Hurry Up and Wait

Chapter 29

The kitchen had become almost unbearably warm with the all the guests gathered in there.

Some of the party had spilled out to the garden while Erin had escaped to the hallway.

Erin was sat on the stairs with her head in her hands.

The night had worked out in the end, she had been surrounded by her friends and family. The people she loved and who loved her in return.

However, things between her and James still occupied her mind.

He had spent the evening laughing and joking with her.

Even dancing with her and her little sister before she had fallen asleep but there was so much still unresolved.

She thought back over the time they had been together. Over the last six months. Six amazing months.

She never thought she could feel like she did about another person. Then to have them love her back.

After years of trying to meet the other lads' expectations, almost changing her whole personality to make them like her. James had got to know who she truly was and had loved her for it.

Then the fight had happened. She had let her mouth get the run of her. Like she always did.

So much so it had had them all at each other's throats again.

She wanted to get back with James, but could she risk that all over again?

They all had so little time together before they all went off to college and would be all over the country.

Her and James had talked about going to college down in Dublin together and had put colleges down there on their CAOs, but nothing had been settled.

What if they went down to Dublin and something like this happened again and they were both left down there miserable and alone?

"What's wrong with you love?" It was Granda Joe. He had noticed that Erin wasn't with the gang and had gone in search of her.

He had found her looking forlorn on the stairs. With an expression he had seen on her face all week.

It broke his heart. This should be a happy time for her.

"Nothing. Everything. Have you worked out the referendum?" she pointed towards the notice board he had made up. Mary had made him leave it in the hall so the guests wouldn't be put off by it.

"I have and I have realised it doesn't matter one bit" replied Joe.

"You're not going to vote?" asked Erin.

"No, I am. But it doesn't really come down to me. Or my generation, does it? It's about the future it's about you lot," said Joe.

"What if it happens and it doesn't work? What if they let all those prisoners out and it all falls through? What then?"

"At least we tried. I think we would regret it more if we never even tried," replied Joe.

"But what if people get hurt Granda?" said Erin. Joe sensed she was no longer focused on the referendum.

"Sometimes in a weird way it can be a good thing. Hurt can change things. Sometimes we have to feel it to know we're alive. It makes us realise what's important to us. Because if things didn't hurt, like growing up or losing someone or falling out with someone it would mean that those things didn't really matter to us. To change, to grow, to love, you have to have some hurt in there too love" Joe gave the briefest of looks up to the picture of his wife which was hung up on the wall.