Naoise
Saturday, November 2nd
‘We’re over!’ yelled Josh, ‘do you hear me? Over!’
I leaned my cheek against the cool glass, my heart beating fast in anticipation of what Sofia said next.
‘Fine!’ she screamed, ‘I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone who treats me like an afterthought!’
Josh choked out a strangled laugh.
‘Afterthought? Afterthought? I did everything for you! I got you this bloody job, didn’t I? And you DARE talk about afterthought? I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone out of habit anyway!’
‘So that’s all I am to you?’ shouted Sofia, her glossy pink lips contorting into a snarl, ‘a habit? Your little toy? Something you just take out when you’re bored?’ her voice rose an octave higher, on the verge of tears, ‘I have feelings too, you know!’
She stormed to the door, snatching her blue jacket and shoving it on aggressively. She grabbed her red beret and placed it on top of her long, blond curls.
‘If you walk away you’re never coming back!’ called Josh, ‘any last words before you leave FOREVER?’
‘Yeah!’ Sofia screamed, turning around, ‘F you!’
Josh gave her the finger and Sofia stomped to the glass doors.
‘Hi.’ I said.
‘We’re done this time,’ said Sofia, like she hadn’t heard me. Which maybe she hadn’t.
‘Of course you are,’ I said soothingly.
Josh and Sofia’s frequent break-ups are something of a joke in our office at this point. She might seem sad, but in a couple of weeks she’ll go back to him.
‘Do want a lift home?’ I asked.
‘Yeah, sure,’ said Sofia, running her hand through her hair.
‘Do you want to go back to my place or…?’
‘Grand, fine,’ said Sofia distractedly, pulling out her phone.
‘So, did you hear about the shooting at that funeral?’ I asked, trying to distract her.
‘Oh my God yes!’ said Sofia, and there was a hint of gratefulness in her voice, ‘that was
shocking!’
‘Also,’ I said, ‘guess who was there?’
‘Who?’
‘Siobháin O’Dowd!’
‘She was not!’ said Sofia in disbelief.
‘She was!’ I insisted, ‘your man tried to shoot her and all.’
‘Oh, Siobháin,’ said Sofia, shaking her head fondly, ‘I can’t believe how much has changed since college!’
We drove past a crowd of people who were standing in the middle of the street.
‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ I muttered, forced to pull in, ‘What are they looking at?’
Sofia pointed wordlessly to the second floor of the hospital where we could just make out a woman with shiny black hair backed up against the window, holding a pistol. She turned to the side, and rammed her shoulder into the glass.
The crowd screamed as the window broke. The woman toppled backwards, just as Sofia yelled, ‘Oh my God, is that Siobháin?!’
The crowd parted as one while Siobháin was falling down.
‘She’ll die!’ I screamed.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had leaped out of the car and was standing under the hospital just as Siobháin fell on top of me.
