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Bells Of Ballintoy

1&2  3&4  5&6  7&8 9&10 11&12 13&14 15&16 17&18 19&20 21&22 23&24

5

Mark stood at the window, looking out and down to the harbour, he could see Nicky and Georgina talking on the beach, it seemed like a heated argument, maybe tonight's dinner would be one where everyone could get their feelings out in the open, no one would be holding back fears.

"Eilidh, what should we do for dinner?"
"Mark, I don't know, I'll have a look, and I might take a walk down to the grocers to get something! Do you want to come and help?"
"Sure, sounds like a good idea, maybe some fresh air might help."

Nicky and Georgina still were on the beach, when Mark and Eilidh set off for the grocers.
Mark held Eilidh's hand as they walked.

"I don't know if I could face everyone after last night" Eilidh said.
"You can, you'll have me by your side, if they want to say something, then I'll be there to tell them that they are wrong."
"Thank you; I can't help feel responsible for causing a rift between Georgina and Nicky." 
"Don't be!"

Mark and Eilidh walked through the grocery store, deciding on what to have for dinner, when they heard a loud tone of voice.

"It's not been the same since they moved into that house, there's been trouble ever since they came. And now look, with their houseguests now, there'll be a media frenzy hitting the town soon, mark my words. Ballintoy won't be the quiet fishing village it once was."
"Mrs Feather, I don't believe that Mark and Eilidh are trying to do that. And anyway you owe them an apology as they are right behind you." Kathy said, smiling at Mark and Eilidh.
"Maud Feather, I believe!" Eilidh said.
"Yes?"
"I don't think that our business is any of yours, and who we have at the house, is either. The only people who seem to have a problem with us living here is you and your husband Slim Jim."
"Well, I never." Maud said, walking out.
"Shit, what on earth was that about?" Mark said,
"She's been poking her nose about, and saw you all last night, and she just had to come in and have a whinge about it. You know she's got to express her concerns with everyone, even if no one listens!"

Mark and Eilidh got back to the house.

"Nicky, I don't think I can keep it up. It's getting to the point, where we're going to drive each other mad, by staying together."
 "Georgina, its not!!"
"Sorry, are we interrupting?" Mark said, putting the food on the bench.
"No," Georgina said, storming off.
"Sorry about that, she's just a bit moody!"
"Nicky, is she moody because of last night?"
"Kind of, but I didn't think she'd take it this bad."

Eilidh went off to find Georgina, as she knew she just had to reassure her!

"Georgina, could I come in?"
"What do you want?" Georgina said, sitting at the window.
"To talk, that's all."
"Oh, so you're going to tell me that you're in love with my husband and that I should step aside and let you have him."
"No, I would never stoop that low, and anyway I'm not in love with him, maybe a few years ago, but not now."
"So why are you here then?"
"To get some sense into you, I know what you might have heard last night, was a bit of a shock, but some of it wasn't true. I'm not here to try and steal Nicky, but to tell you that you are one of the luckiest women in the world, to have a husband like that. I couldn't live with myself, if I was to ruin that bond that you both have. I respect both of you!"
"God, I feel such a idiot, venting my anger before, I didn't really think, its just that a few weeks ago, I felt as though Nicky would find someone more like him, and want to spend the rest of his life with. I'd been through some bad patches in my life, and my mood swings were all over the place, but being here, I've been feeling a bit more normal, but that was until last night, but I've bounced back, and I know that I have take care of myself, and not let me get that low again."
"I'm glad we had this talk, I feel better as well, and I didn't want to get between you and Nicky. This place definitely has some uplifting powers, to help people with their troubles."
"Let's go find the boys," Georgina said, linking arms with Eilidh.

Mark and Nicky were both shocked to see Georgina and Eilidh returned, smiling.

"Oh like wow, the clouds have cleared, and the sun is shining, makes the place special!" Georgina said, walking outside.

Nicky went to join her.

"What did you say to her?"
"Nothing much, we just basically said what we needed to say, and then she was telling me how she felt, and how this place has uplifted her feelings towards Nicky!"
"Really, hmm, it's gone quiet," Mark said, as he could hear a door being closed in the house.

Mark and Eilidh couldn't stop laughing. They weren't were they?

6

Eilidh walked outside, and sat down on the chair. She tried to think of what time to start dinner.

Mark, meanwhile was upstairs lying on the couch, thinking. God he thought, how one night could really put a spin on things. He couldn't believe that for one moment that he could have lost Eilidh forever, but fate hadn't gone its path.

"Mark, what on earth are you doing insides of all days?" Kian said, sitting down.
"Just thinking how lucky I am to be blessed with all the things I love in my life!"
"Gee, I wish I could feel the same, but I don't know, Jodi is so unpredictable these days, I thought this time up here might help, but all we seem to do is fight, and she's always late home, and never tells me where's she been, or who she's been with."
"Kian, I don't have the answers to your problems; maybe you need to work it out between yourselves." 

Meanwhile, outside, Eilidh was sitting there, with Jodi.

"Jodi, I'll try to help, but I cant guarantee that I'll be able to solve your problem, maybe you're too hard on Kian, he's only trying to be human, you say you don't tell him where you go or who you are with, when you're late home. How can he not react to that? I'd be worried about it as well. You've just got to open up, and let Kian back into your life more. Don't hold back fears or else they will grow into bigger fears that will rule your life. So my advice to you is to let those walls that you've been building, fall down, so Kian can be an important part of your life." Eilidh said, talking to Jodi outside.
"Eilidh, how come you seem to know what to say?" Jodi said.
"I don't know, but lately I've just felt like I've had all the answers on life and people's relationships."
"Thank you so much" Jodi said, wandering inside.

Eilidh thought, yet another life problem solved. She'd been solving the girl's problems, and soon the other 2 would come for her advice. She had been worried for nothing, and she was feeling part of the Westlife family.

As if on cue, Kerry and Gillian came up the steps, no sign of Shane or Bryan.

"Afternoon" Eilidh said, smiling.
"Isn't it beautiful? It gives a sense of happiness when the weather's like this."
"I know." 
"Eilidh, we know this may sound odd, but Kerry and I both need some advice. And it seems you're the only person we can confide in!"
"Go ahead, I'll tell you now, I might not have the answers, but I'm willing to listen."
"I don't know about Bryan, he said he's going to give up drinking, but he hasn't yet, and now he's down at the pub, drinking with some local boys who he doesn't really know. It really scares me, the thought of him drinking to the point of aggression, and lashing out at people." Kerry said.
"Maybe Kerry, He needs to see the consequences of drink, he'll see that soon enough, if he stays down there long enough, with Slim Jim drinking every day. Slim Jim is living proof that too much alcohol is not good for you, his mother had drunk throughout the pregnancy, and that caused Jim to suffer as a child."
"I don't want him to end up as an alcoholic; I don't mind him having a few drinks, but not 10 every night, with different mates."
"Then the answer is clear, you've got to tell him what his responsibilities are."
"I might go and get him out of there before he gets totally drunk." Kerry said, making her way down the stairs and on to the path.
"So Gillian, what is it that you wanted to ask me about?" Eilidh said.
 "It's really complicated; I don't know what to do. I'm pregnant&ldots;" Gillian said.
"But, it might not be Shane's??" Eilidh replied.
"I don't know how it happened! I feel like I'm hurting Shane by sleeping with Michael"
"Its not one of Shane's mates is it?"
"Yeah!"
"Then you have to tell Shane the truth, there's no use lying to him, not when you've got a life growing inside you. You can't go on keeping it a secret. Look, if it's any help, I don't reckon this baby is Michael's, I think it's definitely Shane's baby."
"Maybe I should just tell him, this afternoon, when we're out on a walk,"
"Yeah, better to get it over and done with, instead of keeping it inside!"
"Thanks, I was so worried that I wouldn't get the courage to tell Shane, but all thanks to you, I think I can do it."

Eilidh smiled, as Gillian walked into the house, to find Shane, and soon they both walked outside, and down in the direction of the beach. Eilidh wondered what the outcomes of her guidance to the girls would achieve. She actually seen all of them, and found that they all had problems, and hopefully with her help that they'd all find that what they want is what they have.