Bono was on his mobile phone when the he hear the knock on his door the next afternoon, opening the door he found the familar face of Patricia Mackey Seamus older sister, she was a big woman, with a mop of curling grey hair and a broad Irish accent, and a mischevious twinkle in her eye despite the fact she was well into her fifties and had a husband and five children of her own. She had a wicked sense of humour, she lived in the village and Bono had come to know her pretty well thanks to his friendship with Seamus because she was never out of his house and also helped him with making lunches in the pub.
"I hear you are looking a cleaner" she greeted him and he beckoned her in, telling who ever was on the other end of the phone he had to go and hung up.
"Hey Pat its great to see you again, have you lost weight.. it sure looks like you have, you sexy woman?" Bono give her a hug and she chuckled and pushed him away.
"Get away with ye, don't try none of your charm on me, I am not falling for it.. sexy woman indeed" she let out a loud raucious laugh at the idea of it
"You didn't know I had a thing for big women then" Bono teased sidling up to her, "But I will keep it under control and restrain myself, don't want your husband John coming after me" he winked
"You are a terrible man, I don't know if it will be safe for me to come and work for ye the way you behave at times, turning a married womans head" she replied playfully back
"Don't worry I will force myself to be the perfect gentlman when you are around Bono grinned "I need a cleaner badly"
"Yeah and I need the money badly, even if it only for a few months, seeing the old man likes spending half his wages in the bookies on them oul' horses"" Pat suddenly became serious and sighed. "Oh well never mind, all that hows things with you, bin travelling around the world again with that band of yours eh?"
"Yeah something like that Bono replied, "I am feeling kindda wore out after it, which is why I decided to take a break for a few months here, and then of course I remembered you, and realised I couldn't stay away too long"
Pat let out another loud laugh "will ye behave yourself, before I thwap you one, you don't have to flatter me anymore, I told you I would do the cleaning for ye" she pointed out
"Oh yeah thats right, I promised to behave myself didn't I" Bono replied solemnly, but the mischevious twinkle was still there
"Yes you did.. so behave" Pat scolded him good humouredly "Though its good to have you back, I was pleased when Seamus phoned me and told me you were looking for a cleaner, I jumped at the chance, plus it will give me even more of an excuse to pop into my brothers house just down the road a bit more and keep an eye on him and that young girlie"
"You mean Antonia?" Bono enquired.
"Aye," Pat nodded, "You have met her then?"
"Yes, though it was not the first time... I first encountered her in England a few years back at a charity ball thing.. she was the Hostess" Bono explained "Actually I was a bit surprised to find her staying with Seamus, I never realised he had mixed with
the London Jet set and politicians" he grinned
He doesn't" Pat replied caustically "He has no love for those sort, neither have I, espicially after what happened to that poor girl-" Pat stopped there realising she had almost said to much.
"I see" Bono tactfully replied, but couldn't stem his curiousity at the same time, "So how did Seamus end up having Antonia as his guest?.
"Its a long story" Pat sighed heavily, "But have you ever wondered why my brother Seamus has never got married and remained a bachelor all his life?"
"Well I did find myself at times thinking why he had never settled down with kids of his own because I noticed he gets on well with yours, and they all love him"
"Yeah he is great with kids and young people, it always pained me he never had any of his own.. but I guess Antonia is the nearest thing he has"
Bono's eyebrow rose speculatively "Really?"
"Oh not that she is really blood related to him or anything" Pat hastily added, "Just that.. well you might be surprised to know that Antonia's mother Mary came from here.
When they were young she and Seamus were going together, I think Seamus had big plans to make himself a bit of money and make something of himself then ask her to marry him... he was crazy in love with her, always had been even from they were just kiddies mary never realised it thoug every one else knew the way he would look at her with such adoration. Pat smiled a smal smile as she remembered, then her smile faded and she frowned a little
"But then Alex Jameson appeared on the scene, he was staying here with relations that use to live in the big house.. it was knocked down about eight years ago, think it was his aunt and uncle, well to do... if you know what I mean?"
Bono nodded "Yeah I think so"
"Anyway" Pat continued looking a little doleful "He was handsome and rich and charming and kindda turned Mary's head, she was just turning eighteen, Seamus was away in Dublin trying to make good money and came home at the weekends so he was never around much, and whilst he was busy using his hard earned money on a surprise engagment ring, Mary found herself getting attracted to Alex" Pat paused shaking her head sadly
"Our Seamus not one for declaring his true feelings out loud to her, she was unaware that she was breaking his heart, espically when she fell pregnant with Alex's child, and then they ended up getting married and going to live in England.. she was never aware how much Seamus loved her, always thought they were just good friends, that his love for her had been a childhood crush he would get over.. but he never did"
"That's so sad" Bono remarked "I never realised"
"Well he doesn't like to talk about it much" Pat replied "Anyway she give birth to Antonia, she invited us all over to visit for the christening, but it was still too painful for Seamus he made some excuse and didn't go... I think he regretted it when she died a few years later there was problems with her second pregnancy her and the little baby died" Pat felt herself get close to tears again upset as she remembered
"When Seamus learned I think he went through the darkest period of his life, but me and the rest of the family were there to help him through it and he came out the other end eventually." Pat let out another heavy sigh
But then young Antonia turned up expectantly to visit her grandmother.. Mary's aging mother, she is almost the dead spit of Mary except her hair is dark, and just two years younger than her mother before she got married.. of course as soon as Seamus set eyes on her.. that was it, he befriended her, and started treating her as if she was his own daughter, esicially when he discovered that things were not going to well between Antonia and her real father Alex.. that man is a cold fish, he doesn't deserve to have a child" Pat stated vehmnently but then shook her head
"I am probably judging him too harshly.." she added graciously, "I think he had difficulties dealing with the loss of his wife and child, I believe it was a little boy, and poor Antonia suffered because of that... but its just as well she has Seamus to turn to.. I dread to think what might have become of her"
Bono's eyes narrowed, there it was again, and implication that something terrible was now going on with Antonia, he realised that the moment he set eyes on her.. he just wondered what it was.. But then reminded himself it was really none of his business, so he didn't press Pat anymore about it as she hurriedly changed the subject.
"Lord I am nattering away here, and keeping ye back, thats not what you are paying me for.. so where do you want me to start on the house?"
"The bedrooms would be a great start, and work your way down" Bono replied with a small smile realising he was getting no more out of Pat for the day.
"Fine by me"she said heading into the kitchen for the cleaning material so she could get started.
"I hear you are looking a cleaner" she greeted him and he beckoned her in, telling who ever was on the other end of the phone he had to go and hung up.
"Hey Pat its great to see you again, have you lost weight.. it sure looks like you have, you sexy woman?" Bono give her a hug and she chuckled and pushed him away.
"Get away with ye, don't try none of your charm on me, I am not falling for it.. sexy woman indeed" she let out a loud raucious laugh at the idea of it
"You didn't know I had a thing for big women then" Bono teased sidling up to her, "But I will keep it under control and restrain myself, don't want your husband John coming after me" he winked
"You are a terrible man, I don't know if it will be safe for me to come and work for ye the way you behave at times, turning a married womans head" she replied playfully back
"Don't worry I will force myself to be the perfect gentlman when you are around Bono grinned "I need a cleaner badly"
"Yeah and I need the money badly, even if it only for a few months, seeing the old man likes spending half his wages in the bookies on them oul' horses"" Pat suddenly became serious and sighed. "Oh well never mind, all that hows things with you, bin travelling around the world again with that band of yours eh?"
"Yeah something like that Bono replied, "I am feeling kindda wore out after it, which is why I decided to take a break for a few months here, and then of course I remembered you, and realised I couldn't stay away too long"
Pat let out another loud laugh "will ye behave yourself, before I thwap you one, you don't have to flatter me anymore, I told you I would do the cleaning for ye" she pointed out
"Oh yeah thats right, I promised to behave myself didn't I" Bono replied solemnly, but the mischevious twinkle was still there
"Yes you did.. so behave" Pat scolded him good humouredly "Though its good to have you back, I was pleased when Seamus phoned me and told me you were looking for a cleaner, I jumped at the chance, plus it will give me even more of an excuse to pop into my brothers house just down the road a bit more and keep an eye on him and that young girlie"
"You mean Antonia?" Bono enquired.
"Aye," Pat nodded, "You have met her then?"
"Yes, though it was not the first time... I first encountered her in England a few years back at a charity ball thing.. she was the Hostess" Bono explained "Actually I was a bit surprised to find her staying with Seamus, I never realised he had mixed with
the London Jet set and politicians" he grinned
He doesn't" Pat replied caustically "He has no love for those sort, neither have I, espicially after what happened to that poor girl-" Pat stopped there realising she had almost said to much.
"I see" Bono tactfully replied, but couldn't stem his curiousity at the same time, "So how did Seamus end up having Antonia as his guest?.
"Its a long story" Pat sighed heavily, "But have you ever wondered why my brother Seamus has never got married and remained a bachelor all his life?"
"Well I did find myself at times thinking why he had never settled down with kids of his own because I noticed he gets on well with yours, and they all love him"
"Yeah he is great with kids and young people, it always pained me he never had any of his own.. but I guess Antonia is the nearest thing he has"
Bono's eyebrow rose speculatively "Really?"
"Oh not that she is really blood related to him or anything" Pat hastily added, "Just that.. well you might be surprised to know that Antonia's mother Mary came from here.
When they were young she and Seamus were going together, I think Seamus had big plans to make himself a bit of money and make something of himself then ask her to marry him... he was crazy in love with her, always had been even from they were just kiddies mary never realised it thoug every one else knew the way he would look at her with such adoration. Pat smiled a smal smile as she remembered, then her smile faded and she frowned a little
"But then Alex Jameson appeared on the scene, he was staying here with relations that use to live in the big house.. it was knocked down about eight years ago, think it was his aunt and uncle, well to do... if you know what I mean?"
Bono nodded "Yeah I think so"
"Anyway" Pat continued looking a little doleful "He was handsome and rich and charming and kindda turned Mary's head, she was just turning eighteen, Seamus was away in Dublin trying to make good money and came home at the weekends so he was never around much, and whilst he was busy using his hard earned money on a surprise engagment ring, Mary found herself getting attracted to Alex" Pat paused shaking her head sadly
"Our Seamus not one for declaring his true feelings out loud to her, she was unaware that she was breaking his heart, espically when she fell pregnant with Alex's child, and then they ended up getting married and going to live in England.. she was never aware how much Seamus loved her, always thought they were just good friends, that his love for her had been a childhood crush he would get over.. but he never did"
"That's so sad" Bono remarked "I never realised"
"Well he doesn't like to talk about it much" Pat replied "Anyway she give birth to Antonia, she invited us all over to visit for the christening, but it was still too painful for Seamus he made some excuse and didn't go... I think he regretted it when she died a few years later there was problems with her second pregnancy her and the little baby died" Pat felt herself get close to tears again upset as she remembered
"When Seamus learned I think he went through the darkest period of his life, but me and the rest of the family were there to help him through it and he came out the other end eventually." Pat let out another heavy sigh
But then young Antonia turned up expectantly to visit her grandmother.. Mary's aging mother, she is almost the dead spit of Mary except her hair is dark, and just two years younger than her mother before she got married.. of course as soon as Seamus set eyes on her.. that was it, he befriended her, and started treating her as if she was his own daughter, esicially when he discovered that things were not going to well between Antonia and her real father Alex.. that man is a cold fish, he doesn't deserve to have a child" Pat stated vehmnently but then shook her head
"I am probably judging him too harshly.." she added graciously, "I think he had difficulties dealing with the loss of his wife and child, I believe it was a little boy, and poor Antonia suffered because of that... but its just as well she has Seamus to turn to.. I dread to think what might have become of her"
Bono's eyes narrowed, there it was again, and implication that something terrible was now going on with Antonia, he realised that the moment he set eyes on her.. he just wondered what it was.. But then reminded himself it was really none of his business, so he didn't press Pat anymore about it as she hurriedly changed the subject.
"Lord I am nattering away here, and keeping ye back, thats not what you are paying me for.. so where do you want me to start on the house?"
"The bedrooms would be a great start, and work your way down" Bono replied with a small smile realising he was getting no more out of Pat for the day.
"Fine by me"she said heading into the kitchen for the cleaning material so she could get started.
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Wow, this story is really getting good! Thanks for the quick updates. 
