Twelve Months of Kristal: 50 Loving States Maine

He shakes his head at Siobhan. “You should see yourself. What are you using to comb your hair these days, girlie? A bird’s nest? And I can feel the misery coming off of ya. No wonder that husband of yours left.”

As soon as the last word is out of his mouth, silence descends, colder than the snow.

I sense these two are used to crabbing back and forth, that it’s fun for both of them. Maybe she doesn’t even mind him making fun of her looks.

But bringing Declan into it crossed a line, Rodge probably didn’t know she had. Maybe Siobhan hadn’t known it either.

“Okay, Uncle Rodge, here’s your guest back,” Siobhan says, “safe and sound.”

Now my eyes really tennis match. Rodge is her uncle?

“Aw, Shuv, I’m…” Rodge starts but breaks off. “I’m just saying maybe put on some decent clothes and some makeup. Like your mom used to say before she…”

Rodge once again trails off in a way that tells me his good sense is finally catching up with his tongue.

But it’s too late. Siobhan pushes a chunk of hair behind her ear and folds her arms over her fleece pajama top.

“Before she stopped talking to me, just like she did Aunt Kathy before she died, because she married a Jew?” Siobhan finishes for him. “Yeah, Uncle Rodge, you should definitely be taking her side in all of this. Pretty soon you and my dad will be the only relatives attending your perfectly holy sister’s funeral.”

“Oh, Shuv…” Rodge starts again, only to taper out as if apologies weren’t written into his basic human code. “I’m grumpy today. We’ve barely got any guests, and the ones we do have are being a pain in my ass…”

Before he can finish, Siobhan transfers all of my weight over to Hayato. “You got her?” she asks.

Hayato responds with a head gesture just short of a bow but too formal to be considered a nod.

And Siobhan turns to leave without another word.

Oh no, she’s leaving! Before Declan’s even had a chance to meet cute with her!

“Siobhan, wait!” I call after her.

And to my surprise, she comes to a dead stop.

But not because of me.

I hear Declan before I see him. “Who the hell left their truck running in the driveway? That’s a dick move for both the guests and the environ—”

I still can’t see past the tall woman, but I know the exact moment when he sees Siobhan because he cuts off abruptly.

“Siobhan?” he demands, his voice filled with shock. Then: “Shuv, why are you crying?”

Oh dear, will this unexpected reunion end in tears?

And what secret is Hayato hiding?

Stay tuned for the next episode of

TWELVE MONTHS OF KRISTAL

MONDAY MONDAY

Episode 6

24

Got a Feelin’

KRISTAL

“Shuv, why are you crying?” Declan asks.

Hayato’s bodyguard steps into view from behind Siobhan’s tow truck, and he wears an expression almost as pained as the one I imagine Siobhan must have on her face if she’s crying like Declan said.

Shuv, as he calls Siobhan goes still as a statue from my vantage point. But her tears must still be falling because the next thing Declan says is, “Hey…hey…don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” Siobhan says, her formerly harsh Maine accent now watery with tears. “But look at you!”

She waves her hands at him, “You’re still so wicked handsome. And look at me. I’m….” she waves her hands at herself. “Me! This huge mess. I broke up with you because I didn’t think you’d come back. But then my dependable second choice was anything but. My whole life…I messed it up. Ayuh, that’s what I did. And now I can’t stop crying…”

Declan shakes his head at her. “Don’t cry,” he says again. And this time he draws her into his arms. “I’m here. I’m right here. I finally came back. Don’t cry, Shuv.”

His show of comfort only seems to make it worse. Siobhan’s shoulders shake with a new torrent of tears as he hugs her.

But instead of pushing the sobbing woman away as I imagine Hayato might if he were in the same emotional situation, Declan pulls her in even closer.

“Nah, babe, you didn’t ruin nothing,” Declan croons, rocking back and forth with her in his arms as snow flutters down all around them. “Everything’s going to be okay. I promise you.”

As the best friend/cousin of a gifted matchmaker, I’ve witnessed more True Love moments than I can count. But this one touches me somewhere deep.

And now I am sure my suspicions about this pairing is totally right. They aren’t just a second chance. They are True Love finally reunited.

I can feel their magic sparking in the air as I watch Declan smooth Siobhan’s bird nest hair back into place with just a few passes of his hand. And I have a feeling, that promise he made will definitely be kept.

Everything is going to be okay for them.