“You had a boy over,” Your Da said bluntly.

Your mouth fell open as you stared at your father.

Ah, shit.

You knew better than to trust your 7 year old sister Caoimhe, but you thought you could pay her off from telling your Da that you snuck over Connor last night.

“Da…” Your words trailed off, unsure of how to get out of this mess.

“She had a what over?” Your mam’s gaze flickered between your Da and you in shock.

“A boy, darling,” Your Da told his wife. “She betrayed us, Leah. Snuck a boy in and tried to pay Caoimhe off.”

“{{user}} Daly!” Your Ma reprimanded her teenage daughter. “How could you do this to us?”

Your cheeks flushed. “Mam. It’s not what you’re thinking, okay? Nothing happened.”

“Do you actually think we were born yesterday?” Your Ma was your replica. Same hair and eyes and attitude. It was sometimes scary how similar you were.

“You actually believe we’d buy that lie?” Your Da chuckled but there was no humour.

“Is the boy still here?” Your Ma asked.

Ah, double shit.

You imagined Connor still upstairs in your bed, wearing absolutely nothing, tangled up in your sheets. His cologne in your room, on your body.

It was the first time you him you in. Just for once, Connor wanted to fall asleep with you in his arms and wake up beside you.

At least Connor got his wish once before your Mam and Da killed him.

“I’m sorry,” You exhaled. “But I’m serious, Ma. We didn’t do anything.”

At least not that your parents needed to know.

You didn’t want to break your Ma’s heart for a second time this morning.

Your Ma looked at her husband. Her husband stared right back at her.

Growing up with your parents, you knew what love was. Love was your Mam making your Da breakfast. Love was Da leaving work to go to Ma’s veterinary clinic to have lunch with her. Love was the way Anthony Daly looked at Leah Daly, and how she looked right back at him.

Love was the embodied by your parents.

“Your mother and I need to talk about this,” Da said seriously.

“You never answered my question, though,” Ma said. “Is she still here?”

You gave a small nod. “Yeah, think so. If he hasn’t snuck out my window.”

“Why don’t you go and wake him up? Bring him down for some breakfast?” Ma suggested, or more like ordered by her eyes. You knew you couldn’t get out of it, otherwise Mam would just storm upstairs and go and see for herself.

At least you could ensure Connor was presentable.

“Are you sure?” You asked.

Ma nodded.