THE INHERITANCE - part twenty-six

THE INHERITANCE – part twenty-six ………

Welcome home

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Kate arose early the next morning and after her daily hygiene routine, walked downstairs and looked at the stove. “Nah!” she thought. “I need some information. I’ll drive to the pub, have breakfast with Ryan and then I need to stop at the bank.”

She drove to the Aughacasla Family Banking and parked. “Yes, I’m in luck!” she thought. “Terry’s in his office and doesn’t appear too busy.”

Kate gently knocked on the doorjamb to Terry’s office. “Hi, Terry, are you terribly busy? I have a few questions and I think maybe you can answer them.”

She spent only about thirty minutes with Terry and was delighted that she’d received the answers to her question.

Checking her watch, she discovered she’d have just enough time to stop at Sweet’s Pastries for coffee and a donut before making the drive to the airport.

Kate had never driven a car that had a hands-free telephone service, never thought she’d need one, but now she was glad her new Jeep came equipped with that feature. It only took her five minutes to sync her phone to the car and download the contacts information. She pressed the button and the phone’s app connected. “Kate’s phone. What number would you like to call?”

Kate smiled and thought, “Oh this is going to be fun.”

“Call Ryan Kelly” and within seconds she heard his phone ring.

“Hello, Kelly’s Fencing and Yard.”

She recognized his voice immediately. “Hi, Ryan, it’s Kate.”

“Why, hello! Didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Off, then to pick up your mam at the airport?”

“Yes, I’m heading there now but I have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead, Kate. I’m all ears.”

“Well, I don’t know if this is something you do and if not, maybe you could find someone to do it, but I need a clothesline in my backyard. I’ve emptied one of my grandmother’s trunks and found a trove of kitchen linens. I don’t mind washing them by hand, but I’ve nowhere to hang them to dry.”

“Kate, this is such a simple and easy thing. I can have it done before you get back.”

“Ryan, you truly are a wonder. I’ll see you soon. Mom’s flight should arrive in about one hour. I’ve just enough to get to the airport.”

“Drive carefully, mo stor. See you soon.”

Kate navigated the roads with ease and arrived at the airport ten minutes before the plane was due to land. “No use in using the parking lot when I can sit in the fast arrivals lane.”

She was getting twitchy and checked her watch for what seemed the twentieth time when her phone buzzed. Caller ID said “MOM.”

Kate pressed the “accept call” button and almost screamed, “MOM! MOM! I missed you. I can hardly wait to see you! Has your plane landed?”

Patricia (Patti) Sullivan laughed, “Oh my goodness, Katie. Yes, yes! I’m off the plane and headed to baggage. I only brought two small suitcases since I didn’t want to have to use a carry-on. Hope that’s all right.”

By the time Kate pulled up to the arrival terminal, her mother was sitting on a bench reading what Kate thought was a “What to do in Ireland” brochure. She smiled to herself as she thought, “Mom, you won’t need that brochure, trust me on this.”

Without trying to conjure a spell, luck was with her, and she found a spot at the curb in front of where her mother sat. She pulled over, turned off the engine and practically jumped out of the jeep. “MOM, MOM!”

Patti was just about knocked off her feet with the sudden rush of a hug she’d gotten from her daughter. She grabbed Kate’s arms to keep from falling. “Kate, oh my, take it easy or we’ll have our butts planted on the ground.”

“Come on, let’s go. I have so much to tell you,” Kate said as she grabbed a suitcase and Patti lifted the other. Her mother’s eyes opened wide as she asked in surprise, “This is your car?”

“Yes, mom, isn’t it awesome? I love it. Hop in!”

They left the airport and for the first two minutes, Kate drove in silence. Before Patti had a chance to speak, Kate finally burst, “Mom! Oh my god! You’re going to love it here. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. And great-grandmother’s cottage? Hmm! Well, it is old, hasn’t been lived in for about forty-two years, so it needs work but, mom, oh mom! I love it. And wait until you meet Mo and her husband, and their family and .”

Patti laughed vigorously, “Kate, slow down! You don’t have to fit everything into one sentence in the time it’ll take us to get to your cottage. And speaking of which, how long will it take us to get there? I’m really eager to see it.”

Kate giggled. “Mom, it takes almost an hour’s drive and if you’re hungry, we can stop before we get home.”

“Kate, yes, I think I would enjoy lunch. I only had a coffee and some toast before I left. But,” she placed her hand on Kate’s arm, “I really would like to see your cottage first and hopefully, freshen up a bit.”

Kate stepped a little heavier on the accelerator knowing her mother’s phrase, “freshen up” meant she needed to use the bathroom.

She didn’t use a spell aloud but said in her mind, “Road be clear, traffic free. The need to be home is what I need. So I desire it; so mote it be.”

Kate would swear that the time it took to go from the airport to her cottage was cut in half. She glanced at her watch, and sure enough! The drive home was only thirty-five minutes.

She smiled but still thought, “I hope mom didn’t notice. It’s not time, yet.”