EARLIER THAT DAY 1997.

AN IRISH WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND IN 1997 DUBLIN AND A SECRET LOVER

The game is about to begin,
Brian says sitting next to Nuala
on the sofa, a glass of beer on
the small table in front of them,

she sips her glass of wine,
staring at the TV, sensing his
thigh next to hers, wishing it
was Una's thigh there not his,  

she turns and looks at him
sideways on, taking in his profile,
the jaw, the eyes staring hard at
the screen, she muses on what

she and Una did earlier that day
at Una's place, the Prod team have
no chance, he says, more chance
the Pope marrying you, he laughs

and so does she(playing the long
devoted wife), he sips more beer,
she sips her wine, o look who's on,
he'll win us the game, the Proddies

have no chance, he says, swaying
in his seat, head going side to side,
I wish I could still play, he says,
but my leg injury fecked me up,

she nods and stares at him, you
could be on here now, she says,
left back or right back, right back
behind the goal or left back in

the dressing room, he laughs,
naughty girl, I'll have to smack
your arse later in bed, he jokes,
she smiles, the music starts up,

the game is on, she wishes she
was with Una now, wishes it was
her there beside not him, she watches
him sip his beer, looks at his ringed

finger, recalls Una's finger entering her,
touching deeply, no way are the Proddies
going to win, he says, moving side
to side, his backside near to hers, she's

not looking forward to his 60 second play
and game later in bed or his foreplay games,
she wants Una here and now, kisses, touches,
wants to love and play as they had earlier that day.