Maeve Binchy - Circle of Friends

Benny felt a jolt. She knew that Nan and Eve got on well but taking fellows in to a hospital bed! "What fellows?" she asked lamely.

"Oh, you know, Aidan Lynch and some of that gang. Bill Dunne - do you know him?"

"No."

"He's very nice, does Commerce. I bet you know him to see, he's always outside the History Library with a group. "Did Eve like them coming in?"

"Yeah, she loved it. Did you think she wouldn't?"

"It's just that she's a bit edgy sometimes .. you know, on the defensive a bit."

"I never noticed that."

It was true. Eve had seemed much less chippy whenever Nan came in.

Nan had a gift of making things simple, everyone went alogg with her way Just then four boys approached the table. They were all looking at Nan.

"Would you girls like to come down Grafton Street and get some real coffee? Decent coffee for a change," said the spokesman, a thin boy in an Aran Island sweater.

Nan smiled up at them warmly.

"Thanks a lot, but no, we have a lecture at twelve. Thanks anyway."

"Come on, that's only a big lecture, no one'll miss you." He was encouraged by her smile to think it was only a matter of saying it often enough.

"No, honestly." Nan stopped suddenly as if she had been thoughtless.

"I mean I'm only speaking for myself. Benny, do you want to go?"

Benny reddened. She knew the boys didn't want her.

It was Nan who had attracted them. But they had nice faces and seemed a little bit lost, like everyone else.

"Why don't you sit down with us?" she suggested with a big smile.

That was exactly what they wanted to do. Chairs and benches were pulled up, names exchanged. School names given. Did they know this person or that? What were they studying? Where were they staying? It was much easier than Benny had thought to be in the middle of a group like this. She had completely forgotten that she was big and that they were boys. She asked eagerly about the societies and which ones were good, and where were the best dances.

Nan didn't make as much effort, but she was very pleased to hear all the information. Her smile was so bright that Benny could see the boys almost loosening their collars as she turned it towards them.

The boys said that the Debating Society on a Saturday night was great.

And then when it was over you could go to the Solicitor's Apprentice or down to the Four Courts. They looked from one girl to the other.

Benny said that unfortunately she had to stay in the country at weekends. As she said it she realised what a death knell it sounded, so she cheered up at once and said that this was only for this term.

Maybe things would change then. She looked around brightly and the boys seemed pleased with her. She knew they were all mad keen for Nan to go with them this Saturday, and Nan wasn't a bit flirtatious.

If she could, she would. She hadn't wanted to go because she didn't know anyone, she said.

"You know us," said the thin boy in the grubby white sweater.

"I do, of course." Nan's smile nearly broke his heart. Benny knew that it would be a great night. She could see it. Of course, she would be in Knockglen. But her smile was bright. After all, one of the things she had been afraid of was that she wouldn't know how to talk to fellows when she got to college. She didn't have much practice at home. But it seemed to be easy enough, like talking to ordinary people. That was what she must think about. The good side. Not always dwelling on the bad side like having to go home before the fun began.

When Mario collected Eve in his ice-cream van it was Fonsie who ran lightly up the steps of the hospital to escort the patient to her transport.

"You're to take it easy, you'll remember that." The Sister looked doubtfully at Fonsie as a companion.

"Nothing faster than slow jive." Fonsie leaned back and clicked his fingers slowly. Sister was not amused.

"And you are staying in a convent?"

"Don't be prejudiced now," Fonsie warned. "Just because I don't look like your idea of a nun doesn't mean.."

"Oh shut up, Fonsie, Mario's nearly having a fit down there in the van."

It was the first time she had seen the outside world for over a week.

Eve shuddered when she saw the corner where the crash had taken place.

They tucked her up in the van and drove back to Knockglen arguing all the while.

Some arguments she was able to take part in - like having brighter lights and music in the chip shop, like calling the chip shop a cafe, like having "Island in the Sun' so that you could hear it from the street and it would make you want to come in.

"Make you want to call the guards, more likely," Mario said.

There were other arguments she couldn't contribute to

- like whether Mario's brother had been mad to marry an Irish girl, Fonsie's mother, or whether Fonsie's mother had been mad to marry an Italian, Mario's brother. She drifted off to sleep during that particular saga which she felt would never be solved anyway.

Eve sat up in bed and drank her beef tea.

"Sister Imelda made it. Have a taste?" Benny sipped some from the cup.

"Patsy told me she heard her in Flood's talking about shin beef, and pointing to her ankle in case she wasn't making herself clear. Mr. Flood was saying, "I know where the shin is, Sister, God forgive me I may not know much but I know where the shin is."' "Is Patsy still going out with that dumbo, Mossy?"

"Yes, Mother's terrified she'll marry him."

"Is he that bad?"

"No, we just don't want Patsy to marry anyone, because she'll leave."

"A bit hard on Patsy," Eve said. "I feel like the prodigal son. I never had any time for him in the gospel, but still it's a nice feeling. The accident saved me, everyone's so sorry for me they forget I told all those lies and was so rude to awful Mother Clare. Listen, I meant to tell you, the most extraordinary thing.

The boy that got killed, Frank Hegarty .. Mother Francis met his mother that day. I don't remember it clearly, but anyway they got talking and she's coming here to stay for a few days. Here to Knockglen."

"Will she stay in Healy's?"

"No, here in the convent would you believe? They've done up one of the parlours as a bedroom."

"Go on!

"She's coming on the bus today. It's going to be very hard to know what to say to her."

"I know," Benny agreed. "I mean anything could be the wrong thing.

She mightn't want to talk about it at all, but then it could be considered callous to start up chats about other things."

"Nan would know what to say," Eve said suddenly. Benny felt a cold lurch in her heart. It was an unworthy thought, considering how kind Nan was to her and how she included her in everything.

But Benny did feel that Nan got too much credit for things. Was it right that she would know what to do in every circumstance?

A little wave of pure jealousy came over her. She said nothing.

She was afraid it might show in her voice.

Eve hadn't noticed. She was still musing what Nan would do or say.

"I think it's because she doesn't dither, like we do. She always sounds as if she knows what she's doing, whether she does or not.

That's the secret."

"I suppose it is," Benny said, hoping the glum, mean note didn't sound in her voice.

"Nan could make anyone do anything," Eve said. "She got them to let us smoke in the ward!"

"But you don't smoke!" Benny was startled.

Eve giggled. "Oh, I did for the fun of it, the others all did. It was the principle of the thing."

"What will she do all day? Mrs. Hegarty?" Benny asked "I don't know.

Walk around. She's going to feel lonely and odd here."

"She would at home too, I suppose," Benny said. "Have you talked to Sean since?"

"Not really. He was on his high horse last weekend, you know, head turned the other way when he saw me at Mass; a fit of the sulks.