The Girls stood there in shock, including Orla. Michelle stood there frozen in place, her eyes were welling up at the revelation of who her best friend's "Champion" was.
"How do ye know his name, Michelle?" Orla asked with genuine confusion. "I don't recall mentionin' it."
Things began to click with Erin and Clare as their eyes opened wider.
"Sweet Jesus," the two said quietly together.
"Hi there, Michelle," Niall gave a little wave, his own eyes welling up. "I'm home."
"Do ye two know each other?" Orla asked, still not getting it.
"Feck's sake, Orla! That's Michelle's brother, Niall!" Erin exclaimed, Clare shot her a look. "I'm sorry, but she wasn't gonna figure it out soon enough!"
"Ye are?" Orla asked Niall, who just nodded. "Aye! That's grand! Small world, it is!"
"Jesus, Orla," Erin groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Orla an Niall moved closer to the other three, Michelle never taking her eyes off Niall.
"Is that... is that really you?" Michelle finally managed to say, her voice shaking.
"Aye, it's really me," Niall replies softly, tearing up some more.
Michelle took notice of her older brother's right hand, then looked more at his face. She had no idea this had happened to him! Her parents said nothing of his injuries! How could they not tell her and Grady!? But she then had another thought.
"That was ye in Dennis's Wee Shop, yesterday!" she exclaimed. Niall nodded. "How fuckin' long have ye been home for!?"
"I just got in yesterday," he admitted.
"Then why the fuck did you keep it a secret, ya shite!?" Michelle shouted, shoving Niall slightly.
"Oi! Michelle!" Orla exclaimed.
"No worries, Orla," Niall said. "I deserved that."
Michelle shoved her brother a bit more and even smacked his chest slightly. He didn't try to stop her, and she the others were too nervous to stop her. Orla covered her ears like she did when shouting started.
"Ye fuckin' deserve more than that, ye shitbag!" she screamed. "How could ye come home after 5 fuckin' years and not immediately tell me!? Mammy and Daddy never even told me ye got fuckin' hurt! I didn't even know if or when ye'd be getting the fuck outta there!"
"I know, Michelle," replied Niall somberly. "An' I'm really sorry. I was just... scared. Ma and Da... hadn't spoken to me... since I woke up in hospital. Last time I saw them... was at my trial. I only had yer letters. I wanted to send ye some too... but I knew Ma would just... intervene..."
Erin and Clare began welling up too. Erin in particular was feeling so guilty for thinking Niall shouldn't be let out for his crimes. She wasn't looking at some madman killer. He was just some young fella who'd made a mistake, who'd served his time for that mistake. Clare grabbed her hand and squeezed it, a silent signal to tell her it was ok.
"I'm so sorry, Michelle," said Niall. "I hope to God ye can forgive me.
Michelle wrapped her arms around Niall, planting her face in his chest. She let out cries that her friends rarely heard. Niall wrapped his arms around his little sister and stroked the top of her head.
"Ye fuckin' eejit!" she shouted while her face was still planted in his chest.
She looked up at him. It wasn't a dream! Her big brother was finally home!
"Of course I fuckin' forgive ye!" she exclaimed. "Ye fuckin' dose prick!"
Orla, Erin, and Clare joined in on the hug.
They were so overtaken with emotion, they didn't notice the rest of their group coming back in to check on them.
"Girls, what's going on?" James spoke up first, confused by the group hug he was witnessing. "Who's this?"
Niall was the first to notice them. He smiled when he got a look James. So this was his wee English cousin.
"Ye must be James Maguire!" he exclaimed, causing the rest in the embrace to look. "Michelle has told me so much about ye!"
They all broke away from the hug and Niall walked closer to the still confused wee English fella.
"You know Michelle?" James asked, still unaware of who this man with facial scars was.
"Aye! All her life," Niall smirked. "Held her as a newborn wain, so I did!"
"Holy shit!" James exclaimed, it finally clicked. "Niall!?"
"Not as thick as Michelle claims ye to be," he chuckled.
"Oh my god!" James exclaimed, embracing his up to now never seen cousin. Niall gladly hug backed. "I can't fucking believe this!"
"Seems to be the general consensus today, it does," chuckled Niall. "I sympathize with yer plight, I do. Bein' English an' havin' to live with Michelle. Jesus, but Prison was like a vacation from that."
The two shared a laugh, which definitely annoyed Michelle. Still, she was glad to see the two were getting on well, not that she'd admit it.
Niall separated from James and brought his attention back to two nervous blondes.
"Didn't get a chance to properly introduce ourselves," Niall began. "Niall Mallon, ex Provo an' ex con!"
He had a chuckle at his own quip. He then drew his attention to the taller blonde.
"Don't tell me now," he began, reaching out with a handshake. "Ye must be Orla's cousin, Erin Quinn."
"Aye! That's right!" Erin exclaimed with a big smile, shaking back.
"Which means James there is yer fella. Goin' steady with an English fella, ye're certainly brave, ye are," he said with a wink, which made her blush.
He then looked at the smaller blonde, who was already shaking.
"That would make ye the wee lesbian, an' walkin' cack attack herself, Clare Devlin," he stated, stretching his hand out again.
"Aye! That's very much correct!" Clare squeaked, accepting the handshake.
"Good on ye for bein' honest with who ye are," he smiled warmly. "Cracker that ye got friends to stand by ye too!"
Fin and Laurie were still very much out of the loop as to what was going on. They'd just been standing there, watching all this unfold, when Niall then approached them.
"An' ye're the fella goin' steady with my sister," Niall smirked at the lanky ginger fella. "Christ, but ye are gigantic fucker! Fin, I believe is what Michelle called you. Well, specifically she called you her Fin. Didn't catch yer last name though when ye was snoggin' her at Dennis's Wee Shop yesterday."
"Finnegan," Finn replied, turning almost as red as his hair. "Finbar... Finnegan."
"Pleasure to meet ye, Finbar Finnegan!" Niall exclaimed, shaking his hand. "Ye're a brave fella, goin' steady with someone like Michelle, ye are."
He gave him a wink, and had no doubt Michelle was giving an annoyed look. Fin wasn't able to talk, so he just nodded in agreement. Then Niall drew his attention to the last person.
"Not sure Michelle ever had a chance to mention you," said Niall. "But I am guessin' ye're Clare's girlfriend?" He reached out for a handshake.
"Aye, I am," replied Laurie, accepting the gesture. "Name's Laurie. Laurie Ifediora."
"Glad to see Clare found herself someone," he smiled. "Can't be easy in a place like this."
"I'm... um... sorry," Fin fumbled. "But did ye say ye're Michelle's brother?"
"She not mention me?" Niall asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I only knew about Grady!" Fin exclaimed.
Niall turned around to look at his sister, a faux look of shock on his face.
"Michelle! I am shocked, I am!" he exclaimed in an over the top manner. "Ye didn't tell yer fella about me!?"
"We'd only just started goin' steady!" Michelle exclaimed in a very annoyed tone. "There's never exactly a good time to bring up yer fuckin' convict brother!"
"Convict!?" Fin exclaimed.
"Ex convict," Niall turned around, putting emphasis on Ex. "But aye, I've recently gotten out of HM Prison Maghaberry, after serving 5 years for domestic terrorism and accidental murder."
"What the actual fuck, Michelle!?" Fin shouted.
"Again, there wasn't exactly a good fuckin' time to bring it up!" Michelle shouted back. "I only just found out today that he got the fuck outta there yesterday!"
"So he... um... really d-d-did see us s-s-snogging at Dennis's Wee Shop yesterday!?" Finn fumbled.
"Hard to miss, it was," chuckled Niall.
"Shut the fuck up, Niall!" Michelle shouted.
"Right! I think that's enough now!" Erin exclaimed to get everyone's attention. "We should probably find a more convenient place to chat about this!"
"Can we get some food?" Orla asked. "I'm famished, I am!"
"Shut up, Orla!" Erin hissed.
"I actually agree with the lovely Orla, I do," said Niall, which made her blush. "I too could use a bite. So, shall we shift this conversation to the food court?"
Everyone agreed to head to the food court, where after getting some food, Niall explained everything that everyone unfamiliar might have questions about. How he left home at 15 to join a paramilitary group. How after not being in the group very long he accidentally killed a security guard when a bomb went off prematurely, resulting in his injuries and scars. How for the past 5 years Michelle had sent him letters, telling him all about the arrival of James and all the crazy things that had gotten into with the other Girls over the years. He explained how his parole officer had set him up with a job at Brooke Park, plus he was renting a room owned by the head groundskeeper.
"I think that should cover everything ye all need to know up till now," Niall said as he bit into a sandwich. "But, if any of ye have other questions, feel free to ask."
"Did ye ever shank a fellow inmate?" Orla asked enthusiastically.
"Feck's sake, Orla," groaned Erin.
"No... that never came up," Niall chuckled.
"Aye, too bad," said Orla.
"Did they have movie nights?" James asked.
"Ye fuckin' serious with that question, Dicko?" Michelle asked with annoyance.
"We actually did," Niall answered. "Every Saturday night if ye were on good behavior. Not to brag, but I was considered a model prisoner."
"Did ye watch The Shawshank Redemption?" Orla asked.
"Orla!" Erin shouted.
"Cracker film, that was," Niall answered. "My experience wasn't quite as intense."
"Did ye ever have to shove somethin' up yer hole for safe keepin'? Orla asked.
"Orla, I swear to God!" Erin exclaimed.
"That would also be a no," Niall answered while chuckling. "But, it is true they do cavity searches on yer first day."
"So were yer teeth ok, Niall?" Orla asked with genuine concern.
"Sure... the teeth are cracker, Orla," Niall smirked.
After all the questions, they began heading out of the shopping centre.
"I got a question involving ye two," Michelle got the attention of Orla and Niall, pulling them aside.
"Did they release a new album recently?" Orla asked, which made Niall laugh.
"No, Orla, ye and my brother here," she specified. "What exactly is this shit between you's?"
"I mean, we've only known each other a couple days, Michelle," Niall answered.
"But ye fancy her, aye?" Michelle asked bluntly. "And ye fancy him, aye?"
Orla and Niall looked at each other, smiling widely and blushing brightly.
"Fuckin' disgustin'," Michelle said under her breath. "Look, if ye'd asked my opinion on this shit a couple years back, I'd have said no fuckin' way."
"But, Niall woulda still been in prison then, Michelle," Orla pointed out.
"I fuckin' know that, Orla," Michelle replied, getting exhausted from this conversation. "Point is, my views on shit like this have changed. I forbade Erin and James from bein' together after they first kissed, but a year later they still fancied each other. By that point this Good Friday shit started happenin' an' that got me thinkin' 'bout how life is too fuckin' short. Then I met my Fin, an' I'm probably the happiest I've ever fuckin' been!"
"Aye, that last part rhymed, it did," Orla smirked.
"Are ye tryin' to say ye're ok with me and Orla seein' where this goes?" Niall asked.
"Aye, that's what I was gettin' at," sighed Michelle. "Niall, broke the law an' accidentally killed someone. Ye ye spent 5 fuckin' years locked up. But I never stopped thinkin' ye were a good person. That Orla has this much trust in ye already gives me hope."
"It does?" Orla asked.
"Aye, course it does, Orla," answered Michelle. "In addition to bein' one of my best friends, ye're one of the sweetest fuckin' people I know! Ye don't judge. Ye see the best in everyone possible. That ye're not upset that Niall briefly lied to ye, or that ye're not judigin' him for his past, shows how class ye are. I still think there's somethin' to this bein' fate or some shit. Too much seemed to happen that led the two of you's together. So I say go for it!"
Orla leapt towards Michelle and gave her a huge hug.
"Ye're a cracker friend, ye are, Michelle!" she exclaimed.
"So are ye, Orla," Michelle replied, hugging her quirky friend back.
The rest of them walked back up to the reunited siblings and Orla.
"We miss much?" Erin asked.
"Just Michelle bein' a bit sappy," Niall smirked, who chuckled at his sister flipping him off.
"We've had the opportunity to witness that on occasion," quipped James.
"Oi! Fuck off, the lot of ye!" Michelle exclaimed while trying to hide a smirk. "There's still another matter to attend to. I think ye can guess what it is, Niall."
"Aye, I s'pose there's no point avoidin' it," he sighed.
"Guessing you mean telling Aunt Deirdre and Uncle Martin that Niall is back," said James.
"Aye, an' we'll understand if some of ye don't wanna join us," said Michelle.
The atmosphere had grown a bit heavier now.
"What choice do we really have?" Clare chimed in first. "We're peck animals, so we are!"
"I'm certainly goin'," said Erin, grabbing James's hand.
"Gotta be there for both of ye, I do," Orla smiled, grabbing Niall's hand.
"No objections from me," shrugged Fin, grabbing Michelle's hand.
"I actually need to get to work soon," Laurie said awkwardly. "Plus, I think I've had enough drama for one day."
"That's very understandable," Clare chuckled, giving her girlfriend a goodbye kiss. "I'll fill ye in on everythin' later."
"Pleasure meetin' ye, Niall," Laurie shook his free hand. "Good luck with the rest of yer family."
"Much appreciated, it is," he gave a friendly nod.
"Right then, let's shift our holes to my house," said Michelle. "Onward, motherfuckers!"