Bhí sé an chéad lá d'Eanáir, agus an sneachta ag titim go héadrom taobh amuigh.

It was the first day of January, and the snow was falling lightly outside.

An aimsir bhí fuar, ach bhí teas agus compord ag teacht ó stóras beag reoiteog i bhfo-bhrú nua-aimseartha.

The weather was cold, but there was warmth and comfort emanating from a small ice cream store in the modern suburb.

Lasmuigh, bhí na tithe cluthar agus páirceanna beag timpeall an cheantair.

Outside, the houses were cozy with small fields around the area.

Bhí Niamh agus Cormac, beirt ina gcónaí sa chomharsanacht, ag déanamh a mbealaigh isteach chuig an stóras reoiteog céanna.

Niamh and Cormac, two people living in the neighborhood, were making their way into the same ice cream store.

Bhí cúis acu beirt a bheith ann, ach níor mhaith leo a admháil é.

They both had a reason to be there, but they didn’t want to admit it.

Bhí a gcinneadh déanta acu ag tús an bhliana, neart a thaispeáint agus bia milis a sheachaint.

They had made a resolution at the start of the year to show strength and avoid sweet foods.

Bhí Niamh láidir ina rún gan siúcra a ithe.

Niamh was determined in her resolution not to eat sugar.

Ach an tseachtain ar fad, mhothaigh sí rud éigin in easnamh.

But all week, she felt something was missing.

Shamhlaigh sí fós faoi bhlas na milseán i lár na hoíche.

She still dreamed about the taste of sweets in the middle of the night.

Bhí sí ag iarraidh cruthú di féin go bhféadfadh sí fanacht dílis dá plean.

She wanted to prove to herself that she could stick to her plan.

Cormac, ar an taobh eile, bhí sé lán de mhian le haghaidh bia milis.

Cormac, on the other hand, was full of desire for sweet food.

Go laethiúil, bhí sé ag streachailt le stán milseáin a rinne gliúdaireachtaí i leith a bholg.

Every day, he struggled with a tin of sweets calling to his stomach.

Ach b'iamhrán cúthail é a bhí á tharraingt isteach sa stóras reoiteog.

But it was a shy lament that drew him into the ice cream store.

"O, tá tú anseo!" arsa Niamh le Cormac nuair a bhuail siad lena chéile sa líne.

"Oh, you're here!" said Niamh to Cormac when they met in line.

D'fhéach cuilleadh náire ar a súile, ach bhí nósmhaireacht orthu.

A hint of embarrassment showed in their eyes, but they kept their composure.

"Ó, tá mé anseo... don té piocáil cara," arsa Cormac, ag súil go n-aontaigh sí leis an bhfeint.

"Oh, I'm here... to pick up a friend," said Cormac, hoping she would agree with the pretense.

"Tá mé ag fáil... iógart plain. Ní sin siúcra, ceart?" d'fhreagair Niamh go tapaidh, bródach as a bealach éalaithe.

"I'm getting... plain yogurt. That's not sugar, right?" Niamh replied quickly, proud of her escape plan.

Bhí an stóras ró-álainn, le soilsí geala agus cathaoireacha bréagéide.

The store was too beautiful, with bright lights and fancy chairs.

Bhí boladh taitneamhach ag teacht ón reoiteog.

A pleasant smell wafted from the ice cream.

Bhí gach rud faoi dheas.

Everything was lovely.

Bhí plean ag an mbeirt gan a rá céard a bhí i gceist acu i bhfírinne.

Both had a plan not to reveal what they truly intended.

Ach ansin...

But then...

"Seacláid bheag le do thoil," dúirt Cormac gan smaoineamh, mar a bhí sé cleachtaithe.

"A small chocolate, please," said Cormac without thinking, as he was accustomed to doing.

"Uachtar gunna le sprinkles," d'éirigh as béal Niamh roimh go raibh an seans aici stopadh.

"Whipped cream with sprinkles," slipped from Niamh's mouth before she had the chance to stop.

Bhí tost tamall, agus ansin phléasc an bheirt i gáire.

There was a moment of silence, and then both burst out laughing.

Bhí a rúndiamhair nochtaithe trí timpiste, agus chomh airdeallach bán mar an sneachta.

Their little secret was accidentally revealed, as bright as the white snow.

"Níl sé chomh dona sin a bheith beagán laige, nach bhfuil?" arsa Cormac, díríonn a shúile ar a pile de cucumber le milséan te.

"It's not so bad to show a little weakness, is it?" said Cormac, focusing his eyes on a pile of cucumber with hot sweets.

"Ceart go leor, aontaím," a d'fhreagair Niamh. "Má bhriseann muid ár dtionól, is féidir linn iarracht a dhéanamh arís."

"Alright, I agree," Niamh replied. "If we break our resolve, we can try again."

Agus sin mar a rinne siad, ag gáire agus ag roint babhta beag de iógart reoite.

And that’s what they did, laughing and sharing a small serving of frozen yogurt.

Ba é an ceacht a d'fhoghlaim siad nach raibh mórán indulgences chomh dona sin, fad is go dtiocfadh siad ar ais ina seasamh arís.

The lesson they learned was that small indulgences weren’t so terrible as long as they could get back on track again.

Ag imeacht amach, siúil siad araon síos an bhealach atá clúdaithe le sneachta go dtí an pháirc beag, ag baint taitneamh as an ngrian a bhí ag titim ar an sneachta timpeall orthu.

As they left, they both walked down the snow-covered path to the small park, enjoying the sun shining down on the snow around them.

D'fhág siad go raibh sé maith a bheith beagán indulgent ach an rud is tábhachtaí ná tacaíocht a thabhairt dá chéile.

They realized it was good to indulge a little, but the most important thing was to support each other.

Agus socraithe a rinne siad go mbeadh siad compánaigh dhílis an bhliain ar fad.

And they decided to be loyal companions all year long.