Seeing You - Boys of Tommen

Shoulder to Cry On

October 1st, 2001

Patrick:

It was the Sunday after the big rugby match, which was a massive success, all thanks to a certain tiny redhead, and Hughie had invited Katie and I over to his house. I'm guessing that I was invited more as a precaution so that Hughie's mother didn't question him bringing a girl over, but I couldn't turn down an invitation to spend time with Katie. 

We were sitting at Hugh's dining table, making small talk about rugby, school, and Gibsie's future plans for Katie and her "miracle voice". Katie took all of Gibsie's antics in stride and fit into our little group quite well. 

"I'm just worried that Gibs is going to get you into trouble, I heard him talking to Johnny about getting her to make phone orders to get beer for us."

"Can you even do that?" I ask.

"No idea." 

Katie lets out a small laugh, "I think I'll be fine, and you can place orders on the phone, I've placed a few."

"You have?" Hugh asks, as if seeing her for the first time. But where as I saw it as an opportunity to unravel the mystery that was Katie Wilmot, Hugh seemed to judge her for it.

Her expression is now filled with shame, and I feel like smacking Hughie for making her feel that way, like we hadn't spent the last decade raising hell. "Not for me, umm...for some friends"

"People from Rosewood?"Hugh asks.

"Yeah" Katie admits, like she's just pleaded guilty to selling drugs to primary school kids. I hated that Hugh was making her feel bad for where she lived, like being in a lower tax bracket meant she was some criminal or delinquent, I mean I had heard some of the rumours of that area, of what the kids our age got into but Katie was a good girl and Hugh better remember it. 

"Well I'm hungry, how about you guys?" I ask standing up abruptly, taking the attention away from Katie, her eyes flash to mine with a grateful look. 

"I could eat" Hugh says, and Katie nods. "I think we have some crisps in the cupboard." I retrieve us a bag of salt and vinegar chips, pour them into a large bowl, and put them in the middle of the table.

"Hughie, are you home?" a loud voice asks as the front door opens.

"In the kitchen, Claire" Hugh yells back.

A moment later Claire walks into the room, with a certain prickly blonde following her, her eyes instantly find Hugh's and just as quickly dart to a random spot on the wall. 

"Hey Claire, Liz" I offer.

"Hello Patrick" Claire replies sashaying up to the table "Katie, it's really good to see you." Claire had this magical ability to make any room cheerful, in that moment I really understood why Gibsie referred to her as his Sunshine.

"It's good to see you too." Katie replies, curiously eying Lizzie. 

Claire introduces the two of them "Um...this is Lizzie, and uh Lizzie this is Katie, she goes to Tommen with the boys." 

"Hey" Lizzie says in an even tone.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Katie responds

"Um...yeah okay" Lizzie says, to a confused Katie, I'm guessing nobody has told her. 

"Who was going to tell me there was a party going on in here?" Gibsie exclaims loudly, clearly having walked over from his house, he was in nice formal clothes probably having just gotten back from church. "Claire Bear, you're holding out on..." his words die in his throat when he sees Lizzie standing behind Claire wearing a malicious scowl directed at him. "Liz" he says lacking emotion.

Lizzie just glares at him, I really felt for Liz, I know she can be harsh but to be so young and having gone through what she went through, I couldn't imagine and I certainly couldn't judge her for how she chose to cope.

Gibsie moved towards the table picking up a few crisps, before looking back and forth between Hugh, Katie, and Lizzie "Well, this is little awkward isn't it? Little early to meet the exes." Gibsie said in a quiet tone. Katie looked confused, Claire was eyeing everyone in the room warily and Lizzie and Hughie were both staring daggers at Gibsie. "Tough crowd, tough crowd."

I decided to step in, "So Hugh, any plans for your birthday?" 

"Uh...my mam said I could have a party, so same as last year." 

"Well, not the same as last year because this year we have your lovely girlfriend to buy us boos" Gibsie says, eyes filled with excitement as he placed his hands on top of Katie head, she laughed and tried to shake him off. 

"Girlfriend?" All eyes turned to Lizzie, she looked mad and somehow empty, like her eyes were no longer just sad but like pits of despair that ran so deep that she didn't have anything left in her.

"Yeah." Hughie says, with the tact suited for someone diffusing a bomb, which was honestly an accurate representation of the current situation.

"How long?"

"It's new" Hugh said, Katie had retracted in on herself and looked like she was trying to become one with her chair and disappear into the cushions. Whenever I saw Katie and Hughie together, it was like she was his sole reason for existing, but that dynamic had shifted, it hadn't gone away necessarily he had just changed reasons.

The tension, was so thick you could cut it with a knife, thankfully Claire broke the spell we were all under, "Come on Liz, I'm going to give you a makeover."

"You are not going near my face" Liz replied following her up the stairs.

We remained silent until we heard Claire's bedroom door shut. 

"Well, that was bloody uncomfortable."

"Shut it Gibs." Hugh snapped.

Katie had fully retracted into herself, Hugh didn't seem to notice.

Oddly enough Gibsie did notice, "So tiny Katie, what are you getting Hughie for his birthday?"

Katie looked up, sort of mouselike, "I'm not sure yet."

"Well, my motto is the less the better."

"What?" I asked.

"The less clothing the better, in fact you really could just show up wearing nothing but a bow..." His words were cut off by Katie pushing her chair out abruptly and storming off, her face was beet red and tears filled her eyes, she was making a beeline for the front door.

I couldn't help myself, "what the hell asshole? Why would you say that to her?" I was practically yelling. I clipped him on his ear for good measure. Really, It should have been Hugh defending Katie but he was staring off into the distance, not paying any attention. 

I got up and walked out the front door, where I see Katie sitting on the steps holding her legs to her chest, crying. Her face was red, and her eyes were swollen and puffy, but I couldn't stop myself from marvelling at how beautiful she was, even crying she was like a doll, so perfect.

She looked up and sniffled, "You don't have to, I'm just being stupid and childish."

"No, he was way out of line for saying that, Hugh should have, I don't know... but he doesn't expect anything like that, okay?" 

"I just, I'm not ready for that, but I really like him and if he wants us to... I..." her words are cut off by another round of sobs.

I didn't even think I just acted and my legs were moving and I was sitting beside her and wrapping my arms around her, I was quite a bit taller and larger so I practically engulfed her tiny frame, she accepted my contact right away and she cried into my hoodie.

Thanks for reading! This was definitely a longer chapter lol and sorry it was so sad. More chapters to come! - H <3