Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 65

Caoilainn

Weeks have passed since Tadhg's disappearance. Not knowing where he is or what happened to him has taken a huge toll on me. Recently, I've been feeling more and more exhausted than ever.

At the moment I'm in the bathroom sitting on the toilet. I had just finished cleaning the kitchen and vacuuming the rugs when I felt my stomach rumble. I've been full of nervous energy and it's starting to affect my digestion.

I'm having a hard time keeping anything down. When I do eat everything makes a hasty exit before any purchase can be made from my meals. I'm so worn out I have to sit on my porcelain throne for a few minutes longer than necessary. I want to catch my breath before getting back up to finish what I started.

Tomorrow I return to work full-time. I can't afford to miss any more time. These past few weeks off have really put us behind in our bills. I'm trying to get the house ready as best I can before I go back. There are little notes all over the house for Tadhg. I want to make sure he has everything he needs in case he comes home while I'm gone. I wish I could take more time off to look for him but I need to go back so I can keep a roof over our heads.

After all the running around I've been doing today I can only lift my head in frustration when I hear the doorbell ring.

Who could that be?

Can't they see I just need to sit down for a few minutes?

Ug, I think to myself. Pull yourself together, Caoilainn.

I bundle some toilet paper in my hand and take care of business, rushing to wash my hands while hollering through the house that I'll be right there.

I hope they can hear me.

Better yet, maybe whoever it is will just go away. Shaking my head at my unkind thoughts, I dry my hands hastily before bolting down the hall to answer the door.

I swing it open and find my girlfriends at the end of the drive getting into their car to leave.

"Wait!" I call out to them. "Sorry! I was just in the bathroom."

They shut their doors and turn to walk back to me. Siofra clicks her key fob and her alarm beeps in response. "There you are. We thought maybe you had gone out."

"No, sorry. I didn't," I explain breathlessly.

"I'm here. I was just cleaning and then I hit the ladies room to, well, never-mind. You don't want to hear about all that. What's up?" I ask them.

"Come on, we're here to jailbreak you," Courtney giggles. "Time to let loose."

I squint and look towards Siofra. "What?" I ask her, confused.

"What do you mean?" I say, turning back to Courtney.

Jenny steps forward, though, and grasps my right hand.

"We...want...take you...kick-boxing," she explains slowly.

"Kick-boxing?" I ask with surprise, taking an instinctive step backwards. "I can't go kick-boxing. I'm cleaning."

"Oh, yes you can, Caoilainn," Siofra replies, tugging on my other hand. "And we're taking you. Right now. Come on. Grab some work-out clothes and let's go," she tells me authoritatively.

I yank my hands free and step back. "I am not. I can't," I try to explain.

"Tadhg is missing, I have to finish this house...and besides, I've never done kick-boxing in my life. I'm a dancer. Not a-"

"You can and you will," Jenny's cousin Kim states simply, stepping forward before I can finish my sentence. "When Jenny was recovering her self-defense classes worked wonders for her-"

"Well, I'm not the one recovering here," I say, cutting her off to defend myself. "And I don't need-"

"Yes, you do, Caoilainn," Siofra comments, interrupting me. "You need to go to the gym with us and beat the crap out of something. You've been a saint with everything that's happened but I know there's a part of you, deep down, that is mad as all get out. So, we're kidnapping you," she explains.

"We're going to take you to the gym and you're going to beat the crap out of the bag, and maybe a sparring partner or two, and lose some of that pent up frustration inside of you before you explode. Now, turn around, go get your keys and some clothes, and let's skeedattle."

Speechless, I turn on my heals and run back inside to do as Siofra says. Normally, I'd never let them get away with this. But between them ganging up on me and the realization that I really would like to beat the living crap out of something, I don't turn them away. I may have been dead-tired a few minutes ago but the idea of pounding on something gives me renewed energy.

When I make my way outside I come up short on my front steps. "Wait-" I start to say.

"What is it? Did you forget something?" Kim asks me.

"What about Tadhg?" I ask them with sinking realization. "What if he comes home?"

Just when I think I might have to forgo this excursion, however, Jenny steps forward and gently hold my hand. "It's just...for an hour, Caoilainn. Two...tops. You...can do this."

"Well," I say to myself in defeat. "I guess that's that then."

Realizing that I actually have the afternoon off to do something fun, I look up at the girls and smile weakly. "Let's go!"

Before I can think of any more reasons to stay home, we're in the cars and up my street, on our way to an afternoon of punches and kicks and an all-out war against the demons in my own head.

"Ooh Rah!"