--- Absence of Mind ---

Leo was comforting. His touch was familiar, kind and satisfying. Every thought of Peter she pushed from her mind but he kept coming back. Assumpta waved through the cafe window and stepped onto the bus. Over lunch he'd asked her to marry him. Again. She'd said she needed time - to think. Time... wasn't really solving anything. She'd been away from home for a month now, and it had been longer still since she'd seen Peter. They'd agreed they needed time and distance. She wondered if it was making any difference on his end. Silence and solitude she was yet to try. Distraction and business had been her medicine of choice. Friends, job opportunities and Leo. She was living the high life, out most nights, spending every cent she earned and sleeping all day on Sundays to recover.

For all that, she missed Ballykissangel. What or who else she missed, she would not dwell on. That evening she worked till ten. Leo picked her up in his gorgeous car. He said nothing of his proposal but rabbited on happily about some exciting story. She was tired and listened contentedly, glad he didn't require much from her end of the conversation. Back at his house, she changed into more comfortable clothes and he made them a cup of tea. She was sleeping on the couch - though she knew the invitation remained open to share his bed. Not that she wasn't tempted. Losing herself in him would be yet another attempt to forget and he deserved better. But she could feel her resolve slipping.
Leo handed her the hot cup and sat beside her. "So, busy night?"
"Yeah. But it makes time go fast."
"Ah, that's only a good thing if you don't like what you're doing."
"Would you bog off?" She pushed him and he slopped his tea with a gasp.
She jumped up, putting her cup down and apologising. "Let me just..." she went and got a tea towel.
"It's fine. Assumpta," He took the towel, "Much as I'd enjoy that."
She sat down again, sighed. "I think I want to go home. Maybe not immediately, but to be honest, I don't want to stay here forever."
He nodded.
"I'm sorry Leo. I guess its just not meant to be." She wasn't even sure she believed in that anymore.
"Why?"
"Well, you're firmly planted here and despite my attempts to uproot, home is Ballk."
"So I'll move to Ballyk. I'm not so firmly planted as you think. Until a year ago home was Dublin."
She hesitated. If he would move to be with her - risk everything, his career, leave his friends...
The memory popped into her head unbidden. Peter leaning back on the bench, "This is very hard for me," She'd desperately wanted to comfort him, and yet she wanted a straight answer. What would he have said if she'd waited?
"Assumpta," Leo called her back to reality. "I'll leave y'alone - true you're probably exhausted."
She nodded and thanked him.