Eedjits
by Lynne
Assumpta sat on the side of her bed that night, just staring at the piece
of paper with Peter's phone number on it that Doc Ryan had given her.
Finally, she worked up the nerve to call and speaks with Peter's brother
for a little while. She explained that Peter's parishioners want to send
flowers for the funeral and need the address. Not a bad cover story, she
said to herself after she hung up. And it had the added advantage of being
true. She stared off into space for a little while longer, then suddenly
jumped up and started packing.
The next morning, early, she went to talk to Niamh about running the bar
for her for a few days. When Niamh wanted to know where she was going, Assumpta
told her, damn the consequences. "I'm going to see Peter," she said with
a defiant look.
Niamh just stared at her for a few moments. Then said, "I hope it works out
for you Assumpta." Then she looked away and started grumbling something about
how she may as well be a full partner, as she's put so much time into the
running of the place. The two stare at each other for a moment as if struck
by the same brilliant idea at the same time.
"Of course!" says Assumpta.
"Do you think I could?" says Niamh at the same time.
Assumpta's thoughts were all over the place on the plane trip to Manchester.
She wondered why it had never occurred to her before to ask Niamh to be a
partner with her on the bar. She could share the responsibility with someone
else, share the burden. Niamh was perfect for the job, and she seemed very
keen on the idea too. Funny how your outlook can change, there was a time
she would not have considered getting a partner in the bar, but now the idea
of having a little more free time seemed very appealing. Assumpta's thoughts
were also in a whirl over why she was going to see Peter, and what she would
say to him. She finally knew for certain how she felt about him, but she
had held her feelings in reserve for so long, would she be able to tell him
that she loved him?
"I want to tell her that I love her," Peter told his brother. After some
gentle questioning of his obviously distracted brother, Peter had started
talking about Assumpta. "I've been struggling with my feelings for her. But
honestly, I've been struggling with aspects of being a priest, and what I
really believe." Peter's brother had let him talk it out. To tell the truth,
he wasn't all that surprised. As Peter was telling him yet another wonderful
thing about Assumpta, he happened to glance out the window and sees a young
woman pacing back in forth across the street, glancing nervously up at their
mother's house.
He casually asks Peter, "So, what does this woman look like?"
Peter answers, "Beautiful really, snapping dark eyes--"
His brother interrupts him, "--lovely curly medium length dark red hair,
about 5'5" or 5'6", nice curves," he adds with a twinkle in his eye.
"What?" says Peter and finally notices his brother staring down at the street
and hurries over to the window, he whispers, "Assumpta!"
His brother nudges him. "I wonder how long she's been there?" Peter is still
standing there stunned. "Peter, go to her you eedjit."
"Oh, right." he runs down the stairs and out the front door.
Assumpta has been pacing back and forth in front of the house for 30 minutes,
trying to work up the nerve to go ring the bell. She looks up at the sound
of the door and sees Peter standing there. Suddenly she is feeling horribly
embarrassed and self-conscious. She can't meet his eyes and doesn't know
what to do with her hands. Peter waits for a car to go by and walks across
the street to her.
Assumpta can think of nothing to say, not even a sarcastic comment. Peter
asks her, "Assumpta, you're here." He asks with wonder in his voice.
"Um, Doc Ryan gave me your phone number," answered Assumpta.
Peter glances away for a moment. "Me mum died," he finally says to Assumpta.
Assumpta just looks at him for a moment with eyes full of compassion and
empathy, remembering when her own mum died. She knew he wouldn't want to
hear any empty platitudes. "I know," she whispers, still looking at him.
Peter can't stand it any more.
He takes Assumpta in his arms and says, "God, I'm glad you're here." Assumpta
sinks into his embrace for a moment and feels him kiss the top of her head.
Peter opens his eyes briefly and notices his old neighbor across the street
staring out her window and him and Assumpta with a shocked look on her face.
He pulls away from Assumpta and gestures at the window. "We have an audience,"
he says with an embarrassed laugh.
Assumpta rushes in before she can change her mind. "Peter, there's something
I have to explain to you, I've thought about what I wanted to say all the
way here and I'll probably still get it wrong, so bear with me, OK?" She
had pulled away from him with a worried look on her face, wringing her hands
together.
"Yeah, OK, let's walk." They start walking down the street together.
"Look, first of all let me say, it's all over between Leo and me. I knew
it was a mistake when I did it, it was stupid and impulsive and I've hurt
more than one person in the process. Second, Leo said something to me that
I can't get out of my head and I can't deny." She was silent for a while.
Peter finally asked, "What can't you deny?"
Assumpta stopped and faced him. "That I'm in love with someone else, have
been for a long time." At this her nerve failed her, she said, "Oh, hell"
turned away from him and started walking away.
Peter grabbed hold of her arm and stopped her. "Assumpta, what are you trying
to say?"
"Peter," said Assumpta, "I've no right to say this to you, especially now
when you are trying to deal with your mum's death. Oh, why is this so hard
for me to say? I've never said it to anyone else before, not even Leo. I
am such an eedjit!" Assumpta ran her hands through her hair, the very picture
of frustration.
Peter smiled gently at her and said with dawning understanding, "Maybe I
can help you here."
"Yes?" Assumpta eyed him warily.
"I think I know where you're going with this, just listen and see if I have
it right, OK?"
"OK," said Assumpta with relief in her voice, like someone who's just found
a lifeboat on a stormy sea.
"Do you feel like you've been living on auto-pilot? Like you've been thinking
about this person all the time and you're just going through the motions
of day to day life, but it's someone else you're always thinkin' of?"
Assumpta stared at him with owlish eyes. "Yes," she whispered in reply.
"Hmmm," said Peter, pretending to study her thoughtfully, "and do you also
wonder if this person feels the same way about you, can't stop wondering
about it, in fact?"
Assumpta finally starts to catch on and something like hope starts to shine
from her eyes. She stops and steps very close toward Peter. "Yes," she says,
"That's exactly how I feel. You know what I mean then?"
"Oh yes, I know," Peter says as he closes the gap between them by taking
Assumpta in his arms and kissing her like he's wanted to for a long time.
They had circled around the block by this time and were now standing in front
of Peter's mothers' house. "Assumpta, will you come in? Meet my family, please?"
"Peter, this is awkward for me. Who will you say I am?"
"The woman who came all the way from Ballykissangel to tell me she loves
me, who else?" Peter starts up the stairs with Assumpta's hand in his. He
stops at the top of the steps and turns to add thoughtfully, "Oh, and the
woman I love more than life itself. Will that do?" he says with a grin.