Summer Sunshine

Chapter 4 - A Date in a Pub

Felons Club, West Belfast

Diana's POV

Seriously, we're in a pub called Felon's Club 

I think to myself as I enter the pub with Gearoid, Liam and Siobhan. 

"So why are we here again?" Gearoid asks me.

"Because this is where my sister is going out on a date with that man." I tell Gearoid.

"Ma told me that if ever that man tries to attack us tonight, we should ring up my Uncle Ned." Liam tells us, referring to his uncle, a high profile Republican in Belfast who was infamous for two things - a seaside blitz and being romantically involved with a late Tory MP's daughter.

"Seriously?" Siobhan asks Ned. 

"If it were up to me, I'd leave Uncle Ned out of this." Liam says, "If anything, he'll even encourage Maggie and that man to end up together."

We all rolled our eyes. The last thing we need is Ned O'Discroll showing up to this pub to give his blessing to Maggie and Seamus' relationship.

-

"Okay, so you're telling me that your uncle, that infamous IRA operative, got his feet swept off by the woman whose father was killed by his bomb?" Gearoid asks Liam, still in disbelief over the fact that Ned O'Discroll and Elizabeth Townsend (the late Tory MP's daughter) are romantically involved.

"I wish it wasn't real but it is." Liam explains, "You don't know how shocked my mother was when Uncle Ned popped in to our house in Norwich one day with Elizabeth, announcing that they had just entered into a civil partnership."

"They're in a civil partnership?!?" Gearoid and I ask in unison.

"Since last week." Liam tells us, "A few years after they had a short falling out, they went back together and decided to seal their union. Kinda like William and Kate if you ask me, except that William didn't kill Kate's father before deciding to fall in love with her."

"I remember how Ned and Elizabeth's relationship was such a big deal while I was growing up, some people would even joke that they're lovers." I tell Liam, "I had no idea that they actually fell in love with each other."

"Why did they wait so long to seal the union?" Gearoid asks Liam.

"Ned and Elizabeth had to get the blessing of Elizabeth's daughter, Marnie," Liam explained, "And Elizabeth's mother died last year so they had to push back the civil partnership date to a later date."

"I remember how Marnie wasn't having it with Ned and Elizabeth being together." Siobhan added, "It's a surprise she finally relented."

"My sister jokes that its because Marnie needs an Irish passport to protect her EU rights because of Brexit and all." Liam remarked, "Of course that's not what happened. Marnie just eventually grew to accept Ned as a constant in her mother's life."

"Speaking of your uncle, Liam..." Siobhan said, pointing to the bar where Ned O'Discroll is having a pint in all his ex-IRA man turned peacemaker glory.

"Also, they're here." I say, pointing out to Maggie and Seamus who have just entered the pub.

Maggie held on to Seamus' arm like he was some normal West Belfast dude with absolutely no ties to dissident Republicanism. Every now and then, Seamus would shoot an affectionate glance at her as if she wasn't the peeler who arrested him.

Come on, please take the booth next to us

I think to myself as I watch my sister and Seamus look for a vacant booth. The couple on the booth next to us left, and soon after, it was my sister and Seamus who took over the booth. My friends and I decided to lower our voices so that we can hear what my sister and Seamus are up to.