Chapter 5

Day 5

“What time are you getting up?”

“Soon,” Mary replied, “I’ll get straight into the shower and then dressed, but I don’t want to bump into your mum as I’m coming out of your bedroom. What time are you picking your new car up?”

“I think I’ll go early. I’ll eat while you’re up here. Look, Mary, you didn’t expect anything last night, did you ... it’s not that I didn’t want to ... but it just wouldn’t have been right.”

“No, it’s okay,” she said, snuggling up close to him, “ ... but at least now I’ll know what it’s like to share a bed with a gorgeous, naked man; that will have to be enough. And you’ve got nothing to feel guilty about, I came uninvited and of my own free will; if it’s a sin, then it’s my sin and I will ask for His forgiveness.”

At nine-fifteen Tommy Malone got out of bed and Mary watched him quickly dress. When he was ready he leaned across and kissed her cheek.

“You’re definitely the hottest nun I’ve ever slept with! Don’t leave it too long, Love, we’ve still got about a three and a half hour drive ahead of us.”

Mary put on the dressing gown she’d arrived in last night. A few quick steps and she was back in her room. She laid the second red thong and the black bra out on the bed, together with Bernie’s skirt and top; she would ask Tommy to return them the next time that he came up from London. Then with her disposable razor in hand, she walked back to the bathroom. When she’d finished with it, the razor went into the waste bin. Bernie had told her to take the nearly-full packet of new ones with her.

She still got a little thrill when she put on the underwear and the other clothes. She thought about putting on a pair of her new shoes, too, but in the end she settled for the white sandals. All that was left to do was to pack the laundry that Tricia had been kind enough to do for her and to collect up her few bits of dirty clothing that she would wash by hand once she’d settled back in the convent. Her new clothes could go into her case but the shoes she would carry separately. Her own and Sister Catherine’s cases were quite heavy, but Mary got them downstairs in two journeys.

“Are you ready to go, Dear?” Tricia Malone asked her.

“Yes, thank you! I’ll have some breakfast while I’m waiting for Tommy. Can I just thank you again, Tricia, for making me feel so welcome and like part of your family for the last few days.”

“And you know you were very welcome, Dear ... it was just a shame that it had to be under such sad circumstances. We all hope and pray that Sister Catherine makes a full recovery. Just the cereal, Dear?”

Tommy wasn’t long picking up his car: he could have afforded anything he wanted, but such was his practical, down-to-earth nature, that it wasn’t even new, but a year old. Due to his profession, he had to pay a hefty insurance premium, but he’d had the same thing with other cars he’d owned so it came as no surprise.

“All set Mary?”

“Yes, I think so.” Tommy loaded the cases into the back of the Jaguar XF.

“Well, goodbye, Tricia, God Bless!” The two women embraced. “You, too, Love! Take care!” the older woman replied, “ ... And you will call me when you get home, Tommy.” He kissed his mother. “Aye, will do, Ma!”

“ ... Mmm, this is very nice!” Mary commented as she settled back into the leather seat.

“Aye, a bit better than a train, eh! We’ll stop and get a drink on the way, but shout out if you need to stop before then.”

It was a very smooth ride. Mary and Tommy had never had a problem finding things to talk about, but she was quite quiet as they travelled down the different motorways towards London. Tommy pushed on until they got to Newport Pagnell Services. He didn’t need fuel, so he parked the car and they walked across to get some coffee.

“So where exactly do you live, Tommy, you said it wasn’t far from the convent?”

“You said you were in Euston and my house is in Canonbury, that’s only about three miles.”

“That’s quite an expensive area, isn’t it?”

“Aye ... but it’s all relative, as they say. Everywhere in London is expensive, compared to somewhere else, and it’s a nice house in a nice area. I could probably sell it quite quickly, if I wanted to, and get more than I paid for it ... so it’s a bit of an investment, isn’t it.”

“Would you ever move back to Hull?”

“ ... Maybe one day, but we, the band, aren’t at that stage where we only come together to work for a few months a year; it wouldn’t work if I lived there and they all lived down south.”

“What about if the band broke up tomorrow?”

“ ... I don’t know: I’d probably have a break, but then I’d be looking to join or start another one. I’m not a loner, I don’t want a solo career ... again, maybe one day, but not at the moment.” They sat opposite each other with their drinks and sandwiches.

“It’s like your vocation, Mary; you’re a part of a local community, which is part of a national community, which is part of a global community; you couldn’t leave and be an individual contractor ... a nun for hire!” Mary laughed. “No ... and it sounds so funny when you say it like that!”

They had travelled for just over two-thirds of the journey and they had about fifty more miles to go. Even though Mary Teresa had been at the North London convent for some time, she wasn’t really familiar with the area, so although she recognised a few places the nearer they got, she didn’t really know where Tommy was taking her.

It was technically a terraced house, but nothing like the little inner city workers dwellings, characterised in dramas set in the industrial north or London’s East End. This was period Georgian and four-storeys; in a desirable, leafy street. He parked the car and then carried everything inside.

Mary wasn’t sure what to expect from a famous rock star’s home, but having come to know Tommy Malone quite well she wasn’t surprised by it’s cosy simplicity. He wasn’t there much, but at least it felt like a real home and Mary was quite sorry that her stay would be so brief.

“Are you staying for a little while, or do you want to change and get off?” The answer in her head and heart wasn’t the one that came out of her mouth: “Well, I really ought to be getting back, I suppose.”

“Aye. When you’re ready I’ll call a taxi, but I’ll come with you to carry the cases. I’ll show you where to change. If there’s anything that you want to leave here, or for me to take back...”

The next time that Tommy saw her she was once again the young novice nun that he’d seen on the train that first day, although perhaps more confident now than then.

“Before I call the cab, there’s one more thing...” Tommy said. He handed her a small package. “I don’t know what the rules are, Mary, but I got you this phone. The account’s in my name, so you don’t have to worry about paying for calls. There’s instructions in there but I’ve already put my number, this house’s number, Ma and Pa’s and Bernie’s numbers in there. If you ever want anything and I’m not available you can send me a text message. I won’t expect to hear from you, but I’ll be glad if I do.”

Mary was a bit overwhelmed. He was letting her go but he was giving her a way back. Tommy rang for the cab. They didn’t kiss, but they stood holding each other for several minutes until it arrived. With the cases loaded they sat in the back of the cab, not speaking, until it reached its destination. “Can you can wait, please ... I’ll be going back,” he told the cabbie.