SHAUN REPLACED THE receiver. “Hey! Shin’AYD! Lazarus is coming to visit us today!” he bellowed up the stairs.
No reply came from Sinead’s bedroom so he tried again. “Come on my girl, time to get up!” he shouted
Maureen came up behind him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder, “Leave her be, Shaun, she needs her sleep! She was working a late shift last night” Then she thought to ask, “Who did you say was coming?”
By now they had both made their way back into the kitchen.
“Lazarus! Her dead soldier boy!” Shaun replied grinning as he sat himself down at the breakfast table.
“Stop your teasing, Shaun. So she made a mistake! She’s only human after all!”
“Some mistake,” Shaun laughed, “She is a nurse and all. God help her patients, that's all I can say!”
Sinead who had been awakened by the telephone's insistent ringing some minutes before now appeared at the door. Her tousled flaming red shoulder-length hair and lack of make-up did not detract in any way from her beauty. Pretending that she hadn't heard his last remark she inquired, coyly, “Who did you say was coming?”
“You know, Sinead,” he said smirkingly. “Lazarus! That soldier boy of yours! The one that came back from the dead!”
She came over to the table and held her fist under his chin and screwed up her face. “Dah, I'm warning you!” she threatened good-humouredly as they pushed one another fondly.
For weeks now, he had kidded her about her mistake. How could a trained nurse pronounce a man dead when he was still alive? The ribbing had been continual but she had taken it in good part. The truth of the matter was that she was overjoyed that the soldier was alive. It had been a queer thing though. She could have sworn all the vital signs were absent, a pulse, a heartbeat, lack of body heat. For some while afterward, her confidence as a nurse had been shaken to the core. Still, he was alive and that was all that really mattered.
“When's he coming?” she casually asked endeavouring to appear unconcerned.
“Around four!”
“Why's he coming?” Maureen interposed.
“Apparently, he wants to thank us all for helping him. I told him it wasn't necessary but he insisted on coming over to thank us personally.”
Maureen looked anxiously at Shaun. It was one thing to help a wounded English soldier, quite another in these parts to actually entertain one in the house. It was a Catholic household and although they did not agree with the methods of the IRA, they could sympathize with its cause. They certainly didn't want to appear to be fraternizing with an Englishman and a soldier at that.
“Don't worry” Shaun said reassuringly, seeing the consternation in her eyes. “We'll get rid of him as soon as we can. Best not to mention his visit to anyone though. With a bit of luck, no one will be any the wiser.” He paused for reflection.
“I told him to wear his civvies. I hope he has the good sense to pay heed!”
“What do you want for breakfast, Sinead?” Maureen asked her daughter.
“More like lunch, you mean!” Shaun joked.
Sinead wasn't listening, her thoughts preoccupied with the soldier with the wonderful eyes.
“Sinead! Wake up, girl! Your mother's talking to you! What do you want for breakfast?” Shaun asked repeating his wife's question.
“Oh, eggs and bacon please mum!” she responded. Life felt good this particular morning, and she was ravenous.