By the end of that week, everyone at the station knew about Sheelagh and Des, which was not at all encouraged by Des standing up in the canteen and telling everyone who was in there about them!

When Sheelagh had asked why Des had told a full canteen of people about them, he had said.

"I was getting annoyed with Reg asking me why I was happy all the time and who she was etc." Sheelagh had laughed at that and Des remembered thinking. 'She looks like an angel.' and smiling.

It was Friday and Sheelagh and Des were curled up together on the sofa after a long and tiring day. Sheelagh woke up and sat up.

"You like falling to sleep on me, don't you?" Des joked.

"Sorry." Sheelagh turned away, embarrassed.

"Ahhh, come here." Des opened his arms to her. She snuggled back into him. "You don't have to be sorry, I like it."

The doorbell rang and Sheelagh leapt up. She smoothed out her clothes and hair then went to let her children in. They came in and sat down.

"So…how've you three been?" Sheelagh asked.

"We're okay." Fintan answered for them.

"Yeah, your cooking's better than dad's though." Declan said.

"Ahh, at least one person appreciates my cooking." Sheelagh looked pointedly at Des.

"Hey, that's not fair, I only suggested a takeaway so I could…"

"Yeah I know why." Sheelagh cut him off.

The kids were staying the night so later that night, Sheelagh was putting some sheets on the sofa for Fintan when she felt someone put their hands on her waist. She turned round and Des kissed her.

"Your kids are amazing." He said.

"Yep."

Des laughed. "Is that motherly pride?"

Sheelagh smiled then went back to putting the sheets on the bed. Des sat down on the chair opposite and watched her. When she finished Fintan came in.

"Ahhh, mum, I could've done it if you'd wanted me to." He said.

"Well, it's done now, isn't it?" Sheelagh replied. "I'm going to bed."

"Okay, see you in the morning then mum." Fintan kissed her on the cheek. Sheelagh left the room and poked her head round the door of the room that her other two children were sharing and said.

"I'm going to bed. Okay?"

They nodded, then kissed her as Fintan had done.

"See you in the morning." Sheelagh left them and went into her bedroom.

Siobhan and Declan went into the sitting room to find Fintan and Des talking.

"Hello." Des said, catching sight of them.

"Hi," they said at the same time.

"We were just talking about mum." Fintan said, inviting them into the conversation.

"Oh yeah?" Declan said.

"I was saying how she looks happier."

"Yeah, she does." Siobhan said quietly.

"What is it?" Fintan asked sharply.

"I don't know what you mean!" Siobhan said defensively.

"You do… What are you keeping from us?"

"Okay, okay. But none of you are gonna like it."

"What?"

"It's about dad…I, urmm, well, you know he slept with Aunt Chloe?"

"Yeah." Fintan said slowly while Declan nodded. Des was listening quietly.

"It wasn't just the once that he lead mum to believe."

"WHAT?!"

"Sshh, you'll wake your mum up." Des put in.

"It…it, urmm, was going on for, urmm, three years."

"What?" Sheelagh said quietly from the doorway. None of them had seen her walk in.