If I could make a deal with god -open-

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Hugging the young girl with her, she smiled sweetly before pulling back lightly. Niamh picked Mhairi up, and placed the girl on her hip. She groaned lightly under her breath. “You're getting big little one aren't ya” she teased. She shifted the young girl, till she was comfortable with where she was. She started to walk, the girl bouncing on her hip as she did. “You want some icecream?” the young woman asked the younger girl. Mhairi nodded excitedly, and clapped her hands.

She sighed as she walked past an older woman who gave her a rather disgusted look. She hated the looks she and Mhairi got, most knew the story of Mhairi's childhood, how her mother killed herself. It was rather sad. She pulled Mhairi tighter to her, and mumbled to the child. “Actually we aren't getting ice cream just yet love” she hated disappointing Mhairi, but she just wanted to get home. She hadn't had much sleep either. Visions.

It was in that moment she remembered that her vision had been of the old lady and her disgusted look. She bit her lip, why hadn't she avoided the town centre. She made her way into the library, she let one hand drop so that she could pull out a book from her bag. She gave it back, and then quickly replaced her hand on the girls back, Mhairi had been slipping from her hip.

She hurried out of the library, so intent on getting back to her car, that she bumped into someone, she tightened her grip on the 6 year old, and braced herself, luckily she managed to steady herself. “So sorry” she quickly apologized. “I didn't see you there” she added, and relaxed her grip on Mhairi seeing as she was safe in that moment. She wondered about her twin for a moment, she hadn't seen Cael in a while. She would probably have to call him first, he wasn't likely to call. She spent lots of her time with Mhairi anyway, Niamh was never alone.

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

OUTFIT

Sam had a parking ticket to pay off, so he had headed out to the courthouse bright and early in the hopes of avoiding lines. But no such luck. He stood in line for what felt like forever, before he could hand over his check and get this nasty bureaucratic business over with. As it was, he had to walk back to work, considering parking in this area is what had landed him a ticket in the first place. For a small town, without a lot of traffic, getting a parking ticket felt ridiculous, but the fine was small and easy to pay off.

As he passed the library, he bent down to tie his shoe, and on his way back up, someone managed to walk into him. She quickly apologized, but he was none the worse for wear. "Oh, no problem." he assured her with a smile once he was upright again. "It's all good."

He noticed there was a little girl on the woman's hip, seemingly a bit too old for such toddler carry, but what was it to him. Sam smiled at her and crouched down a little to get on her eye level. He waved at her lightly. "Hey there." There was no need to ask if they were both alright, as neither seemed put off or hurt in anyway.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

“Are you sure, I really didn't mean to, I just wasn't looking where I was walking” she spoke, biting her bottom lip. Too bad she hadn't forseen that. Maybe she could have avoided it. She shook her head at the thought. She couldn't choose what she saw. She licked her bottom lip.

“Say hello Mhairi” she nudged the young girl. Mhairi looked from Niamh to the man. “Hello... why do you have hair on your face? Isn't it itchy?” the girl asked curiously, reaching out to touch his face. Niamh quickly caught the girls hand, her face blushing bright red at the young girls questioning.

“I hope she didn't offend you” she sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. “I really am sorry” she apologized again. She quickly gave Mhairi a slightly disapproving look, which made the girl squirm in her arms, trying to get down. Niamh took this as an opportunity to drop the growing girl, of course she placed her down gently.

Mhairi stepped forward towards the man, “I'm Mhairi, it's Irish” she grinned, Niamh had explained the origins of both of their names, “My aunty is called Niamh, though you can call her Ni-Ni like I do” she introduced the pair, and Niamh placed her hand on her nieces shoulder. “It's [Neve]” she corrected the young girls pronunciation of her name. “She can't quite say it right yet, thats why she calls me Ni-Ni” she added in explanation though, she wasn't sure that he needed to know that.

Mhairi gave Niamh a mischevious look. “Can we get that ice-cream now, and invite him” she paused and pointed at the older man. “with you, because you can be very lonely aunty Ni-Ni” she finished before Niamh could stop her. Niamh blushed a more vibrant red. “Mhairi!” she exclaimed, totally embarrass by Mhairi's words.

outfit

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

Sam shook his head, "Really, I'm fine." He insisted. It was a little bump, and he really could take care of himself. Things like this happened to everyone and he had no right to be an ass about it.

The girl said hi and then asked about his facial hair and he couldn't help but the laugh. The woman looked embarrassed and hushed up the little girl, apologizing again. He certainly wasn't offended, it was a fair question for a kid to ask. "Men can grow hair on their faces, isn't that funny?" He said to the girl. He had certainly thought it was weird as a kid. "But it doesn't itch, its just like any other hair."

The girl then came an introduced herself to him and then her aunt. Sam knew he wasn't supposed to call her Ni Ni, but it was cute for the child to assume that he could. "Well nice to meet you Mhairl, Niamh" He said, looking at them each in turn. "I'm Sam."

And then the little girl mentioned ice cream, which Sam had to admit sounded like a wonderful idea, and the girl invited him, though it seemed she was setting him up with her aunt and he chuckled as Niamh's face turned pink. "Kids say the darndest things don't they?" He said with a smile. He wasn't really looking, which was unusual, but he realized that he was set on the idea of someone, even though he had no idea if he could have her.

"But I will accompany you to ice cream if your aunty thinks its okay." He told the girl.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Niamh smiled at him, “If you are sure” she spoke softly. She was glad that he was taking it so well, some people she knew would have started to yell at her. She tugged her hair back into a ponytail, and shifted her dress down slightly. So that she was sure it reached her knees.

The vibrant colour was not something she usually wore, but her mother had insisted she wear it. So she did, and it was making her freezing. She wanted to change into some comfy jeans and a loose t-shirt, but she and Mhairi had left in such a hurry she'd forgotten. She shook her head at Mhairi's actions again, before looking back at Sam. Her hand stayed on her nieces shoulder, holding her back. “Nice to meet you too Sam” she grinned and held out her hand though it was probably a very old fashioned gesture.

“They do” she laughed, the redness in her cheeks beginning to die down. She smiled at her niece, now the embarrassment had worn off, she thought it was quite funny. She sighed, “She doesn't know when to stop” she chuckled lightly. No kid knew when to stop talking.

“Of course it's fine, I mean it's the least I can do, after bumping into you” she smiled. “I insist that I pay for it” she added with a pleasant smile. Her job as a school teacher, meant that she could afford to pay for ice creams and other luxuries.

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

Sam shook her head when she extended it, not one to skimp out on expected courtesy. He was a joker, but he knew the basic rules of politeness and such. When Niamh said that she didn't know when to stop, Sam laughed and looked at the little girl. "That's something we have in common." he was often pushing the envelope just a little too far. Granted, sometimes it was a good thing, but like ever gift, it had a flip side.

And with her blessing, he motioned for her to lead the way to the ice cream parlor. She insisted on paying and shook her head, "That's not necessary. I can pay for my own ice cream." he had a good, steady job and could afford to buy his own frozen treats. He had no idea what her situation was and he wasn't about to assume she could afford it. Besides, she was basically a stranger and he wouldn't take advantage of her like that.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Niamh's lips turned up into a smile at Sam's words, and she bit back a laugh. Mhairi grinned brightly. “Great. I like you Mr Sam” she spoke, Mhairi nodded as she spoke. Niamh laughed to herself, as quietly as she could. Mhairi was always good at talking to people. She never seemed overly shy. She supposed that it was a good thing.

Mhairi knowing exactly where the ice cream parlor was ran ahead, and Niamh fell behind with Sam. Since she wasn't worried about Mhairi going missing. She never went too far ahead. “I did almost bowl you over, I'd feel better paying for it” she smiled, explaining why she wanted to pay for the icecreams.

“What flavour do you like the best?” she asked Sam, wondering what type of ice cream he liked. She was a vanilla ice cream lover herself. She pulled her purse from her bag, and fiddled with the latch that kept it closed. She saw that Mhairi was already jogging quite far away. "Mhairi! Slow down" she called, a little worried about that space between herself and the child. Anyone would have thought that she really was her mother. Though, she was too young for a child. At least she felt she was.

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

Sam chuckled at the child's announcement that she liked him. He generally had that effect of people. He always chalked it up to his outgoing and friendly nature. Ladies and kids just flocked sometimes, though mostly women just thought he acted like a child.

Sam shook his head again. "Nonsense, you just bumped into me, its really fine. It happens literally all the time." Bumping into people was classic, and harmless, and this lady was blowing it all way out of proportion. "Besides, save that money for something for the kid." He said, nodding ahead to little Mhairl.

"Chocolate," Sam said with a chuckled. "Can't mess with the classics." He liked most flavors of ice cream though, you couldn't really go wrong with the stuff, but chocolate was his typical flavor of choice.

She called to the girl to slow down and Sam noted she seemed like such a mom, but she was the aunt? Strange, but he had no right to pry.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Niamh smiled, and tried to push her hands into non-existent coat pockets. She looked down a little bemused, before realising that she'd chosen the cape coat that day. She kept her eyes trained on Mhairi who was skipping away ahead. She rubbed her forefinger on the slight bag underneath her eyes, she never slept well. Not on the night that visions hit her anyway. When she was young, her mother would be woken by Niamhs screams on occassions.

“If you are sure” she smiled, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Something for the kid.. true. There is probably something she wants” Niamh giggled. Children always had something they wanted. Like now, it was obvious that little Mhairi wanted icecream, as she waited impatiently for Niamh and Sam to catch up a little so she could start hurrying off again.

“Chocolate is a pretty tasty flavour. I've gotta say, I'm pretty boring when it comes to icecreams” she laughed. “Vanilla is my favourite” she chuckled. People tended to describe vanilla as the plain or boring flavour, but she really loved it. “Definitely not.” the classic flavours were her favourites.

When they reached the parlor, she tried not to laugh as Mhairi tried her best to open the door. Stepping forward, she pulled the door forwards. “After you” she grinned at Sam.

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

Sam slipped his hands in his pockets as they walked. Niamh didn't have much to say, but the casual conversation was fine by him. She seemed nice enough, even if she preferred vanilla. Ice cream was still delicious and he was glad he had convinced her not to pay for him. When they got there, she asked him to go in first. The gentleman in him hated the idea, but this woman was so determined to do something nice fore him, that he just walked inside before her. He could give her this one. They'd be too much like a comedy sketch otherwise: after you, no after you, no no after you...

The little Mhairl was right on his heels and chuckled as she bounced to see the flavors, she was just a tad short to look into the display. Sam knew what he was getting, so he went up to the window, getting his double scoop of chocolate ice cream in a sugar cone, with rainbow sprinkles of course. Jimmies were the name of the company, and had become of course a synonym for sprinkles, but not in Sam's book. Some things had to remain sacred.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Niamh's hands moved to cross over her chest. She hugged her arms to her, slightly missing the heat that Mhairi's body had provided. She licked her lips, for a moment. The thought of an Ice cream making her feel hungry. As if on cue her stomach grumbled. Niamh laughed at herself.

She smiled sweetly when he walked through the open door, she pulled it shut behind her. Not wanting to let too much of the cold air in. Niamh leant down and picked Mhairi up, so that she could see the flavors. “I want mint” she decided after a few minutes of quiet thought.

“I'll have one Ice cream with one scoop of mint, and another with vanilla” she ordered for the pair, and went to stand by Sam who'd already ordered his. Mhairi complained a little about only having one scoop, but mostly she was just glad to have some Ice cream at all. She handed over the money for the Ice creams and passed one to Mhairi, “be careful with that” she warned. She didn't really want to buy a second Ice cream for the girl.

[SAMUEL JOHN HAYES]

Sam smiled at the little girl. Mint was a good flavor. He had a girlfriend once who was obsessed with mint flavored things, it had been a little hilarious. In any case, they all now had their ice cream. He licked his quietly, not sure what was supposed to happen now. The little one seemed anxious to move and run around so he stood by her aunt.

"So, how old is she?" He asked, hoping that wasn't a creepy questions, it was just easy small talk. Sam liked kids but he was terrible at guessing ages, not even just of kids, but of people in general. Everyone seemed to think that was a basic skill but Sam was sure it was a gift that only a few people actually had, like common sense.

Sam watched the girl carefully slow down to like her ice cream, careful not to let any drips fall to the ground. He used to race drips as a kid himself. He licked his cone thoughtfully.

[NIAMH AOIFE CROWLEY]

Niamh watched Mhairi with the icecream. She mentally winced as she saw the icecream begin to topple, but Mhairi managed to quickly save the icecream. She let out a breath. She didn't know she''d been holding. how old is she?. She blinked, and turned her head around to face Sam. “Sorry?” she asked, not really having heard the first time, then the words registered in her mind, and she giggled. “Oh Mhairi is 5 years old” she replied. “She's almost ready for school. It's quite scary” she sighed. She didn't want to see the young girl go to school. Having her with her all the time was what Niamh liked.

She spent all her time with the girl. Not great for her love life – people assumed she was either a single mum or dating someone, but she was still waiting for the blue eyed man. She breifly glanced into Sam's eyes and realised they were a dazzling blue. She was almost hopeful till she remembered that the first time she saw him in her visions, she was injured and she'd caught a glimpse of black hair. Sam definitely didn't have dark hair.

She chuckled as she watched Mhairi in the parlor, though almost had a heart attack when Mhairi headed for the door. She was about to call out to her, but the girl turned around and headed back towards the pair. Niamh licked her own cone. The coldness of the icecream mixed with the sweetness of the flavour in her mouth, and she revelled in the taste. She hadn'r eaten an icecream in a while. She often just brought her little niece one.