NAVIGATING 5 - tadgh lynch

8 - Lilibeth

14th April, 2005

"Almost," Patrick says to me, fixing my fingers on the guitar strings. Since the day I gave him a little private concert, we've talked. The last while he's been teaching me the guitar, and I'm currently learning 'We're Going To Be Friends' By the White Stripes. "You're index finger should be on 3, don't try stretch your thumb all the way down." He tells me. I get a notification. I ignore it, it's probably Gibs telling me how Johnny's doing. He had an 'episode', as Sadhbh calls it, but we all know his dicks broken. Feely is on edge all the time, and I think that's why he's willingly spending his day teaching an eleven year old guitar.

Another notification.

Another.

Another.

For fucks sakes, I may as well walk to Dublin and check in. But when i pick up my phone, it's not Gibs telling me about Johnny, and for once its not Annalise telling me about how Oisin broke her favorite pen. It's Tadhg. I open the messages,

'Somethings really wrong L.'

'I dunno what's happening'

'Please answer me, tiger'

'I'm scared'

I'm scared. An admission I never thought I'd hear from Tadhg.

'Tadhg? What's going on?'

'Tadhg?'

'Please T, your scaring me.'

'Talk later.'

***

Gibsie

16th April, 2005]

Johnny is being a real fucking langer. I mean, it was funny when he was high and going boom boom fucking boom, but now its just ridiculous. I'm starting to feel genuinely worried.
"I think.." The big lad starts, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You think?" I coaxed, trying to get him to bleedin' speak.

He huffed. Like the big bad wolf, he huffed and he puffed-
"This stays between us." He interrupted my train of thought. I nodded.
"Always, lad." He shifted, eyeing me up as if i was lying.
"I've been seeing things." I shifted in my seat, my expression blank.
"Dead people?"
"Fuck right off!" I snickered, then sobering my features. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Tell me."

"Fuck." I shook my head a few minutes later, running a hand through my hair. "That's a big accusation, Johnny, lad."

After a long discussion about why I couldn't smuggle him down to Cork, which was weird for me because usually I'm on the receiving end of talks like these, I came up with a solution, and soon enough, my cousins voice filled the room.

"Cena? Are you alright? How's Johnny?" Ignoring her concern, I kept my eyes on Johnny and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" She asked, muffled noises of sheets moving on the other end, and I imagine her sitting up in her bed and sliding the cross I bought her across her mothers old chain.
"About Shannon and Tadhg's Da."
"Oh my god, I was right wasn't I." She asked, although while she usually sounds cockier when she's right, It's in our blood, we can't help it, she sounds like she's on the verge of tears.
Johnny looked like what I imagine Lilibeth does.
"Why didn't you tell anyone hun?" I asked, trying to sooth her and pry information out of her.
"I didn't know anything for sure, but Tadhg would always have new bruises and cuts, but he would always blame them on hurling, but he has scars all down his back, Gibs. That didn't come from a fucking sliotar." She told me about Tadhg texting her, and then ghosting her for the last two days. Johnny's on his feet and dialing someone on his phone, and I don't stop him when I hear "999, what's your emergency?" on the other line.

SO. That's lovely. I did that part in Gibsie's POV, because I wanted to swap Claire for Lili, so i thought it might make more sense. Anyway!!! Love you all x