the derry girl || james maguire

six

Niamh's pov

I was woken up from my unplanned nap by Erin shaking me, fantastic.

"Niamh we've to go downstairs, mammy wants us, says it's serious." Erin says.

"Aye, I'll be right down." I respond.

Throwing on my dressing gown and socks, I walk down the narrow staircase, it's still dark outside, wonder what's happened. Sarah and Orla are sitting at the table too, must be serious.

"Niamh love have a seat."

"Right, so. As you can tell, Toto is not here." Aunt Mary starts.

"Aye is he out the back door Aunt Mary." Orla asked.

"No Orla, unfortunately Toto has gone to heaven."

"How did he get there by himself Mary" Orla questions.

"awk who am I kidding, Toto was hit by an army van outside the house, and he's in a box out the back, I'll bury him in the morning. Back to bed you lot." Mary said bluntly.

well that was a bit unexpected, poor Toto, not even hit by a normal car, but an army one.

-

I had just woken up at this study sleepover, head on James's shoulder, which was highly unintentional. But I just left it there, and tried to sleep. I could here Erin babbling on, my head was spinning, that's Michelle's fault.

"Just can't get my head around it. The fact that he's gone. Forever." Erin whined.

"It's so sad, it really is, it is so, so sad, but at the same time, you know, what's done is done, so let's crack on." Clare said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Claire, has his sudden, tragic death interrupted your studies?"

"It has a bit, actually, yeah"

"How can you be so heartless?" Erin sobbed.

"Don't cry Erin, he's in a better place now, Unless he's not, you know, unless he's gone to hell." Orla told her.

"Can we please talk about something else? I'm half torn, this is wrecking my head." Michelle said.

"What? Have you been drinking?"

"Yes, I have. So has your cousin, that's why she's currently asleep on mine. And for future reference, if any of you invite me to a study sleepover again and I'm desperate enough to accept that invitation, there's a good chance I have a litre bottle of Pernod in my bag."

Thanks for throwing me under the bus there.

"I shouldn't even have to sit the exam. On, you know, compassionate grounds."

"He was a dog, Erin!"

"Toto was much more than a dog! Toto was my best friend!"

"Christ, I feel a bit boak-y." Michelle had opened the curtains and this is when I decided to "wake up".

"Sweet sufferin' Jesus, it's the morning already!" Clare shouted.

"Morning sleepyhead." I heard James mumble from beside me.

I looked up to see him looking into my eyes.

"Morning James." I smiled.

I was then brought out of that trance by Clare shouting about something orange.

"Calm down? We're still on William of Orange, Michelle, we haven't so much looked at the famine!"

"We've got the gist, they ran out of spuds, everyone was ragin'."