LOVE, LUST, FAITH AND LIES (A Jared Leto Fairy Tale)

Revelations

The pregnancy went brilliantly and at 4.39 a.m of the 13th of March 2011 Aofie Jay McCarthy (or Leef as they'd come to call her) had slidden into the world. Shiv had looked down at the daughter she'd never thought she'd have and felt such a rush of love that she'd never experienced before. She was so perfect. Standing by with the camera and loads of love were Orlaith, Shiv's ma and Padraig. Who, obviously stayed top end and offered the cold flannels and the ice chips. She'd only called out for Jared once throughout the 6 hour labour and that was when Leef had crowned and the midwife had told her to take a deep breath and push on the exhale and in her gas and air riddled brain it reminded her of the night Leef was concieved, and Orlaith had rubbed her leg sympathetically. Shiv was particularly bothered if Pat saw the birth ( Shiv had become amazingly close to Padraig. He'd done all the late night McDonalds and ice cream runs, soothed the hormone ridden rages and tears and just basically been a friend. He cleaned, cooked and slaved after Shiv and often times it would make her cry in the peace of her room where she could see in the dark the nursery furniture that Pat had spend an age putting up "fecking flat packs" had been used many times in that age. But it broke her heart at the thought that it should have been Jared doing it. But no, an unemployed metal head had stepped up to the plate that Jared had left and probably did a better job than he ever would. Shiv felt a little guilty for not giving him the chance but she still felt nothing but spite towards him. Yeah Pat was quite the surrogate daddy and a very good friend) but more that Padraig was squeamish. She'd found that hilarious and sad at the same time. Contrary to what Padraig said, he was clearly dying for a baby but Orlaith was too career driven to even consider it. Shiv had even thought she'd be a crazy cat lady when she was old, with no children to call her own. Yet here she was, stranger things HAD happened. Orlaith could break. All they could do was cross their fingers and wait and see. A week later Mary had left to go and watch Connor's wife, Dierdra, bring her, now 6th, grandchild into the world. And the strange but loving family had fallen into a nice, peaceful, content routine.

When Shiv went back to work, she had given Leef the honour of having Padraig as her full time carer. It suited her. It suited Leef. And it certainly suited padraig. Pat would usually float from job to job to benefits. Itchy feet, he called it. Laziness is what Orlaith called it. But she didn't mind really. Shiv thought she secretly liked it. And Shiv definitely did. There was no sign of laziness where Leef was concerned
and they loved each other a great deal right from when it seemed too early for her to love any one but her mammy but they did. The mums at the park, pushing pushchairs in little clusters or women with dogs or jogging would all watch as the handsome "single dad" would sit on a bench singing Irish songs or telling Irish folk tales. Never letting Leef forget her heritage but he'd also tell English fairy tales and acoustic versions of metal tracks, trying to brainwash her from an early age, he'd joke. They'd be out all day whatever the season, feeding the ducks or strolling leisurely with him teaching the alphabet and words. And he found her irresistible, and now that she had a strong vocabulary and articulate in fluent sentences, she asked... she'd get. And Shiv would watch proudly and think, yes this is what a daddy should be. Not like her own da, or Winston who'd have turned out like her own ( god forbid ) or Jared who wasn't interested in anything but himself to ever try to be a good father she'd think somewhat guiltily sometimes that she'd never even given him the chance to try but the rage always won. She watched him win his Oscar and thought oh yes, he's got great acting skills. She wasn't putting Leef in any risk of getting hurt by him. Even when she saw clips of him with other people's kids and still think nothing of it,  because at the end of the day he could hand them back. No, THIS was a daďdy. But bubbles always burst eventually don't they?

It was early November of 2013 and Orlaith nipped to the Tesco express over the road from her building for an early lunch before a plea bargaining at the Crown in 45 minutes. She picked up a green leaf salad, a bottle of water and a banana and joined the queue. Whilst waiting, Orlaith glanced at the magazine rack and there, in all his glory, was the absent father himself. The title read "Jared Leto on Oscars, acting, music and love-children" Orlaith grabbed one, paid and speed walked all the way back to her office. Slamming the damned thing down on the desk, Orlaith flipped to the right page and found the relevant paragraph. Jared had answered to the question " so a 30 stm love child could be out there, Jared? Would that be nice seeing as you're not married with children yourself?" He'd answered with a clear cut " Well I'd find it a bit improbable as I use protection. Apart from once and well, that was more of a relationship, the mom would have contacted me" would you like to elaborate on that Jared "well, no, to be honest. She's a bit fierce and wouldnt enjoy being talked about" Jared laughs and that is clearly the end of the subject. We get the distinct picture that this relationship did not end well. 
Orlaith put her head down on the desk imagining tonight's kick off. This was not good. Not good AT ALL.