Chapter 20
7 months later
Westlife were on tour. It was the biggest ever tour a band had made. It was their first tour of the world and all five lads were excited. They had over 50 dates in the UK and Ireland alone. Tomorrow they’ll start their first concert that would open the grand tour. They had been rehearsing for just under a month, had hardly any time off and they were practically exhausted. But the exhaustion didn’t stop four of the lads to go out to celebrate their on-coming tour.
Shane was with Siobhan in her apartment in London. They had spent all day long together and now it was evening and they tried to relax, but both were apprehensive. They leaned against each other, Siobhan’s head on Shane’s shoulder and his head on hers, just lying on the bed both thinking to themselves. Siobhan turned her head and kissed Shane’s cheek softly. He looked at her and smiled. He loved looking at her. Loved her red hair and the little ringlets curling up at the end and those gorgeous green eyes. He didn’t want to leave her for one minute but he knew that from tomorrow being with her would be like a craving with no way to console it.
”How am I going to leave you, love?” He asked, still gazing into her beautiful eyes, then kissed her forehead.
”Oh Shane…” Siobhan sighed and hugged him. “Don’t worry about it too much. The minute I can get time off work I'll come over…” She trailed off. The chance for her getting some time off work now was like asking for the impossible. She knew that Mr. Ryner wouldn’t let her go that easily. Shane pulled her close to him savoring every second they had together.
”I spoke to Danielle the other day-”
”Oh, how is she?” Siobhan asked, happy to change the subject.
”She’s fine, great actually. I asked her to come while I’ll be on tour so you can spend time with her and not worry about us too much.” He winked at her.
”Really? That’s great! I haven’t seen her in ages-” She frowned. “How come she never told me anything about it when I talked to her the other day?” Shane grinned.
”I thought you might have liked the surprise. And you do…” He smiled then leaned over to steal a kiss. Siobhan chuckled and pulled his head to hers, their foreheads touched.
”This is how I liked to be kissed.” She whispered and slowly, slowly placed her lips on his and kissed him tenderly. They drew away both smiling at each other. Shane pouted and Siobhan giggled. “I knew that it’d make you want more…” Shane pulled her on top of him and kissed her again wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I love you Siobhan.” He whispered.
”I love you Shanie.” She said softly and then they glanced at the teddy and laughed.
”Turn her around, she’s too young to see this.” He grinned.

They both lay there on the bed smiling lovingly at each other.
”I don’t know how I can let you go.” Siobhan sighed. Shane stroked her arm then held her hand and squeezed gently. He leaned back and reached for Shanie.
”There. You have her. Keep her safe for me while I’m gone.” Shane said placing the bear in Siobhan’s lap and smiled. She held Shanie and smiled, then looked at Shane.
”I thought you wanted to take her with you.” She giggled. Shane cleared his throat.
”The only thing I want to take with me is-” Siobhan silenced him with a kiss which he eagerly responded to then she drew away.
”Don’t remind me please. It’s hard for me as it is.”
”Just keep the bear ok?” It’s a ‘Thank You Bear’. And I want to thank you for loving me.” Shane said almost shy. Siobhan was touched. She knew how greatly he felt about the bear and what it represented and giving it to her was one thing she never thought he would do. She squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.
”Y’know… There’s more than one way to thank me.” She grinned wickedly. Shane blushed slightly but was eager to take up on her offer and he covered her with kisses pulling her close to him. Somehow Shanie was forgotten for the time being.

Chapter 21
Siobhan and Danielle embraced. “It’s so good to see you again, kiddo.”
”You too, Siobhan.” The pulled away and smiled. They stood in Mr. Ryner’s office waiting for him to come back from a meeting.
”Your dad must be looking forward to seeing you.”
”Er… Yeah, well he doesn’t know that I’m coming.” Siobhan frowned. ”It’s a surprise. And anyway, I won’t have time being with him, ‘cause I’ll be with you.” She grinned.
”But I’ll be working most of the time.”
”I know that, but when you’re not working…” Danielle winked and Siobhan chuckled. The door opened and Mr. Ryner came in looking at some notes and holding a cup of coffee in his hand.
”Jane, do me a favor and get me Mr. Mitchell on the phone.” He said without looking up.
”Sure, Mr. Ryner.” Siobhan answered and chuckled. Mr. Ryner sat down he didn’t even see Danielle there. She frowned, wondering when her father would bother to notice her. She didn’t like what she saw. Mr. Ryner put the notes down and picked up his cup of coffee to take a sip. He glanced up and saw Siobhan standing there, smiling.
”You still here? What you waiting for?” He said annoyed. Siobhan pointed to Danielle and Mr. Ryner gasped and spilled his coffee on his shirt and winced but ignored the pain. “Daniella! What are you doing here darling?” He rose to hug her.
”Don’t call me that!” Danielle pushed him away. “I’ve come to spend some time with Siobhan.” Mr. Ryner looked at her blankly. “You know, your secretary…” He looked at Siobhan and shook his head, confused and hurt.
”I’m sorry darling, I won’t call you that anymore. Give us a hug?” He asked pleading. Danielle softened, after all it was her father so she hugged him.
”I’ll be staying at Sio-“ Her father wouldn’t understand who Siobhan was. “I’ll be staying at Jane’s apartment. So you won’t have to worry about me dad.”
”Ok, darling. It’ll be nice if you could pop up here every now and then.” He squeezed her arm affectionately. Danielle nodded and left the office. She’ll be spending her days roaming London on her own, but she wasn’t worried about that. After being here last time, she knew her way around. Danielle was actually looking forward to spending her nights with Siobhan after work, and keeping her company while Shane was away on tour with Westlife.

Chapter 22
Westlife had been to seven concerts by now. Only a week had passed and every day they had a concert, every day it was somewhere else. The lads were exhausted. And Shane was suffering, being away from Siobhan for so long. He just finished talking to Siobhan on the phone in the hotel room then he slumped flat on the couch his hand flopped over the seat touching the floor.
”Move over, will you friend?” Nicky said seeing the state Shane was in. Shane moaned and drew his knees to him then slowly sat up letting Nicky sit beside him. “What’s wrong with you, mate?”
”Nothing.” He mumbled.
”Out with it, Filan.” Shane glanced up at Nicky and smiled halfheartedly.
”I miss her.” He said and glanced away. That’s all he had to say and Nicky groaned. Shane looked sharply at his friend and Nicky smiled.
”Sorry Shane. I didn’t mean to annoy you. But it was a bit obvious that you’d be missing her. You talk to her all the time, practically 24/7 and even that’s not enough.”
”You don’t get it, Nicky do you?”
”Yeah I do know. I’ve just kinda gotten used to it, being away so long from Georgina.”
”I doubt I’ll ever get used to it, Nicky.” He shook his head in sadness.
”Cheer up, mate. It isn’t as if you are never gonna see her again.”
”These next three weeks already look like forever, Nicky. Only a week has passed. I don’t know how I’m gonna get through the next three…” All Nicky could do was pat Shane on the shoulder, he wouldn’t be consoled.

Siobhan sighed and sat on the sofa after just talking to Shane. It had been a week so far, a whole week. But she was used to the fact that she only really got to see him once a week anyway. She didn’t know why this week was harder than the rest. She sighed. She knew why. This week was only the first week of a whole month till she’ll be able to see Shane again. Mr. Ryner was gracious enough to let her have four days off, in a month’s time. It was tearing out her heart being without Shane, the one she loved. Siobhan started crying and covered her face with her hands.
Danielle opened the front door, returning from a shopping spree feeling all happy and cheerful. She came into the living room and she saw Siobhan crying silently which brought a cloud of gloom over her joy.
”Oh, Siobhan. What’s the matter?” She asked approaching. Siobhan kept on crying. Danielle sat beside her and rubbed her back, hoping it’ll calm her a bit.
”I miss him, Danielle.” Siobhan managed to say between sobs.
”Sure you do, sweetie.” Danielle pulled Siobhan gently to her and rubbed her arms gently. It took sometime till Siobhan stopped crying and drew away.
”Thanks Danielle.” She smiled. “I’m so glad you are here. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Danielle smiled.
”You know what you need?” Siobhan looked questioningly at her friend.
”You need to go out.”
”Nah. I don’t fancy.”
”That’s what you’ve been saying all week now. That’s not fair.” Danielle said sternly, hoping it’ll make Siobhan listen. “Not just going out. Shopping.” Siobhan smiled weakly, her soft spot.
”But you just came back from shopping.” She tried to escape from going out.
”That was something else. That wasn’t with you though. And anyway, I didn’t have any ice-cream.” Siobhan giggled. “You know what it’s like to be deprived of ice-cream?” They both laughed.
”Ok, then."

Chapter 23
”Thanks for persuading me to go with you again, Kiddo.” Siobhan smiled as she unlocked the door to her apartment.
”You know I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” Danielle winked at her. Danielle had been practically dragging Siobhan out of her apartment almost every day for over two weeks to get her mind off things - off Shane - and it seemed to help her a bit and that pleased Danielle.
”Just a few more days, Danielle, then I’m going to see him.” Siobhan said excitedly. They both laughed and entered the flat. “I’m dead beat!” Danielle exclaimed and flopped down on the sofa.
”I’ll hate to see you go, though.” Siobhan said a bit upset.
”Yeah, I know.” Danielle sighed. “I don’t want to go back…” Siobhan put her handbag away and came into the lounge. Danielle’s visit to London was going to end in a couple of days.
“You want a drink?” She asked.
“Sure. That’d be great.” Danielle said and got up.
“No, no. Don’t get up. Let me get it for you.” Siobhan was insistent. “If you wanna help check to see if they’re any messages on the answering machine.” Danielle smiled and got up to the phone and clicked the machine on.
”You have three messages.” The electronic female voice called out.
”Hi Siobhan, it’s me… Where are you? Missing you, call back.” Danielle chuckled at Shane’s pathetic voice. He seemed as lost without Siobhan as she was without him. Siobhan walked into the room with two glasses of cold lemonade and gave one to Danielle. The machine beeped and the second message followed.
”Hello Siobhan…” The voice sounded awkward. “…It’s me Connor. Phone back, it’s important. My number is…” Siobhan paled as she heard the name and almost dropped her glass.
”Siobhan, what’s wrong? Who is that?” Siobhan didn’t answer instead sat down on the sofa. The machine beeped for the third time with a message from Danielle’s father for Siobhan to come to the office early tomorrow. The answering machine was silent and none of them spoke. “Siobhan? What’s the matter?” Danielle asked worriedly. She turned to face her friend.
”My ex.” Was all she could say.

Siobhan was coming to the end of her ex-boyfriend’s and her story.
“I broke up with him because he wanted me to go to bed with him and I wasn’t ready.” Siobhan remembered all that time ago and sighed. Danielle put her arm around her friend’s shoulder to comfort her. “I was only sixteen at the time, six years ago, but I remember it as if it was yesterday. It was a nasty break-up and I hate to remember it.” Siobhan concluded. After a long silence Danielle spoke.
”So what’s he doing calling you now, then?” She asked already hating Connor for what he had done to Siobhan.
”I don’t know. He never contacted me ever since we broke up. Even when he spends time with my brother, Paddy, he completely ignores me. They are good friends – Paddy and him – and they spend loads of times together. I really have no idea why he called.”
”I know I wouldn’t bother to phone him back.” Danielle stated.
”No, but I should. It must be important. Otherwise he wouldn’t have phoned.” I just need to pluck up the courage to do so, Siobhan thought to herself. The thought of talking to Connor again didn’t appeal to her in the least.

Danielle yawned and stretched her arms. Siobhan chuckled.
”You look like you need a good night’s sleep.”
”What makes you think that?” Danielle asked grinning.
”Oh, I don’t know…” They both giggled.
”Ok, ok. I’m going to bed. It is late and you should go to bed too. Dad would be annoyed if you didn’t show up at work when he asked you to.” Danielle giggled again.
”Yeah. I’ll be going to bed soon.” Siobhan said and glanced at the phone. Danielle followed her gaze and then looked back at Siobhan.
”You aren’t going to phone him are you?” Danielle asked annoyed. Siobhan nodded.
”I think I should, Kiddo.” Danielle shrugged and went off to bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Siobhan sat on the sofa for quite some time before she decided to get up and phone Connor. The phone rang before she managed to pick up the receiver and dial, so instead she picked up the receiver and said hello.
”Siobhan?” The voice on the other side sounded urgent and Siobhan recognized the voice she shuddered.
”Yes, Connor…”
”Oh thank God you’re there!”
”Why? What’s happened?”
”Paddy… He’s been in an accident. You should catch the next flight back home as soon as possible.”
”Oh no! What happened to him Connor? Is he all right? What happened?” Siobhan was panicking.
”Just get over here, Siobhan. I can’t explain over the phone.”
”Ok, ok.” She said and put the phone down.