I'll admit something...I'm in love with this story. The thing I love about it is that I can picture this town in my mind (and yes, I am aware that the real Collinstown looks nothing like this!) and when I'm writing...it's like I'm THERE!
Can't wait to get back to Ireland to stay. Left a part of my heart there two years ago.
BDSBDSBDSBDSBDSBDS
I watched the door of the pub like a hawk the next night, and the night after, and the night after, but neither of the MacManus brothers came through it and I found myself feeling utterly disappointed for some odd reason. Not like I knew them that well or anything, so why did I want them to come in so badly?
"Earth to Aby!" Liam Hart, one of my newer name-put-to-face customers waved his hand in front of my face and I blinked, tearing my eyes from the door to look at him with a ready smile.
"Sorry, Liam," I said with a small laugh, "I guess I zoned out there for a minute."
"Expecting someone in particular?" Liam asked with a wink. Liam was in his late fifties with graying temples and stereotypically bright blue eyes and one of those golf hats you see in pictures with old Irish men in them. I had liked him immediately when he introduced himself to me the first night he came in while I was working.
"Do you know Connor and Murphy MacManus?" I asked, not even knowing why exactly.
"I know of a Noah MacManus, has a sheep farm outside town," Liam said thoughtfully. "They related to him?"
"Not sure," I replied honestly, "They do live on a sheep farm..."
At that very moment, however, the bell above the door jingled and in walked the objects of my distraction, Connor and Murphy. Both of them immediately took their usual seats at the bar and I filled a glass of Guinness for Murphy and Killian's for Connor.
"Beautiful evening ain't it, lass?" Connor stated cheerfully as I set his drink down in front of him. "Gotta love that rain, aye?"
"It's raining again?" I asked, not really surprised.
"Aye, can't you tell?" Murphy shook his head, causing water droplets that had collected on his long hair and beard to fly everywhere. Liam laughed, paid for his drink and stood.
"Well then I'd best be getting home," he said, waving as he headed for the door.
"Bye, Liam," I called after him.
Connor and Murphy were in bright spirits this evening it seemed. They were joking around with each other about which one looked more like a hobo, Murphy was readily laughing tonight right along with Connor instead of being his usually silent self, Connor was doing all kinds of weird voices...if they hadn't just arrived I would have guessed they were drunk.
"My goodness, but you boys are in a good mood tonight!" I commented with a grin as I returned to the bar from refilling glasses around the room.
"Why shouldn't we be?" Connor asked with a grin, "I mean we're in a warm pub safe from the pouring rain with the prettiest barista in town serving us!"
I blushed slightly but diffused the compliment with a laugh.
"Oh, come off it," I replied, "I'm the ONLY barista in town."
"Doesn't make it any less true," Murphy stated in Connor's defense...and mine too, I guess.
"You're only saying that because I'm American and exotic," I joked, causing them both to choke on their beers simultaneously. They leaned back and started laughing and I realized they had very similar laughs, twins indeed.
"Exotic?" Murphy chuckled, "I wouldn't say that."
"Well she would be if we'd never been to America," Connor pointed out, "After you're there for while it loses its exotic feel."
Was it just my imagination or did Murphy's knee collide purposely hard with Connor's at that moment? I don't think it was, because Connor suddenly stopped talking and took a long drink.
"You guys have lived in America?" I asked, interested. Connor winced slightly but Murphy jumped right in.
"Aye," he replied, "For a few years. Our ma insisted on us gettin' out there and seein' the world. Said America was a good place to start."
"Well, not if you're American," I teased, "But which part did you guys go to?"
"California," Connor suddenly broke his silence and Murphy looked at him for a moment before nodding and taking a drink.
"California? That's it?" I asked incredulously, "Boys, you missed the best parts of America. To REALLY get a feel for it, you gotta come to the Midwest!"
"We'll keep that in mind if we ever go back," Murphy said with a smile, Connor cleared his throat.
I wasn't stupid, I could sense the discomfort of this discussion, but I wondered what it was that made them both seem nervous about discussing America.
"So," I decided to lay it all down, "What happened to make you not want to talk about your time in America? Did you get kicked out of the country?"
They both met my eyes with odd expressions, but Connor broke into a laugh.
"No, no," he said with a grin, "We left to come back home."
"Had to get back and help da with the farm, you know?" Murphy backed Connor up.
I decided to let the matter drop due to their obvious discomfort.
"You boys enjoy working on your farm?" I asked.
"It's alright," Connor shrugged, "Smelly, and sheep are stupid, but it's fairly simple work. We're sheering tomorrow."
"Yeah?" I asked, interested.
"Yep," Murphy said, setting down his now empty glass. I took it to the tap and refilled it. "Then on Thursday we'll be herding them to the sale in Robinstown."
"Herding them?" I leaned forward on the bar, "Like...on horseback? With Sheepdogs and such?"
"Aye," Connor nodded, "We're pretty old fashioned."
Murphy leaned back, pulled out a small drawstring bag and a metal box and started rolling a cigarette. I watched, fascinated at how he did it without even having to think about, with one hand. He licked the paper to seal it and lit it. The bittersweet smell of the smoke filled my senses and I wondered if it was possible to feel relaxed from the second hand smoke.
"Would it be presumptuous of me to ask if I could help with the sheering tomorrow?" I ventured to ask, awed by the smoke ring Murphy blew in my direction. I swept my hand through it with a grin.
"Ya want to sheer sheep on your day off?" Connor looked at me incredulously.
"I was born and raised on a farm, Connor," I explained, "Sometimes I miss it. I've sheered sheep before and I don't mind it at all!"
Connor looked over at Murphy, his eyes asking if this was acceptable, and Murphy shrugged and smiled slightly.
"If you want to, you're more than welcome to," he said to me, tapping the ashes of his cigarette onto the counter. That's just how you did it here at the Silver Vixen. "Another hand'll make less work."
I smiled, strangely excited about the concept of sheering sheep. The band began to play in the back of the room and I smiled as the song "Galway Girl" filled the room. I took Connor's now empty glass and turned to refill it, singing out loud as I pulled the tap open.
"You've got a lovely voice there, Aby," Connor commented and I turned to find the two of them looking at me with matching smiles.
"Aye, she does!" Murphy agreed cocking his head slightly to the right. "Why don't ya sing more often?"
"I sing plenty," I replied, handing Connor his glass, "You guys just aren't around when I do. I sing in the shower mostly."
I wanted to facepalm myself for saying something so stupid, but Connor just laughed loudly.
"Have you ever sung while sheering sheep?" he asked with a grin, "You'll have to give it a try tomorrow!"
We talked and joked all night and Connor even pulled me into the middle of the pub to dance with me when he'd gotten a little bit soused, but Murphy remained sober and calm...either that or he was a serious drunk. Towards the end of the night, Connor set his sights on a black haired girl that came in with her friend and waddled over to try and charm them with his drunken sweetness. Murphy and I leaned back on the bar to watch as he slid into the booth with the girls and started talking about sheep.
Finally Murphy rolled his eyes and slid off his barstool, he walked over to Connor and took him by his arm to pull him out of the booth.
"Sorry, ladies," he apologized for his brother, "He's had a wee bit much."
They girls assured him that they hadn't minded and Murphy dragged Connor back to the bar, sitting him on his stool and telling him in low tones to "sit the fuck down" and then drained his glass, keeping a grip on Connor's arm the whole time.
"I'm gonna take him home, Aby," he claimed, jerking his head at Connor. "See you tomorrow, yeah?"
"Of course!" I replied with a grin, "But...where?"
"I'll come get ya," Murphy said simply, "Can you be ready by six?"
"In the morning?!" I squeaked.
"Thought ya were raised on a farm?" Murphy teased, "Aye, in the morning. Gotta work with the light."
I sighed and laid my head on my folded arms on the counter.
"Yeah," I mumbled, "I can be ready by six."
"Well," Murphy pulled his brother off the stool and steadied him, "I'll see ya in the mornin' then. C'mon, brother."
I watched the two of them leave, Connor weaving and laughing, Murphy holding him tightly and grumbling at him. I wiped down the bar and sighed, waiting for the pub to close so I could get home and get some much needed sleep.
BDSBDSBDSBDSBDSBDS
This was meant to be longer but I figure I should make the next part a whole new chapter :) Coming soon! Review :D