mrsreedus69: Yeah, still mapping out how exactly I want Connor to break the news to Murph, but yeah, ya know me - its gonna be huge! ;)
JDB (Guest): Whoever you are, I love your reviews! Jus' sayin' that now! And I really, really doubt that Branna will have any lemons with Murph, but Hell, if the inspiration takes me, then I have no choice but to just go with it. My Muse is a fickle little bitch and she fucking hates to be ignored! :)
PS - Really sorry for the short chapter, but it'll be longer next chapter, I promise :)
"I think about you
Honey all the time
my heart says yes.
I think about you
Deep inside I love you best.
I think about you
You know you're the one I want.
I think about you
Darlin' you're the only one
I think about you . . ."
- "Think About You" by Guns N' Roses
Favorite Line(s):
"Well, that's all well and good, but the thing is, I don't know you. And I get that, I really do – you were in Ireland for all my life. But you're here now and since you're here, we need to do something. Together. Like a family."
Every day of her life leading up to her death, Branna would always wonder how Murphy had never once realized that she and Connor had resumed their relationship. It wasn't like they went out of their way to hide it and the only thing she knew with an absolute certainty, that Connor had told him in order to keep him off their case, was the simple: "She isn't ready yet."
Sean, however, knew about his mother's new relationship the day after Connor came to see her – the day after they had ended up sleeping together on a split second's notice. It was on that day that Connor realized that Branna hadn't been lying when she told him how much of a smart kid Sean was. He had walked into the kitchen bright and early in the morning to the smells of cooking food, only to see Connor sitting at the kitchen bar, nursing a cup of steaming black coffee and a cigarette as Branna cooked breakfast. Hair mussed, feet bare and wearing ridiculously rumpled clothing, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that this was Sean's mother's new boyfriend. And much to Connor's surprise, too, Sean didn't really seem to mind it at all. A silent Sean had simply climbed up onto the barstool beside him and allowed Connor to give him a small smile as he rumpled the messy hair that matched his own. Branna shared Connor's smile as she set a glass of orange juice down in front of their son and then things proceeded to continue on as normal.
"Ya usual, alannah?" Branna asked him, a teasing glint in her eyes, and Sean silently nodded. His mother continued to give him the same smile as she placed a steaming plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and fried potatoes in front of him. She then turned her eyes onto Connor sitting directly across from her. "Are ya hungry too, macushla?" Connor gave her a loving smile and nodded as he sat up slightly so that she could place an identical plate in front of him.
"I better be after last night, don' ya tink, Bran?" He quipped with a wink before he took a long drag of his cigarette. Branna immediately felt a hot path of blush burn its way across her cheeks.
"Connor!" She scolded him before nodding to a slightly confused looking Sean. "Our son is sittin' right next ta ya!" Connor chuckled as he started digging into his food.
"I know, I know, which is why it was deliberately vague. And besides, I was jus' pickin'.' He told her and she nodded, her face softening slightly. She moved over to him and lovingly brushed a lock of his light brown hair out of his face. His eyes softened as well and he abandoned his food in favor of wrapping an arm around her waist and bringing her closer to him. He swore to God, he would never take holding her for granted, again.
"I know. And I'm sorry, I'm jus' . . . this is takin' some gettin' used ta." She laughed, and Connor nodded.
"I know, too. Jus' tryin' ta lighten tha mood." He grinned and she couldn't help but return his grin along with a roll of her eyes.
"Always tha jokester ya are, Conn!" She spoke and he nodded and murmured something to her that had her laughing as his lips attached to the hollow of her throat. Her eyes closed in bliss and her arms wrapped around his neck, bringing him closer to her as she reveled being in his arms again. Sean watched this with a look of interest. His ma had, had boyfriends in the past, but never were they anything seriously and never did they hang around long enough in the morning for her to cook for them. They didn't get a nickname like 'macushla' and his ma never allowed them to be as affectionate around him, as Connor – his da – was being at that moment.
This only cemented the fact to Sean that his da was different than the others that had come after him. In fact, Sean sensed that Connor was a completely different animal entirely.
Branna pushed Connor away and her eyebrows furrowed in slight concern when she saw that her son was no longer eating and instead, was looking pretty deep in thought. This alone did not alarm her, for her son was well known for allowing himself to daydream at random moments, however, this daydreaming seemed a little bit different. "Sean, what's wrong? Ya not hungry?" She asked him,and Sean didn't deign to answer her for a moment. Then, his eyebrows furrowed slightly and he gave a nod as he spoke:
"We need to do something today. The three of us." He told them, his voice coming out much more confident than Connor ever thought an eight-year-old's voice could sound, and as a result, he arched his eyebrows as he turned his eyes onto him.
"Oh, yeah? Like what?" He asked, and Sean gave a shrug.
"I don't know – anything?" He replied before rolling his eyes. He turned slightly on his barstool to face Connor and immediately, a look of amusement speared through his father's eyes as he gave him his complete and undivided attention. "You're my father, right?" He asked, and Connor gave a laugh.
"From what ya ma tells me, yeah, I am!" He told him and Sean nodded.
"Well, that's all well and good, but the thing is, I don't know you. And I get that, I really do – you were in Ireland for all my life. But you're here now and since you're here, we need to do something, Together. Like a family." His gaze turned pointed then, but also a little cautious as well. "You . . . you do want to be a family, don't you?" He asked, and Connor eyes adopted a loving gleam as he reached forward and ruffled his hair again.
"O' course I do, Sean! I wouldn' 'ave come back if I didn'!" He told him before releasing his hold on a grinning Branna. He leaned forward conspiratorially then. "What do ya wanna to do today?" He asked, and Sean thought for a minute before giving a shrug. He then turned his attention onto Branna, who had moved back around the kitchen bar to the coffeemaker, where she proceeded to get herself another cup.
"What do you want to do today, momma?" He asked, and Branna gave a small smile and a shrug.
"I'm up for anyting. It's what ya boys wanna do. I'm jus' gonna be along for tha' ride." She told them and Connor gave his son another conspiratorial grin, one that Sean couldn't help but grin at.
"And here I thought ya good ol' ma would 'ave figured out by now that ya never leave tha' decision makin' ta me!" He told him with a wink in her direction, and Branna immediately looked up to the ceiling in exasperation.
"Oh ma God, ya right! I had totally forgotten 'bout tha'! God-"
"Lord's name, Bran!"
Connor's decision as to what their first ever family outing would be, wasn't exactly the worst one he could have come up with, Branna had to admit.
Ice cream and the park. Seriously – that was all that Connor had thought up.
And while Branna was pretty sure that Connor could definitely have come up with an infinitely cooler way to impress his son on their first outing together as a family, Branna knew well why he had picked something as simple as ice cream and the park. It was low key and simple. He was smart, knowing that their first outing needed to be calm and peaceful instead of exciting and adrenaline-filled. And knowing Connor, there would be plenty of times for those trips later.
"I 'ave ta say . . . I'm impressed wit ya, Connor MacManus." She told him as they made their way down the cobble-stoned pathway of Boston's Central Park a few feet behind a happy Sean. Connor turned an amused look onto her.
"And what makes ya say tha', mavourneen?" She gave a shrug.
"I halfway expected our first family outin' ta be somethin' excitin' and havin' ta do with guns and explosions centered 'round a very, very James Bondish or Clint Eastwoodish scenario," She told him with a grin and he rolled his eyes as he returned to his ice cream and as Branna continued on. Hands clasped as they walked, Branna was all-too aware of the stares they were earning by the people that passed them – people who knew good and well that Branna Whelan (or Branna MacManus as she referred to be called now) did not have a boyfriend. "But nope. Ya chose ice cream and tha park." She shook her head, a look of slight teasing in her eyes and in her voice. "Did ya grow old on me back in Ireland?" She asked, and Connor chuckled as well and shook his head.
"It's like ya said, Bran, this situation . . . we're all gettin' used ta it. Me and ya, we've gotta get used ta . . ." He trailed off, not knowing how he wanted to put what he was wanting to say, and Branna's eyes softened as he finally continued: "We've gotta get used ta bein' in a relationship again wit a son, if this is how we're gonna play it. If not, then we gotta get used ta other options – not tha' there are other options, jus' lettin' ya know!" He quickly added, and Branna grinned and rolled her eyes in reply as he continued: "And Sean . . . Sean jus' has ta get used ta tha' fact tha' he's got a da now – a da tha' plans on bein' in his life for every wakin' moment from here on out! So, I guess this outin' – this . . . family outin', is simple and calm because right now, our lives need peace and calm– not excitement and adrenaline! Tha' can always come later."
Branna nodded slowly at his words, her eyes glinting with respect. "Ya grew up over tha years over there, didn' ya? Ya da's influence, I take it?" She asked him and he glanced at her.
"Yeah, I suppose I did, and yeah, I suppose it was. I guess . . ." He gave a weak shrug. "I want ya ta know tha' I never moved on after ya, Bran! Murph did ta a certain extent, but me . . . I never did. I never could." She recoiled slightly.
"Ya never . . . ya never had a relationship?" She asked and he gave another shrug.
"I did, but not one worth talkin' 'bout. There was never a storybook, Hollywood movie-esque relationship tha' made me fall head over heels for a lass who finally gave me tha strength ta move on from ya! I didn' want a woman tha' wasn' ya, Branna! I wanted ya and since I couldn' 'ave ya, then . . ." He gave another shrug. "I guess I forced maself to stay put. I knew I'd see ya again, I jus' didn' know when and 'til tha' day came, I wasn' gonna move on. I guess I was stubborn tha' way."
"What if ya never would 'ave seen me again?" She asked him, her voice soft, and he gazed at her for a moment before shrugging.
"Well then, I guess I would 'ave been alone 'til I died." He replied, his voice equally as soft, and it was then that they came to a stop when they realized that Sean had come to a stop as well. He spun around, where he ran over to them. His hand immediately latched onto Branna's.
"Momma, can I go play with Seamus? He's on the monkeybars over there!" He asked while pointing in the direction of a set of colorfully painted monkeybars and a child dangling from them. Branna nodded.
"Promise me ya'll stay in sight? Tha' ya won' go wonderin' off like last time?" She asked him and Sean nodded.
"I promise."
Her face turned stern. "And ya better keep ta tha' promise too, young man. I 'ave no doubt in ma mind tha' ya da'll be watchin' ya too and ya don' want ya old man ta 'ave ta hunt ya down!" She told him sternly, and Connor nodded as he gently cuffed him.
"I'll box ya ears if I 'ave ta come find ya! 'Cause if I don', then ya ma will box both our ears when she finds us!" He told him, and Sean grinned and playfully swatted his father's hand away before nodding.
"I will momma, I promise!" He told her and Branna smiled affectionately. She pressed a loving kiss to his head before straightening up and allowing him to run off in the direction of the monkeybars and his friend. They stood there together and watched him go for a minute before Connor glanced at her.
"Was it hard? Bein' alone and raisin' him all these years?" He asked, his tone quiet, and Branna heaved a sigh as she led him over to a nearby bench where they could sit and keep a pretty good line of sight on their son.
"I wasn' ever really alone, Conn. I had grandpa and Bri – they were always good help when I needed it. And then I had other friends too . . ."
"Ya know what I meant, mavourneen." He spoke, his tone gentle, and she gazed at him for a moment before swallowing heavily and nodding.
"Yeah . . . yeah, I do, and yeah, ya right. It was hard at times – really hard. There were a lot of times I'd cry maself ta sleep at night. There were times where I'd dream of ya and Sean in an alternate reality where ya and Murph didn' leave. And those . . . those times helped me through tha hard ones more than anyting else, I won' lie."
"Branna, is tha' ya, darlin'?"
Branna immediately broke out into a grin when she saw an older woman approaching them, and she nodded. "Ms. O'Shaughnessy, how good it is ta see ya! How 'ave ya been?" She asked, and the older woman heaved a sigh and gave a shrug.
"Oh ya know, dear, I've been the same I've always been." She told her and Branna nodded before glancing at Connor sitting beside her, where she placed her hand on his chest.
"Ms. O'Shaughnessy, this is Connor – Connor MacManus. Connor, this is Sean's sometime babysitter, Ms. Margery O'Shaughnessy. She prefers Marge, though." She introduced them and Ms. O'Shaughnessy adopted a slightly interested look as they both leaned forward to shake hands, Connor giving her a friendly smile as he did so.
"MacManus . . .?" She asked slowly, and Branna nodded.
"Yeah, tha same MacManus of me and Sean's last name. He's . . . he's ma boyfriend, and Sean's father. He's been workin' in tha Old Country for tha past eight years now, and . . . jus' now has been able ta come home ta us." She told her and Ms. O'Shaughnessy adopted a sympathetic look.
"Oh ya poor dear – bein' so long witout ya family! What 'ave ya been doin' all these years?"
Connor shrugged. "Herdin' mostly – sheep. Ma da owned his own place and me and ma brother kept up wit tha animals. On tha side when I could, I also worked on tha docks." Ms. O'Shaughnessy smiled as she took up Branna's hand and held in hers.
"Well bless ya, child! I know how hard it's been on ya all these years raisin' young Sean alone, and I tank God Connor finally found a way to come home ta ya two!" She told her, and Branna gave her a thankful smile as she nodded.
"Tank ya, Marge. I really appreciate it." She told her and Ms. O'Shaughnessy nodded and gave them both a kind smile before saying goodbye and moving on. Branna and Connor's eyes locked then and he gave her a smile.
"Ya do realize tha' me bein' back is gonna be all over tha Irish District of Boston now, right?" He asked and she nodded, a little confidently.
"Oh, I know. But 'bout time, right?" She asked and he gave a shrug as he turned to gaze out over the playground, catching sight of Sean easily.
"I'm jus' glad ta be home, Branna. I don' tink ya realize how much ya two 'ave already become ma everythin'." She gave him a smile as she placed a loving hand on his shoulder. The touch turned his eyes onto her and she held his gaze unwaveringly.
"Tank God for tha', too." She murmured and he returned her smile before leaning over and pressing his lips to hers in a soft, loving kiss. When they broke apart, Branna moved closer to him, where she placed her head on his shoulder. Then, together, they sat there and watched their son run around with his friends on the playground, in a comfortable silence that they had long since missed.
And as Connor sat there on the park bench with Branna tucked securely up into his side, his eyes constantly on Sean, he found himself marveling yet again, that the little boy with the dark skin, light brown hair and bright blue eyes, was his son.
It took him a while to reconcile himself to the fact again that Sean was Branna's son, too . . . their son . . .