Title: The Way It Should Have Been
Author: Claire Sheridan
"half an hour!" said Assumpta looking at her watch
"C and S professional electricans? not to me! the
cellars down there and im docking your pay!" said
Assumpta crossly.
Peter was watching this from across the road, facing
Fitzgerald's "thats the women i love!" he mutterd
under his breath, he wanted to shout it out to the
world but he couldn't not yet.
Assumpta met his gaze and she smiled shyly at him
"hi" said Peter
"hi, i have got the electricians in!" said Assumpta
"so i noticed" laughed Peter
"lets go indoors" Peter said
Peter took her hand and led her indoors and kissed her
tenderly.
"i have been waiting for that all day , can i have
another one?" said Assumpta
" what if somebody sees us assumpta?"
" oh your embarassed to be seen with me now?!"
and she laughed at peter's striken face as he tried to
fumble an apolgy
" no...... i ment....... im not.."
Assumpta pulled peter towards her and they kissed
again
" i love you assumpta you must know that"
"i know i love you too"
and he kissed her on the forehead.
at that point Niamh came in. she was unaware of her
best friends developing relationship with the soon to
br ex priest.
they quickly took their arms from each others waist
and Peter prayed she had not seen them
"well you finally got the electricians in then!" said
Niamh
"yeah and they where half an hour late so they need
not think im paying full price" said Assumpta as Peter
sighed a huge sigh of relif
"trying to get a early pint father?" enquired Niamh
"er..no i had better go i have a meeting with father
mac" and he looked at Assumpta and Assumpta smiled
back and he left.
"He left a bit sharpish" said Niamh
" well y'know things to do father mac to meet"
" ah yeah!" said Niamh with a smile on her face
"whats that ment to mean"
" i did not come down in the last shower"
"what?!" said a shocked Assumpta
" i have eyes i saw his arms around your waist, and
the way you two where looking at each other"
Assumpta avoided Niamhs gaze
" im not stupid whats going on"
Assumpta could not hold it in anymore,
" ok ok....this is the biggest secret, you can't tell
anyone ,not even Ambrose , ok do you understand?"
"yes yes i understand!!"
" well Peter and i... well .. we are .. in love" said
Assumpta shyly
"WHAT?!"
" We are in love there i said it i love him and he
loves me" beamed Assumpta
Niamh smiled
" that great, really great" but then her face dropped
" he is our priest though...."
" thats why he has gone to see father mac"
" so what is he gonna do for a job?"
they both looked at each other and said "barwork!"
they fell about laughing.
" at least you have finally got it together"
" i beg your pardon?"
" i have seen the way you two look at each other "
" we only got together yesterday"
" oh its been coming for a long time i have known it
you look at him like he was sugar coated!"
"well...i.."
" and as for Peter he dosen't come in here just for
the beer!"
Assumpta could not belive what Niamh was saying she
thought she had concealed her feelings.
Niamh smiled one of her smiles.
Peter knocked at the door , his tummy was in knots
"come in peter what can i do for you?"
" I need to tell you something and i promise you
aren't going to like it"
" oh? "
" well i have had a long hard think and i have decided
to leave the priesthood" Peter said with confidence
" why would you want to leave?" said an unsurprised
father mac"
" well im in love with someone and we want to spend
the rest of our lives together"
" in love?"
" very much so"
" i dont need to ask who to, I have seen this coming a
long time" said a very stern father mac
" i urge you to think about this Peter,its a huge
step, and think about the bad publicity for the
catholic church"
" all i know is that i love assumpta fitzgerald and
she loves me and we want to get married "
it felt so good to say it to someone else thought
Peter
" i dont need to think it through i have had a whole
lifetime of thinking things through"
" very well, it goes without saying that i am not
pleased, i just want you to do whats best" sighed
father mac
" i will" said Peter.
Assumpta was setting up the bar for the evening shift
at fitzgeralds when Peter came in.
they looked straight in to each others eyes and
smiled.
Peter went round to the bar and put his arms around
her waist.
"well i have done it, i have told father mac "
" what did he have to say ?!"
" he thinks i should think about what i am doing"
" and?"
" I love you so much more than life itself, i just
want to be with you, I dont love god any less im just
not a priest any more"
Assumpta softly touched his cheek and ran her fingers
through his hair, she had dreamed of moments like this
and now they are happening.
They kissed until they needed air
" the punters will be here soon" blushed Assumpta
" i know , can i stay?"
" of course you can , don't you be going anywhere"
smiled Assumpta
Peter kissed her on the forehead and she got back to
work.
The evening seemed to drag for peter and Assumpta ,
all they wanted to do is spend some time alone
together.
Niamh couldn't help but stare at them all night, she
smiled at each loving gaze they gave each other,
completley unaware of their obvoiusness, luckily no
one had noticed yet.
" Hey Assumpta, your in a world of your own tonight"
called padraig
"huh?"
" i asked for another stout about 2 hours ago!"
" Ah you did not "
" i may as well have done " laughed Padraig
" 1 stout coming up" said Assumpta sarcastically
Brendan and Siobhan had also noticed an atmosphere
" it like spring has sprung in here!" Siobhan said
" really i hadn't noticed" sighed Assumpta
" of course you haven't your away with the fairies"
smiled Padraig
Niamh gave Assumpta one of her looks
"Assumpta has got a new man!" Niamh sais slyly
"Niamh!!" shouted Assumpta and she shota really
disaproving look at her
" really?, who is he and what is he like?" said
Siobhan
Peter was at the end of the bar and he had turned very
red.
"The truth is you all know him quite well" said
Assumpta
" oh? " said Brendan
Assumpta looked at Peter and nodded for him to come
over, she held out her hand and he took it and
squeezed it tightly.
The whole bar fell silent and you could hear a pin
drop.
They where all stunned apart from Niamh
Assumpta kissed a shocked Peter and all everyone could
do was watch in amazement
Brendan smiled " at last" he exclaimed
and everyone started to agree with him.
" phew thank god everyone hasn't mobbed me and told me
what a bad idea it was!" said a very relived Peter
Assumpta smiled
"I love you, Peter Clifford" she said and she put her
arms around his waist.
He returned her affection with some of his own.
" i love you too and don't you ever forget that"
and he kissed her properly.
" and you can look forward to more of that" he said
they smiled at each other
" good!"
she said back and they kissed again.
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