MAEVE
As I got up to go on my usual daily walk, I overheard my parents arguing. This was weird, they never had their screaming matches this early.
My ma had just had her second child, my younger brother, Niall. I couldn't let him wake up to their screaming. So I decided to take him along with me on my walk.
I walked over to Paul's room,
'How ya doing little guy? Wanna go on a walk with your big sister? I whisper to him. Taking his continuous coos as a yes, I got him dressed.
As I'm carrying him out the house, I pause to ease drop on what my parents are screaming about this morning.
'Stop yelling! It's so early the kids are still asleep-' I hear my mam say before she cut off.
Slap
The sound echoed through the room and that was my final straw, I had to get out of this house.
As soon as I'm out the house, I start crying. I'm not really sure why, maybe it's because I'm scared or because I have no clue how to deal with the screeching baby on my lap.
I stop at the park near my house and sit there, not noticing the two practically identical blonde boys playing basketball.
'Hey Joe who's that?' I heard the younger one say, pointing at me with no care in the world. Not even attempting to be discreet. How rude.
'Just our neighbours Tadgh now stop staring at the bleeding kids' the older blonde snarled, clearly annoyed that his brother wasn't focused on the game anymore.
'But Joe the girl seems like she too young to be looking after that baby and it's like she can't take care of it!' The younger blonde, who I now know as Tadgh, seemed concerned that I was holding a baby. He doesn't think Nialls mine does he?
'Oh for Christ sake! I'll go to the girl and calm the baby, just stop whining will ya?'
No, no, no I don't want them to come over here! Didn't their mam ever teach them to mind their business?
Before I could process anything, Joe came stomping angrily towards me.
'Do you need any help with that baby? He's gonna scream the whole neighbourhood down if he don't quiet down'
As much as I didn't want to accept the help, what choice did I have? He could definitely take better care of Niall than I could and I was struggling to just hold him. So I did what any other four year old would do, and handed my baby brother over to him.
Just then I heard Tadgh scream, 'hey you, girl come over here!' Joe seemed too busy calming Niall down to realise his younger brother was calling me over so I walked over to Tadgh.
*10 minutes later*
I'm actually having so much fun with Tadgh! Joey helped me so much by calming Niall down. Maybe I judged them too early because what they did really wasn't necessary but they did it anyway.
After a while Joey spoke 'Tadgh lad, we'll need to get back now' It was only then that reality came crashing down and I realised I should also get back before my da got mad, I didn't want to have to go through what he does ever ever again.
Tadgh gives me an apologetic look before running over to Joey as he returns Naill to me. I'm about to go on my way when I hear Tadgh shout 'see ya around trouble!' I giggle at the nickname he gave me but suddenly realise I didn't give him my actual name.
I turn around to see him already gone and sigh hoping that one day I would be able to tell him my name.
