Author's note: Again I've borrowed some dialogue from Amongst Friends.
"What a role model you are," hissed Leo as he crossed the road towards the couple coming out the pub.
Peter looked like he'd been scalded and dropped Assumpta's hand.
"What are you doing here Leo?" Assumpta's eyes flashed dangerously as she moved forward to challenge Leo.
"I came to see the happy couple," Leo said sardonically.
"Don't do this." There was a warning tone in Assumpta's voice.
Peter stepped behind Assumpta in an unconscious gesture of solidarity. "What do you want Leo?" he asked resignedly.
"A simple answer to a simple question, have you laid a hand on my wife?"
"We are separated," seethed Assumpta, "and what are you even doing here?"
Leo ignored her and advanced on Peter.
Peter shook his head and moved away, reaching into his pocket for the car keys. "I'm not doing this Leo," he muttered.
"I'm talking to you," Leo yelled and punched Peter's arm so the car keys went flying.
"Leo, no!" Niamh dashed across the road, Kieran on her hip.
"You have no right being here." Assumpta spat.
Peter retrieved the car keys. "Leo I think you should go," he said through gritted teeth.
"I'm not going anywhere," Leo snarled.
"Fine we'll go," said Assumpta and climbed into the car.
Peter followed her lead and Leo watched as the car pulled away over the bridge. He stared after them for a few moments, then swore, fumbled for his own keys and ran to his car.
"What are you going to do?" Niamh shrieked.
"I'm going to talk to my wife and the priest," he replied as he climbed into the driver's seat.
"Leo leave it, please. Come inside and have a cup of tea."
He ignored her and started the engine.
"Fine," she said climbing into the back with Kieran on her knee, "I'm coming with you."
"Niamh don't be ridiculous, go home."
"I will not, not unless you come with me," she said stubbornly.
Leo turned round and scowled at her but Niamh merely raised her eyebrows at him.
He sighed and muttered, "Bloody women," before gunning the car across the bridge.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"What the hell is he doing here," ranted Assumpta as they drove over the bridge.
Peter shrugged, "Someone must have called him. I suppose he is your next of kin." He glanced over at Assumpta who gave him a withering look.
"We're separated, I'm going to be filing for divorce, so what the hell is he doing here?" she repeated angrily.
"Does he know that?"
"What?"
"That you want a divorce?" he asked tentatively. He risked another look over at her, she looked furious. He sighed and pulled over at the side of the road.
"What are you doing?" she asked sharply.
"Leo's obviously upset. Don't you think maybe we should go back and talk to him?"
"Leo doesn't want to talk. He wants to shout at me and probably hit you. Anyway Peter now is not the time to start counselling me on my marriage. You can't sit back and happily give advice when you're responsible for the situation." The words came tumbling out her mouth before she could stop them. She saw Peter's hands tighten on the steering wheel and his jaw clench.
"I'm responsible?" he said with disbelief.
"Peter I'm sorry…" she started to say but he continued.
"I'm not the one who ran away and had a shotgun wedding to man she didn't love," he fumed.
"What?" cried Assumpta incensed, the apology forgotten. "You made it pretty clear that there was no hope for us."
"I was a priest, what was I suppose to do?"
"You could've tried talking to me."
They sat in silence for a few moments. Assumpta stared out the window.
Peter took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "You're right I should've talked to you. And maybe that's what you should be doing with Leo right now. He obviously doesn't think it's over between you."
"Peter when I spoke to Leo in Dublin we agreed that the marriage was a mistake. Nothing I do now is any of his business. Okay?" she sighed.
He studied her for a moment, she continued to stare ahead. "Fine, whatever you say," he muttered, put the car in gear and drove on.
They hadn't gone very far when Peter noticed a black car rapidly catching up to them in his rear view mirror. Leo was driving aggressively and flashing his lights.
"Oh that's just great," he turned to Assumpta. "Give me your word that you'll stay in the car."
"What?" Assumpta looked around in confusion as Peter pulled over. Then she saw the black Saab behind them. "Oh for god sake," she growled.
"Assumpta give me your word please," he pleaded.
"What?" spluttered Assumpta. "You can't be serious."
"I mean it," said Peter in a stern tone.
"Oh like hell," she muttered and got out the car to follow Peter.
Peter crossed to the middle of that grotto and faced Leo who was squaring up to him.
"Let's just get it done Leo."
"Fine by me," said Leo and back handed Peter across the cheek.
Assumpta stumbled towards them. "What the hell are you doing?" She yelled as Leo hit Peter again. Still Peter made no move to get away or fight back.
"In case you're wondering Father turning the cheek is fine by me, I can do this all evening."
"Well I haven't got all evening so just get on with it." Peter wiped his sleeve across his face to stop the blood trickling down his cheek.
"This is ridiculous would you look at the pair of you," cried Assumpta in frustration. She grabbed Peter to pull him away as Leo swung another punch. It connected with her cheek and she was sent flying.
Leo was so worked up he didn't notice but Peter had and rage erupted inside him. At Leo's next assault he ducked and then landed his own punch. It sent Leo reeling backwards and Peter followed him.
"No," cried Niamh, who was crouching next to Assumpta. "That's enough, you'll kill each other."
Leo was oblivious to everything except Peter. "Is this where you took her to be alone eh? What did you do, slip behind the blessed virgin?"
Peter roared and landed another punch that sent Leo sprawling to the floor.
Peter didn't wait to see if he got up again, he spun round and went to Assumpta who was still on the ground, being helped by Niamh.
He knelt down beside her. Niamh backed away and moved to Leo who seemed to be out cold.
"Are you going to give him his penance now?" she hissed at Peter.
"Don't start," snapped Peter.
"Come on Leo wake up, it's me Niamh."
Leo groaned, "I know who you are Niamh." He blinked repeatedly trying to clear his vision. "Did he do that? You couldn't have done that, not on your own," he said in disbelief.
"You were out of line Leo. You hit Assumpta," Peter said angrily.
"What?" Leo looked at Assumpta in confusion then realised what he'd done. "Oh god Assumpta love, I'm sorry."
He moved towards her but Peter stood barring his way. "I've had enough of this Leo. Go home."
Leo watched as Peter drew himself up to his full height and took in the warning tone in his voice.
"Oh go for it Father."
"Enough," roared Assumpta surprising both of them into turning round and looking at her. She got up off the ground. Peter stooped to help her but she shook him off. "Leave me alone, I can manage."
Peter backed away looking hurt.
"You're unbelievable the pair of you. What century do you think this is? I am not some piece of meat you can fight over, nor do I need my honour defending," she glared at Peter as she said the last part.
"Does he have a reason to want to defend your honour?" asked Leo looking between the two of them. Peter looked guiltily at the ground and Assumpta glanced immediately at Peter, it was brief but Leo caught the look.
He laughed humourlessly, "Aye, I was on a hiding to nothing alright."
"Leo I don't know what you think is going on here," began Assumpta.
"What is going on here is the same thing that was going on when we were married."
"There was nothing going on then," said Peter abruptly.
Leo spun round to face him. "But it was close to happening, wasn't it?"
Peter looked away, at a loss of what to say.
Leo pressed on. "I asked you a straight question back then, remember? Why couldn't you just be honest with me?"
"Leo I'm sorry. It's just," Peter faltered, "It just wasn't that simple."
"It looked pretty simple to me. You loved her and she loved you, so where the hell did I fit in?"
"I'm sorry, we never meant for anyone to get hurt. We didn't…" Peter trailed off knowing he couldn't say anything to justify his behaviour or the hurt he'd caused Leo.
Assumpta had stood aghast listening to this exchange. She turned to Leo, "You knew?"
"I'm not an idiot Assumpta."
She whirled round to face Peter. "And the two of you had a nice cosy conversation about me?"
"Assumpta," Peter pleaded.
"Were you ever planning on telling me that my husband confronted you?" she snapped.
Peter lost his temper. "Not at the time no, I was too busy trying to keep my distance and not ruin your marriage."
"Ha, I'd say you failed," said Leo bitterly.
Assumpta ignored Leo and continued to stare at Peter. "And of course, as you pointed out, the whole situation was my fault because I ran off and got married?"
Peter groaned, "That's not what I meant."
"Uh oh Niamh, looks like there's trouble in paradise already," said Leo glibly.
Assumpta turned on him. "What are you doing here Leo?"
"You were in hospital, you nearly died. I guess someone thought maybe your husband should know something like that."
Assumpta took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Fine, well now you're here we need to talk." She gestured towards his car.
"Assumpta you can't be serious," Peter said with dismay.
"You're the one that said I should talk to him," she retorted.
"Yes but when he was calm and rational, not just after he's hit you."
"It was an accident Peter," she said wearily and moved towards Leo's car. "Take Niamh and Kieran home."
He stood watching as she climbed into the passenger seat of the Saab. Leo got into the driver's seat looking grim. They both slammed their doors and the car pulled away in the direction of Kildargen.
Peter sagged against a tree. She'd left him and gone off with Leo without so much as a backward glance.
"Were you planning on taking Kieran and I home or do I have to walk?" snapped Niamh.
He hastily stood and said, "Of course Niamh, sorry. I think maybe we need to talk anyway?"
"I'm not sure how much there is to say," she retorted as she climbed into his car.
Peter sighed and followed her. Neither of them noticed the glint of a camera lens hidden in the bushes or the strange car parked just a bit further up the road.