#corcor

It had been a terrible accident, she’d be the first to admit. Myles had been aiming for the open window. Of course, it was, nonetheless, a very grave insult to her and her cooking and he had every right to be looking flustered as he explained their situation to the receptionist- who was most likely trying to calm him down and convince him there was nothing wrong with her.

Honestly, Jenna didn’t see the point in all the fuss. She could have easily stayed at home with her face buried in some frozen peas.

“Make sure you keep yourself sat upright, like,” came a voice from beside her.

“Huh what?” turning, she found a young man about her age with some stupid grin on his face and a bleeding ear. He had a throaty accent, maybe a little high for a guy, and a thick rural Irish accent. Between that and her West Country one, communication between them might be a little difficult.

“It stops your face from swelling, sitting up,” the strange man pressed, “don’t go lying on your back now or that’ll make it worse.”

“Oh, thanks,” she threw him a smile. Jenna had to guess she knew what he was talking about- the guy’s neck was practically covered in old burn scars.

“So what happened?” No ‘if you don’t mind me asking’, just blunt and straight to the point.

“My brother there threw a pie in my face,” she explained.

“What a terrible waste of pie!”

“I know right? And stargazy pie is so hard to get right too.”

“Maybe not such a waste...”

“Hey!” Jenna huffed, “and why are you here then?”

“My pet donkey tried to steal my cabbage off me and we got into a fight.”

“And it bit you in… the ear?”

“There are worse places to receive a bite off a donkey.”

Jenna raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you’re talking from experience.”

The stranger paused. “Maybe I am.”

Okay then. “How did you get those burns on your neck then?” They seemed to be from multiple occasions, rather worryingly.

The guy shrugged. “I just have a habit of catching fire. I’m Finbarr, by the way.” Like you do. He said it so calmly too.

“Jenna, and what the-”

“Hey is that your brother?” Finbarr pointed discreetly, and sure enough Myles was waving over at her.

“So I can go then,” Jenna announced cheerily, “well, it was nice meeting you, Finbarr, hope your ear gets better and you and your donkey can make up.”

“Ta, hope your face heals, and you get to make a new pie.”