They walked back to the car together, breathing in the fresh air, surrounded by tall trees, wild flowers and creatures, all the while listening to scratching and scurrying on the ground and birds singing far above them.

‘I don’t know about you, Fred, but the countryside brings me out in a rash.’

He laughed. ‘Let’s get you home. I’m sorry it didn’t pan out.’

‘Don’t be. We tried and that’s good enough.’

In the car on the way home Fred caught Maisie smiling to herself. ‘What’s put that frown upside down?’

‘I used to think Carina Murphy was so much better than me. What a joke. I don’t give a shite what anyone thinks.’

‘That’s the spirit.’

‘And I’ll tell you something else. When we get those boys back, Rave is coming to live with me.’

Fred chuckled. ‘The more the merrier.’

Maisie felt so sure she was getting her boys back that she daydreamed about it all the way home.

Chapter Ten

‘Nothing Else Matters’
Metallica, 1992

Bridie

LYNN WAS TELLING Maisie, Fred and Valerie to go, something about a conference. ‘It’s time, I’ll take care of Bridie.’

Maisie hugged her friend. ‘You’re saving my life.’ She kissed her mother. ‘Do I look all right Ma?’

‘Lovely.’ She meant it. You’re lovely, Maisie. You always were, you always will be. Bridie wasn’t exactly sure where Maisie was going but she knew she was going there to find Jeremy. My boy, me best boy. Remember, Jeremy, Grammy loves you. She wasn’t happy about being left behind. I want to find him too. I should be looking for him. I shouldn’t be sitting here with What’s-her-name. She wasn’t happy Fred was going either. At least, when she really thought about it now, she knew he was the man who helped Maisie. So why does he make me nervous?

Lynn led Bridie into the sitting room. I’m sick of this place. Lynn followed her back into the kitchen. And here. Have I nowhere else to go?

‘It’s going to be all right, Bridie,’ Lynn said to her.

‘It was all right – it was even good for a while – but times change and good turns bad and there’s nothing we can do about it, no control. You think you have some but you don’t, love.’

‘I know things look bleak but they’ll get better again. We just have to get up and over this mountain. Then it’ll be blue skies and green pastures.’

‘Things are never gonna be the same again.’ Tears rolled down her face. ‘I don’t know much, love, but I know that.’ Where’s everyone gone? Why did they leave me?

‘Things always change, Bridie. That’s life.’

‘But it was so good for a while.’ After that, Bridie didn’t speak.