Bridget
I didn't stay in Donegal long after that. We didn't get along at all, Colum and I, and then he told me he wanted to go to seminary and be a priest. And can I help it that I laughed at him? It is a daft idea, Colum as a priest. But wouldn't you just know he would have to be sensitive about it? He's been a bit touchy on the subject ever since. He just didn't have a sense of humor at all, did he? But it didn't matter. If he wanted to go and take all of the fun out of his life, well, that was his decision. I certainly wouldn't be doing any such thing.
Right after I turned 15 I met Patrick O'Flaherty. He was one of Uncle Dermot's friends, one of "the lads" so to speak, and I loved him right away. He had dark eyes and hair and was just the most handsome boy I'd ever met him my life. And he was dangerous. I thought he was perfect. Colum hated him. Which was just one more reason to like him, wasn't it?
He'd pick me up after school and we'd go driving around. He didn't talk about what he did, but I was no fool, was I? And when Colum and I got into a terrible fight, didn't I sweet talk the boy into taking me out and teaching me what he knew about guns and fighting just to spite Colum? And didn't he say, "Sure and you're a natural Bridget. Are you sure you've never done this before?"? And didn't I tell him that with a brother like Colum forcing me to throw things at him all the time wasn't I sure to have good aim?
And then didn't he laugh and kiss em and tell me that he'd be sure never to make me angry? Then he said maybe he shouldn't teach me anything about guns after all, and I told him he would teach me. And he did, didn't he?
You can imagine what Colum thought of that when he foudn out. He had terrible timing. Patrick had just told me that he'd be going to Salaise in the fall to attend Wellington Academy. The eejit had the idea in his head taht he should get military training. And they accepted him. I never looked at his grades, but who would think he would get accepted anywhere? But, I had just found out all of this and I was terribly distraught adn what do you think happened when I got home but Colum started yelling at me? And I did the only thing I could do. I locked myself in my room and cried. And then didn't I come up with the most brilliant plan ever?
I couldn't very well stay with Colum or I'd kill him, wouldn't I? So I decided I would just follow Patrick to Salaie. I had a few months to plan while Patrick fnished school, and then the summer of course. And since I didn't tell him, I couldn't ask him for help. So I found a job waiting tables. It was a fancy sort of place and all of the tourists went there and tipped very well. And I saved every penny I earned. And when I needed help with something like finding someone to give me a fake ID, well, Uncle Dermot was such a dear, stupid man. I could get him to help me without ever suspecting a thing. I even got him to tell me about his contacts in Salaise.
So, that summer I was the sweetest sister I could be and when it came time for Patrick to go to Salaise, didn't I kiss him and tell him I'd miss him like the good girlfriend I was? And then I grabbed the things I'd packed and followed him. And what do you think is the first thing he said when he saw I'd come to another country for him? "Does your brother know you're here?"
What a stupid, gombeen thing to say. Of course Colum didn't know. You'd think he would be happy, wouldn't you? But all he could do was lecture me. I told him I didn't need another brother and if he was going to act like one I'd just leave. Then he said he was sorry and he kissed me and asked how long I was staying. I told him indefinitely and he didn't dare argue, so he just said he'd help me find a place to stay.
I ended up in a run down, smelly little apartment with ugly brown carpet, but there was no Colum and that was good enough for me. Patrick said he was doing some odd jobs for a man and might be able to make arrangements for me. So within a few days I had a place to live and money coming in, even if it wasn't much, and I was free of my brother. Wasn't it just grand?