Nora Webster Read Online Free PDF

to England in the summer.”
    “I am, at the end of June, but I finish at the end of May. I’d thought about spending the month of June in Cush.”
    “I am sorry,” Nora said.
    “He loved that house, didn’t he?”
    “Your father?”
    Fiona lowered her head.
    Nora brought Conor with her to find the toilets. When she came back she ordered another coffee.
    “Who are you selling the house to?” Fiona asked.
    “Jack Lacey, May Lacey’s son, the one in England.”
    “May Lacey came to the house,” Conor interrupted.
    Donal nudged him and put his finger to his lips.
    “The money will come in very handy just now,” Nora said.
    “In two years’ time, I’ll be earning a salary,” Fiona said.
    “We need the money now,” Nora said.
    “Are you not going to get a pension?” Fiona asked. “Has that not come through?”
    Nora thought that maybe she should not have said that she needed the money.
    “It means we won’t have to sell the car,” Nora said and tried to indicate to Fiona that maybe they should not worry the boys with any more talk about money.
    “We had lovely summers there,” Fiona said.
    “I know.”
    “It’s sad to think of losing it.”
    “We’ll go other places on holiday.”
    “I thought we’d always have that house,” Fiona said.
    They said nothing for a few moments. Nora wanted to go, take the boys back to Henry Street.
    “When are you going to sell it?” Fiona resumed.
    “As soon as the contract is ready.”
    “Aine will be upset.”
    Nora stopped herself saying that she couldn’t bear to go there anymore. She would not be able to say that in front of the boys; it would sound too emotional, it would give too much away.
    She stood up to go.
    “How do you pay here? I can’t remember.”
    “You have to get the waitress to fill out a docket,” Fiona said.
    “And you have to tell her how many b-buns you’ve had,” Donal said.
    When they walked out to Westmoreland Street, Nora wanted to say something else to Fiona but she could not think what. Fiona seemed downcast as she stood on the street. For a moment, Nora felt impatient with her. She was starting her life, she could live where she liked, do what she liked. She did not have to get the train back tothe town where everybody knew about her and all the years ahead were mapped out for her.
    “We’re going to walk around to Henry Street by the Ha’penny Bridge,” Nora said.
    “Make sure you don’t miss the train,” Fiona said.
    “How are you getting back to the college?” Nora asked.
    “I was going to go to Grafton Street first.”
    “Will you not come to the station with us?” Nora asked.
    “No, I’ll go,” Fiona said. “I have to get something before I go back and I won’t be in the city centre again for a while.”
    As they looked at one another, Nora felt Fiona was hostile, and forced herself to remember how upset she must be, and how lonely she might be too. She smiled as she said that they would have to go and in return Fiona smiled at her and at the boys. As soon as Nora walked away, however, she felt helpless and regretted not having said something kind or special or consoling to Fiona before they left her; maybe even something as simple as asking her when she was coming down next, or emphasising how much they looked forward to seeing her soon. She wished she had a phone in the house so she could keep in more regular touch with her. She thought that she might write Fiona a note in the morning thanking her for coming to meet them.
    In Talbot Street, on the way to the station, Conor spent the rest of their money on LEGOs, but could not decide which colour bricks to choose. Although Nora was tired, she listened, paid attention and offered suggestions as Donal stood apart from them. She smiled at the cashier as Conor changed his mind at the cash register and went back to exchange one box of LEGOs for another.
    It was dark now and becoming cold. They sat on broken plastic seats in the small café of the station.