Authors: Sheila O'Flanagan
‘I’ve already had numerous consultations with our investor,’ said Ernie. ‘We’ll be in touch with you all before the end of the week about the redundancy packages.’
‘So what d’you think of all that?’ asked Talia Brehon as they walked back to their desks. Talia was every inch a fashion editor, with shoulder-length, honey-blond hair, a tall, slender body, impeccably made-up face, and a size zero capsule wardrobe.
Sheridan knew it often surprised people that as well as working together on the
City Scope
, she and Talia also shared an apartment in Kilmainham, a few kilometres from the newspaper offices. Talia had been looking for someone to share with her at around the same time as Sheridan had needed somewhere to live. Pat had retired and was keeping his promise to Alice to move back to Kerry, where she was originally from. By that stage, all of their children were working and self-sufficient, so they’d decided to sell their house in Dublin. When Sheridan had seen the email Talia sent round the paper looking for a flatmate, she’d replied straight away, although at that time she hadn’t known the fashion editor very well.
They’d met for coffee to talk it over. In her small-ad days, Sheridan would’ve put Talia in the same category as the Samanthas, and she would certainly have been right as far as her glamour was concerned. But although Talia shared her looks with the models she so frequently wrote about, she was also one of the most down-to-earth people Sheridan had ever met. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help thinking that sharing an apartment with someone as feminine as Talia would be the ultimate in life-changing experiences.
It hadn’t entirely been like that, because at home Talia liked sloping around in comfortable tracksuits and trainers rather than designer clothes (although her sports gear of choice was Stella McCartney for Adidas), and the apartment was cool and chic rather than pink and girlie; but she did introduce Sheridan to the joys of concealers and pore minimisers, while Sheridan reciprocated by demonstrating how to change the filter in the washing machine and mend the leaky shower. Both girls enjoyed each other’s company and the flat-share worked out better than either of them had anticipated.
‘I wonder who the investor is?’ mused Sheridan.
‘Paudie O’Malley,’ replied Talia promptly. ‘I’ve just been talking to our esteemed business editor, who has the inside scoop. Apparently Paudie expressed an interest a while back but they rebuffed him. Now he’s in on better terms.’
‘God Almighty.’ Sheridan felt slightly sick. ‘Slash-and-Burn O’Malley’s finally got his claws into us. We’re toast.’
‘He has a hard nose when it comes to business all right,’ acknowledged Talia.
‘He makes Scrooge look like Santa Claus!’ wailed Sheridan. ‘Our first story will have a picture of him cracking the austerity whip.’
Talia laughed. ‘According to Alo, he’s only taken a twenty-five per cent stake. His influence will be limited. And he’s reclusive. I don’t think there’s been a picture of him in the papers for years.’
‘Just ’cos people don’t see him much doesn’t mean he can’t be ruthless.’ Sheridan nibbled anxiously at her thumbnail. ‘What d’you think about our jobs?’
‘Ah, you’ll be fine, the
Scope
is famed for its sports coverage.’
‘Hmm. I’m not sure that sport is an O’Malley priority. He’s into business and politics, isn’t he?’
‘He’ll still need good sports reporters, and you got that great interview with our latest Italian manager, didn’t you?’
Sheridan grinned. ‘I was lucky. Con was going out with an Italian girl who knew his interpreter at the time.’
‘You make your own luck,’ said Talia.
‘True. Oh well, I’ll just keep my fingers crossed.’
‘Me too,’ Talia told her. ‘Whatever Paudie feels about sport, I’m pretty certain he’s not that interested in fashion.’
‘He won’t be able to resist you,’ Sheridan told her friend. ‘You can twist men around your little finger. C’mon. Let’s go for a drink. We could do with something to take the edge off today.’
‘Aren’t you meeting love’s young dream?’ asked Talia.
‘Nope. Griff is at his mother’s house tonight. It’s her birthday, so they’re having a family dinner.’
‘And you weren’t invited?’ Talia arched an eyebrow.
‘Quite frankly, even if I had been, I wouldn’t have wanted to go. I’m scared of that woman! And as for his sisters – five of them – they’re just too much for me. It’s like being on the set of
Pride and Prejudice
when they start yammering on like excitable sparrows.’
‘While you’re the intellectual Elizabeth and Griff is the irresistible Mr Darcy?’
‘Not entirely,’ said Sheridan. ‘I’m not exactly famed for my intellect, and thankfully Griff isn’t all brooding and sulky – I did think Darcy could’ve done with a good slap myself. But I’m lucky to have a boyfriend who’s so great and who remembers things like birthdays and anniversaries and all that stuff.’
‘You guys must be coming up to an anniversary soon,’ said Talia.
‘One year next week.’ Sheridan sounded smug. ‘I never would’ve thought that I’d land myself someone like him, to be honest. He’s so good looking and I’m so . . . so . . .’
‘Sheridan Gray! What have I told you before? You’re a very attractive woman and he’s lucky to have you for a girlfriend!’
Sheridan smiled at her friend. ‘And you say the nicest things. But I’ve got to be honest. I can scrub up OK when I make a big effort, but I can’t do the whole slinky-dress routine or wear high heels. You know that.’
‘High heels are overrated,’ said Talia darkly. ‘I nearly broke my ankle wearing the Manolos I brought back from Milan.’
‘I love having a friend who talks about Manolos and Milan,’ said Sheridan. ‘It makes me feel very cosmopolitan.’
‘Well I love having a friend who can get me freebies to the footie and the rugby,’ said Talia. ‘It makes me feel part of the sporty set.’
‘You’re such a fool, Brehon.’
‘So are you. Right. Let’s get to the pub before the news department does. You know what they’re like. They’ll have it drunk dry in an hour.’
What luxury item would you take with you to a desert island?
Sun cream – although it’s not really a luxury, more of a necessity because I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the sun part of the desert island without it. I’d get one with anti-mozzie in it too because I seem to be a total magnet for mosquitoes who enjoy feasting on my blood! I come up in terrible bumps afterwards which isn’t a good look.
What would your ideal night in consist of?
Dinner in and cocktails in Barcelona – one of my favourite cities in the world. Obviously it would have to be done like the Catalyunas – tapas and drinks first, a stroll along La Rambla and then dinner at about 9.30 or so. I love the way Barcelona comes alive at night.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer, an astronaut, a professional tennis player. One out of three isn’t bad.
If you could recommend one book to a friend what would it be?
The Golf Omnibus
by P. G. Wodehouse. The funniest, greatest pick-me-up book in the world. It’s not really about golf, although his take on obsessive golfers is hilarious, but it’s full of his elegant writing and witty one-liners. Wodehouse’s mastery of comic writing is sadly underrated.
What’s your favourite film to watch on a rainy day?
Apollo 13
(that astronaut thing again). Also because, as a child, I remember it happening even though I didn’t quite realise the seriousness of the situation at the time. I remember standing in the back garden with one of my friends looking up at the night sky trying to see the space capsule. It was a real-life triumph and we don’t have enough of those.
What three things do you never leave the house without?
My phone, my credit card, my asthma inhaler. If I’m missing any of those I feel as though I’m missing a limb.
Where in the world that you’ve never been would you most like to visit?
The Arctic Circle to see the northern lights. Because I like the sun and warmth I tend to go south for my holidays. I keep promising myself that I’ll head north soon – I spent a few days in Stockholm a couple of years ago and I loved it, so I just need to head a bit further north to catch the lights.
Where does the inspiration for your novels come from?
Everywhere. On the bus, on the train, at the airport – seeing people in the street, wondering about them, who they are, where they’re going . . . stories just come. I’m always terrified that one day the ideas will stop and I’ll be left staring at my laptop unable to write a single word.
What do you like doing to relax?
Reading, particularly outdoors, either at the beach or sitting beneath the apple tree at home. I also play badminton (on the basis that I’m sitting on my bum all day and I need to get out and do something different). Truthfully, though, once I have a book I’m perfectly happy.
What makes you laugh?
Politicans’ promises. Dara Ó Briain. Re-runs of
Father Ted. Modern Family
. I used to crack up when my (sadly late) cat would sit on the garden wall and wave his paw at the dog next door. The poor dog went mental trying to jump up at the cat but he could never reach.
Do you prefer reading ebooks or physical books?
Physical books, although I don’t mind how other people read books, it’s the reading that’s important. I’m more inclined to read non-fiction on an ebook reader.
Which TV programme do you ensure you never miss?
There’s no programme that I regard as unmissable, but I like ones with strong characters, like
Mad Men
. I also watch reruns of
Stargate
because although I never read science fiction I enjoy watching it.
Do you prefer red or white wine?
Red during the winter or any time it’s cold. White if I’m eating outdoors. I’m a fan of Spanish wines because I have a holiday home in Spain. My favourite white is Viña Esmeralda and I’m fond of Campo Viejo for a reasonably priced red.
Which character from your books do you resemble the most?
This is a brilliant question but one that I can’t really answer. There’s a part of me in all of the characters because I live vicariously through them when I’m writing, but many of them react quite differently to me to various situations. I actually like having my characters be able to do things I can’t. (For example, Isobel in
Isobel’s Wedding
is unlike me in loads of ways and is good at sewing, which I can’t do to save my life. Ash, in
My Favourite Goodbye
, is a great cook unlike me.) I like them to have interesting careers too, like Carey, (
Too Good to be True
) who’s an air-traffic controller and Lainey (
All For You
) who’s a meterologist and does TV weather forecasts. Physically, I like making my characters tall, because I’m short, and I often give them lovely, manageable hair because mine is so bloody difficult!
Do you have an embarrassing celebrity crush, and if so who?
Rafa Nadal – attractive, athletic and brooding . . . OK now I’m only thinking about him and not anything else . . .