Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer
This chapter is dedicated to Noble, Fadewind, M-Bianca94, Alphabloodwolf, Cara Gracious, Patricia, Lsb123, and BellaNessieCullen
It was eleven in the morning when we left the farm. We'd had a week to readjust to the time zone and I was thankful because the journey ahead of us seemed exhaustive. I knew not why, we had travelled further when journeying between states in America, but then America was so vast that it hardly seemed a fraction of the distance. Today we would not only be travelling the entire length of Wales, from here in the south east valleys all the way up to the west point of Anglesey way, way up in the north there, but we would also be taking a ferry crossing and entering another country. And truly it was another country and not merely a semi-autonomous region of a sovereign state.
There was also travelling with a baby to factor in. When we had travelled by plane it seemed fairly easy, everything went in the hold apart from the bare essentials we would require upon the journey. Now we had to find room for everything within my car, and despite being the size of a van this was proving easier said than done. We did manage to fit everything in and we were on the road by eleven, just as planned.
We made several stops along the way, once to feed Aiden, another to change his diaper. We stopped off to use the facilities and have a sandwich at the services. It turned our four and a half hour journey into very nearly five and a half hours, but that was why we had set out at eleven as opposed to later. It gave us time enough to reach Holyhead for the five fifteen crossing, but gave us time to stop should we require it.
Our timing could not have been better, for we were there a few minuets before we had to check in, but not so early as to be waiting around with growing boredom as we attempted to entertain Aiden. We drove straight on to the ferry, parking the Zafira in the bay we were assigned. We got everything we might require for the journey from the car, placing Aiden in his papoose, newly adjusted so that he could look out at the world now that he was a little older and starting to support his own head. Mal took him because it was safer, he could place a shield around Aiden to avoid any mishaps.
As we moved away from the car, following arrows that led to a staircase and lift, two stewards in high-visibility vests began securing the car for transport. We decided to use the stairs instead of the lift and travelled up into a nice lounge with comfortable looking chairs about tables. There were refreshments available and such; we did not linger here however, opting to go out into the fresh air after travelling all day. It was nice to be able to breathe in the fresh sea air, besides it would be a treat for Aiden to see the sea.
It was thankfully a sunny day and the sea lay before us, a big blue mass sparkling with light as the waves moved. I wondered how much Aiden could truly see of this spectacle and how much he would remember of it when he was grown. Would he recall his first boat trip?
I took a picture of him and Mal looking out over the railing at the distant horizon where our destination lay. At this point it would take us two hours to cross, a fairly short time and with the steady sea and fine weather it would be a pleasant time we could spend out on deck.
An enormous seagull landed on the railing near Aiden and let out its sore throat call. Aiden looked around to it quickly and made noises as he reached toward it. I shooed the bird away.
"No Aiden, dirty bird." I said as the seagull took flight in a ruffle of feathers, leaving its clarion trailing behind it.
"It couldn't have touched him." Mal said.
"I know, but you will not always be there with your protection and I do not wish for Aiden to become familiar to reaching for such disease ridden things. He does not have our immune system. He already has a cold coming I believe." I replied.
"His immune system will soon develop." Mal said, placing his arm about me and kissing my head. "So shall we go around to port side and watch as the ferry pulls out?"
"Why not." I said with a shrug.
We walked back through the lounge to the other side of the ferry. Here we could see the concrete of the port below the side of the ship. The big mooring ropes were visible, keeping the ferry secure to the side as it lifted and fell gently as the waves rolled harmlessly beneath. There were men clustered about each mooring pin inspecting the ropes every so often to ensure they still held while waiting for the order to cast off.
However there was still a while to go, fifteen minuets before the official cast off time and visible from our vantage point was still a line of cars waiting to embark. It was clear we had reached the seaport at the right time for we had managed to drive straight aboard and there was no waiting in queues for us. It was clear that we would face the queues when disembarking, but I decided not to worry about that until the time came and merely prepared myself to enjoy the crossing on this clear day.
Thankfully the last of the cars boarded and the ramp was raised and secured in place. The ferry was inspected to ensure that there were no leaks about the ramp. Then there were hollers below us as the men began to unfasten the ropes and they were drawn on board ready to be used once the ferry reached its bay in Dun Laoghaire.
The engines began and Aiden was looking around trying to locate the sound but he couldn't find it. Then there was a cheer from a group of school children clustered around the barrier near the prow. They were all wearing bright coloured life jackets and I wondered if that was a must for them for all times aboard the ferry or merely when they were up on deck. Perhaps it was merely up on deck, I didn't find out however for as soon as we were clear of the seaport and heading out onto the open sea the three teachers guarding them like sheep dogs herded the students into the lounge area to sit out the rest of the journey.
Mal and I opted to stay on deck, describing what we saw to Aiden as the land fell further behind us until it was a dark line on the horizon. It was not long however before a dark line appeared on the other side of us and then began to form itself into the coastline of Ireland. I was enjoying myself immensely and it seemed almost a shame when we finally made port and had to go back down to the hold and retrieve the car.
The school children, now devoid of their life jackets, were climbing into a bus with an Irish company scrawled on the side in Gaelic. They were returning home and I wondered how long they had been away and how much more of their journey remained. It was quarter past seven in the evening and I baulked at the half hour or so that still remained for us to reach Dublin, I should hate to know how much longer the children had to travel. I thought it was a long journey for them to take without parents, but then I remembered the cheerleading finals and how we would go further afield in pursuit of gold, and other than senior year when Mrs Ingles demanded that parents attend, there had been nobody but Coach Tulsa to act as responsible adult.
It took half an hour to disembark, by which time Aiden was truly restless, he wished for his bath and his cot. However we had a further half hour of travel on unfamiliar roads before we reached our hotel. I merely hoped the room was ready and did have the cot as promised so that I may put Aiden down for the night without fear of him rolling and hurting himself while we discussed matters with Brendan. It was half past eight when we finally walked into the hotel, Aiden snug in his stroller for the time being, but he would require a cot soon.
The lady on reception was delightful and soon had the bellhop show us up to our room. Thankfully there was a cot and also a bath in the en suite. I bathed Aiden and prepared him for bed while Mal rang Brendan to inform him that we had arrived. Then Mal phoned room service and ordered us some dinner while I fed Aiden for the night before placing him in the cot that was a little too far from the bed for my liking, but it would do for only one night.
Our food arrived, chicken and boiled potatoes in a tangy sauce with a side salad and crusty bread. I hadn't realised how ravenous I felt until I began eating and then I had devoured everything on my plate without realising. There was chocolate cheese cake for dessert which we were to share, Mal allowed me to eat the majority of it and it made me smile and run my foot in a gentle caress against his shin.
Mal smiled as he leant across the table toward me, entwining his fingers with mine and I'm certain we may have made out a little right then if Brendan hadn't arrived with Maggie in tow. We placed the empty plates to one side before offering for Maggie and Brendan to sit.
"So Mal, what brings you both to Ireland?" He asked jovially.
"I'd like to say it's just to visit you Uncle Brendan, but I want to ask you a favour and I think you'll probably refuse." Mal said as I took his hand in support.
"What favour?" Brendan asked with a frown.
"Can you give me the address of your parents?" He asked.
"Absolutely not." Brendan said firmly. "Besides I don't know it anymore."
Maggie sighed.
"Don't lie to them Bren, you have got the address." She said softly.
"I can't give it to them Maggie, I'm trying to save the boy from heartache." Brendan protested.
"Sometimes we have to suffer heartache to know that it's a lost cause." Maggie stated.
Brendan shook his head.
"Won't you at least hear me out?" Mal asked.
Brendan was about to say no but Maggie squeezed his hand and gave him a look.
"Go ahead." Brendan invited.
"The thing is it's not so much the meeting them that's important to me." Mal said. "I just want to find out where my brother is buried. Once I know that and I can pay my respects then I'll never mention them again."
"They won't tell you." Brendan said firmly.
"How do you know?" Mal demanded.
"Because they're my parents Mal." Brendan said with a sigh.
"Ones you haven't spoken to in over forty years." Mal countered. "People change."
"They don't." Brendan said. "Especially Da, he's the one who will stone wall you."
"Well all I can do is try, if I fail well at least I knew I tried." Mal said firmly.
"It's not worth it, really Mal." Brendan said with a sigh.
"Well there's a fine lesson to teach your nephew. If something seems too hard just don't try because you'll just fail so what's the point." Mal countered.
"Mal you're old enough now to know your own example." Brendan stated.
"Ok. So you're right about that, but I prefer to try, even if I do fail." Mal said firmly.
Brendan shook his head.
"Please Uncle Brendan." Mal said, lowering his voice to an intense tone that seemed to shake the core of my being. "What would Mam have you do?"
"That's playing dirty." Brendan accused.
"Maybe, but what would she tell you to do?" Mal persisted.
"She wouldn't want you anywhere near them either." Brendan said firmly.
"That's a lie." I said.
"No it's not." Brendan replied.
"Yes it is." I stated. "Maggie told me."
"I didn't say a word." Maggie replied.
"No you didn't, but you will never make a good poker player." I informed her.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because whenever Brendan lies your face gives it away." I explained. "Even when you don't want to say anything against him there is the hint of disapproval that he is lying."
Maggie nodded and Brendan sighed deeply.
"Very well, they live in Bandon, but there's no point you going there. You'll be wasting your time. You might as well just get your sleep and catch the first ferry back tomorrow." Brendan stated.
"We're going to Bandon." Mal said firmly. "And I'd be grateful if you showed us the way."
"Oh no, we're not going with." Brendan said, shaking his head. "I don't want to be within a hundred miles of me Da, it's the reason I stay clear of County Cork or we'd be there right now with Siobhan and Liam."
"Well you don't have to come all the way to Bandon with us." Mal said. "Just somewhere along the route."
"How about Cork City?" I asked as I found the directions on my iPad. "If the times here are correct then we will reach there around lunch time. We will go on ahead to Bandon and you can await our return and we will tell you how we got on."
"It's still in County Cork." Brendan stated.
"Brendan isn't it time you got over your aversion to Cork?" Maggie asked. "I haven't been there for decades to please you, but I do miss it so. I want to visit Crossbarry again. It's been such a long time since I could pay respect to me brother there."
"You never said…" Brendan began.
"You've always been dead set against Cork I didn't like to say." Maggie replied. "But now I am saying it. Brendan I'd like to go to Crossbarry. We can travel down to Cork City with Liza and Mal. Once they sorted their business we can then go onto Crossbarry, I can tell you what happened there, and how my brother was involved."
"Then…ok." Brendan said. "Ok I'll go as far as Cork, but I'm not going to Bandon. I'll wait in Cork and then go onto Crossbarry when you're done."
"Are you sure?" Mal asked.
"Look Mal, I can see why maybe you want to go meet them, though I think you're mad to even contemplate it, but I don't want to reconcile with them. How would I even explain myself? Do I look sixty four to you?" He demanded.
"No." Mal conceded. "But you could be your own son."
"I don't want any relationship with them you hear? If they actually happen to mention me, and if they do I can hear the compliments just piling up already, tell them I died of a heart attack three years ago." Brendan said in deadly serous tones. "I'd be happy if you do that for me, and no I didn't have kids, I don't want them tracking the 'kids' down. Not that I think they will, but you never know if they want to find more people to indoctrinate. In fact you should watch yourselves you don't come away from there affiliated with the Pope and saying a thousand 'hail Mary's in penance for not coming to the faith sooner."
"Mal and Liza will be fine because I'll look out for them." Maggie stated.
"What? You? How?" Brendan spluttered.
"Because I'll be there." Maggie stated.
"You're not going there Maggie, they're bad people." Brendan said firmly.
"There must be good in them somewhere or they wouldn't have produced you and Zoë." Maggie replied. "Anyway, if I'm there I'll know if they're lying or not."
"I don't like the thought of you going to their house." Brendan tried.
"What are they likely to do to me really?" Maggie countered with a laugh. "There's not much they can do."
"Who will you say you are?" He ventured.
"I'm a private investigator who specialises in tracking down lost family members." Maggie said promptly.
"That will work." I said before Brendan could argue. "They have no reason to doubt that story."
"Fine." Brendan said in exasperation for we had all sided against him.
"Then it is settled, we will leave for Bandon tomorrow. Right now Mal and I should settle so that we may find a little sleep before Aiden awakens for his night time feeding." I announced.
"Aiden." Brendan whispered and then he smiled as if he had discovered a new line of argument. "What are you gonna do with him when you go look up Ma and Da?"
"We take him with us." I stated. "He will be the reason Mal wishes to track down his mother's family after all this time. Becoming a father was the incident that made him question where he came from. Aiden will be our evidence."
"Besides, babies soften even the hardest of hearts." Maggie added.
"You be careful, me da is not one to be swayed by babies, he's seen seven of them." Brendan grumbled.
"It matters not." I stated. "Aiden will come with us and meet his great grandparents. Now we really should be off to bed, it will be better to have our wits about us if your parents truly are as terrible as you claim them to be."
"We'll be off then." Brendan replied. "What time do you want to meet up tomorrow?"
"What time would you suggest?" I asked.
"Well if we leave early enough we can be there and back in one day. We won't have to spend any more time than we have to there." Brendan stated.
"We were planning to take the Rosslare-Pembroke crossing on the way back." Mal stated. "We only used Holyhead because we knew you were in Dublin and weren't quite sure where we'd be heading."
"Besides, you need to go visit Crossbarry." I reminded him.
"That's true." He said and rubbed his chin. "Ok, we'll still leave early. We can go at say nine; we should reach Cork by midday. You lot can have your lunch before travelling to Bandon. I doubt you'll be there long anyway. Then you can return to me in Cork. We can figure out what you want to do from there, whether you want to come to Crossbarry with Maggie and me or travel on to Rosslare. I think you'd be best staying there of the night because the ferry leaves early if you want a day time crossing."
"We'll think about that." Mal said. "Ok. We'll meet you in the car park at half eight. That way if it's sunny you won't have to worry about sparkle."
"Then until tomorrow." Brendan said with a salute before he and Maggie rose to their feet and left.
I went to shower and change into my pyjamas, by the time I came back into the room the dirty dishes had been taken away. Mal went to shower himself while I brushed out my hair and plaited it for bed. I checked on Aiden before climbing into the unfamiliar bed thinking that it was nicely comfortable.
Mal returned to the room and climbed into bed with me, causing the lights to go out as he wriggled closer to me, placing his hand upon my waist and smiling at me in the darkness.
"I can't believe Brendan gave us the address." He said.
"Technically he is yet to give us the address, although knowing the town we must travel to gives us more information than we had previous." I observed.
"Yeah." Mal said biting his lip for a moment while he thought. "Although I don't think we could have done it without Maggie."
"I tend to agree with you there. She knew the right things to say to Brendan."
Mal nodded.
"Could you really read her face when Brendan was lying?" He asked.
"Yes." I replied. "It's not obvious but when he lies she winces slightly as if it causes her pain."
"I guess that if I could tell if someone was lying or telling the truth it would hurt to hear you lie. Even if it's for a good reason." Mal observed.
"If it were for our protection then the lie would not hurt me, but I think Maggie disagreed with Brendan lying to you about his parents but decided he thought he was doing it for the best. In that instance it would worry me for it would seem that you lied for no particular reason, or because you thought the person better off in the dark. However if it is for our protection then those are the needed lies."
"I think I know what you mean." Mal said as he stroked my cheek.
"So how do you feel?" I asked. "Tomorrow you will meet your grandparents."
"I think that you should ask me that tomorrow night after we've been there. Right now I don't want to think too much about it in case Brendan's words stick and I talk myself out of it." He replied.
"Then we will say no more about it." I said as I moved closer to him. "Perhaps you'd like some distracting?"
"Well I wouldn't mind that at all." Mal said as he placed his lips to mine. "But what about Aiden?"
"He is asleep for at least an hour and well…I meant nothing more than kissing." I clarified.
"Just kissing?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
I nodded.
"So not even a little snog?" He asked with a pout.
I rolled my eyes.
"We will make out." I said, moving closer still to him as I moved my hand up to his cheek. "If you would please." I moved my face closer to his on the pillow. "For I know it would please me greatly."
Mal laughed lightly as he wrapped his arms about me, pulling me closer until my body was pressed against his and I could feel the swell of heat within me. I placed my lips to his and we began to kiss, slow at first before the pace built with our passion. I pushed him onto his back and straddled him as I fell into the depths of our combined desire. My body seemed to be awakening once more and I wanted nothing more than to tear off our clothing, to slide beneath him and feel him inside.
I pulled away and looked down at him shocked. I licked my lips as I gathered my thoughts, stroking back Mal's hair gently with my fingertips as I did so. I wished to go further but I knew we shouldn't. Not with Aiden in the room and not without contraceptives. I was flummoxed for a moment until something occurred to me and I laughed.
"What's wrong?" Mal asked as he ran his fingers up and down my spine.
"Do you know how I feel at the moment?" I asked.
"How?" He replied, smiling lightly as drew light circles on his chest.
"Remember our first Christmas together, it was before we had truly spoken of our feelings for each other yet we still slept together each night, enjoying making out but knowing it should not go further while we were under my parents' roof?" I inquired.
"Oh yeah, I remember that well." Mal said, his hands moving down behind my thighs and began to caress them softly, which was pleasurable enough to cause me slight distraction as he continued to speak. "But we managed to behave then, I think we can do it again."
"Yes." I agreed and kissed him once more, settling into the enjoyment as he continued to stroke my thighs.
I then moved and laid my head down against his chest, listening to the steady, fast rhythm of his heart and the air fill and leave his lungs. I was transported back to a time when sex was mostly a mystery to me and I had never known Mal naked. Then it was much easier to stop because it was the unknown and a great leap to try it.
Now I retreated to the safe ledge of Aiden being in the room. It would be wrong to do anything with him present. When he was a little older and I could place him in his own room, then we could commence with our love making proper, until then we would have to find substitutes or stop at merely making out.
"This is nice anyway." Mal said as he pulled the covers back over us and settled his arms upon my back. "I could go to sleep like this."
"So could I." I replied, as I felt myself drift. "You are comfortable my Malachite."
"And I love holding you my Liza." Mal replied.
"Good." I said with a smile as I settled further against him. "Goodnight my Malachite."
"Nos da Liza bach." He replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
I smiled too as I drifted to sleep, really it was like returning to when we were first realising our feelings for each other.
Aiden slept most of the night now, waking only once at three o'clock for his feed. I made it as quick as possible so that he could settle down once more before I returned to bed with Mal. I didn't lie on him this time, he had turned on his side, so I lay in front of him and he pulled me into his chest. We spent the rest of the night in our accustomed position and that was delightful too.
Aiden woke me at six ready for his breakfast. I fed him then bathed and dressed him. Mal was up and had showered while I saw to Aiden. He then played with Aiden, rattling his keys and Aiden tried to reach for them, smiling and burbling as he did so. I smiled happily at my two boys having that lovely moment before I went to shower and dress for the day.
I then packed up our belongings before we went down to breakfast. I sat Aiden on my lap, his back supported against my body and arm. He enjoyed being sat up for short periods now and I found it easiest to do so as I ate since I could sit with him. We ate a lot at breakfast to see us through the morning. After breakfast we made our way down to the garage to meet up with Brendan and Maggie.
There was a moment when I thought Brendan wouldn't show up, but then he appeared Maggie towing him along by his hand. He was not very happy, but it was clear that he was willing to put aside his own feelings for his nephew this day.
"So what we waiting around for?" He asked.
"Jump in and we'll get going." Mal said, indicating the car.
We all climbed into the car, Brendan in front with Mal to give him directions since I was in the back to watch Aiden.
It was almost three hours to Cork, but Aiden was surprisingly content, I had expected him to complain about another day of travelling but he appeared to be enjoying himself. He was busy making noises and moving his hands, wrapping them together and taking them apart, chewing on them from time to time.
"Awww what a smart little thing you are." Maggie stated as she tickled Aiden's nose and he tried to follow it with his eyes as a stray beam of sunlight raised sparkles on her fingers. "Have you found your hand there? I think you have."
Aiden treated her to a smile as he reached for her finger and Maggie allowed him to take it.
"You're a strong little man too. I think you're going to be a mighty fine man when you grow up. Yes you will." She crooned.
"He is advancing sooner than I thought." I stated. "He is human and I thought his development would seem slow to me, but I truly marvel at how quickly he is coming along."
"I know. They don't stay babies for long. He'll be walking and talking before you know it." Maggie said, although it was still in baby tones as if she were talking to Aiden.
"Have you much experience with babies?" I asked, because Maggie could not have been more than eighteen when she was turned, of course she may seem younger due to her small size.
"I was the eldest daughter and so was expected to help with taking care of my younger siblings. It was just the way of things then. Sort of on the job training before you got transferred to a new family and promoted to wife." She said with a shrug.
"From what you said last night I inferred that your brother was part of the Crossbarry ambush. Did that not take place in nineteen twenty one?" I asked.
"Yes, but Liza just because there were women beginning to fight for equality and such, we still didn't have it." Maggie stated, realising what I alluded to. "Even then most women's ambitions were to find a good man who could provide for your kids. It was just the way of things, especially in rural areas. There was too much work to be getting on with to worry about voting. That was more urban and society concerns."
"Did you ever want more?" I inquired out of curiosity.
"I went looking for more and look where that got me." Maggie said with a laugh as she indicated her vampire body. "I was only lucky that Siobhan and Liam found me and adopted me. The one who made me, a supposedly rich Yank who could give me the life of Riley, wasn't the best of men. Not to mention he was poaching, everyone knows Ireland is taken. They can only hunt here with permission, but he thought he didn't have to abide by the rules. Usually Liam just warns them off, but this one would not see reason and so he was destroyed. I was taken in hand and taught proper, my wild newborn ways being curbed and honed until I was the perfect addition to their coven. Their daughter for many years without care for a mate until Brendan stumbled upon us asking to be made vampire."
"You wouldn't do it at first." Brendan said.
"I thought you were a fool to want it, but when it was the truth that it was to track your sister…" Maggie trailed off with a shrug.
We fell to talking of other things at this point and that carried us on until we reached Cork.
We went to have lunch at a café while Maggie and Brendan searched for somewhere he could while away the time. It had clouded over but there was still a chance the sun might break through. That was a risk when Maggie accompanied us to Bandon, but she decided it was one worth taking so that she could get a read on whether they were telling the truth.
We set out around half past twelve, arriving in Bandon around one. We found the street Brendan had given us, and the number of the house we required. The clouds were thick now, almost ominous and I felt a strange foreboding as we stepped out of the car and made our way up the garden path.
I held tightly to Aiden snug in his blanket as Mal pressed the doorbell. Maggie stood slightly in front of us, dressed in a professional looking trouser suit and with her red hair pinned back in places she indeed looked like an official of some capacity.
There was a twitch of net curtain and a few moments later the door was opened by a tall man who appeared to be in his seventies, possibly eighties, his eyes were a dull blue, not the brightness I was expecting from Zoë's parents.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
"Mr Raymond?" Maggie said in question.
"Aye." He said, giving us a cautious look.
"Good afternoon, my name is Margaret Clifford and I work for County Cork Detective Agency." She said, employing a formal voice that made her seem ten years older.
"We're not interested." Mr Raymond said and went to close the door.
"I'm not here soliciting." Maggie said in a voice that stopped him from closing the door. "I am here on business. I believe you have a daughter called Zoë?"
"No." Mr Raymond said and went to close the door once more.
Maggie gave us the signal, the man was lying.
"Please, she was my mother." Mal said quickly stepping forward. "I'm trying to track down her family."
Mr Raymond shook his head, but a little old lady looked around the door and there was the blue I had been expecting. She peered at us for a long moment.
"What is your name?" She asked.
"Malachite Llewellyn." Mal replied. "And this is my wife Liza and our son." He added, placing his arm about me and putting Aiden and I on display.
"Malachite?" The old lady asked and she stepped out of the house and looked up into Mal's face. "You'd better come in."
"Orlaith I don't think we should…" The man began.
"Stop fussing Michael, they're hardly here to rob us." Orlaith countered before shoeing him inside and indicating for us to follow them.
We were led into a small room that felt like a furnace, as old people tended to keep their rooms. There was a scattering of furniture and a myriad of photos set about the room. On a brief scan I could see no sign of Brendan or Zoë.
We took some time to arrange ourselves on the sofa while Orlaith went out to make tea. Michael sat watching us, waiting for us to do something bad. I felt as if I had done something that warranted a reprimand from his look alone. I busied myself in removing the blanket from around Aiden and loosening his coat since it was so hot in the room as I endeavoured to ignore his looks.
"How old is he?" Michael asked, nodding at Aiden.
"Nearly three months." I replied. "He was born in February."
"And how long have you been married?" He demanded.
"It was a year in February." Mal replied.
"So how old are you?" He shot at Mal.
"Thirty four." Mal said promptly.
"And only now you come look for us?" Michael returned like a whip.
"When I found out I was going to be a father I started wondering about my own parents and where I came from. Thank you." Mal said as Orlaith handed him a mug of tea.
"Could you not just ask them?" Orlaith asked.
"My parents are dead." Mal stated.
"Oh." Orlaith gasped dropped the cup she was passing to Maggie who caught it deftly. "Zoë is…"
"Gone." Mal said softly and he realised that Zoë was her daughter as well as his mother.
"How long?" She asked, as if afraid to know the answer.
"It happened when I was ten." Mal said. "I'm not too sure of the details, they just told me it was a mugging gone wrong. Uncle Brendan was watching me at the time, it was their wedding anniversary you see, their eleventh, and…" Mal trailed off, shaking his head.
"Brendan?" Orlaith gasped, but Michael sat up and gave Mal a steely look.
"He raised me after that, but Dad had left me a trust fund and I was able to go study in America." Mal continued regardless. "That's how I met Liza."
"So you were ten and it was their eleventh wedding anniversary?" Michael asked.
"Yes." Mal confirmed. "They were married in the May, I was born the following March."
Suddenly Michael's demeanour changed, as if the fact that Zoë and Jeremy were married before they conceived Mal changed matters entirely. I tried not to let my disapproval show, it should matter not the circumstances of Mal's birth, they should be happy that they had a grandson such as he.
"Why did she not tell us she was married?" Orlaith asked.
"I don't know." Mal said with shrug. "I was hoping that maybe you could shed some light on it. I mean I did ask Brendan once but he said you'd had a falling out and the situation was unfixable."
"That's rich since he was the one who turned her against us." Michael snapped. "Where is the feckin' bastard anyway?"
Maggie growled, but it was too low for the humans to hear. Mal jumped a little at the viciousness of the insult, but then gave the old man a sad look. I placed my hand on Mal's in a gesture of comfort.
"He passed away three years ago." He stated. "It was his heart, but then he never listened to me when I warned him about all those greasy breakfasts." He finished with a fond laugh as if remembering back on old times.
"Not Brendan too." Orlaith mouthed in despair as she placed her hands over her face, however she composed herself quickly before Michael noticed.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Michael said as if he were speaking of some stranger.
"What on earth could he have possibly done to you that you would disown him so with such a vile remark, not to mention bring your wife's conduct into question while doing so?" I demanded, unable to stop myself.
"Eliza." Mal said under his breath.
"No Malachite, you wish for answers as to why your mother was estranged from her parents. Apparently your grandfather appears to think your dear Uncle Brendan is at fault. I should like to know why." I replied hotly.
"Why?" Michael snapped. "Because he disowned this family long before I ever disowned him and then he corrupted Zoë. Let her think it was ok to go whoring around town with whoever she wanted no matter what the consequences."
"What consequences?" I demanded, only remaining seated because Aiden was in my lap.
"She got a name for herself as bad as her brother before her. Do you know how long they stick to families?" Michael questioned.
"I couldn't begin to guess, I have never adhered to a particular religion, merely lived my life as good as I possibly can." I replied, determined to show that I was not afraid in the least of him. "If we are polite to each other and seek to live in peace, with understanding and forgiveness, then are we not carrying out God's wishes regardless?"
Michael was speechless for a moment, and then he frowned deeply.
"I'd ask you not to blaspheme in my house." He growled.
"Please forgive me should I take the Lord's name in vain. I did not mean to offend." I said, meeting his glare for truly that was not a blaspheme, and he had no argument me which was why he retreated to a failsafe.
I also wished to show him that I could be as sincere as he was when pushed to it.
"However this is not about me." I said, forcing myself to back down somewhat. "I am sorry my Malachite, taking over this reunion between you and your grandparents. Hot headed little Liza strikes again."
"You're only fighting my corner bach." Mal said and kissed my cheek.
"But I should step back now?" I asked.
"Maybe a little." He advised.
I nodded and turned my attention to Aiden instead.
"Why don't you just tell me the story from start to finish." Mal said. "With no interruptions from the peanut gallery."
I was about to chastise Mal but realised that he was trying to find common ground with Michael by getting his woman folk in check. I had my childish outburst and now it was time for the men to have a grown up talk. I would speak to Mal about it later, but I would allow him this technique for now if it meant he would get the answers he sought.
Michael told a story of Brendan's wild youth that went against his Catholic upbringing thus embarrassing his parents in view of their friends. As far as I was concerned there was no true reason for him to have taken such a dislike to his son so I tuned out his conversation and busied myself with entertaining Aiden who was clearly becoming bored.
Orlaith leant across the gap and tickled his nose.
"He's a bright little thing." She said as Aiden smiled. "I didn't catch how old he was just now."
"He will shortly be three months." I replied.
"He is precious." Orlaith observed, stroking his cheek.
"Would you…care to hold him?" I asked.
"I would, but the arthritis." Orlaith said, holding up her bony hands that while showed signs of being arthritic were not beyond her control.
"I understand." I said, deciding to accept her excuse than question her and cause a scene.
Aiden grew restless still and now he was smacking his lips together.
"It is his feeding time." I announced and Michael trailed off in his narrative to glare at me, but I carried on regardless. "I have no objections to feeding him in front of people, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable is there a room I could use?"
Michael gave me a suspicious look, but Orlaith rose to her feet.
"Come this way." She said.
I placed Aiden up on my shoulder before I rose to my feet and followed Orlaith out of the room. She led me along a short corridor and into another room that held a table and chairs. I sat and arranged Aiden and myself so that I could feed him. Orlaith turned her head away, although she still took a seat and remained in the room.
"How long have you and Mr Raymond been married?" I asked.
"It was sixty five years last December." She said.
"How lovely." I replied as I did a quick feat of mental arithmetic, I wondered if there was point in mentioning the fact that Brendan was born only six months after that. "What is your secret?"
"Well I would say love and understanding, but really? It's staying out of each others way." She joked.
"Mal and I have our separate lives, but I much prefer the activities we can participate in together." I replied.
"You remember I'm his grandmother now." Orlaith chastised.
I frowned for a moment, and then laughed, shaking my head.
"I was not talking of those activities, although I really have no complaint in that department, I was referring to long walks across the moor land and visiting new places." I explained.
"How are you finding this one?" She asked.
"This is nothing to do with me, I am merely here for Mal's benefit. He wished to know his family and so I have accompanied him. After Brendan passed he was certain he was alone, but when I fell pregnant with Aiden he realised that you had to be here somewhere and so we went through every piece of paper both Zoë and Brendan left behind until we found a lead."
"Brendan never mentioned us?" She asked, sounding hurt.
"Mal did ask on a few occasions, but Brendan thought that he might not be accepted and thought to save him the heartache." I stated and frowned slightly as I heard footsteps outside the door.
"I can see why he'd think that. Bren and Michael were at loggerheads from the day he could talk. They're just two different people but both as stubborn as the other. It was often a battle in here of a Friday night when Bren wanted to go down the club with his friends." Orlaith continued, unaware that we had a hidden audience.
"Yes. I remember well how stubborn Uncle Brendan was at times, but he was a good man and raised Mal well. If Brendan had not instilled in Mal the value of a good education then he would not be a doctor today." I stated, trying to decide who it was, but it wasn't Michael, if I chose to I could still hear his story being told in the front room, Mal was there too, I could hear his fast heartbeat. The listener could not be Maggie either for they had a heartbeat.
"Mal is a doctor?" Orlaith asked impressed and I had to tune quickly back into the conversation.
"A psychiatrist, but a doctor none the less. He helps treat the ailments people cannot see." I replied, wondering who was listening and whether I should draw attention to the fact.
"He must have studied hard." Orlaith observed.
"Oh yes he did." I said proudly, and felt that it was better not to draw attention to the listener; I didn't want to bring them trouble. "I believe that's what first drew me to him, he was studious and not a no good, beer swilling party fiend as most the boys of that age. He went to college to learn and I admired that. I am thankful every day that he did catch my attention in such a way and also that he decided to study in America because I cannot imagine my life without him, it would be empty. Besides I would not have Aiden and that would be…a catastrophe. I would have this void in my life with no knowledge of what was meant to fill it, only that something was missing. When Brendan was born did you find it hard to remember your life without him in it?"
"Yeah." Orlaith replied. "It was the same with all me children."
"How many do you have?" I asked, for I knew it was seven but not how many of each.
"Seven in all. Brendan, Zoë, Della, Eamonn, Ginny, Hayley and Shamus. When they were kids it was hard to remember my life without them. Now that they're all grown up and have families of their own, or else just moved out I do miss the house full." Orlaith said wistfully.
"But there are grandchildren?" I observed, wondering if it was one of these who listened still.
"Oh aye, they come visit their old Gran often, but it's not the same as having them here constantly." She trailed off for a moment. "So did Brendan have children?"
"No. His partner was infertile, but they loved each other and that's more important than anything else. Mal became an adopted son to them." I stated, it was something we had agreed on should they ask after Brendan's life.
"And he has no brothers and sisters?" Orlaith ventured.
"No." I said.
There was a sign of relief on Orlaith's face.
"At least Mal always thought he was an only child until looking through Zoë's belongings he came across the mention of a child born before she met his father. She named him Aiden, that's where we found the name and liked it so that we named our son for him." I explained.
Orlaith's face was carefully composed, but the worry was apparent in her blue eyes.
"It is something else Mal would like information about." I continued. "There was little in the journals apart from the name and a date of birth and a message that he will always be remembered. We assumed that she never made mention of him because she had to give him away being an unmarried mother."
"She didn't give him away." Orlaith stated.
"She didn't?" I asked, and allowed excitement to colour my voice. "You mean he is around? How wonderful that Mal shall meet his brother, he has always lamented the fact that he is an only child and admits to a small amount of jealousy that I am a twin and have a sister besides."
"You'll find him at Chapel Hill Cemetery." She stated.
"Is he the grounds keeper?" I ventured.
"If only that were so." Orlaith replied. "Unfortunately the poor wee thing didn't live to see a day through. When she was heavily pregnant Zoë was involved in a car crash, it killed her partner, and left her in a coma for weeks. The baby suffered trauma and they couldn't save him."
"Oh how terrible." I gasped. "Mal will be upset, but there is a grave you say? If you could tell us the plot number then perhaps we can go pay our respects with flowers."
Orlaith was now the one to give me a steely suspicious look.
"You must understand that it was nearly forty years ago and when Zoë left we grew out of the habit of visiting his grave. I really can't remember where it is." She stated.
"I see." I replied. "I suppose we can merely go to the cemetery and look."
"We didn't put a stone, only a wooden cross, I doubt you'll find it now." Orlaith observed.
"That is a shame." I said. "But am I mistaken in thinking that all churches record the burial plots?"
"We didn't know Zoë wished to call him Aiden and she was unconscious but he had to be buried." Orlaith continued on with what seemed excuses to me.
"What name did you give him?" I persisted, I would not let up, I would find the resting place of Mal's brother so that he may have chance to show his respects.
"Leanbh. " She replied.
"Leanbh?" I asked doubtfully, obviously Orlaith hadn't counted on my knowing Irish because Uncle Brendan had given me lessons when he discovered that I knew so many languages.
"Yes." She confirmed.
"But does that not mean baby in Irish?" I asked.
"That it does, but it can also be a name." Orlaith lied quickly. "Do they not call boys Sonny?"
"It's true that they do that." I replied. "Very well I know now to look for Leanbh Raymond."
"O'Kelly." Orlaith corrected.
"O'Kelly?" I asked, feeling a little doubtful.
"Yes. It's his father's name." Orlaith stated.
"Of course." I replied, and then frowned as I blurted out a question as it occurred to me. "Why didn't you bury him with his father if they both died in the accident?"
"Because those O'Kelly gob shites had the nerve to question my Zoë's integrity when it was their precious little man-whore who couldn't keep it in his trousers." Orlaith raged and it was true rage, she was a mother angered by those who would discredit her daughter. "If he hadn't gone wandering then I think Zoë would have wed him before the poor mite was born and then there wouldn't have been any cause for concern other than being a little crafty about the dates."
"But a shotgun wedding rarely benefits anyone." I counted. "Well, apart from my parents but they had been together years before Mother caught with Tony and I. It was only at the behest of my great-grandfather that they married for he is quite traditional in his views."
"Well at least someone in your family has morals." Orlaith replied, but she was teasing with that remark and I realised that if it were not for her choice in husband I could possibly grow to like her.
"At least your great-grandson was born within wedlock." I stated.
"Yes." Orlaith said, glancing at Aiden for a moment, but he was still feeding. "Has he been baptised?"
"Yes." I replied, because one could argue that Marlin's ceremony was a baptism of sorts, merely not in the Christian faith. "My sister Billie and best friend Prue are godmothers. Mal chose my brother Tony and Bren-t, his friend from college, to be godfathers." I added, managing to catch myself before I said Brendan's name.
"And you didn't think we should get an invite?" Orlaith asked sadly.
"We weren't sure we would be able to track you and I wished to have Aiden covered before we took him on a plane for the first time. I went back to America to give birth so that I was surrounded by my family since Mal and I are more or less alone in Wales."
"You live in Wales?" She asked in surprise.
"Yes." I confirmed. "Jeremy, that is Mal's father, well his family has owned a sheep farm for centuries. Mal is among a long line of Llewellyns to live on that land."
"I thought you said he was a doctor?" Orlaith observed as if worried she was catching me out in a lie.
"He is." I confirmed.
"And also a farmer?" She asked with doubt.
"I merely said we lived on the farm, I did not say we kept it. Brendan hired a farm manager to help him toward the end. He passed on before Mal had finished his doctorate and so he hired the manager full time. The working modern farm is over the rise from our more traditional little house." I explained.
"Then what is the point of keeping the farm?" She demanded.
"Because it is still in the family name and should Aiden or even one of his sons sometime in the future wish to tend the farm then it can pass unchallenged to them."
"Isn't it a little soon to be thinking about his kids?" Orlaith asked.
"If there is one thing you will come to know about me Mrs Raymond is that I like to plan things, even decades in advance. Organisation is better than random happenstance. I'm not so fool as to think that random occurrences do not happen and there are certain things one cannot plan for, such as what ones child may wish to be when grown, however, with enough contingency plans in place then there is very little to take you by surprise."
"You don't like surprises?" She guessed.
"There are nice surprises I admit, such as when Mal will buy me my favourite chocco-nut whirl ice cream on his way home from work. Surprises in general I do not like however, because they disrupt my routine and I am somewhat of a control freak."
Aiden disengaged and I refastened my top before I burped him.
"There's my good boy." I crooned as I moved him down so I could smile at him.
Aiden returned my smile, making sounds as if he were talking to me. I returned the sounds before rubbing my nose against his and he grabbed at my hair, not as much to hurt, but merely to hold a part of me in his little hands. I stroked back his own sparse curls, feeling as if this could become a little gesture between us as he grows. Possibly though we would dispense with the hair pulling to merely playing. It was a happy thought and I cooed over him as I pictured it.
"We should go back through to the others now." Orlaith said.
I heard a slight gasp from the hidden listener and then footsteps creep gently across the floor and move silently upstairs.
"Are you certain you would not like a hold first?" I offered once more.
Orlaith looked torn for a moment and then she grinned.
"Pass him over." She said, motioning with her hands.
I handed Aiden to her and she began to coo over him. Aiden liked her attention and greeted her with cooing of his own as he smiled at her, reaching out toward her face.
"Oh you're a smart little one so you are." She crooned, tickling his stomach and he smiled further, making little noises as if he were laughing. "You're gonna be a right handful yes you are. Little Aiden delightful thing that you are."
I allowed her to coo a while longer before she handed him back to me. Then we made our way back to the other room where Michael was just finishing up his tale of why the eldest two of his children decided to leave home and never contact their parents again. Mostly it boiled down to the fact that they were bad ones and it was only a blessing they did not corrupt the others. I wished to correct him to point out that he was the obvious problem, but thought better of it.
I stood by the door and Mal noticed that I was merely standing rather than returning to sit down. He nodded and moved to the edge of the seat, ready to stand.
"Thank you for giving me your time today, I won't trespass further." He stated.
"You weren't trespassing." Orlaith said as she took hold of Mal's hands. "I'm glad you got in contact, you're family and it's right that you know us."
"Aye." Michael agreed as he stood behind her. "Is there any way we can contact you?"
I reached into the front pocket of Aiden's bag and pulled out a folded paper on which I had written our contact details on the off chance that Mal's grandparents did ask for it. I passed it to Mal who then gave it to Orlaith.
"Will you be in Ireland long?" She asked.
"We have to return home now, I had a week off work so I thought I'd take this trip, but we have to get back in time." Mal replied.
"I understand." Orlaith said. "Well don't be a stranger, drop us a line any time you feel ready."
"For that we will need your details." I observed.
"Oh yes." Orlaith replied as she went to find a piece of paper.
We were all four of us silent while Orlaith went to search. Michael was glaring at me and I tried to ignore him, but eventually he began to irk me so I turned my face up to him and returned his glare.
"Well are you not going to ask me for a hold now?" He asked.
I was taken aback for a moment, but managed to find a steady voice as I asked, "Would you like to hold him?"
"He is me great grandson." Michael replied.
I nodded and passed Aiden to him. Surprisingly Aiden didn't cry, he merely looked up at Michael as he sucked on his fist. Michael managed a smile as he bounced Aiden a little saying a little nonsense rhyme as he did so.
"What's his name?" He asked.
"Aiden." I replied.
Michael froze and looked at Mal and I both, before finding a little composure.
"Now how did you come by that name?" He asked.
"I didn't know until I was going through Mam's things recently but she had a kid before she met Dad. His name was Aiden right? We liked the name and so we used it." Mal explained.
"Well it's a good a name as any." Michael said as he handed Aiden over to Mal.
"Here's our contact details." Orlaith said, a little breathless as she returned to the room and gave me a folded piece of paper, which I tucked into the front of Aiden's bag.
"Just out of curiosity, do you know how I can contact Aiden?" Mal asked.
"No." Michael said.
"I already told your wife where you can find him." Orlaith said carefully.
"Yes Mal, I'm afraid to inform you that he is no longer with us." I said softly as I placed my hand to Mal's shoulder.
Mal hugged our Aiden into him, kissing his head as he closed his eyes. He looked so very sad.
"I thought…I allowed myself to think I had a brother. With my luck I should have known." He said sadly. "I guess that's what comes of being born on Friday the thirteenth."
"Mal the date has nothing to do with it." I said softly as I placed my hand to his arm. "Should you believe in such superstitions then we must also apply them to Aiden and that is not something I wish to do."
"Yeah, you're right." Mal said. "So where is he buried? I'd like to pay my respects."
"Chapel Hill Cemetery." Orlaith said promptly.
"Thank you." Mal said and he gave his grandmother a hug before shaking his grandfather's hand. "We'll be in contact again."
"Make sure you do." Orlaith said with a firm nod.
Mal handed Aiden back to me and picked up his coat and blanket from the sofa, I decided not to bother with dressing him once more, and he would be warm enough in the car. Mal also took the bag from me and put the blanket and the coat inside, that's when he remembered.
"Oh yeah, I don't know if you want these." He said, pulling the two prints out of the front pocket. "The one is of me, Mam and Dad, the other is of us three."
Orlaith took the photos and turned them over. The one of Mal and his parents was monochrome so that Zoë's change of eye colour would not be noticed.
"You look like your father." Orlaith observed.
"So I'm told." Mal said. "I just know I have his eyes for certain. Green instead of the sparkling blue Mam had. The same as you got."
Orlaith actually giggled while Michael frowned slightly.
"You're a charmer, just like your old granddad." She said.
I tried to keep my face straight and not allow my own thoughts on the matter show.
"And this is a very nice picture of the three of you." Orlaith continued. "When was it taken?"
"The day Aiden was born." I stated.
"Never to goodness was that taken then!" Orlaith exclaimed. "You look as fresh as a daisy."
"It was taken several hours after he was born by my sister Billie." I replied.
"Well I wish I could know your secret." She laughed. "Not that it matters much now."
I was uncertain how to respond to that.
"Well it's been a pleasure." Michael said.
"Yes." Mal agreed. "Well… See you some other time."
With that we made our way back to the car. I strapped Aiden into his seat, sitting in the back with him once again. We had agreed that Mal would drive back to Cork, and then I would take over driving to Rosslare this evening.
Before we had left the street I informed Mal what Orlaith had told me about burying Aiden under the name Leanbh O'Kelly in Chapel Hill Cemetery. I also told him that we could check the church registry to find his burial plot.
"It won't do you any good." Maggie said. "Whether they buried him as Aiden Raymond or Leanbh O'Kelly, he doesn't lie in Chapel Hill Cemetery that's for damn sure."
"They lied?" Mal asked, looking appalled.
"Brendan warned you they would." Maggie observed.
Mal nodded and he pulled over to the side of the road, thumping the steering wheel with his hands so hard it made the car judder. Aiden began to cry and soothed him with coos and caresses before climbing through the seats and kneeling next to Mal, placing my hands to his cheeks and guiding him to look at me.
"Mal, we can work through this." I stated. "We now know there are two names we can search for. We also have a rough idea of when he passed. With a little research we can track him down."
"What if they didn't even bury him?" Mal asked.
"I don't think they'd have him cremated." Maggie stated. "It would desecrate his body."
"But they thought he was bound for hell anyway." Mal replied.
"Then what do you wish to do?" I asked.
Mal looked into my eyes for a moment, then he turned to stare out of the windscreen, his brow furrowed as the bush in his line of sight shook as if in a strong gale when there was only a gentle breeze. Then he took a deep breath and the bush settled into the more gentle movement of its peers.
"I don't think I'll bother with the research. It will be worse if I can't find him anywhere." Mal said sadly.
I nodded.
"Um…Maybe we could go to Chapel Hill Cemetery anyway and leave some flowers at the memorial to lost souls if they have one. If not I'll place them on a neglected grave in his memory since they probably let his real grave rot away anyway." Mal observed.
I decided not to inform him that Orlaith had told me just that.
"We can do that." I agreed.
Mal nodded, and then he turned to me and gave me an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry I upset you."
"You didn't upset me my love." I said softly as I stroked his cheek. "Your frustration is understandable."
"Then I'm sorry I upset Aiden, I just…" He trailed off, hid despair evident.
"I know." I said and I hugged him for a long moment before pulling away and kissing his cheek. "Now we should get going again."
"Ok. I'll just programme Chapel Hill Cemetery into the sat-Nav." Mal did so while I climbed into the back and took my seat beside Aiden once more.
We drove on to the cemetery, stopping at a florist to buy a bouquet of flowers. The cemetery was less than fifty years old judging by the oldest stones, yet still they had weathered enough that those who had no caretaker were in a dire state, the stone pitted and growing moss and lichens, some their writing so illegible that we could not discern who's last resting place it happened to be or even when they had died.
I was starting to worry a little about Aiden as we trawled further into the graveyard looking for the graves from forty years ago, for a light rain was starting to fall and he was getting damp. We should have placed him in his stroller with the covers, but it had seemed more logical to carry him in the papoose at the time so that we could get closer to the stones.
One caught my eye and I was going to suggest that Mal leave the flowers there and we return to the car and the dry, but he was stopped in front of a well-tended grave. It was not what we were looking for and I took his hand, pulling at him to move him on but he stood fast, placing his arm about me and pulling me into his side instead.
"What did Orlaith say Aiden's father's surname was?" He asked.
"O'Kelly." I replied.
"And didn't Uncle Brendan call him Dom?" He continued.
I had to think back, my memory was a little hazy on the fine details in the weeks leading up to the birth.
"Ah yes, I believe he did."
"Look." Mal said, pointing at the stone.
Dominic Aiden O'Kelly
Beloved Son and Brother
Born September 18th 2028
Departed this plane Feb 13th 2047
Always in our Hearts
"It is possible that he was Aiden's father." I conceded.
"Look." Mal said and he pointed to a separate stone planter with an inscription.
In Memoriam
Aiden O'Kelly
Too pure for this world
Wanted back in Heaven
Taken as he was given
Feb 13th 2047
There was also a faded picture of a teddy bear that may have once been blue. I felt a shiver run down my back as I realised he shared a birthday with our Aiden. He had been born exactly forty-one years before his nephew, but unlike his nephew he did not live to see the world.
"So much for the O'Kellys not wishing to acknowledge his existence." I whispered, as if afraid Dom might hear me.
"Do you think he's buried here?" Mal whispered in return.
"Orlaith said that Dom's family wouldn't allow it." I replied.
"But they put his name on the pot." Mal observed.
"Sometimes people do that in memory to someone buried elsewhere." I replied.
"Or else cremated and just sprinkled there." A person behind us stated and we both jumped, turning quickly and I believe I could be forgiven for thinking the old woman a ghost so washed of colour was she.
"Was he cremated?" I asked.
"We really don't know. Those Raymonds say they had him buried but you never know with those fanatic types." She said with a shrug. "So who are you anyway and what do you want with me boy's grave?"
"You're Dom's mother?" Mal asked.
"Aye." The old woman said, eyeing us carefully before putting out a bony hand. "Neala O'Kelly."
"Pleased to meet you." Mal said, shaking her hand. "I'm Malachite Llewellyn and this is my wife Liza and our son Aiden. I named him for the brother I never knew I had. And this is our friend Maggie." He added the latter as Maggie came to join us from where she'd been searching the graves at the far end.
I don't think Neala heard the latter as she looked at us for a moment clearly understanding what Mal alluded to.
"So you'd be Zoë Raymond's boy?" She guessed.
"Zoë was my mother." Mal confirmed.
"Was?" Neala queried.
"I lost my parents when I was ten." Mal replied, sticking to the same story he told his grandparents. "My Uncle Brendan raised me after that."
"Oh you poor child." Neala said as she pulled Mal into a bone-crushing hug. "I am sorry for your loss."
"Thank you." Mal replied.
"So what brings you here?" She asked as she let Mal go.
"I wanted to track down my brother." Mal stated.
"And now you found him." She said sadly. "Or at least the only place he's remembered. He should have been buried with his daddy since he was not long for this world, but Michael refused, he said they'd already had him buried, but they wouldn't tell us where. All we could do was mark his brief trip to this world and hope he found his daddy in heaven. His mammy too since Zoë went not long after."
"It would be nice if they were reunited." Mal said carefully.
"That's not to say your father is put out, it's all one big family up there and such earthly complications needn't apply." Neala conceded.
"No." Mal agreed, then he remembered the flowers in his hands. "Is it ok if I leave these?"
"He is your brother." Neala said. "And I know you probably have nothing to do with your family, but still it's about time one of them Raymonds remembered their flesh and blood, no matter how brief their light was."
"Thank you." Mal said and he knelt beside the little planter, unfastening the bouquet before placing the individual flowers through the mesh on the top.
"So did you really name this little one after our Aiden?" Neala asked as tickled at his nose and he cooed and smiled.
"Yes." I replied. "When I fell pregnant Mal wished to find out more about his mother's family. He has very little you see, his father was an only child and his parents passed away before Mal was born. When Zoë and Jeremy were taken he had no one but Brendan, he sadly departed this world three years ago, so from the point of view of blood Mal was alone until our son was conceived. Then he wished to find out about Zoë's parents, he knew they weren't dead, but never knew the reason he had never met them. Therefore he went through Zoë's old journals and that's when we came across the name. It seemed only fitting that we should name our son after his uncle."
"And you came all this way to find his grave?" Neala asked in awe.
"Yes." I confirmed.
"Now that's the true spirit of brotherhood." Neala said proudly and she went to stand by Mal and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Don't let those Raymonds tell tales about us. We respected Zoë and her decision. We even told Dom that if he didn't face up to his responsibilities we'd sooner disown him and take Zoë on as our daughter, he was the one who wronged her after all. We accepted why she wouldn't want to marry him, her parents weren't so keen. They thought we were irresponsible by not forcing them to wed, but what good would have come of it? It was better to just support them in their separate lives. Nobody is so worried about unmarried mothers and such anymore. Well no one except Michael Raymond and Orlaith has no choice but to go along in his wake.
"Anyway, that's me really long winded way of saying that I knew Zoë well and she would be proud of you Malachite. She knew how important the sibling bond was and would be happy to know that her sons were finally meeting, even if it is under such bad circumstances."
"Thank you." Mal whispered.
"I'm only speaking the truth." Neala said, tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll leave you to have a word with your brother."
Neala came to stand with Maggie and I once more as Mal bent his head, his hand pressed lightly to the cool stone of the little planter. Neala watched him with sympathetic brown eyes; I would have liked to know what she was thinking in that moment.
Mal finally straightened and rose to his feet. He picked up the remains of the bouquet to carry it to the bin. Then he returned to me. I took his hand and squeezed it. Mal smiled at me then placed his hand upon Aiden's head and kissed his forehead before kissing my forehead.
"Are you ok my Malachite?" I whispered.
He nodded his head.
"Would you prefer for me to drive on to Cork?" I offered.
Mal paused for a moment then nodded.
I smiled at him and stroked his cheek lightly.
"Then I will do so my love." I whispered and he smiled.
"Thanks bach." He whispered as he placed his forehead to mine then stepped away ready to return to the car.
I went to follow but thought about Neala, she didn't look the steadiest on her feet and the sky didn't look promising. She was also up here alone with nobody about, would she get home?
"Can we offer you a lift home?" I asked.
"Ah no." She said, waving her hand. "I got to speak to me boy, and this daily walk does me good. Clears out the old lungs and keeps the legs healthy."
"Very well." I replied. "It was nice meeting you Neala."
"You too." Neala replied. "Maybe we'll meet some day again."
"Yes." I agreed.
After a few more farewells Mal, Maggie and I made our way back to the car. I secured Aiden into his seat and Mal climbed into the back with him. Maggie took the front passenger seat this time to give Mal some space to think on the drive back to Cork.
"Do you know she was telling the truth?" Maggie observed.
"Her entire account?" I asked.
"Yeah. Michael wouldn't tell them where Aiden was buried. They did take Zoë under their wing and didn't care if she married Dom as long as they were both happy." Maggie confirmed.
"But the venom for which Orlaith spoke of them…" I began.
"Is it not possible that Orlaith may have been led to think they were bad?" Maggie opined.
"Perhaps, but could she be so clueless?" I asked.
"She could, or maybe she's deliberately clueless? Wouldn't you prefer to believe that it is everyone else that's to blame rather than your husband?" Maggie ventured.
"Perhaps." I stated, because truthfully I could not imagine Mal ever being so cold as Michael. "Although I would have divorced him."
"Yes, but the option is not available to her. Even if she wanted a divorce do you think Michael would give her one?"
"He would worry about the stigma." I realised.
"Yes." Maggie replied.
"Poor Orlaith." I said sadly. "An example if any that shotgun marriages can be a bad idea."
"Shotgun?" Maggie asked.
"She told me that they celebrated their sixty fifth wedding anniversary in December. If Brendan had not become a vampire would he not be celebrating his sixty-fifth birthday this coming June?"
"That he would." Maggie said and gasped. "That means she was three months gone when they wed. What a hypocrite that Michael is."
"Ah but they married and made things official in time." I observed.
"Still." Maggie said. "He isn't a nice man at all, how could he say all that about my Brendan? It's his own son and he could say such awful, wicked things. I understand now why Brendan wants nothing to do with him, but he forfeits his mother at the same time. That is the shame here."
"Yes." I agreed.
Mal moved in the back of the car, I was aware that he was upset but he was trying not to show it in front of Maggie. Whatever sombre state he wished to employ it would wait until we were alone. I realised that we would have to make our debriefing with Brendan very brief do that Mal could experience his grief in private.
It was brief because Aiden was restless. I wanted to get him somewhere for the night to settle him. Perhaps we could stay in Cork the night and travel onto Rosslare in the morning. When I suggested this to Mal he declined, he wanted to go onto Rosslare and head home in the morning. He wanted to be home to get his head together and all the better for Aiden if he was coming down with an illness.
I agreed with him. Mal stated that he would drive because Aiden needed my comfort at the moment; he knew that mother was best when one felt poorly. I had to agree with him and so climbed into the back strapping Aiden into his car seat once more although he didn't want to be in there. He was whimpering now, feeling sorry for himself and I did not anticipate the next two and a half hours of travel with much enthusiasm. I prayed we did not hit traffic.
After an hour of being unable to soothe him I took the decision to allow him his pacifier. It was for the sake of comfort now, not a means to alleviate his boredom.
"He has a temperature." I said, feeling his forehead. "Oh dear."
Mal was silent for a moment, and then spoke.
"I think we could make Rosslare by seven." He stated.
"Yes." I replied, snapping somewhat for I failed to see his point.
"Well, we could just go onto the seaport. We'd make the eight forty five crossing." He observed.
"But we will not arrive in Wales until almost one in the morning. Aiden will want his bed." I stated.
"He slept on the plane."
"Yes." I agreed.
"Then he can sleep in the car. And the crossing here is four hours, we could book a cabin so Aiden can get a little sleep." Mal continued.
"I'm not sure." I said, I merely wished for Aiden to be tucked up in bed safe for the night.
"If he's ill won't it be better to get him home and settled as soon as possible?" Mal asked.
"Yes." I replied. "But what you propose, we won't arrive home much before three in the morning."
"But we'll be home." Mal said sadly.
"Will you be able to drive for all that time?" I demanded.
"I'll try to sleep on the ferry. If I get an hour it will be ok." He stated.
I looked to Mal and then looked to Aiden who looked as if he was sulking as he sucked on his pacifier. He was coming down with cold and I didn't want to put him through another day of travelling. He would be better off at home.
"Very well. We will do as you suggest." I replied. "It will be much better to get Aiden home where I can nurse him properly."
"That's what I thought." Mal said.
"And…"
Mal looked at me in the rear view mirror.
"You wish to be home to arrange your thoughts in comfort. To sort them how you wish to without thought of travel and such there after." I stated.
"Yeah." Mal agreed.
"Then we should return home love as soon as possible."
"Thanks." Mal said with a smile, and he continued on the road to Rosslare.
To ensure that we got a crossing I took out my phone and rang the booking office. I soon had a cabin booked for us and we were able to board with little fuss in Rosslare. I settled Aiden onto the bottom bunk, placing pillows about him and sitting beside him to stop him rolling off the bed. He settled to sleep but he sounded a little wheezy, I wish I'd had some experience of being sick so that I could know what he was going through.
"All babies get colds." Mal soothed me as he sat in the chair beside the bunk as he held my hand.
"I know but…" I trailed off, my voice breaking with worry.
Mal laughed a little as he moved me to sit behind me and pull me against his chest.
"It's because we never get ill right? It makes everything seem worse?" He observed.
I nodded.
"I don't think I ever told you about the time I thought I killed Essie." He mused.
"No." I replied, turning to give him a curious look.
"Well it was just before the battle of La Push when I thought about using my telekinesis as a shield. I got Essie to test it with me and she was trying to break through it when it fizzled out and she face planted right on to a rock or something. She was bleeding everywhere and we don't hardly ever bleed unless it's really serious. For a second I thought sure I'd killed her."
"That was silly." I said with a giggle.
"I know, but I was still a kid at the time, and the only other time before that I saw Essie bleed she did nearly die." He explained.
"Then I understand why you would feel that way." I said softly as I stroked his hand. "I mostly wish that I had experienced a cold to know what Aiden is going through. I have no idea how to comfort him now."
"Don't be silly Eliza, of course you can comfort him. You're his mammy and he already knows that. Just you being near helps him." He said and kissed my neck.
"It will still be a tough few days." I observed.
"Yeah, but isn't that part of being a parent? For all the smiles and giggles and hugs, there's snot and vomit and sleepless nights." He said happily.
"What a lovely picture you paint my love." I mused.
"Well it's the truth." Mal said and he chuckled.
"Well yes." I agreed. "And talking of sleepless nights, are you not supposed to be catching an hour of sleep right now?"
"Yeah." He conceded.
"Then you should." I said firmly.
"I can sleep here." He said, settling back.
"I'm not so sure…Aiden is on the bed."
"You're right." He said and climbed from behind me. "I was being a stupid a moment. I'll go sleep on the top. Wake me in an hour or two."
"I will." I promised.
"And then you could have an hour before we reach Fishguard and hit the road again." Mal said firmly.
"I'll see how I feel in an hour." I stated, I wouldn't promise.
"Ok." He said, accepting my answer for now as he climbed up onto the top bunk. "See you in a bit."
"See you in a bit." I replied.
Soon the cabin was filled with the sound of Mal's snores and Aiden's much softer snores caused by his cold. I settled into the sound as I read my book, enjoying this moment of peace my boys could find before we had to face reality once more. For a moment I couldn't help but wish that we were already home and all of this was behind us, but there was much to discuss when we reached there and for the time being I would make the most of this calm reprieve.
Thank you for reading
Please review
Gemma x