Revelations

The house was oddly silent when Emily walked in the front door and dropped her go bag on the floor. "Hello?" she called into the silence. "Anyone home?"

A silent house with a five year old simply didn't happen, the two did not coexist, it was just a fact of life. So, she couldn't exactly be blamed that her immediate reaction was to jump to the worst possible conclusion, a bubble of panic bursting in her chest. Or maybe she'd just been in law enforcement too long. Either was possible.

Then came a little giggle and she let out a sigh of relief. Suspicion followed shortly after. Giggles like that never meant anything good. The gentle 'shush' that followed did nothing to ease her suspicions.

She followed the sounds down the hall, not sure what to expect, but fully anticipating chaos like only a five year old and his immature father could create without her supervision.

As she approached, Ian poked his head around the corner of the living room. "You're home!" he said, a little too cheerfully. He grinned too wide, looking like the Cheshire Cat. He rushed forward to wrap her in his arms and it didn't escape her that he was using his body to block her view of the inside of the living room.

"What's going on?' she asked, quirking a brow, craning her neck to try to get a look at what he was hiding.

"Nothing," he answered too quickly. Another giggle.

"Ian..." she said warningly.

"Promise you won't get mad?"

Nothing good ever followed those words. "Ian..." she said, voice low and displeased.

Before he could say anything to appease her, Declan let out a small, "Oops..." and a small grey blur dashed towards her and ricocheted off her leg, barking enthusiastically. Declan came racing in afterwards, looking sheepish.

"Is that a dog?" she asked, deadpan, face the picture of unimpressed.

"His name is Tafann!" Declan exclaimed, oblivious.

Ian pasted on his best innocent face like he'd had absolutely nothing to do with their sudden acquisition of a dog.

"Since when do we have a dog?" she asked, pausing after each word for emphasis.

"Since this morning," Ian said with a shrug as if it couldn't have been helped. "Declan found him in a box at the side of the road and was immediately attached. I just couldn't bear to part him from the boy. I had a dog just like him as a child."

"Who are you and what have you done with Ian Doyle?"

"It's just a puppy, what harm could it do? It'll teach the boy some responsibility." He waved away her concern.

"Declan is five. That's too young for a puppy – especially an Irish Wolfhound. Don't they grow to weigh over a hundred pounds? That's twice his size!"

"It'll be fine," Ian insisted.

"Isn't he cute, Mommy?" Declan asked, picking up the squirming puppy with some difficulty.

"Adorable," she said, smiling tenderly at the boy. She found it exceedingly difficult to be mad at the child when she loved him so much (and technically he hadn't done anything wrong...it was Ian who should have known better).

"Pet him!" Declan insisted.

"I'm not really a dog person..." she protested.

"Pet him!" He shoved the dog into her arms before she could protest further.

The dog squirmed a little before settling its head against her chest with a contented sigh. Emily bit her lip, wanting to be annoyed, but finding it very difficult at the moment.

"I don't have time to look after a dog," she said, but it was weak.

"You won't have to," Ian promised. "Declan will do most of the work."

"I really don't think..."

He silenced her with a kiss. "You always did worry too much."

"Fine," she relented. "But when..."

"If."

"When this goes wrong, it's your responsibility."

He grinned foolishly, knowing he'd won. "I told you she'd be okay with it, son."

Emily rolled her eyes and, while the boys celebrated, she nuzzled her nose into the puppy's soft fur.

"Good night, buddy," Emily murmured, kissing the boy on his forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too, Mommy." She stood to leave, but he called out, "Wait! Aren't you going to kiss Tafann good night?"

"I'm not kissing the dog good night," she said flatly.

"Why not?" Declan asked innocently. "Don't you like him? He loves you!"

"I'm not kissing the dog," she insisted.

He pouted and batted his eyes at her. "Please?"

Emily groaned. "Why?"

"He's part of the family," he said seriously. "So, you have to love him."

"Do I have to?" Declan nodded. She sighed. "Fine." She reluctantly kissed the dog's forehead; the dog responded by happily licking her face. "Gross!"

Declan squealed with laughter. "Tafann loves you!"

Emily just rolled her eyes. "Time for bed, crazy kid." When she closed the door behind her, Ian was struggling not to laugh. She punched him in the shoulder. "It isn't funny!"

"It's a little funny," he insisted.

"Why did you have to get him a dog?"

"He misses you when you're at work," Ian said gently. "And I thought that maybe a puppy might help him feel less lonely." He watched her face fall and instantly regretted his words. "Emily, no...you have to work. Declan will be fine."

"I should have explained it to him better," she said softly. "Why I have to go away. Why I have to leave him."

"He's a smart boy, he'll understand with time."

She chewed anxiously on her thumb nail. "I just don't want him to think I'm abandoning him. I always want him to know he matters to me."

He grabbed her wrist to stop her anxious fidgeting, wrapping her hand in his. "He knows."

"Promise?"

"Of course. You're his mother – the only one he's ever known. You have to work to secure his future, that's what a good mother does."

"You think I'm a good mother?" she asked, smiling coyly.

"I know so. In fact, I'm so sure that I want to have a dozen more children with you." He smirked mischievously.

"That seems a little improbable."

"Maybe just a handful, then." He kissed her soundly.

She laughed into the kiss. "Maybe we should go practice?" she suggested, smirking.

"I like the way you think," he agreed enthusiastically, tugging her hand to lead her towards the bedroom.