He thought about pushing her back through the door, of taking advantage like the lame footballer with no lips had done. He had said, ‘nice to see you again.’ That was fucking stupid but she hadn’t noticed. He was angry with himself, yes, but now he had a plan; A plan that was bigger than all of them and would make him more famous than Tone or the Martyrs of 1916. She would ensure it worked. If she didn’t, then as painful as it was for him, he would kill her!

7

She was at the door waiting, all fuss and feathers, when they arrived.

‘You’re only half an hour late, boys.’

Tom smiled as they made their way up the tidy pathway.

‘Good afternoon to you too, Maggie, dinner smells fantastic. What are we having?’

‘Burnt steak!’

Tom lifted his sister in his arms and swung her around. Maggie laughed in spite of herself.

‘Put me down you, old fool before you do yourself an injury.’

Cormac couldn’t help but feel envious of their obvious affection. Maggie’s house was exactly as he imagined. Nothing was out of place. It was old fashioned and was stiflingly neat and tidy. She lived here for 10 years as a spinster before marrying Jack five years ago. They had no children and Cormac, although he hated himself for it, was convinced that was a blessing for the children.

After 10 minutes of uncomfortable silence, Cormac noticed Jack’s absence.

‘Will Jack be joining us, Maggie?’

He felt her unease at his question.

‘Err … he sends his … Jack sends his apologies, but he got called away at the last minute.’

Cormac couldn’t resist inflaming her obvious discomfort.

‘I’m beginning to think he’s avoiding me!’

He knew it was the wrong thing to say before he finished his sentence. She was already on her feet.

‘Who are you to talk about avoiding, you who have avoided your family for 20 years, and how dare you criticise Jack when you don’t even know him!’

Tom tried in vain to intervene.

‘Come on, Maggie, Cormac didn’t mean….’

‘Oh, Tom, for Christ’s sake, shut up! If you must know, Cormac, Jack doesn’t want to be in the same room as someone like you!’

He stood now toe to toe.

‘Someone like me? What the hell does that mean?’

She was more than happy to expand.

‘Someone who turned his back on his family, who destroyed his own mother, broke any promise he ever made and who betrayed his people!’

Maggie stormed out of the house. The front door rattled loudly in her wake. Tom, Cormac and Annie struggled to fill the uneasy silence. Annie spoke.

‘What does she mean you broke promises and betrayed your country?’

Cormac’s simmering fury wouldn’t let him answer and instead he wandered into Maggie’s back garden. He felt Tom’s reassuring presence follow him. He tried to diffuse his own anger.

‘I thought that went rather well, Tom!’