Wayne's Super Heinz

"Burger and chips for a 3 am breakfast on the ferry and burger and chips here at the racecourse. When we're out on the lash tonight I expect we'll have... burger and chips again. Don't worry, back to the usual meat and five veg on Sunday."

"What you mean, five veg, it'll be taters, peas an' broccoli with the roast on Sunday."

"Aye, but they taters be mashed, roasted and boiled, so it's five different veggies!"

"Get away witcha, you love me spuds, so you do."

"So I do, Mam, so I do. Anyway, I had winners for the first two races."

"That's grand."

"I know you don't approve--"

"It's your hard-earned money, Wayne, you spend it on what you want to spend it. Just don't chase your losses and get into debt. So, any other news? What was the ferry trip like?"

"Fine, only Donkey and Bodger didn't go home after work, they got half-cut and slept it off in the Gaffer's car on the way to Dublin. Oh, Darragh's missus sent a bag of old clothes to him and we had to stop and get him a new suit, socks and everything."

They both laugh.

"And what are you not telling me, Wayne?"

Wayne had never found a way of getting anything past his Mam.

"Er, you remember the girl from school?"

"The cute dark-haired girl, who liked mucking out stables?"

"That's the one, she's er, she's riding in the next race."

"And you knew a year ago, I guess, that she'd be riding at Cheltenham this time around?"

"She did race last year, when none of us went over to watch as you know. I just guessed that maybe this year...."

"Looks you had three long shots come in, darlin'."

"Hopefully."

"Well, I liked her and I guess you do too."

"I do, Mam, I do."

"Well, just be careful, Wayne, or a world of hurt could be coming your way."

Meanwhile, back in the bar his three friends are watching him through the window, as he smiles during his telephone conversation.

'How in the name of the Holy Trinity are we going to tell him?" sighs Liam.

"Tell him what, Gaffer?" asks Oisin.

"Do yer not know?" Darragh looks surprised, "you know nothing goes on in Portumna that's a secret."

"I know that, but I still don't know this secret, so tell us."

"Both Wayne O'Connell and Donal O'Shea were sweet on the lovely Katie Kennedy that was," Liam says, shaking his head in disbelief of what he was about to tell them. "O'Shea's father had the money, but Wayne had, well --"

"We're talking about Wayne's uncle right?" Oisin asks to be sure.

"Aye, Wayne's uncle Wayne," continues Liam, "now, Wayne was a young man poor in riches, but he was a bold battler who would take on anyone with his fists in the the pub and take on the world with his strength of arm and determination and the charm to persuade even the hardest-nosed businessman to take him on and, they say, he was like catnip to the ladies. After establishing his construction business here from scratch, using nothing but hard graft and smart choices, he took his crews over to England, because 25 years ago there were out-of-town malls and entertainment complexes springing up all over the place for silly money. He was doing well before he left and Katie could see a bright future and accepted his ring. Then she heard rumours from workers coming back home on visits and she took the ferry to seek him out, found him in bed with an English scrubber and threw his ring in his face, came home and within three months she married Donal."

"So that's why Dee Dee's oul man doesn't like Duke," Oisin says, "because of an old rivalry between fellas?"

"No, Oisin, sadly, it's because while uncle Wayne was back home for Wayne's christening, and he accidentally killed, Katie O'Shea, Dee Dee's mother."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

5. GRANDSTAND FINISH

"Shite!" explodes Oisin, "So is Dee Dee uncle Wayne's off--?"

"Naw," Liam uses his hands to calm them all down, keeping one eye on the door watching for Wayne's return. "Wayne the uncle was proved innocent at the inquest hearing. The jury heard testimony that the christening was several days earlier and character witnesses swore that uncle Wayne never rests or throws a sickie, he always sobers up and finds work to fill his time and if fact he is usually in demand any time he comes home. That fateful morning he was on the road to a job in his truck and found there were temporary traffic lights in St Patrick's Road at the junction where Abbey Road runs into Dominic's, because half of Dominic's Street was torn up looking for a mains water leak. As Wayne approached, the green light just turned in his favour. He went through the crossroads to Church road and, went through the traffic lights at 28 miles an hour the forensics estimated. There he hit Katie's little Fiat, who came out of Dominic into Abbey Street, either jumping the lights or not even seeing them. The collision pushed her into the path of a cement lorry coming up from the Shannon Road where it had been concreting a new footpath down by the swimming area. Anyway, it was Wayne's first time home in over two years and Katie and Donal's wedding was over 18 months before. But there's more."

Darragh knows the whole story and simply nods in agreement with Liam.

"What the feck? There's more? Tell me!" Oisin begs.

"Well, the hottest fella in town had for a long while been Wayne O'Connell and two years before he was not only spoken for, engaged to Katie, but he was also working away from home across the water. And therefore, once Katie turned O'Shea down in favour of Wayne, in Wayne's absence Donal O'Shea became the hottest thing since sliced soda bread and he attracted the attention of a number of unattached ladies, but way in front of them all was the young and very pretty Connie O'Connell--"

"Oh feck!" Oisin explodes. "Wayne's Mam!"

"Shoosh! Hold it down, yah clown, Duke'll hear yer!" Darragh thumps him on the upper arm.

"Excuse me fer talkin' won'tcha?" Oisin pauses, "just how old was oul Connie, now, cos she's what 35?"

"She was only 15 at the time, admittedly but," the sage Liam says, sucking in his teeth, "but she was built like a brick shitehouse and as fine a girl as you'll ever see, and she had her eyes set on Donal. And Donal, now, well, he was only 23 himself and had been brought up right and proper, well prepared to wait as, rumour has it, that both Connie and Katie were unquestionably pure as rainwater."

"So, is our Duke, possibly a brother of the girl he's courtin' cos that would be--"

"Get away widger, Bodge, this is culchie country, County Galway, not the Turkish quarter of Marseilles, yah eejit," Darragh sighs, "time wise, the engagement of Katie and the courting of Connie was a few months before Wayne the uncle got caught with his pants down."

"Ah," Oisin nodded, "I get it, Katie suddenly lost the hottest hunk in the town, so she went after the second hunk who she already knew had once had the hots for her?"

"Aye, oul lad," Darragh takes up the tale, "Katie went back to O'Shea and poor oul Connie was history. She took it hard, finished school early, and disappeared off to to stay with a Jackeen cousin and study at college before going onto Trinny a couple of years later."

"So, O'Shea dumped Connie, married Katie, and it was another eighteen months to two years before two separate baby showers started," Liam says, still looking out for Wayne's return. "So, a quick run down for you Oisin: two years later Connie comes home well and truly up the duff. Which was a couple of months after Katie started showing with her pregnancy. Those two reacquainted with each other at the surgery, becoming friends instead of rivals during their pregnancies. Then the Wayne that we know as 'Duke' popped out the chute, and the O'Sheas and Uncle Wayne meet up to wet the wean's head without any ructions or blows between them. But, only five days later, 'Wack!' Katie's little Fiat goes through a red traffic light and Wayne's truck knocks Katie into the path of that cement mixer, the brown stuff hit the spinning thing and we are where we are today."

"And Uncle Wayne knew as soon as he saw the car that he'd hit Katie, she'd had that bright yellow Fiat from when the couple were engaged," Darragh says, "he pulled her out from the wreckage, knowing she had already passed, but he kept up CPR on her for 25 minutes until the ambulance arrived, just to keep the baby alive."

"Jenny mac!" Oisin says, blowing out his cheeks, "so O'Shea' missus is killed by Wayne but needs to thank him for saving his only daughter?"

"Yay, a complete feck-up," Liam admits, "Brutal accident, fierce bad luck that was proven in the inquiry. The doctor at the inquest reckon she might've been distracted by a quare contraction or even trapped wind. Pregnant women aren't the full shilling, that's a fact ye'll find out yourself one of these fine days."

"Look, he's coming back," hisses Darragh as Wayne enters the door and heads to their table. His three friends bury their lips in their glasses to hide their guilty expressions. Oisin is the first to speak.

"Come on, Duke, drink up, yer bloody lightweight, yer a round behind," Oisin calls out to Wayne before pouring the balance of about a quarter pint down his throat.

"I've got a thirst on too, Bodge," as Wayne picks up his bottle of lager, "if we're going out on the lash tonight I better switch to pints."

"Ah, you got the say so from your Oul Dear to get ossified this afternoon and tonight, then, did ya?" Darragh grins as he sets down his empty glass.

"Aye, it appears the lot of every woman in Ireland to keep a check on one fella or another, but I'm on a shorter leash than either of you two reprobates," Wayne grins, completely unaware that he's been the subject of their discussion. "Let's go look at the horses for Race 3 before we have another pint. But I'm staying in the background and watch, cos if Dee Dee catches me there I'll be for it!"

Wayne does indeed watch from a distance, noticing Deidre immediately within the ring, in her largely purple and yellow silks, noting that her hair was buried completely under the enormous riding helmet, but imagines her dark hair would look outstanding against the silk. He can see how slight she looks against not just the horses, but the other jockeys too and is amazed at how she is able to compete.

Then he joins the other three in the grandstand to watch the race. It turns out an exciting finish as Sunarabia and another outsider in this Novice Hurdle race over three miles, Urban Turban, fight it out for third place.

Now that the four lads have bet something each way on Deidre's mount, any rivalries over their Super Heinz choices made and placed yesterday are forgotten and all four are yelling like crazy for Sunarabia to win their little race within the race.

The favourite Greer and a well-backed grey named Ghost Bluster were well clear of the eighteen-horse field so first and second becomes a procession. Thus all eyes are either focussed on the next pair of horses battling it out pounding hoof by pounding hoof, or on the crazy antics of the four Irishmen urging on Sunarabia with calls like, "Come on, Sunarabia" or "Come on Dee Dee".

Until a wag nearby, in as clear as a bell cry heard above all the usual crowd noise, yells out, "C'm on, Dee Dee, ya wee Eireann beauty," which raises a cheer and a laugh from those the jolly Irish punters about him. As the laugh dies down, a punter declares, "That's the only Irish-owned, Irish-trained horse in the top half of the field" and, before you know it, there were 20,000 punters in that grandstand yelling with all their hearts for Sunarabia or Dee-Dee and the race goes all the way to the wire.

And Wayne swears it was pure will power of the crowd, adding to the skill of his pixie rider and the love she had for the horse she had trained with and cared for, that carried Sunarabia over the line with a clear head in front to edge third place. Wayne also swears that the cheer that went up for that precious place was the loudest cheer of the afternoon so far. The smiles from their proud countrymen, and those neutrals that love a good race, around them are honest and genuine as they made their way up the steps to move to the winners enclosure, the backs of each of the four of them heartily slapped in congratulations, with many calls of "Fair play, boyos" and the like.

Before they reach the exit, another cry goes up and is passed through the crowd to the four lads:

"Sunarabia finished in the placing at 125/1, yah jammy feckers!"

But it was all in grand good spirit.

At the Winners Enclosure, the winning horse and those placed in the race are dismounted and unsaddled, the jockeys collecting the saddle and make their way to the weighing room to check they still carry the required handicap weights.

Wayne waves at his heroine and she blesses him with a huge grin, her eyes sparkling in pleasure, but she can't stop and talk. As she passes where Wayne watches, her father Donal O'Shea looms large behind her, and the exchange between the two young friends doesn't escape O'Shea's attention and he looks on Wayne with what he can only interpreted as pure hate.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

6. FINISHING STRAIGHT

Wayne waits alone for Deidre at the parade ring gate after the third race of the day, in which Deidre finished third, her first of two races today. His three friends have returned to the grandstand to watch the main event of the afternoon, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a steeplechase over 3 miles and 2 furlongs. Wayne had earlier arranged to meet Deidre after she weighed in and changed after the race.

He spots her early as she approaches the gate. She has clearly changed out of her garish-coloured silks, freshly showered and dressed in smart but more muted coloured clothes, a woollen skirt around knee length, stockings or tights with short broad heels and a quilted coat against the wind which still has some late-March winter chill in it, despite the sunshine.

He can see that Deidre is wearing a wide brimmed pale yellow straw hat on over her long dark, almost black, hair tied in a pony tail which swishes from side to side as she walks. Soon, he sees her negotiate her way through the security checks on her side of the gate, showing her jockey pass which she would require to get back in, and emerges on Wayne's side of the divide her eyes seeking him out.

She seems pleased to see him as her face breaks out into a beautiful smile as she approaches him. He walks towards her and meets her halfway.

They hug somewhat tentatively. Wayne with hesitation on his part, but as they release their hug, Deidre kisses him quickly on the cheek.

It is their first ever kiss and Wayne instantly colours up bright pink. Deidre notices, despite the tan that Wayne has acquired working outside even this early in the spring, his embarrassment so obvious. In response, she re-embraces him and looks him square in the eye.

"Your eyes are light grey-blue and smokey," she says, "like an autumn mist."

"And yours are as blue and sparkling as the Shannon on a grand day," he replies.

She focuses on one eye then the other for what seems to Wayne an age, stirring an agony of wants and despair all mixed up in feelings that he has suppressed for years, almost as long as they have known each other; he counts them in his head, fourteen years, if time including the last two years of physical and emotional separation.

As well as the deepening pink of his cheeks, he can feel the roots of his thick, slightly unruly hair bristle with the flush of oxygenated blood to his follicles and his body, muscle-hardened by two years of labour since leaving school, suddenly feels as weak as water.

"Wayne?" Deidre asks gently in a whisper that only he hears, as they continue to hold each other close, "you're as scarlet as a fresh-boiled lobster. Does this mean that you have some... remaining feelings for me? Cos if you have, well, you've never said anything before, have you, you bloody eejit?!"

"I, well, I spent all that time with you after school, awaiting your Dad ... so sure, you must have known that I liked you more than a wee particle. We did have plans, once."

"Yes we did and I was too easily dissuaded, sorry. So you do like me then, do you?"

"Of course, I followed you all the way to Cheltenham now, didn't I?"

"You did," she states, then on her tip toes she presses her lips against his lips and tightens her grip on the poor man who is stiff as a board until he realises that this is unlike any ancient matriarch pressing her attentions on a poor defenceless wean, which would be a vomit-fest. No, this is Dee Dee O'Shea kissing him and pressing her tongue against his unyielding lips insisting on being let in. And why would he resist except by reflex?

Wayne's shoulders sag, as he relaxes, his arms lift and wrap around her, to embrace her in turn, and his lips part enough to allow her hot, wet inquisitive tongue to lick along his upper teeth before wheedling deeper, searching out his own tongue.

His eyes are closed as if he is entering a dream state. All his mind can do is register the thoughts that, 'Dee Dee is kissing me. Me! She's actually feckin' kissing me, on the gob, on MY gob. Her grip is firm, her hard body pressed tight to me, yet her lips are soft, so soft.'

A groan passes between them, although neither of them is exactly sure who groaned, or was it both together?

Deidre's tongue presses deeper and Wayne's teeth close and nip the tip of her bold invader gently. They sigh together as Deidre reluctantly withdraws her tongue and lightly nips Wayne's lower lip with her teeth before settling down on the balls of her feet and burrows her face in his broad chest. Now it is Deidre's turn to go scarlet.

"I can't believe that I've just eaten your face off, in front of all these people," she murmurs into Wayne's deep chest, conscious that Wayne holds her close, gently rubbing her back, "I've wanted to do that for donkey's years but...."

"Hush, shush," Wayne says gently, imagining calming a child in need of comfort, his embarrassment gone, evaporated and replaced by a quiet calm of an acceptance of a change of state, a change for the better. "Ma told me years ago that when I finally got to kiss you I was to leave enough space between us for the Holy Spirit, until we married."

"Married, now is it?" Deidre mumbles into his chest.

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember but, as you so eloquently put it, I've been too much of an eejit to tell you before now."

"I always hoped you loved me, but couldn't think why, I was the shortest, ugliest wee wean in the class, yet you took time to talk to me, so I wasn't lonely or picked on while waiting on my Da after school." She raises her head enough to look at Wayne's face but still holds on, maintaining a cheek on his chest. "I love you Wayne, I always have, always."

"I always had hopes. And as fer you being ugly, get away widge'yah, you dopey woman," Wayne smiles, "I just saw a few moments ago how you rode that horse, half a tonne of muscle and bone under you, and you coaxed him all the way as his masterful mistress. It was a wonderful thing to see Dee Dee, I'm so impressed."

"Well, so'm I impressed," she says, wiggling the one eyebrow within his view, "judging by your reaction--"

"Oh! Ah! Sorry! About that, but, you know, it's an automatic reaction in a full on cuddle situation. I hope ya not too freaked out."

"To be honest I'm not freaked out, not one bit," she grins at him, "I'm not complaining but does this reaction I've caused mean that we have to remain... holding on to each other like this... in close embrace, front to front, until maybe the sun goes down and it gets too dark to see?"

"No, I hope not, I mean, I'd love to but...."

"But as in but what?" she smiles up at him

"But, Dee Dee, darlin', you have the last race at 5.10 and maybe other possible obligations to your Dad before then?"