We arrived at the house by dusk.
It was simple enough; a single-story brick establishment in a small community just outside of Killarney.
It was hard for me to imagine the boys growing up here.
I held Murphy's hand as we walked up the stepping stone path that led up to the short stairway. "She'll love ye." Murphy whispered in my ear as Connor knocked on the door.
"Word o' advice, girls: don't let 'er walk all over ye, aye? She'll respect the 'ell out of ye if ye 'old yer ground." Connor instructed, putting a protective arm around Aislinn.
"'Old yer 'orses! I'mma comin'!" Said a voice beyond the door. Not long after the door had opened and we stood face-to-face with Annabelle MacManus. "M'boys!" She exclaimed.
"Ma!" They yelled in unison, letting go of Aislinn and myself to hug the matriarch of the MacManus family.
"Aren't ye a sight fer sore eyes!" Annabelle laughed. She was a beast of a woman - large, loud, and fiery, with the red hair to match. "Come on in! Don't dawdle now!" We filed into the quaint abode and she shut the door behind us.
"Ma, we brought some friends." Connor started. "This 'ere is Aislinn." Aislinn gave a slight wave.
"And Ma, this is m'girl, Rebecca." Murphy smiled. I greeted her and extended my hand to her and she accepted with a firm handshake.
Romeo cleared his throat. "An' our Mexican." Murphy smirked.
"Romeo." Connor nodded.
"It's nice ta meet ye all. Ye kin call me Annabelle. Now get ta the table, the lotta ye 'fore dinner gets cold."
We got to the dinning room and found the table set with six places. She had been expecting us. Murphy pulled out a chair for me and Connor did the same for Aislinn. I'm pretty sure they were showing off their manners for their mother. Annabelle came through the door with a huge pot and placed it in the center of the table. She took a spot at the head of the table.
In unison, the boys bowed their heads and they and Annabelle said a short prayer. "Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."
"Lamb stew." Annabelle said, taking the lid off of the pot. "Dig in."
After we began to eat, Annabelle interrupted the quiet meal. "Ye boys in trouble again?"
"Heavens no, Ma. We only wanted ta see ye. Isn't that right, Murph'?" Connor looked across the table to his twin.
"Aye, Ma. We missed ye, is all."
"I know better. Ye boys are in a spot o' trouble. 'Aven't seen the likes o' ye in near two years an' ye 'ave the audacity ta lie ta yer Ma? Now, pray, tell me the truth. Is one o' ye girls knocked up?"
Romeo spit out his beer and Connor and Murphy burst into fits of laughter.
Aislinn and I just stared at each other, not sure if we should defend ourselves or take the beating.
"Christ, Ma. Nothin' like that." Connor chided.
"Lord's name."
"Praise be." Connor muttered under his breath.
"I know ye've been livin' in sin with these nice Irish Catholic girls, boys. Don't lie ta me. The least ye can do is make 'onest women outta 'em 'fore the best years o' their lives are completely wasted and they can't bare me some grandyoungin's." She squawked. "Girls, ye listen ta me an' ye listen good. Don't let me boys steal yer youth. Look at me! They drained me dry and ruined me girlish figure! Now me tits hang down to my ankles, fer Christ's sakes! Don't let them ruin yer lives 'fore they put a ring on yer fingers. Ye 'ear? MacManus men are nothin' but trouble. Even yer Da, may 'e rest in peace. He was the love o' me life and 'e left me ta raise me boys on my own. An' look what I 'ave ta show fer it! A bunch of ungrateful pissants fer sons who ferget about their poor old Ma."
"Ma, we ain't fergot ye." Murphy said.
"We've just been busy, is all." Connor added.
"Too busy fer the woman who carried ye both fer 9 months and then cared fer ye fer 18 years?"
"No, ma'am." They both said.
"That's what I thought." She muttered, looking smug. "So if ye aren't pregnant, why are ye 'ere?"
"We wanted ta see if ye got the box." Connor said. "The one Da left."
"Box, huh?" She asked. She wiped her mouth and stood, shuffling to the kitchen and returning to the dining table with a wooden box, about the size of a shoe box, in tow. "Yer Da came ta see me before he went ta Boston. Said a whole lotta things he prolly didn't mean, an he told me what ye boys 'ad been up ta." The boys eyes grew wider as we all stared tentatively at their mother. "Yer Da was proud o' ye. As I am." She opened the lid to the box and handed them each a piece of paper. "He left ye each these." She said. "I knew ye'd be comin' ta claim them sooner o' later."
The boys glanced up at each other from over their glasses and excused themselves from the table, walking out the kitchen and into the backyard. Annabelle seemed to understand and began to pick up the dishes as the meal had herewith dissolved.
"I'll help with dishes." I said, standing grabbing a few plates.
I glanced at Aislinn and she stood with me. "Me too."
"I kin manage." Annabelle protested.
"We don't mind." Aislinn retorted.
"Suit yerselves." And we followed her into the kitchen. "Girls, I feel like I should warn ye 'fore ye get in any further with me boys. MacManus men leave. That's what they do. It's part o' their air o'mystery." She sighed. "I like ye both, fact, m'boys 'ave never brought girls 'ome with 'em. They seem ta be 'appy, s'why I felt it best ta warn ye lasses. Ye do what ye want, but be forewarned, nothin' good comes from lovin' a MacManus man."
Writing Annabelle MacManus actually some-what terrified me, guys. As soon as I got into it, though, I kind of loved it and was really pleased with the results. I hope you guys loved it, too!
