Chapter Forty-Four

Maeve

Loncey is here. In my bed. Filling my room with their smoky, sweet smell. Making my sheets warm. Stroking my back with their fingertips.

"You're awake?" I say and roll over to lie prone next to them. "How did you sleep?"

"I didn't until approximately three hours ago," they say with a smile that doesn't match the statement.

"Go back to sleep," I say. "Jetlag's a bitch but a few more hours won't do you any harm."

"I don't want to sleep." Their hand lands on my back and then curves around my waist and pulls me closer. "Is this okay?"

I tut. "You don't have to ask me that every time we touch," I say. "I don't want special treatment."

"Well, at the risk of breaking your heart, it's not special treatment. I would ask anyone that question if I yanked their body close to mine first thing in the morning. And if you'd watched my content, you'd know that."

I pull a face. "You really want me to watch your content?"

"Nah. Just know that I've pretty much watched every video you've ever made," they say with what I suspect is a tired smile. "And I have no shame about it."

"I've watched your videos," I say although I'm not quite willing to admit just how many.

"Just not the ones behind a paywall."

"No, not those," I admit.

Loncey closes their eyes and pulls me against them again. "Why are we even talking about this? I don't care about you watching my content. I care that you're in my arms. I care that we're together, right now."

"Me too," I say back. "Can I kiss you?"

"Now who's dishing out the special treatment?"

"I don't know how you feel about morning breath," I point out.

"I love it," they say and inch closer to me.

"Why doesn't that surprise me, you filthy dirtbag," I tease and then slide my hand up their body and let it rest on their cheek. They close the distance between us and kiss me so softly I start to question if they lied about not liking morning breath but then they tip their head back, nudge my mouth open and slide their tongue inside. We kiss deeply like that until I feel Loncey harden against my thigh. When they move their body so their cock isn't pressed up against me, I reach out and stop them.

"It's okay," I say against their lips. "I mean, I don't want to do anything but kiss right now, but it doesn't bother me. I kind of," I pause, "I kind of like it."

Loncey's lips stretch into a smile. "You do, do you?"

I shrug. "Yeah. Is that… weird?"

"Not at all. It feels good to be desired," Loncey says and they go back to kissing me but I don't move my mouth with theirs and I roll onto my back.

They pull back again. "What is it, Maeve?"

"I'm sorry that you don't… that you don't get that from me. That I don't make you feel good in that way."

Loncey rolls on top of me and places their elbows either side of my head.

"Do you want to be with me? Did you jump at the chance of me being here when I suggested it a week ago? Are you going to introduce me to your parents and brother today? Are you going to spend the next five days showing me around this city you pretend not to like and yet I think you secretly love the shit out of?"

"Yes, yes, yes and yes," I say with a slow smile.

"That's enough, Maeve. No, it's more than enough and it feels pretty good to me," they say and then they lower their mouth to mine and this time, I do kiss them back.

*****

"You've gone quiet," I say as I lace my fingers with Loncey's. We're in a taxi speeding along the M50 heading out of Dublin and towards Jenna and Marty's house, where they're hosting us for lunch as well as my parents.

Loncey turns away from the window and gives me a strained smile. "I'm kinda… nervous. It's been a long time since I met a girlfriend's parents and even then, well, it didn't go so well."

"You didn't charm their pants off? I don't believe it."

"I didn't get a chance."

"Did you put a shirt on, Loncey? You know not everyone takes as well to pectoral muscles as the average Gen Z TikTok user."

"I was fully dressed. And way too Black. And queer. And this was before I even came out as non-binary."

"What happened?"

"We were supposed to go for dinner, at this Chinese place her dad apparently loved. And I went even though I don't really like Chinese food, you know. But anyway, I saw them arrive but I didn't tell Geneva. I watched them walk in and I watched them look at us, notice me, and then I watched them turn around and leave. She got a text a few minutes later saying that her mom was sick and they weren't going to make it. I never met them again after that. Eight years we were together and there was always some lame-ass excuse."

"Well, that's some bullshit right there," I tell them with a squeeze of their hand.

"Yeah, it was some bullshit," they mimic my accent which makes me smile in a way I've long stopped fighting.

"You know my parents aren't going to be like that. I can't promise you they'll get your pronouns right first time. And my dad will probably put his foot in it one way or another, but they will try. And they will love you, Loncey, I promise."

"They don't have to love me." They look down at our joined hands. "I'll just take them not hating me."

"They definitely won't hate you," I say and I yank our hands so they look up at me. "Unless…" I drag out the S until Loncey is looking at me wide-eyed and pleading me to finish my sentence.

"Unless?"

"Unless you start spouting all that astrology shite."

The fear in their face breaks into a warm smile full of their straight white teeth and delicious pinky-brown lips and I feel nothing but joy and gratitude when they lift my hands to their face and kiss my fingers.

*****

As soon as my dad opens the door, I know something is wrong.

Or not wrong exactly but happening. There is a charged energy in Jenna and Marty's narrow entryway and it only notches up a little when my ma's small frame rushes down the stairs towards us.

"Oh, Maeve. Thank Christ, you're here. I told your father to call you but he said you were on your way anyway so it would only worry you but then I was thinking to myself, but what if she gets stuck in traffic? What if you decide to take Loncey on a little detour of all your childhood haunts? What if you didn't get here until it was too late and you didn't have a clue what was going on?!" Mum is standing in front of me now, her cheeks red with exertion and her hands on her narrow hips. I have both my parents to thank for my lean limbs but only my father deserves credit for my height as Ma is a little over five feet, although her personality more than makes up for it.

"The thing is, Ma, I still don't have a fecking clue what is going on." I put my hands on her shoulders as if to ground her. Then I pull her into a hug and over her shoulder, turn to Loncey. "And don't worry, there will be no such tour of my childhood haunts."

Loncey smiles at me and rocks on their heels until Ma finally seems to realise she is yet to be formally introduced.

"Oh goodness, where are my manners?" She steps back from me and holds out her hand. "I'm Cynthia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Loncey."

"And you, Cynthia." Loncey shakes my mother's hand and offers her one of their most dazzling smiles.

"Grand, well, now that's done, I think we should get the car ready. James?"

"To go where?" I ask, utterly confused. "We only just got here. Where are Jenna and Marty?"

"Upstairs," Da says and I realise it's the first time he's spoken despite answering the door. "Jenna's in labour."

"Jenna's in what?!" My mouth falls open.

"The baby's on her way," he confirms and while he sounds calm, there's a very deep frown on his forehead.

"But it's too early… it's too soon. Why isn't she at the hospital?"

"It all happened so fast," Ma explains. "We just got here not half an hour ago and she was having some pain so was having a lie-down and Marty was making us a coffee, but then she thought she needed to pee and her water broke and she's still stuck on the toilet now."

"Jesus," I say. "Where's her doula?"

"Marty just called their doula but she is already with another client right now so she can't even make it. Jenna's that early she's not even on call for her birth yet. And her back-up is at home with three kids who have a tummy bug." Ma brings her hand to her temple and starts rubbing away at the skin there. "She says she can't move right now. The pain's too much."

"Then call an ambulance!" I practically yell.

"That's what I said we should do!" Mam shoots daggers at Dad with her eyes.

"I just think we should wait for Marty and Jenna to decide what to do," Da says, hands held out in defence. "We were all panicking and I just wanted us to calm down a bit."

I'm not surprised that was what Dad wanted. He has long been the voice of calm and reason in our family but I feel like time could really be of the essence right now.

"Ma! Ma!" Marty's frantic voice thunders from above.

"What is it?" Mum takes a few steps up.

"We need an ambulance," Marty says appearing at the top of the stairs looking as pale as a ghost and like he's about to burst into tears.

"Oh, Jesus, no," Mam says, full of doom. She grabs hold of the banister for support.

"No, I think it's okay," he tries to smile. "At least I hope it is. But the baby's coming. Now."

"What?" Dad and I chorus.

"Jenna… she wants to push."

Right on cue, a stomach-curdling groan comes from the bathroom and Marty rushes back to Jenna.

"Oh, Jesus," I mumble and feel a cool wave of panic rush over me.

"Mother of God," Dad whispers.

"It's all happening so quickly." Ma looks like she's about to collapse.

"Okay," a loud clear voice climbs above the ringing in my ears. It's Loncey. "Here's what we're going to do. Maeve, you call an ambulance. Cynthia, can you find as many clean towels and washcloths as you can and take them to the bathroom. And James, I believe that's your name?"

Da seems to snap back into the hallway and holds out his hand with a welcoming smile that feels ridiculous in this moment. "It is indeed. Pleasure to meet you, Loncey."

Loncey shakes his hand firmly. "Good to be here. Can you find out if Marty and Jenna already have a hospital bag packed and get it ready by the door for when the ambulance gets here? And if they don't, could you maybe throw one together. A quick Google will help you figure out what to pack."

Da nods. "I can do that."

Loncey pulls out their phone. "Okay, time to call my mom."

"Your mum?" I ask, bewildered while also dialling 112.

"I may need her to help me deliver a baby," Loncey says in a low voice and I'm about to reply, to tell them that's madness, but Loncey is already following my mam up the stairs and an operator comes on the line.