Chapter 30

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A guitar and a fiddle had been found somewhere in the house, so the party had turned into a shindig with various friends and family getting up to sing their party pieces.

When someone had launched into The Black Velvet Band, the gang took their cue to go and hide in the garden to avoid being called upon to perform.

It was nearly 2 am and it had gotten even chillier, but they still had some heat in them from the party as they sat on the kitchen chairs that had been brought outside earlier that night.

James took off his jacket and placed it around Erin's shoulder before she perched herself on his lap. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the others.

Clare was relishing the opportunity to interrogate Erin and James.

No wonder she had put Law at Queens down on her UCAS thought Erin.

"So, what are you like a couple now?" asked Clare.

"Yeah, well we haven't exactly put a label on it because we were keeping it a secret like," said Erin.

"And no one else knew?" asked Clare.

"Well...Michelle did," said James.

"Big mouth!" muttered Michelle.

"You knew Michelle and you never told us!" said Claire.

"Aye, well you wouldn't either if you had have walked in on them twice. I've been trying to forget ever since. No three fucking times technically!"

"On them...??" asked Clare.

"Just shifting thanks be to actual Jesus" replied Michelle.

"When?" asked Clare.

"First in Donegal...," said Michelle.

"In Donegal! It's been going on since Donegal!" squealed Clare.

"Yeah, that time I put it down to the concussion and Erin was possessed by the banshee or something" replied Michelle matter of factly.

"Understandable!"

"Thanks, Clare!" said James.

Erin looked at him reassuringly and rubbed his shoulder.

"Then the next time was during the project," said Michelle.

Clare counted the months on her hand: "Six months and you didn't bother to tell me or Orla. She's your cousin Erin!" said Clare.

Orla put her hand up.

"What Orla?" said Clare.

"I knew actually so," said Orla.

"You knew Orla?!" asked Erin.

"Aye, well it was pretty obvious!" replied Orla.

"Obvious? Obvious?!" questioned Clare. Her voice had been getting higher in pitch the more it had dawned on her that she had been the only one that hadn't seen it coming.

Orla thought it was obvious. Orla had worked it out and she hadn't! Orla!

"Also, I read about it in Erin's diary. How James was her first kiss and how nice it was and..."

"ORLA SHUT UP" snapped Erin.

But Orla ignored her: "...how she was glad it had been with James because he was nice and not like the lads she usually went after. Wait not lads I think you said buck eejits..."

"I swear to God. If you quote any more from my diary. I am going to smother you in your sleep Orla!"

"You can't blame me, Erin. It's a cracking read," said Orla.

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