IRISH BLUE 2 THE SONG OF THE STONES A novel by Sheila Willar Copyright 2016 Sheila Willar ISBN 978-0-9867101-4-8 You are living stones, being built up into a spiritual house … 1 Peter 2:5
CHAPTER 2 ............................ SECRETS
Erin’s father, Patrick Morgan, had left Ireland over twenty-three years ago to look for work and he never returned. At least that is what his family believed. He had found new employment in England and at first he faithfully sent money back home every week. He didn’t go back to Ireland regularly because he didn’t want to spend what little money he had on travel, and then he discovered that there was lots of employment to be had on the weekends, so he stayed and worked as much as possible.
Eventually he was able to save enough to warrant a more lengthy trip back home, but he had been gone for so long that his wife, Kerry, told him not to bother. She said that if he didn’t want to see her or the children then she didn’t want to see him or his money. From that point on, their relationship dissolved and Kerry raised the children on her own with the help of her brother, Father Michael.
Patrick took the separation hard and buried himself in his work, to the point that over the years he became the owner of the company and turned it into an internationally successful business. He had a keen eye for detail and an insistence on integrity that helped him win the trust of his clients and employees in the construction industry. On the surface he had everything a person could want in life, except contact with his family who had disowned him for abandonment. They asked him to stay away, which he mostly honoured, that is, until Father Michael contacted him about a package he received in the post.
“You’ll have to come right away,” urged Father Michael.
“I’ll take care of it from here.”
“No. You don’t understand. It’s from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. It’s about Gift and Inheritance Taxes.”
“I’ll have someone take a look at it.”
“No! They’ve already set up a meeting for you and me in Dublin.”
“To discuss what?”
“We’re being audited.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I told you we can’t keep spending your money and telling everyone it’s from Mrs. McCallum’s estate. People are suspicious and now the government is too.”
“Don’t worry. Everything is fine. All the paper work is good.”
“It’s not good. It says that if we don’t attend the meeting then they’ll issue a warrant.”
“Nonsense. I’ll have my people take care of it.”
“No you won’t! Not this time! I’m already in enough hot water around here and if word gets out that I’ve been deceiving people all these years, then I’ll be banished for the rest of my life.”
“You’ve done nothing wrong Michael. On the contrary, you’ve done a lot of good.”
“It was you who did the good and now you have to make that clear to the government.”
“They already know Michael. It’s all transparent.”
“Well know it or not, I’m not going to jail and I don’t want to live in exile. You have to come back and fix this in person!”
Patrick sighed. The thought of going to Kinkerry was one of both joy and pain.
“All right. I’ll be there soon.”
For the past couple of decades the town’s people knew nothing about the dwindling assets of Mrs. McCullum’s estate that had been bequeathed to the cathedral, and how the increasing assets of Patrick were used to make up the difference. Instead of making it clear, he and Michael simply let everyone think that her estate had funded the new schools, pools, scholarships, soccer fields and jobs, and they let the plaques of gratitude say “In Honour of Mrs. McCallum”, even though it was truly in honour of Patrick Morgan’s love of Kinkerry and his family.
The problem was that Mrs. McCallums’ lawyers knew that the money from the estate had run out long ago and they had complained to the Office of the Revenue.
………………………………………..
Erin also received a special letter in the post. It was a package from the Mancinni Corporation which contained a first class ticket to New York City. The problem was that it was a one way ticket. She paced back and forth until Kelly and her boyfriend, Matthew, arrived to drop off their books.
“Hi,” said Kelly in her usual gleeful voice. “We’re going to the corner for chips. Would you like to come?”
Erin didn’t answer.
“We’re going out for chips. Coming?” repeated Kelly.
Erin nodded but her mind was far away.
“Hell-o-o,” sang Kelly.
Still no response from Erin.
“Hey!” yelled Kelly sharply.
Erin was startled back to reality.
“Either you’re going or you’re not,” demanded Kelly.
“It isn’t that simple,” retorted Erin.
“Why not?” asked Matthew, ever the philosopher.
“Well there’s assignments to think of for starters,” explained Erin.
“Do your work when you come back,” replied Matthew simply.
“Then you think I should go?”
“Yes. We’re all going,” pleaded Kelly who was getting hungrier.
“You’re going with me?” asked Erin confused.
“Of course.”
“To New York?”
“New York? What are you talking about. We’re going out for chips.”
“And gravy,” added Matthew.
“Chips?” said Erin deflated. “I thought that you were talking about coming to New York with me.” She handed Kelly the envelope from Mrs. Mancinni and and tried to explain how much the chapel meant to her.
“Let’s do it!” bubbled Kelly.
“Do what?” asked Erin nearly spent.
“Let’s all go!”
“You can’t!”
“Do what?” asked Matthew.
“We’ll all go to New York together!” screamed Kelly as she danced around the apartment. “It shouldn’t take more than a week or two, should it?”
“My mother will flip,” cringed Erin.
“Mine’s already in New York,” chirped Kelly.
“My mother’s in rehab,” stated Matthew for the record.
“Mine should be,” added Kelly. “Now can we please go eat?”
“We’ll have to make arrangements for notes and tests,” insisted Erin.
Matthew hummed a song.
“What’s that tune?” asked Erin.
“It’s a new song. Everyone’s singing it,” he answered. “It’s all about snow”.
“We don’t get much of that around here,” mused Erin.
Soon they were walking under the streetlights singing in unison, “…it snowed … it snowed …”
After they returned from the pub, they made plans for the three of them to stay with Maggy, Kelly’s sister, in New York City, and then they each called their mothers to give them the news. Kelly and Matthew called first and left voice messages but Erin had no such luck. She was sure that her mother would forbid her to go.
“Hello,” answered Kerry angrily.
“It’s me. Erin,” she assured her mother.
“Oh. Hello.”
“I was calling to give you some news.”
“Uh huh.”
“I’m going to New York for a week.”
“Uh huh.”
“You understand?” stated Erin, fishing for a reply.
“Yes dear. Have a good time. Bye.”
Erin stared at the phone in disbelief and thought that there must be something wrong. It didn’t make sense for Kerry to be so dismissive. She was a stickler for studying. Erin was relieved though and happy she didn’t have to explain the consequences of getting involved with a project with Mrs. Mancinni. Kerry wasn’t keen on the Mancinnis and their money. All that the students had to do now, was pack and get to the airport on time.
For Kerry however, life had just become a lot more complicated, because she had just learned that her ex-husband, Patrick Morgan had been seen in town.
I told you we can’t keep spending your money and telling everyone it’s from Mrs. McCallum’s estate. People are suspicious and now the government is too.