Divided Loyalties by Patricia Scanlan

causing her to burst into hearty guffaws. ‘Shauna, she’s amazing. I’m so glad I came home. I’m dying to see Olivia and Davey as well.
We’ll have fun tomorrow, no matter what.’ He hugged his younger sister. ‘I’ll spike Della’s drink for her and get her blotto—’
    ‘You can’t. She’s pregnant, unfortunately,’ Carrie informed him as she slipped her jacket back on. ‘Come on. I need to get home.’
    ‘Nuts! Well, I’ll think of something, never fear. Chin up, sugarplum. We’ll see you tomorrow.’ He winked at Shauna.
    ‘Welcome home, Bobby. It’s great to see you.’ She hugged the daylights out of him and was hugged tightly in return.
    Noel buttered some of the fresh bread he’d bought earlier and laid a slice of cooked ham down on the first piece, with thin slices of tomato on top. The kettle had
boiled, and some fruitcake already cut and buttered sat in the middle of the table. Carrie had told him that she’d made a lamb shank casserole for their dinner, which he and Bobby could eat
later in the evening. He wanted to have something prepared for when they arrived; he wanted his son to feel that he had gone to some trouble. He dropped a small piece of ham down to Twiskers, who
pounced on it delightedly. Bobby had always liked cooked ham sandwiches as a child. Noel hoped he still liked them.
    He shook his head as he made the sandwiches. Theirs was such a fraught relationship and always had been. His son was the most stubborn character he’d ever met. From when he was a
youngster, he’d pitted himself against Noel, and poor dear Anna had been stuck in the middle, trying to keep the peace. His late wife had been misguided. If she’d let Noel take a firmer
stance with their youngest child he might not have turned out the way he had. Anna had mollycoddled him, Noel thought sorrowfully. Not only had she mollycoddled him, she’d pandered to his
every whim.
    It had infuriated Noel. Even to this day the memory of it made him bitter and cross. Bobby had come between him and his dear wife on many occasions and although forgiveness was the aim of every
Christian, it was difficult sometimes. He was quite convinced that poor Anna’s end had been hastened prematurely because of the behaviour of their son.
    Noel sighed deeply. He must try hard to let go of the anger and resentment he felt towards his youngest child. Fortunately he was going to confession later tonight. He would pray hard to be
absolved of all his sins and he would pray even harder that Bobby would sort himself out.
    It seemed to him that Bobby went out of his way to be girlish and outrageous. Why couldn’t he be more . . . Noel struggled to find a word . . . more . . . more manly. He had tried to get
him interested in hurling and football, he’d made him join the Boy Scouts to toughen him up, insisting that he go camping and hiking, but all Bobby was interested in was playing his guitar
and writing poetry.
    Noel hadn’t wanted him to get a guitar; he’d been vehemently opposed to it. But Anna had got him a job in the local greengrocer’s and out of his wages he’d saved enough
to buy that damn instrument, and once he’d started working he’d refused to play hurling and football any more. Noel had been extremely angry. To his remembered shame, he hadn’t
spoken to his wife for two weeks, God forgive him. And God forgive Bobby, he thought bitterly. He had a lot to answer for.
    His behaviour was an affectation, a looking for notice, that had always afflicted his son. Noel was sure he could behave normally if he made the effort. And as for the other unmentionable thing
. . . the liking of other men . . . that was too distressing to contemplate. The Bible was very clear on it, as he’d told his son and indeed his daughters over and over again. It was too
painful to think about. The sigh came from the depths of his being. He dropped more ham on the floor for Twiskers, who devoured it and rubbed her head against his leg,