Church Boy ♱ nh

Chapter 12

Niall watched his father sip from his coffee cup while reading the newspaper, and it brought an idea to his mind. "Hey, Dad," Niall said. Father Horan's eyes snapped up from the newspaper and he quirked an eyebrow at his son. "Would you mind making an extra cup of coffee this morning? I'd like to bring one for my friend."

"What friend your age is drinking coffee?" Father Horan quizzed, but stood, nonetheless. He had his back to Niall as he filled an insulated tumbler with the steaming coffee, adding a touch of Irish Cream flavoring. It made him feel a bit closer to home, though he knew it was no more Irish than a regular cup of coffee – it still brought a smile to his face. He then sighed and placed the tumbler in front of Niall on the wooden table, saying, "Wish your friend a good morning from me."

Something within the strict priest had changed since Niall "returned". Perhaps now he knew that he should not take his son for granted. He realized how easy it is to lose something, or someone. And he wanted to avoid losing Niall again, by all means. He didn't have it in him to withstand all the worry and stress that comes with an absent child. He saw now that he had to hold his son dear and treasure the moments they would share.

But, he was still a Catholic priest. And he still had morals – including those of the church.

Niall and Winter had been an official couple for over twelve hours now. It was exhilarating for Niall because he'd never experienced this before. The only prior knowledge he had was that of which Winter had shared with him. To Winter, it was a relief to finally have someone to depend on. Someone to trust, to vent to. She couldn't deny that the church boy brought out her soft side, making her feel fuzzy and warm and cuddly... almost like a vulnerable little teddy bear. There was a time when Winter would absolutely hate that feeling. But for now, she adored it.

"Good morning, Winter Conaway," Niall said, earning a scream from Winter as she whipped around to see none other than her boyfriend's grinning face.

She breathed heavily, placing her hand over her heart. "Jesus, Niall," She breathed out, chuckling. "Scared the hell out of me."

"Oh, but Winter," Niall said, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. "There is no hell in you." All Winter could do was force a gentle smile on her face, because she knew it wasn't true. Niall handed the tumbler to her. "I brought you a coffee. My dad says good morning."

"Really?!" Winter gasped, taking the cup from Niall. She pecked his cheek. "Thank you... angel! That's it! I'll call you angel! Because you're my angel, coming around to save me. And you're holy and shit. It's perfect. Thank you, angel." Niall blushed deeply at Winter's words. He'd never been called an angel before. Of all the labels he'd been given in his lifetime, angel was never one of them—until now, of course.

Winter took a careful taste of the coffee, tangling her hand with Niall's. They decided the night before that they'd walk to school together each morning. It would become a tradition. It was still a bit dark outside at this time of morning, but together, they felt safe.

"Are we going to hold hands when we get to school, too?" Niall asked, glancing behind him to see if anyone was around.

Winter furrowed her eyebrows and, as if it were obvious, muttered, "Uh, yeah..."

"Oh," Was all Niall said, before asking, "Well, won't we get in trouble?"

"Are you kidding me?" Winter laughed, "Ni, don't you see those kids that damn near bang each other underneath the bleachers? They're out there like every morning. If they don't get in trouble for doing that, I'm pretty sure we won't get in trouble for holding hands."