Connor knocked on the door of the far too familiar bar door. The sign said closed but Doc would never deny them entry. The man lived at the bar. They just knew he would be there. Murphy stood behind his brother with Romeo at his side.
To their surprise, it was not Doc who opened the door, but a woman. The two men looked at her with slight confusion in their gaze. The woman exchanged them a look in confusion. Who were these men? And why were they at her bar at this hour. "Can I help you?" She asked looking at the three of them. Connor looked at Murphy and then back to the woman in the doorway. "We're looking for a man who goes Doc. Ye wouldn't happen to know him would ye?" He said with his Irish accent very rich in his voice.
The woman paused and then smiled. How could she be such an idiot and not recognize the MacManus brothers. "You two must be Connor and Murphy." She said pointing out the two. Connor and Murphy's look of confusion hadn't left their faces quite yet. Murphy took a moment to look up just to make sure that they were indeed at the right bar…Something wasn't right here.
"Please, please come in." Said the woman as she moved to allow them entry. She was shorter than the boys. Only by a few inches but she was indeed shorter. She had long, brown hair that had been pulled into a pony tail. It was light, much like silk. She had brown eyes, fair skin, and was wearing a white tshirt with a pair of jeans and a black half apron. As Connor analyzed the strange woman he set his bags on the bar. They were in the right place. This definitely was the very same McGinty's Bar. Down to the very last picture on the wall. The real question was…Where was Doc and who was she?
"He always said you guys would be comin back." Connor and Murphy turned around quickly to bring their gaze back to the brunette. She smiled at them as if welcoming home a long lost family member. They remained confused as they looked at her. The two of them tried to find something in her that would remind them of who she was. Nothing, they found nothing. They indeed, had never seen this woman before. "Don't be taken this the wrong way miss but…Who the hell are ye?" Said Connor taking a few steps away from the bar, bringing himself next to his brother. The mysterious woman smiled and placed her hands on her hips, cocking out one leg.
"I probably should have explained that before…" The brunette said smiling up at the two. "My names Abigail…Doc was, a very good friend of mine." She said finally pausing and looking down at the ground. "Where is the old man then?" said Murphy finally speaking out. Connor nodded looking back from his brother to Abigail. Abigail looked back up to the two Irishmen. "He passed away about a year ago." She paused for a moment to let the two men take in the news. Their faces dropped and were now very solemn. They looked back up after mumbling a small prayer and making a cross with their hands. "How did he die?" Asked Murphy looking up at the woman. She nodded to him as acknowledgment and started to go behind the bar.
"It was peaceful." She said in regards to his question. As she explained to them what had happened she started wiping down the bar and finishing her closing duties. She had heard a lot about these boys, secretly hoping that one day she would meet them. "One day he just went to sleep and never woke up." She looked at the boys, hoping she had given them some sort of closure. The looked at one another and then back at Abigail. She smiled and continued talking. "I met him five years ago. I had just moved here and was looking for a job. He hired me without a second thought. He was like a father to me."
Murphy looked up from where he was sitting at the bar when she mentioned how she knew Doc. Suddenly a small cough was heard coming from where Romeo was. Connor and Murphy looked in the direction along with Abigail to notice Romeo waiting to be introduced. "This here's our Mexican." Said Murphy suddenly with a smile. Connor shook his head in disbelief. Always count on his little brother to be the one to say something like that to a lady. Abigail smiled as she reached over the counter to shake his hand. She had a strong, firm shake. Romeo smiled and took her hand, giving it a quick shake. "Nice to meet you I'm Romeo." He said in his own Latino accent. She smiled and shook his hand before letting go and allowing him to take a seat. "It's a pleasure Romeo." She said not bothering to share her name again. She knew he would have heard it before.
"After Doc passed away I was contacted by someone from the funeral home. In his will he left the bar and everything in it to me. I took it without question. I felt like I owed it to him to keep this place running. He always used to say it was important. That he needed this place to still be here in case you boys ever came back." As she explained how she came to obtain ownership of the bar she poured each of them a beer. She slid the glasses to each of the three men in front of her and stood in silence as they drank down the beers. Connor couldn't help but smile at what she said about Doc keeping the place open in case they ever came back.
Abigail turned around and grabbed some pictures off of the large mirror on the back wall. She set them down on the bar in front of Connor and Murphy. The two stopped drinking and leaned over the bar and looked at the pictures.
"You boys were always his favorite. He talked about you guys all the time. That's how I knew you guys." She said pointing at the photos. They were Docs most prized possessions. They were his most memorable memories. Connor and Murphy smiled as they looked at the photos and reminisced about all the memories they had about his place. A small tear welled up in Murphy's eyes but was quickly wiped away from his face. Connor pulled his brother towards him in a half embrace to comfort him.
"Well he loved you boys. I don't think I need to tell you two that." She said breaking the silence as she poured them some more beers. "Before he died he told me about what you guys were doing. That when you came back that you were gonna need some help."
The two boys looked up at the woman, confused by what she was saying. They told Doc about what they were doin but what they were confused about was the help. How was she gonna help them. Abigail smiled and started exiting her post behind the bar. "Follow me gentlemen."
Connor, Murphy and Romeo quickly jumped up from their seats, grabbed there beers and bags and followed the young woman. She approached a door, unlocked the pad lock and there was a stair case, leading up stairs. She walked up without looking behind to make sure the boys were following her. She knew they would be. At the top of the staircase was a small hallway with a few doors. It was old. Very old. She turned and looked at them smiling as she unlocked the door.
In the room was an old, dusty pool table, with the balls and ques still on it. A few tables scattered around the room and some other odds and ends. The walls were old and seemed to be falling apart but it was something that they had never seen before. In the years they had known Doc he had never told them about it.
"Holy shit." The boys both let out at the same time. Abigail smiled as the boys walked in. She leaned herself against the door frame and watched them inspect the place. Romeo looked a small child in a candy store.
"Nobody knows it's up here so you're sure to be ok up here. And you can in and out through the fire escape so nobody will see you going in through the bar." The two men turned around when Abigail started talking. Murphy nodded and smiled as he shifted his gaze to his brother who was sharing in his excitement.
"You know what this is? This is our hideout. We got a Fuckin hide out!" Said Romeo as he looked around the room. Murphy and Connor started laughing. "Are you Fuckin five years old?" Said Connor leaning against the pool table. "You know Rom." Murphy picked up a pool que and started blowing the dust off. "We got sticks, and blankets. You could even make yourself a fort." He said jokingly to the Mexican who was standing at the pool table. Romeo simply brushed it off. Not even caring that they were making fun of him.
"Ahh fuck the both of you man this is Fuckin cool. Hey look they even got a pinball machine!" Romeo walked over to the small pin ball machine and began inspecting it. Connor and Murphy laughed as their new friend started acting more and more like a child. "Hey Abigail stick around and share some drinks with us."
Abigail smiled at Connor's invitation to share in a few drinks with the Irish vigilantes. "As much of an honor as that may be I got a few things to do downstairs before I get out of here for the night." Connor and Murphy nodded at her comment about having things to finish up. "Would ya mind walking a lady down?" Abigail asked, looking at Connor. He nodded and walked over to her. As they left the room Murphy smiled and gave a quick nod to Abigail. "You boys have a good night."
As the two reached the bottom of the stairs and finally the bar Connor couldn't help but smile thinking about how the old man was somehow still helping them from beyond the grave. "Ya don't know how much this means to us. We really are very grateful." He said walking over to the bar. His thick, Irish accent blaring out in the quiet bar. Abigail smiled at him as she started washing the final beer glasses.
"It's really not a problem. I have to say it's a relief to finally meet the famous MacManus brothers." Connor nodded and smiled at her. "Well goodnight Abigail." Connor gave the bar a quick tap before making his way back to the stair case. Abigail smiled before remembering the case of alcohol. "Wait…Connor."
He turned around when he heard her voice calling after him. She grabbed the case of various bottles of liquor and beer and walked it over to him. "Don't go to crazy with it up there." Connor smiled as he took the case and nodded to her. "Thank ye kindly miss." He said before walking up the stairs. Abigail closed the door after him and locked the padlock on the door. She turned around and leaned against the door. A slight blush formed on her face. As she walked back to the bar she shook her head. Doc was right about one thing. She definitely liked Connor.
