Assumpta screwed her eyes up against the morning sun which was streaming in through the thin curtains. She rolled over to snuggle up to Peter and bury her head into his side, only the space next to her was empty. She was fully awake now. She turned over onto her back, stared up at the ceiling and willed herself not to cry.
She could hear the sound of the TV coming from the living room which meant the kids were up and watching morning TV even though they'd been told not to do this. She smiled begrudgingly, you had to hand it to them; a new house and they'd already figured out there was satellite TV and how to work it. Hopefully they'd show her later.
She looked round her bedroom. The Dooley's had changed the decor and furniture but she could picture what it looked like before the fire. She suddenly remembered that night so clearly, though she hadn't thought about it in a long time. She remembered she'd woken up that night after dreaming about Peter, just in time to realise that there was a fire downstairs. Then he'd charged into the pub to save her and their life together had started. Well he wouldn't be charging in to save her today. Tears threatened again and she took a calming breath, she had to get up and see to the kids, she was determined that they wouldn't know there was anything wrong. She sighed. She suspected Sam already knew, he was far too intuitive for his own good, much like his father. A small sob escaped and she swiped her hand across her eyes and got up to take a shower and bury herself in the kids and work. She could not afford to lose it, especially now she was back in Ballykissangel.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
She was in the kitchen making the kids breakfast when Niamh appeared.
"Morning, I can come back if this isn't a good time. I thought maybe you could use a hand in the pub today," she said tentatively.
Assumpta smiled, "That would be great, it's been a while!"
Niamh relaxed at the welcome and busied herself behind the bar.
"So what's it like being back?" Niamh asked curiously.
"Honestly, it's a bit odd."
"You'll settle back in soon. It'll probably be easier for you than it will be for Peter." She looked cautiously up at Assumpta to gauge her reaction but Assumpta merely mumbled something and began clattering about at the coffee machine.
Niamh frowned and tried again. "So why isn't Peter," but she was interrupted by Assumpta banging the top of the machine and turning to Niamh with a triumphant smile. "Something's don't change eh?" she gestured at the machine which was now working.
Niamh gave a confused nod and was about to repeat her question when Assumpta said "Mind you I don't think much has changed at the school either. Well apart from Brendan being head now. He got the kids enrolled for me so they all start tomorrow. Sam should be in the same class as Dylan shouldn't he?" She asked, referring to the Egan's youngest son.
"Yeah and they'll have Brendan teaching them so at least it'll be a familiar face for him," conceded Niamh.
Assumpta carried on an almost constant stream of conversation the whole morning asking Niamh so many questions about the residents of Ballyk that she didn't have a chance to learn about Peter and Assumpta's life in England or, crucially, where Peter was.
Brendan was the first customer of the day, appearing shortly before lunchtime.
"Assumpta!" He cried after walking in the door.
"How're you Brendan," she greeted him before being swept up in a big hug. She pulled back grinning as he said, "It's good to finally have a decent barmaid behind the bar."
"Oi!" Niamh exclaimed.
"Ah don't mind him Niamh I bet he says that to all of us."
"Just you two," he smiled patting Niamh's hand. "Now where are the miscreants?"
He didn't have to look very far before cries of "Uncle Brendan!" accompanied the three Clifford kids tumbling through the kitchen door. He hugged each of them in turn as another group of kids came clattering through the front door of the pub.
"Assumpta!" Ashling squealed as she came through the door.
The pair hugged and Assumpta and her kids were quickly introduced to Kieran and Dylan Egan and Lucy and Malachy Docherty, the eight year old daughter and six year old son of Donal and his wife Briana.
"Can we show them the swing?" cried Dylan in excitement.
"If it's okay with their Mum." Niamh looked at Assumpta saying, "It's the swing down on the banks of the Angel."
"God is that still there?" Assumpta spluttered, remembering her and Niamh playing on it when they were young.
"Yeah but don't worry it's not the same swing, just in the same spot. Padraig put up a new rope last year for them."
"Please can we go Mummy?" Abby pleaded.
Assumpta looked at her daughter's hopeful eyes and then at her son who was giving his best puppy dog expression. She laughed, "I thought you were both going to help me with the unpacking?" She gestured at some boxes in a corner that the removal company had delivered that morning.
"We'll definitely help when we come back," Sam said earnestly.
"Definitely," Abby echoed.
"Please?" Lucy Docherty piped up.
"Alright, alright," she said in mock exasperation. "But be careful, you stay together and be back in an hour for lunch," she said smiling as the kids all tried to pile out the door at the same time, shouting their goodbyes.
"Oi where do you think you're going?" Assumpta caught Molly's hand. The three year old grinned up at her saying, "To play?" in a hopeful tone of voice. Assumpta laughed at the angelic expression on her youngest daughter's face and said, "But I need your help here, so can you start by sitting at the kitchen table and drawing a picture of Brody for me?"
Molly seemed to consider this for a moment and eventually nodded and headed towards the kitchen.
Niamh looked on impressed. "I'm not sure either of mine would've given in so easily without a fight."
"Well it would have been a different matter if it was Abby," Assumpta laughed.
"Assumpta got lucky in that only one of her kids seems to have her nature," Brendan chipped in.
Assumpta protested but was ignored.
"Abby?" Niamh clarified.
"Yup she's headstrong, independent and knows her own mind, just like her mother. She's going to be a nightmare to teach," he said with a twinkle.
"Well at least you had a dry run with me," retorted Assumpta.
"True and Abby's not nearly as bad."
Assumpta threw a dishcloth at him.
"So is Sam more like Peter by nature? He certainly looks like him, except he's got your colouring." Niamh said, thinking of the boy's dark hair and eyes.
"Mm hmm," Brendan agreed through a slurp of his pint before Assumpta had a chance to reply, "he's quiet, thoughtful and has his mother wrapped round his little finger."
"He does not," scoffed Assumpta.
"Ach he does, but it's fine because Abby just has to look at Peter with her gorgeous green eyes and he'll agree to just about anything."
Niamh smiled as she could very well picture Peter in this situation. It was funny how Sam had gotten Peter's nature and looks but with Assumpta's unruly dark curls and Abby the other way round with her blonde hair and green eyes. Molly seemed to be a mixture of the two with chestnut brown hair, bluey green eyes and an angelic expression. She voiced this thought out loud.
Brendan laughed, "The question is whose innocent expression is it? Assumpta use to try that one on me all the time when she was young and I think we've all been on the receiving end of Peter's 'butter wouldn't melt' look."
Assumpta looked fondly through the kitchen door at her daughter and said quietly, "It's definitely Peter's." She looked lost in thought for a few moments before avoiding the eyes of Brendan and Niamh and going to join Molly in the kitchen.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
A short time later Orla arrived to meet the new landlady.
"I wasn't sure if I was needed, everything's been a bit up in the air since Oonagh and Paul took off, you know. I heard a rumour that the old landlady was back in town so I thought I'd come and introduce myself, see if you could still use me." She explained to Assumpta after Niamh had made the introductions.
"I think between trying to run this place and looking after three kids I could use all the help I can get," smiled Assumpta. "You couldn't start now and help with lunches could you?"
"Yeah, no problem," Orla replied, rolling up her sleeves and going into the kitchen to make a start.
"That's great, thanks," Assumpta called.
Siobhan, Padraig and Michael were the first punters in for lunch and all greeted Assumpta with hugs after Padraig and Michael got over the shock of seeing her standing back behind the bar again. Molly kissed them all shyly. After all the welcomes were over Padraig asked, "So when's that husband of yours getting here?"
"Am I not enough?" Assumpta asked light-heartedly but Niamh, who'd come through from the kitchen where she'd been helping Orla, saw through the facade.
Apparently Brendan did too because he hastily said, "It's more than enough. The three best barmaids I've ever known are waiting on me so life is perfect again!" He made a face at Padraig when Assumpta wasn't looking.
"Oh hear that, there's three of us now Assumpta," Niamh said.
"Fickle isn't he," laughed Assumpta.
There was a commotion at the door as all the kids piled in and the two older Cliffords greeted the regulars. Slowly the kids dispersed; the Dochertys went home, Kieran and Dylan were sent across the road to get lunch from Ambrose, Ashling was sitting at the bar between her parents and Sam and Abby had gone into the kitchen to have lunch with their sister.
Orla came through from the kitchen to help Assumpta at the bar and Assumpta struck up a conversation with her.
"How long have you lived in Ballyk?"
"God about eleven years now. I'm from Cork originally. What about yourself you own Fitzgeralds and just leased it to the Dooleys right?"
"That's right."
"So you're originally from here?"
"Born and bred," smiled Assumpta. "What brought you to these parts?"
"My brother is the curate. I was foot loose and fancy-free in those days and here seemed like as good a place as any to come and live for a while."
"But you never left? Is your brother still curate?" Assumpta asked curiously.
"Yes he is, longest they've had here for a while so I'm told, think they had a problem hanging onto them before Aiden." Someone, possibly Padraig, seemed to have developed a bad cough in the background but Orla didn't seem to notice. "Aiden's not the only reason I stayed around I also got married and had kids and it's a pretty nice place to bring up children."
"Yeah it is," Assumpta agreed. "How many have you got?"
"Two girls Roisin and Caitlin, they're 4 and 1."
"Fun age."
"Fun but hard work," Orla agreed.
"So did you marry someone from Ballyk then?"
"I met him here, but Connor's not from these parts either, just moved here like me. He left for a while, tried to make his fortune in Spain," Orla rolled her eyes, "but he came back and finally, after many years of will we, won't we stuff, we tied the knot. What about you, did you meet a handsome English man?"
Assumpta avoided the eyes of all the regulars now who had abandoned their own conversations and were listening intently. "Yes I did but I met him here and then we moved to England."
"It's quite a similar story to yours Orla," Brendan added helpfully. "Lots of will they, won't they moments." Padraig snorted and Assumpta glared at them both.
Brendan ignored her glare and simply said, "Another pint please Assumpta."
"So do think you're back permanently or will you find someone else to take on the lease? Where was it you were living before?" Orla asked.
"The Lake District and I'm not sure yet," Assumpta replied as she pulled Brendan a pint.
"The Lake District, I've heard it's beautiful there, must be hard to leave."
"It's beautiful here," butted in Brendan.
"Well sure but emigrating with three young kids, that's quite an undertaking," Orla continued.
"How's it emigrating, she use to live here," Niamh pointed out.
"It's just a home coming," said Siobhan softly.
"Ha, you try a long car journey with three kids, might as well have been emigrating to Australia," Assumpta exclaimed.
"So will your husband be joining you soon?" Orla asked.
Assumpta, who'd been getting Brendan's change, froze slightly. "We're not sure yet," she said hurriedly. "Will you two manage without me while I see to the kids?" She disappeared into the kitchen without waiting to hear their answer.
"Did I just put my foot in it?" Orla asked with concern.
"I've no idea what's going on," Niamh said, "Do you know?" She turned to Brendan.
Brendan shook his head. "I knew she was coming back but she won't say anything about Peter."
"Maybe his work is keeping him away," Padraig pondered.
"Who does he work for again?" Niamh asked.
"A children's charity," said Michael, "and that doesn't explain why she won't just say that."
"Maybe they're in trouble?" Padraig said.
"Well if their marriage is in trouble what hope is there for the rest of us?" Michael remarked.
"Sometimes couples just need a break from each other," said Orla.
"Peter wouldn't let her come back here on her own surely," said Siobhan.
"This is Assumpta we're talking about, maybe she didn't give him any choice in the matter," Padraig conjectured.
"He would still come after her," Michael said. Brendan nodded in agreement.
"Unless he doesn't know?" Niamh voiced what she'd been wondering all day.
"Should we call him?" Siobhan wondered.
"I tried yesterday, there's no answer," Brendan replied.
"We'll just have to wait until Assumpta's ready to say something then," Michael finally said.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Niamh sat down next to Ambrose after dinner that night. Assumpta had persuaded her that she could manage by herself since Orla was coming back to do the evening shift, allowing Assumpta to spend some time with the kids and get them all to bed.
She'd had a good day. It was lovely having Assumpta back and she hoped they might be on their way to becoming close friends again but she was worried about her and it bothered her that she didn't seem to be willing to confide in anyone. She voiced her concerns to Ambrose but he merely said that Assumpta seemed fine when he saw her.
Niamh gave an exasperated sigh. "You only popped your head round the door for 5 minutes to say hello and Assumpta's always been good at putting on a front."
"It is odd that Peter isn't here and that she won't talk about him," Ambrose conceded.
"Do you think he refused to come after everything that happened?" she wondered.
Ambrose considered this for a moment. "Sure it doesn't sound like Peter, does it?"
"No I suppose not. There's something not right though."
The kids had happily spent the day playing but Niamh had overheard Molly asking when she'd see Daddy. Assumpta had looked momentarily upset before composing herself, giving the girl a hug and saying, "Daddy's not here, remember what we talked about?" Molly nodded solemnly. Assumpta had smiled sadly, kissed her and said, "Why don't you go and find a game you want to play and ask Abby and Sam to play with you."
Niamh related this story to Ambrose. He listened then kissed her and said, "I'm sure it'll be fine, there's probably a good explanation."
"Maybe, I hope they're okay." She snuggled up next to Ambrose and he kissed her again.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Assumpta flopped into one of the comfy chairs next to the fire after closing time. She was exhausted after spending what felt like her entire day deflecting questions about Peter's whereabouts but what was she suppose to do? She couldn't tell them the truth.