Acquiesce

Chapter 16

I saw Meg a few times (we clicked pretty well) but I didn't ring Noel until after the twenty week scan. They were on tour, yet again so we couldn't meet up until the end of January and I was twenty three weeks by then.

Before going to meet him I got dressed up, it wasn't for him of course but I wanted to dress well for once. Maternity clothes weren't exactly flattering but I'd made the effort, jeans, a top and a stripy jumper. I had to wear flat, comfy shoes.

"Go on, say it." I told him since he was staring at me again.

"You, erm... your twins are developing well."

"Thank you!" I smiled, that had to be the nicest anyone had commented on how fat I was getting. "They really are."

"You look well too." he complimented. "Have you got tattoos...?"

"I've got a Jay and some flowers there, they're slowly getting stretched pretty bad." I held my hand against the side of my belly. "People warned me but I wouldn't listen."

"So that's why you and him clicked." he nodded. "Why a Jay? It's not the first bird I'd think of?"

"It's the name we gave to the baby we lost years ago, I didn't want their name or a date or something written so I got a pretty blue Jay done."

"Sorry." he looked awkward and unsure what to say.

"Don't worry about it, it doesn't upset me anymore. So, what are we doing today?" I decided to move on from that, today had to be a positive one.

I wondered where the Noel who called me a slut or a stripper had gone but I wasn't going to try to get him back, maybe Meg had, had a word.

...

Noel took me out to a tea shop and we sat in the corner drinking our teas. Loads of wooden interior, comfy arm chairs and all that. One of those cosy independent ones that would die out when corporations made their move.

"Sorry for everything I used to say about you." Noel spoke quietly. "I got you all wrong."

"You were just looking out for your brother, I got you wrong too."

He looked at me. "Go on, what did you think of me?"

"Well you were being a dick so I thought you were a jealous, controlling, horrible, little dickhead." I told him honestly but cruelly.

He looked down with a grin. "Hmm. You didn't get me that wrong then."

"You're not, you're really kind or you wouldn't be here dealing with something that isn't your problem..."

"Liam's problems have always been my problems." he interrupted. "This is definitely something new but me being the one picking up the fuckin' pieces isn't."

"Still, I'm really sorry." I said. "I don't know what I'm going to do, I'm running out of time."

"Don't stress. You don't even know if you have a problem yet." he pointed out. "You said 50/50, think positive, you don't wanna be a Gallagher."

"No offense but I really, really don't, if they aren't Enzo's my life is ruined."

"Being a Gallagher ain't that bad." he smirked. "He doesn't exactly want them to be his either but reality is they could be and we will be there if they are."

"You can't make him." I shook my head.

"Yeah, yeah I can." he responded arrogantly. "He's not leaving you on your own with bloody twins."