Chapter 2
Saoirse's Redemption
Cu and Ben return to the lighthouse all dried off from the salty sea water. Connor and Granny are preparing dinner for the night before the sun sets. Connor sees Ben and Cu walk through the front door and walks over to talk to him. "Ben, your sister came in here upset. I can also see that she stopped talking and she went upstairs to your rooms and shut the door. Did something happen down there?" Ben had hesitated to answer tried to come out with a cover up story. He thinks and thinks until one excuse came to his mind. "Nothing happened out there dad. Saoirse is still upset about mum leaving. She is also pretty tired too and I told her to come up here to get a drink of water and to rest. Nothing bad happened, promise!" Conner looks at Ben with a grin and says "Well just as long as you two are getting along, I am ok with you helping her out. After all you two have gotten closer since the time we saw mum again." "I guess you could say that dad." Says Ben as he pets Cu's furry head. Granny comes up to Ben and Cu with a disgusting face and says "Why look at you two, you're filthy. Ben I will take care of Cu if you go tell your sister to get cleaned up. I will not have my grandchildren running around all filthy." Ben releases Cu and goes up to his and sister's room to check on her.
"Saoirse?" Ben says as he opens the door slowly. He walks in to see Saoirse sitting on her bed and goes over to sit next to her. "Ben, remember the time when you apologize to me? When we were in Mocha's house?" Ben has a flashback remembering what had happen at Mocha's hut. When the owls attacked and tried to stop Saoirse from using the musical shell. "Yes I do, why do you ask?" Saoirse speaks after Ben had finished of what he said. "Did you mean it, by apologizing to me? It wasn't my fault for what happened with mum?" Ben looks at Saoirse in the eyes and explains that it wasn't her fault of what happen to their mother. "Good, I am happy now. Um Ben if you don't mind could you read me one of mum's stories?" Ben nods and gets up to go get the book that was filled with his mother's stories. Saoirse takes a drink of water and sits next to him on her bed. "But listen it is almost dinner time and we need to get ready to eat in a little bit, I sure do hope it's shellfish tonight." Ben says as he opens the book. Ben reads to Saoirse a short story about the selkies. Saoirse looks at the book like it is something she really enjoyed about.
Two minutes have passed and Conner the two childrens father called up to them to get ready for dinner. "You two better be showered and dressed, especially you Ben." Says Granny from downstairs. Ben closes the book and leaves it on Saoirse's bed as him and Saoirse jumps down to go and get ready. "Rock, paper, scissors on who gets to get ready first." Says Ben with a grin and challenged look on his face. Saoirse nods and both of them drop their clothes to began the game. "Ready?" says Ben. "I am and don't throw a fit like last time." They both say "Rock! Paper! Scissors!" As Ben draws rock and Saoirse draws paper. "Paper covers rock." Says Saoirse with a smile as she picks up her clean clothes, walks into the bathroom and closes the door behind her. Five minutes have passed as Ben waits and says "You better not use up all the hot water in there." Saoirse comes out of the steamy bathroom and looks over at Ben with a smile as she walks down the stairs. "That's one little stealer I say." Ben says with a smile as he prepares his shower.
Later on at the dinner table everyone sits down and begin to eat their shellfish. Ben and Saoirse sit next to each other, giving their veggies to Cu. "So everyone, since everyone has gotten along and past the recent events that have happened, I would like to take this time to give out an important announcement to everyone who is here." Conner says as he stands up with a white envelope in his hands. Everyone in the room was wondering what was in that envelope. "What is it dad? Come on show us!" As Saoirse says with excitement. Conner grins and says "Calm down little one, I will tell everyone what it is." Conner begins to carefully open the envelope pulling out to what seems to be airline tickets. "Everyone, including Cu, we are going to America in two weeks!" Everyone in the room are shocked to hear about this. "America, I heard that it is the land of opportunity. A lot of Irish folk live there and started to live the American dream. So they say that is." Granny says as she sips her tea. "Since my bonus from the Irish government, I was able to bring all of you..." "Bark" "And of course Cu we are able to all go to America with money still left over." Conner says with excitement. Ben looks over at Saoirse and starts to talk to her about what happened earlier on the beach. "Saoirse….about earlier on the beach, I want to say that I am sorry for me not letting you touch mum's shell. It did mean a lot to me but you are my younger sister and I need to watch over you no matter what." Saoirse looks at Ben with a huge smile and says "Thank you Ben and it's ok, I am glad that we are getting along now, but I think there is something we should do first." Saoirse says. "What? What do you mean?" Ben says with a confused look. "We should go and find mum's shell. It is my way of saying sorry to you." "Say what now Saoirse?" Saoirse explains that they should go look for the broken pieces of their mothers shell. "I don't know Saoirse, we just got the news of us going somewhere and we have no way of getting on the mainland." Ben says. "Hmm, oh Ben I have an idea. Dad!" Conner looks over at Saoirse and replies on what she wants. "Yes sweetheart, what is it?" "Could we stay at Granny's house until it is time for us to leave? We promise to stay out of trouble." Saoirse says with her hands together. Granny smiles and steps into the conversation. "I do not see the problem of these two staying with me son, besides this will give you time to get all of the arrangements set up for us to go." Conner nods and comes to an agreement. "Yeah I don't see a problem with you going to your Granny's for a few weeks." Says Conner. "Also can Cu come with us. He is a very good boy and he won't be bad or nothing Granny." Ben says with a promising look on his face. "I did say before that dogs aren't good for a small town like mine, but I do not see a problem with it." Cu barks with excitement and everyone else starts to finish up their dinner. "Thanks little sister I owe you one."
Later that night while the kids were in bed Ben and Saoirse were in bed, they began to talk to each other about the trip and how they were going to get the broken shell back. "Ben thank you for looking after me. I think we will get the shell pieces back and hopefully put them back together." Saoirse says as she yawns. "I think so too. We will get that shell back and put it back together like it was before." They both say their goodnights and sing the Song of the Sea as they slowly fall to sleep dreaming about their adventure of their mother's shell.