Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
Finn sat across from Da in the front room that night, his shoulders sloped forward. His grandparents had already gone to bed, and Ma hadn’t returned yet from eating out with her friends that evening, so it had been the perfect opportunity to speak.
Now that Finn had shared everything—including the fact that he’d lost his flat—he almost regretted speaking. He hadn’t wanted to talk about all his issues, but he’d put it off too long as it was. His parents deserved to know that they were going to have to house their homeless son again.
Da sat back in his seat, blowing out a heavy sigh. “Why didn’t you tell me you were strugglin’ to make ends meet, son?”
“Same reason you haven’t told Ma,” Finn returned.
Da stared. “Fair enough. But still, it isn’t your responsibility to watch out for us. And I’m sorry it’s led to this.”
“Me, too.”
“And,” Da continued, “you shouldn’t sign that wee contract.”
Finn looked away. He’d already signed it. Now all he needed to do was turn it in. “I won’t leave the four of you out to dry in a rainstorm, Da.”
“You can’t leave that girl out, either. ”
Finn’s heart cracked a little bit more. “I already have. One day, when circumstances have changed and you have a job and I find meself another, I’ll reach out to her.”
“You think a girl like that’ll be free for long?” Da asked.
The thought had been occupying Finn’s mind each day he’d known Maisie. “No, I don’t. But I made me choice.”
“And you’re sure of it?” Da asked. “I can always find somewhere else to take another loan. Move house. Start sellin’ off family heirlooms.”
But Finn shook his head. “That’s not an option, Da. Me whole life, I’ve been selfish, only thinkin’ of meself. Leavin’ Eton, wastin’ me scholarship, settlin’ for a low payin’ job. For once, I’m goin’ to make a smart decision and base it off of thinkin’ ’bout others.”
Da nodded with an averted gaze. “You’ve never been selfish, Finn. You comin’ home from Eton was the best thing you could’ve done for your Ma. She wasn’t happy without you here. None of us were. We couldn’t have lasted another few years without you.”
Finn stared at him. Never had he heard this take on him coming home. “You weren’t disappointed in me, then?” he asked. “For wastin’ all that money, for not makin’ a name for meself?”
Da’s voice lowered, sobering. “I’ve never been disappointed with you, son. Never. I’ve always been proud of you and the man you’ve become.”
Hearing the words on his da’s lips wasn’t surprising in any way, but they settled into Finn’s heart and locked into place, releasing the last of his insecurities.
“Thanks, Da,” he said,
They looked at each other, and a level of understanding passed between them. They were never ones to express verbal words of love between each other, but they didn’t have to. The look was more than enough.
“It’s about time the two of you talked,” came Ma’s voice from the front door, and Finn and Da looked at each other in surprise. “You wee eejits.”
“Ma?” Finn called out.
She rounded the corner and appeared in the front room.
“How long you been listenin’ in, then?” Da asked, frowning up at his wife.
“Long enough to hear nothin’ new,” she said. She pointed at Finn. “He’s still tryin’ to support our family even though his heart belongs to another, and you”—she pointed at Da—“you’re still tryin’ to keep quiet ’bout our financial strugglin’. As I said, you’re both eejits.”
Da and Finn exchanged looks again, then looked back at Ma.
“You knew?” Da asked, his frown replaced with a look that revealed exactly how ashamed he was for hiding his struggles from his wife.
“’Course I knew. I’m not as daft as the two of you.” She propped her hands on her hips. “How else do you think we’ve been makin’ do without you havin’ a job?”
Da looked away, his look calculating.
“Have you not noticed me missin’ from home four days a week?” Ma asked next. Da, once again, looked at her blankly. “Boys a dear, you’re as thick as two short planks, so you are. I’ve been workin’ at Doherty’s, you wee looper.”
Da’s shoulders fell. “Niamh,” he began, “I had no idea.”
Her features softened, and she bent low to kiss Da on his cheek. “I know. I’ve been doin’ it secret. Figured I might as well keep that to meself ’til you shared your own secrets.”
Their eyes met, and a soft smile was shared between them before Ma faced Finn, and her no-nonsense expression returned. “Now, Finny Boy, you do as you’re bid and march straight into that job and quit ’fore I do it for you.”
But Finn refused. “No, Ma. I’ll not quit ’til I know Da has another job.”
“As stubborn as his father,” she mumbled to herself. “Then you best pray for that hard, ’cause that girl isn’t goin’ to wait for you. Any woman who looks at you the way she does is somethin’ special.”
Finn smiled, though sorrow twinged in his heart. How he knew that to be true. And as he watched his parents come together as they finally shared their efforts to help each other, his heart hurt even more.
Because as much as he knew he’d made the right decision this time, he hated himself for it all the same.
The next day, Finn handed over the signed contract to Joshua, feeling as if he was handing over his freedom.
In a sense, he was. But he was doing it for his family. He had to continually remind himself of the fact or he’d turn around and leave the Northern Irish Roving Bus Tours for good.
“Thanks for this, Finn,” Joshua said with a firm nod, holding up the contract. “You’ll be glad you signed. It’ll protect you and the company from any further mishaps down the road.”
It sure would. The company had gone above and beyond in their restrictions on what tour guides could now say and do. Furthermore, there would be new security cameras added to each bus to ensure strict adherence to the rules. Finn felt like a convict, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Not while his family needed his help.
“I have to say,” Joshua continued, clearly not reading the unhappy vibes Finn was casting out, “I’m impressed with how you’ve handled this entire situation. Not many people would’ve been honest like you were, or agreed to all these changes. It just shows you’ve got a good head on your shoulders.”
A good head on his shoulders? Naw, he just had a conscience and bills to pay .
“I mean,” Joshua rattled on, “what is givin’ up a job you love for a fling, right?”
Finn stared at him. A job he loved…A fling…
It was true, he loved this job. But with these changes, would he still? Would he still love it even with the reminders of Maisie that would certainly pop up at every single location he went to? Reminders of what could have been had he just given them a chance?
“A fling,” he repeated, slowly nodding his head in acknowledgement of Joshua’s words.
“Aye,” Joshua said.
Finn shook his head. “She wasn’t a fling.”
Joshua blinked, clearly surprised, but Finn could say nothing more. He left the office and closed the door behind him, not making it two steps before pulling out his phone and finding the number for Fiadh’s da at the Boatswain’s Bar.
Finn may have signed away his freedom, but it wouldn’t be gone for long. He’d apply to every touring company in Northern Ireland. He’d ask Mr. Murphy for work as a waiter at the pub. He’d even take a job at Fiadh’s ice cream van at this point. He’d do whatever it took to earn the money to secure his family’s future, to quit Nirbt, and to earn his way back to Maisie. He couldn’t let a woman like that go. He would fight to be with her. He would do whatever it took. He would?—
His phone buzzed in his hand, ending his thoughts as he saw a message come in from Da.
Da
Just got off the phone with EJS Group. I got the job. They’re giving me a sign-on bonus, so I’ll be able to pay you off. So grateful for you, son. Let’s have a chat when you’re free.
Finn stopped, staring down at the words, blinking and unbelieving.
Finn
Are you serious? Or did Ma put you up to this?
Da
I’m serious, son. Although your mammy did tell me to message you first. Go get your girl.
Finn read the words over and over again, telling himself he was imagining it, but as a lightness began to flap inside his chest, that wingless bird sprouting feathers broke free from its grounded cage, and Finn straightened.
He turned around, headed back into Joshua’s office, and faced his boss with a smile. “Can I see that contract, mate?”
Joshua, still staring at Finn with confusion, handed it over to him. “Here you are.”
Finn took the papers and promptly tore them in half.
“What the?—”
“Sorry, Joshua,” Finn interrupted.
Then with a wink, he spun round and walked away.
“You’re serious?” Joshua called after him.
“I told you,” Finn said over his shoulder. “She’s not a fling.”
And with that, he left the depot behind. He probably should have kept the job, earned more money to get another flat. But what was living with his parents for a few weeks to being able to see Maisie now ?
He supposed he really was the Romeo type after all—going mad and making foolish decisions all for the sake of a girl.
Maisie landed in Boston with a heavy heart. She wandered through the airport, making her way to the baggage claim and feeling lower than ever .
Daphne had messaged her earlier, letting Maisie know that she couldn’t be there to pick her up at the airport, but that she’d see her that night at their apartment.
Maisie didn’t mind. She needed more time away from her aunt. More time to process how she felt not being with Finn, how she felt still being away from home, how she felt losing another dream.
With her luggage in tow, she headed for the exit, ready to take a bus to the apartment before she heard her name shouted from behind.
As she turned to see who called for her, Maisie’s first thought was that Daphne had shown up after all, as the woman looked similar to her. But when she peered closer and noticed a bearded man in a cowboy hat standing beside a woman with smiling lips, tears sprang to Maisie’s eyes.
“Mom? Dad?” she cried out.
Running toward them, her parents’ gleeful faces filled her with so much joy, she couldn’t contain her tears any longer.
They embraced her together, encircling her with warm arms.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, wiping away her tears as she pulled back.
“You didn’t think we’d wait to see you for two more weeks, did you?” Dad asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Mom said, still holding onto Maisie’s hand.
“Does that mean you’ll be staying here for a bit?” she asked, hope filling her soul.
Dad took her luggage from her. “For a couple of weeks. We’ve got Nathaniel testing out his foreman skills.”
“You don’t mind, do you?” Mom asked.
“Not even a little bit,” Maisie said, looking between them both.
All at once, the jetlag that weighed her down, the sorrow that she’d experienced from missing her parents, and the disappointment that she’d felt for how things had turned out between her and Finn, hit her squarely in her heart. Maisie’s emotions crumbled, and she could no longer hold in her trembling breath.
Mom looked at her with compassion, embracing her again. “Oh, honey, what’s the matter?”
Maisie shrugged. “How long do you have?”
Dad wrapped his arm around her, too. “For you, all the time in the world.”
“Let’s talk in the car,” Mom suggested. “Your dad rented a ridiculous truck the size of both Dakotas.”
“You can sit in the middle and tell us everything, just like you used to,” Dad continued. “Burgers and shakes to top it off?”
Maisie had never heard a better plan in her life.