Derry Girls: A New Arrival Part 1

Chapter 26: Into the Lion's den... again.

Marco stood at the cooker in the Quinn house and surveyed the brewing sauce he'd made. Joe regarded the attention to detail that Marco had paid in the preparation. After stirring the sauce for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Marco came and sat down next to Joe and they drank some tea.

"Ye sure know you're around the kitchen, son." Joe said, and Marco smiled at the old man's compliment.

"Comes from watching my Nanna all those years." Marco said.

"I'm sure she's proud of ya, son. In many ways." Joe said. "Only problem now is what are ye gonna do wit ya future?"

"I don't know." Marco replied sadly.

"No word from Sister Michael?" Joe asked. Marco shook his head.

"Seems like you'd really like a reply. Wouldn't ya?"

"I would, just so I knew where I stood." Marco admitted.

"Give it time, son. You're getting yourself back together. That's not easy given what you've been through."

"Take it you know as well?" Marco asked, Joe stared at him.

"Well let me put it this way; when a prospective boyfriend comes into my granddaughter's life, I make my business to know everything about him." Joe said. Marco acknowledged the second time he'd been referred to as boyfriend.

"It's not the real me, Joe. It just... happened."

"Ya not trying to defend some cowardly bastard, are ye?"

"No! I hate the bastard."

"So, you're happy that ye punched his lights out?"

"It was... just a reaction."

"They say the first reaction is usually the right one." Joe assured Marco. "There's a huge difference in defending yourself instead of thinking ya can bully someone cos they're bigger than you."

Marco looked at Joe, he recognised the wisdom that was being imparted onto him. His mind flashed back to times when his own grandfather had taken a moment to impart his experience on.

"But the one thing I also know..." Joe continued; "...is that you see the path you want to follow, and it doesn't need anger and hatred. What you decide to do now, will impact your future. It always does. Not just you, but those around you, like James, Erin, Michelle, Clare.... and Orla?" Joe suggested.

Mary and Sarah had been sitting quietly in the lounge this whole time. Now the subject of Orla had been brought up, their ears had perked up. Sarah listened intently as Marco took in what Joe had said, he closed his eyes, and smiled as he thought of the cooky, quirky, free-spirited Derry Girl that had stolen his heart. Marco then opened his eyes and looked back at Joe, who was waiting for a response.

"Joe.... I've got something to tell you..... I have.... feelings for Orla." Joe looked at him, awaiting for more, as if he already knew.

"But I'm scared of these feelings.... I've never felt this way about anyone before." This caused Mary and Sarah to get up from their chairs and observe the supposed private conversation between Joe and Marco.

"What's scaring ya, Marco?" Joe asked.

"Losing her. Not being with her. Not seeing her every day, Not ever feeling.... the same way that she makes me feel." Marco confessed. "The other day when Sister Michael told me about this friend of hers at Belfast College. She gave me that prospectus, and for a moment, I... I thought that there was a chance for...." his eyes welled up as shook his head, in his mind, he'd conceded defeat. Mary and Sarah frowned sadly as they listened to Marco pour his heart out over Orla.