Page 24 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
“So, you’re scared. That’s okay! What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
“But not everyone makes it!”
“How about another drink?” Alcohol didn’t seem to affect her too much. She’d already had enough to intoxicate about anyone but she was still going strong. He could barely keep up with her. They needed more booze for this woman STAT.
“Good idea.” Beth took his whiskey right from his hand and threw it back— ice cubes and all with the greatest of ease. Then as the plane lifted off the tarmac she gasped. “Oh no!”
“What?”
“I forgot!”
“What?”
“Jiminy crickets!”
“Did you just say Jiminy crickets? I thought only little girls with pigtails said Jiminy crickets.”
Her eyes shot darts. “I forgot to take my motion sickness pills!”
“What are you waiting for? Take them!” He could see it all now. An hour into the flight Beth would feel sick and before making it to the lavatory, throw up right in his lap. He watched her rummaging frantically through her purse, tossing everything out, not caring where it landed. Most of it landed on his lap. Lipstick, aspirin, passport, a book that she kept on her own lap, a small first aid kit, hand wipes, butterscotch life savers, he took one of those and popped it into his mouth. Why not have a snack during the show?
“Found them!” Beth dropped a couple pills into her palm then realized she had nothing to wash them down. There were a few drops of his whiskey and melted ice still in Aidan’s glass. He shoved the glass into her hand. She threw it back then made the sign of the cross.
“You’re praying?”
“What? You don’t believe in God?”
“I stopped believing in a lot of things. Are you going to be sick?”
She paused, held her breath, and assessed her current state of queasiness. “I don’t think so. I’ll probably fall asleep soon.”
“Okay, well, pull yourself together! You’re going to Ireland. The land of magic, music, and maise.”
“Maise? What’s that?”
“It means beauty.” At least he was almost sure it did. If it didn’t at least it made her happy. She was smiling anyway. Beth had such a beautiful smile.
He exhaled a prayer of thanks. Maybe God—who he may or may not believe in, the jury was still out—was granting him a reprieve. Beth couldn’t possibly get into trouble while asleep and everyone knew motion sickness pills made you drowsy, especially when mixed with alcohol. She would soon be neutralized. Aidan would need to reassess what he believed in. Thank you, Lord!
ChapterEleven
Aidan’s prayerof thanks was swiftly rescinded when Beth did not in fact fall asleep. No, as luck would have it, the combination of alcohol and motion sickness medication was a magic potion that made Beth hyper.
Very hyper.
And chatty.
Very chatty.
She should be three sheets to the wind. She should make Sleeping Beauty look alert but nooo!
Beth flipped the window shade up and gasped in fear. That was a whole lot of empty atmosphere out there! She slammed the shade back down. Then, her fear crept back into her head. Which then sparked thoughts of imminent death and regrets. “Here I am flying across the country, and across an ocean where the plane will probably go down and I’ve never ridden a goat or painted a picture or gone bungee jumping or had a one-night stand. I haven’t ever seen a meteor shower or The Grand Canyon!”
She hadn’t even taken a breath. That was impressive.
God preserve us.
So much for her promise of leaving him in peace. What we have here is a failure to communicate.
