Forbidden Love

Chapter 18

I was woken up at what felt like the middle of the night by my mother who told me to get dressed and come downstairs for some food before we left. I was too tired to think as I ate some toast.

I was asleep in the backseat of the car before we left our neighbourhood and woke up to see Liverpool and the ferry.

I couldn't deny I was excited to go back home. I still felt like Belfast was my home. It was difficult inside me to have Belfast a place I loved so much filled with people I knew so well and loved all my life and then to have Birmingham that had many good friends who admittedly I hadn't known that long but also Joe who I loved to my very core. The love I felt for Joe was a different love than the love I felt for my family. Even as I boarded the ferry I felt torn. A large part of me will always belong in Belfast and long for those familiar streets and faces but a growing part of me longs for the familiar arms of Joe, who lies in Birmingham, a place that not long ago I was determined to hate but I found love in.

The crossing was choppy and took all day. Ethan who had suffered from sea sickness before stood no chance and spend the whole journey snuck in a small toilet cubicle. I actually found the swaying of the boat enjoyable but I knew better than to say that to my mother who was paper white, terrified.

When we finally got into Belfast it was late evening and dark. We were foot passengers. I lead our small group off the boat looking up and around me at the familiar skyline with a wide smile.

We had to go through army check points, something I was no longer used to but remembered from my life just months ago.

Once it was decided we were not a security risk, us and our bags were let through and I saw my grandparents waiting for us.

"Grandpa!" I yelled dropping my bag on the floor and running into his arms. I had missed him the most. I used to spend at least one evening a week at my grandparents. That evening I would spend mostly with my grandpa.

"Oh Olivia!" He hugged me tightly, "it is so good to see you sweetheart, you don't know how much I've missed you!"

Suddenly I felt guilty about not missing him more. About not wanting to come back to see him more and about worrying about not seeing Joe.

"I've missed you so much too!" I said into our hug.

"You can't just drop this anywhere Olivia!" Ethan said coming up with both our bags now.

My granny gave him a hug and said how much she has missed him. She then hugged my mum.

I moved to hug my granny and say hello to her. I then went back and put an arm around my grandpa who was now holding my bag.

We all headed back to my grandparents house where all my aunts, uncles and cousins from my mums side of the family were squeezed in.

I grinned as I go round hugging everyone. They asked me what my life is like in Birmingham, I say, "brilliant!" And move on to the next.

As the night dies down all the adults and kids over 15 are squeezed into the front room while the younger kids are making a lot of noise in the back room.

I'm sitting between Ethan and my grandpa grinning listening to all the stories from everyone that we have missed.

My uncle then turns to me and Ethan and says, "go on kids, tell us what you've been up to, Birmingham must be full of adventures."

I blushed and smiled, all I can think about is my time with Joe and I don't really want to tell my family all about that so I turn to Ethan.

"Umm," he doesn't seem sure what to say either, "Olivia's boyfriends just won a rugby match."