‘It’s great,’ I said truthfully.
‘What are you wearing?’he said.‘Is that the dress you bought with me?’
‘I figured our last gig was worth wearing it for,’ I said.
‘Definitely.’He looked down at me and grinned.‘Right, Ms McDermott.Shall we go to the ball?’
We got the number 10 bus out to the North Circular.It was just the two of us; Brian and Joanna were getting lifts from the southside.People stared at us when we got on the bus and went upstairs, Tadhg in his tux and me in my floor-length floral frock and fur jacket, both of us carrying guitar cases.
‘Do you think this is how REM are getting to their Glastonbury headline slot next month?’said Tadhg, as we sat down in the upstairs front seats.
‘Definitely,’ I said.‘They’re getting paid in cans of Dutch Gold and Scrumpy Jack too.’
‘Who else is playing tonight, by the way?’said Tadhg.‘Sorry, I’ve been kind of distracted all week.’
‘Sourpuss and Shatner, obviously,’ I said.‘And a hip-hop band called Astroturf.And then Fiachra and some other people are DJing.’I hadn’t seen Fiachra since that last encounter in his house ten days earlier, but we’d been texting each other.
‘Oh, right,’ said Tadhg.‘Cool.’
‘Fiachra said Ruairí’s going to be on the door checking people’s names off the list,’ I said.
In case the house got swamped, Ruairí had come up with a scheme: anyone who wanted to attend the Alternative Ball had to email him and get added to a list, and if your name wasn’t on it on the night, you weren’t coming in.‘But I don’t know how long that’s going to last.’
Tadhg laughed.‘I can’t imagine anyone involved in this ball being a very effective bouncer.Myself included.’
‘Oh well,’ I said.‘We just have to worry about playing the set.Our last-ever set,’ I added morosely.
‘Come on,’ said Tadhg.‘You and me will still be a band next year, remember?We’re going to record an EP!And I know it won’t be the same, but we’ll find people to fill in for Brian and Jo.’
‘We won’t have the garage,’ I said.
‘We’ll find somewhere,’ said Tadhg.‘I believe in us.’
I smiled at him, his beautiful face golden in the evening sunlight that was streaming into the bus.‘I do too.’
We knew we had the right house as soon as we saw it.
‘Wow,’ I said.‘Ruairí’s actually put some work into this.’
An extension lead was coming out of the open fanlight above the front door, and into it were plugged multiple strings of fairy lights, which were strung up over the porch of the large three-storey house.We were walking up the steps when the door opened and Fiachra appeared, looking extremely handsome in black tie.I had never seen him in a suit before.
‘Hey!’he cried.He gave me a big hug and raised a hand in greeting to Tadhg.‘The stars of the show!Verycool dress, Laura.’
‘Thanks very much,’ I said.
‘I’m just going to the shop to get some Rizlas while everything’s being set up,’ said Fiachra.‘Do you want anything?’
‘I’m good,’ I said.
‘How about you, Tim?’
‘I’m fine,’ said Tadhg.‘Thanks.’
‘Then I’ll see you later!’Fiachra kissed me on the cheek and bounced down the steps, and Tadhg and I went inside.
‘What do you think?’said Ruairí, when we found him in what was officially the dining room at the back of the enormous house.He hadn’t been exaggerating about the size.It was in rag order – plaster peeling from the walls, damp stains on ceilings –but it was huge.‘We all raided our folks’ Christmas decorations.My mum’s going to kill me in December.’
Every room on the ground floor was strewn with fairy lights and the effect, while definitely a fire hazard, was also totally magical.
