It was only for a year or two. Uncle John winked at Murdo. Young family son, your Dad knows what I’m talking about.
Three jobs, said Aunt Maureen, we hardly saw him.
Uncle John reached for his wine and gestured with it to Dad. Dad raised his own glass in reply, and they clinked them. Uncle John looked to Murdo: Sláinte mhath son.
Sláinte mhath, said Murdo.
They clinked glasses. Aunt Maureen joined them. Dad raised his glass again, and gestured to Murdo to raise his: they held them aloft. Dad said to Uncle John and Aunt Maureen: This is just to you two, from me and Murdo, thanking ye both for having us here.
Definitely, said Murdo.
Och away and behave yerself! grunted Uncle John.
Naw, said Dad.
It’s a real pleasure for us, said Aunt Maureen.
Dad was looking embarrassed. He noticed Murdo watching him and smiled. This was the most relaxed Murdo had seen him for ages. Murdo felt it himself. Here ye were free to relax. Back home ye werent. Back home was the house and everything in it. Everything. Every last thing. Everywhere ye looked it was Mum not being there and ye could not get away from that. Never. How could ye? Never ever.
Dad was looking at him. Murdo raised his head.
Uncle John and Aunt Maureen were in the middle of a conversation. Something about Uncle John not getting the time off. No need to raise that now, he said.
Yes there is. Aunt Maureen turned to Dad. He walked into that office Tommy, he confronted them. Huh! That is what he did. He let them know what he thought. After twenty-two years! Huh! They wouldnt give no proper time off! His family from Scotland! No now dont you tell me! said Aunt Maureen to Uncle John. Mister, you are hurting!
I’m not.
You are hurting.
Bloody hurting, I’m not.
Oh now!
Sorry, but I’m not.
Aunt Maureen shook her head. Them boys coming here and you not being around…!
I will be in the evenings.
They dont make it easier for you is what I am saying. Lord knows they could help it along, but they dont, no sir.
Why not? asked Murdo.
Why not huh? That is a fine question son. You say it to him and he might listen. I say it and I am a critical woman.
Uncle John winked at Murdo. Aunt Maureen stared at him. Finally he said: Three times I went into that office. Three times. They still didnt give it; said they needed more notice.
More notice huh!
Because it’s a busy time.
In there’s always a busy time.
I’m just saying what they told me.
The favours you’ve done them!
Eventually Dad said, It’s being here that’s important. I’m not interested in rushing around places. It’s having the break; relaxing. Sitting in the sun. We dont get any sun, where we come from!
It’s true, said Murdo.
So dont go worrying about us. I dont need to go any place except here where I am. I’m here and it’s great.
Uncle John nodded. We’ll see, he said, we’ll see. He smiled suddenly. Ever hear of the Cumberland Gap?
Yeah, said Dad.
They wrote a song about it, said Aunt Maureen.
Uncle John winked. Her family!
Now it aint my family mister but I know what you’re thinking!
The conversation continued on family matters; old people from way back. Dad knew some of their names. Back home he hardly ever spoke about his family so it was interesting to hear. Murdo knew much more about Mum’s side because she used to talk but Dad hardly ever.
They helped clear the table, passing the things to Aunt Maureen who stayed behind the kitchen counter, emptying bowls and arranging leftover food inside the fridge. She piled the crockery and cutlery into a dishwasher. Dad made a joke about back home him being the dishwasher.
They moved out to the patio before it got dark. Uncle John had returned into the house and came back carrying a tray with two beers, two tumblers of whisky and a jug of water. Before long Murdo’s arms were itchy; him and Dad both. Dad was scratching his head too. Mosquitoes. They were here first, said Uncle John, them and the Cherokee Indians.
Dusk’s a bad time, said Aunt Maureen, you got to cover up your skin. Bare arms are no good.
Uncle John shared out the drinks with Dad. You want some orange juice? he asked Aunt Maureen.
No we dont, she said and lifted her teacup, winking at Murdo.
Does he drink a beer? Uncle John asked Dad.
Dad said nothing. Murdo answered, I’m happy with orange juice.
Good for you, said Uncle John.
He’s a boy, said Aunt Maureen, you’re forgetting that.
Well I’m not forgetting it. Uncle John pushed a beer to Dad. Trouble with this place, he said, ye need a car. You should’ve brought yer licence Tommy! Then ye could get out and about.
Dad shrugged.
What about buses? said Murdo. Is there no buses?
Uncle John smiled. If there are son nobody knows!
So do people just walk?
They do that slow running kind of thing, said Aunt Maureen.
Power walking, said Uncle John.
Not power walking mister that’s fast walking.
Jogging.
Aint jogging. I dont know what you call it. I see them doing it at the mall. Round and round they go. They dont buy nothing, they go there for the walk. They all got partners.
Partners? said Murdo.
Yes sir. They go in two’s. Three’s a crowd son that’s the old saying. Aunt Maureen chuckled. My Lord!
Uncle John laughed. Dad was smiling. Uncle John raised his glass but instead of sipping the whisky he stared at Dad: Why didnt ye all come those years ago, when ye had the papers and everything? Uncle John waited a moment. It was your father.
You talking about when I was a boy?
Yeah. Your mother would have come. It was him made that decision. She didnt get the chance. Uncle John sighed. I know she would have come Tommy. You know why I know that? Because she told me. Uncle John sat back in his chair.
Aunt Maureen said to Murdo, Your mother was a lovely person.
His grandmother, said Dad. She was Murdo’s grandmother Aunt Maureen. She was my mother.
Oh of course she was Tommy I am so sorry! Yes and she was a fine lady. She took us to church. That was the parish church and it was Scottish Presbyterian right there in Glasgow.
Well where else would it be? chuckled Uncle John.
She was good fun, said Murdo. I remember her.
Dad glanced at him. You were only a child.
Yes but I remember her.
Do ye?
Yes Dad, really. She made me laugh.
Aunt Maureen was quiet a moment. That is a beautiful thing to say. I hope somebody says it about me.
Och of course they will, said Uncle John.
She’s in a better place now. Aunt Maureen reached to Dad to hold his hand, and she stroked the back of it. Like your own sweet girl, the good Lord knows, she’s walking with Jesus.
Dad hardly moved, except his shoulders a little. Uncle John swallowed a mouthful of beer.
She is, replied Aunt Maureen.
Uncle John smiled when Murdo glanced at him. When Aunt Maureen said “girl” she wasnt meaning Eilidh it was Mum, Mum was Dad’s girl, his girlfriend, his wife. The one “walking with Jesus” was Dad’s mum, Murdo’s granny.
Murdo hadnt thought of it before, just how close they were, Dad and Uncle John, and Aunt Maureen.
Uncle John patted Murdo on the side of the shoulder. You’ve had hard knocks Murdo boy, that’s what ye get in families. So you got to stick together. Folks get hit by things, tragedies and whatnot, they stick together.
Aunt Maureen peered at Murdo. Oh now he is like his mother?
You talking his mother or Tommy’s?
Both, she said.
Uncle John laughed and she did too but it was how Dad laughed! That was the real amazing thing. Dad just burst out with it like a real actual laugh! The three of them laughing away. Murdo laughed seeing them. Uncle John went off talking about some old guy, a distant cousin. Alabama in the old days. Kentucky too, where Aunt Maureen came from. Then a bird landed on the grass a little way down. It walked about. Not hopping, walking. It was weird-looking, with a long tail and a bluish purple colour. Uncle John was saying about another of the old relations, Uncle Donald, who married a woman from Knoxville called Molly.