Free Full House [Quick Read] by Maeve Binchy Page B

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    Rosie and Anthony had often accused her of being Miss Moneybox, but that was just the way families go on.
    At school they used to make fun of her bringing in sandwiches instead of going out to the little pasta restaurant with the rest of them.
    But Helen actually winced when she thought of Simon saying that he was sure Maud and Marco would be sorry to lose their lodger. He probably thought she paid rent.
    She felt her face and neck reddening at the thought he might ever find out.
    ‘Yes, I see what you mean,’ she said sadly to her father.
    ‘It’s not important, Helen …’ He always hated any kind of tension. ‘I mean, that was all a misunderstanding in the past. You all know now what it costs to run a house and how your poor mother has been working way too hard to make life easy for everyone.’
    ‘Yes, Dad. And Dad, I was wondering if I could stay in the scullery – the back room – for a week from now, like …’
    ‘Your mother will deal that,’ he said.
    ‘She said she wanted to check with you first.’ Helen looked at him hopefully.
    ‘Well, I’m not sure exactly. I’m not great with figures and money, but there’s no way you should pay as much for the back room as for a proper bedroom. Will we say half of what Lily and Angela pay? Would that be all right? Is that fair?’
    Helen swallowed. She was going to have to pay to stay in the scullery? Had the world gone mad? But she had to stay somewhere. And soon.
    ‘Of course, Dad, that sounds totally fair,’ she managed to say and let him get back to the elderly radio.
     
    Ronan had flowers on the dining table, he had the casserole ready to put into the oven, and the salad already prepared in the fridge. He had ironed all Rosie’s dresses and hung them carefully in the bedroom so that she would notice how smooth and uncrushed they were. Then he went to the airport.
    He had a speech ready but when she threw herself into his arms, he forgot the speech entirely.
    ‘Welcome home,’ was all he said.
     
    In Anthony’s house, the musicians were staring in amazement at the kitchen. They wondered were they in the right house.
    The kitchen was gleaming, and a big bin stood clean and lined, awaiting rubbish. Crockery and glasses were washed and put away. Surfaces were gleaming and bare. The sink was empty and shining.
    Most menacing of all was a clipboard. There were four people in the house, so there were duties that had to be done every day. They needed discussing.
    In order to lessen the shock, Anthony revealed that he had ordered fish and chips to be delivered later in the evening and worked out what each person should pay.
    They were defiant at first. Anthony was turning out to be worse than their mothers, they said.
    Then they saw the sense in it. They could even bring women home to a place as classy as this, they agreed.
    The deal was done.
     
    ‘We will miss you,’ Marco said to Helen.
    ‘I want to settle up with you for my time here,’ Helen said. She tried to take the note of horror out of her voice. She hoped she did not look too pleading, too begging for them to say that she owed them nothing.
    ‘Let’s see, it was four weeks, wasn’t it?’ Marco said.
    ‘But mates’ rates,’ Maud insisted. ‘Not real money, just enough to cover a few things.’
    They settled on a sum.
    It was very reasonable for four weeks’ board and lodging, but if you had expected to pay nothing, like Helen had, it was fairly substantial. She smiled and chattered her way through it. Then Simon came in and said he would love to help her carry her things back to her house in St Jarlath’s Crescent.
    ‘It’s only temporary there,’ Helen said.
    ‘I know. Maybe you could get a flat in Chestnut Court. They’re very nice,’ Simon said.
    ‘They’re very expensive,’ Helen blurted out before she could help herself.
    ‘Well, between two they mightn’t be too bad,’ Simon said.
    ‘Two?’
    ‘Well, I can’t settle on Marco and Maud forever. I’ll