Page 18 of The 3am Shattered Mums' Club

‘Ahh, don’t be soft, it’s all part of the job. Builders, taxi drivers, hairdressers, we are also paid counsellors. You get two services for one, you see.’

Sophy found she was smiling so much her cheeks hurt a little bit, and was suddenly aware of the heat in her face and the tight grip she had on the camera.

‘So, where in Ireland are you from?’

‘Dublin,’ Niall said quickly. He smiled again, and Sophy noticed how his eyes seemed to glisten.

‘Oh yes, Dublin, I know it.’

‘’Course you do. Everyone does. But actually, I’m from a little seaside town called Killiney, just down the way, but I worked a lot in Dublin. Before I moved to London.’

Sophy noted the confident way in which Niall was speaking to her. He seemed like someone who was sure of themselves, not someone who needed to show off through money or materials. It was strange, because Niall was exactly the kind of guy that she would be attracted to, but back before she got with Jeff, she was looking for someone with a bit more financial stability. And that, she supposed, was what had been the deal-sealer to getting with and staying with Jeff. It was her council estate roots. She didn’t want to end up in a shoddy house like the one she and her family had squeezed into growing up. There was never any privacy. And one bathroom between seven of them. She’d had to duck outside on many an occasion as a young girl to take a whizz behind the elm tree at the end of the garden when her dad was in the loo having one of his long sit-downs.

‘You know why Dublin is so big, don’t ya?’ Niall went on.

Sophy shook her head; she genuinely had no idea of the geographical mass of Ireland’s capital.

‘Because it keeps doublin’ and doublin’.’ Niall spoke slowly and quietly as though he were telling a child a secret.

Sophy thought for a moment, and then spurted out a laugh. She put her hand across her mouth, as she suddenly remembered Max snoozing in his pram a few metres away.

‘A little Irish humour for ya on a Wednesday morning.’ Niall grinned and Sophy smiled.

They both stood for a few seconds, and Sophy found her mind was racing with forming questions – things she wanted to ask Niall, about his hometown, his family; why he moved to London.

‘Right, better get back to it. No rest for the wicked!’ Niall winked and turned back around and walked out of the back door, to the side of the house where bricks and bags of cement were piling up.

‘Yes, right, yes. Have a…’ Sophy turned, but Niall had gone, and she wondered was she really about to say, ‘have a nice day’?

* * *

At lunchtime, Sophy realised she had no food in except bread and a few fillings. So she made herself a sandwich with cheese and ham and sat up on the kitchen island and tried not to assess the calorie content. Max was awake and lying in his baby pod on the island countertop.

Niall walked past the back door and did a double take. He sidled up to the back door and leant on it, looking in.

‘Ahh, the wee man’s awake.’

Sophy, with a mouthful of sandwich, smiled and nodded. She swallowed.

‘Come and take a look if you like?’ she said, and Niall came straight through the door. ‘I mean, if you like. I’m sure babies aren’t exactly your thing,’ Sophy added, not wanting to bore him.

Niall looked down at Max, his head cocked to one side. ‘Now, why would you think a thing like that? Cos I am a builder, is that it?’

‘Oh, no, sorry, I just meant, babies are a bit boring, so I’m sure you have more interesting things to be getting on with.’

‘Well, I do, but I do like babies. And who said they’re boring? Look at his little face – he is taking in everything!’ Sophy looked at Max and tried to see the baby that had been in her life for over a month through the eyes of another. Of course, Niall was right. Max was looking up at the ceiling lights, which weren’t on but were reflecting the sun’s light.

‘He’s a very handsome chap. What’s his name?’

‘Max.’

‘Strong name. He’ll do well in life. Wish me mam had given me a better name. I have four older sisters, so I think she was still feeling rather feminine when she named me.’

‘I like the name Niall.’

Niall stopped looking at Max and looked at Sophy. ‘Do you now?’ he said brightly.

Sophy felt a rush of colour coming from her neck, threatening to flood her face.

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