RIDE THE TIDE

 

 

Chapter 13-The Send Off:

 

When Penny awoke on Saturday morning she smelled rain. A look out the open casement window confirmed it was very wet out in the yard. Wouldn’t you know it, she thought, a shopping day planned and it would rain. She eased herself from under Tom’s arm and out of the bed, intending to try out the new kettle and instant coffee in his office. It was very early and the room was still in semi darkness but she managed a cup, took it to the window seat and sat watching the puddles bounce in the yard. She was looking forward to the day and spending time with Janey.  With the children and Janey’s home chores there hadn’t been much time to talk. Today, Peter would be taking the children to the Thompson’s dairy farm for an overnight visit so Janey would be free.

 

There was no Penny in the bed when Tom woke, but he smelled coffee and thought what a good idea she'd had about the kettle.  He rolled out of bed and found her on the window seat watching the rain.

 

“Better get a pair of wellies today,” he said as he leaned over Penny and looked at the sky. He had to tell her they were rubber boots. Penny smiled, looking up at Tom, and he pulled her against him. “Stores don’t open until 10:00,” he said, leading her back to bed.

 

Janey picked Penny up in her old Rover and the two women set off for Harrogate. It was still raining and Penny had donned her ratty old raincoat while Janey wore a waterproof anorak.  Janey was excited to have a day out and at the prospect of a new outfit for tonight.  "My wardrobe consists mostly of jeans and pullovers, " she shrugged.  "A couple of church dresses and that's the lot. Dogs don’t care what you wear and I spend a lot of time working in the greenhouse, too."

 

Penny nodded understandingly. "What I have with me would fit in my purse."

 

Janey found a car park and they set off for the shops.  Penny told Janey what Tom had said about some things for cooler weather. In one store she found a black v-neck cashmere pullover and grey tweed slacks.  Janey was having fun finding things for Penny, she kept bringing outfits to the dressing room and Penny would model. Cream-colored knitted sweater and tan corduroy jeans, a glen plaid skirt and oatmeal cashmere pullover, a velvet blazer, went into the pile.  Penny picked a tan wool wrap coat and several long sleeve knit tops. Down the street they found brown and black boots and a pair black sling-back heels. Another store provided the wellies and an anorak for the farm.

 

Piling the purchases in the back of Janey’s Rover, they decided they needed sustenance before they looked for dresses. They found a small café and, arranging their damp wraps over the back of the chairs, they studied the menu.

 

Penny looked over the top of her menu at Janey. "I've never bought so many things at one time in my life. It worries me, you know,  the amount of Tom’s money I spent."

 

"Don't worry yourself, Penny. Tom has the money and it's about time he spent some of it on something besides plane tickets."

 

They ordered their meal of chicken breast in pastry with a parsley sauce and salad.  Janey ordered gin and tonics for both of them. "I'll need it when it comes time to try on dresses!"

 

Their next trek took them to the end of the street into a little boutique Janey loved.  The sales lady was very helpful, filling their dressing rooms with dresses for the evening and several outfits for Penny to try on for the service on Sunday. They discussed whether people still wore black to funerals anymore and decided only old women and widows still adhered to that custom. Penny chose a mossy green suit with a fitted jacket and an A-line skirt.  It was made of light-weight wool and would see her through the winter. Janey decided she would have a new outfit for the service, too, and settled on a dark blue two piece dress with long sleeves. Janey had a hard time trying to find things that fit due to her short stature and there was no time for alterations.  She was getting frustrated when the sales lady came in with a short black dress with a deep v-neck that showed off her figure and a bit of cleavage.

 

"That's the one!" Penny grinned. "Look no further."

 

Penny had narrowed her choices down to two dresses, the aqua green silk that hugged her figure with a slight flare to the skirt, or the black and white dress with a fitted waist and an off the shoulder neckline. Janey told her the silk dress looked best with her coloring and the decision was made. While the sales lady was totaling up their purchases, Penny wandered over to a table with bras and panties, quickly picked up six pair and added them to her bill.  Janey was fingering a silk camisole but put it back. Penny picked it up and added it on her bill and handed it to Janey.

 

“Treat yourself,” she smiled fondly.

 

Janey hugged her. "It's hard for me to buy things that aren't practical."  Then she remembered Anna’s tights and, shopping finished, they walked back to the Rover, loaded with packages. The rain had stopped.

 

On the way home Janey talked a little about the wake.  "I remember my grandfather’s. It should be a grand evening. You're in for a treat."  She wouldn't elaborate.

 

Janey pulled in next to the door of the bungalow and after several trips Penny had her purchases inside. "I really enjoyed the day," she smiled, giving Janey a wave as she backed out to go home.

 

After hanging up her new clothes she decided she would walk up and see Anna. Akkers was finishing up in the kitchen and getting ready to go home to get Donnie his tea. Penny stopped at the door to the passageway. Someone was playing the piano.

 

"'Tis Anna," Akkers explained. "She's been playin' for some time and sad it is, playin' her sorrow."

 

Penny decided not to interrupt and walked back to the bungalow.

 

Tom had left before Penny got back and she and Anna were to ride with Janey and Peter to Knaresborough. Dressed in her new finery, Penny worked on her hair. Pulling it back on one side seemed to give her a sophisticated look, she thought. She pulled Jess’s soft cream cardigan out for a wrap and walked up to the house. Anna, dressed in a pale blue silk dress with a matching cardigan, was in the kitchen with a cup of tea.  She smiled broadly when she saw Penny. "You'll knock Tommy’s lights out with that outfit."

 

Tom and Davey were surrounded by Cox relatives and friends at the bar in the public room of The Black Bull. Jamey was pulling pints as fast as he could and setting them up on the bar.  There was much laughter and tale-telling going on. Tom, not having seen his cousins in many years, had much to catch up on.

 

The room was filling up fast. Over in the corner Young Cox and Mickey Brannigan were tuning up.  Mickey was an Irish piper. One side of the room contained several tables pushed together and covered with black cloths. On this a buffet was set out and Davey’s waitress was behind the tables to help serve. Extra tables and chairs had been brought in from the tap room and set about the floor for the invited guests. On the door leading into the bar was a sign that said 'private party'.

 

A special table had been set up next to the stage for the family and Anna was led there by Molly. Some of the elderly relatives were coming by to say hello. Janey and Penny walked over to the bar. Janey noticed the brothers Cox had been in their cups for awhile. Peter was elbowing his way to the bar for a pint and, at last, Tom turned around and saw Penny. His lips parted and he just stared at her for a moment before sliding off the barstool and pulling her to him. 

 

“You are so beautiful, Penny, my breath is quite taken away.”

 

By now, all the bar patrons were watching and cat calling. Tom introduced Penny as his wife-

to- be and received a cheer in response. Penny thought Tom looked pretty good, too.  He had dressed in black trousers and a white tuxedo shirt opened at the collar.  By now the sleeves were rolled up and his hair was falling from a center part flipping over his face. He had trimmed his beard, she noticed.

 

Davey came around the corner of the bar and gave Penny a quick hug. "You look good enough to eat!" he grinned.

 

He was dressed in the same outfit as Tom, his shirt opened a few more buttons and his hair pulled back in a ponytail with loose ends waving around his face. He turned and saw Janey and gave her a wolf whistle that brought all the heads around at the bar.

 

By now Young and Mickey had their act together and were playing Irish folk songs. The crowd was beginning to find their seats. A young man set two microphones on the stage and brought two bar stools to set behind them. Tom and Davey walked between the tables and took their places. Penny turned to Janey and raised her eyebrows but Janey simply smiled. The brothers picked up the guitars against the wall and began to strum, watching each other until they got it right.

 

They began with Irish Eyes are Smiling and continued on with several sing-a-long songs, some Penny knew and sang with them and some she didn’t and just listened to their voices. Davey was an Irish tenor and Tom sang in a smoky baritone.  Some songs would be sung by Davey and some by Tom and some they sang together, complementing each other.

 

They took a break for the pints Jamey sent over, then continued. The piper and fiddler left the stage and Tom took the microphone. “We’re going to play a song that we wrote for Mum many years ago. It’s called Anna’s song.” The brothers began to play, then Tom's voice floated into the room. Penny, her own eyes wet, looked over to Anna and saw the love for her boys shining through her glistening eyes as tears rolled unheeded down her face. When they finished the song it was quiet for a moment then the applause began.

 

Young Cox mounted the stage and began to play the intro. The brothers put their guitars down and stood for the last song. Davey began O Danny Boy and Tom joined in the chorus.  Everyone in the pub stood up and there wasn't a dry eye in the room by the time they'd finished. They left the stage and went back to the bar. Toasts were now going down for Old John Cox.

 

Young Cox walked over to the table and spoke to Anna. He said he reckoned Old John got a fair send off tonight and if she ever needed a fiddler he was at her service, said he wasn’t good for much else. Anna thanked him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Young Cox was John’s brother.

Anna got up, walked over to the bar and was toasted by the crowd. She sought out her sons, giving each of them a hug and a kiss. "Thank you for tonight. It lifted my spirits."

 

Peter and Janey came over and asked Anna if she were ready to go.

 

"Yes," Anna replied softly, looking around the room one last time. "It's been a wonderful evening."

 

Penny had been introduced to so many people tonight her head was swimming. She wasn't sure if it were magnified by the lager she had consumed or the emotional experience of Tom on the stage.  Taking her glass, she wandered over towards the bar to find him.

 

People were beginning to leave now and Molly and the waitress began clearing off the tables. Molly noticed a girl standing in the shadows by the door. She didn’t recognize her and asked one of her cousins who she was. They said she was a friend of Jamey’s sister, Nancy, but they didn’t know her.

 

Nancy was in the kitchen helping to dispose of the leftover food. Molly came through with a tray of plates and silverware. "Who's your friend out by the door?" Molly asked.

 

Nancy put her hand over her mouth. She had completely forgotten Lynne.

 

Lynne Manning had been watching him from the moment she arrived. Nancy hadn’t bothered to introduce her and he had not noticed her in the crowd. She watched him sing, the way he moved and the way he laughed.  She was intrigued, deciding definitely she would be back.

 

 

ON TO PART 14

 

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