He was full of the blarney, this one. The nuns had taught us how to fend off the amorous advances of boys but they hadn’t really told us how to cope with our own desires. Maybe they thought we didn’t have any but every time I saw Domhnall my stomach did a back flip. His name’s pronounced almost like Donald without the last d and it means ruler. Our Irish names were a delight but a nightmare for our friends, once we’d moved to England. My own name, Saoirse, pronounced Sir-sha, and meaning freedom, had proved to be particularly difficult for my friends to spell, let alone pronounce.
“I luvya Saoirse,” he said, his mouth and hands everywhere.
“Stop it, Domhnall!” I struggled to regain my composure, “Aren’t you confusing love with lust?”
“I don’t know. Am I? I don’t rate your body. It’s your mind I’m trying to shag!”
We both collapsed in a heap of giggles. There was no doing anything with us now.
“Domhnall, I’ve got to go home. Ma’ll be frantic!”
“Jaysus, it’s only eleven!”
“I was supposed to be home by ten. And don’t blaspheme!”
“Christ, sorry!”
I looked sternly at him.
“Sorry. I’ll try not to. Come on. I’ll walk ya home.”
***
“Is that you, Saoirse? You’re late!”
“Sorry, Ma. Lost track of time,” I said. “Still in one piece, still a virgin,” I muttered under my breath.
“What?”
“Just talking to myself.”
***
He must have loved me, Domhnall. Otherwise, why was he still with me? Plenty of willing girls about. Maybe it was the thrill of the chase. He was waiting for me outside work the next day. He started and finished earlier than me. My stomach did its usual back flip. If he hadn’t caught hold of me to give me a kiss I’d have probably fallen over!
“Hello, Saoirse. Have ya missed me? I’m out of funds today so will we go for a walk? Have you got any money for fish & chips or something?”
“Yeah!” I texted Ma to tell her I was having dinner with Domhnall. “I’ve told Ma I’ll be back at ten.”
“Alright, I’ll have you back at ten, so.”
He was smiling down at me looking pleased with himself.
“D’ya love me, Saoirse?”
“Of course I do!”
“But you won’t let me love you. What ya frightened of? Is it getting pregnant or the sex itself?” He kissed me. He looked at my face and kissed me again. He smiled. “I love ya!” he said.
“It’s the nuns!”
“What? Fuck the nuns!”
I must have looked scandalised.”
“Well, I’m sorry, Saoirse, but what do they know about sex? What do they know about us?”
I looked down at my shoes. No inspiration there.
“I’m never leaving you. I’ll still be battering at your door till I’m ninety!” That made me laugh.
“Would ya marry me if I asked? Only I’ve no money. You’d have to share my bedsit and you’d probably have to buy your own ring. I am saving up, but.” I stared at him. Wow!
“Would ya?” he said.
“I would!”
“Ya would?”
He whirled me round.
“Watch what you’re doing, you lunatics!” said a passerby. But Domhnall was crazy with happiness. So was I, come to that, if he really meant it. We were passing a junk shop with some rings in the window.
“I’m getting my ring now before you change your mind,” I said, diving into the shop. He trailed after me. I tried them all on and chose the one that fitted. It didn’t matter to me what it was but it was a silver ring set with a little turquoise stone. Domhnall put it on my finger. I beamed.
“Now for fish and chips.”
“We’ll take them back to mine, Saoirse. See if you can put up with it. And look what I spent my last tenner on!” he said, taking some little packets from his pocket and waving them in the air.
“Drugs?”
“No, o’ course not! Condoms! In case you’re worried about getting pregnant.”
“You’re so thoughtful!” I said, sarcastically.
“Course I am! I luvya, don’t I?”
With all the backwards somersaults my stomach was doing — the nuns never warned me about that — it was a wonder I could even think about eating fish & chips. His flat was tiny and basic but having fish & chips with Domhnall and then having Domhnall for afters was the best day of my life and we just made it back to Ma’s for ten. He’d saved the fish & chips that were left over in the fridge. They’d make us another meal tomorrow. We can’t afford to waste a penny now, he’d said.
***
“You look in good spirits!” said Ma.
“I’m getting married!”
“Are you, now? And am I to meet him?”
“You are. He’s coming to lunch on Saturday.” He didn’t know it yet, but I’d ask him tomorrow over our fish & chips leftovers. He’d come. He’d do anything for me. He loved me.
***
He charmed me Ma. He’s so full of the blarney. We were married not long after and we both squashed happily into his bedsit. We went to Ma’s for lunch every Saturday. It had become a tradition.
“Were ya crying back then?” asked Domhnall.
“I was reading my old diary,” I said. “We were so young and in love. So beautiful.” He put his arm round me and kissed me as we walked along, down to the seafront to watch the St Patrick’s Day parade. We were in our fifties. Grandparents now.
“Still are!” he said. “In love, annyways, and beautiful!” he grinned. “Not that old, either!”
Diana Campbell began writing short love stories in February 2022 and enjoyed it so much that she couldn’t stop! She lives in a seaside town in North Yorkshire, England, and is a member of the local Writers’ Circle.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We’re lucky to have friends like you.
