Saving Christmas in the Little Irish Village (The Little Irish Village #5)

Chapter 10

10

Nora’s hands clapped together in delight. ‘Our first grandchild! Oh, Liam!’ Happy tears rolled down her cheeks while Liam slapped James on the back.

Group hugs were had before questions began firing from the laptop and those in the kitchen.

‘Have you felt sick?’

‘What’s your due date?’

‘Do you know what you’re having?’

‘It’s way too early for that, Dad, and we won’t be finding out the baby’s sex. We don’t care one way or the other.’

‘No, I don’t either, of course, but a little boy would be nice. You know, even up the odds,’ Liam said.

Shannon laughed.

‘The little bean will be what he, she or they will be, Liam,’ Kitty declared.

‘That’s very modern of you, Nan.’

‘I’m up with the play.’

The laughter, love and excitement filled the kitchen from near and as far away as London, New York and Massachusetts.

The celebration didn’t take long to spill through to the pub. Looking around at the familiar faces putting the world to rights over their pints or tipples of choice, Hannah wished the twins and their fellas were here to celebrate the happy news, too. Her eyes settled on James, who had his arm wrapped protectively around Maeve’s shoulder while gazing adoringly at Shannon.

What would it be like to have Dylan look at her like that? An unidentifiable quiver shot through her at the very thought.

But then she remembered that James had recently lost his mother, and Maeve her long-lost daughter. They must wish she was still with them to share the happy news, and for a moment, sadness weighed down on her shoulders. The thought that Hazel, with her angel wings, would look down on this happy scene, watching over her birth mother, son, and Shannon, cheered her up.

After congratulating her sister and chatting a bit, Hannah was happy to sit back and soak up the pub’s cosy atmosphere. She took it all in, skimming over the fittings and furnishings of the Shamrock Inn to the frames hung haphazardly with photographs of Emerald Bay’s villagers, both present and past. The pictures alluded to the strong sense of community that kept its residents here.

The absence of a Christmas tree was noted, as was the lack of festive decorations. It was unlike Mam to leave this so late, but she’d been busier than usual, keeping an eye on Dad. Given the countdown to Christmas was on, Hannah had no doubt she’d be roped into draping tinsel and whatnot and helping her dad fetch the Nordmann fir that would tower precariously in the corner of the Shamrock this year.

The thought of choosing Christmas trees saw her mind turn toward Tom. She prided herself on being a good judge of character. How had she managed to fail so miserably where he was concerned? It was his hand offered to help her up earlier that had thrown her, she decided. It had been a solid, trustworthy grip, of someone who had principles. A comforting hand…

‘Hannah, help Chloe behind the bar, would you?’ Liam called over, pushing her thoughts about the architectural arse aside as he shattered her intentions to lounge fireside, drink in hand.

Hannah had fancied whiling away the afternoon accepting complimentary beverages and congratulations on the happy news once it was announced there would be a new generation of Kellys and that she would be an aunt. It was an important role, after all. She sighed. Her mam and dad deserved to savour the news alongside Shannon, James and Maeve. She wouldn’t make a fuss.

Then, seeing Imogen flop into the seat she’d had her eye on, she hesitated, pulling a face. The only reason Dad had pointed the finger at her to help out was because Imogen was with Ryan. It wasn’t fair, she thought with a pang for Dylan. If he was here with her, Imo might have to get off her arse and help out. However, this wasn’t the time for foot stamping, and she slid in behind the bar, greeting Chloe, who was pouring Enda Dunne his pint of Guinness.

‘How’re you, young Hannah?’ Enda called over.

‘Grand, Enda.’ She smiled down the bar to where the retired farmer was perched on his usual barstool. She was the only one of the Kelly sisters whose name he got right. It was down to her hair, she’d decided. ‘How’s tricks?’

‘They’d be better if your father was pulling me a pint. Liam Kelly’s a man who knows how to pour a Guinness.’ He glowered at Chloe.

But she wasn’t in the least fazed as she told him to stop his moaning because, sure, wasn’t she taught by the maestro himself, before rolling her eyes at Hannah.

Hannah grinned at the young girl who helped out behind the bar at the Shamrock and began serving the regulars. She’d know her way around the bar with a blindfold, she thought, going through the motions. The Guinness mirror could do with a wipe, and as for the bric-a-brac crowded in between glasses and bottles, she could see Mam handing her a bottle of Brasso and a cloth this week, too. There was no such thing as free lodgings under the Kelly family roof!

Dermot Molloy, the butcher, was chatting with her when a lull in his monologue about the art of sausage-making gave her the chance to bring up the new development. But all she managed to get out was, ‘Dermot, it can’t go ahead,’ before her dad began to ring the bell. Slowly, the general hubbub of chatter filling the pub died away until only the crackle of the logs in the fireplace could be heard.

‘Nora and I have an announcement to make on behalf of the Kelly family.’

Clearly, Dad had decided her eldest sister’s news was his to share.

Shannon, who was nursing an orange juice, turned pink, and James’s chest puffed out as he rested his hand on her shoulder. The proud daddy-to-be.

Nora moved to stand alongside her husband while Kitty nearby couldn’t contain her smile. She was fidgeting from foot to foot, fit to burst with the happy news herself.

Liam cleared his throat and received a ‘get on with it’ elbow in the ribs from Nora. ‘The Kelly family has some happy news to share with you all. We’ve just been given an unexpected and exciting early Christmas gift. Our beautiful eldest daughter Shannon and her, er…’

‘Partner,’ Nora hissed.

‘Partner, James, have just told us that, come summer, we’re to be grandparents!’

Excited chatter whipped up like embers being fanned into flame, and someone – Hannah couldn’t see who but fancied it was Evan Kennedy – called out, ‘Congratulations!’

‘There’s a free drink at the bar for you to celebrate this happy day with the family and me. And when you’ve all freshened your glasses, I hope you’ll join me in toasting the parents-to-be,’ Liam announced, receiving more cheers.

‘Not a long-drawn-out one, like, Liam.’

Now that was definitely Evan Kennedy, Hannah thought before adding a silent, ‘Thanks a million, Dad.’ Then, turning to Chloe, she said, ‘Brace yourself. We’re about to be run off our feet.’

Chloe barely managed a nod before stools and chairs were scraped back so swiftly some were in danger of toppling over. The sound was thunderous, like the annual buffalo migration in America, as the villagers stampeded for the bar. It was every man, woman and even child for themselves because the free drink must apply to fizz and hopefully a bag of crisps, too!

Some ten minutes later, with the expectant parents toasted, Hannah and Chloe wiped their brows and exchanged a mutual glance of ‘thank goodness that’s over’. Chloe shot off to the loo, and Hannah began stacking the glass washer. She was aware of someone having appeared at the bar waiting to be served, and after setting the washer to run, she looked up with a smile.

But it faded when she saw who was standing there.