Page 87 of Harbor Lights

“I… like you. A lot. I can’t bear for you to think that I don’t think you’re good enough. You’re perfect. Way out of my league. But I’m terrified you’ll leave me, and I’ll be alone again.”

Shiv turned back to her. “So, you’d prefer to be alone, anyway? Just in case you get hurt.”

“No. I don’t want that.” Con’s eyes shone with unshed tears. Shiv didn’t want to see her cry. She didn’t want to hear why they couldn’t be together.

“It’s the same thing, Con. You don’t think I’m reliable enough to take a chance on. You’re not even prepared to have a proper conversation about it. You’d rather run now.” She swung the door open.

“No, that’s not it. Please.” The tears started to fall, and Shiv jumped down from the cab.

She turned. “What is it? This emergency that’s more important than talking to me?”

Con rubbed at her eyes and opened her mouth once or twice before she answered. “It’s not more important, it’s just…”

Shiv raised her eyebrow and waited for an answer.

“Majella needs me.”

She laughed, not hiding the bitterness.

“But it’s?—”

“Go back to your past, Con. It’s where you belong.”

She slammed the door and walked away, passing Joey without making eye contact.

“Right, folks,” Shiv announced, “let’s finish off the jobs we’re doing and start packing up. Anyone who wants to join me tomorrow, I’ll be here all day.”

“Apart from lunchtime, when you’ll be at the Waterside,” Kasia called from where she watched with Pegeen on her hip.

Shiv nodded her acknowledgment. She needed to eat. But every other minute of her time would be spent getting this club off the ground. If it was all she had, she’d make sure she gave it everything.

* * *

“How long have you been here?”Christy’s curly head dipped inside the door and distracted Shiv from attaching the last of the power sockets.

“I brought some flashlights and got started early.” She stood and stretched her stiff back.

Yellow light spilled in the windows. She followed Christy outside and watched dawn spread across from the far end of the island.

“Happy New Year. Looks like a good dry start to it.”

“Happy New Year to you, too.”

It didn’t feel that happy so far, but this would be the year Inishderry opened its youth club, and that meant something.

“Will you be here all day? I was going to ask you to come up to my house for a drink later. Joey and Marianne will be there. And Aoife’s leaving the kids with Seán. We can play silly card games.”

“Thank you for thinking of me, but my plan is to work myself half to death, and then collapse in bed by seven pm. I’m not feeling very sociable.”

“Ah, come on, it’ll be fun. Doc’s coming along, too.”

“I doubt that. She’s flying off to England today.”

Christy shook his head. “Her plans must’ve changed. She was on the first ferry.”

Shiv frowned. Christy wouldn’t have made a mistake; he knew Con too well. Why wouldn’t she have left as planned?

“Christy’s correct. I changed my plans.”

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