Thanks for all the reviews. Yes I'd rather Padraig had died rather than
Assumpta!! Hope you all like this part
~Friends Babe~
It was Niamh.
"I'm sorry" she said gesturing to Assumpta, who still had tears running down her face, "But can I lend your phone?"
"Of course" replied Assumpta, trying to regain her composure, "Why?"
"Someone's got to tell Fionuala"
"It's OK" replied Assumpta, "I've already rung. She's on her way over now"
Niamh nodded then looked at Assumpta "Are you OK?" she asked worriedly
"I'm fine" she said, convincing no one, "Just a little shaken"
"I've got to get back to Kieran" Niamh said apologetically
"Go" said Assumpta gesturing towards the door
As Niamh walked out Peter turned to Assumpta. He bent down and kissed the top of her head before saying,
"I'd better be going"
Assumpta looked up at him quickly, the desperation reflecting in her eyes, "Please" she said," Stay"
"Assumpta I don't think we are ready for that yet"
"No" she said smiling slightly, "I just don't want to be alone tonight"
Instead of answering he hugged her tight and guided her upstairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later as she dozed softly in his arms Peter wondered if he was doing the right thing. He loved Assumpta, but a married woman and a Catholic Priest? It was like a film. And how would he provide for her? He'd been a priest almost all his life, he was trained in nothing. His train of thought was lost when Assumpta stirred in her sleep and rolled over awake.
"Peter?" she asked quietly "Are you still here?"
"I'm not going anywhere" he replied kissing her head "How are you feeling?"
"Terrible. But not as bad as before. Now you're here"
"I've always been here" he replied bemused
"No, it just brought back a lot of memories from when my dad died. Padraig helped me through that and now he's gone" she said her voice breaking
"Sshh" said Peter stroking her hair, "I'm here and I love you. You're not alone"
"Thank you" she said kissing his cheek and whishing she had the courage to tell him the same. She rolled over smiling and fell asleep again.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Peter got up and walked down the stairs into the bar. As he entered the kitchen to make himself a drink he heard a knock at the door. Forgetting he had no shirt on he went and opened it. Father Mac glared at him.
"I thought I might find you here" he spat, "I thought you might have taken your time before you moved in though"
"I haven't moved in Fr. Not that it's any of your business. In case you hadn't noticed one of Assumpta's best friends died here last night. I though being her friends I should stay" Peter's disgust towards the man was clear in his voice.
"I don't care for the details Father, or are you forgetting you're still a priest?"
Peter didn't answer instead he turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Fr Mac looked down at Peter and sighed, "I don't mean don't mean to pry Father, especially now of all times, but what are you planning to do?"
"I'm not sure I understand."
"What I mean Father is are you prepared for all the discrimination you relationship is going to cause. Is your 'love' strong enough to deal with that? Do you even know if she loves you? Are you even sure you love her?"
Peter hesitated.
~Friends Babe~
It was Niamh.
"I'm sorry" she said gesturing to Assumpta, who still had tears running down her face, "But can I lend your phone?"
"Of course" replied Assumpta, trying to regain her composure, "Why?"
"Someone's got to tell Fionuala"
"It's OK" replied Assumpta, "I've already rung. She's on her way over now"
Niamh nodded then looked at Assumpta "Are you OK?" she asked worriedly
"I'm fine" she said, convincing no one, "Just a little shaken"
"I've got to get back to Kieran" Niamh said apologetically
"Go" said Assumpta gesturing towards the door
As Niamh walked out Peter turned to Assumpta. He bent down and kissed the top of her head before saying,
"I'd better be going"
Assumpta looked up at him quickly, the desperation reflecting in her eyes, "Please" she said," Stay"
"Assumpta I don't think we are ready for that yet"
"No" she said smiling slightly, "I just don't want to be alone tonight"
Instead of answering he hugged her tight and guided her upstairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later as she dozed softly in his arms Peter wondered if he was doing the right thing. He loved Assumpta, but a married woman and a Catholic Priest? It was like a film. And how would he provide for her? He'd been a priest almost all his life, he was trained in nothing. His train of thought was lost when Assumpta stirred in her sleep and rolled over awake.
"Peter?" she asked quietly "Are you still here?"
"I'm not going anywhere" he replied kissing her head "How are you feeling?"
"Terrible. But not as bad as before. Now you're here"
"I've always been here" he replied bemused
"No, it just brought back a lot of memories from when my dad died. Padraig helped me through that and now he's gone" she said her voice breaking
"Sshh" said Peter stroking her hair, "I'm here and I love you. You're not alone"
"Thank you" she said kissing his cheek and whishing she had the courage to tell him the same. She rolled over smiling and fell asleep again.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Peter got up and walked down the stairs into the bar. As he entered the kitchen to make himself a drink he heard a knock at the door. Forgetting he had no shirt on he went and opened it. Father Mac glared at him.
"I thought I might find you here" he spat, "I thought you might have taken your time before you moved in though"
"I haven't moved in Fr. Not that it's any of your business. In case you hadn't noticed one of Assumpta's best friends died here last night. I though being her friends I should stay" Peter's disgust towards the man was clear in his voice.
"I don't care for the details Father, or are you forgetting you're still a priest?"
Peter didn't answer instead he turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Fr Mac looked down at Peter and sighed, "I don't mean don't mean to pry Father, especially now of all times, but what are you planning to do?"
"I'm not sure I understand."
"What I mean Father is are you prepared for all the discrimination you relationship is going to cause. Is your 'love' strong enough to deal with that? Do you even know if she loves you? Are you even sure you love her?"
Peter hesitated.