Rain and Revelation Read Online Free PDF

mouth.
    “Fine day for a run, Miss Conroy.” Taking off his tweed cap, he runs his thick fingers through his sparse white hair. “Although I didn’t expect to see you out. Not after everything.”
    I pet Johnny and avoid Mr. Walters’s pale blue eyes, magnified behind his thick glasses. The dog jumps up on me, and I push him back down. I try to sound perky when I say, “It’s nice to have sun finally.”
    Mr. Walters crosses his arms across his protruding belly, removes the cigar and points it at me. “I just heard from Paddy. ’Tis difficult, I’m sure.”
    Johnny wags his tail and nudges my hand when I stop petting him. “Everyone’s fine, sir.” I stroke the dog under his ears.
    “Are you ?” He peers over glasses perched on his bulbous nose.
    Shrugging, I zip up my jacket to my chin. “I just don’t know why she did it.”
    “We may never know. Even as a schoolgirl, your mother struggled.” He smiles kindly. “You have her eyes you know.”
    A loud, rapid honking makes me jump.
    Sean Murphy is waving from the driver’s seat of the rickety yellow school bus taking up most of the road. He pulls up and opens the door. “You’re just the person we’re looking for.” He turns back to the riders and bellows, “Meet Eliza Conroy.” A few people wave while most stare ahead, glassy-eyed.
    Sean mutters to me, “I got a message that their flight information transmitted wrong and they’d be arriving earlier than we planned. I left a message on your da’s phone. Even tried your home and got no answer. So, here we are.” When he smiles, he reveals his discolored, crooked teeth.
    “You go,” Mr. Walters says. “I’ll stop by sometime and see how you are doing.” He puts his cap back on and pedals toward the village square.
    Climbing into the bus, I sit behind Sean on the duct-taped seat. Leaning in, I whisper, “Take them around. Do something. Go to Paddy’s and tell him to give them free drinks. I need to make sure things are ready.”
    “Can’t. My wee nephew’s having his first communion this weekend, and I have to drive to Cork. My sister’s throwing a bloody fit already that I’m late.”
    Sean talks a mile a minute as we bump down the uneven gravel road leading to the cottages. When we arrive at the turn, he cranks the wheel into the circular drive and then slams the brakes. I bump into his seat and hear groans from people in back.
    The door to our cottage opens. Da walks out in his waders and fishing jacket. He smiles broadly. Walking to the bus, he says, “A fine welcome to you all.”
    The twenty American college students grip their backpacks and climb off the bus. Da winks and gives me the okay sign. He has things ready. I breathe more easily. As Da ushers them away to their new homes, I hear him tell them that he considers them family.
    I’m barely inside our cottage long enough to take off my runners when my phone rings. It’s Fiona. Her voice is high-pitched. “You must think I’m such an eejit for not coming. I got wasted last night and just listened to your message. Didn’t even know you left one.”
    “You have other things than…”
    “You kidding? Paddy just was in the store and told my ma. What can I do?”
    “There’s nothing to do.”
    I change the subject and tell her that the Americans arrived. She pummels me with questions that I don’t know the answers to. No, I didn’t get a good look at them. No, I don’t know how many guys there are. No, there aren’t more men than women. No, I don’t know if they are going to the pubs tonight.
    After much persuasion, Fiona convinces me to meet her at Paddy’s pub later tonight. It is too hard to say no, and I really don’t want to be alone. I need my best friend.

Chapter Seven
    It’s nearly ten o’clock when I get to Paddy’s pub to meet up with Fiona. The wind catches the door behind me, slamming it shut. Inside the pub, it’s warm and musty.
    I expect to see the same people that I usually see on a Saturday