My Favourite Mistake by Keyes Marian

Author:Keyes, Marian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2024-04-11T00:00:00+00:00

40

‘Let’s have a look at this Fassbender Suite,’ Mum said.

On the first floor, it was an attractive, light-filled bedroom.

‘Very nice.’ Claire scanned the four walls. ‘But where’s Fassbender?’

‘You thought he’d be sitting here in a glass cube?’ Helen asked.

‘A girl can hope. Not technically a suite either, is it?’

‘What’s the difference?’ Mum asked.

Margaret had her phone out. ‘A suite is “a set of rooms”,’ she read. ‘Emphasis mine. I must admit I’m only seeing the one room.’

‘There’s a sofa bed!’ I was afraid they’d go back to reception and complain. ‘As well as a normal bed.’

‘Still doesn’t make it a suite,’ Claire said. ‘But what the hell, who cares!’

‘I need feeding,’ Mum announced. ‘Where’ll we go?’

Everyone looked at me.

‘I’ve only eaten here in the hotel.’

‘No.’ Wherever Claire travelled, she was all about ‘the locals love it’. According to her, only basics scuttled back to the safety of their hotel to eat. ‘I haven’t come all this way for an anonymous club sandwich in a bland hotel.’

‘You’d be lucky to get a club sandwich, anonymous or otherwise, here.’

‘I’m too weak with hunger to walk another step,’ Mum said.

‘Just this once,’ Claire conceded, so the seven of us descended on Emilien. Where we all had toasted sandwiches because ‘I couldn’t recommend anything else,’ he said. ‘It would be irresponsible.’

Margaret exclaimed, ‘Isn’t it great we’re all here together?’

In dolorous tones, Mum said, ‘It’s only four of my daughters. Wouldn’t you miss Rachel?’

‘You saw her last night,’ Claire said, the M’town newsletter open before her. ‘Okay! There’s a lot on this weekend.’ Suddenly her laptop was out. ‘We need a schedule. Who wants to go to The Playboy of the Western World in a tent tonight? Nobody? Good. Karaoke!’ She was delighted. ‘In the parish hall this evening. Tenner in, for charity.’

‘It’ll be crap,’ Helen said.

‘That’s the whole point! We’re going.’ Her fingers were a blur on her keyboard. ‘The parade tomorrow morning?’

‘The one in Dublin is a joke of a thing,’ Mum said. ‘Imagine how bad it’ll be down here.’

‘You haven’t been in five hundred years. It’s good these days. We’re going.’ More clicking from Claire. ‘A ceili tomorrow night here in the hotel. Yes! Attendance is mandatory. A long word, Mum, which means you can’t opt out.’

‘Who says I can’t opt out?’

‘Me. Sunday morning, a scavenger hunt. No idea what it is, but also mandatory. All weekend, around the town they’ll be serving Irish stew, boxty, rainbow doughnuts, green tea …’

‘Free?’ Mum asked.

‘Not free, you old fool. Nothing is free in Ireland –’

‘– except dog’s abuse from your daughters.’

‘Okay!’ Claire announced. ‘Schedule WhatsApp’d to you all.’ Obediently all our phones began binging and beeping. ‘Today, we go down the town to laugh at the shops, then an early dinner, karaoke and maybe late drinks.’

‘Anna!’ Margaret had just remembered. ‘I brought you clothes. Dressy stuff. You won’t want to look “relatable” in your downtime.’

She was the most thoughtful person I’d ever met. Always anticipating the needs of others. Speaking of which, she asked, ‘Should we make a reservation for dinner?’

‘On it,’ Claire said.

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