i had always looked out for you.

ever since frankie was a little girl, i was always there for her. she was my little sister, after all. and it’s not like our mam was doing it, no, she was too busy with keith and mark.

it was always me and you. gibsie and little gibson. gibs jr. girl gibs. every nickname? you had heard it. i was always in trouble and you was always dragging me out of it, but what were little sisters for, huh?

i was the one who drove you to dance lessons. i was the one that you would come to when you had bad dreams. i was the one who taught you how to drive at fifteen in case of emergencies.

it’s not like our mam was a bad woman — she loved us both dearly. but it was evident that her loyalties lied with keith. things only got better once mark left.

i had always looked out for you. i was the class clown and you was the serious one. i got bad grades while you excelled at tommen — that’s just how it was. but now? now you was a grumpy teenage girl who didn’t want to be seen with her big brother anymore. which was grand. great, even. i had amazing craic whether or not you was around.

but it was still weird letting you go out into the world on your own, especially since i know what some lads can be like.

that’s why i’m here now — waiting to pick you up from dance. i’m parked outside the studio, and the music is cranked as loud as it can go, windows down. i knew it made you embarrassed — and that’s exactly what i wanted.