Short On Time [COMPLETED]

The Hometown Pub

Written by murphnturf 

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"Here ya go, love."

The cheery waitress set the large glass down before her and Clara muttered thanks before taking a long sip. Before the cool soothing liquid could even start to calm her racing nerves, Clara nearly shot the drink out of her nose when a large hand hit her squarely in the back and a jovial voice rang out, "Ah, already hitting the hard stuff. That's my gal. Only back a few days and already back at it like she never left."

Clara quickly grabbed a handful of napkins from the denser on the table and did all she could from spraying her gulp of beer all over herself and the table.

"Oh, sorry, lass. Didn't mean to startle ya."

"You didn't. I'll be fine." Clara said, curtly, trying to regain her dignity as she swallowed hard the rest of her sip and started to wipe up the spilt beer on the table top.

"Ya sure, pet? How about another round? On the house!"

"I said I'm fine!" Clara turned toward the voice, her scrawl ready and waiting. But her expression immediately softened when the large blue eyes, tousled blonde hair and the brightest smile beamed down at her.

"Ya sure? I am the owner after all."

Clara threw her napkins down on the counter and jumped up from her seat, wrapping her arms around the man's neck. His scruff tickled her cheek but the sensation was familiar. The smell of his cologne filled her nostrils and the strength of his arms wrapped around her felt like home.

After a long pause, Clara finally let go and sat back down in her seat, gesturing to the seat opposite.

"Oh my gosh, am I glad to see you!" Clara finally stammered out.

"I can tell. What are you doing here, Clara? Last I heard you were getting transferred to London. I didn't expect to see you back in Cork anytime soon after such a move."

"I thought it was high time I finally made it back home for the holidays."

"Moira guilt ya into coming home?"

"We've known each other too long, Sam."

"Apparently not long enough since i never would have thought you'd actually give into one of your mother's infamous guilt trips. I figure London would have knocked that out of you a long time ago." Sam said. He stood up from his seat for a moment and gestured over the heads of the crowded bar at the barmaid for glass.

"It didn't help that I actually wanted to come home. She had that working in her favor."

"You? Wanting to see Cork? Are you mad?"

"What? It looks beautiful this time of year." Clara looked out the window to her left, the edges of the windows framed in piles of snow and the street barely visible as the glass fogged up with warmth. She turned back after watching a few couples hurry past and into the pub.

"If you mean at night and in the snow, then I'd argue anywhere would look beautiful in the dark and the snow."

"The Christmas lights and decorations don't hurt."

"Ay, that they don't. Thanks, love." Sam smiled up at the pretty little waitress who had served Clara earlier as she served him his beer.

Clara spoke after she walked away.

"I see Kit's still working for you."

"She's got no choice, has she?"

"How?" Clara asked, taking a sip of her beer. Sam's company had calmed her nerves enough that it merely warmed her insides and relaxed the furrow in her brow.