Astonishment II

The atmosphere in the pub was warm and pleasant. A group were playing traditional music, and few old couples were dancing on the floor.

-It was exactly what we needed, after this long rainy day-. Said Kevin, relaxed with his cold beer in a hand.

-Totally agree. Visiting the Dingle bay in February was maybe not the best choice- Admitted Sharon with a sigh. All the day long she had to bear his complains about the wind and the rain, unable as he was to appreciate the beauty of a landscape, without a Californian sun shining above them.

It was they first trip in Europe, and she carefully planned to visit all the places she heard about from her friends. Her best friend spent one year as Au pair in Ireland before the College, minding the children of a local couple, whilst she was force to give up their planned journey to mind her own, unexpected child. At that time, she did not regret the choice, but after ten years she begged her husband to fulfil her teen dream.

Kevin was not so thrilled about the idea of leaving his beloved Sacramento to spend three weeks in the old and boring Europe. But he acknowledged with himself that he owed that to his wife. However, in the deal they had, nowhere was said he could not complain, and this was exactly what he did. Tired of seeing ships and cows in a misty rain, he was not in the perfect mood for a second honeymoon.

Anyway, in that pub for the first time he felt relaxed and in the right place. The music in the background reminded him of American country music, of which he was a huge fan, and the warm stew he was having dried the cold entered in his bones as they were viewing bay after bay

He was such in a good mood, that he even asked Sharon for a dance.

She was not totally sure about it, as it was years she didn't dance, but noticing in the mood of her usually grumpy husband, she would not lost the chance. They reach the dance floor among the applause of the audience, and the old couple near them offered to teach them the steps. Such a friendly people, the Irish, Sharon tough in delight. A night like that, was one she will never forget.

Around eleven, the tiredness starts to win over their enthusiasm, and they decided to reach their bed and breakfast, few miles away. Stepping out of the door, for a moment the mist was so dense they could not locate their car, parked right in front of the main entrance. The rain did not stop, and Kevin said: Let's go back inside for a while, until the rain calms down.

In the total silence of the night, they turned their back to the door of the pub, and all they saw was an old, ruined cottage, with a signboard waving in the wind.

They looked in each other eyes, astonished and petrified.

Astonishment

And this was about 25 years ago-. Once said this sentence, something clicked on Daisy's head. While she continued to describe to his journalist friend how was like having Sundays' breakfast back in her village in her childhood, her mind started another conversation with herself. 25 years ago? How is it possible to remember things happened a quarter of century before? For the first time after her birthday, she realised she was getting old. There is a moment in every woman life when the so called biological clock starts to sounds louder and louder. Turning thirty and being alone put in place a peculiar mechanism, something that can be called survival instinct. She starts to give up the wait for the infamous Mr. Right, or Prince Charming, and she starts to look for a father. A father of her yet unborn children.

While this conversation was carrying on in her head, they kept on strolling along the river. Dublin was shining brightly after the morning shower, and the trees' leaves dropped once in a while a bit of water, just to remember that sunny days are not the usual condition for a dubliner afternoon.

Even if she thought she was speaking normally, John realised that something glitched in her mind. As a investigative reporter, as he pleased to think of himself, he believed to be able to notice any change in his interlocutor expressions that can lead to a discovery.

Anyway, this time he preferred not to ask was going on in her friend's mind, and settle instead to propose to stop for a coffee beside the Liffey. They choose a little kiosk with a nice view of the Ha' Penny bridge. People were nicely converging on river side, families strolling together, children running, taking advantage of the shining day.

-What would you take?

-A latte, as usual, John, thank you.

John left for ordering the beverage, and Daisy amused herself in observing the humanity gathered there. A lovely blond child caught her attention. He was climbing the fence of the river, crying to get his mother's attention. The woman was sitting on the bench, chatting with her friend about an interesting broken marriage of another friend of them. She did not pay too much attention to the evolution of the young climber.

Daisy was more interested than her, lead by her new discovery of a maternity desire. The little boy gained the top of the fence, and in an adventurous mood tried to catch a butterfly flying a few inches of his face. The distance was bigger than he tough, and suddenly he fell in the river with a capriole. Finally he get the mother's attention, she screamed fearfully. John, coming back with the coffees, throw them away without hesitation and jump in the river to rescue the boy. He took him between the waves after a short struggle, and applause were coming from the viewers above. He never seemed more attractive in Daisy's eyes.

-What happened to you? It's the second time I'm calling you. Daisy woke up from her daydream and looked in John's eyes. Everything was calm, beside the river.

-Sorry, I was lost in a reverie. What were you saying?
-I just receive a call, I have to go
-What happened?
-A boy fell down in the river few bridges from here. They are trying to rescue him. If I make it on time to eyewitness the rescue, maybe this time my editor will give me the headline story at the newspaper.
He said in a hurry, and left. Daisy stare at his back as he was running away, astonished.