Free The Insect Rosary by Sarah Armstrong Page A

fourteen and trying to look old enough to get served in town on the infrequent holidays from hospital before she never went home at all. Everyone knew which pubs were age-blind. Nancy never took her out with her but Bernadette often found her own way to the same pubs. Sometimes they’d walk home together and decide what film they’d pretend to have seen. That was all they’d say.
    â€˜Should the girls be on the consoles?’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t mind. It keeps them quiet. Just don’t let them outside on their own. They probably won’t even ask.’
    â€˜We were always outside on our own.’
    Bernadette looked at her. ‘Exactly.’
    Nancy wasn’t sure what that meant. Hurley had been wandering around, now that his leg felt a bit better. ‘What time should I send them to bed?’
    Bernadette looked at her watch. ‘In an hour? Nine-ish. Let them watch TV if they ask.’
    â€˜Have you told them you’re going out?’
    â€˜Not yet.’ Bernadette put down the mirror and pushed the top back on the eyeliner. ‘They’ll be fine. Don’t worry.’
    Nancy nodded and went to check that Hurley was in the bath. He had turned the tap on but the plug wasn’t in. She put it in place and put the cold tap on too to temper the scalding water.
    Hurley was lying on her bed, next to Elian who was reading.
    â€˜Go and get your stuff ready, and stay in the bathroom so the bath doesn’t overflow.’
    â€˜It’s OK, I haven’t put the plug in yet.’
    â€˜I have, now go. And don’t pull the string that switches the electric heater on, OK?’ She closed the door after him. ‘Can you believe that? He knew he was wasting water.’
    Elian nodded. ‘Terrible.’
    â€˜And,’ Nancy waited until he put the book down, ‘Bernadette’s going out! I don’t know how to talk to those children. They’re so rude.’
    â€˜I don’t know if we can go around pointing at other people’s children, Nancy,’ said Elian. He lifted the book back up. ‘You don’t mind babysitting, do you? I think it’ll be fun to visit a pub.’
    She pulled his book down. ‘You’re going with them?’
    â€˜Of course. It doesn’t take two adults to babysit.’
    â€˜I didn’t realise.’ She knelt down on the bed. ‘You won’t repeat anything I said about Bernadette and all that, will you?’
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜The accusations, the stuff.’
    â€˜Her being nuts? No, I won’t.’
    Nancy gasped. ‘Elian!’
    â€˜I’m kidding, mental health problems, whatever. I won’t say a word.’
    â€˜And –’
    â€˜And I promise not to ask anyone if they’re IRA.’
    â€˜Jesus.’
    He flipped his book back into place. Nancy went back downstairs, past the locked bathroom door where she listened to check that the water had been switched off. When she got to the bottom step she sat down. Her sister would rather invite Elian out for the evening than her. It had been years since they had been sisters, maybe, but if Mum thought it could all be fixed then she would try. But it seemed that it was only her intention. Nancy rubbed her face with both hands and went into the front room. The girls glanced at her, but didn’t move.
    â€˜Did you know your mum and dad are going out?’
    They nodded. ‘We heard.’
    Nancy looked towards the serving hatch through which she and Bernadette used to listen to conversations in the parlour, if they were loud enough. There were plenty of whispered chats that they never heard. She moved to the window and looked down the driveway. The sun was nowhere near setting but had been caught in the large trees that marked the passage to the gate. She could see the sun still shining on the paddock to the right, the long grass rippling in patches. A figure appeared on the drive and she