Chapter Text
The dim light in the kitchen was glinting off the pile of pots and pans that Peggy had used to cook, now stacked in the sink. No matter how hard her day had been, she always took the time to prepare a proper dinner for her three boys, even now that they were no longer kids. Paul and Noel, who were in their early 20s, had already been working at a construction site for several years, while Liam, who was 15, was the only one still going to school.
Today's menu consisted of roasted chicken with potatoes and green peas, served with gravy sauce. Nothing fancy, but still very appreciated by the young Gallaghers.
At the kitchen table, Peggy and her sons were eating dinner and chatting casually, while an old TV set tuned to the news filled their rare silences. The atmosphere was cheerful, only occasionally broken by the usual banter between the brothers and a few animated insults hurled at Thatcher on the screen.
Suddenly, Noel, who had been unusually quiet until that moment, broke the silence to get anyone's attention.
“Mam, I've got some news”, he said in one breath, as taking a weight off his chest.
Everyone's turned to him, eager to hear the rest.
“Yes, darling? What's going on?”, Peggy replied, studying his eyes to try to understand if what he was about to say was going to be good or bad.
“It's about Louise and me...– he continued with a nervous, hesitant tone – We...”
Paul jumped on him abruptly and interrupted him.
“Noooo, you knocked her up, didn't you??”, he exclaimed, laughing in an unpleasant way.
Noel snapped at him.
“What?? No!”
Paul continued laughing. Liam giggled too.
“C'mon, you can tell us, Noel – Paul went on - It can happen to anybody...”
“Oh, fuck off!”
Peggy intervened.
“Language, boys! And Paul, shut up and let your brother explain what happened.”
Everybody returned quiet.
“So, Noel – Peggy resumed speaking, visibly worried – Is Louise pregnant?”
“What?! You too? No, nobody's pregnant, Mam! Or, at least, not that I know of...”
Paul chuckled again.
“Why don't you know? - Peggy continued with a severe tone - Did you have unprotected sex with her?”
Noel hesitated, embarrassed, while his brothers giggled, wondering how he would get out of this.
“You two, stop laughing! – she immediately scolded them – This is very serious.”
Then, she turned to her middle child again.
“So?”
“How did we end up talking about this? That's not what I wanted to say!”, he stalled, defensively.
“Listen, darling, I'm not naïve. I know times have changed and everybody's having sex before marriage these days and you and Louise are likely no exception to this, but I want to be sure that, whatever you do, you always wear protection, alright? I'm saying this to all three of you: never have unprotected sex. Because, in the best case, it could lead to a baby, that even if very expensive to maintain, it's also a great joy, but in the worst case, it could lead to some terrible diseases like AIDS and you certainly don't want to get that. Have I been clear?”
All the boys nodded, a bit uncomfortable hearing their mother say that. Noel spoke.
“Yes, Mam. Of course I know that. Don't worry about it, I'm careful.”
Penny smiled, relieved.
“Good. So, what did you want to say to us?”
“Well...What I wanted to say before being interrupted – he glared at Paul - is that I found a place downtown, not too far from here, where the rent is good, so...Louise and I have decided to move in together. ”
Everybody froze.
Peggy studied him for a moment, expression unreadable.
“Why?”, she finally asked, baffled.
Noel looked at her, equally confused.
“What d'you mean why? She's my girlfriend and we love each other. We just wanna live together.”
“I know she's a dear girl and you love her, but what's the rush? Are you not well here with us?”
“Of course I am, I'm not going because I'm unhappy here. I'm going because I wanna be with her. I'm 21, Mam, it's time.”
“I know you're 21, but your brother is 23 and he's still here.”
“And so? What the fuck does it have to do with me? I wanna live my life and I wanna move out now, I don't wanna wait till I'm Paul's age or for God knows what other reason.”
“Alright...Are you sure about this? Because the rent and the bills are no joke, Noely, you know that.”
“Yes, I know, but I have a job and we're gonna make it. One way or another, we're gonna make it. Just like you did, raising the three of us almost on your own.”
Peggy gazed at him, proudly.
“I know you will. Even if you're still young, you're very responsible and I'm proud of that. The fact is...I just want things to be easier for you than how they were for me, d'you know what I mean? I just want you to be happy. Is this what really makes you happy?”
Noel paused and lowered his eyes.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Then I'm happy for you too – she smiled fondly – Sorry if I hesitated before, I just didn't expect you to leave home this soon, but of course you have to live your life and I'm not gonna stop you.”
“It's okay, Mam. I know it may be hard for you. I hope it's not too much.”
“You don't have to worry about that, it's what every mother has to go through sooner or later. What I want you to know is that, in any case, this will always be your home and me and your brothers will always be your family. So, whatever you may need, we'll always be here for you.”
Noel smiled.
“Yeah. I know.”
Peggy turned to her other sons, who had listened to the whole conversation in a suspended silence, almost holding their breath.
“Our Noel's gonna move out, he's a grown-up man now!”, she exclaimed, excited.
Then, she got up and gave him a little kiss on the head.
“Oh come on, Mam! - Noel backed off immediately – Don't do this!”
Peggy smiled again.
“So, when were you thinking of moving out?”, she resumed, sitting back in her chair.
“Well, the lease starts on the first of the month, so I was thinking this Saturday that I'm off work and I've got time to pack.”
Hearing so, Liam, who up to that moment had followed the conversation in a superficial way, raised his eyes from his food and looked at his brother and his mother, hit by the words.
“Oh, this Saturday? It's really soon”, Peggy repeated, caught off guard, too.
“Yeah. Is it a problem?”
“No, of course not, darling. We'll be ready and we'll help you pack.”
“Thanks”, Noel nodded. Then, he instinctively glanced at Liam, who immediately avoided his gaze.
“So, what do you boys think of our Noel moving out? - Peggy asked her sons, curious to hear their reaction, too - Do you have something to say to your brother?”
Paul answered right after.
“Good for you, mate! And for us, who will get rid of you at last!”
Noel sneered.
“Fuck off, Paul”, he mouthed playfully.
“Always a pleasure”, the older brother sneered back at him.
Liam stood quiet and resumed eating his food locking his eyes on the plate.
Noel observed him for a few moments, then noticing that he was not going to say anything, he tried to push him to answer.
“What about you, Rkid? Don't you have anything to say?”
Liam shrugged.
“Whatever”, he mumbled, cold.
Noel frowned.
Paul stepped in.
“He's speechless because he's too busy thinking what he's gonna do with your room now that it's gonna be all his!”, he said, chuckling.
“Yeah”, Liam replied, annoyed.
Then, he pushed back the chair and stood up.
“I've finished here. I'm going upstairs.”
Saying so, he walked away and left the room.
Noel followed him with his eyes, staring at him with a pensive expression.