After Brian 1997 Poem by Terry Collett

Nuala had left Brian,
he'd found out
about her and Una
by following her
into Dublin
and watching her
and Una meet and kiss
and followed them
back to Una's place.

Nuala knocks on
Una's bedsit door anxiously.

Una wide opened eyes
what you doing here?
what did you forget?
Una says.

Nuala is red eyed
and tearful:
I've left Brian
or rather he told
me to go,
Nuala says.

Why?
What happened?
Una says.

He followed me
into Dublin and saw us
and he guessed
that something
was going on
and we rowed
and I confessed.

She stops and stares
at the floor.

Come in,
Una says.

Nuala goes in
and Una shuts the door.

Did he follow you
back here?

Don't think so,
I didn't think,
Nuala says.

Una looks out
the window
onto the street:
can't see him.

Nuala sits on the sofa
and cries softly.

Una sits next to her:
what will you
do now?

Feck knows,
can I stay here
for a few days
until I get
some where?

A few days?
You can stay as long
as you want,
if you don't mind
sharing my bed
and what I have,
Una says,
will he have
you back?

I don't want
to go back,
I want you,
Nuala says.

Una smiles:
you can stay
here of course.

Can I?

Of course,
Una says.

What if Brian comes
and causes trouble?
What about my things
I left behind?
Nuala says.

We'll go get them together,
Una says,
he didn't touch
you did he?

Nuala shakes her head:
no he never has,
not even after this,
he just said to go,
and I packed a few items
and left and got
the bus and it was
like my world
was upside down.

Una kisses her cheek,
and goes and gets
her a coffee
and chocolate cake
and says:
eat, this is
an emergency
for fecks sake.