Chapter 8: Before the Storm 22nd December 1995
The wind and rain battered the windows that morning. The picturesque snow of the day before had been replaced by rapturous winds and swirling rainfall. Granda Joe started complaining the moment he woke up and was still complaining when Erin joined the rest of her family at the table for breakfast.
"Morning Erin love". Her mother spoke to her first.
"Morning Mammy". She replied as normally as she could, not wishing to give any impression that anything changed overnight. It hadn't… it couldn't.
"It's feckin' torrential out there. You should be drivin' the wains to school Gerry!"
Gerry felt a sense of déjà vu coming on.
"For the thousandth time Joe, I have to get to work, I don't have time to drive Erin and Orla to school".
"Why don't ye do us all a favour and drive off a cliff". Joe launched back
"My hair will end up in ruins if I go out there Mary, I think I'll have to call in sick".
"Aye Sarah, we can't be having that can we?"
"Ach Mammy, Michelle has to sing in front of the whole school today". Orla announced to Sarah.
"Michelle? Sing in front of the whole school?" A shocked Mary interjected.
"Aye Aunt Mary, Sister Michael is making her do it. I reckon she'll be cracker, don't you Erin?".
Erin hadn't been listening, lost to her own thoughts as she nibbled at her toast and barely registered her cousin's voice at her side.
"Huh what Orla?"
Before Orla could ask again, the front door jolted open and Michelle led the others through, Mary making a comment about manners under her breath. Michelle and Clare strolled into the kitchen, somewhat soaked already and both shivering from the arctic winds. James, who had lagged behind to shut the front door, arrived on the scene a couple of minutes later with a similar look of misery from the disgusting conditions.
"Morning Mary". Michelle put her hand up to her
"Morning Michelle. I hear your full vocal range will be on show this mornin'".
"Ach don't start Mary, I'm raging".
"Morning James son". Joe gave the Englishman a smile, which widened when he saw what was in the lad's hands.
"I got you the paper Joe, I thought you probably wouldn't have been out yet because of the weather". He said confidently, thrusting the newspaper in front of Joe.
Joe turned to Gerry and started to wag a finger at him.
"In all the years you've been botherin' my Mary, not once have ye got me the paper. Not once. Are you even a man Gerry?"
"Da!".
An all too familiar reprimand from Mary stopped Joe and Gerry from tussling any further, Joe settling down with his paper and keeping quiet.
"What's the craic then?" Michelle looked to Erin and Orla.
"Nothing much". Erin replied
"Nothing much?!" Orla's pitch rose, incredulous at Erin. "We have to invite them all to the party Erin!".
The party. Another memory of the previous night that Erin wished to forget. The last thing she wanted was a get together of all their friends and family, yet Mary decided that it must be the case.
"Party?" Clare asked
"That's right Clare". Mary explained. "We're having a little party here tonight and yer all invited, parents too".
"Ahh I'm buzzing already!" Michelle replied. "Although Ma and Da are both working tonight so they'll have to pass".
"Mine are out with friends but I'd be delighted to come over Mrs Quinn". Clare cheerfully accepted the invitation.
Mary smiled at her polite response, shifting her gaze onto James who stood awkwardly at the side, no seats being left at the table.
"What about you love?"
"Absolutely Mary, I'd love to".
"Grand". She beamed back. "You can bring Harriet along too, let her get to know the family a bit, ye know".
Erin only narrowly avoided choking on her toast when she heard her mother's words. She had carefully avoided eye contact with James ever since he appeared in the room and radiated hope that nothing about the English girl would be said so she could survive breakfast without a breakdown. However, her own mother was about to contribute to Erin's heart breaking open and she silently berated her Mammy for daring to invite Harriet. Wait… James told her Ma that he had committed to a relationship with Harriet before telling her?...
"I'm sure she will appreciate it. Thanks Mary".
Wanting to kill her mother, and not for the first time, Erin put on her best performance at trying to stay calm. Everything would be fine. She would find a way. It was fine. Everything was fine.
It really wasn't fine.
Silent Night
Away in a Manger
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
An extra long assembly, to mark Christmas and the final school day of 1995, also signified multiple performances from the school choir. Jenny Joyce was in her element here, belting out the songs with even more joy and gusto than she would normally. Michelle… less so.
The vulnerable side to Michelle didn't make many appearances but all of them winced at the sight of it that morning. For all the talents she liked to boast, she couldn't boast about her ability as a choir singer and, being helplessly out of tune with the rest of the choir, the rest of the school found that out. It wasn't from a lack of effort, despite all her negativity towards having to do it, Michelle believed she was proving a point to Sister Michael by doing it. Showing her that she can behave, that she can put her mind to anything and achieve success. But in front of the whole school it backfired spectacularly, and the end of the assembly could not come quick enough. With the special assembly overrunning, they were given an extended breaktime, an unexpected gesture where Sister Michael was concerned. With school finishing at lunchtime too, it gave them just the one lesson to get through and fortunately for Erin, it was English. As they were dismissed from assembly, they waited for Michelle to come down from the stage and went over to comfort her when she came out of the crowd.
"Are you alright Michelle?" Erin asked, concerned.
"Ye… no. Aye ye, I'm alright". An unusually nervous Michelle replied. "Just glad it's over".
"I thought you were cracker Michelle". Orla added sweetly, bringing the smile back to her friend.
"Thanks Orla". Michelle instinctively pulled her into a hug, Orla nearly choking on her dip dab in surprise.
"Me too". James said sincerely.
Pulling away from Orla, Michelle shifted over to him and for the briefest of seconds, a genuine thanks glinted within her eyes. James realised too late that the trap was set and stood no chance of getting out of the way when she drove her knee into his crotch.
"Thanks Dicko".
Michelle's smirk would be as fond as it got for him and he conceded, murmuring something in response that none of them heard. Unbeknownst to him, Orla decided to have a following the leader moment, and kneed him in the exact same area, leaving James in excruciating pain. They all laughed at him but gave him a moment to recover before they set off to find a table. Quickly returning to her normal, charming demeanour, Michelle suddenly remembered something she needed to tell them.
"Ach by the way, that tramp Molly's been back at it again".
Clare looked up at her like she was on another planet.
"She's in hospital in case you've forgotten Michelle. Ye know, she got shot!"
"I mean at the hospital Clare ya dose. Me Ma was telling me after wank features had gone to bed last night. Jesus the girl has no shame".
"Come off it Michelle". Erin snorted. "I don't believe anything else has happened".
"You sayin' me Ma's lying?"
"No".
"Good. Anyway, Ma walked in to change the dressing on Molly's wound. And what does she find when she gets there?"
All four of them shrugged in return.
"Doctor Byrne, trousers to his ankles and right deep in Molly's hole!"
Audible disgust came from Erin, Clare and James, Orla laughing at what Michelle had said, clearly oblivious. The rest of them wished they were.
"Christ! That's minging!" Clare shrieked.
"I… oh god that is just disgusting!" James added.
"Prude". Michelle fired back at him.
"Aye that I definitely don't believe Michelle. And definitely never will".
"Fucking hell, you're getting as bad as English over there". Michelle tilted her head back to James behind her, her eyes then moving to focus on someone else. "Speaking of English, there's ya bit of fanny James".
Erin had to find a spot to look at fast and without looking to where Michelle's eyes were fixed because it would be game over if she did.
"Hah really funny. I best ask her about the party, I'll be back in a minute".
The stroke of luck that Erin needed came. She wouldn't have to put up with Harriet being in front of them, around them and… talking to them. Or her. But when she did dare to look across, her heart couldn't even handle him approaching Harriet. If that wasn't possible, then putting up with Harriet for hours at the party, if she attended, would be absolutely unthinkable. Feeling the tears well up inside, Erin quickly excused herself to the bathroom, ignoring the calls of her friends from the trail of dust she left behind her.
"The fuck's wrong with her".
Michelle said aloud what Clare and Orla were thinking. Apart from the bit about wham bars and Oliver Cromwell. Watching Erin scurry off, with a tame mumble for an excuse, they couldn't help but stare. Finding the nearest table, the three of them sat down, Orla jumping into her seat and falling off the other side.
"I'm alright". She said as she picked herself back up.
"Be careful Orla!" Clare commented, offering a hand to a friend which was accepted.
Sliding drinks over to them both, Michelle took a swig of hers, non-alcoholic for once, and cast her eye over the hall. James was deep in conversation with Harriet and while the others started their own drinks, she allowed herself a smile at him. For all the hell she put him through on a regular basis since he came to Derry, she was happy that her cousin had found a girl. Even if she was English too. She was a lot less happy about Erin's mood.
"Erin's been in a right foul one all week". She put to the other two.
"She didn't listen to me at breakfast". Orla noted, Michelle nodding.
"You guys have seen it too? A surprised Clare asked.
"How could ye not see it? She's been off her fuckin' rocker". Michelle stated incredulously. "She was right rude to Harriet the other day an' all".
"She cried herself to sleep last night ye know".
Michelle and Clare looked at Orla with widened eyes. Erin crying herself to sleep…
"Jesus. What's got her fuckin' goat".
Clare fidgeted nervously. She hadn't said a word of what took place after school that Monday, an agreement with Erin that she did not intend to break. But keeping it from the others would inhibit their ability to help her. She needed to talk about it.
"I think it might have something to do with Harriet!". Clare spoke so quickly, she almost shouted it.
"What?" Michelle retorted, recoiling at her words.
"She has a… she… she doesn't… like her that much".
"Aye, I can confirm that".
Orla was the recipient of widened eyes again and for once picked up on their insinuations and carried on with her story.
"She hates Harriet, so she does. I read it in her diary on Sunday morning".
The bombshell had been dropped. For Clare, a thought lodged in her mind. Orla only confirmed what she saw that night and what she began to believe ever since. Erin had lied to her that night, she knew that the very moment her friend grovelled to her in pity, but she'd chosen to be supportive rather than take her to task. It was as she feared. Michelle, not privy to any of that information, struggled to put the pieces together in her head.
"Sunday morning? But we only met Harriet for what… one minute on Saturday? I know she's English but Christ even I couldn't hate her after that".
"I…erm…" Clare nervously started under Michelle's gaze. "I think she might be jealous".
"Because he's getting off and she isn't? Aye, I thought that too but… Christ, no one of us know if he's even with Harriet".
"Maybe we should ask him?" Orla suggested
"I'm gunna have to I reckon. Sort this fuckin' shit out. It's Christmas for fuck's sake, we should be havin' fun not mopin' about because of an English girl".
It may have been Christmas in Derry, but they still had to get through one last lesson at school and until the bell went at lunchtime, they were under school rules. A reminder of that soon came for Michelle.
"Miss Mallon".
Sister Michael's unmistakable address made Michelle swear under her breath. She'd done nothing wrong all morning, what could it be about.
"You'll come with me to my office".