Ireland
The days passed until they arrived at the dock and Sibeal stood near the railing while the wind moved through him. He watched as the men brought the coffin out of the hold and he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks. He had opened the coffin to see if the mortician had dressed Noah in the suit that he had sent him and he nearly collapsed near the coffin from grief.
"Uncle," made him turn as he looked at the twins and Murphy was sitting in a wheelchair. They were wearing black suits, white shirts, black ties, black leather belts and black shoes and Murphy was wearing a walking boot on his left leg.
"Nephews," he said with a nod while Angelica pushed the wheelchair toward him and he saw the sadness in the twins' eyes.
"Let's go," Connor said. He followed the men down the gangplank as they headed for the hearse and Angelica helped Murphy to his feet. She handed Murphy the metal cane as he nodded and Sibeal noticed the concern on her face. Nodding, Sibeal walked next to Murphy as they headed down the gangplank and Angelica sighed.
Saint Michael's Church
"Christ, look at th'state of you," was the first thing Annabelle MacManus said when she saw her sons and Connor and Murphy gave her an amused look.
"Lord's name, Mother," Connor warned and she laughed, lightly slapping his left shoulder before he leaned down to kiss her cheek. She looked at Murphy as he looked at the church and she placed her left hand on his right upper arm.
"Come here," she said in a soft voice. He moved closer as Annabelle hugged him and he started to cry. She rubbed his back while Connor blinked the tears away then she moved back to look at Murphy. "Let's get you inside an' off that leg."
Nodding, Murphy let Annabelle hold onto him as they walked to the church, but the twins ignored the looks people were giving them.
Once inside, Annabelle led the twins to the front of the church and she helped Murphy sit on the pew. Connor turned to watch the people sitting on the other pews after he had sat down and most of them gave him a small nod.
"Turn 'round," Annabelle whispered. He turned around as he looked at the coffin while Sibeal walked to the pulpit then Sibeal cleared his throat and the chapel became quiet. He started the service as he looked at the congregation and he heard some sniffing, coughing and whispers. He glanced to Annabelle, who was glaring at the coffin, and the twins when he stood straighter and he sighed.
"Now, I think Noah's sons should come up here an' say a few words," Sibeal said. Connor and Murphy looked at each other then they looked at their uncle, slowly stood and Murphy held the handle of the metal cane in his left hand. Connor helped his twin up the steps then they crossed themselves before they stood side-by-side at the pulpit and they looked at the congregation.
"Hullo," Connor started as he looked down at his feet for a few seconds then he raised his head. "I'm… I'm not sure what t'say about someone we only knew fer th'first two years of our lives. All we knew… All we knew was he was there then he was gone. An' fer th'longest time… Fer th'longest time… My brudder an' I thought it was our fault that he left."
Connor paused to look at his twin as Murphy looked down at his feet and Connor felt the sadness and guilt moving through him. He moved Murphy closer to his right side as Murphy slid his left arm around Connor's waist and they heard the coughing and sniffing. The congregation waited for them to speak when Connor sighed and he shook his head.
"Even though we didn't have a da around. It didn't mean our mother failed in raisin' us."
The twins looked at their mother as she gave them a sad smile and she wiped the tears away with the back of her right hand.
"True, we didn't make things easy fer her…"
A nervous sound of giggling and snorts of laughter filled the room and Annabelle smiled at Connor.
"But th'one thing she did install in us was t'live our lives th'way we wanted and th'hell with what other people thought."
The congregation muttered to each other while Connor paused and Murphy looked at the congregation.
"Most of you must've had some idea t'what our da did fer a livin'. I'm not talkin' about him bein' a great furniture maker. I am talkin' about his secret life. A life he never wanted us t'be a part of. But I guess th'Lord had other plans. Do we have regrets? Aye, we do."
Connor looked at the coffin as a large lump grew in his throat and he sighed. He looked down at his feet while Murphy felt the guilt and sadness coming from his twin and he gently rubbed Connor's back.
"I don't…," Murphy started after a few seconds then he paused and he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I don't remember that much when it comes t'Da. That's why it took a few seconds fer me t'recognize him when we were reunited. I will tell you this. When he touched my face… When we locked eyes…. It was like th'floodgates opened up in my head an' my heart. All th'pain… All th'anger…. It came back so hard, I thought I was gonna beat th'shit outta him. What stop me was this conversation we had later on. He… He let me… Let my brudder… He let us talk. We told him everythin'. Once we did… I admit I felt better. He talked, too. Told us things we didn't know. Told us he never fergot us. Told us he loved us."
Murphy paused to wipe the tears away with the back of his right hand and he sniffed. Connor nodded his head while Murphy sighed and Connor looked up.
"I know what our da did was out fer vengeance, but please don't condemn him fer it. He was a good man. A good friend. A good husband. And…a good father," Connor said as he pulled Murphy into a careful embrace and the coughing and whispers filled the air. They didn't move for a long time as the tears rolled down their cheeks and Connor cupped the back of Murphy's head in his left hand. They finally moved back when Connor helped Murphy down the steps as they walked back to Annabelle and they sat down. Sibeal finished the service while Annabelle held onto her sons' hands and the twins placed their heads on her shoulders.
After the service, Annabelle, Connor and Murphy accompanied Sibeal to the crematorium and they watched while the coffin was placed in the incinerator. A few minutes later, they walked outside while Annabelle held the box with the urn filled with Noah's ashes and Sibeal opened the door to the car he had rented. Connor helped Murphy into the car then he got in the car and Sibeal closed the door. Annabelle looked at the box while fighting the urge to smash the urn to the ground and let the wind take the ashes moved through her and she frowned.
"Annie, we have t'go," Sibeal said in a soft voice and she nodded. She got in the car as he handed her the box then he got in the car and he closed the door. He glanced in the review mirror as he looked at the twins sitting side-by-side with their heads together then he sighed, started the engine and the car headed down the drive.
The homestead
Connor and Murphy stood in front of the shack while Sibeal helped Annabelle out of the car and she held the box with the urn in her hands. She looked at the small shack then at her sons and her mind tried to comprehend them living in that shack for eight years.
"Noah, you son of a bitch, how could you do this t'them?" she thought.
"Do you have any idea where we should spread th'ashes?" Sibeal asked.
"We should flush 'em down th'fuckin' loo," Annabelle grumbled.
"Mother," Connor said. He turned as he walked to her and he removed the box from her hands. He looked at the box when he turned to look at Murphy, but his brother hadn't move. "You ready, Murph?"
Murphy didn't hear him. His mind was replaying the first time he had seen the shack and how angry he was when Noah told him they this was now their home.
"What are you talkin' about?! We're not stayin' here!"
"Aye, you are."
"Bullshit! Once things die down, Connor an' I… We're goin' back t'Boston!"
"No, you're not."
'Aye, we…"
"Murph. That's enough."
"But…"
"No."
"Murphy, answer yer brudder," Annabelle said. Murphy turned slowly to look at them when he looked around their surroundings with his eyes and he sighed.
"You go. I need some air," Murphy said.
"We're outside. You got all th'air you need," Connor said as he tried to get Murphy to smile, but Murphy slowly walked away and Connor sighed.
"Let's go," Annabelle said.
They headed off toward the fence while Connor opened the gate and they walked through the tall grass. They walked for a long time until Connor stopped and he placed the box on the ground. He watched Sibeal open the box after Sibeal knelt down and he removed the urn from the box. Standing, Sibeal opened the lid as he looked at the ashes and he blinked the tears out of his eyes. He said a small prayer before he tipped the urn over and the ashes flew into the wind.
Annabelle looked at Connor when she moved closer and she carefully hugged her son.
"Let it out," she whispered and Connor started crying. She rocked him as Connor whimpered and she rubbed his back.
A few minutes passed until he calmed down and he moved back, wiping the tears from his eyes. Sibeal handed him a clean handkerchief as Connor used the handkerchief to blow his nose and they walked away. As they came closer to the shack, Connor looked around while Annabelle held him and Connor wondered where Murphy was.
The shack
Murphy had gone to the paddock after he had left Connor, Annabelle and Sibeal and he was surprised to see the sheep were gone. So were the horses.
He went in the shack then he went in the bedroom where he and Connor slept for eight years and he was on the bed, resting on his back. He wasn't tried as much as he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts and he looked up at the crossed beams of wood overhead. He had let his mind replay certain times during their exile and he had broken down and cried several times. He finally closed his eyes as he did the relaxation exercise Angelica had taught him and he took a deep breath, held it then he slowly let it out.
"Why? Why did you have t'die?" he whispered, opening his eyes.
"It wasn't like I had a fuckin' choice," startled him when Murphy looked at the doorway then he got out of bed. He limped to the doorway as he held onto the doorframe and his eyes slightly widened when he saw Noah sitting at the table. "Hullo."
"Uh…," Murphy said when he looked back at the bed and he wondered if he was dreaming or he had finally lost his mind. He slowly headed to the table while he held onto his right elbow to support his arm and he looked at Noah.
"Take a seat."
Murphy sat on his usual chair at the table as he straightened his left leg then he looked at his father. They sat in silence when Noah sat a little straighter and Murphy waited for him to speak.
"How's yer leg?" Noah asked and Murphy looked down at his left leg.
"How did he know about that?" Murphy thought.
"It hurts, but nothin' I can't handle," Murphy said with a small shrug of his left shoulder.
"You always were th'tough one. Connor? He barely bumped his head into summat while crawlin' and he would start cryin' like he was bein' tortured."
"Ma told me that, but I'm not that tough."
"Are you sure?" Noah asked, arching his eyebrows up.
"I was in there cryin' like some baby jus' a short while ago."
"That's because you're grievin'. Nothin' t'be ashamed of."
"I wasn't just grievin'. I'm fuckin' pissed off."
"About what?"
"About everythin'!" Murphy said while standing up and he held his right elbow against his side. He slowly limped back and forth as he shook his head and Noah crossed his arms over his chest.
"Calm yerself."
Nodding, Murphy sat back down when he snorted a breath of air then he looked at Noah.
"Was Uncle really supposed t'take over lookin' after us when you died?" Murphy asked.
"It was up t'him…or you."
"You mean we could have jus' left here an' go back t'Boston?"
"If that's where you wanted t'go," Noah said. They became silent as they looked at each other and Murphy sat back in the chair.
"It wasn't so bad. Livin' in Boston, I mean. Aye, it was borin' at times, but it was home," Murphy said.
"Yer home was here."
"You mean livin' with Ma?"
"Aye."
"You're right, but Connor an' I wanted t'live somewhere else. T'have a home of our own. Isn't that what kids do? Leave th'nest?"
"Aye, they do."
They sat in silence for a long time when Murphy thought about something and he sighed.
"Did… Did it hurt?" Murphy asked as he tilted his head to one side. "I mean when you died?"
"It did, but then there was this sense of peace. It was like summat I never felt before."
Yawning, Murphy slowly stood up and Noah followed him. He walked closer as Murphy started feeling like he was going back to sleep and Noah hugged him.
"I do love you, Murphy. You an' Connor," Noah whispered. Murphy leaned his head against Noah's head as he tightened the hug and Murphy felt the tears in the corners of his eyes.
"We love you, too, Da. But it's still ain't fair. We need you," he whispered and Noah started rocking him.
"No. You're gonna be fine. Both of you."
"No… No… We're not."
"Aye, you are. You… Both of you… You're th'baddest assholes out there. Don't you ever ferget that."
Murphy snorted a laugh when he yawned and he closed his eyes. He felt Noah letting go of him as he sank into the darkness and Murphy lightly moaned.
"Murph? Can you hear me?" Connor asked and Murphy opened his eyes. He saw he was back in bed as he blinked the tears from his eyes then he moved his eyes to look at Connor. Connor could feel the sadness and grief coming from his twin and he carefully helped Murphy sit up.
"Is he alright?" Annabelle asked from the doorway. When they had come back to the shack, Connor had felt something was wrong and he had gone to their bedroom.
"Aye. He's fine."
"Don't bullshit me. Move," she said as she walked in the room and Connor slowly stood up. Annabelle sat on the edge of the bed as she looked at Murphy and she held her arms out. Murphy leaned into her as Annabelle held her son and Murphy started crying again. "That's it. Let it out."
She rocked Murphy until he calmed down then she moved him back. Connor had gone to get a handkerchief when she used the handkerchief to wipe Murphy's eyes and nose and Murphy lightly smiled.
"Sorry," Murphy muttered. He knew she didn't like for him or Connor to cry and she lightly tapped her fingers against his chest,
"No, you have all right t'cry," Annabelle said.
"Uh… I hate t'interrupt, but we have t'go," Sibeal said and she turned to look at him.
"Are you fuckin' kiddin'?!"
"But…"
"No buts," she said as she let go of Murphy, got off the bed and she stormed toward Sibeal. "I haven't seen nor been with my sons in eight years. Eight years!"
"Annie…"
"No! Neither you nor Noah gave a fuck about what I was goin' through! I had t'tell people it wasn't my sons who killed that man! My sons are good boys! They are nothin' like their father!"
"They are like him."
"Bullshit! And neither of you had th'right t'decide what happens t'them! Neither of you! An' yet… An' yet th'two of you decided they would be safer here! Away from their home! Away from people they knew! Away from their lives! Away from me!"
Connor and Murphy walked to her when they slid their arms around their mother and it was her turn to cry. Sibeal watched them while the guilt built up in his chest and he sighed.
"We have t'go," Sibeal said.
"Aye," Connor said as he moved back and he held out his left hand toward Annabelle.
"Let's go," Murphy said, taking Annabelle's left hand in his.
"Hold on. She can't…," Sibeal said then he became silent after the look the twins gave him. They left the room while he looked around the main room and he watched them go outside. "Damn it, Noah. I hope you're happy."
Safe Haven
The car pulled up to the gangplank while Smecker watched them and he frowned when Connor helped Annibelle out of the car.
"What the hell!?" Paul grumbled. He watched Sibeal walk up the gangplank as he walked to Smecker and Smecker frowned. "Who is that!?"
"That's is their mother," Sibeal said as he watched Connor and Annabelle walk up the gangplank and Murphy was leaning against the car. "We're gonna need a wheelchair. Murphy's leg is botherin' him."
"Then go get one," Paul said. Nodding, Sibeal headed for the door as he went inside and Connor led Annabelle to Smecker. "Hello."
"Who's this asshole?" Annabelle asked, looking at Connor.
"This is Agent Smecker," Connor said.
"He's th'one who got you into this mess?"
"Uh… Aye."
Smecker didn't have time to move as Annabelle punched him in the stomach hard enough for him to fall to his knees and he felt like he was going to be sick.
"Way t'go, Ma!" Murphy called out and she looked at him, giving him a smile.
the infirmary
"Slow down, you fuckin' eejit!" made Romeo and Angelica look at the doorway as the doors opened and Connor pushed the wheelchair into the room. Annabelle followed them as Angelica walked closer and Murphy looked at her.
"What happened?" Angelica asked, kneeling down next to the wheelchair.
"My leg hurts," Murphy said and Annabelle noticed the concerned look in Angelica's eyes.
"Who's she?" Annabelle asked.
"This is Doctor Traynor," Connor said then he looked at Angelica. "This is our mother."
"Hello, Mrs. MacManus," Angelica said as she stood up.
"Hullo," Annabelle said then she looked at Romeo. "Who's he?"
"That's Romeo," Murphy said.
"Oh. Right. Yer Mexican," she said then she looked at Angelica. "Don't you feed these boys? They're nearly bone thin."
"Yes, we feed them," Angelica said and Annabelle snorted a breath of air.
"Where's the kitchen?" Annabelle asked, looking at Connor.
"Follow me," Connor said and he led her out of the room.
"Sorry. She can be a little pushy," Murphy said and Angelica nodded. She pushed the wheelchair toward the hospital bed as the door opened and Angelina walked in the room. She saw Romeo was smiling about something as she walked to the bed and he looked at her.
"What's so funny?" Angelina asked in a soft voice.
"Murphy and Connor are back. They're brought their mom with 'em. She accused Doctor Traynor of not feeding us so Connor took her to the kitchen," Romeo said. She sat on the chair next to the bed while she looked over at Murphy and she smiled.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm good," Romeo said with a nod. He noticed the shy look in her eyes as he titled his head to one side and he pressed his lips into a thin line. He had a feeling that women preferred Connor or Murphy over him and he looked down at his hands.
"What's wrong?" she asked and he looked up.
"It's nothing."
"No. Tell me."
"Look…," he said as he carefully sat up a little straighter. "I'm not stupid. I know Connor and Murphy are magnets when it comes to women…."
"Well, I admit they are cute, but so are you."
"Did I just say that out loud?" she thought as Romeo's eyes slightly bugged out.
"You….? You think I'm cute?!" he asked as he pointed at himself.
"Yeah."
"Fuck."
They became silent as she took his right hand into her left hand and they wrapped their fingers together.
Angelica noticed the small smile on Murphy's face while she examined his left calf and she turned her head to look at what he was looking at.
"They make a cute couple," Angelica whispered.
"Aye," Murphy whispered and she saw the sadness in his eyes.
"Want to talk about it?"
"What?"
"Want to talk about the funeral?"
"Uh…"
"It's ok."
Nodding, Murphy told her about the funeral and his dream and she nodded.
"Why do you think I saw him?" he asked.
"You needed to say goodbye to him. It happens. I dreamt about my father after he died."
"He died?"
"Yeah. It was a few years ago," she said and he noticed she didn't want to talk about it. "Anyway, it was nice to see him again."
"Aye, it was," he said with a nod then he looked at his left leg. "Am I ok?"
"Yes, you're fine."
"No… I'm not."
"Want a hug?"
"I wouldn't say no."
He moved over a little on the bed as she sat down and she hugged him. He placed his head against hers as she rubbed the back of his head and he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks.