Chapter 38 Many thanks to everyone for thier patience with this story. After the holidays, my computer crashed and I couldn't get it fixed in a timely manner. Also, many thanks to those who PM'd me if I was alright. Your kindness and concern is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this section with Mike...

Sunday Siblings

Michael was awake on the couch, bedding folded neatly and sipping a cup of coffee. I went to him and sat on his lap, linking my arms around his neck. "Thank you for not killing them. Or me for that matter," I added wryly.

"I love you, Sis. Doesn't mean I have to like it that there are two of them. But they seem nice enough and though they didn't say it in front of me, I think they care a lot about you." He grinned at me, showing even white teeth and ruffling my hair. "They're a little odd though with all that Irish pagan shit mixed with the heavy Catholicism." I glanced at the empty nails on the wall.

"They went to Mass, didn't they?"

"Yep. Out the door at 5:45. I thought hockey players could move quietly. These boys of yours are silent as ghosts. If they hadn't argued over who was going to make coffee, I wouldn't have heard them." I smiled involuntarily; of course they had. They couldn't go through a day without some form of dissent.

"Speaking of pagan shit," I said, digging in my pocket. "Do you know what this is meant to be?" I held the little bundle of herbs out in my hand. They were somewhat the worse of wear after residing under my pillow over night and being wrapped tightly with red, white, and green thread. I had found them, limp and curled under my pillow this morning when I made the bed. Michael was in the process of automatically reaching for them when he pulled his hand back, a frown creasing his brow. He leaned forward and sniffed with surprising delicacy for a man his size and temperament. I looked at him curiously.

"Don't know the exact greenery there, but I might know what it is," He said diffidently. He watched me closely his expression warring between trepidation and laughter. "Did you dream of them? Last night?"

"I did. I almost always do. It's hard not to, wrapped up between them." I sighed, wishing this admission to my brother didn't embarrass me. I pressed on though. "I know the herbs. They're yarrow and St. John's Wort. Connor had Murphy get them yesterday at the market. But why would they tie it up like this and put it under my pillow?"

"It's a love philter."

"Filter?" I asked, confused.

"Did you not take ancient history in college? All that education wasted at BC, one of the finest institutions of higher learning in America." Michael was outright laughing at me now, shaking his head in disbelief, though he still wouldn't touch the bit of greenery in my hand. He finally took pity on me and explained. "It's a philter, a love charm, Sis. I think your boys are practicing a love divination on you."

"Oh shit," I said, realization dawning. The shock of it loosened my tongue. "They already know I love them. Are they trying to ensure I remain in love with them? Is that what you think?"

"I do. It's supposed to be you who put it under your pillow, but if you didn't do it, they most certainly had to, devious little fuckers."

"They're the MacManus brothers," I agreed. "Twelve years old half the time and an ancient soul the other half." I was smiling hugely. I was inordinately pleased they would go to such effort and I stood to tuck the little bundle in a book to press and dry. "Since you know so much, still retaining some smarts after all those concussions, what do the colors mean? I know white is for peace."

"Oh fuck you, Saoirse. I only had two concussions last season. And I don't think the white is for peace." Michael shook his head and took a sip of coffee. He had a point. The brothers were the least peaceful pair I had ever met. He came up behind me, laying his hands on my shoulders.

"Red is for love. That one is obvious. Green is for constancy, Saoirse. And I think, in this case, white is for purity."

"The other definition of purity could be truth?" I asked hesitantly.

"Seems likely, in this case." He sighed and shifted and I turned to face him, leaning on the windowsill.

"Go ahead and say it, Mike." I was resigned to the lecture that had to be coming.

"So, you're set on this? On them? It's only been a couple of weeks," Mike paused. I carefully closed the book on my philter and held it against my chest.

"I am. I don't think," I paused, looking down. "I don't think love should be dismissed when it happens. It isn't something that can be compelled or summoned," I smiled wryly, "Though Connor and Murph don't seem to be taking the chance that it can't. They haven't outright said they love me, but I, well, I think they do." Michael looked at me skeptically and I hastened to add a caveat.

"They haven't told me in English yet." I admitted. There was no way I could tell Michael they saw me in a dream when they were barely out of childhood.

"I watched them last night, Sis. They do, but they may take a good long while to say it." Michael smiled at me and shrugged, indicating he was a man too and would know these things. "You going to tell mom and dad?"

"I gotta, Mike. It's not a choice. I love them both. They're like two halves of one person." I looked up into his face, the face of my beloved sibling and held his gaze for a moment, willing him to understand. "You see that?"

"I do." He laughed a little, rubbing a hand across the black stubble on his face. "I see it in you, in them. You always did things your way, since you were a tiny girl. Mom will probably take it okay, but you know Dad is going to flip his lid that you have two boyfriends."

"I know. I won't back away from it though. He'll just have to get used to it." Michael grimaced at this, but I knew he would support me.

"It'll be an uphill battle, but I doubt he'll disown you," He smiled at me wryly and sighed. "Better go look at the table then." He nodded towards my kitchen table where the boys had made me put the food out last night. I gave a start of surprise and walked to the plate I had left last night. Instead of bread and cheese, my green apple was in the center with the claddagh ring resting next to it.

"Did they drink the beer this morning before church?" I asked giggling a little, trying to cover, trying not to see what was and wasn't there. My heart sped up in my chest.

"They did, funny bastards. Shared it." Mike came to stand behind me, looking down at the empty plate, except for the ring and the apple. "You know what they're doing to you?"

"What, Mike?" I couldn't tear my eyes from the apple and the ring.

"Sis, I'm pretty sure that's a promise ring," He laughed, "From both of them. You going to touch it? You probably ought to. I can see something engraved on the inside of it." I hesitantly picked up the ring, turning it towards the light to see what Connor had engraved on the inside. It was the only possible explanation, his abrupt departure yesterday so aberrant.

"Oh!" I said, tears starting in my eyes.

"What's it say?" Michael put his hands on my shoulders, steadying me.

"It says Shine…until Tomorrow."

oOo

Midsummer's Day

The leaves of the trees were in full form, flowers everywhere. We sat in the park again, the boys practicing their Latin after seeing Michael to the station. His leave-taking was bitter-sweet. I wished he lived closer and I know the boys felt the same way, I could tell by the heartfelt goodbyes. At some point in the last 24 hours, they had forged a bond, one that might even turn into friendship if given time, proximity, and care. I waved at him, smiling hugely as his train pulled out of the station. When I turned, it was to see the boys standing together, talking quietly among themselves. It triggered a memory of this morning.

They'd returned to the apartment after Mass, but knocked instead of using their keys. When I opened the door, I was dumbfounded. They were pushing and shoving each other good-naturedly, both vying to stand directly in the middle of the doorway.

"What the fuck?" I asked.

"Which one o'us did de see first, Lass?"

"She saw me first!"

"Ah," I rubbed a finger down my nose, trying to decipher their antics.

"Well, which one?" Connor asked impatiently. I stepped back, laughing.

"I saw you both. Like usual. You're kind of hard to ignore." Murphy caught his brother off guard, pushing him just slightly off-balance, and stepped over the threshold first, wrapping me in a bear hug and kissing me thoroughly, tongue sliding against mine in a slow duet. Connor stepped forward, lifting my left hand, a huge grin splitting his face at the sight of their ring, heart toward my heart seated snugly on my left finger.

"Dat'll do, Lass. Let her go, Murph. I want a kiss too."

Michael just smiled and turned back to the morning news show, muttering something to the effect that pagan rituals didn't always work as planned, but that they could flip a coin if it ever came down to it.