Kieran grinned, imagining his nephews and brother-in-law sprawled and snoring in their chairs.
“I can’t believe you finally came home,” she said, her voice a little thick. “I didn’t think you’d ever step foot in Mistletoe again.”
He didn’t either. But after the initial barrage of memories, he was settling in. Funny how quickly he was starting to feel at home when he’d been gone so long.
“Why?” she asked.
“Why what?”
“Why are you here?”
Kieran rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t want to miss Mum’s seventieth birthday.”
“How did you find out about the party?”
“Party?”
“Yes,” she said, sounding hurried. “We’re starting to board, so I have to go. The party is a surprise, so don’t spill the beans.”
“I won’t—”
“See you tomorrow.”
She clicked off, and Kieran hung up the phone. He smiled. A surprise birthday party for Mom sounded like a fun time.
After talking to Sheryl, he went back to the living room just as Mum woke up. Had she heard him talking to Sheryl?
But all she said was, “Ready for bingo?”
His mother might be raring to go, but Kieran wasn’t. “I think I’ll beg off tonight. I’m terrible at bingo.”
She eyed him through her small silver-framed glasses. “When was the last time you played?”
“Uh...” He had no idea. Probably when he was a kid. He’d never been a fan of bingo even then.
“I’ll give you a night off.” She got up from the chair and patted his shoulder. “You’re free to join me and Betsy for supper, though. St. Agnes Church always provides a delicious meal before the games start.”
He considered it for a minute, then shook his head. No offense to the good people at St. Agnes, but he’d had his fill of social activities for the day. “I’ll make a sandwich here.”
“Suit yourself.” She grinned. “Hope I didn’t wear you out too much, son.”
“I can barely keep up with ya,” he said, only half joking. Truth be told, he wasn’t used to the hustle and bustle, not to mention all the people. Some of them he knew, particularly at the diner. But at the mall he didn’t recognize anyone.
He’d always considered himself an extrovert, but Castle O’Neill had been situated in a small hamlet in Cork with a tiny population, probably less than Mistletoe. During his travels in the UK and Europe, he went at his own slower pace.
But less than an hour after Mum left, Kieran was second-guessing himself. Not about bingo but about the meal. A sandwich didn’t appeal, and when he searched through his mother’s pantry and fridge, he didn’t find much to eat. What he did find was Mum’s schedule on the side of the fridge, and from the looks of it she ate out more than she dined in.
He got in the car and headed for the diner again. He’d learned from one of Mum’s friends that the eatery had changed hands a few times over the years, but the menu was basically the same as it had been when he was a kid.
When he walked inside, the restaurant wasn’t busy, and he was directed by a sign near the door to seat himself. He picked a table near the middle of the diner.
“I heard you were back in town.”
He looked up and saw the waitress, a thin woman with bright red lipstick and his mother’s energy level. Obviously she knew him, but he had no idea who she was. He glanced at her name tag and gaped. “Cindy?”
“Yep.” She handed him a menu and grinned. “Bet you didn’t think I’d still be working here.”
He sure didn’t. “How long?”
