I gasped in shock and stepped back; for a moment I was speechless. I was too embarrassed to speak. My mouth hung open to trap the stable flies. Gerard opened one eye and quirked a smirk.
“I’m so sorry I thought that you were asleep.”
“Sure ya did.” He said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked as though he never got enough sleep.
“Why are you always so tired?”
“I usually can’t sleep at night. I get nightmares.”
“What are the nightmares about?”
“My childhood growing up in Limerick.”
“Care to tell me?”
He looked up at me from where he sat and patted his hand on the hay motioning for me to sit down with him. I sat next to him and he put a strong arm around my shoulders. We both leaned back on the pile of hay, my head resting on his arm.
“You would think luv that Ireland is a beautiful place where there is green pastures and happy people wherever you went but it’s not like that. Ireland is a very poor country darlin’ and people are not always the friendliest. Where I grew up in Limerick, you wouldn’t find fancy rich people with their new shiny shoes or fur coats. You would find children outside wearing dirty old clothes throwing rocks in a bucket, a mother begging at the church doors for food, and robbers stealin’ your money and beatin’ ya to a bloody pulp. Yer mum was very lucky to be growin’ up in the countryside and she probably told you about that, but not what I told ya just now. Be careful about where ya goin’ when ya go to Ireland. Because I pretty girl like you can get into a lotta trouble in some places.’
I didn’t take my eyes off him. I chewed on my bottom lip trying to come up with some response, but nothing seemed to suffice the knowledge he had brought upon me. Now I had a reason to fear my dream of living in Ireland.
“Would you ever go back to Ireland?”
Gerry pondered my question for a moment before responding.
“Tis possible that I be wantin’ to go back someday. But right now I’m gonna stay here and work. I am very lucky that I got such a good job ya know? One that pays this well.”
“We should go together; you can protect me from the people who would want to hurt me.”
“Of course darlin’.” Gerry said as he planted a feather light kiss upon by cheek. I blushed and looked down. He was my best friend and the only one that I could ever trust.
“Shouldn’t you be working?” I asked as I poked him in the ribs. He rolled his eyes and got up. He held out a hand for me and I thankfully took it.
“So what do we have to do today?” I asked him as I looked around the horse stables.
“I will be cleanin’ the stalls. You can groom the horses if ya like.”
“Sure I’ll go get the grooming brushes.”
I walked into the closet to retrieve what was necessary to carry out my job. When I came back I saw Gerry leading the horse out of its stable. He tied the horse to the post and patted it gently upon the nose. He turned his head towards me and gave me a warm smile. My face grew hot and I bit my bottom lip. It was a bad habit of mine, chewing my lips