Beautiful World, Where Are You(38)

Eileen: oddly formal tone here Simon

He stared down at this message for several seconds, and then typed out a response.

Simon: Was it?

An animated three-dot ellipsis displayed on-screen, to show that Eileen was typing.

Eileen: why do men over 30 text like they’re updating a LinkedIn profile Eileen: Hi [Eileen], it was great seeing you on [Saturday]. Can we connect again? Try selecting a time and date from the drop down menu

Vaguely now he smiled to himself as his thumbs moved over the keyboard.

Simon: You’re right

Simon: If only I were a younger man, I would manually turn off the autocaps function on my phone in order to seem more laidback

Eileen: it’s in settings

Eileen: I can help you find it if you get stuck

At the top of the screen, a new email appeared in the ‘Tuesday call’ thread. The opening text displayed as: Hi all. Have just heard from TJ . . . Simon dismissed the notification without opening it, and began typing another message to Eileen.

Simon: No, that’s ok

Simon: I’m always copy and pasting that message saying I had a nice time at the weekend, can we see each other again, etc.

Simon: Never had any complaints before

Eileen: ahaha

Eileen: you can use copy and paste?? I’m impressed

Eileen: anyway yes, we can see each other this week

Eileen: when is good?

Another message appeared at the top of the screen, from a contact listed as ‘Geraldine Costigan’.

Geraldine: Your dad says you can give him a ring tomorrow evening if that suits you sweetheart. xxx

Simon let out a long slow breath, and then swiped upward to dismiss the message. His eyes moving back and forth over the messages to and from Eileen, he typed the words Would you, and then deleted them. He scrolled back up to the previous texts and looked at them once more. Finally, he began typing again.

Simon: Are you busy just now?

The double tick showed that Eileen had seen the message, and then the ellipsis appeared.

Eileen: no

Eileen: I was going to have a bath but my flatmates used all the hot water Eileen: so I’m just lying on my bed looking at internet Eileen: why ?

On the television, the news had finished and the weather had come on. An illustrated yellow sun hovered over the Dublin region on the map. Simon started typing again.

Simon: Do you want to come over here?

Simon: Endless hot water

Simon: Ice cream in freezer

Simon: No flatmates

A few seconds passed. He rubbed at his jaw with his hand, watching the screen, which reflected on its surface the bulb of the ceiling light in its glass shade overhead.

Eileen: !!

Eileen: I was not fishing for an invite!!

Simon: I know that

Eileen: are you sure?

Simon: Yes

Eileen: it’s very nice of you

Simon: What can I say, I have a very nice personality Eileen: it sounds like fun....





Eileen: but I don’t want to intrude on you again!!

Simon: Eileen

Simon: Put your shoes on, I’ll call you a taxi

Eileen: hahaha

Eileen: yes daddy

Eileen: thank you

Looking gratified, he closed out of the messages, opened a taxi app and ordered a driver to Eileen’s address. He rose from the sofa then, muted the television and went to the sink with his empty cup of tea. After washing up and wiping down the kitchen surfaces, he went into his room and made his bed. Several times while he carried out these tasks, he took his phone from his pocket and checked the taxi app, where a small icon representing Eileen’s cab moved slowly and hesitatingly along the quays and southward, and then, closing the app, he pocketed his phone again and returned to what he had been doing before.

When he answered the door twenty minutes later, Eileen was standing in the hallway wearing a cropped grey sweatshirt and a pleated cotton skirt, carrying a tote bag printed with the logo of a London literary magazine. She looked as if she had earlier been wearing dark lipstick but it had faded. He stood still in front of her for a moment before putting his hand to her waist and kissing her on the cheek. Good to see you, he said. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he let her hold on to him in the doorway. Thank you for inviting me, she replied. They went inside. He closed the door behind them and she produced from her bag a bottle of red wine. I brought you this, she said. We don’t have to drink it, I just have a horror of coming over to someone’s house and not bringing anything. Especially your house. Imagine what my mother would say. Not that I brought anything last time I dropped by, ha ha. She put the bottle on the table and took her bag off her shoulder. Catching sight of the television, she said: Oh, are you watching Clare Byrne? I won’t interrupt. I’ll just sit quietly on the sofa. He was smiling, his eyes following Eileen as she hung her bag on the back of a kitchen chair and started

to refix her hair, loosening the elastic tie that held it up in a bun. No, I’m not watching it, he said. You look nice. Would you like a cup of tea or something? Or a glass of wine if you’d rather. She went to sit on the couch, pulling off the flat leather shoes she had been wearing and tucking up her feet in their white socks on the cushions. I’ll have tea, she said. I don’t actually feel like wine. Is this a puzzle? He glanced over from the kitchen and saw her pointing at the chessboard. No, he said, it’s a game. Peter was here last night, but he had to head off before we finished. Just as well for me. She went on looking at the board while he boiled the kettle and took a cup down from the press. Did you have the black pieces? she asked. With his back turned to her, he answered no, the white. You’re up two pawns, then, she said. And you can check him with your bishop.