Episode 4
“Will’s right, uncle. Don’t go picking fights. Especially fights you can’t win,” Kieran said to his uncle. Kenneth responded with a bunch of stuttering while his face turned red. Some of the others in the room laughed. Will smiled.
“How about a break?” Will suggested. “My stomach is telling me it’s almost time for lunch.”
“That’s because you’ve been slurping down that brandy all morning!” One of Kieran’s relatives poked at him.
“Never too early to start drinking when the family is involved!” Will retorted. To his relief, they all laughed.
“Be back here in two hours,” Kieran ordered. The relatives trickled out. Kieran and Will were left. Will downed the rest of his brandy. He looked up to see Kieran staring at the O’Meara family crest. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth, you know,” Kieran said finally, turning his chair to face his friend.
“Hey,” Will threw up his hands in defense. “You talked to me first.”
“That was elementary school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know you wouldn’t leave me alone after that.” Kieran had a tiny smile on his face.
“Leaveyoualone? There were like five boys in the entire third grade class. St. Rose’s is a tiny school.”
Kieran turned again to face the family crest on the wall behind him.
“Did I ever tell you my great-great-grandfather was in the Irish mob?” Kieran asked.
“No.”
“My father told me when I was young. My family was defeated by another mob for a long while though. My da’ was obsessed with getting our name back.”
“…which he did,” Will said, walking up next to Kieran and resting a hand on his shoulder.
Will and Kieran went to the dining room. The chair at the head of the huge table had been permanently removed for Kieran. Will sat to his right, where he always sat. They had just been served salads when Will heard a squeal. He looked up to see a little girl running into the room.
“Will!” she cried. Will smiled and stood up, opening his arms. She jumped into them. He hugged her tightly.
“Lilly! My, my, what a pretty dress,” Will said, putting her down. Lilly looked down and blushed. She headed over to Kieran, and motioned with her finger for him to lean down to her. He did and she kissed him on the cheek. Kieran smiled and ruffled her hair.
Satisfied, Lilly went over to the other chair next to Kieran and clambered up. She sat on her little legs and smoothed out her dress. Ginger came running in after Lilly. She turned white when she saw the two men.
“Oh! Mista Kieran, I’m so sorry,” she said, rolling her Rs due to her accent. Ginger’s real name was not Ginger, Will knew this much. He didn’t think anyone knew her real name, or where she was from. But Kieran trusted her with Lilly, who was the tiny amount of sunshine in his life, and Will knew better than to question his judgment.
“It’s okay Ginger, Lilly would like to eat with us,” Kieran said to the woman. She nodded and walked into the kitchen, holding her hand over her heart.
Kieran looked softly at Lilly.
“You are going to make poor Miss Ginger go crazy, chasing after you,” Kieran said to the little girl. Lilly giggled. Will loved to watch Kieran and Lilly together. The boys had done some bad things as life required, but Will saw the weight of life release Kieran whenever Lilly was around.
TBC….