‘Oh I do,’ he said. ‘She had Marjorie and Grace in on it with her.’

‘The woman was in a semi-coma.’

‘She was.’

‘And she still managed to rise out of her sleep and yell boo at me! God Almighty,’ he said, blessing himself, ‘I thought my end had come.’

Jack chuckled a little. ‘She always loved a joke.’

‘Especially at God’s expense.’

Jack’s smiled faded. ‘Looks like he had the last laugh.’

Father Frank was mortified. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’

‘I know that. You put up with a lot from my daughter over the years, especially when Johnny was ill.’

‘Johnny died believing in God and heaven, Jack, he believed one day he’d see Rabbit again. I like to think that day has come.’

‘Oh the things they’d say to one another.’

‘Johnny Faye would love to be able to say I told you so,’ Father Frank said.

‘And Rabbit Hayes would give him that just to be in his arms one more time.’

The two men stood over Rabbit, nodding.

‘How would you feel about a slice of Pauline’s coffee cake?’

‘From across the road?’

‘The very one.’

‘That’s legendary.’

‘It is,’ Jack said. ‘Better get in before the crowd.’

After that, and as the ladies of the house dressed and made themselves up and Davey Hayes disappeared into an episode of Murder, She Wrote, Father Frank and Jack Hayes chowed down on Pauline’s famous coffee cake.

Chapter Sixteen: Molly

Chapter Sixteen

Molly

MOLLY HAD BEEN TALKING to God all day. As people started coming through the door, she asked him to give her strength. Dear God, help me out. Do that and I’ll pop ten euro in the poor box. They arrived in their droves just after six. The room reached capacity within minutes of the first visitor’s arrival. It was chaotic. Dear God, keep me on my feet and I won’t say the word fuck for the rest of the day. She stayed busy, serving sandwiches, tea, coffee, red wine, white wine and whiskey, and sherry for the elderly.

She’d had a quick team talk fifteen minutes beforehand.

‘Grace and Marjorie, you’re on sandwich and cake duty. Jack’s on spirits. Lenny white and red wine and Davey, tea and coffee.’

Davey put up his hand. ‘Can I be on wine?’

Dear God, give me patience. I’ll give you an extra prayer before bedtime.

‘Fine, don’t drink it all. I’ll take orders.’

Grace took a moment to pull Jeffrey aside to remind him that she had eyes like a hawk and she’d be watching him. ‘Two sandwiches is your limit, and no cake.’

‘Ah, Ma!’

‘Fine, one slice of cake – a thin slice, don’t make me come after you.’ He knew she wasn’t in the humour for messing; he’d heard she’d taken the hurley to the bins.