Becky lit some twigs she’d already placed in the incinerator and waited for them to burn, waving her hands around to speed up the process. It was like Halloween and Bonfire Night, all rolled into one. Tara leaned in and lit a cigarette.
‘Those things stink!’ Beth informed her, flapping her arms around.
‘Well, I’m not smoking rose petals, am I?’ she replied. ‘Besides, it’ll keep the midges away.’
‘Midges don’t come out at night.’
Becky cleared her throat, breaking up the squabble. As much as the group would argue individually, it was Tara and Beth who clashed most frequently. Alex often said it was like living with Walt and Jesse fromBreaking Bad, minus the meth and murder.
‘So, I want you to hold your notes in your hands, close your eyes and just repeat your intention in your head. Make it feel as real as possible. Then when you’re ready, say your intention and place it in the fire.’
‘Wait… we have to say it? Like, out loud?’ Beth asked. ‘Oh, no thank you, that sounds utterly humiliating.’
Tara began to laugh. ‘Well now, I definitely think Beth should go first. Humiliating how? Is it like a weird sex thing or…?’
‘This is a safe space here, ladies. I’ll go first.’ Becky stepped forward and took a deep breath, sweeping her blonde fringe from her eyes before closing them. After a moment she opened them and said, ‘I am happy. I am healthy. I am loved.’ She dropped her note (blue, star-shaped, probably written in glitter) into the fire and stepped back.
‘What. That’s it?’ Alex asked. ‘I thought this was like a wish-type deal. You’ve just asked to be exactly what you are right now.’
Becky smiled. ‘Because that’s all I need. You’re next.’
‘Oh, feck off,’ Alex replied. ‘That’s far too humble. Now I’m going to seem like a big egomaniac.’
She stepped forward regardless and closed her eyes, trying not to cringe. Beth was right; this was excruciating.
‘OK… I am a best-selling, millionaire author. My husband loves the very bones of me and he has excellent hair. Oh, and I’m happy and healthy, kind to kittens and all that.’ Alex scrunched her note and tossed it into the fire but she could have just as easily held it against her bright red face for the same result. ‘Gangnam Style’ began playing inside the house. Becky frowned and shook her head at Beth and Tara as they started to dance. This wasn’t the time.
Next was Erin’s turn, her stomach churning in anticipation of her impending humiliation. For someone who hoped to have a career on the stage, she could be painfully shy at times. Something she’d vowed to work on.
‘I am a success… no, I am ahugelysuccessful actress with awards and homes all over the world which I share with my husband, Andrew Scott.’ Note successfully burned, she retreated.
‘Andrew Scott offSherlock?’ Beth asked. ‘What happened to Damien? You know, your current boyfriend, Damien.’
Erin laughed. ‘Oh shite. I forgot about him. He’s fine, he was more than happy to step aside. Your turn!’
Beth took a deep breath and stepped forward. Then stepped back, had a quiet word with herself and stepped forward again.
‘Right. Here goes. I’m married to Paul and we have two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. Lilly and William. I lecture part-time, maths or computer science. Maybe both.’
‘That’s it?’ Tara exclaimed. ‘Why on earth would that be humiliating?’
‘Because you all want big careers and I just want a husband and kids. I thought you’d laugh at me.’
Tara shook her head. ‘There’s no way we’d laugh at you for that. We have so much else to laugh at you for. However, I will make fun of the fact that you're going to name your kids Lilly and Willie.’
Beth scowled.‘William. Not Willie.’
‘Too late. He’s a Willie… ooh, maybe a Billy! Lilly and Billy – all versions are equally funny.’ Before Beth could say another word, Tara stepped forward, clearing her throat. ‘I successfully madeDick Thirtya recognised time, like wine-o’clock but for sex. Unfortunately, I was shunned from my home country but have bought an island with my lottery winnings which softened the blow.’ Tara grinned, scrunched up her note, paused, aimed and launched it like she was making a basketball shot.
‘You didn’t write any of that,’ Becky said, laughing. ‘What did it actually say?’
‘Oh, nothing much,’ she replied. ‘Just happiness and all that good stuff.’
It said nothing of the sort. In fact, it was a scribbled list of things she’d needed to pack for the weekend.
Becky reached out and held Tara’s hand in her right and Alexandra’s in her left, gesturing to everyone else to link up too.
As Becky said somewoo-woo witchy shit, the rest of the group just smiled. Maybe it was the cold or even the booze, but as Alex gripped Becky’s hand, she felt the energy and warmth from every one of her friends flow through her. They held onto each other, and that moment, together, until the flames died out.
‘Promise me we’ll keep in touch,’ Alex said as they began walking back to the house, ‘No matter what.’
And there on the beach, five girls from Dublin University made a promise to do just that. It would be the easiest promise they’d ever make but the hardest to keep.
