Page 2 of The Last Love Song
Mary had spotted a friend and was waving to her.
‘Yes, but be sure to be back for one o’clock. You know how particular your daddy is.’
‘Yes, Mammy.’
Sorcha watched as her mother turned and started to make her way through the crowd towards her friend. Then sheretrieved her bicycle from the side of the church and set off through the gates in the direction of Maureen’s house. When she was out of sight of the crowd outside the church, she turned a corner and pedalled as fast as she could along the path that led away from the village towards the sea.
Fifteen minutes later, having cycled the two and a half miles to the beach, she hid her bicycle in a hollow, then perched on a sand dune to catch her breath and smooth her wind-strewn hair. It wasn’t more than a few seconds before she heard the sound of Con’s guitar and the mellow tone of his voice drifting closer to her. Sorcha leapt to her feet and searched about her.
‘Con, Con, it’s me!’ she shouted, competing with the sound of the waves as she ran joyfully through the dunes, covering her mass dress in sand. ‘Con! Where are you?’ An edge of confusion had crept into her voice. ‘Con? I—’
There was a friendly roar from behind her. Sorcha didn’t even have time to turn before she was jumped upon. The pair fell softly onto the beach, rolling over and over until they came to rest in a hollow.
Sorcha looked up at him lying on top of her, his huge blue eyes set under a pair of full dark eyebrows, framed by lashes so long and curly they were almost feminine. His skin was still tanned from the sea air even after a long winter, and his thick black hair fell in waves to his shoulders. She knew she’d love him for the rest of her life, whatever the cost.
‘Hello, Sorcha-porcha. Have you missed me?’ He smiled down at her, giving her a trademark wink. ‘I’ve certainly missed you.’
A lump came to her throat. She nodded, then stroked his cold cheek with her finger. ‘Oh yes, Con. Oh yes.’
His lips came down hard onto hers, and she felt his hand slowly creeping up her thigh. She enjoyed the sensation for a few seconds before her conscience won out.
‘Con, you promised me!’ She wriggled away from him and lay on her side.
‘I’m mad for you, Sorcha-porcha. I think of nothing else, I swear. I even wrote a song for you last night.’ Con gently caressed her hair. ‘I’m going to get my guitar and sing it for you.’ He jumped up and raced over a dune.
Sorcha lay still, her eyes closed, wanting to record every second they shared so she could think about it when she was alone at night without him.
He was back.
‘I’ve called it “My One True Love”.’
She turned over and watched him as he began to sing to her.
‘Ah, Con, ’tis a beautiful melody. Did you really write it for me?’ Sorcha asked when he’d finished.
‘Yes. And I meant every word.’ He reached over to her and planted another kiss on her lips. ‘Must you go?’
Sorcha was brushing the sand from her dress and straightening her hair.
‘You know I have to. Daddy will be fierce cross if I’m not back in time for dinner.’
His arms enveloped her. ‘Ah, Sorcha. Come live with me and be my love,’ he quoted. Then he tipped her face up to his. ‘You know we can’t go on like this. You’re seventeen in a few months. Then no one can stop us.’
‘They can. You know they can.’ She nestled into his chest.
‘Not if you come with me across the sea. I can’t stay here much longer. It’s only you that keeps me from leaving immediately.’
‘Please, Con, don’t say that.’
‘I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. You’re going to have to decide, Sorcha-porcha.’
‘Yes, yes, I know. I’ll come on Wednesday, after school.’
‘I’ll be in my hut, waiting for you.’ He kissed her once more. ‘Goodbye, my love.’
‘Goodbye.’
Reluctantly, she left his arms and began scrambling across the dunes. Sorcha shivered as the wind whipped around her bare legs. The weather was changing, suddenly and dramatically, as it was prone to do in West Cork. She turned and saw Con gazing out to sea at the storm that was brewing. She perhaps had ten minutes before the heavens opened, and consequently serious problems explaining her soaked clothing to her mammy and daddy. Sorcha wheeled her bicycle onto the road, climbed on and began to pedal for home.
