Chapter 8
Saturday 8th June
Annie woke up gently and gradually, the way you wake up when you know you have had a great sleep; slowly coming back to life. There was a little nagging ache in the back of her skull which she tried to ignore by pushing her head further into the pillow, willing herself back to sleep.
She could smell meat cooking somewhere near her. One of her neighbours must have brought a campstove, she thought. Maybe a husband and wife cooking sausages for their kids.
“This must be the comfiest sleeping bag I have ever used,” she thought, trying to remember where she had bought the pillows.
“The tent is so warm too.”
Then the memories flooded back to her and she opened her eyes with a jolt. This wasn’t her tent, she was in the spare room above the pub. She’d had rough nights before where she had done stupid things with the girls; getting drunk and falling asleep in nightclubs and things like that but she had never stayed the night in a pub.
The nagging ache in the back of her skull was the beginning of a hangover.
She hadn’t even been that drunk and Tadhg had been such a gentleman, she thought as she played the night over in her head; the crowds, the music, Tadhg…
Fully awake now she needed a painkiller for the headache that was building, feeling more prominent now she she had sat up in bed. Switching her phone on she discovered it was after 10am already. She also had 5 missed calls from her mother which she quickly clicked ‘ignore’ on.
She felt bad for her brother Alec. Without having Annie to annoy constantly, their mother would be turning her attention to Alec.
Annie felt nervous about getting up and seeing Tadhg. Would he still be interested in her when he has seen her in the light of the day?
But the smell of sausages drifting under the door was proving too much for her rumbling stomach so she put her clothes back hoping that Tadhg wouldn’t mind if they smelt a little. It wasn’t like she had anything else to put on.
Annie left her boots on the floor and tiptoed quietly out of the room in her bare feet, following the smell to the other end of the hall and into the kitchen.
Tadhg was at the the cooker with his back to the door as Annie entered. She knocked the door delicately, trying to sound natural as she said, “good morning” gently.
“Ah, good morning, sleepy!” Tadhg replied, turning to face her as he flipped bacon on the frying pan.
“You know, I thought a good breakfast might wake you from your slumber,” he added.
He was dressed casually now in a short sleeve t-shirt and a pair of jeans, also barefooted.
“It did, I might have slept all day otherwise,” Annie replied, trying to seem as natural as possible.
“Well, you’re just in time. Grab a plate and I’ll serve up.”
He had cooked a full Irish fry for them; sausage, bacon, white pudding, black pudding, potato bread, fried eggs, mushrooms and beans with a pot of tea to wash it all down. Everything except the beans was fried. Annie’s friends would have a heart attack at the thought of all the saturated fats, she thought as she tucked in.
Tadhg was laughing at Annie’s fascination with the potato bread as they sat down to eat.
“So, you’re really telling me that this is bread made out of potatoes?” she was asking, warily.
“Yes!” Tadhg replied.
“You’re joking? I knew about the Irish obsession with potatoes but this is madness” she said, still sure he was winding her up.
Annie cut the slice in half and tried to examine the insides of the thin ‘bread’ as Tadhg fetched the packet to show her the list of ingredients. She still wasn’t convinced, even after tasting it, which made him laugh even more.
It was tasty, she had to admit.
“So, do you own the pub then?” she asked, trying to get away from the topic of potato bread.
“I suppose I do, yes” he said, almost like a confession, “although the Daly in the name of the pub would really be my father who set it up. I took over when he died a couple of years back.”
“Oh I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, life goes on,” he said, with a forced smile.
“It must be nice owning a pub though,” Annie suggested, feeling like she had put her foot in her mouth..
“It’s bury! And I’ve got to get a move on I’m afraid,” Tadhg replied as he finished the last piece of bacon on his plate - Annie wasn’t even half way through hers.
“What are you doing?”
“Some supplies to pick up and a few odd jobs around the pub before tonight. You’re welcome to hang around here if you like. Or stay the night again....” he trailed off.
“I really should spend a night in my tent,” she said, hating herself immediately.
“That’s fine,” Tadhg replied, clearly putting on a brave face.
“Why did I say that,” she thought, “I want nothing more than to stay.”
Why would she turn down spending more time with him. She really was putting her foot in her mouth, she thought.
“Can I pay you for last night? The bed... and wonderful breakfast” she said gesturing to her plate.
“Definitely not,” he said trying to keep the brave face and coming around slightly, “it was my pleasure” he added.
“And mine -” Annie said, not sure what else to say.
“Anyway,” he continued, “I’ll be off. Sadie is in the main bar so she can let you out when you’re ready to go.”
He got up, placing his plate on the sideboard and heading for the door.
“Pop back in whenever you want” he added with a wave as he headed out.
“Goodbye” she shouted after him, urging herself to run after him and grab him but staying in her place at the table.
“You fool,” Annie chastised herself once she was sure he was gone, “why did you push him away?”
She sat for a moment with her head in her hands at the table.
“Fool, fool, fool,” she thought.
She hadn’t even got his telephone number. Maybe she could leave a note and say thank you again and suggest they get dinner tonight. He’ll probably be working though, she remembered.
“This is a disaster,” she told herself, “you were so close. You’ve really screwed up.”
She left a note anyway, writing it out in her clear, perfect handwriting.
Tadhg,
Thank you so much for last night. I really loved it.
Let’s do something again soon?
Annie xxx
Was it too many kisses, Annie wondered, or did it really matter? She left the note as it was, just adding her mobile number at the bottom and sticking it to the fridge under a magnet of a wine bottle.
Annie cleared the plates away and put them in the dishwasher; best to be clean and tidy, she thought. She nipped back to the spare room and made the bed before putting her boots on, ready to leave.
Taking one last look around the room she felt overcome with sadness.
The thought ran through her mind that this was it; “I had my chance and I blew it.”