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“Here,” my best friend said, bounding over to Aoife before Shannon had a chance to stand up and snatch him up. “Give your uncle Johnny a cuddle.”
“No fair,” Shannon huffed as she slumped back down on the couch and folded her arms across her chest. “It’s my turn.”
“Don’t worry, Shan,” Johnny shot back with a wink as he swaddled her nephew to his chest with a terrifying amount of confidence. “I’ll cuddle you later.”
“Oh shit.” I choked out a laugh. His girlfriend’s cheeks turned as red as apples. “Little Shannon.” I playfully nudged her shoulder with mine. “Sounds kinky.”
“Evening,” a familiar voice filled the air and Joey appeared in the doorway, clad in oil-stained overalls.
“Evening.”
“Lynchy.”
“Hi, Joe.”
Ignoring the rest of us, Joey strode through the open plan kitchen/living area, not stopping until he reached his girlfriend, who was sitting cross-legged on the rug, neatly folding stacks of their son’s tiny clothes.
“Hey, stud,” Aoife said, craning her head up to smile at the lad towering above her.
“Queen.” Crouching down, he tipped her chin up and kissed her once. “You good?”
“All good, Joe,” she replied, catching ahold of his chin with her small hand. “You?” To anyone else, it might look like she was staring into his eyes with loving affection, and hell maybe she was, but I had a feeling that she was checking for something. His sobriety.
“All good, Molloy,” he quietly assured her with a wink before reaching into the pocket of his overalls and retrieving a packet of Rolos. Tossing them onto her lap, he stood back up and moved for the kitchen sink. “So, where are the boys?” Joey called over his shoulder as he washed up. “They usually hang out here on a Friday night. It’s Ollie’s turn to pick the movie.”
Ah shit.
“Actually, Darren’s home for the weekend,” Shannon took one for the team and answered her brother, while the rest of us held our breath. Because while Johnny might take issue with the eldest Lynch sibling, it paled in comparison to the animosity that oozed from Joey. “He took Tadhg, Ollie, and Sean to the cinema.”
Silence.
You could hear a pin drop.
Double shit.
All four of us watched Joey turn off the tap and reach for the towel hanging on the cupboard door.
Finally, when I didn’t think I could take another second of the silence, he asked, “Did he come over here?” Clearly the question was directed at his girlfriend because he was staring at her with a look of blazing protectiveness in his eyes. “Molloy?”
“Joe,” she began to say with a sigh. “Don’t get mad—”
“Did he come over here?” he repeated, enunciating his words slowly. “Did he see my son?”
“He asked to,” Aoife explained with a sigh. “I told him that I would have to talk to you about it first.”
“And you, Molloy?” He never blinked once. “What did he say to you?”
“Chill, Joe, it’s all good,” she replied. “He was perfectly polite.”
Her response seemed to appease Joey because relief flashed in his eyes. “Okay.” He nodded once, shoulders relaxing. “Good.”
“Joe, he really wants to make amends,” Shannon offered gently. “He asks about the three of you all the time.” Climbing off the couch, she padded over to her big brother and placed her hand on his arm. “I know you guys have your differences, and I get that, okay? I do. More than anyone. But Darren is AJ’s uncle, too. The same as Tadhg, Ols, and Sean. The same way I’m his aunt. Won’t you even consider letting him meet his nephew?”
“You mean the same uncle who tried to pay my son’s mother to abort him?” Joey replied flatly, making a beeline for his son. “No, Shannon, I won’t reconsider.”
“Shite,” Johnny muttered, handing AJ over to his father. “I don’t blame you, lad.”
“Not helping, Johnny,” Aoife and Shannon groaned in unison.
