Page 52 of Cowboy
As we walk away, I can feel Aoife's eyes on us. My heart is racing, and I'm grateful for Ciarán's steady presence beside me.
"Are you okay?" he asks softly as we make our way to the checkout.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "I think so. It was just... unexpected."
Saoirse slips her hand into mine. "Who was that lady, Caoimhe?"
"An old friend," I explain, squeezing her hand gently. "From before... before everything happened."
As we leave the store, I feel a mixture of emotions swirling inside me. The encounter with Aoife has brought my past crashing into my present, and I'm not sure I'm ready to face it all yet. But as I look at Ciarán and Saoirse, I'm reminded that I'm not alone in this. Whatever comes next, I have them by my side.
We make our way back to the car, our arms full of shopping bags. As Ciarán loads the bags into the trunk, I lean against the car, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart. The encounter with Aoife has left me feeling shaken and exposed.
"You okay?" Ciarán asks softly, coming to stand beside me.
I nod, not trusting my voice just yet. Saoirse looks up at me, concern in her young eyes.
"Can we go home now?" she asks quietly.
Home. The word hits me hard. Is Ciarán's house home now? The concept feels both comforting and terrifying.
"Yeah, sweetheart," I manage to say. "Let's go home."
As we drive back, the car is quiet. I can feel Ciarán glancing at me occasionally, worry evident in his expression. Finally, he breaks the silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks gently.
I take a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts. "I don't know," I admit. "Seeing Aoife... it brought back so much. My old life, who I used to be. I'm not sure I'm ready to face all of that yet."
Ciarán nods, understanding in his eyes. "You don't have to face it all at once, Caoimhe. You can take it one step at a time."
His words settle something in me, and I feel some of the tension leave my body. "Thank you," I whisper.
When we get back to the house, Saoirse is eager to try on her new clothes. As she disappears upstairs with her bags, I sink onto the couch, suddenly exhausted.
Ciarán sits beside me, close enough that I can feel his warmth but not so close as to make me uncomfortable. "You did really well today," he says softly.
I look at him, surprised. "I did?"
He nods, a small smile on his face. "You faced a lot. The shopping centre, seeing an old friend. That's not easy after everything you've been through."
His words make me pause, considering. He's right. A few weeks ago, I couldn't have imagined doing any of this. Maybe I am making progress, even if it doesn't always feel like it.
"I couldn't have done it without you," I say, meeting his eyes. "You and Saoirse... you give me strength."
Ciarán's expression softens, and for a moment, I see something in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat. But before either of us can say anything more, we hear Saoirse calling from upstairs.
"Caoimhe! Ciarán! Come see!"
We share a smile and head upstairs to see Saoirse's fashion show. As I watch her twirl in her new dresses, giggling and carefree, I feel a warmth spread through my chest. This is what I fought so hard for; what I protected her for.
17
COWBOY
As Saoirse drifts off to sleep, exhausted from the excitement of the day, Caoimhe and I make our way back downstairs. She’s still uneasy after meeting the woman at the store.
"Caoimhe," I start gently as we settle on the couch. "There's something we need to talk about. It’s about Dylan."
