"So what was this terrible thing that Niamh said to you?" he asked keeping up the conversation, but there was a more personal and serious tone in his voice.
"When?... Oh, that..." She looked a bit embarrassed at her glass and moved uneasy. "Just, um ... something about me always wanting what I can't have." She kept looking at her glass...
"Ah, the human condition...", he said with an knowing expression on his face.
"Yeah, but you're human", she looked at him examining.
"Oh, I've been promoted" Peter took more of his wine, getting even more nervous now that they were talking about him.
"You ever want what .. you can't have?" She moved on to deepen the subject.
Peter put down his glass and laughed embarrassed. He answered with a simple "Yeah". Avoiding her eyes he made moves to drink some more wine, but she kept on asking.
"What stopped you?"
"Hmm?" Like being interrupted from his thoughts he looked up to her.
"What stopped you?" she repeated with insistence .
"Me," he stumbled, holding on to his glass, drinking.
Examining him with her eyes she asked provoking "Why, what are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid!" he snapped back sounding harsher than he wanted. "Anyway – we were talking about you." He pushed on. "Don't you think this can be solved? Maybe I can help?"
"Seriously?" Could he really be so blind, so naive? " You don't even know how to handle this yourself and you are offering me help?" Her eyes are sparkling with anger.
She paused, her thoughts and heart were racing. Then she decided to risk it all: "So how are you going to solve this: I'm in love with a Priest!" She spit it out, all frustration and anger. What did she have to loose anyway?
Shocked Peter lost completely control over his expression. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. His heart was beating fast and his mouth was suddenly very dry.
"Assumpta!", he finally spoke with a shaking voice.
"Well if that is all what you have to say then you can just as well leave - I'm better off by myself." But while she was saying it she could not longer hold her tears back. She tried to hide it and jumped from her barstool. This brought him back to life and he jumped up as well and took her hands. His own were wet and shaky.
"Assumpta ... I, I did not know."
She was not able to say anything as she was still trying to subdue her tears and emotions so he pulled her closer and took her into his arms. His chin came to rest on her head and with his long fingers he stroke softly over her hair. All precious moments with her and how he had fallen in love flashed by in fast motion. As if her surprising commitment had been the missing link it all suddenly seemed so clear. He loved her. He just had tried so hard to ignore it. And of course he had been trained well to stay on track as a Priest.
She felt his heartbeat wild and fast and felt his caressing hands - then she heard him saying "I'm sorry , Assumpta ..."
She moved away from him prepared to be rejected and wiping a tear from her cheek, she tried to sound brave as she said "Don't be sorry Peter- I'm the one who has to be. I mean you are a Priest you have your vocation! I don't want to be the one to ruin your life. "
"Ruin my life? You know what you are saying? Assumpta! The only way my life could be ruined is if you were gone." He closed the gap between them again by taking a step towards her. Very careful he wiped the remaining tears from her face. There was love as well as agony on his face.
He knew now that his journey to Bally-K had not been one to conquer temptation and fasten his vocation but to discover love and he did not want to back away from it any longer. He had found a place he felt at home more than anywhere in the world. So as he kissed her he was completely committed to his actions, there was no regret or fear in it.
Surprised by his intense kiss she gave in. They kissed heavy and then he moved on with his lips all over her face. When he came close to her ear he whispered "I love you. And there will be a way!"
"I love you too, Peter. I just never expected this." Her hands explored his tall figure and as she became aware of the dog collar she pulled it off and like accidently let it fall on the floor while they were engaging into another wild kiss. Not only the alcohol in their system but also the just brought down walls between them enlivened their passion and nothing was to hold them back now.
Epilogue
The next morning Assumpta woke up by the sound of the pub door. She instantly sat upright in her bed quite dizzy. Her gaze fell upon Peter still fast asleep. A smile lightened up her face. How cute he looked sleeping! Then she heard steps and Niamh's voice calling her name. She jumped out of bed, threw on her dressing gown and made her way downstairs, not without another glimpse of Peter lying in her bed.
"Niamh, hi – what are you doing here?"
"The door was open, I thought you were busy already." Niamh frowned at the look of Assumpta in her dressing gown. Then she carried on, eager to pass on the newest gossip "Guess what happened – Peter did not turn up to Mass this morning and nobody has seen him since last night when he payed a visit at the old Miss Martens... It seems like he has disappeared. He is not at home either..."
Suddenly her eyes caught sight of something white lying on the floor. She kneeled down and picked up the dog collar. Her expression was completely puzzled. Then she looked at Asssumpta who had turned white. "Assumpta! You haven't!" Niamh exclaimed but the look in Assumptas eyes spoke volumes. Niamh slammed the dog collar on the bar, turned and stormed out of the pub. Assumpta followed her hastily, calling her name but Niamh did not even look back.
There was no way going out in her dressing gown so Assumpta closed the door again and locked it this time. She slowly turned around and looked at Peter who just came running down the stairs busy closing the last buttons of his shirt "Oh god, I overslept, I forgot Mass..." "Yeah, you are already reported missing... and em... Niamh just found your collar..." "SHE WHAT?" They exchanged a look.
She couldn't help it. The situation was awful, but she was just so happy looking at him and knowing they had finally confessed their love for each other. Nothing in the world could worry her right now. She started smiling and her smile turned into laughter. His confused look was priceless but he could never resist her, least of all when she laughed and so he joined in her laughter wrapping his arms around her...
The end