The Insect Rosary Read Free Page B

that surrounded the fireplace. Nancy was long gone.
    â€˜I know it was nothing to do with me. I don’t know why you’re so touchy about it, it was your decision.’
    â€˜When your ma asks you something on her deathbed you don’t have any choice.’
    â€˜It’s not my fault you had nothing better to do than move back in here. I had a family of my own. I had a life.’
    â€˜You –’ Sister Agatha looked down at me. ‘Get out of the fireplace so I can clean this mess up.’
    I tried to get up without using my hands, but the brush was underneath me, my legs arched over the fire surround.
    â€˜I can’t get up.’
    Mum came over to me and pulled me up by putting her hands under my armpits. I cried out.
    â€˜Where does it hurt? Can you move your fingers?’
    After a physical check she took a tea towel from the kitchen, tied it around my neck and helped me place my arm inside it.
    â€˜We’ll talk about this later,’ she said, and sent me from the room.
    I looked at my sling proudly. This would impress Nancy. I was officially injured and must look sad and remember not to use my arm until at least the next day.
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    By lunchtime I’d forgotten and picked up my fork in my hand.
    â€˜If you can do that, you don’t need a sling,’ said Mum.
    Reluctantly I slid it over my head but was pleased to see a large blue bruise marking my fall.
    â€˜You were very lucky,’ said Mum. ‘The fire could have been lit, you could have bashed your head open, all sorts of things. You must never do that again.’
    I felt like telling her how many times I had done it without anyone knowing at all, but decided against this. I nodded and Mum’s eyes fluttered.
    â€˜I know a very silly girl who stood on the side of the chair and fell into the fireplace and had to stay in hospital for three days because her brain had been squashed. You wouldn’t like that, would you?’ She seemed very cheerful about telling this gruesome story, her face tight with the effort not to smile.
    â€˜Was it Nancy?’ I said, breathlessly.
    â€˜No. I can’t tell you who it was as you would only think badly of them. You might even think that they had forgotten what it was like to be young and excitable.’
    I scanned the faces at the table, all blankly looking at Mum apart from Sister Agatha who was biting her lip, her face flushed.
    â€˜I’m not sure concussion is a laughing matter, Eithne. No wonder your children are so badly behaved if that’s the kind of thing you think is funny.’
    Mum spluttered into her tea and took a few minutes to compose herself before she could finish her dinner.
    â€˜As a punishment, Bernadette can help me prepare the dinner,’ said Sister Agatha.
    I looked pleadingly at Mum, but she shrugged and the subject passed for everyone but me. A whole afternoon spoiled by having to stay in the kitchen with long, black Sister Agatha instead of racing Nancy down the driveway to see who was quicker, or seeing who could cross the cattle grid quicker without letting their feet slip between the bars. I was getting good at that, although I had twisted my ankle twice getting good.
    â€˜Can Nancy help too?’ I said, not looking at Nancy.
    â€˜No,’ said Sister Agatha, ‘I have to keep my eye on you.’
    I didn’t have to look at Nancy to know I would pay for that, but it would have been worth it to have her there.
    When Sister Agatha took the plates into the kitchen Nancy leaned over to me.
    â€˜Bern, I dare you,’ she said, ‘to call her name three times without stopping.’
    My eyes widened and I shook my head. Sister Agatha came back in with afters and I couldn’t look at her because I was thinking about it. Nancy knew I was too and was giggling too much to say thank you for her slice of cake.
    â€˜Nancy,’ said Mum, ‘what do you say?’
    Nancy opened her mouth and laughed