Jarlath’s Crescent was the poorer after Muttie’s death, and people tried to avoid looking at the lonely figure of Lizzie standing by her gate, as she always had. It was as if she were still waiting for him. Of course, everyone rallied round to make sure that she wasn’t alone, but one by one her children went back to their lives in Chicago and Australia; Cathy went back to her catering company. The twins were busy working at Ennio’s and deciding on their future. Everyone was slowly getting back to life, but with the knowledge that Lizzie had no life to get on with. One night she might be invited to Charles and Josie’s, but her eyes were far away as they talked of the campaign for the statue. Sometimes she went to sit with Paddy and Molly Carroll for an evening, but there was a limit to what she could listen to about Molly’s work at the thrift shop or Paddy’s confrontations at the meat counter. She had no tales of her own to tell anymore. Emily Lynch was sympathetic company; she would ask questions about Lizzie’s childhood and her early working days.
