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“The boys are neck-deep in investigation work for Kieran and his brothers.” She says Kieran’s name with no emotion. Odd, since the man should have been her son-in-law.
“Do you think I should marry him?” I whisper so Sadie doesn’t hear. She’s lounging on the sofa in Grammy’s sitting room, watching the tele. They have hundreds of channels here, but they’ve set up parental controls so we can limit what Sadie watches.
My question brings Norah’s eyes to mine, and I don’t see a smile coming any time soon. She’s happy Sadie and I are here. So happy, in fact, I feel she doesn’t want us to move out. “Kieran loved my Norah.” She crosses herself. “But…”
I wait for her to continue.
Shaking her head, she says, “Sorry. Ignore me. What do I know? Kieran is Ewan’s best friend, and Ewan wants to make sure we’re secure by aligning with him.”
“What if I don’t like him?” I can’t imagine liking him when I have all these strong feelings for Ewan. I can’t imagine wanting anyone else the way I want Ewan.
“Not sure why you wouldn’t like him. He’s handsome. Rich. Powerful.”
“Maybe I don’t want all that.” Ewan is devastatingly handsome enough for me. Power and too much money corrupts.
“Then why did you make the trip, Darcy?” She stands abruptly. “Did Ewan trick you by not stating his intentions? Are you planning on going back home and taking that little girl—”
“No.” I hold my hand out to her. “Ewan said either way, I can stay. I’m a nurse, Grams. I’ll need to get a job so I can support myself and Sadie. I’m not expecting you and Grandad to take care of us.”
Looking relieved, she sits back down. “It’s so wonderful having a wee one in this house again. And you. Someone I can spoil. I never had a job. This was my job.” She glances around. “My children. My husband. This house. I could have gotten some kind of job when Siobhan entered middle school, but…” She pauses again. “Then Norah got sick, and…” She trails off, and the light leaves her eyes.
“I’m so sorry about Aunt Norah,” I offer. “Did anyone else get sick? I’ve heard that’s contagious.”
“No, we took measures, but there’s only so much you can do to protect your wee ones. The Lord only gives us what we can handle. Like when Ewan got shot right after little Norah died.” She crosses herself again. “Those sons of mine tried to cover for their tough big brother, but I know he wasn’t in his right mind when he left here to help Lachlan that night. He was lucky, though. Just one bullet close enough to cause damage to his…man parts.”
The introduction of Ewan’s accident gives me an opening for the sensitive subject sitting on the tip of my tongue. “As a mother, I can’t imagine going through that.”
“Aye. How many more children do you want?”
I can’t have kids…
Don’t settle…
“Before Ewan showed up, I didn’t think about having any more. I was perfectly happy raising Sadie. Giving her everything I have.”
“It’s hard to believe when you have one baby how you’ll love another just as much. But you do. Plus, the wee ones have each other. Aiden and I are lucky to have had children who get along so well.”
It tears my heart out hearing her say how siblings fill in the missing gaps a parent gives to other children. Sadie doesn’t know anything else, but I loved growing up with James. I’m denying her that. If I push Ewan, Sadie will just have us. And then when we’re gone…
My heart starts to pound. The stubborn goat will barely look at me.
I swallow, preparing to ask a sensitive question. “The accident Ewan had… That left him unable to have children?”
Norah stares at me, and her brows furl. “Who told you that?”
My throat goes dry. “He did.”
She blinks. “How did that come up in a conversation?”
Shite…
“Um, we were talking about traits passed down to kids. He’s got such lovely eyes.”
“He’s got Quinlan eyes. Sadie has them, too, I noticed.” She stops and shakes her head. “Although, that’s not possible, is it? I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“Grams…”
“Anyway… Ewan’s fine. The specialist I told him to go see said, in time, his veins would heal.”
