He sits up. ‘Stop making a big deal about it,’ he says, his voice thinner than usual.
‘You’ll do what you’re told, you wee shite.’ She kisses his head. ‘Love you.’
‘Love you.’ Cormac smiles at her then nods at me. ‘Hey.’
Sheila turns. ‘Ah, Michael, love. Don’t look so frightened. He’ll be OK. Good of you to come back.’
It’s all my fault.
She gives me a hug. ‘Let’s get you both a cup of tea.’
‘And a biscuit, please, doctor?’ says Cormac.
‘Chancer,’ says Sheila, shaking her head as she leaves.
I stand in the middle of the room. ‘What happened?’
He winces as he sits up. ‘Bird flew right in front of my face and I didn’t see the car coming.’
I hear them calling from outside, taunting me.
‘Did you get hit?’
‘Nah, the driver swerved and I jumped at the last minute, proper Jedi-style.’
‘Are you really OK?’
He shrugs and rubs his wrist. ‘Pretty much. Though my Olympic javelin career is over before it started.’
I bite my lip. ‘I’m so sorry.’
Cormac frowns. ‘For what?’
My cheeks burn. ‘For snapping at you and you nearly getting hit by a car.’
He rolls his eyes. ‘I love you, cuz, but you definitely have main character syndrome. I was just a bit freaked out by the crows and didn’t look where I was going. My P2 teacher would not be happy with my Green Cross Coding. No playtime for Cormac.’
I laugh at the joke and perch beside him on the sofa. ‘I know, but our fight. I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry’
He pats my hand. ‘Well, cheers, but I was being a nosy fucker. Look –’ he glances towards the door and lowers his voice – ‘despite how I get on, I’m not stupid. I know you’re gay and I know something’s happening with you and Paul.’
My mouth drops. ‘I…’
‘You’re not the best actor, mate.’ He grins. ‘I don’t care what you get up to, but I was pissed you guys weren’t telling me what was going on. I was worried you thought you couldn’t trust me. Like, I’m not a homophobe or anything.’
I edge towards him. ‘No, no, no. I wish I’d said. I just… I don’t know – nobody in the family knows. I was scared. And Paul doesn’t want anyone to know.’ I look away as the shame heats my neck.
He leans forward. ‘I get it. We all love you, cuz.’
He offers his hand and I squeeze it then go for a hug. Cormac lets out a tiny gasp of pain.
‘Shit. Sorry. Thank you. I love you too. I just wish coming out to you didn’t involve you nearly getting hit by a car.’
He shrugs. ‘We live for the drama though, to be fair.’
‘True.’
‘Those crows though. What was that?’
