When I finished speaking, the Garda stared at me for a few moments, unblinking. When he came back to the land of the living, after another ten-seconds of silent staring, he shook his head and said, “I definitely don’t get paid enough for this.”
“If you think it sounds bad,” I cringed, “you should try livin’ with us.”
The Garda quickly shook his head. “No, thank you.”
His instant reply made Ryder laugh, and my lips twitch.
When the man finished writing down whatever he was writing on his notepad, he looked at me then to Ryder and said, “The lad won’t be pressin’ charges against your missus, will he?”
“My missus?” Ryder questioned, clearly confused if his facial expression was anything to go on.
The Garda sighed. “Your girlfriend, Ms Murphy.”
I smiled and linked my arm through Ryder’s. “He is still gettin’ used to how we talk, he is gettin’ much better at understandin’ slang so please, don’t hold it against ‘im.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” the Garda mumbled. “As I was sayin’, your brother won’t press charges against Ms Murphy, will he?”
“No, he won’t.” Ryder answered almost immediately. “I guarantee he will be telling your partner that there is nothing to report.”
The Garda sighed for what seemed to be the twentieth time. “I figured as much, Mr Slater, but until me partner comes back and tells me that for ‘erself, I have to ask these questions and write down what you say, Ms Murphy. Okay?”
I nodded in understanding. The Garda then ran through a few more standard questions, and when he was finished, he pocketed his notepad and pen.
“I’m goin’ to have a smoke outside while we wait, I’m not supposed to leave me post—which right now is you—but I agree Mr Slater won’t press charges therefore when me partner comes back, we can leave. However, that doesn’t change the face that you have to wait until you’re dismissed,” he said then levelled me with a glare. “You stay here. If I have to come lookin’ for you, I’ll arrest you and leave you in the cells back at the station until tomorrow mornin’, we clear?”
“We’re clear,” I nodded, firmly.
Ten-seconds after the Garda went outside and lit up his cigarette, I turned and headed for the double doors that led into the back where Bronagh, and Dominic, were.
“Branna,” Ryder hissed. “Damn it, the cop said wait here.”
“I heard ‘im,” I replied, still walking.
“So why are you heading for those doors?” Ryder asked, sounding like he was going to strangle me.
“I want to check on me sister.”
“Branna—”
“I’ll be back out before he comes back. Promise.”
“Oh, my God!” He snapped. “You’re unbelievable, woman.”
I passed through the double doors, and after only a couple of seconds I felt a presence behind me.
“This is entirely on you if we get arrested.”
At least we’d go down together.
I smiled. “Noted.”
“So where are we going?” Ryder asked on a sigh as he fell in stride next to me.
I shrugged. “Look for an examination room, I heard the nurse say she was takin’ Dominic there for stitches then bringin’ Bee to one after her X-ray. I have a feelin’ your brother will make sure he is in the same room as me sister.”
“She’s becoming a weakness of his and they aren’t even a couple.”
“Yet.” I said. “Not a couple yet.”
“We’ll see,” Ryder mused as we peeked into each examination room we passed.
When we came to the end of the corner I peeked in the final room and froze when I saw that both Dominic and Bronagh were in a room like I thought they would be, but I wasn’t expecting to find them both kissing. Really kissing. I grabbed hold of Ryder’s arm when I gently shut the door and pulled him back down the corridor with me.
“You’re pinching my arm, you know?”
“They were in that room together!” I said, and let go of his arm. “Kissin’!”
“Dominic and Bronagh?” Ryder asked, surprised.
“No, Adam and Eve,” I said, sarcastically. “Yes, Dominic and Bronagh! Who bloody else?”
Ryder eyed me. “Are you sure it was my brother and your sister?”
“Yeah,” I quipped. “I’m a million percent sure.”
“And they were kissing? On the lips?”
“What part of that aren’t you gettin’?” I questioned as we turned and walked back out to the reception area of the A&E department that was Garda free. “Dominic and Bronagh, your brother and my sister, were in a full on lip lock. His hands were on her arse, too!”
Ryder grinned. “Well done, little brother. He finally climbed over the defensive wall your sister had built up.”
I slapped his arm. “Be serious! How are we goin’ to deal with the pair of them being in a relationship? They’ve already caused nothin’ but problems and they weren’t a couple then!”
Ryder lost his grin, and invaded my personal space.
“Listen to me clearly, you said that we weren’t going to get involved in their relationship unless we had no other choice. So unless one of them in about to kill the other, we’re Switzerland, okay?”
“But—”
“No buts,” Ryder cut me off. “Dominic and Bronagh’s bullshit is their own, we don’t need to make it ours. Okay?”
I sighed and nodded. “Okay.”
“I know it will be tough for you because you’re involved in every aspect of Bronagh’s life, but this will be good for you. She’ll enter this relationship and learn how things are just like everyone else, and you can be a proud mama bear watching her grow.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’ll eat your brother alive if he hurts her in any way.”
“And I’ll be the one to pin Dominic down while you beat on him, deal?”
I laughed. “Deal, honey.”
Ryder smiled and leaned his head down and brushed his lips against mine. We pulled apart when a throat cleared. I blinked when the male Garda who questioned me stood next to the female Garda who I knew questioned Dominic and my sister.
“Hello.” I said, curtly.
Both Gardai nodded in response.
“You were right,” the male Garda said to Ryder. “Your brother won’t be pressin’ charges.” His eyes switched to me then and he said, “I’m lettin’ you off with a warnin’ Ms. Murphy. If anythin’ like this happens again, you will be booked and an investigation will ensue, am I clear?”
“Crystal, sir,” I replied.
The man nodded and so did his partner.
“Have a good evenin’,” the female Garda said, and while she looked pissed, she sounded sincere.
When Ryder and myself were free from questioning and the Gardai left the hospital, I sat down in the waiting area that was directly in front of the double doors that led back to the treatment area. We waited for Dominic and Bronagh there and when the doors opened, and the pair of them walked out into the reception area I relaxed because they both looked okay as could be considering the circumstances.
“Why’re they looking at one another like that?” Ryder murmured to me.
“I reckon Dominic wants to be open about them, but Bee is reluctant and wants to keep it under wraps until she is okay with us knowin’. You see the way she is tryin’ to keep ‘er distance from ‘im and not make it obvious?”
“You got all that from how they are looking at each other?” Ryder questioned.
I glanced at him. “You didn’t get that from how they’re lookin’ at each other?”
He rubbed his temples. “This is a woman thing.”
“A woman thing?”