Molly MacRay say at the end of the bar watching the stairs. The gentle pressure of the folded photo in her back pocket reminded her of why she was there, waiting amongst the Charlestown regulars. One man in thick frame glasses sat himself next to the jukebox feeding it singles and keeping popular Irish bands playing. Another, who had arrived shortly after Molly and immediately grabbed her attention, laughed at the expense of some larger man with a pug face.

Molly watched him for a few minutes, the way his lips wrapped about the opening of his beer, how his face lit up when he smiled. He was happy, something Molly couldn't remember being. She watched as he took another swig from his beer, shaking the bottle at his friend," I'm out, this round's on me."

Molly switched her attention to her beer as he walked over to the bar. He stood next to her and the smell of his cologne devoured her senses and she risked a glance in the mirror above the bar, his grey blue eyes locked with hers and she felt the heat creep into her cheeks

"Hey Jem, grab me a J.D. back!" The pug faced one yelled to him.

"Hold yer fuckin' horses Gloansy!" Jem called back." Hey Seamus, four beers, one with a J.D. back for my bitch over there." He thumbed at Gloansy. As the bartender nodded and started opening the beers. "So what's a pretty thing like you lookin for to come down those stairs?"

"I'm just waiting on a friend." She lied he had caught her off guard and she hadn't noticed that he was watching her.

"You aren't a Townie, I know the local girls. So where are you from?" Jem smiled and licked his bottom lip leaning in a little closer to her. Molly became suddenly self conscious under his waiting gaze. Her boots over lapped her jeans, and her shirt hung off her shoulder haphazardly exposing the strap to her bra. But it was her curly red hair that stood out from the other women, a trait she inherited from her mother.

"From here originally, but I've moved around the state a lot. Figured I've been gone long enough it's time to come back, maybe find what I've been looking for." She felt awkward, it wasn't that she needed anything, she wanted to know her family. She lost them when she was 3, and it was just time.

"Well sweetheart, look no further. What you've been looking for it right in front of you." He smiled wickedly, his fingers danced over her bare shoulder and he moved a loose curl. She shied way from his contact, adjusting her shirt so it sat on her shoulder properly. He smiled at her discomfort.

"Apparently whoever yer waitin for stood you up. What's his name, I probably know him."

"Doug MacRay." Her voice was quiet and Jem's demeanor changed. He stood abruptly and his brows furrowed as he went to speak. The sound of Gloansy yelling caused them both to look towards the door way. A broad shoulder man ducked to enter the basement. He stood at least a head taller than Jem.

"Hey Dougie!" Jem yelled out waving him over as Doug brushed past a skinny blonde." There's someone here who's been waitin on ya."

Doug came to rest next to Jem, looking at Molly questioningly. "Who's this?" He nodded towards her and she felt like she should just get up and leave, never return to Charlestown again. Not even sure if he would remember her. It had been 20 years, he had clearly moved on. Maybe she didn't matter, maybe she never had. The realization of him not wanting anything to do with her hit her hard now that he was in front of her. Her big brother, her remaining family who she couldn't even recall.

She leaned forward slightly and pulled the folded photo from her pocket handing it to Doug. He unfolded the photo as Jem looked between them then at the photo as Doug swallowed hard. He ran a hand over his jaw, his mouth set in displeasure, "Where the fuck did you get this?" His eyes bore into her as she shifted in her seat.

"It was given to me by my foster family when I turned 18. It was in my file, along with your name..." She trailed off as he looked at the photo then at her. Jem looked at the photo, then at her, then at Doug.

"You gotta be fuckin kiddin me. What's yer name beautiful?" Jem stood next to Doug like a guard dog, both of them with disbelieving looks on their faces.

"Molly MacRay."