Travels in Eire #25

It was time to return to reality, even though Cailin and Darren would have rather stayed in this special spot along Galway Bay forever. After a what seemed like a long time, Darren loosened his hold on Cailin, just enough to tilt her head up and plant a long slow kiss on her lips. She returned his kiss knowing her heart was no longer protected.
“Cailin....,”
“Darren, please don't say anything. I can't bear anything more right now,” Cailin was barely able to get these words out. She felt she knew what Darren might be saying, and just had to stop him.
“Cailin, you know there is no turning back at this point, don't you?” Darren had to make his feelings clear. “It's not going to be easy at all.”

“Darren, please, I need time here. Everything is happening so quickly. I have so much to deal with,” Cailin was pleading with Darren. “Tomorrow we have to go back to Derry so you can go back to work, and I still have some things to take care of here in Ireland. I'm not sure we should have even let this happen. We're adults, we should have made some better decisions here.”

“Cailin, I really believe that things happen for a reason. That fate has a hand in whatever happens to us. You could have totally blown me off when I was passing out fliers for the concert. It was not me who came back to Derry after you were in Donegal. There was something leading the two of us to come together. I have to admit that at first I came along for the fun of it. Not at all thinking that having some fun would turn into something this involved.”

Darren suddenly changed the topic with, “We need to get back to my parents before they start wondering were we are. Can you handle that for now? I'm not trying to be cavalier, but there is nothing we can do to settle this right now. In fact, I'm not sure how we can settle this at the moment.”

Cailin quietly crawled into her seat in the car and Darren started to back out of the parking space. There was a very uncomfortable silence between them. They were only a few miles down the road from Darren's parent's house and arrived there too quickly for Cailin's comfort. As they entered the house, Darren called out that they had returned.
Cailin turned to Darren and softly said, “Darren, I don't know that I can face your parents right now. Please give them my regrets. I think I'll skip dinner.” And she entered her room bursting into tears.
Darren stood outside the room dumbfounded. Had he been wrong about this? Was he rushing it all too fast? He knew in his heart what he felt. Only now he had to face his parents.

Darren's entered the kitchen to wonder dinner smells. “Mum, that smells great!”

“If you were home more often Darren you could have this every day. Where's Cailin?” Maura could see that Darren had something on his mind. But she knew better than ask him.

“Caillin was exhausted from all the touring today and is going to skip dinner tonight.” Darren thought he made a viable excuse for Cailin.

“Nonsense boy, I didn't make this dinner just for you. I'll make her a plate and take it to her. I'm sure she's appreciate it.” While Maura had her reservations about Cailin and Darren, she was still an Irish mother and good host. No guest was going to skip dinner in her house and Darren's attempts to stop his mum were futile.

Maura knocked softly on the door to the room where Cailin was staying. “Darlin' can I come in? I have some dinner for you. Can't have you go hungry now, can we?”

Cailin knew there was no getting rid of Maura. She opened the door to see Maura with a plateful of delicious smelling food. Cailin's stomach began to rumble. Maura took one look at Cailin and knew she had been crying. She pushed her way into the room as Cailin was no challenge for her, put the plate down and put her arms around Cailin. Cailin began to sob all over again. Maura knew this was more than she had bargained for. It wasn't that she didn't like Cailin. She was just very protective of her sons.

“Okay, Cailin, you are going to have to do some sharing here. I'm not being nosy here, but you are so upset.”

“I'm so sorry Maura. I didn't mean to break down like this. I should have been able to hold it together. I do that every day at work.”

“This is not work Cailin, it's your vacation. What happened?” Maura was worried about what Cailin would tell her. She held her breath.

“I just realized that my vacation will be ending in a few days and I'm going to have to leave Ireland. I don't want to leave. I can't explain it.” Cailin was leaving out the most important part of her sadness, but she didn't dare mention her feelings for Darren. She didn't have to. Maura already knew. She had seen it in both Darren's and Cailin's eyes. But this time there was something different. Ireland had a hold on Cailin. And once that happened, it would not let go.

“Cailin, I really understand. For now, just celebrate the joy you have for being here. We're only a plane flight away.” Maura was trying her hardest to cheer up Cailin.
“Funny, that's what Darren said yesterday,” and Cailin let out a little smile thinking about how much Darren was like his mum.