The rumble of motorcycles woke Maeve from her daydreams, her eyes shooting towards the grimy window that overlooked the parking lot. Flicking her cigarette into the ashtray next to her arm, she stood and stretched. Maeve had been sitting in the same spot for nearly an hour, thinking about random things. Knowing she'd have to get ready to work at Ashby's Provisions, she mumbled in Irish and stumbled off to her room. Maeve had been living in Belfast, Northern Ireland since she was only fourteen, having moved from Killarney, Ireland. Her parents- bless their souls- had been part of the True IRA and moved to be more involved. When Maeve turned nineteen she was automatically sworn into the IRA without any choice in the matter. It was the family way. She had met Maureen Ashby when she had moved to Belfast. The two women formed a bond due to their closeness in age, they were only three years apart. Maeve was there to help Maureen through her affair with John Teller, and also through her pregnancy. Trinity was born when Maeve was only fifteen and Maureen wanted Maeve to be Trinity's Godmother and 'aunt'. Years past and when Maeve's parents died, the Ashby's allowed her to move in with them. They were a wonderful family. Maureen opened her convenience store not long after and soon started dating Keith McGee, the President of SAMBEL.
The walk to Ashby's Provisions was not far, only around the corner from SAMBEL luckily. She had been working at Maureen's store since it opened for nearly ten years now, making decent cash. She also was a bartender for SAMBEL's huge parties and that gave her some extra pocket cash. Maeve didn't need much, just a roof over her head and food. SAMBEL took care of her as well, only because Keith had ordered so. Passing by a few sceanra beanna (crow eaters) who were scantily dressed, Maeve grumbled under her breath. She had remembered when she first arrived in Belfast and was introduced to SAMBEL. Minding that she was only fifteen, she was outraged by how immodest the women were. Maeve had never been one for showing off any of her assets for men.. Sure, she had a nice set of breasts and a well sized ass but she wasn't flashing any of them to random club members. Maeve liked to think her style was modest yet sexy despite her reputation as being a prude, middle aged woman, like the club had deemed her so.
Trinity and Maureen were already working early that morning, stocking the shelves with items. Maeve's heels cracked on the linoleum floor which alerted the two women in the store. Maureen was a tall, thin woman with ash blonde hair and watery blue eyes. She was normally quite soft spoken, like Maeve herself, and rarely rose her voice unless need be. Trinity was the same height as her mother with auburn hair and matching watery eyes. Unlike her mother, she was bubbly and outgoing, always curious and questioning. Maeve was quite the opposite of her goddaughter. Maeve was shorter than Trinity and Maureen with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. She was thin, much so, and slender, she was almost breakable. It had been found out when Maeve was only twenty, that her bones were not as strong as most. She had been mugged by some thugs one night and ended up breaking her radius, two ribs and fractured her ankle. Besides the broken bones, she had received a nasty knife scar, one that reached from her collarbone to the valley between her breasts.
"Mornin' Aunt Mae." Trinity greeted, her eyes zooming over Maeve's clothing choice today. Trinity had always wanted to dress like her aunt. She wanted to be confident in what she was wearing. "Ya dress is nice. Where did ya find tha' at?" Trinity questioned as Maeve twirled around in her cotton gray, cami dress.
"Oh, jus' a thrift shop. Nuthing special, my dear." Maeve grinned and set to work, helping the two finish stocking up. When the products were all lined up correctly, Maureen sent Trinity back to their home to stock the kitchen. Maeve leaned against the chipping counter with a raised eyebrow at her friend. "Ya 'ave the look tha' somethin' is gonna happen today, Maureen."
"The Charming chapter is arrivin' today to find tha' little boy." Maureen explained. "I 'aven't seen Gemma in years, Jax neither."
"Are ya worried tha' Gemma will tear yer hair out?"
"None of that, Mae. Only worry."
"I'm sure Keith will need me watchin' the bar." Maeve sighed, not wanting to work with the brutes today. Every Friday or Saturday she was expected to bartend at the party SAMBEL had, and she wasn't complaining about money but she hated the men there. Most were grabby and disgusting.
"Maybe not. Ya can always ask Keith, Maeve." Maureen sighed. Trinity arrived back soon enough and the store officially opened for business. They weren't busy but had a nice flow of regulars and a few new people who wanted a pack of smokes. Maeve had convinced Maureen to start stocking up on smokes five years ago due to all her customers being heavy smokers. It increased her sales and soon she was earning more money than she did usually. Maeve also convinced her so she could have a pack ready for her when needed. A nasty habit she had acquired, but it helped take stress away from her daily life. Being connected to the IRA was tough but luckily the Kings didn't need her for much nowadays. She just had to be careful about what she did because the IRA would surely exile her and kill her. They had done that years ago to one man, a Scot to be exact.
Filip Telford had been a part of the IRA for years and gained much status in the ranks. Maeve had met him multiple times at certain events, but had never had the chance to actually know who Filip really was. She knew the basics, he was ten years older than her, he had an odd wife and a wee daughter who was only one. He had been exiled from Ireland and given the punishment of a Glasgow smile, a dirty reminder of the IRA and his home. Upon leaving, his wife, Fiona, and daughter, Kerrianne, were taken by Jimmy O as his new, adopted family. Maeve had wished she knew where Filip had went, only with the intentions of giving him news about his family since he had no contact over the years.
"I'm gonna take a smoke break." Maeve stated, stepping past the counter and an older woman who was purchasing a few items. "Holler if ya need me." She pushed the swinging door open, the jingle tinkling, and stood on the curb with a smoke between her lips. She barely had time to light it when more motorcycles arrived along with a van. Keith was in the lead, making sure everyone knew where they were going. Blowing out her smoke, she saw Maureen moved towards the door with Trinity at her heels. "I suppose I know who they are." Maeve muttered and followed the two women towards the SAMBEL parking lot.
"Mum, who is tha'?" Trinity asked.
"Gemma Teller." Maureen muttered.
"Tha' Jax?"
"Aye, has to be." The three walked closer to the people waiting and Maeve eyed them over. Gemma was a tall woman, much taller than Maureen, with pitch black hair that had blonde highlights. Her eyes were covered by dark sunglasses but Maeve knew they were probably dark colored and sharp. Her body was curvy yet thin with tight clothing the accented her figure. Jax on the other hand was the complete opposite. He had hay colored hair that met his shoulders, along with blue eyes and a muscled body. Maeve could see the immediate attraction between Trinity and Jax, her eyes narrowing in on it. "Welcome." Maureen stated when she met the three people waiting. Maureen shook Clay's hand and then Jax's, leaving Gemma for last. "Gemma." The dark haired woman gave a curt nod, her eyes zooming in on Trinity and Maeve next to her. "This is Trinity, my daughter, and Maeve, a family friend.. She runs the store with me."
"Aye, welcome to Belfast, hope Ireland is ta ya likin'." Maeve nodded, not bothering to shake the hands of the newcomers. She did let some wispy smoke leave her mouth as she smoked her cigarette.
"Ya go and watch the register, alright?" Maureen told her daughter who gave a hesitant goodbye before leaving.
"Beidh mé ag caint le Keith más gá tú dom." (I'll be talking to Keith if you need me) Was all Maeve said as she walked away towards the large group of men. She could feel Gemma's eyes on her but didn't look back. The woman made her spine tickle and Maeve wanted none of it. Slipping through the group of men with a few curses, she met Keith at the front of the group with a frown. "Will ya be needin' me tonight, Keith? I'd like ta know if I need ta be ready by then." She didn't mind that she was interrupting his conversation, she could care less.
"Yeah, lass, we'll be needin' yer expert alcohol mixin' ." Keith told me with a smile, his bright blue eyes sparkling. He was happy that his fellow brothers were with him. "Can I introduce ya ta some of these bastards?" Maeve nodded, holding back a frown but nevertheless gave a weak smile to appease him. Flicking some ashes to the ground, she took another drag as she listened. "This fat bastard is Bobby Munson." He introduced a tall, chunkier man who had wild, curly hair and a soft face. "This is Opie." This man was way over six foot with a long beard and soft eyes, just like Bobby. "Juice." A young man with a short mohawk and tattoos on his head smiled and waved. "Happy." A man with a shaved head, dark eyes and arms covered in tattoos grunted. So much for his name, he looked nothing like someone who was happy. "And Chibs. This old Scot goes way back, lass, he was our first prospect!" She froze at Keith's words and nearly choked on her smoke when she saw the man staring at her. He was over six foot with shaggy gray hair, a salt and pepper goatee and two scars on his face. The Glasgow Smile. "Ya might know him-"
"Filip Telford." Maeve muttered, surprise covering her face. "Never thought ye'd show ya face 'ere again." His brothers all looked on with concern, not knowing how this woman knew their friend.
"Ye might be?" Filip asked.
"Maeve O'Shea. Hans and Marianne's little girl."
"Ye have grown lass." Filip nodded in memory. He hadn't seen her for sixteen years or so, maybe more, he wasn't sure. "Tá fís na háilleachta." (A vision of beauty) He grinned. Filip eyed her over and was surprised to see how well she filled out. She was sporting a knee length dress, a black patterned cardigan and killer heels that made her legs look like they went on for miles. If only Tig was here to see. Despite her beauty, he noticed the purple scar that traveled on her chest, making him remember how she got it. She had been young and he was there to help Keith take her to the hospital.
"Flattering." Maeve muttered as she blew some smoke into Filip's face. "Beidh muid teacht suas níos déanaí, Albanach. Bain sult as Béal Feirste." (We'll catch up later, Scot. Enjoy Belfast.) Maeve excused herself by saying she needed to help Trinity at the store. Maeve knew that the Scot was watching her and she sighed. She had to admit, he was attractive scars and all. Fiona was a lucky woman but it was too bad she was all caught up with Jimmy O. It had been decided many years ago that Maeve was to marry Jimmy but that idea flew out the window when he took Fiona as his wife. He ignored the fact that she was already married and had a child, he just wanted revenge. Maeve was okay with not marrying Jimmy. The man was vile.
