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Bree walks over to Aiden’s desk to use the phone. She dials the number, and Aiden scoots over, sitting next to me on the sofa, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“Hey, Danny, it’s me.” He answers her call. “I’m fantastic. How are you?” she asks.
Bree smiles brightly and waits for him to stop talking. “That’s great.” She rushes her answer like she’s pushing the conversation along. “I have an offer you can’t refuse.” Bree listens for a moment then blurts out, “How would you like to be the PA for the new vice president of O’Connell Finance?” she asks with an almighty grin. “Yes, I’m serious. You’ll never guess who it is.” She laughs. “No, it’s me!” She points to herself, making us both laugh. “Oh, that’s so good. Yes, I’m excited. When can you start?” she asks more seriously this time. “I’ll see you in an about an hour… and bring me coffee,” she orders, laughing. “Nah, I’m only joking. See you soon.” She hangs up and exhales.
“That went well, I take it?” I ask.
She nods her head with a giant smile.
“Good. Back to work everyone. We have a lot to do to get this business back in shape after Father let things slip,” Aiden instructs. “Bree, stay please, so we can go over your ideas, and perhaps get things back on track quickly.”
I smile, walking out of Aiden’s office to get on with our day at the new and improved O’Connell Finance.
Today we remember the tragedy that took Aiden’s father from us. We slowly get dressed in our black attire and make our way with Callie and Mike to the funeral home. When we arrive, the funeral director greets us, handing out the memorial cards. I grimace because Niall looks grumpy in the picture like he always did. I’m not sure there was a time when Niall ever smiled, to be honest. Well, especially not in front of me, anyway.
Brielle and Logan arrive with Killian, Daniel, and Nana, who is most distraught. Tears freefall down her pale face as she doesn’t say anything to anyone, just folds in on herself in grief for her son. I hate to see Nana this upset—it really pulls at my heartstrings. It’s always said that a parent should never have to watch their child be laid to rest before them. I imagine Nana’s feeling this the most.
Slowly, people start to arrive. I spot Sarah and Chris through the crowd as they stand with my mother, but I stay by Aiden’s side the entire time. I need to be here for him, even though I have very mixed emotions about today. Aiden’s putting on a brave face, but it’s cl
ear he’s hurting. His eyes give it away—they’re dim and glassy, and he’s hardly talking. Even though his father hurt me, Aiden still loved him, and this was not the way any of us wanted it to end.
The funeral service is somber. I can’t hold my emotions in anymore as I start to weep—with happiness, with regret, with relief.
Aiden wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him as the minister continues to talk, but I’m not even listening. I look at Aiden who’s frowning and generally looks sad. Everyone’s sad that Niall’s passed.
Aiden holds onto me tightly as the memorial concludes.
We walk out to the car in silence, and then head back to Callie and Niall’s mansion. I sit in the back of the car expecting Aiden to sit in front with Mike, but he slides in with me. He moves so he’s sitting right next to me, and then he lifts me onto his lap and moves us over, so we’re against the window while Callie slides into the front passenger seat.
The car ride to the mansion is silent.
Honestly, I can’t wait for this to be over.
A song plays on the radio, and I listen to the lyrics of Johnny Cash’s “Hurt.”
I find the words of that song fitting for Niall.
What did he become?
Everyone he loved he lost in the end, and eventually let us all down, especially Aiden.
Mike pulls up, and we slowly walk through the doors, heading into the living room, and sit as we wait for people to arrive.
Leisurely, the guests trickle in, and give the family their condolences. Aiden stares off into the distance. It concerns me, and I feel like he may fall into a heap at any moment. I know he feels conflicted because he loved and hated his father, and in the last few days before his passing, Aiden had nothing to do with him.
I’m sure Aiden feels like he abandoned Niall when he needed him the most—guilt like that can eat at you. I just hope Aiden can work past his issues with his father, and Niall’s memory doesn’t continue to haunt us because I need this ghost to move on.
We wake at the mansion to a loud thud like something’s dropped in the kitchen, followed by laughter.
It’s morning and obviously someone else in the mansion is up. So we casually rise, get dressed, and make our way to the kitchen where the noises are coming from. We walk in to see everyone sitting around the kitchen table eating pancakes. They’re all laughing at some joke Chris is telling as we find an empty seat. Aiden sits, and I sit in his lap.
“Morning, you two,” Mom chimes cheerily.
“Morning everyone,” I say.
Aiden takes a glass and pours some of Nana’s homemade orange juice. He hands me the glass, and I take a sip. Nana comes over and plants a stack of pancakes in front of us with maple syrup, berries, and whipped cream—it looks fantastic. I cut the first bite and put it into Aiden’s mouth. He smiles as I take the next for myself, sharing the stack.
The doorbell rings, and we look at each other wide-eyed. Marissa answers the door while we stay in the kitchen, and she ushers in the family lawyer, Jenson Monroe. I look at Aiden raising an eyebrow, and he looks back at me with the same confusion.
