Valentines
Chapter 1: Horses for Courses 9th February 1996
School was finished for half term and the gang were all beyond relieved. Since the chaotic opening day of the term, when Moira O'Keefe failed to break the bond between James and Erin with her vile words, it had been a taxing few weeks. The mocks took their toll and in the week since the results, all of their attention was on what they needed to work on based on their results. Michelle arguably was working the hardest of them all but even with her newly found attitude to the examination process, the bubbly and sharp-tongued Mallon still existed. After a short time of withdrawal, Michelle did come back to her very best that week in terms of banter. James and Erin were consistently in violation of rule one of the Michelle Mallon code of practice and she kept up the same consistency when telling them about it too.
But it wasn't all work when it came to school that week either. Despite the actual day not falling until the Wednesday of the week they were off, Jenny organised a Valentine's card drop off throughout the week. She would be distributing the cards herself along with Aisling on the day to each person who received one. It was a collaboration with the boys school and Michelle had high hopes because of it. Only a couple of months before, any of them would have baulked at the idea of having to see Jenny Joyce when they were off school, let alone Valentine's day. But since she'd stood up for Erin against Moira, the gang's perception towards Jenny changed significantly. That morning they'd helped Jenny set up the assembly hall, putting the chairs out with her and making conversation. Obviously, her friendship with Harriet and Harriet's friendship with James helped to keep the rapport but on actually talking with Jenny for more than five minutes, they all realised they quite liked her. Though she'd been the archetypal teacher's pet for years, beneath that layer slept a sleeping dragon unafraid of challenging authority. Her impression of Sister Michael was the prime example of that. They were left nearly unable to breathe the first time she did it and Sister Michael herself walking in a couple of minutes later only heightened the effectiveness of it.
Michelle might have been looking forward to Valentine's day, but she potentially didn't need to be. She was on a date that night, something kept quiet from the gang until they boarded the bus to go back home. That was why she was missing when the gang congregated at Erin's at six o'clock, the four of them sat in her room listening to music without the raucous banter of their friend.
"I wonder how Michelle's getting on". Clare asked their opinions.
"Probably trying to ride him already". Erin sneered.
A chorus of agreement rang out around the room. Michelle always skipped the romantic touch that James showed with Erin; it just wasn't her style.
"At least she gets a date…" Clare sighed.
"Ach come on Clare, you just need a bit of confidence".
"Me? Confidence? Have you forgotten our years of friendship Erin?"
"Aye that is true actually".
"Did you put the card in then Clare?" James enquired.
Ever since she mentioned it by accident on Tuesday that week, Clare hated to talk or even think about the card. It was stupid of her to say anything to them, she knew that, and all week they encouraged her to do it despite her fears. She was scared of how the recipient would view her card and having to be at school with her everyday in the aftermath would be petrifying if it went wrong. The gang's persistence only made it worse.
"Yes". She whispered, looking away from them all.
"And I helped!" Orla gleefully admitted.
"Helped?" Erin responded incredulously. "What did ye do… put a knife in the card?"
Orla frowned, confused by her cousin's statement. Why would I put a knife in the card, that would kill it and I don't want to go to jail…
"I…I…" Clare stammered. "I got Orla to write the name on the card. I got nervous after finishing writing the message inside and… well I wasn't going to go through with it… but…".
"I said I'd do it". Orla finished the story for her. "I have my own card to send anyway".
If Erin was flummoxed by Orla playing a part in Clare's attempt at happiness, then she became totally dumbfounded by the news of Orla's own participation in Valentine's Day. Orla wouldn't know love if it hit her on the head and suddenly she was sending someone a card on Valentine's Day. But to who? As far as Erin knew Orla didn't speak to any boys other than James and she'd already claimed the wee English fella for herself. Oh wait…
"You didn't… Orla you didn't send a card to OLIVER CROMWELL!"
"Aye I did Erin".
James started laughing at the thought of a Valentine's card for a man who died in 1658. Poor Jenny would have to try and distribute that card too. He was reprimanded by Erin, who smacked him in the side rather viciously. He wasn't going to let her get away with it that easily though and got a hold of her arm. As he laid back, she rolled on top of him and after the initial squeak at the sudden movement, they were soon connected at the lips. His hands were travelling up and down her sides and then onto her hips. They were giggling between kisses and the passion and intensity increased all the time as their lips begged not to part.
"Erm… guys?"
In the absence of Michelle, it was up to Clare to put a stop to the frivolous frolicking on display in front of them. James and Erin separated on her words, but unlike when they'd been pulled away in the past, they no longer blushed. The point of blushing around the rest of the gang came to an end right there and then.
"Can you two get a room next time?" Clare continued, slightly disgusted.
"This is my room Clare". Erin pointed out in return.
"Oh… yeah". Clare would be the only one blushing in that room, but not for the reasons the other two usually had. "What are you two doing on the day then?"
"Ye… what are we doing?" Erin tilted her head at James.
The dark, mysterious glow of James's green eyes pierced right into Erin. Those were the eyes she craved when she dreamt about him, the ones she saw every time that they pressed up against each other in an empty corridor or when outside eyes could not pry. Those eyes made her heart race, and she could feel every sinew within her body sizzle and tingle when they found hers. Leaning in close to her, but far enough away so that the other two could hear, the melodic voice that accompanied those eyes spoke.
"It's a secret".
"Ooooohhhhhh".
Orla's wailing slightly ruined what was otherwise a very touching moment between the couple. Though Erin did owe her cousin some thanks; she was having a very hard time composing herself around James with his devilish secrecy. Pulling him in for another kiss, Erin ignored Clare's protestations and found James equally as wanting as they explored each other rather more thoroughly this time.
"WAINS, DINNER!"
Mary saved Clare and Orla's evening by shouting up to tell them that dinner was ready. Dinner being takeaway pizza's that Gerry and Sarah returned with, Sarah complaining as she always did when they were having pizza. Reluctantly breaking off their antics, James and Erin led the rest of the gang downstairs to eat, with Mary's watchful eye on them the moment they appeared in the kitchen.
Dinner remained uneventful. A rarity when it came to the Quinn house, where every mealtime seemed to throw up the unexpected or the often ridiculous anecdotes of one of them. Mary rejoiced in it being quieter without Michelle around and would make sure the Lord knew of her thanks at Sunday mass. Joe was out too so there was no bickering to be had between him and Gerry. Gerry also owed the Lord a few kind words at church…
Sarah's work was the main topic of conversation throughout the meal. After the tragic events of the new girl that never made it to work on her first day, another new girl had started that week who Sarah took a liking to. Mainly because she wasn't a very good beautician and there was no threat to Sarah's position as the best around unlike there had been before.
After dinner was finished with, the kids stayed in the living room and found themselves the job of entertaining baby Anna. Orla excelled in the role, often keeping Anna entertained for Mary when Mary needed a few minutes rest or a film with a handsome fella was on the TV. Clare was far too nervous to entertain a small child, although Anna appeared to be enjoying the blonde fretting around her, and often sat back while the others did the work. Having the kids looking after the baby allowed Mary and Gerry to clean the kitchen up whilst Sarah went outside to smoke for a change. The weather was rough that week, snow even making an appearance towards the start of it but by Friday it was gone, and Sarah could stand outside without being caught in a blizzard.
Mary was putting the last of the plates away when she noticed Gerry stood still looking into the living room. Curious at what had caught his attention, Mary soon joined him and with Joe not home, Gerry allowed himself to put his arm around her. Like they were young again. The scene that captivated him was that of Anna perched between James and Erin. The two of them were taking it in terms to tickle her or pinch her nose. They were giggling whilst doing it, making it even cuter for anyone looking in on them.
"How long do you give it?" Gerry asked Mary, without taking his eyes off the living room.
"Not anytime soon I hope". Mary replied, slightly irritated.
"But it will happen ye know Mary".
"Aye I know. And I want it to happen too just not yet".
"It didn't do us any harm did it. The life we've had together has been great".
"But sometimes I do wonder what we could have had if we'd waited. Careers…success… a bigger house than this…".
"Then we wouldn't have all this". Gerry moved his right hand to sweep in front of them. "I wouldn't swap it for the world and I'm not going to discourage them either if it's what they want".
Mary sighed at her husband's words. Without her father there to pick him up on every minor detail that came out of his mouth, Mary could be more open and expressive. Although she could not agree with Gerry's idea to not discourage it; she would be doing everything in her power to do so. Breaking from their embrace, Mary and Gerry both went back to clearing things away in the kitchen but were soon interrupted by Sarah calling out from the front door.
"Mary, ya all need to come and look at this!".
Trying to think what could possibly warrant her attention outside after dinner on a Friday night, Mary shared a quizzical look with first Gerry and then the kids. Curiosity killed, and Mary gestured to the kids to follow them outside. James picked up little Anna and kept a tight hold of her into his chest, with Anna finding warmth there like she'd done previously. Erin's overactive emotional gauge made her irrationally jealous of her baby sister for about half a second before she chided herself for the stupidity. Donning their coats, they all went out into the gloomy night to find a scene reminiscent of a Laurel and Hardy sketch.
Joe was stood on the road in front of their house.
With a horse.
The horsebox was just up the road, so they could at least rule out some sort of odd scheme of his to become a horse thief in late twentieth century Ireland but that didn't make it any easier to finding out what the hell Granda Joe was playing at.
"Da?" Mary asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Evening Mary love. Evening wains". Joe smiled, having to take a sturdier grip on the horse's reins when it began to wriggle. "Evening shitbag".
Gerry thought Joe had forgotten him for a minute. Or Gerry rather hoped Joe had forgotten him, but he was out of his miracle allowance for the week, so it wasn't to be.
"Have you… bought a horse Joe?" He asked.
"No I've bought a sheep ye eejit". Joe snapped back to Gerry's displeasure. "Of course it's a feckin horse".
"Oh grand!" Gerry sarcastically quipped back. "I mucked out the stables round the back for ye earlier Joe if ye want to take him round".
"Gerry!" Mary warned him in a low voice.
"No ye stupid fecker, I own the horse, I'm not the trainer".
"It's a racehorse?" Putting two and two together, Erin asked her Granda.
"That's right Erin love, a racehorse. Seeing as me and James keep doing so well on these horses, I figured it was time".
"Does he have a name Granda?" Orla, excited by the newest member of the family, enquired.
"Aye he does love. I've named him 'The Wee English Fella'".
James grinned heartily when Joe revealed that the horse had been named after him. Some famous people had streets or buildings named after them, but it would be an honour above all to have a horse named after him. He nodded his thanks to Joe, pulled back to attention by Anna who was tugging at the top of his coat.
"And where would you be racing him Joe? Will we be off to Cheltenham anytime soon?" Gerry's sarcasm hadn't retreated, and it was annoying Joe more than ever.
"Slow down there Linford Christie. He'll be going round the amateur haunts and the local tracks before we see about that".
"Right. You're a bit old to be a jockey though aren't ye Joe?"
Gerry felt Mary's nails dig into his hand in an effort to shut him up and not cause a row so almighty that it would disturb half of Derry. Joe simply stared back at Gerry with an icy smile on his face, and Gerry could only take that to mean one thing in relation to his question.
"No. Absolutely not, I am not…".
"Not you, ye free state tool! Christ, I wouldn't give you a leg up if I were a desperate working girl, ye daft bastard!".
On receiving perhaps the most damning rebuke he'd ever had from Joe, Gerry shut up and accepted another defeat. There was little anyone could do about Joe's latest adventure but the thought process behind owning a horse was a little hard to grasp. As was the financial element, something Mary saw fit to pull him up on.
"When I wanted a new kitchen we didn't have enough money but ye have enough for a horse Da… ye hidin' gold bullion in the house are ya?
"Ach I hope ye don't Granda!". Orla cried. "Sister Michael says bullyin' is wrong".
Mary closed her eyes and tried to forget what she'd just heard from Orla. An awfully familiar action when it came to her niece. Sarah found herself nodding to agree with her daughter and Joe simply smiled back at the two of them, ignoring Mary's reaction.
"Ye can blame the prick for the kitchen Mary. This is our investment from the winnings". Joe pointed at James for the latter.
"Our?" The Englishman spoke curiously.
"That's right son". Joe confirmed with him. "I've put us as co-owners of the horse. Mr J McCool and Mr J Maguire".
To think that the same man once called him gay or a potential rapist, James's could only warmly grin in Joe's direction. He never expected to find a rapport with him, especially after seeing how Joe treated Gerry, but from what started as a grudging respect on prom night, developed into a friendship of sorts. One that worked like clockwork. James assisted Joe with his betting but in return Joe taught him some important life lessons and allowed him to be with Erin. The horse was a reward for them both for the couple of months of that friendship.
And some say miracles don't happen.