Page 69 of When We Are Old

“You came.”

She nodded and her eyes filled with pools of water. “Because I won’t let you run from me. I’m in this. I told you that. So if Julie gives you shit, makes you feel like nothing, or spins you a goddamn lie, then I can tell you, Matthew, I’m fighting for you. I will never not be. You will always be enough for me.”

A band of tightness wove around my chest. My throat thickened until I wasn’t sure I could breathe. “I love you. And I am so sorry I’ve been an arsehole all week.”

“She called you a knobhead,” Hannah added. The kitchen door stood open.

“I am.” I pushed my lips against Ronnie’s, brushing the delicate bloom of rose, tangling my fingers into her hair and holding her close. She gasped, a breathless little whimper, so I kissed her harder, stealing everything I could gather.

I pulled back, still holding her face in my large grasp. “I need you to be my sunshine.”

“I will be, but you have to fight too. Your mum told me.”

I swallowed hard. “Told you what?”

“About your moods, Matthew. About your depression. I can see it now. It makes so much sense. That’s why you got so angry and didn’t question me when you saw Angela kissing that guy that night. It bought down a black mood, didn’t it?”

I dropped my face. Hiding my truths.

Her fingers tilted my chin, making me look at her. “No more hiding.”

I shot her a smile. “What is this therapy?”

“Ha! I’ll give you her number.”

I wrapped my arms around her tight, like an ivy creeping around roses. I’d make us inseparable. “I’d like to introduce you to Jack and Ewan properly, if that’s okay?”

Her greys met mine. “I’d like that.”

Clutching her hand, I led her to the kitchen where the entire family sat at the kitchen table. “Bastards, the lot of you.” I stopped at Mam’s chair and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” I couldn’t get the two words out clearly. Her hand patted mine.

“Ewan, Jack. This is Ronnie. She’s my—”

“Girlfriend.” Ewan rolled his eyes. “We know.”

“Oh, okay. Well that was easy.” I filed away my question for Julie. She’d played me, I knew that now.

“So how long are you guys here for?” I bent down and kissed Hannah’s cheek. “Nice to see you, Hannah.”

“You can call me, Han; or Mum prefers Godzilla, but she thinks I don’t know.”

Ronnie laughed and squeezed my free hand. “I don’t think I’ve ever hidden that.”

“Godzilla! I love that film.” Jack blew his hair out of his eyes. Definite haircuts on the to-do list.

Hannah smiled at Jack. “Have you got it to watch here? We could set up a den and watch movies?”

“Yes!” Jack dropped his handheld game controller. “Baggsy the snuggle blanket.” He ran for Mam’s lounge with Hannah, and then Leah and Beth followed with Ewan.

I could hear Hannah introducing herself in the hallway.

Ronnie’s mouth dropped open. “Wow.”

“She just needed cousins.” I grinned and pecked a kiss on her cheek. “Anyone for a drink? Believe me, I think I need one.”

Rugby

Ronnie