That Night

'I want my Daddy…'

'I know ye do, baby.'

Everyone stayed at Lisa's that night. Connor and Rebecca were lying in bed together. Rebecca wore her Diesel lingerie. It suited her mood.

'Why did God do this?' whispered Rebecca.

'Do what?' asked Connor.

'Take my Daddy away,' said Rebecca, 'does he hate me?'

Connor jumped. He took Rebecca's face in his hands. He looked her dead in the eye.

'Rebecca Jane MacManus,' he said sternly, 'don't you ever say something like that. Ever.'

Rebecca closed her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

'Look at me,' said Connor, 'look at me.'

Rebecca lifted her head. She looked Connor right in the eye.

'God doesn't hate you,' said Connor, 'yer Da was sufferin'. He got shot righ' in tha heart. There's no way he woulda lived, Honey Bunny.'

Rebecca closed her eyes. She sobbed even harder.

'Come here,' said Connor, cuddling Rebecca close, 'come here.'

Rebecca buried her face in Connor's chest, sobbing hard. Her heart and spirit were shattered into pieces. Her Dad, her best friend, was gone.

Connor stroked Rebecca's hair. He whispered to her in Gaelic, attempting to calm her down.

'I miss him,' whispered Rebecca.

'I know ye do, baby,' said Connor, 'I know ye do.'

'He was my best friend, Connor,' whispered Rebecca, 'he was my best friend.'

'I know,' said Connor.

Rebecca cried until she could cry no more. Connor lay her against the pillows, hugging her close.

'Let me sing ye ta sleep, baby,' he said, 'close yer eyes.'

Rebecca sighed. She closed her eyes. Connor sang to her.

I know how the moon must feel looking down from the Heavens smiling at the silly things we put ourselves through

Missing magic each day and not seeing the wonder

That's how the moon must feel

I know how the moon must feel starting right and contented

Everything is beautiful as it all should be

Far away from it all, never meaning to hurry

That's how the moon must feel

From up there our worries must seem very small, maybe that is why he wears a smile

I'm sure he knows that there is more to life

Wish I could be him for a while

I know how the moon must feel looking down from the Heavens smiling at the silly things we put ourselves through

Missing magic each day and not seeing the wonder

That's how the moon must feel

I'm sure he knows that there is more to life

Wish I could be him for a while

I know how the moon must feel and I can't say I blame him smiling at the silly things we put ourselves through

Never taking the time, always running in circles

That's how the moon must feel

Meanwhile

Emily couldn't sleep. She looked over at her husband. Murphy was passed right out.

Slowly, Emily wriggled her way out of Murphy's arms. She snuck downstairs and broke into Lisa's wine cabinet.

Quietly, Emily opened a bottle of red wine. She took off her black silk nightgown to reveal her black bra and thong with red lace. She lit a fire and drank the wine out of the bottle, silently sobbing to herself.

Murphy groaned. He woke up to a half-empty bed. He looked around for Emily, but she wasn't there.

'Emykins?' he whispered.

Emily practically chugged the wine. Her eyeliner wasn't waterproof so it dyed her tears black and it ran down her cheeks.

Slowly, Murphy crawled out of bed. He put on his bathrobe and crept down the stairs.

'Emykins?' he whispered again, 'where are you?'

Emily had finished the first bottle of wine. She stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed another one, chugging it as she walked back into the living room.

Murphy stopped on one of the stairs. He peered into the living room.

Emily shook with silent sobs, taking swig after swig of her second bottle. She didn't care about cutting back. She wanted to die. She wanted to be with her dad.

Murphy watched her silently finish the second bottle. She grabbed a third, opened it, and swigged. That's when Murphy put up the red flag.

He walked down the remainder of the stairs. He stood behind Emily.

'Who's there?' whispered Emily.

'It's me.'

Emily turned around slowly. She looked up.

'Murphy?' she whispered.

'The hell are you doing?' asked Murphy, looking at the two empty wine bottles.

'I don't wanna live anymore,' hiccupped Emily, 'I wanna be with my dad.'

'What are ye sayin'?' asked Murphy.

'I'm trying to kill myself,' said Emily, holding up the wine bottle, 'slowly.'

Murphy didn't like the sounds of that at all. He snatched the wine bottle out of Emily's hands, ran to the kitchen, and poured it down the sink.

'What are you doing?' said Emily.

'This is fer yer own good!' said Murphy, 'I'm not allowin' this!'

Emily watched as Murphy grabbed the lock for the wine cabinet. He locked it and hid the key when Emily wasn't looking.

'Give me the wine, Murphy!' said Emily as he walked back into the living room, 'give it to me!'

'You think I'm stupid?' said Murphy, 'I'm not gonna allow you ta kill yerself. Yer my wife, Emily.'

Emily growled viciously. Before Murphy could even breathe, she lunged.

Both of them came crashing to the floor. Emily wrapped her hands tightly around Murphy's throat.

'Emily!' choked Murphy, 'stop!'

'GIVE ME THE WINE OR I'LL KILL YOU!' shrieked Emily.

'EMYKINS!' choked Murphy, 'EMYKINS!'

Emily squeezed harder. Murphy coughed. His face slowly began to turn blue.

'GIVE IT TO ME MURPHY!' said Emily.

'NO!' coughed Murphy.

'Why not?' said Emily.

'BECAUSE YER MY WIFE AN' I LOVE YOU!'

Emily snapped out of her drunk rage. She looked down at Murphy.

Emily released Murphy. She fell onto the floor, shaking.

Murphy coughed and spluttered as he caught his breath. His throat was bright red from where Emily was squeezing it.

Emily hid in a corner of the living room. She curled up in a ball, sobbing hysterically.

Finally, Murphy caught his breath. He looked over at his cowering wife.

Emily was scared that Murphy was gonna hurt her. She cowered even more now at the thought.

Slowly, Murphy walked closer to Emily. He stood a few feet away from her.

'Emykins?'

Emily didn't answer. She sobbed harder now.

'Come here,' said Murphy, 'come to Murphykins.'

'You're gonna hurt me…' whispered Emily, 'you're gonna hurt me…'

Those four words sent ice through Murphy's soul. She said those exact same words after the rescue. He hated it.

'Yer doin' this again?'

Emily looked up at Murphy. Her cheeks were pitch black from her running makeup.

'What?'

'Ye did tha same thing after Connor an' I rescued ye an' Rebecca,' said Murphy, 'ye should know by now I'm not gonna hurt ye.'

Emily watched as Murphy slowly went down on his knees. He opened his arms.

'Come here,' he said in a gentle tone, 'come ta Murphy.'

Emily hesitated slightly. Slowly, she crawled towards Murphy.

'That's it,' coaxed Murphy, 'come here, Emykins.'

Emily, slowly but surely, crawled into Murphy's lap. She melted against his body as he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

'I'm sorry, Murphykins…' she sobbed, 'I'm sorry…'

'I think ye shouldn't drink anymore,' said Murphy as he gently rocked his wife back and forth, 'bad enough ye had a bad hangover after St. Paddy's Day.'

Emily sobbed harder. She buried her face in Murphy's chest, shaking like a leaf.

'Tá sé ceart go leor cailín leanbh,' whispered Murphy, rocking Emily back and forth, 'Tá gach rud ag dul a bheith ceart go leor.'

Emily sobbed harder. She was sobbing so hard it became strangled.

'Tá sé ceart go leor,' whispered Murphy, stroking Emily's hair, 'Tá tú sábháilte anois.'

'I'm such a horrible person…' sobbed Emily, 'I'm sorry…'

'Yer not a horrible person, baby,' said Murphy, 'yer just grieving, love.'

'I want my Daddy…' sobbed Emily, 'I want my Daddy…'

'I know ye want him, Angel Baby,' said Murphy, 'I know.'

Emily sighed.

Murphy got up and walked to the kitchen. He grabbed a face cloth, wet it down and put soap on it. He walked into the living room.

'Come here,' he said, 'yer face is black.'

Emily sighed as Murphy washed the eyeliner off her face. When he was done, he cradled her in his arms.

'I want to find the bastards who did this,' said Emily, 'I want to kill them.'

'We'll find out who did this,' said Murphy, 'I promise.'

Emily sighed. She rested her head on Murphy's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

'Ye want me ta sing to ye?' asked Murphy.

Emily nodded.

The whispers in the morning of lovers sleeping tight

Are rolling like thunder now

As I look in your eyes

I hold on to your body and feel each move you make

Your voice is warm and tender

A love that I could not forsake

'Cause you're my lady and I am your man

Whenever you reach for me

I'll do all that I can

Lost is how I'm feeling lying in your arms

When the world outside's too much to take

That all ends when I'm with you

Even though there may be times it seems I'm far away

Never wonder where I am

'Cause I am always by your side

'Cause you're my lady and I am your man

Whenever you reach for me

I'll do all that I can

We're heading for something

Somewhere I've never been

Sometimes I am frightened

But I'm ready to learn of the power of love

The sound of your heart beating made it clear

Suddenly the feeling that I can't go on

Is light years away

'Cause you're my lady and I am your man

Whenever you reach for me

I'll do all that I can

We're heading for something

Somewhere I've never been

Sometimes I am frightened

But I'm ready to learn of the power of love

Murphy looked down at Emily. She had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled and kissed Emily on the forehead.

'Aisling Sweet, Siúcra dumpling,' he whispered, 'Is breá liom tú.'