Part 34 (1/2)

'Only-Born. That was Aunt Maisie. She told me to say ”Kilmagoon” to you. She's cleaning the pipes in the bar, but will be going to Minnaunboy to cut Sylvester's hair later. Nicky O'Driscoll's privy got blown away in the gale, and Maire Doig caught a monster conger eel. She's suffering from gossip deprivation. Sleep okay?'

'Like a log.'

A pause while Liam worked up to something.

'Ma are you going to tell everyone about the Americans?'

'I think it's best not to.'

'When are they going to come?'

'I have no idea.'

'Sooner or later?'

'I have no idea.'

'Then when are we going to hide out somewhere?'

'You're going back to university, my boy.'

'And you?'

'As you astutely observed, I'm not James Bond. I can't go on hiding. The only places I would be safe from the Americans are places more dangerous than Saragosa. All I can do is wait for them to come.'

Liam spooned up some milk and dribbled it down into his bowl.

'They can't just abduct an Irish citizen! And you're not exactly n.o.body, either. It would be an international incident. The media would kick up too much fuss.'

'Liam, they are the most powerful people on the planet and they want what is in my head and my black book. Neither international law nor BBC Radio would come into it.'

Liam's forehead knotted up, like it used to before a tantrum. 'But... how are we supposed to live like this? Do we just sit around waiting for you to be got?'

'I wish I had an answer for you, love.'

'It's not fair!'

'No.'

The legs of his chair sc.r.a.ped as he stood up. 'Well, d.a.m.n it all, Ma!'

I didn't know what to say.

'I'm going to go and feed the chickens.' He put his duffle coat over his pyjamas and went out.

I put the kettle on, and waited for it to whistle.

The grandfather clock's pendulum grated like a spade digging far below.

Eighteen years ago I was flat on my back in the bedroom, with Liam tunnelling out of my womb. A windtunnel of agony! I didn't want to give birth on Clear Island I was a research lecturer acquainted with the latest medical technology. That very day I was leaving for Cork to stay with Bella and Alain near a s.h.i.+ny hospital with a cheerful midwife from Jamaica, but Liam had other ideas. Even today he's patient only until he's bored. So instead of my gleaming ward I had Aodhagan's bedroom, my mother, Maisie, an icon of St Bernadette, some anti-faerie herbs, towels and steaming kettles. John was smoking downstairs with Brendan, and Father Wally was on hand with his holy water.

When he was out, as I lay there unst.i.tched, the pain seeping away, Maisie held up Liam! This alien parasite, glistening in mucus? Laugh or cry? Birth had come visiting, just as death will, and everything was perfectly clear. My mother, Maisie, St Bernadette and I shared a few moments, postponing the clodhopping hullabaloo. Maise washed Liam in a tin bath.

It was noon. I felt I was cradling little Apollo.

Liam fed the hook into the mouth of the earthworm. The hook slid deeper into its gut as it squirmed. 'Chew on that, my hermaphrodite.'

'How can you do that and not bring your breakfast up?'

The sea breathed deeply in, and deeply out.

'Ah well, Mam. Life's a b.i.t.c.h, then you die.'

He got up and cast off. I lost sight of the float until the plop sounded. My eyesight is definitely getting worse.

Seals were basking between the rock pools. The bull hauled himself into the sea, and sank from sight for thirty seconds. Thirty yards out his head appeared, reminding me of Planck.

'You must have fished with live bait when you were a girl, Ma?'

'I usually had my head in books. Your grandmother was the real fisherman of the family. She'd be out before dawn on mornings like these. I must have told you a dozen times.'

'You never have. What about Grandpa?'

'His pleasure lay in weaving extraordinary lies.'

'What like?'

'One time he said King Cuchulainn had given Bonnie Prince Charlie all his gold to look after before he went mad and turned into a newt. Bonnie Prince Charlie, running from Napoleon Bonaparte, hid the gold under a stone on Clear Island, and if we looked hard enough we'd be sure to find it. We spent a whole summer, me and the Docherty twins. Then Roland Davitt pointed out the chronological inconsistencies.'

'What did you say to Grandpa?'

'I asked him why he'd lied.'

'What did he say?'

'He told me that no scientist based her research on secondhand data without checking its veracity beforehand, using the Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica in the village school.' in the village school.'

A motor boat crossed the sound. I looked through the binoculars.

'It's okay, Ma. It's only Daibhi O'Bruadair raising his lobster pots.'

Mo, don't be so jumpy! G.o.d knows when you'll next have a free morning with Liam. Could be tomorrow, could be years from now.

For a little while we said nothing, Liam standing there fis.h.i.+ng, and me lying on the warm rock. I listened to the waves breathe through the s.h.i.+ngle.

The rain was falling onto the roofs of Skibbereen, coming out of the guttering in great gurgling arcs and slapping onto the pavements. The nursing home attendant poured one cup of tea in the china teacup. It had a wide brim to hasten thermal equilibrium and a mousepaw-sized handle to hasten spillage. 'I'm sorry the head matron couldn't be here to see you herself, Dr Muntervary... but visitors usually let us know in advance that they'll be paying a call.'

'It's just a flying visit.'