BooksBarbecue
Back Again, Rachel
Chapters (98)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. 93
  97. 94
  98. Acknowledgements

‘Seven. I know it seems young,’ Bronte said. ‘But it’s just what’s done. Eden was five when he first went. He says it made a man of him.’

That sounded cruel and terrible.

‘Before your relapse,’ I asked, ‘what tended to make you happy?’

‘My horses.’ No hesitation. ‘I’m just a groom, but I adore it. I would do it all day, every day.’

Something was off here and I didn’t know what…but maybe Bronte was just one of those people who loved animals more than they loved humans?

*

At lunchtime I drove like the clappers through the Wicklow backroads to chi-chi Enniskerry to get my brows and lashes tinted—Claire’s idea. She’d told me I also needed a facial and a blow-dry before tomorrow afternoon—so I’d look ‘amazing’ at Mr Costello’s birthday thing.

‘And show up early.’ She’d been adamant about this. ‘Make sure everyone sees you, then you can slope off as soon as the room fills up. Get the oul’ fella a gift, something mind-blowing, maybe a test drive in an Aston Martin. And what’re you thinking of wearing? You need to look stunning but effortless.’

She decreed that I wear jeans, a loose, falling-off-the-shoulder sweater and all the jewellery Quin had given me.

I was fully on board. ‘Me, swanking into the thick of the Costellos, bursting with “Look at me now!” energy? I am here for it!’

‘And you’re to be all “Not only did I survive but I fucking thrived! Check out my shiny hair and my glowing skin and my age-appropriate yet very cool clothing.” ’

‘Can I say, “Yes, my jeans were cripplingly expensive because they’re all about the cut. Yes, my sweater is angora, yes I do know that this colour does amazing things to my eyes. You think this sort of thing just happens by accident?” ’

‘Totally! And, “My earrings? Yes, they’re diamonds—well excuse you and your good eye! Gift from my boyfriend. Boyfriend—oh yeah, of course! Is it serious? Totally.” G’wan Rachel,’ she urged. ‘Ate ’um!’

‘ “Ate ’um”?’

‘The young people are saying it. So now we say it too.’

‘Ate ’um,’ I tried experimentally. ‘I dunno…’ Then, ‘Claire! What’s the latest on you and the swinging?’ I’d told her about Adam revealing his reluctance to me at BanDearg.

‘I’m working on him. Most men would be overjoyed for an opportunity like this. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.’

‘Ah, Claire…You and Adam are very lucky. Don’t ruin it.’

‘Stop worrying, it’s all grand!’

45

‘I knew she was drinking a lot.’ Gemma Kaye held a tissue to her eyes. ‘Too much.’ This poor woman was the mother of Harlie’s friend Tegan. ‘But I never thought she would die.’

I cleared my throat; this was extremely painful to hear.