At Seventeen
Chapter 17
Shane barely responded to Kian's lively retelling of Eimear's
"encounter" with the matron, as he put it. Kian noticed this.
"Shane," he said, when Eimear had gone to see if the other two could
see Mark yet, "what's so wrong now? I thought you'd got over the Cassie
thing."
"Well, I'm trying to, believe it or not," Shane replied bitterly.
"I suppose it's the way she broke up with me - over the phone, I couldn't
see her face, her expression - I couldn't figure out if she really loved him or
not." "You mean she's still with your man, Wayne." "Dwayne,
and yeah, well I haven't heard anything the reverse. I haven't talked to her
since we split, remember?" "Sorry Shay, I forgot, I'm in another
world..."
"Well I wish I could join you," Shane sighed. "You look tired
though. You sure you don't want some sleep?" "Yeah but what about
Mark?" Kian wondered aloud. "Will he be okay? And I haven't seen him
yet..." "I haven't either, Kian! Relax," said Shane calmly.
"You can see him tomorrow, and Bryan hasn't seen him either, or Jane,
whatever her name is."
"Jane," said Kian. "Yeah." He said her name as if it meant
something to him, Shane thought, but that couldn't be true. She was Bryan's
girl, yeah? "Kian, do you fancy her?"
Kian gave him such a sorrowful, tormented look that Shane knew that if he had
given it to Jane or any other woman, they would have virtually fainted. It spoke
love, but a love deprived, almost. Like the classic romantic novels, Jane Austen,
Charlotte Bronte, when men wore such looks being unable to marry the women they
loved.
"How did you know?" Kian's face was pale, his voice was actually
trembling, yes, the voice of the confident Kian Egan, and his eyes seemed
brimming, not only with tears, but with some deep secret close to his heart.
"Just guessed by the way you said her name... oh no." Shane put his
head in his hands. "You didn't sleep with her, did you?"
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"And so are you! Look who's talking!" "Mark, I don't know what
you're on about... I was never interested in you..." "You think I mean
me! I didn't mean me, I meant..."
What do you mean, Mark? Eimear wondered, walking through the corridor. She
wasn't looking forward to reaching the nurses station if the matron was there,
but if Nurse Fahy, or Bernadette to Kian, was there, it wouldn't be too bad.
Who could Mark mean? He couldn't have noticed her watching Shane that evening,
could he? Maybe he had! He had been talking to her a lot, and probably would
have seen her eyes turn in Shane's direction so often. He knew, of course he
did! And he didn't fancy her, or he wouldn't have mentioned it. Would he? Eimear
pondered it for a few seconds, but then dismissed it. It wasn't Mark's character
to be like that. He had to know. Now she just had to see him to tell him that
she knew, it was okay, but not to tell Shane or the other lads. They didn't need
to know, Eimear thought determinedly, and besides, I don't love him. I'm just...
slightly attracted to him, I suppose. She could get over him. Well she was more
than slightly attracted. Okay, hugely. She sighed. Maybe it was love after all.
What would she know?
As it turned out, there was only one nurse there and she looked fairly okay.
Eimear told her who she was and that she had been in to see Mark already, and
she in turn told her that Mark was asleep now, but if Kian and Shane wanted to
see him anyway, they could. The younger woman was disappointed that Mark was
asleep, as that meant no conversation with him, but recovered quickly, and
smiled brightly at the nurse.
"Thank you so much," said Eimear Cleary gratefully, and the nurse
smiled and said it was her job, wasn't it? After the girl had gone, she wondered
which of the two lads was she involved with, and what a lucky man he was to have
such a sweet-mannered, pretty young woman as a partner. Then Bernadette Fahy
called her to help with the diabetic child in one of the public wards. It would
be a long night, the nurse reflected, but at least she knew some people
appreciated what she did.
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While Shane and Kian discussed Kian's love for Jane, and Eimear thought about
Mark and him knowing her interest in Shane, Jane was trying to get to sleep. It
was hard, after Bryan confessing that Mark had meningitis. And more to the
point, she was ashamed, that Bryan had gone through so much with Mark in the
hospital, while she had betrayed him with one of his best friends.
She wondered if Kian felt the same way. Okay, so it had only been a kiss, but
still - it was betrayal. He had been right in what he had said when he had left
Bryan's hotel room that night, with only her gaping after him. What a fool she
had been.
And Bryan had asked her out officially that night. She smiled slightly when she
recalled it. He had stammered all the way through his little 'speech'. She had
had to help him find the words. She would always feel guilty about that night,
Jane realised, but she could never tell Bryan. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt
him. And if she did tell him, it might just spell the end of Westlife.
Sighing deeply, she turned over on her side. Eimear still wasn't home. And she
wasn't a party animal. Shows just what a weird day we've had, Jane mused.
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Eimear was reluctant to leave Mark in the hospital, but Shane had insisted.
There was no point in hanging around - Kian was going, and she could leave with
him. Shane himself would stay in the corridors until Mark woke up again. That
would be fine for him.
Kian Egan had pointed out to him that, Mark being such a heavy sleeper, he
wouldn't be woken until about 11am. "Come home with us, Shane. Sleeping in
the corridor isn't going to do anything for you."
"I'm not going to sleep," Shane replied. "What about your health?
Your voice will be affected." Eimear was worried. "We're on a break at
the moment, aren't we? Christmas?" "Yes." Eimear nearly whispered
her answer. She hated seeing him so bitter. She didn't know why he was like
this. Kian glanced at her and saw her pain.
"I'm going to the coffee machine, I can't wait until we get home for
something hot," she blurted out. "Would you get me one, Eimear?"
Kian asked softly. "Only I'd really like one." Just a small gesture
can reconcile someone's mood. Eimear gave a small smile, "Sure, Kian",
and headed for the lobby.
"That was uncalled for, Shane," Kian hissed. "Eimear's a nice
girl, whatever happened between you and Ms American Pie had absolutely nothing
to do with her, so why are you taking it out on her?" And at that moment
Shane was without words, if only for a few seconds. Then he found a comeback.
"You of course can talk, when you were at it all evening with her best
friend."
Kian gave him a cold look. "You can't stop falling in love, Shane. I'm not
proud of what I did, but I think I have fallen in love with Jane. And I only
kissed her. I realise that is bad enough, but that is the furthest I would go. I
know she is Bryan's girlfriend." And he turned to follow Eimear, without
even a look at his friend, Shane Filan, who was taking his words in with more
than difficulty.