Chapter 4

Everyone slept in. Well, it’d been a late night with a lot of tension. Aibhilin was the first to wake, and snuggled happily between Rhiannon and Carole for a few minutes before deciding that she was hungry. Turning slightly, she kissed her grandmother’s cheek.

She whispered, “Máthair mhór.” (Granny)

Rhiannon stirred and yawned. “Uachtarán grámhara.” (Beloved granddaughter)

“Tá ocras orm.” (I’m hungry.)

“Come on, then. Try not to disturb Carole.”

“Ceart go leor.” (Okay)

Rhiannon rolled carefully out of bed so as not to bounce the mattress, and Aibhilin followed. Carole stirred for a moment, but her breathing steadied and she remained asleep.

In the kitchen, Rhiannon quickly put together an Irish breakfast, including colcannon, black pudding, plus the usual bacon, egg, sausage and beans, and brewed a pot of tea. Aibhilin., despite her youth, needed only a little help with cutting up the bacon and sausage. Both had mugs of tea, though Aibhilin’s had a lot of milk in. They’d all but finished, having rounded off the repast with toast, marmalade and orange juice, when Harry and Kat shuffled in, both appearing a little the worse for wear.

“Well, well,” Rhiannon chuckled, having had time to wake up properly.

Kat merely smiled and leant against Harry.

“Mummy! Daddy!” Aibhilin abandoned her remaining toast to trot across the room to her parents. Kat picked her up for a cuddle, then passed her to Harry, who held her to him enjoying the contact, and the scent, of his daughter. After a few minutes, though, he put her back in her place.

“Finish your breakfast, love.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Rhiannon was pouring a mug of tea for Kat as Harry straightened up. “Any chance of coffee, Rhiannon?”

“Surely. I started the machine when I heard you stirring.”

Aibhilin clambered down from the booster-seat which enabled her to eat at the table. Rhiannon shook her head slightly at the precocious behaviour of her granddaughter, which Kat and Harry seemed to take in their stride. “Where are you going, young lady?”

“Ca’ole.”

“Ceart go leor. Don’t wake her, though. Just cuddle.”

The little girl pulled the door (which wasn’t fully shut) open by its edge, and went through. She clambered upstairs to her room. Carole was whimpering in her sleep. Aibhilin climbed into bed and cuddled up to Carole, who calmed immediately.

It was actually over an hour later that Carole began to stir. As she surfaced, she was aware of the warmth of Aibhilin’s slight form against her, and looked down to see a pair of green eyes gazing back.

“Well, Sweetie, shall I get up?” Carole asked, feeling that she was falling into those green wells.

Aibhilin gazed back, delving into Carole’s psyche. She found a well of sadness there, but it was no longer the crippling cancer of repressed memory. She crept up and gently kissed the older girl – a kiss that was partly ‘little girl’, and partly ... young witch.

Normally, Aibhilin would have insisted on making her own way downstairs, just as a matter of pride, but she made no objection to being cuddled as Carole carried her back to the kitchen.

As Carole entered, still bearing traces of her sleep, Kat smiled at her. “Good morning! How do you feel today?”

Carole put Aibhilin down and took her place at the table. She frowned in thought. “Sad. Relieved. Horrified. Um ... My mum and dad loved me, and I know it now. The way they died...” she trailed off. “Their murderers, they won’t hurt anyone ever again, will they?”

“No, dear. Apart from the leader, they’re all dead, and he, well, he’s truly facing justice – and not what passes for justice in our world.”

Carole nodded. “But what do I do now? That ... Being. Viviane. She said I wasn’t to worship her. That there was another way, another destiny for me.”

“You don’t have to make a decision right now, dear. Just be yourself.”

“But who am I? I don’t know. I don’t think I ever knew. Not since my parents died, anyway.”

“Oh, my dear! Knowing yourself is a lifetime exploration! You might try Yoga, or Buddha. There’s the Kabala, and Sufism. In the meantime, though, take that job in the cafe. Live here with us.” Kat placed a plate piled up with fried food in front of her. “And build up your strength with this. Would you like tea, or coffee? Orange juice?”

Carole picked up her knife and fork. “This morning? Coffee, I think.”

Outside, the remains of the snow from the confrontation were being buried as a more natural snowfall began. By the time Carole was finished with her breakfast and everyone was washed and dressed for the day, it was late morning and snowing in earnest; there were several inches lying on the ground.

Harry had disappeared into the lounge to work and Kat took charge of getting everyone dressed for the outdoors. “We’ll build a snowman and have lunch in the cafe,” she announced. “Carole, you can arrange with Terry when you want to start.”

And so it worked out. They were far from the only family group to enjoy the snow, and there were several which had obviously been there for some time. Quickly the large grassy area was dotted with snow figures. The cafe was crowded and noisy when they went for lunch, but they still had soup and a main course. Terry came over to speak to them.

“Hey, Carole! When do you think you could start?”

“When do you want me?”

“Right now wouldn’t be too soon, love.”

Carole looked around at the others. Kat was smiling. “You could do a couple of hours.”

She looked down at her clean plate and picked up her mug of tea. “Okay.”

Kat, and Rhiannon stood. “See you later, love.”

Aibhilin slid off the booster on her chair. “Ca’ole?”

“I’m going to stay and do a little work, Sweetie.”

The little girl pouted for a moment, but lifted her hands. “Ki’?”

Carole smiled, drained her mug and stood, then picked her up for a cuddle and a kiss, “I’ll see you at tea-time, Sweetie.” Then watched as the two adults, each holding a hand, left; Aibhilin looking over her shoulder at Carole as they went through the door.

Carole’s first couple of hours at the cafe were hectic, but undemanding; she merely had to collect used cutlery and crockery, fill the dishwasher, and wipe tables. With the busyness, though, that was non-stop.

As they were closing up, Terry and the other girls were smiling at her.

“You’ll do okay, I think,” Terry told her. “We’ll introduce you to the till and so on ... tomorrow?”

“What time?”

“Oh, we open at nine. Come ... oh ... a quarter to, so you can help us open up and learn the routine.”

When Kat, Rhiannon and Aibhilin left the cafe, it was still snowing gently. There was little wind and the overcast had thinned so that it was quite bright. They didn’t stop for the playground (which was under over six inches of snow) and the adults thought Aibhilin was a little young for snowball fights, so they set off for home. They did take the opportunity to pick up some supplies, however; Harry would have had sandwiches for his lunch and Kat was determined to give him a hot meal.