Piece By Peace

Niamh's Turn

Niamh thought carefully about the order she would tell her friends in, deciding that she needed to speak to Michael first; the one she knew would give her the hard truths. She also knew that she needed to speak to Ciara alone, despite feelings no longer being involved between them, she felt she owed it to her to tell her what was going on without an audience. She would leave her mum until last, knowing that if everything went belly up, her mum would pick up the pieces of her broken heart - just as she had when her dad rejected her.

When Micheal arrived, it was hard for him not feel concern for his best friend. Niamh sat on the sofa shaking her leg up and down, stopped by a comforting hand on her knee and a reassuring whatever it is, we can fix it.

"I didn't end things with Leah - not exactly." Niamh blurted out, not how she intended to start.
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"How?"

Michael let out a chuckle, rolling his eyes at her before sitting back into the sofa cushions and giving Niamh a smirk.

"You haven't so much as looked at anyone else on our nights at the pub. You know that? You practically died when Rachel tried to introduce you to that friend she had - the one that was here from Scotland for a few days."
"Am I that obvious?" Niamh sighed.
"A little. I covered for you though."
"How?"
"I told them you were in the middle of a huge case, had to be extra careful so couldn't do the whole hotel room thing. They bought it - eventually."
"Why didn't you say anything to me?"
"Niamh, you think I don't remember that night in Rachel's house? You've never brought that up. I know you remember it, I know you know that about me, but you recognised that I wasn't ready to talk about it - not yet. Just like you weren't ready to tell us this, whether it was about the fact that she is who she is, or the fact that you are who you are - you weren't ready. I knew when you were you would tell us."
"What if it's both?"
"What d'ya mean?"
"What if it's that she is who she is, and that I am who I am."
"Then I guess you have to work out if that's something you can work around. Just don't compromise your safety - or hers."

Niamh sat silent, knowing that if Michael was telling her not to compromise her safety, or Leah's, that the chances he would be onboard with this were slim. She was ready to park the conversation there, to tell him that was all she wanted to talk about. Michael, though, knew Niamh better than she realised, and he already knew that tonight's conversation was coming.

"When do we go?"
"Go where?" Niamh raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm guessing you need remote. Somewhere no one will see the two of you. You also need to make sure that it doesn't look like that's the reason you're going there, that's where I come in - yes?"
"It scares me that you know what I'm going to say all the time." Niamh chuckled.
"Are you telling the others?"
"Yeah. And my mum."
"You should tell Ciara alone." He nodded.
"I know. I know that."

As Micheal left, Niamh couldn't help but think of Leah. In many ways, the two were similar, both just wanted the best for everyone around them. Niamh often wondered if Michael would ever be ready to tell his truth, but she knew she had to be patient with that - not push him in any way.

Ciara arrived not long after Niamh had text her, kicking her shoes off at the front door and opening her can of juice as she took a seat.

"So, what was so urgent?"

Niamh knew what Ciara was doing - making things normal for Niamh because she knew whatever this was wouldn't be easy for her to say. That was the thing with Ciara, she knew Niamh inside out, and she knew that sometimes Niamh just needed stability.

"You know I'd only keep something from you if I thought I had to?"
"Yeah, course I do."
"And I'd only ever ask you to do something for me, never tell you. You know that too?"
"Of course, what's going on, Niamh?"
"I've fallen in love."
"Yeah, and?"
"What do you mean, and?"
"I mean, isn't that obvious? What's the problem though? You're almost 30, Niamh. I think you're allowed to be in love." Ciara chuckled.
"Why is this so obvious to everyone?" Niamh sighed dramatically.