Its 1953... n.h.

Chapter 9

Every day, Niall would pick Beth up at 7:30 am to get her to classes at least five minutes early at 8. A few weeks in Niall asked Tom if it would be alright if Beth was his "girl." Tom chuckled at his use of words and nodded.

"You can see my sister as long as you treat her exactly the same as you treated her that night when the power went out, you understand me?"

Niall did.

So one morning on Beth's morning commute to school Niall was quiet.

"What's the matter with you this morning?"

"It's nothin'," Niall shook his head and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"No, it ain't nothing, something's bothering you and I'd like to know what it is."

"Nothing is bothering me, Bebe," he is obviously a little tense, "you're just doing so good with school. You've got a job lined up in less than a month if you play your cards right and you'll be getting your license next week."

"So what's so wrong with that?"

Niall sighs and looks at me then the road in one swift glance, "it's not that. Well it is," he counters himself and rubs his temple with his left hand, his right remaining on the wheel. "I'm leavin', Bebe."

"Leaving?" I scoot closer to him in the seats and he beings to bite his thumbnail. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

"To New York, I got an audition for a spot on television."

I gasp, "oh Niall, that's wonderful!"

"Yeah, it is, but it isn't so wonderful for you when you have to stay here."

"Are you counting on getting the gig?"

"Well wouldn't you, Bebe? You get called all the way up to New York city for a television spot and you don't think you'll get it?" Niall pulls into the schools parking lot and parks right in front.

"Of course I would, but how long are you gone?"

"A month including wait time. But if I get the gig I'll be back long before that."

"It's in New York city? The gig is?"

"Well yeah," Niall smiles and pulls his leg up onto the seat, "but don't you see, if I get this we'll have enough money to move you and your brother out of that place. And I'll be traveling and meeting all these great people and doing what I love."

"What is the job exactly? You didn't mention traveling."

"Well its a gig on a television late night show, I'd be the band that plays as they introduce people, it's kind of a new thing they're trying out."

I pause a moment to take it all in, then it hits me. Why it's so bad that I'm doing so good where I am right now, "You're leaving me."

Niall turns in the seat and cups my face in his hands, "no, no Bebe, I'd never leave you. My job is just taking me away."

"But you don't plan on coming back."

Niall smiles, I see tears in his eyes as well as I feel them in mine, "well course I'd have to come back, I've got my girl here."

"I need to go," I pull his hands from my face and try to contain myself as I slide to my side of the car.

"Bebe, come on."

"No, no I have class."

"We'll talk about this later, Bebe!" Niall calls out as I not so accidentally slam the car door.

>>>

I end up walking myself home from class, not avoiding Niall or anything, he had phones earlier to tell me he was out buying his flight tickets and he wouldn't be able to get me.