"Shit." Shay turned to look at Stu, her face turning red. "I wouldn't tell you, so you ask Stephen. That's great. I told you it was a long time ago. So much for trust huh?"

"Look Stephen, it is a long story, one I will tell you later. After I kill my boyfriend."

"Lass, that is serious. The feckin' IRA?"

"Bye Stephen."

Stu stood there in shock, not knowing why she was mad. "Baby, I don't want to fight with you. I was just curious. I thought it might be something to do with an old boyfriend and didn't want to press the issue. I'm sorry. I was being nosy. No excuse really. Please don't be angry with me." He looked at her, pleading with his eyes that she would forgive him.

Shay took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She was trying to keep her promise to not lose her cool with Stu. "Did Stephen tell you what it means?"

"No. He said that you should tell me. Sweetheart, if it makes you that upset, you don't have to tell me. Let's just go to the zoo and have a nice afternoon."

"No, you need to know if you are going to be with me. I will tell you, everything."

"Okay love, can we talk about it later tonight then?" Stu was glad she had calmed down but he was worried about what she had to tell him. He really just wanted to go have fun and spend some time with her without anyone around. He regretted prying into something she wasn't ready to talk to him about yet.

"Fine, if that is what you want" Shay said, obviously still a little irritated.

He knew he had to do something to get her out of her mood so he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her roughly to his body. He growled in her ear "that's what I want" and slid his hand down to squeeze her ass. 'She wants me to put her in her place.' Shay gasped, suddenly no longer annoyed, but incredibly turned on. Stu leaned down to kiss her "let's go." Shay simply nodded at him and waited for him to open the door. They climbed in the car and were ready to leave. She was a little disappointed in herself for caving in so quickly, but she glanced over at Stu and smiled, remembering how much she loves him. Stu noticed Shay looking at him and smiled.

"Have you been to the Lowry Zoo before baby?" Shay asked him.

"No. I haven't had the chance yet, but I am looking forward to it."

"It is really amazing. My favorite area is the Safari Africa but there is no way to see all of it in one day. I have been lots of times over the years. We used to go all the time when I was in school. They have an area that I think you would like. You get to go under the water and see the manatees. Oh, and the Boardwalk has stingrays" Shay excitedly informed him.

"That sounds interesting love. I really like aquariums, obviously" Stu said with a laugh.

"Then that is where we should go."

They spent all day at the zoo watching the animals. Shay took him to pet the stingrays and to the manatee habitat. They even went on a safari ride. Shay couldn't help but laugh at Stu. He was like a little boy he was so eager to see everything. She thought it was cute that he loves animals so much. He was sweet with her, his hands hardly left her. He either was holding her hand, had his arm around her waist or she had her arm hooked in his. It was what they both needed to relax and get closer.

After stopping for supper, they headed back to her house. She was dreading the conversation she was going to have to have with him tonight. They were supposed to go to the bar, but Shay called her brother to tell him something important had came up. "Is everything okay Séighín?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. Just need to spend some time with my man alone after last night. Don't worry."

"Okay sweetie. You call if you need me."

When Shay hung up, she walked back into the living room and sat down beside Stu. She turned off the television "we need to talk Stu."

Stu took a heavy breath and braced himself for what was about to come. "I'm sure you are not going to want to hear this, but I need to tell you. Alright, my tattoo, Tiocfaidh ár lá, is Gaelic for 'our day will come.' It is the motto of the IRA." Stu straightened up, not expecting to hear that.

"Baby, listen, I'm not in the IRA. That is not why I got it. Okay, what I am about to tell you, has to stay between us. I am trusting you to tell you this but you have to swear to keep it secret."

"I promise love. I won't say anything."

Shay reached out and grabbed his hand, needing the guts to say what she was about to. "My father came to this country because of his activity in the IRA. Practically his whole family is involved in one way or another. He got involved as a teenager as an enforcer but got into some trouble with the Garda Síochána later on for making bombs. He fled to here and left all that behind. I never knew any of it until I went to Ireland when I was sixteen. My father always made sure we knew how to fight, but I never knew why. He wanted to make sure we could protect ourselves. After my mom died, I learned she wouldn't tolerate any talk about the IRA in the house."

"Like I said, when I was sixteen, I went to Ireland. I was going through a rebellious stage, so I went to stay with my grandparents for a while. I never knew much of anything about my father's life before he left Ireland. I grew up believing England was our allies. For the first time, everything I thought I knew was challenged. They spoke of the British as the enemy. They told me stories of things that had happened under British rule, and of course, they spouted all their propaganda about Northern Ireland. It was probably not the best place for me to be when I was already looking to rebel. I met a guy, Cillian, whose family was involved with mine. I thought I was in love and would do anything to make him happy. I got the tattoo because I thought I was all about the cause, like him. It sounded like what they were doing was right. They made it sound so noble, when all it is made up of is thugs. They sell drugs and rob banks or whatever to buy guns. They kill and terrorize to spread fear. Even their own people, the people they are trying to so-call free. Anyway, I never really got involved much, never anything too bad, only because I think my uncles were scared of my father."

"Cillian and I were always together. We even talked about marriage. I was planning on staying in Ireland and going to school in Dublin with him. But you know, young love never lasts. Things went south for us because I wasn't as active as he wanted me to be and my father got wind of what I was in to. My cousin told my brother about my tattoo and my parents freaked out. They brought me home and forbade me from going back to Ireland. My folks sat me down and tried to undo all the brainwashing I had received while I was there. Stu, believe me, it was a long time ago. I wish I could erase it, but I can't. It happened. The proof is permanently there on my leg. I didn't tell you right then because I don't want you to think less of me. When I came home, I left all of that there. It is a distant memory."

"That is why you heard my father call you a limey. He is not happy that I am in love with a Brit, but that is not his choice. I don't care where you are from. I love you and I will stand by you. My dad will just have to deal with it. Stu, please say something."

"Shay, I don't really know what to say. I have only one question. Do you hate the English?"

"No baby, of course not. And I could never hate you" Shay replied honestly.

"Then it's okay. The past is the past. No wonder Stephen wouldn't tell me what it meant" he said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"Stu, I have spent all my adult life trying to help others. I don't want people thinking I am a terrorist or whatever. I also don't want my father to get into trouble. He has never been back to Ireland because he would probably be arrested, even still, forty something years later" Shay said with tears brimming her eyes.

"Don't worry love, I won't breathe a word" he told her, pulling her into his arms. "I'm glad you confided in me."

Their heart to heart was interrupted by a knock at the door. Shay got up to answer it, "it is pretty late, I wonder who it is." She looked through the peephole. "Holy shit."

"Baby, who is it?"

"Um, Stu, will you go in the other room and wait for a minute."

Stu stood up, "no. Shay, who the hell is it?"

"Baby, please trust me. Just give me a minute."

"Alright. But if you don't come get me in five minutes, I'm coming out."

"That's fine baby."

Stu went down the hall as Shay opened the front door. "What the hell do you want Drew?"