2 December 2014

"I can't believe that you're sitting at our breakfast table! You can't believe how happy I am that you're here … and you too, Craig!" Frankie joked as she beamed at her son and his girlfriend. "It's been so exciting to finally see you, luv! I hope you slept well!"

"Yes, of course. I'm just thrilled to be here, to see Craig's old home, meet his family and I can't wait to meet his old friends." Siobhan gushed, ignorant to the feeling of barely concealed embarrassment felt by most of the people present in the Osbourne kitchen. "Where are you gonna take me today, Craig?"

Her boyfriend was taken aback by the question, as he'd been struggling to find ways do the exact opposite of what she was requesting. He was definitely not ready to venture outside where there was a real risk of running into the reason why he hadn't taken his girlfriend of twenty months to see his family.

"I was thinking…" he hesitated for a short moment but was just about to continue when his stepbrother intervened.

"Oh, Craig, just get it over and done with. Take her to see your ex and your son!" Darren ignored the horrified look Frankie gave him. "You have told her about them, right?"

"Yes, thank you, Darren, for that. Yes, she does know about Matthew, and I was gonna go with her to see him, a bit later. Just wanted to find the right moment, when mum would be babysitting him or something…"

Darren gave his stepbrother a look of disgust before responding. "You mean that you're trying to weasel your way out of seeing John Paul? What? Are you hoping he won't find out you're here? I can't believe you, Craig! I told you what happened to him and you haven't been in touch all year? Is that what you're trying to say? He was your best friend and you have a child together!" He stopped to breath and looked around the room.

Craig was wearing his old deer-in-the-headlights expression as he struggled to find words. Before he could, though, his girlfriend spoke. Calmly.

Too calmly.

"Of course I've heard about Matthew. Craig hasn't stopped talking about how he can't wait to see him. But I have never heard of any John Paul. Is your ex now with him? Is that what he's trying to say? Or…? Is it something else?" Siobhan couldn't decide whether what she was feeling was shock or incredibility, perhaps mixed with a hint of hope. For what, she didn't know.

Before she got an answer from her boyfriend, Darren jumped to his feet, his chair tumbling down behind him in the process. "You are just incredible, Craig Dean. After everything you said about loving that guy, you're quick to jump ship." Turning towards Siobhan he continued, his voice filled with sincerity and his face with look of regret, "I'm sorry about you having to find out like this. It was just supposed to be a little joke between me and Craig here. I thought you knew all along." He then started walking away from the table, but before he left the room, he turned quickly and said quietly. "Just tell her, Craig. Love is nothing to be ashamed about."

"Just before you leave, be sure to remember to hand in your essay by Friday. As I've explained it's supposed to be a comparative analysis of two or more of Shakespeare's plays. It's your choice which ones. Late submission means a full mark down for each day!" John Paul reminded his students as they gathered their belongings and made for the door.

As the door closed behind the last one, he sighed and allowed himself to collapse into his chair, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths before composing himself and tidying up his desk. It was a rare day of no marking and he couldn't wait to get out of the building. He'd already arranged for Carmel to take care of Matthew as he was meeting Nancy for an after-work drink. He couldn't wait and although an hour early, he headed in the direction of the Dog.

Entering the pub, he saw Darren behind the bar. They nodding and smiled quickly to each other as John Paul approached it.

"Hey mate, the usual?" Darren greeted him and asked as he made to pull a pint of Guinness.

"Sure. I need one!" John Paul sighed as he rested on a stool.

"Well, you're not the only one." Darren replied, nodding to the right, in the direction of a table in the far corner.

Following his lead, John Paul turned his head and was met with the familiar eyes of the love of his life.

"Go talk to him! I'll bring the drink once it's ready, mate." Darren said before realising that his audience had already done as suggested.

"So, what's up?" Not knowing where to start, John Paul came up with the least threatening opening he could think off.

"Nothing much, I guess," Craig responded with an equal lack of involvement.

"What brings you back? All well with your mum, right?" John Paul felt a sudden apprehension.

"No, yes, she's fine," Craig assured him. "At least physically. She's a bit mad at the moment, but she'll get over it."

"What? Why is she mad? At you?" John Paul made a gesture, asking without words whether he could take a seat.

Craig gave a non-verbal approval, as he responded. "Yes, I'm an idiot. As you know very well, I guess."

John Paul sat down as Craig told him the whole story. When Darren arrived with John Paul's pint and a fresh one for Craig, the pair were already laughing and sharing stories, tentatively, but like the old friends they were.

A couple of pints later most of the initial awkwardness had evaporated and after John Paul had finished yet another precocious story about Matthew, a laughing Craig exclaimed "God, I've missed you, John Paul!"

"I can hear that!" a familiar woman's voice said behind him.