sod in the hearse,’ says Da.
‘What an awful thing to say to your mother,’ says Granny.
As the cars roll by Da waves at a few faces he recognises, so does Ma and on the other side of the road Granny does the same.
‘Elsa Chapman it was,’ says Granny on the way home.
‘Who’s Elsa Chapman?’
‘Mary Chapman’s older sister. I never knew her. She lived off the island, moved to Canada. I think her husband died and she came back to be near family.’
‘We saw Malcolm and Sheila,’ says Da.
‘I saw Vera and Hale,’ says Granny. She crosses herself and then I cross myself and smile at her knowing Granny will be thrilled to pieces. It was just for fun really.
‘What the hell was that, Michael?’ says Ma.
‘I was crossing myself like Granny does.’
Granny kisses the top of my head and gives Ma a triumphant look. ‘This lad needs to be baptised,’ says Granny.
‘
Away ’n’ shite
, Shirley, he needs nothing more than a few drama classes.’
‘Just because the boy shows a healthy interest in his own religion doesn’t mean we need to send him to the Fame Academy,’ nips Da.
‘What do you care for religion? You were drinking from the well of the dead a minute ago,’ says Ma.
‘It’s just water for God’s sake. I agree with Ma. Michael crossed himself, it’s time we took him to church,’ says Da.
I am suddenly wishing I hadn’t crossed myself at all. I was just playing a joke on Granny and now I know it wasn’t funny.
‘I suppose you mean your church?’ Ma says.
‘You don’t have a church, Ma,’ I say.
‘You’re not a Catholic, Michael, trust me, you’ll thank me for it one day,’ says Ma.
‘Maybe I want to go to church. Maybe I want to go with Da,’ I yell.
Ma is fuming and more than usual. Granny starts to cry with joy.
‘You can shut those fucking tears off, Shirley. You’ve been turning that boy ever since you came into my house. Well, I’m not having it,’ says Ma.
‘Don’t you talk to my mother like that,’ yells Da.
That’s when Ma throws the berries away. Everyone on the street, anyone fixing their car, kids playing with other kids, everyone can hear the commotion.
‘It’s all right, Ma, I won’t go to church,’ I say but Ma has walked off and no one can catch up to her. Da doesn’t want to anyway. I help Granny and Da pick the berries from the road. Ma’s went and ruined the day and just because I was having a bit of fun with Granny. I didn’t know she’d get so serious over it. It makes me annoyed at her.
When we get home Ma is in the kitchen and she has a suitcase at her side.
‘Michael, go to your room,’ says Ma.
‘Stay right where you are, son,’ says Da.
‘Jesus, Rosemary, if you feel that strongly about it,’ sighs Granny.
‘It’s not that, it’s all of you. I can’t stay here any more,’ cries Ma.
‘Is it because I crossed myself?’ I ask.
‘No, Michael, it’s not because of you. It’s everything. I can’t take it any more,’ says Ma. She sounds sort of wobbly in her voice and she doesn’t look anyone in the eye.
‘Rosemary, are you all right?’ whispers Da.
‘I have a friend in Greenock who says I can stay with her,’ says Ma.
I can hardly breathe.
‘Ma, I won’t go to church. I swear I won’t. I was just playing around,’ I say.
‘It’s not about the church, Michael. I have to get out of here. Please understand,’ cries Ma.
‘Is it because you were raped?’ I spit.
The room stills. Ma whitens.
‘Who have you been talking to?’ says Ma.
‘No one,’ I cry.
She suddenly grabs at my shoulders.
‘I said, who have you been talking to?’ she yells.
‘You’re hurting me,’ I scream.
‘Let him go,’ cries Da.
‘I’m sorry, Ma, I’m sorry.’
She slaps me. Everything sharpens. She slaps me again.
‘Rosemary,’ cries Da and pulls her away from me. She slides to the floor and cries out.
‘I’m sorry,’ she says. ‘I’m sorry.’
I reach for my ma and I hold her tight,
‘What an awful thing to say to your mother,’ says Granny.
As the cars roll by Da waves at a few faces he recognises, so does Ma and on the other side of the road Granny does the same.
‘Elsa Chapman it was,’ says Granny on the way home.
‘Who’s Elsa Chapman?’
‘Mary Chapman’s older sister. I never knew her. She lived off the island, moved to Canada. I think her husband died and she came back to be near family.’
‘We saw Malcolm and Sheila,’ says Da.
‘I saw Vera and Hale,’ says Granny. She crosses herself and then I cross myself and smile at her knowing Granny will be thrilled to pieces. It was just for fun really.
‘What the hell was that, Michael?’ says Ma.
‘I was crossing myself like Granny does.’
Granny kisses the top of my head and gives Ma a triumphant look. ‘This lad needs to be baptised,’ says Granny.
‘
Away ’n’ shite
, Shirley, he needs nothing more than a few drama classes.’
‘Just because the boy shows a healthy interest in his own religion doesn’t mean we need to send him to the Fame Academy,’ nips Da.
‘What do you care for religion? You were drinking from the well of the dead a minute ago,’ says Ma.
‘It’s just water for God’s sake. I agree with Ma. Michael crossed himself, it’s time we took him to church,’ says Da.
I am suddenly wishing I hadn’t crossed myself at all. I was just playing a joke on Granny and now I know it wasn’t funny.
‘I suppose you mean your church?’ Ma says.
‘You don’t have a church, Ma,’ I say.
‘You’re not a Catholic, Michael, trust me, you’ll thank me for it one day,’ says Ma.
‘Maybe I want to go to church. Maybe I want to go with Da,’ I yell.
Ma is fuming and more than usual. Granny starts to cry with joy.
‘You can shut those fucking tears off, Shirley. You’ve been turning that boy ever since you came into my house. Well, I’m not having it,’ says Ma.
‘Don’t you talk to my mother like that,’ yells Da.
That’s when Ma throws the berries away. Everyone on the street, anyone fixing their car, kids playing with other kids, everyone can hear the commotion.
‘It’s all right, Ma, I won’t go to church,’ I say but Ma has walked off and no one can catch up to her. Da doesn’t want to anyway. I help Granny and Da pick the berries from the road. Ma’s went and ruined the day and just because I was having a bit of fun with Granny. I didn’t know she’d get so serious over it. It makes me annoyed at her.
When we get home Ma is in the kitchen and she has a suitcase at her side.
‘Michael, go to your room,’ says Ma.
‘Stay right where you are, son,’ says Da.
‘Jesus, Rosemary, if you feel that strongly about it,’ sighs Granny.
‘It’s not that, it’s all of you. I can’t stay here any more,’ cries Ma.
‘Is it because I crossed myself?’ I ask.
‘No, Michael, it’s not because of you. It’s everything. I can’t take it any more,’ says Ma. She sounds sort of wobbly in her voice and she doesn’t look anyone in the eye.
‘Rosemary, are you all right?’ whispers Da.
‘I have a friend in Greenock who says I can stay with her,’ says Ma.
I can hardly breathe.
‘Ma, I won’t go to church. I swear I won’t. I was just playing around,’ I say.
‘It’s not about the church, Michael. I have to get out of here. Please understand,’ cries Ma.
‘Is it because you were raped?’ I spit.
The room stills. Ma whitens.
‘Who have you been talking to?’ says Ma.
‘No one,’ I cry.
She suddenly grabs at my shoulders.
‘I said, who have you been talking to?’ she yells.
‘You’re hurting me,’ I scream.
‘Let him go,’ cries Da.
‘I’m sorry, Ma, I’m sorry.’
She slaps me. Everything sharpens. She slaps me again.
‘Rosemary,’ cries Da and pulls her away from me. She slides to the floor and cries out.
‘I’m sorry,’ she says. ‘I’m sorry.’
I reach for my ma and I hold her tight,
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