Joy shook her head and got to her feet. She gathered up the shoe polish and brush and brought them to the cupboard, suppressing a smile as she did so.

36: Mary

36: Mary

I didn’t know for why at the time, but Mummy Joy was all of a flutter that morning. Like she’d got lighter somehow, like her feet weren’t touching the floor. Not Mummy Noreen, though. She had a face on her, scowling at the rest of us like we were up to divilment.

When Daddy George came back from wherever he’d been, I was peeling carrots at the sink. He came into the kitchen, undoing his tie. I wondered why he was wearing his good Sunday clothes when it wasn’t a Sunday. I supposed at the time he’d maybe gone to church by his own self, without the other Daddies.

Says Daddy Ivan, Well, did you get your messages done?

Aye, says Daddy George, and he said no more even though anyone could see he was busting with something to tell.

Daddy Tam came in from the yard then, and he telt me to get him a bowl of water for to wash his hands. He smelled of the cattle, and of sweat, but also that sour-and-sweet smell. What Mummy Noreen telt me was the smell of drink.

He looked at Daddy George and he laughed. I couldn’t mind a time I’d ever heard him laugh before, and the sound of it put the fear in me, so I went back to the sink and the peeling.

Says he, What’re you all dolled up for? Are you away to a dance or something?

Daddy George’s face went pure red, and says he, I had some messages to do, that’s all.

Daddy Tam looked at Daddy Ivan and, says he, Is that right? Messages?

Aye, says Daddy Ivan, that’s what he telt me, anyway.

Daddy Ivan was like that. His face was always like a whitewashed wall. Nothing there to tell you what was in his head. But his eyes. He was always watching. Always. There was nothing in thon house he didn’t see. Nothing he didn’t know. Mummy Joy should’ve minded that.

Says Daddy Tam, What messages needed your Sunday best, eh?

That’s my business, says Daddy George.

Daddy Tam laughed again, slapping his fat thighs. Daddy George’s face went even redder than it was already.

Oh, your business, says Daddy Tam, laughing away. Look at you, the big man doing big business. What business were you doing?

Daddy George pulled his tie off and shoved it in his pocket. Says he, I’ve my own life, you know. There’s more things in the world than this farm.