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Surprisingly, Edel laughed at our fiery friend’s cutting one-liner. “You’re a hard one to know, Elizabeth Young, are you?” She smiled indulgently at her. “With all those hard outer layers.”
Lizzie blushed and offered our host a small smile. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, love,” Edel replied. “A woman should always have a bit of edge about her.”
“Not this woman,” I chimed in, gesturing to myself. “I’m a glorified circle.”
“Oh, Claire.”
“You’re so weird.” Lizzie chuckled, shaking her head. “I swear, she’s been like this since junior infants.”
“It’s true,” Shannon added, returning from the bathroom to take her seat next to Edel. “Claire’s our personal pocket of sunshine.”
Edel spent the rest of our meal fussing over the three of us before going to the counter to pay the bill.
“Can I have her?” Lizzie asked, when she was out of earshot.
“Nope,” Shannon shot back with a chuckle.
“Then can we share?”
“Nope.” Shannon smiled proudly. “She’s all mine.”
“So, ladies, what’s the plan for the midterm?” Edel asked, returning to the table to fetch her handbag and coat. “Any exciting plans lined up for your week off school?”
“My mam’s throwing a party for Hugh next weekend for his eighteenth,” I heard myself say, falling into step beside the three of them as they left the restaurant.
“Oh? That’s sounds sashing, love.”
“His birthday is on Halloween.”
“Oh, same as Seany,” Edel mused. “Can you believe he’s turning four?”
“No,” Shannon answered with a small shake of her head, as she linked arms with Edel. “I can still remember when he came home from the hospital.” Smiling sadly, she added, “I swear Joe didn’t sleep for the first three months.”
“Are you having a party for him?” I asked, desperate to keep the tone light. “Seany, I mean?”
“Do bears shit in the woods?” Edel replied with a laugh. “Of course we are. John has the bouncy castle ordered.”
“He’s getting a clown, too,” Shannon interjected.
“A clown?” My eyes widened. “Can I come?”
“Claire!” Lizzie laughed, slapping my arm. “You can’t just invite yourself like that.”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “Like we didn’t already invite ourselves to a free dinner.”
“Still, though.”
“Of course you can come, love,” Edel replied. “You’re all more than welcome. It’s on at three o’clock next Saturday so it won’t interfere with Hugh’s party later that night.”
“Yay!” I clapped with excitement. “Gerard had a clown once. I think it was his sixth birthday.” I smiled at the memory. “I’ve always wanted to see one again.”
“You see one every day,” Lizzie tossed out with a smirk. “You live across the street from one.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Ha-ha.”
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