"An Deirfiúr"
For Just-A-Moment who inspired me to start and for GoddessLaughs who helped me finish.
Chapter 1 – Far Away Eyes
Caelan MacManus was your typical Irish woman. Proud, bold, beautiful. She was many things. The youngest of three children, Caelan was born in a small town outside Dublin but left at the age of 18 like her twin older brothers had done when they were her age. Now 26, she resided in a simple yet stylish flat in Manhattan. She was very fair skinned, with long, curly auburn colored hair.
Though she hadn't seen her family in some time, her mother kept close tabs on her, phoning her at least once a week. Caelan had never met her father. He left them when she was just a baby. Her brothers had gone to Boston, working odd jobs here and there. Caelan, however, had become successful since her move.
After a few years of scraping by and working tooth and nail, she had finally made it. Caelan spoke several languages fluently and now made her living as a translator, one of the youngest at her company, mostly for larger companies with clients overseas.
"Shit. Where did I put me keys?" She muttered as she stumbled around her apartment, one shoe on, one shoe in her hand. She slid the other shoe on as she turned the corner to her bathroom. "So late…Damn alarm clocks."
Caelan was just about to reach for her toothbrush when she heard a knock at the door. "Great. Just what I need." She shuffled out of the bathroom towards the door. The person on the other side knocked again. "All right! I'm comin'!" She snapped as she fumbled with the doorknob, her Irish accent still as thick as the day she left home. She threw the door open. "David. I'm so sorry…I overslept. I just have to brush my teeth and we can go."
David O'Sullivan was a close friend of Caelan's. The two had met when she first moved to New York. They became fast friends and ended up working for the same company.
David was tall, with straight dark-brown hair that he always kept pulled back and deep green eyes. He smirked at his disgruntled friend. "Caelan, I'm buying you a new alarm clock after work."
"I'm sorry, I overslept. I've been working late all week since I'm leaving." She shuffled towards her bathroom.
"I thought you said you were canceling that trip?" David shouted from the living room.
"Yeah well, Turns out the airfare was non-refundable, and I already put in for the time off. Besides, my friend Mary said that I could stay with her." Caelan replied as she re-entered the room. She stopped to look in the mirror that hung on the wall so she could apply some lipstick.
"Oh. So you plan on staying at Mary's house for two weeks, hiding out from your family that lives…across the street."
"Uh, yeah. That's the plan…In a nutshell." David shook her head at her. "We're late. No more talk of Ireland."
"Alright. Whatever you say." He said, holding up his hands in defense. Caelan grabbed her keys and purse and headed out the door; David locked the door and followed behind her.
22-year old Caelan studied her brother's apartment as she took another shot. It wasn't even really an apartment; in fact it looked like a locker room for the employees of whatever company resided in their building years ago. She was glad she opted to stay in a hotel when she visited. "Are you guys seriously happy living here?"
Connor took his shot, swallowing it in one gulp. "What's the matter, Cae? Don't you like our place?"
"No, it's not that. Actually, it reminds me of some of the shit holes I lived in when I first moved to New York."
"Bet you're livin' in a palace now, huh?" Connor asked as he poured more whiskey into his glass.
"Free is free. We can't all have your kind of money, Cae." Murphy slurred.
Her brother's poor choice of words mixed with too many shots suddenly made Caelan irrationally angry. "Oh yeah? I worked my fuckin' ass off to get where I am today. And you know what? I did it all by myself. At least you two had each other."
Murphy gave her an odd look. He hadn't meant to upset her and he was about to say so when his sister continued.
"Ma sent me to New York with a wad of cash and a pat on the back saying 'Good luck, Caelan'. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me there? New York, shockingly, isn't the most forgiving city when it comes to eighteen year old immigrant teenaged girls, no matter what you see in the movies. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you two fucks make me feel guilty because I actually made something of myself."
"We weren't tryin' ta make you feel guilty, Cae. We're proud of you, and so is Ma."
"You were always the strongest out of the three of us. Ma knew you could do it and she was right, wasn't she? You make more money in a day than Connor and I do in a week."
"Well, I still think its bullshit. I've always resented Ma for making us leave when we were eighteen. It should've been our decision. When and if I have children, they can make up their own minds about leaving home. They can go when they're ready, not when I think they should leave."
Caelan yawned, leaning back in her leather desk chair. She stretched her arms over her head, pulling them behind her. She glanced down at her watch. 9:30. She ended up working late again.
Her focus returned to her computer screen and she tried to concentrate on the Japanese characters in front of her. "God, they're all startin' ta look like squashed bugs."
"Dinner?" She turned towards the door to her office and smiled when she saw David standing there, a bag of Chinese take-out in his hand.
"David, how the hell did you learn Japanese kanji?"
David walked proudly towards her and took a seat in one of the chairs on the opposite side of her desk. "Gifted I guess." He set the food down on her desk.
Caelan scoffed at the statement. "Gifted my ass." She swiveled her chair around and moved to sit across from him, accepting the white boxes and chopsticks he held out to her.
Caelan shook her head as she opened one of the boxes. "I don't know what I was thinking. You may have to take over for me."
"Come on, Cae. I'll help you." He pointed at her with his chopsticks. "How many other languages do you already know? Seven? Eight?"
"Something like that, but those languages consist of letters that actually look like letters." She popped a piece of General Tso's chicken in her mouth.
"Enough talk about work. How bout' we finish up here and I take you out for a drink?"
Caelan rolled her eyes. "David. I'm not going out with you. We've been over this a million times already."
"What? Can't a friend take another friend out for a drink?" He looked at her innocently.
"Oh please. Don't give me that look." She smirked at him. "You'll feed me drinks until I'm drunk, then you'll try to take advantage of me."
"That's a horrible thing to say. Frankly, I'm offended." He pointed his nose in the air and looked away from her for a moment before breaking into laughter. "Like I have enough money on me to get you drunk."
The two laughed again for a moment before David's face suddenly showed concern. "Seriously, though. I wanted to talk to you about this trip. I don't think it's a good idea."
Caelan sighed. "I know." She absently dug in her food with her chopsticks.
David regarded her. "How long has it been since you're talked to them?"
"Over three years…Three long years." She set the box down with a bit of force. "It just kills me. We were so close for so long, even though we lived in different states. We'd always talk on the phone, and I even visited them a few times…Then suddenly, nothing…They completely cut me out of their lives. And then I had to hear it from my mother that my father was staying with them…As if the knife wasn't deep enough in my back already." She sighed deeply.
"Now they're gonna be there. All three of em'. I don't even know why I'm going. I should have cancelled the trip as soon as I heard but…" David noticed as she lightly touched the silver cross that hung around her neck. "Something inside me tells me I have to go. I can't explain it."
"It kills me to see you hurting like this." David said sadly.
"I know. Yet another aspect of the situation that I don't much care for."
"It bothers you that I care about you?"
"It bothers me that you hate my brothers." Caelan reached across her desk to take his hand in hers. "Once upon a time, they were the greatest. We always had so much fun together, and you would have loved them."
David placed his free hand over hers. "I'm sorry, Cae. It's hard for me to care about anyone that would hurt you. Even if they are your brothers."
Caelan nodded. "I understand. Maybe someday you'll give them another chance."
David smirked. "I will right after you do."
She chuckled. "I think I will let you buy me that drink." The two went back to their food, and Caelan laughed again as she watched David try to hurry and finish.
†
Connor MacManus stood waiting outside the entrance to McGinty's. It was a bar he and his brother had frequented ever since they moved to Boston from Ireland. He casually looked down at his watch, smoking a cigarette as he waited. Connor was one of the infamous Saints of South Boston, a trio consisting of his twin brother, his father and himself, who took the law into their own hands, dealing punishment in the form of death to the worst criminals of Boston, mostly Mafioso.
The three had made a name for themselves a year ago when they, with the help of an FBI agent and several members of the Boston police force, murdered Giuseppi "Papa Joe" Yakavetta, Boss of the Yakavetta Family, at his own criminal trial.
The three had fled to New York for awhile, while things quieted down, and it was there that Connor met Maggie Ashford. She was a bartender at a bar they had visited, and it was love at first sight. They eventually returned to Boston, and she came with him. Connor had gotten her the job at McGinty's. The owner, Doc, was a friend of theirs.
He looked down at his watch again, closing time was fast approaching. Maggie knew nothing of what Connor had done in the past; in fact, his relationship with her had him questioning how much longer he wanted to be in the divine justice business, a thought he had not yet discussed with his brother or father.
The door behind him opened, and Maggie finally stepped out. She smiled when she saw him. "Evening, sir." She said.
"Why, if it isn't Maggie Ashford. What's a nice girl like you doin' in a place like this?" He smirked at her as she came towards him, holding her coat over her arm. Connor took it from her and helped her into it, smoothing her long blonde hair down her back once her coat was snugly around her shoulders.
"I ask myself that same question every day." She replied with a wink.
"Hungry?" He offered her his arm, and she slid hers through it.
"I could eat."
"Was it busy tonight?" He looked down at her as they walked. Maggie was a full foot shorter than him. She looked up at him through tired eyes. "Yeah, but I did make a lot of tips. Oh, and Doc wanted me to ask you when you and Murphy were planning on paying your tab?"
"Oh yeah, that." Connor scrubbed the back of his neck. "I'll have to talk to Murphy about that next time I see him."
Maggie laughed. "Right."
†
"Alright. I just got off the phone with Agent Smecker. Everything's all set for our trip." Murphy MacManus hung up the phone in their kitchen and turned toward his father. "You talked to Ma already, right?"
"Aye. She's excited to see us." William MacManus produced a cigar from his pocket and lit it. "I haven't seen your mother in a long time...25 years…A trip back to Ireland is long overdue."
Murphy cuffed his father's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Da."
Will did his best to smile. "Where's your brother? Out with Maggie again?"
"Aye. He wants ta bring her with us. He's gonna marry her, ya know."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Showed me the ring and everythin.' He's crazy if ya' ask me. How can he have a wife in our line of work?" Murphy shrugged as he lit a cigarette.
Will regarded him, quietly considering the situation. Maybe the time had come for the three to retire. It was a thought he had had a lot lately, ever since they returned to Boston. Now they'd be going home to Ireland. He made a mental note to talk it over with his sons when the time was right.
A few hours passed, and Connor hadn't returned from Maggie's, so Murphy and Da ordered a pizza. They ate while Murphy browsed through the channels, finally settling on a movie starring Charlie Bronson. Murphy chuckled and set the remote down. "This alright, Da?"
"Sure. I'm not really paying attention." Murphy shrugged and focused on the TV. "Actually, son, I wanted to talk to you."
"What about?" Murphy asked, his mouth full.
"Well, I wanted to ask you about your sister."
"What about her?"
"Well, where is she? What's she like?"
Murphy swallowed a bite of pizza and turned to face his father. "Caelan is in New York. She likes rock music, and her favorite color is green." Will listened intently. "She's a lot of fun. Haven't talked to her in awhile, though. It's too bad there was so much heat on us when we were in New York…We probably could've stayed with her."
"Tell me…what was she like when you were growing up?"
"Caelan was always real smart. She used to help us with our homework sometimes...Especially the 8 million different languages Ma made us learn. She picked em' up pretty quick." He took another bite of his pizza. "She had a lot of friends, everyone liked her. Mary said once that Caelan was one of the kindest people she knew."
"Mary?"
Murphy's ears pinked for a second. "Yeah. Mary O'Neill. She lives across the street from Ma. She's Cae's best friend."
Will nodded. "I remember her parents."
"Yeah. We had a lot of fun growin' up, Me and Connor and Cae."
Will sighed. "You wouldn't have a picture of her, would ya'?"
"Actually, I do." He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, opened it and removed a picture from inside. He handed it to his Da. It was a picture of the three of them standing in front of the bar inside McGinty's. Caelan was in the middle with her brothers on either side of her. "That was a few years ago. She came to visit us." Murphy chuckled. "That's a pretty rare sight, her smilin' like that."
Will gave him a confused look. "Why?"
"Caelan hates having her picture taken. She's weird." Will smiled and started to hand the picture back to his son. Murphy held up his hand. "Keep it."
"Thanks." He looked down at the picture again. "Look at that hair…She gets that from my side. Isn't she beautiful…" His voice trailed off.
Murphy shrugged. "I guess. If I had a dollar for every time she bitched about her hair when we were younger…"
Will chucked and carefully tucked the photo into his pocket. "I hope, if I ever meet her, that she can forgive me."
"Well, Connor and I used to do dumb shit to her all the time and she always forgave us."
Their attention switched to the door as Connor entered. He threw his peacoat on the end of the couch and grabbed a piece of pizza, dropping onto the couch next to his brother. Murphy glared at him.
"That'll be five bucks."
"Fuck you." He said as he took a bite.
"Didn't you eat while you were out?" Da asked. Connor shook his head. Murphy and Will both stared at him for a moment, waiting to see if he anything else to tell them, specifically if he had proposed to Maggie yet. Connor noticed and gave them an odd look.
"The fuck are ye lookin' at?"
Will sat back in his chair. "We were just talkin' about your sister."
Connor furled his eyebrows. "Oh yeah? What about her?"
"I was just asking what she was like. You do realize the last time I saw her she was an infant?" Will said as he lit a cigar.
"Well, we're goin' home for awhile, right?" He turned to Murphy. "Did you talk to Smecker?"
"Yeah, he called earlier. Everythin's set."
Connor nodded. "Maybe Cae'll wanna come home for awhile too."
"That would be nice." Will said quietly.
"Oh yeah, Maggie's comin' with us." He added as he took another bite of his pizza.
"You ask her yet?" Murphy stretched his legs in front of him and lit a cigarette.
"If you fuckin' must know, no, I haven't."
"Aw. Is Connor nervous?? Maybe I should give ya' a few pointers. Show ya' how to talk to the woman."
"Oh yes, Murph. You're so fuckin' suave when it comes to women." He dropped his slice down on top of the pizza box. "We're headin' home soon. Maybe you can show me your fuckin' smooth moves on Mary fuckin' O'Neill."
Murphy punched his brother in the arm. "Fuck you, Connor."
"Oh, did I hit a fuckin' nerve? Worried she might be seein' someone else are ya?"
Murphy glared at his brother before lunging at him. He caught Connor off guard and the two of them tumbled from the couch, knocking the table over in the process. The pizza went flying, and the two ended up rolling in it on the floor, all the while throwing fists and insults at each other.
Will just shook his head. He didn't even try to break them up. He reached down to the floor for the remote and turned up the TV.
