Page 6 of Christmas Sunrise
"Yeah, a friend."
"You think you're attracted to her?"
"I think I could be. I feel good when I'm around her. Safe, almost. I feel like she knows me and understands me. It's easy to spend time with her, you know."
"That sounds lovely for you, Maeve," I say with a smile.
"Feck knows if she feels the same," she shoots back. "She probably doesn't, knowing my luck."
"Do you want to know if she feels the same?"
"I want to..." She trails off again. "I want to know if this attraction I feel is real. I sort of just want to shift the face off her. I feel like that will give me all the answers I need."
"Sounds like you fancy her to me," I say with a gentle laugh and I am relieved when Maeve chuckles with me as I start again to wrap up Marty's present.
"Shit, I can't believe I told you all that," Maeve says, biting her lip. "I haven't told anybody about that before."
I reach over to squeeze her forearm. "Well, I'm honoured you trust me to share."
"I do, I mean, I hope I can. Jesus, I haven't even thought about what it would be like to tell Ma and Dad. I can't imagine what they'd say when they find out they have two queer kids."
"Your parents would be proud for that to be the case," I say with considerable confidence.
"Sure, look, once Ma's had a heart attack and Dad stops glitching as he struggles to find the least inappropriate thing to say." Maeve takes a big swig of coffee. "Jenna?"
I look up at her, wondering what else she wants to add to this conversation.
"You're proper shite at wrapping up presents, did you know that?"
I look at the half-wrapped gift in front of me.
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"Pass it over," Maeve says, moving her coffee mug out of the way. "I'll save it from disaster."
I do as she says and then sit back and watch Maeve at work, feeling very grateful to have her in my life, and not just because she's a whizz at wrapping presents.
Chapter Three
Jake
The man with the navy cashmere coat and Burberry scarf gives me a smile as he picks up his bag from the conveyor belt and walks off. He doesn't look back to see my eyes diligently following the path he takes all the way out to Arrivals and I quickly shrug it off. Despite my then having to wait another fifteen minutes before my bag appears, I am still in a jovial mood as I walk through the terminal and find the spot in Arrivals where my sister and Marty are waiting for me.
After Jenna rushes to pull me into a bone-squeezing hug, Marty’s embrace isn’t any less enthusiastic. Then, as Marty wheels my case ahead of us, Jenna loops her arm in mine and we walk to the short term car park. Once at their car, I climb into the backseat and sit in the middle. I manage to wait until we are out of the airport before I open my mouth and let the words that have been impatiently waiting on my tongue tumble out.
"Marty, I need you to cover your ears immediately," I say, ignoring the fact that he is driving and so this is technically impossible. He knows what I mean.
"Roger, Sweet Cheeks." Marty nods.
I blink. "That sounded all sorts of wrong but anyway. Jenna, you will not believe what happened to me on the plane."
"You got a whole row to yourself?" She turns to face me, excited.
"You actually think that's worth bragging about? Jesus, your mind is about to be blown. And also, you've changed."
"Well, spill the beans, Jack."
"Jack? You know I hate being mistakenly called Jack."
