Challenging 12

chapter three

We wandered down the narrow street, her hand wrapped around mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. The houses were lined up close together, their old stone walls warmed by the late afternoon sun. She led the way confidently, chatting all the while.

"Mammy always makes something nice for tea, and my friend Gibsie comes over a lot," she told me proudly, her face lighting up.

"Gibsie?" I asked, curious.

"Yeah," she nodded, "he's my brother's friend, but he's my best friend."

"Really?" I couldn't help but smile, trying to imagine what her best friend might be like.

"Yeah," she said, sounding even more sure of herself. "When we first moved to Cork, Johnny brought him home, and I just loved him."

"Do you love him?" I asked, tilting my head, a little more curious.

"No," she said, shaking her head with a grin. "I love Patrick."

"Who's that?"

Her grin grew wider. "He's my boyfriend," she said confidently. "We're gonna get married one day."

"Oh," I said, my mind racing. "Can you share him?"

"No," she said, like she'd already thought it through. "But you can have Johnny."

"Who's that?" I asked again, intrigued.

"He's my twin. I'm older, though." She looked very proud about this fact, as if it was something she'd earned.

"Is he pretty like you too?" I asked, because she really was quite pretty.

She shrugged, scrunching her nose a bit. "He's alright."

"You'll like Mammy," she assured me. "She makes the best roast potatoes in all of Cork."

I nodded, a bit shy but secretly excited. "Do you eat them all yourself?"

"Not all," she laughed, swinging our hands as we walked. "Johnny eats the most. He's always starving, he does alot of rugby, so that might be it."

"And Gibsie?"

"Oh, Gibsie eats everything. He's worse than Johnny sometimes." She laughed, her nose crinkling, and I liked the way it sounded. "But Johnny's Mam always makes loads, so there's enough for all of us."

As we approached a cozy-looking house with flowers spilling out of pots by the door, she turned to me, her face serious. "Remember, gibsies' mine, though, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed, grinning. "I'll just stick with you."

She nodded, satisfied, and then pulled me up the short path to the door, a sense of excitement bubbling up inside me. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I belonged somewhere, even if it was just for an afternoon, with Lexie beside me.

Lexie let go of my hand and twisted the doorknob, pushing the door open like she owned the place—which, really, she did. Inside, the house was warm and cozy, with a rich smell drifting from the kitchen that made my stomach growl. Pots and pans clattered as someone moved around, humming along to a song on the radio.

"Mammy!" Lexie called out, her voice echoing down the hallway, "I'm back, and I brought a friend!"

A woman appeared from around the corner, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She had curly hair and kind eyes that looked exactly like Lexie's. When she spotted me, she smiled warmly, making me feel a little less nervous. "And who's this lovely girl?" she asked, her voice as soft as a hug.

"This is Wren," Lexie declared proudly, nudging me forward. "She just moved here, so I'm showing her all the good spots."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Wren," Lexie's mum said, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. "You're always welcome here. And I can tell you've got good taste if you're already friends with our Lexie."