Disastrous

Thirty Six

Everyone laughs whole heartedly when Rory squeals, bouncing up and down on a swing that's attached to two sides of the doorframe. He smiles happily, cooing and yelling as loud as his lungs will allow as I watch his legs bounce, up and down, up and down. He's getting restless, nearing 6 months old, and he desperately wants to walk but he's not quite ready for that yet.

Niall talks loudly and excitedly about his favourite football team winning something or other to his dad that's down for the holiday, while I sit close to Arabella and my mother and sip champagne and orange juice. Niall's hand stays splayed against my bare thigh, my dress red and flowing almost to my knees when I'm standing. When I'm sitting it rides up, and Niall has no problem showing that he knows this by constantly touching me.

My anger had died down substantially since I found out he lied to me, but he wasn't off the hook yet. I still wanted to know what the hell he was doing on Spruce Hill, and when the time was right I was going to confront him. I had given him multiple opportunities within the last week, dropping hints that he needed to tell me but he wasn't getting it. It became clearer and clearer as the days went on that he had no intentions of telling me the truth as to where he was that night, leaving Rory and I alone at home when he was not working.

"Shay, can I talk to you for a minute?" I glance up to see Brittany, Niall's sister staring down at me. She bites her lip and glances awkwardly around the room. Her blue, short cocktail dress makes her pale skin and hair look flawless.

"Of course."

I remove Niall's hand from my leg, and he glances up. His eyebrows raise as he sees who I'm going with and I glare at him, silently telling him to keep his mouth shut and let it go. He was still very angry with his sister for what she did at Rory's christening, but I wasn't, that was information I definitely wanted to know. I never thought Brittany liked me but it seemed that she did enough to tell me what Niall wouldn't.

"What's up?" I ask her as we round the corner, and I take a quick glance back to make sure Rory's okay even though multiple people are watching and cooing over him. He continues to bounce happily and I glance back to Brittany.

"I wanted to apologize." She begins quietly, picking her fingernails at the bottom of her dress. "I didn't mean to blow up like that at Rory's christening. I love my nephew to death, and it was very wrong of me to do that. I'm sorry."

Smiling softly, I take Brittany by surprise by grabbing her shoulders and pulling her against me for a hug. It's a little awkward with her height due to her very high heels, but I don't care, and I'm glad when she wraps her small arms around me in return.

"It's okay, Brittany. Thank you." I tell her, trying not to squish my face against her boobs. We pull away from each other and she smiles at me, sticking her hand out.

"Truce?"

I laugh, shaking her hand quickly.

"Truce."

~

"It's getting late." Niall yawns dramatically, sliding his arm around my shoulders on the couch. Lucas was kind enough to host family Christmas in his apartment but I knew he was getting tired and wanted everyone out. Especially the whole of Niall's family that neither of us really knew.

"I'm going to help clean up."

Niall tries to keep me on the couch but I shove him away and hastily get to my feet, brushing my dress off. He stares up at me with glossy eyes and I come to the realization that he's more intoxicated than I originally thought. Typical of Niall to inhale all the beers possible placed in front of him. God, he was such a dick sometimes.