“Sure, but that’s the only reason, right?”
Absolutely not.
“Yes,” I say instead.
“Okay, well, I need to work, in case you haven’t
understood. I’m alone and I need to keep this job.”
“What about your dad? Have you called him?”
“Not yet,” she says, blushing and falling back
onto the couch, covering her eyes with her hands.
“I don’t want to do it until I’ve made a decision.”
I shake my head to show my disapproval but
say nothing. I think that she should call him, for
she needs her family right now.
“You wanna get a breath of fresh air?” I ask her,
slipping my hands into my jeans pockets and
looking at my feet. I think she needs to relax and
probably get some air outside of these four walls.
“With you?”
I give her a half smile. “I’d like to take you
somewhere.”
~ ~ ~
We sit down on a rock, each of us holding on to
something because it’s one of those windy-as-hell
days and here, on the hills of Howth, the weather
seems to be getting worse.
I’ve brought her to my special spot, the place
where I come when I need to be alone, and to think
and just get some clarity. I’ve never shared it with
anyone and don’t really understand why I feel the
need to do it now with her, but it seemed like she
needed it.
