#10 The Quay

Molly pulled back slightly from Kevin and looked at him closely. He, in turn, was looking right back with a slightly startled look on his face that turned into a smile.

“Okay, so what now?” he asked. He was letting Molly take the lead in this, as she was the one who initiated this response to his first kiss.

“What now? I don't know,” Molly was looking for some lead from Kevin as much as he was looking for it from her.

“Good thing, because I don't know either,” Kevin answered, and they both started laughing at this dilemma they found themselves in as they kissed again.

It was obvious that they had slowly been developing a close relationship that neither of them had really thought about until this night.

“Molly, is there any way you can get away one weekend this winter and come to Dublin? I would love to introduce you to my family and friends,” Kevin thought it was time to bring Molly to meet his family. They had been asking many questions about why he was spending all his weekends at Kilmore Quay.

“I would guess if you were my only client, that would mean I don't have any other obligation for a weekend, I should be able to make it to Dublin,” Molly smiled at Kevin's suggestion. “You would have to give up lessons that weekend.”

Kevin chuckled at Molly's comment, “I'm sure one weekend without sailing lessons will not affect my skills. Then we're set? Maybe we can work out a weekend tomorrow. Now, can I walk you home? Seeing as we have kissed I would think that would allow me at least that.”

Molly agreed and Kevin walked her to her cottage. It was the first time he had seen it, and was surprised at how quaint Molly's cottage was. The whitewashed front looked toward the beach, and evening had even taken on a bit of a chill coming off the water. He would not expect Molly to live in anything different. This suited her perfectly.

Kevin's shyness would not let him push the situation beyond a good night kiss and a plan to meet back at the cottage for breakfast the next morning. Molly felt comfortable making some breakfast and thought this would be a nice, non-threatening situation for her. She was always worried she would burn a great dinner and scare a prospective suitor off. She was a simple eater, and often would just make herself a bap, or stop at the chipper on the way home at the end of the day. Then there were days when she eagerly stopped by her parents for a hearty dinner.

The next morning Molly had the tea on first and ready for when Kevin arrived. He was right on time. Molly was just finishing the eggs and sausage so she shouted a quick “come on in” as she plated the breakfast adding the main course to the brown bread and butter on the table.

“It's been a while since I've had more than a cuppa and a scone for breakfast,” Kevin explained. “Except that is, when I'm here on the weekends at the B&B. I feel like I eat more than I should when I'm down here.”

“I'm sure you burn it all off when you are out sailing with me,” Molly teased back.

As they sat down to eat their conversation was casual and they talked about the plan for Molly to make a trip to Dublin within the next couple of weeks. Kevin would make sure that Molly had a guest house or B&B to stay in that was comfortable and close to where he lived on the outskirts of the city in Clontarf. If Molly took the Wexford Bus, she could go directly to the city center and Kevin would meet her there. The trip only took about two and a half hours, so Molly could leave Kilmore Friday afternoon for Wexford, then catch the direct bus to Dublin City Center where Kevin would meet her when he got off work.

Little by little their plan came together. Kevin was excited that he would be able to share his home town with Molly and show her off to his friends and family. Molly was looking forward to this, but still had some hesitations in being in the big city and meeting all these new people.