Mary-Kate's POV:
Although most people don't often refer to me as such, my birth name is Maureen Katherine MacManus. I was named after the legendary screen actress Maureen O'Hara by my mother, who has been the strongest female influence in my life.
And despite the fact that I was a mere six year younger than my older sisters, twins Isabella and Delilah, my family felt that I deserved to know the truth about what my dear father and uncle did for a profession that they claimed was in the Lord's name.
Only a month after I was born, my Uncle Murphy and Da left us for a year for a secret mission in America, starting in Chicago according to my mother. Ever since they came back to us, it was pretty quiet and both men were completely devoted to giving their little family of women the best care they could possibly provide.
Now that I was twelve years old, I didn't quite have as much "life experience" or the same upbringing as my older sisters. I was born right here on the great Emerald Isle and I honestly loved my life here. But, since I was still at an impressionable age where I would follow my parents' footsteps, a part of me wondered if one day, either me, Izzy or Dee would be called upon by God to go down the path my father had gone.
I wanted to be strong and brave like my mother and I certainly had inherited my father's Irish temper, as visually represented by my red hair. Of course, I understood the part of the story in which Da was very protective of my mother in the beginning of their 'courtship', if one could call it that.
Their relationship surely didn't start out as the average 'boy meets girl' scenario. It involved fueled arguments, lust, murder and blood. But, I knew that even in the years before I was even conceived, that my parents loved one another with a rare passion that was impossible to destroy.
Both Ma, Da and my rowdy Uncle "Muffy" sat me down like a child and told the story as best as they could to a twelve year old girl who was just approaching the border of female puberty. A majority of it was difficult for me to swallow, especially the parts about Ma being attacked and getting revenge on the man who did her wrong.
I did my best not to cry whenever they told of Da and Murphy leaving behind Ma while she was scared and pregnant with my sisters. Inside, I was angry that they didn't take her with them to Ireland in the first place, but Ma quickly assured me that she had faith they wouldn't be separated forever, and in time, her prediction was rewarded.
My whole body was shaking with goose-bumps as both Irishmen came to sit on either side of me: Da on my left, Uncle Muffy on my right.
The emotions swirling in my mind were becoming divided as I looked about at the adults surrounding me in that moment. Izzy and Dee had taken their horses to race at the beach, so it was only me and my circle of Irish-American family.
My father, with his bright blue eyes that softened as he looked down at me. Uncle Murphy, with similarly colored irises and a half-playful smirk upon his lips as he kissed the top of my scarlet hair. And my beautiful mother, who was still radiant in her mid-30s. The unwavering kindness in her otherwise piercing green eyes and body figure evident of many years of hard work at being a mother never failed to remind me why my Da showed her time and time again that he loved her with all his heart.
In my confused heart, I was able to understand why my father, uncle and mother did what they did. It was so they could protect innocent people like Ma from dangerous criminals, those who wouldn't hesitate to come after me or my sisters.
The mental image of my father and uncle, standing behind a kneeling felon, their guns held to the back of his skull, murderous intent in both men's eyes made me shiver, but I knew I had no reason to fear them.
Uncle Murphy gently helped me up off the couch and suggested that he take me to find my sisters. I agreed instantly, wanting to get out of the house for the moment and try to piece together all the information my pre-teen brain could fathom.
Ma and Da…pregnant…vigilantism…mobsters…kidnapping…murder …
But, I wanted to go alone this time…
I asked them all in polite Gaelic, and they all say yes with a bit of reluctance coming from my mother. They all insisted at the same time for me to careful and I quickly assured them that I could ride fine. A quiet smile spread along my lips as I made my way to the door and stepped outside into the afternoon air. Before I turned around the house to get to the stable, something in my gut urged me to look through the window one last time before I left.
Obeying the instinct, I stepped up to the small cottage window, peeking through the foggy glass while standing on my tiptoes. My uncle patted my father's shoulder before walking to the fireplace to poke the wood below the kettle. Da tilted my mother's chin up so their eyes met before kissing her lovingly on the lips. I couldn't help but smile to myself at the sight of my parents still so deeply in love after twelve years of marriage.
Then, I saw what I believed God wanted me to see in that brief moment. Ma took Da's wrist into her hand, pulling his own hand down onto her flat clothed stomach. My father's blue eyes lit up with joy as he smiled down at her again and gave her a kiss that I figured would lead to bedroom delight.
I remembered Ma and Da talking some nights about having another baby soon, hopefully a boy to carry on the MacManus name. Excitement consumed me as I ran to the stable and prepared my brown filly, Rose to take me to the beach. Before I knew it, I was flying along with wind, perched upon my faithful steed on a mission to tell my sisters the happy news. My crimson hair flew all around me as the wet mist moistened my lightly freckled face. One could just call me the adventurous one of the MacManus girls, feeling like a warrior queen riding into battle.
Soon enough, the distant bickering of my sisters reaches my ears as I guided Rose down the sandy dunes carefully. Their words were a mixture of cursing in English and Gaelic as I came closer to see the comical sight. Isabella was standing up in the middle of the boat about 30 feet away from the shore, shouting out for Delilah not to jump into the cold water.
My stubborn brunette sibling did anyway, being the mischievous one. Perhaps Uncle Muffy rubbed off on her too much…
As I dismounted Rose and tied her reins to post that held my sisters' horses, I kept hearing Izzy yell out to Dee, who had disappeared under the water's surface.
"Delilah Anne, get yer ass back up here! Ya better not be drownin' 'cause I ain't comin' in after ya!" Izzy bluffed halfway as I came closer to the shore's edge. She still hadn't noticed me standing there as I removed my shoes and prepared to swim toward the boat myself. "Mary-Kate, what are ya doin' here?"
Isabella was ever the baby sitter when it came to us younger sisters. I somehow pitied Dee for having to put up with her since they were in our Ma's womb. That thought only reminded me of the news I had to tell them. "Uncle Muffy sent me to get yer asses back home! Its Ma!"
"What?" Izzy's vivid blue eyes burned with worry as the boat beneath her feet began to wobble back and forth on the waves. "Jesus fuckin' Christ, how long can she hold her breath?"
I swam further, taking strokes with my arms and legs as I inched closer to the boat. "Izzy, I'd sit down of I were you!"
My attempt to warn her failed as the boat capsized underneath her and she fell screaming into the cold water. "Fuck me!" She most definitely inherited our father's way with words.
Dee's soaked brown head briefly surfaced as she then immersed back under the water, giggling to herself. "Oh, Dee. Yer in deep shit." I smirked to myself as I grabbed ahold of the boat momentarily to rest. My sisters were most likely arguing while taking air under the upside down boat. I might as well have gone check it out and try to stop a bloodbath…
Ducking under the boat's edge, I felt a hand grasp onto my shoulder and pull me up to join both girls under the darkness of the watercraft. "Dee, don't ya think we're gettin' a lil' old fer this shit?" Izzy angrily questioned her while Dee only stared, the water up to her chin as she floated innocently in front of us.
Then, she spit out water into Izzy's face, playfully splashing the cold liquid all around us. Soon enough, we forgot about the prank she pulled and we were suddenly kids again. Then, I started to lose the feeling in my toes…
"Alright, guys. Let's get this thing back up and get to back to shore." Isabella instantly took command of our little trio as we used our combined feminine strength to position the boat back onto the surface. We climbed in, relieved from the cold and used the paddles to get ourselves back to land. "So, is somethin' wrong with Ma, Mary-Kate? Is she sick?" Izzy asked with straight concern. Dee glanced in between me and her, confused.
"No, she's fine. I…I think she…uh…" I couldn't really the words out right.
"Well, can ya give us a hint, lil' one?" Dee playfully used my baby nickname to encourage me.
"I saw Da smilin' at her real big and she put his hand on her belly. An' ya know they've been wantin' a boy fer some time now." A fluttering began in my stomach at the thought of me possibly being a big sister.
"So, Ma's knocked up again, isn't she?" Izzy quickly put the pieces together as we pulled boat up onto the shore.
"Aye, it sure sounds like it." Dee agreed with her as they both beamed at me with apparent happiness.
We walked to our beloved horses, who all perked their ears up at our presence. Rose must have sensed my joy because she began sniffing around my soaked shirt for some treats. After gently scratching the clover-shaped mark between her eyes, I mounted her as my sisters climbed upon their equine companions.
"Whoever gets home last has to ask Great-Uncle Sibeal to say their name in Mass this Sunday!" Izzy shouted as she raced her horse, Laurel, ahead of us at top speed. She was a born rider, just like Da.
"Not so damn fast, cowgirl!" Dee shouted as we kicked our horses faster, flanking side by side as we raced home, the place where we lived, laughed and loved.
As the wind played with my hair again, I closed my eyes for the tiniest of moments and silently recited the family prayer, for a safe passage into our uncertain future.
And shepherds we shall be
For Thee, my Lord, for Thee
Power hath descended forth from Thy hand
That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command
So we shall flow a river forth to Thee
And teeming with souls shall it ever be
In nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritus Scancti