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“Why aren’t you with Cillian and Ciarán?”
“I was needed somewhere else.”
“Oh.” I pull the strawberries and whipped cream from the refrigerator and place them on the counter. There is an awkward tension in the air and I’m not sure how to handle it. Finn and I have always been so easygoing with each other.
“Finn…” I start to say but he stops me.
“I apologize for my actions. This morning at breakfast, I was out of line, and last night… I’m sorry. I heard you down in the basement. I went down to check on you but when I got downstairs, he was there. I wanted to make sure he didn’t hurt you.” He stays quiet for a moment, struggling for something to say. “I got caught up. I should have left, but I don’t trust him.”
“I’m an adult, Finn.”
“I’m well aware.”
“I don’t know Demetri well enough to say he wouldn’t hurt me, but I can say I’m smart enough to know what to do if the time comes.”
“He’s not a nice guy, Haven.”
“I never thought he was.” I think back to last night when he chopped off the guy’s finger. “He’s very… demanding.”
He mumbles something under his breath as he grabs a strawberry and the can of whipped cream. It sounded like,I can’t believe your brother is letting this happen,but I couldn’t be sure.
“What?” I question wanting to know what my brother has to do with this. I can only assume it’s because Demetri really did ask Cillian for permission to take me out. There’s a part of me that gets a little giddy over that.
“Just know I will always be here for you.” He holds the cream covered strawberry in front of me. He nudges it forward, motioning for me to take a bite. My eyes flicker over his as I reach up and take it from his hand instead of biting into it as he has gestured. “Strawberries have always been your favorite.”
“They have.”
The tension breaks when he turns away to grab a water. We make small talk for a few minutes before Ciarán comes walking into the kitchen. There’s a snippet of a moment where he shoots me a look. I’m not sure what the meaning is behind it, so I stay quiet.
Finn and Ciarán make small talk. Finn asks how the deal went and Ciarán tells him it was finalized. That was the extent of their conversation. Business is never discussed in front of me.
Cillian walks into the kitchen with his phone attached to his ear. “It’s already in the works, Ma. I’ll make sure it happens.” He walks to the refrigerator and grabs a beer. Uncapping it he says, “Yeah, she’s right here, eating her usual.” He hands the phone to me.
“Hi, Ma. How are you?” I jump off the stool and head out of the kitchen.
“I need my phone back when you’re finished, Haven,” Cillian yells.
“Yeah,” I confirm as I walk with a slow gait while heading upstairs to my room. “How are you?” I ask again. “How’s Da doing?”
“Same, my sweet girl. Same,” she mutters her answer.
“Mam…” I sigh hearing the sadness in her voice.
“You worry about yourself, my girl. Your da would hate to know you’re wasting your time by worrying about him.”
“It’s not wasting time, Mam. We don’t know how much time we will have with him.”
“I know. Tell me, how are you? What have you been up to? Are you dancing?”
I give her all the answers she wants to hear. The answers that make a mother happy. The truth is, I don’t know how happy I am here in the States with Cillian. I would rather be home spending my time with my father before it’s too late.
My phone beeps with a text message. I reach for it as I answer my mother’s questions.
Cuz: Be ready in thirty. No dress. Ripped jeans and a rocker T.
Me: I don’t have a rocker T-shirt.
Cuz: Fuck, Haven. You have been sheltered way too much in your life.
