These Things I've Done

Chapter One~Food Run

"Mummy come on! I'm hungry!" Hadley ran down the streets of Dublin in a hurry to get something, ANYTHING, to eat. I couldn't blame her, I was starving after this trip too.

We'd been shopping for winter stuff with the money I'd put aside all summer. We lived in a one bedroom apartment in the small town of Mullingar for a year and a half, trying to stay a float.

Following behind my daughter with her hand in mine, we wove through the city. Eventually finding the sign she loved, we stopped. "Nandos, huh kid?" I asked. She looked up at me and tugged my arm.

"Come onnnnnnnnnn!"

We walked in and I asked her what she wanted. We'd wait in line for an easy 15 minutes, I'd estimated, so I place Hadley on my hip and started a game of 'Eye Spy'.

"Eye spy, with my little eyes, something yellow" I said.

"Is it............ That railing?!" She said hopefully.

"Nope."

"Is it............ That seat?!"

"No ma'am!"

"Is it............ The mustard squirter over there?!" She guessed it.

"Yeah!" I said over enthusiastically. I gave her a high five and a huge kiss on the cheek. She giggled and got ready for her turn.

"I spy, with my little eyes, something," She searched around for something that had a color for me to find, "blue!" Blue? In a Nandos? She's insane.

"Is it....... That girl's shoes?" I pointed out the woman in front of us. She had on bright blue VANS.

"No Mum! Guess harder!"

"Is it...... The sky?" I pointed out the window but she still shook her head.

"Is it...... Your eyes?"

"No Mummy! It's his eyes!" She pointed to the young man who was working behind the desk at the ordering counter. I looked at him, he chuckled and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks.

"Hi, I'm Niall," he said, not even concerned about my order. For a moment, I wasn't either.

"H-hi. I'm Aimee," I said after a while. My daughter was giggling into my neck when Niall stuck out his hand for me to shake.

I ordered my meal, trying not to make eye contact. "Is that for here or to go, love?" What in God's green earth is this lad DOING to me?!

"T-to go," I responded. I paid my fee and we were shifted to the other line. Every time I looked over at him out of the corner of my eye, he was looking at me. When he'd notice me looking at him, I'd quickly look away and feel the heat in my face after he'd chuckle.

What. Is. Wrong with me.

We got our food and walked outside. There was a little court in the middle of the street that we could sit and eat in. I placed Hadley in a chair and took out our food.

Rummaging through the kids meal and my meal, I noticed chicken scratch on one of the napkins. After placing Hadley's food in front of her so she could destroy it, I picked up the napkin.

It read, "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Call me princess. Xx-xxx-xx

-Niall"