Irish Affair

by Heartley, Amanda

  “Who’d probably understand that my girlfriend is in hospital,” Rory points out.

  “Okay, some might, but what exactly are you going to do here?” she asks. “I have Siobhan, I have doctors, I have everything I need. Now, go make your fans happy with that wonderful music of yours.”

  He nods. “Wow, you really have changed your tune, Meels. Excuse the pun. Remember that first night we met in Dublin when you said it was nothing but a pile of depressing crap?” he asks, grinning at her.

  “Oh God, don’t remind me,” she says, rolling her eyes. She looks at me and says, “I’m still so embarrassed about that every time he mentions it.” Glancing back at Rory she adds, “And you do love to mention it, don’t you, honey.”

  He chuckles at her and says, “Okay, I’ll go, but only if you’re sure.”

  She smiles and motions for him to come closer, kissing him on the lips. “I’m sure. Now go.”

  Ben gives me a soft kiss on the lips and smiles at me as they walk out. I smile back, a million emotions running through me. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about him, but I can’t help it.

  Fuck. I’m going home tomorrow.

  “What’s wrong, Siobhan? You don’t look very happy,” Amelia points out.

  “Sorry,” I mumble, then I sigh and sit down on the edge of her bed again. “It’s just hit me that I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “Are you upset that you’re leaving, or that you’re leaving Ben?” she asks, softly.

  “Both?” I say, covering my face with my hands as tears well in my eyes. I look at her and laugh. “God, I’m sorry, Meels. This is your moment and I’m ruining it.”

  “No, you’re not,” she says, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. “The thing is, you can’t help who you fall for. I know that better than anyone.”

  I nod. I know she’s right, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

  “Rory moved over here for you,” I say, my heart racing. “I’m not sure I could do that for anyone. I’d be so homesick.”

  Amelia shrugs. “When you’re in love, you do crazy things. I’ve done things I never thought I’d do. Things like get pregnant, and have a kid,” she says, nervously rubbing her belly.

  “How are you feeling about that?” I ask. She shrugs and smiles at me, her eyes full of fear. “It wasn’t planned, but I want this baby. I really do. I’m just nervous about whether I’ll be a good mom or not.”

  “You know you’ll be a good mum,” I gently chastise her. “And you’ll have me and everyone else helping you as much as you want it.”

  She smiles. “All I care about is that I have Rory with me, and that we all have a happy life together,” she says.

  My heart swells for them, and then I remember the proposal.

  Shite. What’s going to happen with that now?

  * * *

  We chat for an hour or more, then she puts on the TV to pass the time, but I can’t concentrate on anything, trying to get my mind off Ben. A little while later, my phone vibrates in my hand and I glance down, my heart soaring when I see it’s a text from him. It’s like he knew I was thinking about him. I open the message and read it.

  Ben: Can you get your family on Skype in exactly 33 minutes?

  Me: Don’t know. It’s early there. I’ll try. Why?

  Ben: Real busy here. No time to explain. Just trust me, k?

  A rush of excitement hits me. This must be about the proposal. I don’t know what my brother has up his sleeve, but it’s the only explanation for getting Mum, Dad and all our sisters out of their beds. I’m giddy as I busily text Fi, praying she’ll answer. Thankfully, she does.

  Fi: Why? It’s the middle of the night here. We’ll all need to get dressed.

  Me: Oh boo hoo. Just do it okay?

  Fi: Fine but just so you know, I’m sighing right now. Very loudly!

  Amelia glances over at me and smiles. “Ben?” she teases.

  I flush and nod, hoping that’s the end of the conversation. Of course, it’s not.

  “How’s the concert going?” she says. “Rory was really nervous about this one for some reason. I haven’t seen him so worked up about a show since…well, ever.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s probably because he’s been worried about you being sick all week,” I remind her. “That, and the tiny fact that he’s about to become a father.” My face heats up, and I can’t meet her eyes. God, she’s so going to know I’m lying if I do.

  “Siobhan,” she asks slowly. “What’s going on?”

  “Oh, nothing,” I reply. “I’m, uh, just trying to decide what to do about Ben,” I say, trying to redirect the conversation back there. Thank God it works. If she pressed me any further, I might have fessed up to everything.

  * * *

  For the next twenty-four minutes, I do everything I can to avoid talking to Amelia, sure I’m going to mess it all up. I’m just no good with lying and secrets. Time passes at a snail’s pace until, finally, Ben texts me that they’re downstairs.

  Ben: Turn the light off in the room.

  Like that’s not gonna raise questions.

  I get up and walk over to switch off the light, then I Skype Fiona and cast it onto the TV. Amelia looks at me like I’ve lost the plot.

  “What are you doing?” she asks, frowning at me.

  Shite. I open my mouth to speak, when a woman walks in, and I’m off the hook. At least, for now.

  “Clare!” Amelia grins, hugging her tight as the woman leans down to her. “What are you doing here so late?”

  “Oh, just saying hello,” Clare says innocently, looking around at me. “Hello, I’m Clare. Amelia’s sister,” she says, walking over to me and giving me a hug. “You must be Siobhan. It’s so nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” I say. “I’ve heard so much about you. All good,” I add with a smile.

  “Just dropping into the hospital to say hello at eleven at night?” Amelia asks, narrowing her eyes. I sigh with relief. At least the focus is off me for now. Maybe I won’t ruin the surprise, after all? But, that thought is short-lived as Amelia glances back at me, frowning suspiciously.

  “Well, when my little sis texts me to say she’s pregnant, I’m hardly going to sit around at home eating Chinese food for one, am I?” she says, raising one eyebrow.

  Amelia turns her attention back to me. “So, Clare turns up out of the blue, and you’re turning off the lights to Skype with your family?” She shakes her head. “You’re both telling me nothing is out of the ordinary here?” Clare and I look blankly at each other. “Ah,” she says, smiling at me. “I know what’s happening.”

  “Really?” I reply, feeling anxious.

  “Rory wants to tell his parents about the baby, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes,” both Clare and I say, simultaneously, still looking at each other, which makes us grin.

  “Yes, that’s it,” Clare continues as she turns to face Amelia, then we all stop and turn around when we’re interrupted by the sound of a guitar, and soft humming from the corridor outside. Rory walks into the room, his eyes fixed on Amelia, and tears well up in mine when he sings to her. I back away from the bed as he gets closer, giving them space.

  Amelia just stares at him, confused at first, then overwhelmed. She gasps as he gets down on one knee and lays the guitar down beside him. He stops singing as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box. He looks up at her and gently eases it open.

  “Amelia, you mean everything to me. I wanted to think of a way to make this special, but what makes us special is you. I love you so much, and this baby just strengthens what I already knew.” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “Will you marry me?” he asks, his voice breaking, he’s so nervous.

  She nods, her face wet from tears of happiness. “I can’t believe you did this,” she whispers. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”

  I smile and watch them hug and kiss. When my family suddenly cheer, I jump, their reaction startling me since I’d forgotten they were there. I stand next to
Ben and smile at him. He smiles back, sneaking his hand over mine.

  * * *

  Once all the congratulations are over, Ben takes me home. I should be feeling happy. I should be making the most of the time we have left, but all I can think about is that it’s nearly all over, and with the empty feeling in my stomach, I’m not sure I’m ready for that.

  Chapter Nine

  Ben

  “That was a pretty amazing night, huh?” she murmurs.

  We lay on the grass in Rory’s backyard, staring up at the sky. I nod, loving the feel of her head resting on my chest. I lean down and kiss her hair. She looks up at me and smiles, then goes back to looking at the stars. They’re out in force tonight, so many and so bright.

  I’m sure that has something to do with my father. I haven’t said anything to Siobhan, but today is the anniversary of his death. I didn’t want to bring the day down, especially with the proposal, and then with the baby announcement, but now, staring up at that sky, he’s all I can think about.

  “I can’t believe I’m going home tomorrow,” she whispers.

  I look down at her, my heart aching. That’s one thing I’m so not looking forward to. I kiss her again on the forehead and hold her a little closer.

  “Let’s think about that tomorrow, okay?” I murmur, not wanting to break the thoughts of my father.

  “Is something wrong?” she asks. “You seem awfully quiet compared to your normal self.”

  “Nothing,” I say, a little bit too fast.

  “Yes,” she presses with a frown. “There’s something wrong. You’re holding back.”

  I sigh. “Okay. Today is the anniversary of my dad’s passing,” I say.

  She takes her head off my chest and looks at me intently. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she probes.

  “Because I didn’t want to bring things down,” I explain.

  “You could never do that,” she says. “I’m so sorry about your dad. It must be hard. Makes me so thankful I still have all my family with me.”

  “It is,” I say. “I still miss him, every single day.”

  I get lost in my own thoughts of him again and she doesn’t push me to talk. She snuggles a bit closer against me. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close, kissing her on the forehead while I stroke her back. She leans up and kisses me softly on the mouth. I moan, kissing her back, then we just lay there holding each other, no words needed. It’s the best feeling, and also the worst. Suddenly, I’m feeling very emotional, knowing that tomorrow, she’ll be gone.

  She falls asleep, and I listen to her snoring softly in my arms, trying to figure out where my life is headed. I wish there was a way we could see where this could go. It’s only been a week, but the thought of not having her around terrifies me.

  I ease my phone out of my pocket, an idea ticking over in my head. It’s a long shot, and such a huge decision, but maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong in my life. Maybe I don’t take enough risks. Before I can talk myself out of it, I type out an email, and press send. I’m not sure whether I’m feeling better or worse, but at least I’m doing something.

  * * *

  We stay out there until dawn, her sleeping in my arms, and me anxiously checking my email. I watch the sunrise, then rouse her awake. She smiles up at me with a cute expression I want to wake up to everyday. I lean down and kiss her tenderly on the mouth.

  “I slept all that time?” she mumbles. I smile at her, and nod, kissing her on the nose.

  “You did. Shall we go inside?”

  She nods, but there’s a sad look clouding her eyes. “I guess I better get showered and ready to go.”

  “I’ll drive you to the airport,” I say.

  “You don’t have to—”

  “Oh, you know I’m going to,” I say, kissing her softly. “You think I’d miss the chance to see you off?”

  “You’re that keen to see me go, huh?” she teases.

  “Far from it,” I frown.

  We walk inside, and I wait in the kitchen while Siobhan has a shower. I decide to throw together some breakfast to distract myself from thinking about our impending goodbye. Rory walks in while I’m turning the bacon. He smiles at me as he sits down, looking tired.

  “Hey,” he says.

  “You got back late last night,” I comment. I heard his car pull in well after two.

  “Yeah, I spent most of the night at the hospital with Amelia,” he says, yawning.

  “How long is she going to be in for?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “I’m not sure. Until they figure out the right medication for her type of morning sickness, I suppose. Maybe a day or two.”

  “You must be excited,” I grin. “You’re going to be a father. Imagine that.”

  “Terrified, you mean,” he says with a laugh.

  “Maybe,” I agree. “But honestly, I’m so happy for you and Amelia.”

  “I never imagined anything could make me feel this good,” he says. He glances at me and frowns. “Speaking of which, I owe you an apology,” he says, “I said some things to Siobhan about you that I regret now. You’re a good friend, and our mother has always brought us up to believe that if you don’t have anything good to say about someone, then keep it to yourself. I should have remembered that.”

  “It’s fine,” I say, smiling at him. “I’m sure you were just looking after your little sister,” I pause and look at him. “For the record, I really do like her. I have no intention of hurting her.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he says. “How do you feel about her going back today?” he says.

  I laugh, trying to cover up the hurt. “Like shit. I’m so going to miss her.”

  Rory nods. “Amelia and I are moving back to Ireland next month. Semi-permanently,” he says, looking up at me.

  I glance at him, not sure how to respond to that. I’m about to say something about what I did last night when my phone vibrates. I reach in my pocket and pull it out, my heart racing when I see it’s Maxine. My heart pounds in my chest as I read her message.

  Hi Ben,

  Good to hear from you. As it turns out, Claudia is going on a six-month maternity leave next week. I’ve been struggling to fill her position. It’s yours if you want it. Let me know asap. I don’t have time to wait around while you scratch your arse, ok?

  Max.

  I read the message again, just to make sure I’m not dreaming. She sure doesn’t mince her words, and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  “Fuck me, I don’t believe it,” I say, my pulse racing. “Yes,” I shout, punching the air.

  Holy shit. This is really happening if I want it, and I do.

  “What’s going on?” Rory asks, giving me a funny look.

  “Looks like I’m moving over to Ireland, too,” I say. It’s still sinking in, but God it feels weird to say that.

  “What?” he laughs. “What the hell are you talking about? Did you suffer a blow to your head or something?”

  “I sent Max an email last night, asking if she had anything for me over there,” I shake my head and laugh, re-reading her message, over and over. “It turns out she does. She has someone on maternity leave for six months. And the job is mine if I want it. I guess we’ll take it from there.”

  Rory smiles. “Well, good for you. That’s great news. I’m so happy for you. Does Siobhan know you were even thinking about doing that?”

  “I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure.”

  “When are you going to tell her?” he asks.

  “Maybe at the airport, just before she gets on the plane?” I say with a chuckle.

  Rory laughs. “Oh, man. When she finds out you’ve known all morning and not said anything, she’ll kill you,” he grins. “She’s a fiery one. You’ll see.”

  “That’s half the fun,” I say with a smirk. “Speaking of which, I better hurry her, or she’ll miss her flight.”

  “Oh, before you go and find her, just one more thing, Ben,” he says.

  “
Yeah? What is it?” I ask.

  “Just a piece of friendly advice. Something that’ll stand you in good stead in your life going forward,” he calmly says.

  “Sure, Rory, what is it?” and I’m expecting some kind of deep wisdom to come from his mouth.

  “Next time you decide to go for a swim in my pool when nobody’s home, do me a favor and leave your pants on,” he says. “I don’t want to see your hairy, lily-white arse filling up my CCTV screens ever again.” I stare at him blankly, not sure what to say to that. He laughs. “Remember? The day you picked Siobhan up for me? You stopped here first for my phone and, apparently, decided to take a dip? Ringing any bells?” he prompts, looking at me.

  I sigh, thanking God that he’s talking about that time. But now I’m worried about the other time.

  “You have cameras out there?” I clarify, swallowing the lump in my throat.

  “Of course,” he nods. “I was just replaying some of the footage to check it was working and got an eyeful of you. It was horrible.”

  “And you check that footage regularly?” I ask, my heart in my throat.

  He shakes his head. “No, you think I have time for that? It’s just in case someone breaks in.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Why? Should I be checking it more closely?” he asks.

  I laugh nervously and rub my head. “That’s, uh, probably not something you want to do,” I say as Siobhan walks in, raising her eyebrows when she sees the scowl on her brother’s face.

  “Do I even want to know?” she asks.

  I just shake my head. “No, you don’t. Your breakfast is getting cold,” I inform her as I glance across at her bags piled up near the door.

  She smiles. “That’s sweet of you, but I’m not really hungry,” she says.

  “In that case, I guess we’d better get going,” I say.

  She walks over to Rory and gives him a big hug, and he wraps his arms around her. “At least you’ll see us in a few weeks, right?” he says.

  Her face brightens immediately. “I can’t wait. I’m so excited you guys are moving back.” She glances at me as I gather her bags then she follows me out to my car. We get in, and Rory waves us off. I smile at her, still holding onto my news.