The doctor's registrar shook my hand and left me alone in my hospital bed. I threw my head back on the pillow, relieved. The door opened slowly and Críona stuck her head in.

“Good news, love?” she asked.

“Yes, finally!” I said.

“Well?” she said. “Do I have to pull it out of you?”

“That sounds interesting, love,” I said. “I’m just putting this on record here, I’ll allow it as long as only one of us is inserting something into the other one.”

“You’ll allow it, will you?”

“If it helps you out, love, I’ll suffer the awful discomfort.”

“Why would it help me out, Tony?” she asked with her hands on her hips. Hips I had dreamt about for ten long weeks.

“I see how uncomfortable you are when you’re sticking those huge fucking needles in me, Críona. I don’t mind taking one for the team by reciprocating the insertion for you.”

“When does this event occur?”

“Oh, I haven’t had the strength to even think about it, really.”

“Have you not?” she said, coming to my bedside and fluffing up the pillow that my head rested on.

My arm was hanging slightly off the side of the bed, so I took a shot and let my hand wander up the inside of her right leg. She stared at me, swallowed, and looked quickly at the door.

“Stop that!” she whispered forcefully.

“You’re so wet, Críona,” I whispered, as my hand touched the fabric of her panties. “I can help you with that.”

Her skin was so smooth at the top of her legs, and I felt a full-blown erection manifest itself under the bedcovers.

“I’ve been experiencing considerable amounts of interstitial swelling in the groinal region of my body, nurse,” I said. “I think it needs heat therapy of some kind to alleviate it. Do you concur?”

“Firstly, sir, groinal is not a word,” she said, “and, secondly, sir, the aforementioned heat therapy actually causes the swelling.”

“It’s swollen now, though, nurse,” I said, “and there’s definitely no heat in this room at the moment.”

“Not from where I’m standing,” she said.

My finger found its way under the damp fabric and slowly stroked the smooth surface of her inner labia lips. She bent slightly at the hips and placed her two hands on the bed as I stroked her clitoris.

“Can we do this later, Tony,” she asked. "I'm trying to work."

I retrieved my hand from her vulva and licked my fingers.

“Críona,” I said, taking her hand in mine and kissing her palm, “I have never wanted to make love with anyone as much as I need to with you.”

She wriggled her hand free as her face turned a bright pink. She coughed as the door opened and stood back from the bed as the doctor and his team of four lackeys filled the room.

“Good morning, Mr. Harris,” he said, as he took my chart and quickly looked at it.

“Hi, Doc,” I replied, looking at the four faces surrounding me.

Críona took a step back as he pulled up a chair to sit beside me.

“My registrar was in with you earlier, he tells me you’re ready to leave us,” he said. “Can I ask what your plans are?”

“Of course, you can,” I said.

Every eye in the room was trained on me as I lay prone on the bed. I smiled at them all. The penny finally dropped.

“Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to,” he said. “What are your plans when you leave us?”

“I honestly haven’t even given it a single thought, Doctor,” I said.

“I’d have guessed, given the parade of females travelling through this room on a daily basis, that you’d have formed some kind of timetable in your mind.”

“No.”

“What about returning to work?”

“What about it?”

“You’ve no plans to return to work?” he asked, his eyes flicking across the bed to look at two of his female lackeys.

“Doctor, what’s the point of me making any plans?” I said. “Your guy, Niall, told me this morning that I could leave tomorrow morning. He said that you’d be in to see me and tell me what I could and couldn’t do when I got out. As soon as I know, I can start calling people and making plans.”

“Yes, that’s true I suppose,” he said. “Well, we got the reports back from the psychiatrist and physiotherapists and they show a complete recovery. All of your neurological tests are clear too. You’re in rude good health.”

“But?”

“I think you should consider taking a couple of weeks before you return to college,” he said. “Take some time and re-enter the outside world gradually.”

“Doctor, I’ve missed four months of a six-month syllabus,” I said, “it’s hardly worth my while to hang around over here indefinitely.”

“Oh, I didn’t realise that,” he said. “Do you plan on returning to Dublin?”

“At some point, yes.”

“I’d advise you not to travel alone for at least two weeks, though,” he said, “especially as you’re driving.”

“It’s a rental “ I said, “it can be left here, and I can either fly back or take the train, if I can’t get a lift.”

“Ok, you seem to have a handle on it,” he said. “But think about the two-week thing. I’d feel better if you went that way.”

“If that’s your advice, Doc, I’ll do it,” I said.

“Good,” he said, and sat back in his chair. “The psych reports show that you appear to have suffered some mental trauma.”

“I gathered that,” I said. “Are they saying I’m mental?”

“No, no, nothing like that at all,” he said. “From time to time we revisit the past in our minds and think about people and events that occurred in our lives.”

“Ok.”

“In many cases, we tend to gloss over things that we’d prefer not to think about,” he said, holding his hands in the air. “Given everything you’ve told us, we can be confident that your issue was ignited on the morning you met your childhood friend, Miss Donoghue, on campus.”

“Yes, I gathered that.”

“That’s not an issue for us, Mr. Harris,” he said, “Everyone experiences this from time to time. We’re more concerned with the blow to the head when you tripped and fell.”

“Ok, good,” I said.

“There’s still a very slight contusion present,” he said. “This is why I’m asking you to take it easy when you leave us.”

“Ok,” I said. “So lay it out for me.”

“I want you to take two weeks to adjust to the outside world,” he said. “I think you should return to your course for a couple of days a week initially and keep an eye on how you’re doing. I don’t want you to return to work for at least four weeks after that, and we can further determine that at an outpatient clinic in three weeks’ time. That’ll have to be done here, in this hospital, by my team. We’ll release you to a Dublin clinic at that stage for a further twelve months of clinical care.”

“That sounds like a plan I can work with, Doc,” I said. “What about smoking and drinking?”

“What about it?” he said. “I’d advise everyone to give up smoking, but I’d ask you to consume no more than six pints in a period of seven days.”

“So, I can have 86% of a pint every night?”

Three of the lackeys laughed and the Doctor smiled patiently.

“There’s nothing wrong with your mental acuity, at least, Mr. Harris,” he said. “You’re as quick witted as anyone I’ve ever met. Including most of the alleged geniuses around here.”

“Thanks, can I have that in writing?”

“Always joking around,” he said to this team.

“No, I’m quite fucking serous, actually, Doc,” I said, looking straight at him.

“That’s not the usual way we do things, Mr. Harris.”

“Look, my job entails dealing with a lot of serious people, Doc,” I said, “I need something in writing that says that, physically, I’m fit and well enough to return to work.’

“We can put something together on that.”

“Have you got a pen handy?”

“Yes,” he said and handed me a pen,

I sat up in the bed and spun around to get a file from my bedside locker. I pulled out two documents, chose the one I needed and put it in front of him.

“Can you sign this for me please?” I said, handing it to him.

He read through it and made an uncomfortable face. He handed it back to me.

“I can’t sign this,” he said.

“Is there something in there that is different to what you said just now?”

“Technically, no,” he said.

“So why not sign it?”

“Well, it’s not an official document for a start,” he said, becoming flustered.

“Ok, you can copy and paste it into an official document,” I said, “can’t you?”

He stopped and looked around at the room.

“What if I refuse?”

“I’ll stay here until you do. It doesn’t bother me.”

He laughed and handed it off to a slim, blonde girl standing beside my bed.

“Ok, I’ll get this done up for you.”

“When,” I asked.

“Tomorrow, before you leave.”

“Here’s the deal, Doc,” I said. “I’ve a few calls to make to set this up. I’ll make the first one when I have that letter in my hand. Can you do it now please?”

He nodded at the girl, and she ran from the room.

“I also need a sick cert of some kind so I can stay off work and not get fired.”

“Yes, and get paid,” he said.

“I get paid in any case, Doc,” I said, “don’t worry about that.”

“Well, I’ll take my leave, Mr. Harris,” he said, offering his hand, “it’s been a most interesting few weeks.”

I took his hand and held it.

“Thanks, Doc,” I said, “it’s been a trip, but you can sit back down until your girl comes back with the letter.”

He laughed and sat back down as Críona looked at the ceiling. It took fifteen minutes before the letter arrived back. I read it and compared it to what I’d handed him and, satisfied, I picked up my phone and told Deco Carroll to meet me outside with my car at 3:00.

"Mr. Harris, we're not releasing you until tomorrow morning," the Doctor said.

"Yeah, I don't see the point of that," I said. "You already praised my mental acuity and I've a signed note to say that I'm a fine physical specimen. Why second guess yourself? Besides, the hospital needs the bed for someone who is sick."

"If something happens between now and 9:00 in the morning, Mr. Harris, on your own head be it," he said and left the room with his mates.

Ciara looked at me and was going to admonish me.

"I'm going for a shower, love," I said, "fancy joining me?"

"Don't start that again, Tony," she said, "You know I can’t."

"But you would if you could?"

"It wouldn't be ladylike to comment."

"That's not a no."

"You go shower and I'll get your things together for you," she said, "I'll have to wheel you to the main entrance."

I returned to my room after showering and dried myself off fully with a clean towel. I dressed quickly, donning a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. Deco texted me to say he was two minutes out as Ciara returned pushing a wheelchair. She looked me over and smiled.

"You clean up nicely, Tony," she said.

"Thanks, how about dinner tonight," I said. "No strings attached, just the genuine thanks of a grateful patient."

"I'd love to, when and where?"

"Where's a nice romantic place in this God forsaken cultural wasteland?"

She wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

"Here's my address, pick me up at 7:00, I'll find a nice place."

I took her in my arms and kissed her properly for the first time. She rested her head on my shoulder.

"I'll miss you."

"No, you won’t," I said. "Bring some overnight clothes with you tonight."

"Tony Harris, do you ever stop?"

Deco was outside the main entrance as Críona wheeled me out through the doors. He grabbed the few bags I had sitting on my lap, and I folded myself out of the chair. Críona couldn’t kiss me in work, so I gave her a quick hug and sat into the passenger seat.

“Alright, Boss?” he said, and pulled out before the parking attendant got near us.

He was chatting away as I began texting everyone. As soon as I notified Smither, my phone rang.

“That was quick,” I said.

“Did the note work?” he asked.

“Yes, you’re a clever little bastard, aren’t you?” I said. “How did you know he’d put it on his own letterhead?”

“That was the bit I wasn’t sure about, Tony,” he said, “I was hoping that his God complex would blind him to the fact he was signing his death warrant.”

“Well, it worked,” I said, “what’s next?”

“You tell me,” he said, “I’m guessing you’ve to stay close to the hospital for a few weeks.”

“Yes, four,” I said. “But he suggests a couple of days a week in school.”

“Do it, if that’s what he wants,” he said. “Just make sure you get that other document copied and signed every day you attend.”

“I don’t understand why, Peter,” I said. “There’s a daily roll call for that.”

“Stuff like that tends to disappear into thin air once the shit hits the fan in a court case,” he said, “we’re performing a public service by offering assistance to the Department of Further Education here. We’re model citizens.”

“I’m sure our likenesses will be on display in every school in the country.”

“Fuck them,” he said. “On to more important things, does young Críona finally get some impalation therapy tonight?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Good for her, make it memorable,” he said. “We’ll talk tomorrow after school.”

“I’m not going in tomorrow.”

“Oh, why not?”

“No reason.”

“You’ll get your arse in there for the morning, then leave early because of exhaustion,” he said, “I’ll revert with further instructions then.”

“Any more orders?”

“Yes, don’t forget Críona’s thong.”

“How do you know she wears them?”

“Are you seriously questioning my abilities after all this time?”

“Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to.”

He hung up and I sat back in the seat. The phone rang again. It was my mother.

“Hey, Mam,” I said, “I’m free.”

“At last,” she said, “thank God for that. Are you coming home?”

“No, they want me to stay for a while,” I said, “I’m thinking of coming home this weekend, though.”

“Should you be driving?”

“No, the doctor said not to, but I need the exercise so I’m going to walk,” I said. “Of course, I’m driving!”

“If you’re sure you’ll be ok.”

“I am,” I said, “how are you and Sinéad doing?”

“We’re fine,” she said, “Sinéad misses you.”

“Yeah, I’ll bring her a present,” I said, “what about you?”

“I’ll be grand when I see you, Anthony,” she said, “don’t waste your money buying me a present.”

“Ok.”

“You little fucker,” she said, and laughed.

I smiled and looked out the window at the bay. With the sun shining it was quite a spectacular sight.

“What’s the plan, Tony?” Deco said.

“Nothing beyond meeting Críona tonight, Deco,” I said. “I’ll decide on a few things in the morning. I just want to get the smell of that fucking hospital out of my nose.”

“Isobel wants to see you,” he said. “Did you fuck her in the hospital visiting room?”

“Declan! I’m shocked that you’d think I’d disclose that information in such an arbitrary fashion.”

“So, you did.”

“No, I didn’t,” I said, “we just, shall we say, communicated in a way that isn’t usual in a hospital smoking room.”

We laughed as he drove on.

"The guys in the class want to have a night out for you, Tony."

"I'm not sure I'm up for that, Deco," I said, "it's not really my thing."

"Just grin and bear it," he said, "they're not a bad bunch for culchies."

"Ok, but nothing too loud or happy."

"Don't you like happiness?" he asked. "You might change your mind when you see a few of the new girls in the class."

"Do tell," I said, suddenly interested.

He laughed again.

"There's one in particular called Jenna," he said. "She's an absolute peach but nobody can mount an effective assault. I'd be interested in seeing how you go about it."

"Jenna?" I asked.

"Yes."

"And how would you rate her?"

"Oh, she's a definite eleven out of ten, but she knows it."

"Are you the official Jenna Rater?" I said, with a smirk, "did you get that? Jenna Rater?"

"I'll opt out of that one given your extremely fragile state of health."

I looked out the side window and got an idea.

When I walked into my apartment I found the fridge overflowing with supplies. The cleaning staff had kept it spotless, and I made a mental note to mention it to Ken. My laptop was closed on the desk, and I walked past it on my way to the kitchen. I made a cup of tea and sat in the seat looking out of the window.

I felt a bit tired and decided to lie down for a while. I slept for most of the afternoon, the different bed helping me immensely. I woke at 5:30 and jumped into the shower, slathered myself in a product that I was used to, shaved, and chose my new Penhaligon's Halfeti cologne to try it out. I Google Mapped the route to Críona's apartment and decided that I'd better make tracks if I was going to be on time. I stopped outside her door at 6:47 exactly and knocked on her door at 6:56.

She opened the door and smiled as she stood back to allow me to enter.

"Come in, Tony," she said. "I'm glad you didn't feel the need to wear a suit."

"It was creased from the drive home, Críona," I said, "so I wore more casual clothing for comfort instead. I didn't have the time to iron it."

"Your weren't working already were you?"

"No, I actually slept the afternoon away," I said, "I didn't have nurses waking me up all the time to ask me if I was asleep. You look stunning tonight, though. Where are we going?"

"We, my handsome man, are going to a place called Aniar," she said. "It means 'from the west."

"I know what it means."

"But did you know it has a Michelin Star?"

"Just one?"

"Yes, it only needs one."

"I'll tell that to Patrick Guilbaud next time I see him."

"Who's he?"

"He has a two Michelin Star restaurant in Dublin."

"Fancy," she said with a curtsey.

"How did you get a booking for that?" I asked.

"Niall, the Registrar organised it."

"Great. I always said he was a great doctor."

"You said he was an absolute tool, Tony," she said, "don't deny it."

"Ok, you got me there, Críona," I said, "but I've been here several minutes now and still haven't had a kiss."

She smiled and reached for me, searching for my lips, and finding them receptive and filled with desire and longing. It was hypnotic and I could feel a very slight tremor from her as my tongue found hers, joining us together in a tender warmth, in a room we had never entered in all the time we knew each other. She stepped away lightly and held her hand to her chest.

"Críona?" I asked.

"I'm catching my breath, Tony."

She picked up a light jacket and slid it on over a white linen summer dress that wasn't quite see through but didn't hide anything beneath. I smiled and shook my head as I could see that Peter was right again. She took my hand and led me through the door, out to the car. I set the Satnav for Aniar, and we reached it twenty minutes later.

It was warm and cosy with a quiet ambience and soft modern music pervading the candlelit interior. The food was fantastic, Críona had wine with her meal while I just drank water. Her eyes sparkled in the candlelight as she came out of her shell and displayed the beauty she possessed inside. We decided to split a dessert, which I fed her most of. We had some fun with it, and I embarrassed her by smearing a little on her top lip, just under her nose and then leaning forward and licking it off, stealing a kiss in the process.

"What's that cologne, Tony?" she asked. "It's not your usual one is it?"

"No, it's a new one I brought over with me," I said, "I haven't had a chance to wear it. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I love it," she said, "what's it called?"

"Halfeti by Penhaligon's."

"Ok, I'm waiting," she said.

"For what?"

"Well, the other one you use, what’s it called?"

"Endymion?"

"Yes, that one," she said, "wasn't that something to do with Zeus?"

"Classical elegance befitting of Zeus's most handsome son. A sparkle of bergamot dances off suede, coffee and geranium."

"Yes, that," she squealed. "What about Halfeti?"

“So, this is love. An intoxicating, mysterious fragrance: vigorous grapefruit, oud, Levantine spice and rose tangle in the moonlight. But what’s that upon the riverbank? Could it be the fabled black rose?“

She giggled and rubbed her hands together before leaning in to kiss me.

"You're such an old woman."

"Less of the old, my dear," I said, and we burst out laughing.

I settled the bill and asked her if she’d like to come back for a nightcap. She blushed and said yes. When we got into the car I leaned over and kissed her, pausing as we broke so I could look into her eyes.

"You are so beautiful, Críona," I whispered.

"Jesus," she whispered as she took my hand.

We drove home slowly, taking in the sun setting over Galway Bay.

"This never gets old, Críona," I said.

She snuggled into my arm and put some music on the radio as we drove, arriving back at close to 10:00. We got inside and I offered her another glass of wine, but she refused, taking off her jacket and launching herself at me, her lips hungrily moving against mine, breathlessly assaulting me with her lips and her tongue, her desire visibly on display as I guided her to my bedroom.

"I want you, Tony," she breathed. "I've wanted you for the longest time."

She clung to me as I slid the zipper on her dress downwards and slipped it off. She wore no bra, and she assisted me to remove my clothes, continuing until we were both naked save for the white lace thong she wore. Staring into my eyes with a mixture of uncertainty and wonder, she sat on the bed as I joined her and pulled her to me, into a flat position on the centre of the large mattress. I kissed her as I held my hand to the side of her face, her soft blonde hair adding a frisson of sensuality to the feel of her skin as I kissed her deeply, eliciting a soft sigh and a touch of her hand to my chest.

Without lifting my hand from her body, I moved it slowly to her soft breast, stroking her erect nipple with my fingers as she closed her eyes and basked in the sensations that washed over her. I kissed the softness under her chin and moved my lips to her breast, simultaneously moving my hand over her lower abdomen and under the waistband of her soaked thong. She groaned as I eased it down, exposing her shaved Mons Veneris and caressing her clitoral hood softly and gently.

Her hand held my head to her breast as my fingers sought her inner labia, slowly discovering her inner moisture, tentatively caressing her inner labia as she opened herself to me with deep breaths of arousal before emitting an agonised wail as my fingertip found her vaginal opening and lightly encircled the entrance before slipping slightly inside and retreating again. She released my head and I slid downwards, sliding her thong the rest of the way down her legs and over her feet, onto the floor.

My tongue replaced my fingers in tantalising her vulva and her hips rose as she almost bent double in response. She cried out as my tongue entered her and my hands held her bum softly as she rotated her hips in sublime movements. I felt her stomach muscles beginning to tense as the sway of her hips became ever more powerful and her breath produced a soft squeal as she vocalised the journey to her peak, finally reaching that blessed place before falling over the cliff with a cry and a wave of tremors that convulsed her body.

I held her to me as clung tightly to me, her face buried in the crook of my shoulder, her left leg wrapped around mine. She began to slowly touch her lips to my skin, light and tender brushes wrapped in soft breaths and sighs. I rolled her on her back, and she took me with her, opening herself to me in silent invitation.

“I need to be inside you Críona,” I whispered into her mouth.

“Yes, yes, Tony,” she pleaded.

Her knees raised slightly as she took me inside, her hand leading my penis to the mouth of her vagina. Her breath suspended as she felt the initial stretching become a comforting fulfilment as it filled her completely.

“Oh my God, Tony.”

She made soft movements with her hips as she sought to facilitate my entire length.

“That feels like heaven,” she breathed, “I think I’m going to come again, Tony,” as her vaginal muscles gripped me and held me inside.

I flexed my penis inside her and felt a deluge of fluid wash over me as she cried out in agonised ecstasy, her limbs pulling me tightly to her as shivers coursed through her when I began to move inside her. I needed the release. I craved the completion of our connection. I felt the climax building as it took me higher.

“I’m going to come, Críona.”

“Oh God, Tony, I’m with you. I want you.”

Our spirits soared as we shared an intensely deep orgasm that caused a shock of blinding light to ignite behind my eyes as she buried her mouth in my neck in an attempt to muffle a scream.

We held each other as the sensations eased and my erection lessened. We slipped apart and rolled on our backs, our hands together, our fingers interlaced. She laid her head on my chest and I felt the presence of tears on my skin. I sat up slightly with a start.

“Críona, are you ok?” I asked, taking her in my arms again.

“I’m perfect, Tony,” she said.

“Why the tears?” I asked.

“This is my last night in Galway. I go back to Cork tomorrow.”

“I think I’d cry, too, if I had to go to Cork.”

“I’m not crying because of that, Tony,” she said, “I love you. I don’t want to leave you.”

“I love you, Críona,” I said. “I’ll always love you.”

“I’ll be looking for the first opening I can get in Dublin,” she said.

“I’ll drive down to Cork next weekend, you’ll be sick of the sight of me.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said.

“How do you feel now?”

“I feel euphoric, Tony. How do you feel?”

“Relieved and happy.”

“Relieved?”

“I wasn’t sure if I could still do this, Críona,” I said.

“And now?”

“I think I’m recovered.”

“You’ll be fine, Tony. You just needed to reassure yourself that you won’t suffer any negative reaction.”

“I don’t mean it like that, Críona.”

She looked at me and smiled as I pulled her on top of me.

“This is going to be a long night,” I whispered as she giggled and led my penis inside her again.

We made love several more time that night, each time was more intense, and we drifted off the sleep in each other’s arms. Críona woke me with a start at 5:50.

“Shit, Tony,” she said, “I have to go.”

“Why? It’s still early.”

“I’m getting the 11:00 train,” she said, “I have to pack and everything.”

“Ok,” I said, “do you want to use the shower?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It was pretty hectic last night.”

“I haven’t time,” she said, “I’ll shower at home. I don’t want to wash you off me yet.”

She kissed me then and jumped out of the bed as she picked up her dress and pulled it on, zipping it up as she searched for her shoes and jacket. I got out of bed and dressed quickly as she searched around looking for something.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I can’t find my knickers,” she said. “Ah feck it, I haven’t got time. I’ll do without until I get home.”

I dropped her home and really didn’t want her to go but I knew she had no choice. We parted with a kiss and promised to stay in touch. I drove back home and got into bed, I rolled on my side as my eyes closed and her thong fell into my hand from behind a pillow. I smelled her on the fabric and drifted off to a deep and happy sleep.

I woke at 9:10. I was late as hell for school, so I just had a quick surface wash, dressed, and ran for the car. I arrived at 9:50, parked the car and jogged to the classroom. I pasted the most confused and tortured look I could onto my face, knocked lightly on the door and pushed it open. The heads of the entire classroom turned to greet me. I greeted them with a sheepish smile. I closed the door quietly and walked to the head of the class. I held out my hand to Devoy and he shook it.

"I'm sorry for the hour, Conor," I said, "I just got released from hospital yesterday and these meds have my head all over the place. It won't happen again, I assure you."

"That's perfectly understandable, Tony," he said, "take your seat and I'll introduce you to some of the new members of the group."

I pulled out my sheet of paper and handed it to him.

"Can you sign me in on this please, Conor?" I asked.

"What's it for?"

"The doctor told me to only do a couple of days during my first fortnight back," I said, "I don't think he trusts me."

"Do you want to leave it here in the desk in case you forget it some morning?"

"No, I'll keep it with me," I said, "Maybe it'd be an idea if I could get a copy of it made."

"Do you want me to get it for you?" he asked.

"Not at all, Conor," I said, "I'll nip over to the office and get one done. Give me a minute or two and I'll be back."

I left the classroom and walked to the admin office. There was no sign of Frieda. There was a chap sitting behind the counter and he stood up when I approached. I handed him the page.

"Conor asked me to get a copy of this made on College paperwork," I said, "He's waiting for me to bring it back."

"Are you sure he wants it on official paper?" he asked.

"I'm just passing it along," I said, and shrugged my shoulders.

He ran it through the copier and handed both sheets back to me. They looked fine so I smiled and thanked him. I returned to the classroom, got Conor's signature on my sheet, and sat beside Deco at the back of the room. He looked at me with an inscrutable look on his face. I winked at him.

"Did you not bring any course materials with you?" he asked.

"What's the point? " I said, "I probably know most of it in any case."

"What kind of meds has you sleeping for most of a day?"

"What?" I said, "I'm not on any meds."

He laughed quietly and shook his head.

"So why are you so late?"

"Oh, I was out with Críona last night," I said, "she didn't go home until close to 5:00."

"For fuck's sake, Tony," he said, "give yourself a break."

"I've had four months of a break, Deco," I said, "But I think I shifted the backlog last night."

"I think it'd take more than that to shift a four-month backlog, Tony."

"I had periodic interventions, shall we say, during my incarceration, Deco," I said. "I had to ensure that none of the flavour was impacted."

Deco inclined his head forward and I saw Conor watching us with his lips pursed. I waved at him and apologised. He nodded back.

"Most of you will remember Tony Harris from the first day of class," he said. "Tony suffered an injury which necessitated a long stay in hospital, but I'm pleased to welcome him back this morning. For those of you who haven't met him, I suggest you introduce yourselves at the end of the period."

Ten minutes later the sounder for the end of the period rang and we all made to leave. Deco grabbed my arm and we headed for the cafeteria. We took our seat at a table that seemed to be owned by Deco. He got some coffees and biscuits for us and when he sat down, he was immediately assailed by some of the other members of the class. I sat back and watched the interaction as one or two of them came over and introduced themselves to me. I smiled pleasantly and shook their hands. Three girls came over then and introduced themselves as Jenna, Irene, and Lana. Irene and Lana seemed nice enough but Jenna, the absolute foxiest one of the group, was a little more standoffish.

I simply made a perfunctory nod of my head at all three of them together and dunked a biscuit in my coffee. I turned my head slightly to listen to something that Deco was saying but I kept my eyes on Jenna. She looked a bit put out, miffed even, at my perceived lack of interest in her. She didn't move away from the table, so I stood up and stretched out. She watched me as I pulled my sweater down.

"I'm going for a smoke, Deco," I said, "I might go home then."

He laughed.

"Devoy won't be happy."

"Yeah, I'd better tell him," I said. "No point in pissing him off again in case he tells his mammy on me."

"Sorry," I said to Jenna as I touched her inner arm and brushed past her on my way out.

Her eyes followed me as I left the room.

Deco's welcome back party for me proved to be just a small gathering of classmates at his rooms on the campus. I arrived at 8:50, not really in the humour for anything loud but it was a quiet enough affair. There was a lot of alcohol on hand, but I had decided to abstain from drinking until I was given the all clear. I was eavesdropping on a conversation between Deco and two lads from Portumna. It was an interesting conversation about energy and heat loss, and I was amused at just how ignorant they were about the data collection and analysis process.

I just stood a little apart from them, my hands firmly in my pockets and listened. I could see the whole room from where I stood. There were twelve people there, seven female and five male, and everyone was animated as they imbibed the alcohol. I knew most of them on a very superficial level and none of them were part of the new cohort of students that joined the class after I had disappeared. I saw Jenna and her two friends arrive and huddle inside the door. Deco joined them and beckoned them in, quickly shoving a bottle of beer in their hands.

While almost everyone present was dressed appropriately for in informal drinking session, Jenna stood out. She was dressed immaculately, in a black mid-calf length dress that hugged her slim, elegant silhouette, black stockings and black shoes. She carried a black jacket and a black purse hung off one shoulder. Her dark hair was gathered in a sophisticated French Twist which elongated her slim neckline. She was stunning. I took a step back to lean against a wall, not allowing her to notice that I was watching her.

She took a beat before scanning the room, her eyes slowing as they caught me in their sights. Continuing on past to look at the stain that hovered above the electric heater on the wall outside the small kitchen. I saw an empty chair and strolled over to sit in it, keeping my own counsel as I sipped from a glass of water. Jenna and her friend, Lana strolled close to my vicinity, and I nodded at them in acknowledgement. Lana took a step towards me. She put her hand out,

"We met earlier," she said. "Tony isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," I said quietly, I shook her hand, "Gemma. Am I right?"

"No, I'm Lana," she said and turned to Jenna. "This is Jenna, not Gemma."

Jenna stuck out her hand and I took it slowly and held it lightly.

"I remember you both from today," I said. "Wasn't there a third member of your gang?"

"Yes, there was," she said, "she's over there chatting up one of the lads."

"It's nice to meet you both again, girls," I said and sat down.

They exchanged what looked like surprised glances with each other. I saw Jenna try to disguise a grimace as she angled her hear towards me and opening her eyes wide in Lana's direction. She went to get a couple of stools and placed them in front of me. Jenna sat to my left while Lana sat further back and away to my right. I looked at both of them curiously.

"Oh, sorry, Tony," Jenna said with a slight country accent, "is it okay if we sit with you?"

"Of, course," I said, "It's a free country."

"We only joined the class a few weeks ago," she said. "We heard about you. Are you on the mend?"

"Somewhat, Jenna," I said.

"Are you from Dublin?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Which part?"

"The whole lot of me," I said, looking slightly downwards at the curve of her hip as it smoothed out her dress.

Lana assumed a bored look and disappeared to join the party.

"She fancies a couple of the lads here," Jenna said in explanation.

"Right," I said.

We sat there in an excruciatingly uncomfortable silence.

"Do you have a significant other, Tony?" she asked.

"No. Do you?"

"No," she said, "it's not really my scene."

"I hear you."

"You're very quiet, Tony," she said. "Are you always this quiet?"

"Ah, I'm just," I said, and stopped. "You don't want to hear my problems."

She pulled her stool closer.

"If you need a shoulder to cry on," she said with a smile.

"It's difficult to talk about," I said. "Thank you, though."

She patted my knee.

"Look, we’re all in this together."

"It's embarrassing, Jenna," I said.

"I'm sure it's not that bad when you say it out loud, Tony," she said. "From what I hear you’re not usually this retiring."

"Ok, you asked me, Jenna," I said, sitting up as straight as I felt necessary. "I was out cold for over a month and then spent the next few months in a hospital bed."

"Yes, we all heard that."

"It didn't occur to me until about a week ago that I hadn't been able to, ehm, become aroused."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's very worrying."

"What do the doctors say? Did you tell them?"

"I was too embarrassed."

"Have you tried with anyone?"

"Yes, but it just feels lifeless."

"Maybe the chemistry was wrong."

"Possibly, but I'd usually have no problems in that department, Jenna."

"Maybe there was too much pressure on you," she said. "We can all sometimes pressurise ourselves, Tony."

She pulled her stool over further, our seats almost touching.

"Can I try something?" she asked.

"What?"

"Just a little something that might work."

I looked into her deep eyes that were luminous pools of blue.

"I'm open to anything, Jenna," I said, trying to visualise the faces of my mother and Ellen Smith in order to restrain the torrent that was brewing inside my shorts.

She leaned in and kissed me gently, brushing her lips across mine, her eyes closed and her perfume wafting through my senses. She held my hand in hers as she touched her lips to my earlobe. I closed my eyes and forcefully shoved my elbows into my groin to suppress my fevered erection. She sat back and looked at me.

"Did you feel anything?"

"I don't know, Jenna," I said. "Your perfume cast a spell on me. Is it Libre?"

"Yes, it is," she said with a huge smile, "how do you know?"

"The burning sensuality of the orange blossom flowers from Morocco, twisted with the aromatic boldness of lavender from France."

"There's nothing wrong with your sense of smell, Tony," she said, "Will you give me the chance to try and help you through your other temporary 'difficulty'?"

"I'd appreciate that very much, Jenna," I said, placing my hand on her knee and stroking it lightly.

I glanced over at Deco, who was starting at me and silently cursing through pursed lips.

"I'm sharing with the two girls, Tony," she said.

"I have my own place if you'd like to see it, Jenna," I said. "I don't want you to be disappointed if I can't make the grade."

“What have we lost if we can’t?” she whispered and led me from the room.

TBC