hair and it was now sticking up in thick, dark clumps all over his head. Blast it anyway, Finn thought, trying to smooth it down, and thinking it was a very good thing that he and Lucy had to make themselves look presentable only now and again.
While she looked fantastic after a stint in the salon the day before, he was very definitely letting the side down, what with his sticky-out hair and a five-year-old suit that was crying out to be replaced. It was in fact a blessing that he’d even remembered to shave this morning, so unused was he to dressing up for formal gatherings like these. It had been what, a year, eighteen months since the last one?
Having done his best with his unruly hair, Finn locked the front door and went outside to where Lucy was waiting patiently alongside the Jeep.
Now his heart melted at the sight of her downcast expression, and for the first time that day he reminded himself that even though this was a celebration, at the same time it might not be so easy for her. Maternal instinct and all that.
“Hey, I’m sorry for shouting at you, OK?” he said, unlocking the car and letting her in the passenger seat. “I was in a hurry and it’s getting late, and you know how I much I hate being late, don’t you?”
Refusing to meet his eye, Lucy settled herself on the front seat.
OK, so he wasn’t getting away with it that easily today, Finn thought with a sigh.
He started the engine, deciding he was probably better off just staying quiet and letting her sulk away to herself a while. She’d snap out of it–eventually.
They were halfway to the school before he spoke again; the traffic from Balbriggan to Dublin–much to Finn’s satisfaction–being pretty light for a Friday morning, road works notwithstanding.
“I know these things can be hard for you Luce, hell they’re hard for me too in a way, but it’ll be a great day, and you should be very proud. This is what–the fourth of these things we’ve been to, and not one of our lot have ever failed to make the grade, have they?”
He glanced sideways at her to see if his words were having any effect, but Lucy continued staring straight forward, her gaze fixated on the road in front.
“I know you’ll miss them; I’ll miss them too, but they’re at the age now where they need to make their own way in the world. And they’ll be fine; you and I have made sure of that, haven’t we?”
But it seemed there was still no consoling poor Lucy today. Fully-grown adults or not, at the moment she was still missing her babies, although Finn knew that this would change once the ceremony took place, and she realised just how much they’d achieved and what a good job she and Finn had done in helping them get there.
“You’re the best – you know that don’t you?” he said, reaching across and touching her gently on the shoulder, wishing again that instead of nagging her to hurry up, he’d had the good sense to try and understand what she might be going through.
Still there was nothing he could do or say now, he thought, pulling into the school gates. They were here, and judging from the number of people milling outside the main hall, the ceremony was just about to begin.
“Finn–up here! I’ve saved a seat for you!” As he and Lucy entered the hall, Finn looked up to see his colleague Angela waving at them from the front row.
Ignoring a deep sigh (for some reason Lucy had never really taken to Angela), he made his way through the crowds to where she sat.
“Hey,” he said, taking the chair alongside her. “Thanks for that. Busy here today, isn’t it?”
“It sure is. Did you two get a chance to see the guys beforehand? Are they all really excited?”
Finn fixed her with a look and muttered out of the corner of mouth. “No, I always think it’s better for Lucy that we
While she looked fantastic after a stint in the salon the day before, he was very definitely letting the side down, what with his sticky-out hair and a five-year-old suit that was crying out to be replaced. It was in fact a blessing that he’d even remembered to shave this morning, so unused was he to dressing up for formal gatherings like these. It had been what, a year, eighteen months since the last one?
Having done his best with his unruly hair, Finn locked the front door and went outside to where Lucy was waiting patiently alongside the Jeep.
Now his heart melted at the sight of her downcast expression, and for the first time that day he reminded himself that even though this was a celebration, at the same time it might not be so easy for her. Maternal instinct and all that.
“Hey, I’m sorry for shouting at you, OK?” he said, unlocking the car and letting her in the passenger seat. “I was in a hurry and it’s getting late, and you know how I much I hate being late, don’t you?”
Refusing to meet his eye, Lucy settled herself on the front seat.
OK, so he wasn’t getting away with it that easily today, Finn thought with a sigh.
He started the engine, deciding he was probably better off just staying quiet and letting her sulk away to herself a while. She’d snap out of it–eventually.
They were halfway to the school before he spoke again; the traffic from Balbriggan to Dublin–much to Finn’s satisfaction–being pretty light for a Friday morning, road works notwithstanding.
“I know these things can be hard for you Luce, hell they’re hard for me too in a way, but it’ll be a great day, and you should be very proud. This is what–the fourth of these things we’ve been to, and not one of our lot have ever failed to make the grade, have they?”
He glanced sideways at her to see if his words were having any effect, but Lucy continued staring straight forward, her gaze fixated on the road in front.
“I know you’ll miss them; I’ll miss them too, but they’re at the age now where they need to make their own way in the world. And they’ll be fine; you and I have made sure of that, haven’t we?”
But it seemed there was still no consoling poor Lucy today. Fully-grown adults or not, at the moment she was still missing her babies, although Finn knew that this would change once the ceremony took place, and she realised just how much they’d achieved and what a good job she and Finn had done in helping them get there.
“You’re the best – you know that don’t you?” he said, reaching across and touching her gently on the shoulder, wishing again that instead of nagging her to hurry up, he’d had the good sense to try and understand what she might be going through.
Still there was nothing he could do or say now, he thought, pulling into the school gates. They were here, and judging from the number of people milling outside the main hall, the ceremony was just about to begin.
“Finn–up here! I’ve saved a seat for you!” As he and Lucy entered the hall, Finn looked up to see his colleague Angela waving at them from the front row.
Ignoring a deep sigh (for some reason Lucy had never really taken to Angela), he made his way through the crowds to where she sat.
“Hey,” he said, taking the chair alongside her. “Thanks for that. Busy here today, isn’t it?”
“It sure is. Did you two get a chance to see the guys beforehand? Are they all really excited?”
Finn fixed her with a look and muttered out of the corner of mouth. “No, I always think it’s better for Lucy that we
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