One Hundred Names

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Kitty couldn’t sleep the night before Birdie’s excursion. She couldn’t even close her eyes. She had pushed the humiliation of the job interview to the back of her mind, to be dealt with at another time on another day when she had the resources, and right now her mind was on the story, on the people and the trip. She felt nervous. Excited tingles rippled through her stomach, and then the all-too-familiar negative thoughts would immediately follow. What if she had made a mistake in throwing them all together? What if her entire plan of action regarding the angle she was taking was wrong? She felt an overwhelming duty to Constance, and also to Bob, to get it right. Her desire to please Pete no longer existed. He would have to employ some of Constance’s belief and spirit and trust that his writer knew what she was doing. The thing was that she felt that she knew what she was doing; she was back to following her instincts instead of reacting to somebody else’s. That outcome alone from this entire process was enough to celebrate. She had found the confidence to listen to herself again, she was simply worried that her instincts were wrong, that this trip would be a disaster.

As she lay in bed looking at the apartment bathed in blue moonlight she began to think about having to leave it. She had lived there alone for five years, and for four months with Glen. She loved her apartment, was so fond of the space and didn’t want to leave it. She had been lucky to find it, cheeky to threaten her landlord into giving it to her cheaper and now her dastardly ways had come back to haunt her. She was going to be out on her ear in less than a fortnight. Wide awake at the thought of her uncertain future, she threw off the bedcovers and immediately began packing, afraid about the impending trip and afraid to be moving on. By three thirty her clothes were all in suitcases; by 4 a.m. she was fast asleep dreaming of her adventure with six of the one hundred names.

The plan was for Kitty to collect Birdie from the nursing home in a taxi, where the battle-axe had been informed she would be taking Birdie away to stay overnight with her family. In the meantime, she saw the Oldtown Pistols return right on cue, victorious from their win against the Balbriggan Eagles. While on duty, Molly had arranged for the bus to be serviced, concocting a lie about hearing it make a funny noise and that a ‘Pistol’ had reported a funny smell and noise. This was taken seriously and the nurses had agreed to Molly’s arrangements of local man Billy Meaghar to take the bus for a check-up, with strict instructions that it be returned for the Pink Ladies’ bridge night the following evening. For an extra fifty euro Billy had agreed that Molly could take the bus and have it back on time for him to return it to the nursing home the following day.

So far so good.

Birdie and Kitty waited anxiously in the Oldtown café for Molly to arrive with the bus, both waiting for their plan to be overthrown by the battle-axe in the nursing home.

‘How are you feeling?’ Kitty asked Birdie.

‘About the bus?’

‘About the trip,’ Kitty smiled. ‘About going home.’

She sighed, long and hard, and Kitty couldn’t tell if it was contented or loaded with anxiety, or both.

‘I feel excited, but I feel nervous. I only went back there once, for my father’s funeral, and that was forty years ago. This trip has got me thinking. Funny, really, how the mere thought of going back has me disappearing into the memories…’ She trailed off as if getting caught in another web of thoughts of the past. ‘There are so many things I’m remembering that I had completely forgotten.’

‘Are you sure that it’s okay for me to bring others on this journey? I know it’s a very personal one for you.’

‘Kitty, I’m more than happy to meet these people,’ Birdie smiled. ‘It will be intriguing to see who else has been “listed” with me.’

‘Intriguing is one word for it,’ Kitty laughed nervously.

‘You’ve figured it out, haven’t you?’ Birdie asked. ‘The thing that links us all.’

‘Yes,’ Kitty replied, ‘I think I have.’ She respected Birdie for not asking.

‘That’s okay, I have a little secret of my own,’ Birdie chuckled, her eyes sparkling mischievously again. ‘Molly doesn’t know it yet but we have one extra stop to make along the way.’

That stop was Trinity College, Dublin where Birdie’s grandson, Edward, was studying for a law degree. Kitty remembered seeing him visit as she was leaving one time. He was a handsome man in his twenties, responsible and diligent, by the sounds of it, and a fine match for Molly in Birdie’s eyes, though they couldn’t be more like chalk and cheese in Kitty’s.

‘You little romantic,’ Kitty teased.

‘Molly will kill me, no doubt, but Edward needs a kick up the backside. He’s Caroline’s son,’ Birdie said, as if that explained it all. ‘His head is so far in those books, he wouldn’t see a good thing in front of him if it stripped naked and writhed in front of his eyes.’

‘I wouldn’t put that past Molly,’ Kitty said, and Birdie laughed heartily.

Suddenly there was a loud honk of a horn, which made them both jump in their seats, along with the other customers, and they looked out the café window to see Molly behind the wheel, two enthusiastic thumbs up.

‘That’s nice and subtle,’ Kitty mumbled as they made their way out to the bus.

‘I love doing that,’ Molly said happily, closing the doors again and savouring the feeling. She pulled a lever and the doors opened again and then she closed them.

‘Please stop playing with the bus,’ Kitty said nervously, looking around the town. ‘I don’t want to be arrested for theft until after we’ve completed the trip.’

Birdie and Kitty sat in the front row behind Molly, though Kitty had no intention of staying there very long if Molly’s driving skills on the motorbike were anything to go by.

‘There’s even a microphone,’ Molly said excitedly. ‘Next stop,’ she said into the mic, ‘the foothills of the Boggeragh Mountains.’

‘Actually, we also need to stop at Trinity College,’ Kitty interrupted her announcement.

‘I thought we were collecting your gang under the clock at Clerys and going straight to Cork,’ she frowned. ‘Oh, don’t tell me…’ She looked back at Birdie.

‘Keep your eye on the road, child!’ Birdie exclaimed. ‘I want to make it to my eighty-fifth birthday. He doesn’t know he’s coming yet, but he is.’

Molly rolled her eyes and they left Oldtown before anybody else could report seeing them.

They pulled in at Clerys department store on O’Connell Street, and numerous cars and buses behind them sounded their horns in protestation of Molly’s irrational driving.

‘Oh, shut up,’ Molly muttered, putting her hazard lights on. ‘Are they here, Kitty?’

Kitty’s stomach churned as she surveyed the pathway outside of Clerys and spotted them all, some standing in small groups and others alone. Her heart lifted when she saw Ambrose and Eugene standing together, Ambrose’s mop of wild red hair covering her face as she stood side on, looking at her feet, and Eugene lifting his face to the sun happily, no doubt doing his best to distract Ambrose into forgetting she was out in the big bad world surrounded by strangers, distanced from her precious butterflies.

Eva Wu was the first to notice Kitty standing at the open door of the bus. She looked at ‘St Margaret’s’ boldly emblazoned across the side of the bus and threw her a quizzical look. Despite the fact she had numerous gifts to give people at the wedding, she had only an overnight bag and one small carrier bag with her. Kitty guessed the presents would be arriving in another way.

‘Hi, Kitty,’ she said, greeting her with a hug at the door. When the others spotted Kitty they made a move towards the bus and lined up behind Eva. What really surprised Kitty was the sight of Steve, who deliberately waited around to join the end of the queue. She looked at him confused, then continued greeting her guests. ‘What’s with the nursing home sign?’ Eva giggled, stepping on to the bus.

‘All will be revealed,’ Kitty said. ‘Archie!’ she smiled and hugged him as he stepped up next. He stiffened at the personal display of affection.

‘Er, I brought someone, hope you don’t mind. Her name is Regina.’ Archie stepped aside to reveal the mousy woman from the café. ‘I told her about, you know, everything.’

Regina looked up at him with a shy smile and then back to Kitty nervously. She still had that slightly haunted look, afraid that something was going to happen, or wishing it would but afraid it wouldn’t.

‘You’re very welcome, Regina,’ Kitty smiled, shaking her hand, trying to hide her shock but failing miserably.

‘Thank you,’ Regina blushed, looking at Archie nervously.

‘Sit wherever you like.’ Kitty held her hand out and they made their way down the aisle, choosing to sit three rows back. Archie gave Regina the window seat.

Next were Eugene and Ambrose. Kitty gave Eugene a hug and kiss but knew better than to touch Ambrose. She also knew not to make a big deal of her presence. Eugene looked pleased as punch, dressed in his jumper, shirt and bow tie with butterfly images, and Ambrose barely looked Kitty in the eye as she climbed aboard and went straight down the back of the bus. At the very back was a row of five seats, which faced two small tables and two seats on opposite sides. Ambrose unsurprisingly avoided the more social seats and instead sat in the last row of two seats at the back.

Next were Mary-Rose and Sam.

‘Hope you don’t mind her bringing me,’ Sam said.

‘I didn’t expect her to come any other way,’ Kitty teased, noticing Mary-Rose blush, and embracing them both. They went straight to the back of the bus, Sam saying hello to everybody and introducing himself, and immediately the mood picked up.

Next were Jedrek and Achar, and to Kitty’s delight and to the passers-by on O’Connell Street’s amusement, they had brought their pedalo. It took Sam, Jedrek, Achar and Steve to carry it to the boot of the bus, where they managed to turn it sideways and slam the door.

‘What are you doing here?’ Kitty asked Steve as they followed the others onto the bus. ‘Where’s Katja?’

‘She couldn’t make it so I thought I’d be photographer for the next two days.’

‘Steve,’ Kitty said, panicking, ‘you should have told me she couldn’t make it. I need a real photographer for the magazine.’

‘Hold on, before you completely insult me, we both studied photojournalism, remember? I know what I’m doing.’

‘That was ten years ago and you were crap.’

‘I wasn’t crap, I was creative. There’s a difference.’

‘Well, at least get people’s heads in, will you?’

‘Jesus, thanks so much Steve for taking a day off work and offering to help, I really appreciate it,’ he said, insulted.

‘Sorry. Thank you,’ she said sincerely, sitting down. ‘But do not fuck this up.’

He sat beside her in the front row and surveyed the bus of eclectic people. ‘So this is all your hard work. Hey, Kitty, this is cool. I’m really glad you’re doing this.’

She couldn’t think of anything nasty to say at that so instead she smiled and thanked him, genuinely delighted he was here with her on this trip. It felt right.

‘Okay, be quick,’ Molly said a little nervously, looking in her rearview mirror as she pulled in on Nassau Street. ‘I can’t stay here long.’

‘What do you mean, be quick?’

‘You have to go and get Edward. I can’t leave the bus.’

‘Can’t you ring him?’ Kitty asked. ‘He doesn’t even know me.’

‘His phone is off,’ Birdie explained apologetically. ‘He’s studying in the Berkeley Library.’

Kitty and Steve ran from the bus and entered Trinity College through the side entrance. They made their way to the Berkeley Library and asked for Edward Fitzsimons.

‘He can’t be disturbed, he’s working on an assignment with a group and specifically asked not to be disturbed.’

Kitty sighed and stepped back. ‘Let’s go,’ she said to Steve. ‘We’ll have to tell Birdie he’s busy.’

‘What, and break that old woman’s heart? She’s going on an adventure of a lifetime – I’m excited and I don’t even know her – and if she was my grandmother I wouldn’t want to miss it.’

‘But you heard what she said.’

‘Come on,’ he looked at her. ‘Can’t hard-hitting reporter Katherine Logan come up with something clever to get him out here?’

‘Not any more,’ Kitty said firmly. ‘That’s not who I am any longer. Besides, you hated that part of me.’ She didn’t mean to turn this conversation so serious, not now, not when there was a nursing home bus filled with eleven people and a pedalo waiting for them on double yellow lines, but she couldn’t help it.

Steve fixed her with that look again, the one from yesterday that sent shivers running down her spine. She tried to shake it away, suddenly uncomfortable. ‘Anyway, it doesn’t matter.’ She turned and left the library.

‘Kitty,’ she felt his hand on her arm, ‘I didn’t mean all of those things.’

‘Yes you did.’

‘Okay, some of them. I meant some of them. But I don’t hate that part of you, I just didn’t want it to be all of who you are and I felt that’s what was happening.’

‘So I’ve taken that on board and I’m never going to be like that again.’

He looked at her disbelievingly. ‘Of all the days… Can’t you be the wicked lying reporter one last time?’

‘So you’re giving me permission now?’

‘There’s a time and a place. Do your worst,’ he smiled.

‘Okay.’ She straightened up and went back to the desk. ‘Hello again, I’m very sorry to bother you but it’s vital that I speak with Edward. I didn’t want to have to do it like this but we’re here about his grandmother, Birdie. She passed away and we really need to tell him in person.’ Kitty heard an audible gasp from Steve behind her and she tried not to smile as the librarian quickly made her way down the hall to get Edward.

Fifteen minutes and dozens of apologies later, they were back on the road and Edward had sat beside his grandmother and was asking twenty questions about the trip ahead.

‘So you’re sure you’re okay?’

‘Yes I’m fine.’

‘You’re not… dying.’

‘Well, we’re all dying, dear, and I’m probably a lot closer to it than you,’ she teased.

‘I wouldn’t say that,’ Molly interrupted. ‘He could go any second.’

‘Especially with your driving,’ he shot back. ‘So whose great idea was it to steal the bus?’

Molly looked away from the mirror and whistled loudly.

‘Did you even think to ask me to drive?’ Edward asked.

‘Oh, yes, there is nothing more I’d love than to spend four hours to Cork in your honky-tonk of metal.’

‘Just because your motorbike is so much more elaborate than mine.’

‘At least it doesn’t break down every five minutes.’

‘At least I actually know how to drive without putting other people’s lives at stake.’

‘What?’ Molly asked, eyes narrowing at Edward in the rearview mirror. ‘What are you looking at me like that for?’

‘I’m just wondering why it’s blue. Of all the colours. Blue.’

‘I chose it to match your personality,’ she shot back.

So Edward and Molly were well acquainted with one another, then. Kitty caught Birdie smiling to herself before she turned to look out of the window.

Kitty stood and made her way to the microphone at the front of the bus. Sam immediately started to whoop and shouted for her to sing, everyone laughed and she had all eyes on her.

‘I’m definitely not going to sing,’ Kitty said.

‘Trust me,’ Steve called out, and they all laughed.

‘I just want to say a few words to you about the trip. I know most of you have no idea what exactly is going on here and I really appreciate you turning up and coming on the journey with me. In fact, to be truthful, it’s all of you who have taken me on a journey.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Sadly, I lost my friend and editor to cancer a few weeks ago and it fell to me to write the story that got away from her. The only clue I had as to what this story is about was all of your names – plus ninety-four other people who couldn’t fit on the bus today.’

They laughed.

‘I had no idea what it was that Constance wanted me to write but the more I speak to you, the more I get to know you, some so far better than others, the more I feel the story is writing itself because you are all remarkable people with fascinating stories and I thank you for sharing them with me. Particularly at a time when…’ She heard the shake in her voice and she stopped to compose herself. That got the complete attention of everyone, all eyes on her, even Molly’s. ‘Keep your eyes on the road,’ Kitty said, which broke the tension and she was able to finish. ‘Particularly at a time when I really needed this. I know that I have pestered and annoyed many of you, that I’ve showed up in your lives when you haven’t wanted me to, to talk about things you may not have wanted to talk about, but again I appreciate your patience and hope that you understand that I have invested everything into you, into getting to know you, into hearing your stories, into doing your stories justice. I have learned a lot from you all, you have moved me and, dare I say it, made me a better person and helped me back on track.’

She could see Ambrose in particular staring at her with that powerful stare.

‘So. Let me introduce you all. We have a long way to go so I’m sure you all will have the opportunity to speak to one another and discover each other’s stories, apart from this man.’ She pointed out Steve. ‘He is not here for his story, he has none, he’s just my friend so don’t talk to him.’

They all laughed and Steve threw her a face.

‘Maybe he’ll tell us your story, Kitty,’ Jedrek shouted from the back, and they laughed.

‘No, believe me, you don’t want to hear that.’

‘You should have read the paper on Sunday,’ Steve shouted down, and those who understood the joke laughed.

‘Thank you for that, Steve. But first I’d like to introduce you to the main woman. Our birthday girl, Birdie Murphy.’ There was a round of applause and everybody started singing ‘Happy Birthday to You’.

The atmosphere couldn’t have been any more special as everybody mixed, mingled and there was a real sense of celebration and jubilation on the bus. When she sat down next to Steve, Kitty couldn’t hide the contented smile on her face.

‘Look at you, happy head,’ he said, ruffling her hair affectionately.