jumper had a different picture on it – a Santa, a Rudolph and a snowman – which was now caked with mud.

‘Say hello to your auntie Louise,’ Harry told them.

‘Hello, Louise,’ one of them said – I could never really tell them apart. They all had brown hair, which made it difficult.

‘Hello, Cheese,’ another said.

‘Hello, Keys,’ the third said, as they all giggled.

Harry turned Tom to face me. ‘Say hello to Louise.’

He beamed and said, ‘Kello, Ouise,’ in the cutest little voice. I kissed him.

‘Well, at least one of them is semi-normal.’ Julie sighed.

Harry shivered. ‘Come on, let’s go in. It’s freezing out here. Louise, would you mind taking Tom while Julie and I grab the triplets?’

I carried Tom inside. He grinned at me, then vomited all over my dress.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. I opened it and Julie stood there, holding a packet of baby wipes. ‘Oh, God, Lou, I’m so sorry.’ She handed me some wipes. ‘He’s just getting over a little bug and I thought he was fine. Look at your beautiful dress!’