Page 3 of Destined Lovers

Definitely not because of my friends.

My eyes continue to scan the dance floor and surrounding area making sure everything’s going smoothly, and then it hits me.

It’s Maeve.She’s been off all night.

At first, I thought it was because she was mad at me. I haven’t visited as much as I normally do with work being crazy, causing me to travel more than usual.

Something I know Maeve hates.

Then I thought maybe she was stressed about tonight. Maeve’s naturally shy demeanor doesn’t mix well with these types of events, usually, she’s putting on a brave front for my parents.

No, it’s not that either. She doesn’t look mad or nervous.

She looks anxious.

I’m staring at her trying to figure out what’s going on, and finally, she turns toward me but averts eye contact as quickly as possible. She fidgets her hands, looking anywhere but in my direction.

What the hell?

One Hour Later

Every time I tried to track down Maeve, my parents intervened, pulling her away to introduce her to another donor, making it impossible to get her alone.

Until now.

And when she says three small words, the void slowly starts to close. Funny how in a millisecond, your life can change. Just an hour ago, I let my mind race with unwanted thoughts, enough to contemplate my life’s happiness. But now…

“Can you please repeat that?” I ask my sister.

“I saw Nora,” Maeve whispers and cringes, nervous about my reaction. No doubt.

A part of me thinks my mind is playing tricks on me. Did my sister just say—Nora?

Not once, but twice?

The name I only hear in my thoughts and dreams. The name that keeps me up at night with worry and confusion. The ghost of a person I’ve been chasing for the last ten years.

But now, hearing someone else mutter her name is like a shock to my system.

I glance around the room, eager for someone else to confirm that the name my sister speaks is true. Of course, no one is in earshot to hear what we’re talking about, but still, I make eye contact with Sadie, my best mate’s girlfriend, who inadvertently became one of my best friends.

“Are you okay?” she mouths.

“Later,” I mouth back. She must have recognized the shocked and confused look on my face.

“Declan?” my sister calls, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“What did you just say, mo dheirfiúr?” I whisper. I don’t speak Irish often but have always referred to Maeve asmy sister.

I know what she said, whom she mentioned. But I need to hear it again to confirm I wasn’t dreaming the words that came out of her mouth.

“I saw her at a doctor’s appointment,” Maeve’s computerized speech tablet speaks for her this time. All I can do is stare in disbelief.

Could it be true? Nora is here in Ireland?

“You wouldn’t lie about this, mo dheirfiúr, right?” The second the words are out of my mouth, I feel remorse. Has Maeve lied in the past to get my attention when she was feeling lonely? Yes.

Has she done it recently? No.

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