First You Fall

Chapter 7

Maisie woke up the next morning covered by a blanket with her shoes off. It took her a few moments to remember what had happened last night with her father...and with Niall. Her eyes suddenly popped open to survey the couch next to her, which was empty. She breathed a sigh of relief. Maisie had never allowed a boy to stay over at her house, not even Steven. And there was no way Clarice wasn't awake by now. If she'd seen Niall, Maisie was positive she'd never hear the end of it.

She pushed the blanket off of her and was mid-stretch when she heard a very familiar and distinctive Irish accent coming from the kitchen. Maisie immediately broke from her stretch and closed her eyes while every cuss word flew through her brain. She pushed herself up onto her hands, alarm filling her body when she heard Clarice's voice in the kitchen too.

Maisie slowly pushed the blankets off her legs, dreading the moment she would see Clarice's face when she walked through the kitchen doorway. However once she emerged from the confines of her couch, she smelled pancakes.

Pancakes? Clarice liked to cook but it was usually things like bland chicken. Maybe Brenda was awake too?

The heavenly smell pulled Maisie up off the couch and into the kitchen finally. Niall looked up from the stove, a frilly pink apron tied over the clothing he'd worn last night. He smiled, which was slightly disconcerting only because she'd never seen it before,

"Mornin' sleepyhead."

Clarice was seated on a stool on the other side of the island chopping fruit,

"Good morning, Dear. Did you sleep well?"

Maisie tried to pick her mouth up off the floor before anyone noticed her shock,

"I-I slept fine, Gram." She looked at Niall, "Pancakes?"

He nodded,

"Clarice here was kind enough t'help me find all the ingredients."

Maisie looked between her Grandmother and Niall, both of them smiling as if they knew something. Clarice cleared her throat,

"Maisie you didn't tell me you had a date last night."

"I-I didn-" She stopped. If Clarice knew what happened with her father, she'd be angry. And upset. Two things Maisie couldn't afford for Clarice to be right now with all of her medical issues. She turned to Niall suddenly, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Niall raised his eyebrows. Was he in trouble? He wasn't sure how he could be considering he'd been making her breakfast for the last hour but with Maisie anything was possible.

He wiped his hands on the apron,

"Sure."

He walked out of the kitchen behind her after flashing Clarice a gentle smile. Maisie was already turned when he came around the corner. She clasped his wrist with her hand and pulled him into her bedroom without a word.

Niall wasn't sure why he felt the need to start explaining, but the words just came pouring out of his mouth,

"Maze, I didn't know she was up. I went into the kitchen t'get some water and she scared the shit outta m-"

"Niall, shutup."

He clapped his mouth shut, his eyes widening.

Maisie couldn't believe she was about to say this but she took a breath and went for it,

"You didn't tell her about my dad, did you?"

Niall was still confused but he shook his head,

"No."