Page 22 of Christmas Sunrise
My brother waits a beat before replying, a few seconds of silence that are interrupted only by a hiccup by Maeve. "And how do you propose we do that?"
"I'll climb in the back, then you climb in the front," I say, already moving.
"This feels a bit illegal," Jake says as I pivot my body so I can get my round middle and backside through the gap between the front seats.
"This view certainly is," Marty says. "But I'd gladly go to jail for staring at it." He slaps my arse with a loud crack. "Oh, shite. Lights are changing."
"Seriously, Jenna, I do not want to spend Christmas Eve in a cell," Jake says as Maeve hiccups again.
"Ah, the Gardai will be far too busy tonight to worry about you and Jenna doing acrobatics in the back of an eGolf," Marty says as he pulls off. The acceleration of the car prompts me to lunge forward and I only just catch my fall with my hands on the backseat.
"This jumper is the finest cashmere, don't you know. I'm not going to risk pulling a thread no matter what state of distress Maeve is in." Jake declares.
"Jesus fucken Christ, there are three seats in the back here!" Maeve exclaims, her voice loaded with distress and punctuated with a hiccup.
"Ha, she's not wrong!" Marty says while Jake and I fall silent. As I turn around, Jake shuffles closer to the window, and while it's a definite squeeze, I am able to sit between him and Maeve.
"Maeve, what's up?" I ask, putting my hand on her leg.
She leans the slightest amount towards me. "I kissed... Arabella."
Silence falls, and once again it's filled with a Maeve hiccup.
"We know," I say carefully. "Under the mistletoe. We assumed it was for the benefit of the lads near you egging you both on."
"Well, it was." She sniffs. "But it was also because... well, I wanted to kiss her."
"You did?" I ask gently.
"Really?" Marty asks with a lot less grace and then a second later his voice changes. "Oh, wait now. That's who you were talking about."
In what limited light the streetlights and passing cars' headlights offer, I see Maeve looking at me. "I thought I had feelings for her. I've been thinking it for a while."
"Your friend," I say, putting the pieces together. "The one you told me about."
"But Arabella's not just any friend. Arabella is your... Arabella. She's your better half," Marty says.
Maeve raises her voice. "Which is why I thought I could love her... like that. I mean, it happened for you and Arnie, didn't it?"
"Oh, Maeve," I say and I find her hand so I can hold it in mine. I lean my head on her shoulder.
"But I don't," she says as her cheek comes to rest on the top of my head. "I know now that I don't like or love her... like that. I was confused. She just makes me feel so safe, so grounded, some. I never feel like that with guys."
Jake makes a mumbled comment I don't catch and I choose to ignore it, for now.
"Did you tell Arabella all this?" I ask.
Maeve nods against my head. "Yeah, and she was... amazing. She didn't find it weird at all. I mean, she basically told me to stop being an eejit and to pull myself together."
"She's got a point," Marty mumbles.
"Marty," I warn.
"Nah, he's right. I don't know what got into me, but I at least feel better now I know I don't really fancy Arabella," Maeve says with a strange noise that can only be made by sniffing and hiccuping at the same time.
"With all due respect, Maeve," Jake says. "You don't look or sound like you're feeling better."
"I'm also fucken tired, you know. Jet lag is a bitch," Maeve says in a defeated tone. "And I always find this time of year so… I don’t know… emotional."
