Chapter 9 #2
She wandered back out while I cleaned the kitchen. Cian was going to feel so smug when I told him we were going back home. Even if it was temporary, I was thankful. We’d left so much behind when we’d left, it was a relief to know that we could go get it and say goodbye properly if it came to that.
Maybe I’d even get to see Richie and explain. I thought about it while I frosted the cake. Would he even give me the opportunity to talk to him? If I was in his shoes, I didn’t know if I’d be willing to forgive him.
“Kelly kids,” I called when the cake was done. “Time to sing happy birthday!”
“What?” Cian said in confusion as he hopped off the couch.
“What the hell did you think I was doing in here?”
“I don’t know,” he replied defensively as Saoirse laughed. “I thought you were making muffins or something.”
“Nope,” I said as Aunt Ashley came out of her room. “Birthday time.”
“It’s not his birthday,” Ronan pointed out as he climbed onto a stool.
“Belated birthday time,” I conceded.
“You didn’t have to do this,” Cian said quietly, looking down at his cake, the top covered in candles. “Thanks, Mam.”
I hid my jolt of surprise, but no one else did. Aisling looked at him wide-eyed. The kitchen was silent.
“You’re welcome,” I said finally, reaching for the lighter I’d found in a kitchen drawer.
I lit the candles and listened as my little family sang the happy birthday song deliberately off-key. Cian smiled brightly, looking younger than he usually did, as they drew out the words and sang completely out of sync. When he blew out the candles, we all cheered.
“Thanks for blowing those out in one go,” Aunt Ashley teased. “I was a little worried that cake was going to catch the rest of the house on fire.”
“Yeah, E,” Saoirse said. “Maybe next time use the little number candles, not a single candle for every year.”
“Where’s the challenge in that?” I asked, grabbing ice cream out of the freezer.
“Careful,” Cian warned, handing blown-out candles to Ronan and Aisling to lick the frosting off. “They’re still warm.”
“What in the world?” Aunt Ashley murmured, looking toward the front window. “Who’s here?”
She strode toward the front door.
“Can I have a corner piece?” Ronan asked, distracting me.
“Me too!” Aisling said.
“Hey, maybe I deserve the corner piece since it’s my birthday cake,” Cian joked.
“Good thing there’re four corners,” I said dryly. I looked at Saoirse. “You want one, too?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No thanks. Extra ice cream, please.”
“I want extra ice cream, too,” Ronan said quickly.
“Can I help you?” Aunt Ashley asked someone outside the house. I was only vaguely aware of what she was doing as I worked on serving the cake, and the kids bickered and joked.
“I’m looking for Aoife Kelly,” a familiar voice replied.
Everything inside me froze.
The same couldn’t be said of everyone else.
“Richie!” Aisling yelled, tumbling off her stool. She took off at a sprint for the front door, the other kids not far behind her.
I walked toward them in a daze, my heart pounding.
When I reached the door, Richie was on the front porch. He looked exhausted. His hair was a mess like he’d been running his hands through it, and his shirt was wrinkled. He had Aisling in his arms, one wrapped under her butt and the other holding her tightly around her back.
“What?” I breathed, taking him in. “How?”
Lifting one of his hands, he waved a piece of paper.
No. Not a piece of paper. The birthday card I’d left on the kitchen table.
“Had a feeling I might need it,” he said flatly.
Cian let out a small knowing laugh.
“I’m guessing you’re Richie,” Aunt Ashley said, a small smile playing on her lips.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said, readjusting Aisling so he could put his hand out. “Richard Lewis.”
“Ashley Sanders,” my aunt said, shaking his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Good things, I hope,” Richie replied, but his attention had already strayed back to me.
“All good,” Aunt Ashley said dryly. “Okay, kids, back inside. We have cake to eat and ice cream melting on the counter.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Saoirse said, hugging Richie quickly as soon as he’d put Aisling back on her feet.
“Take your time,” Aunt Ashley said as she passed me. “I’ll keep everyone inside.”
I nodded, still staring at Richie.
I couldn’t believe he was actually there. The fact that he’d stolen my birthday card with Aunt Ashley’s address because he’d known that I would leave without him made me feel simultaneously hopeful and full of dread.
“Nothing to say?” he said quietly, crossing his arms over his chest.
I opened and closed my mouth a few times.
“You know, I had a feeling that you were gonna take off,” he said, his eyes steady on mine. “But can’t say I was happy you proved me right.”
He was there in front of me. Calm like always. Loving me like always. My perfect foil.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” I whispered, my voice sounding strangled.
“Then why the hell are you way over there?” he asked, dropping his arms.
I took two huge steps, leaped, and he caught me.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I muttered against his lips, one arm wrapped around his neck and the other hand cupping the back of his head.
“You scared the shit outta me,” he replied, his arms tightening. “If Cian hadn’t texted me, I woulda lost my mind.”
“That little sneak,” I snapped, pulling back to glare.
“Oh, Cian’s the sneak?” he asked dryly.
“I can’t believe you followed us,” I said with a sigh, tracing his eyebrow and cheekbone with my fingertips. “What about your job?”
Richie didn’t answer as he walked us over to the patio furniture and sat down with me on his lap. He leaned his head back with a sigh. “Told my boss I had a family emergency.”
“They gave you time off?” I asked cautiously.
“They weren’t happy about it.”
I grimaced.
“I can get a job anywhere, Aoife.”
“You love where you work.”
“Maybe I’ll love the next place just as much.”
I wanted to argue, but as I sat there looking at him, I couldn’t find the words.
My life was complete when he was with me.
I could raise the kids and be content with that—I’d had years to envision that life, and I could no longer imagine anything else—but Richie made me happy in a way that nothing else ever would.
I could breathe when he was there. I felt lighter.
“Your timing could’ve been a little better,” I said apologetically after a few minutes.
He frowned, his hands gripping my hips.
“We’re actually heading back on Monday.”
“You are?”
“I have a lot to tell you,” I murmured nervously.
“Things you could’ve been telling me for the last week if you hadn’t ditched your phone,” he said flatly.
I nodded.
We spent the next hour going over all the things Aunt Ashley had been helping me with, interrupted only by small touches and long kisses that he seemed to have missed as much as I had.
“So, you might get guardianship,” he said after I’d spilled my guts. “And if you don’t, then we’ll be moving out here so your aunt can pretend that she’s raising them, but it’ll still be you.”
“In a nutshell,” I said, laying my head on his shoulder.
“Your mom had a million dollars, and you didn’t know about it?”
“It wasn’t like we ever had any money,” I grumbled.
“What a bitch,” he breathed. “I’m sorry, but fucking Mandy .”
“Yeah.” I inhaled the scent of his skin, letting my body relax into him further. “I know she’s gone, and I should forgive her, but I’m not there yet.”
“With good reason,” he replied. His hand rubbed slowly up and down my back. “Your aunt looks just like her. She’s like the clean version of your mom.”
“I know.”
“You’re going to age well,” he said with satisfaction, making me giggle.
“Ash and Ro are climbing the walls,” Cian called, poking his head out the front door. “So, if you could wrap this up so they could get some Richie time, that would be great.”
He disappeared again.
“They missed you,” I said, leaning up so I could smile at him.
“I missed them,” he replied seriously.
“I’m so sorry.” My eyes began to water.
“I know,” he murmured back, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears that leaked out of the corners of my eyes. “Stop crying.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Someone needs to,” he replied dryly.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I argued.
“I know you did,” he said simply. “Why do you think I’m here right now?”
“I didn’t know if you hated me.”
“Don’t even think that’s possible,” he confessed, his eyes on mine. “But if you pull anything like this again, we’re gonna have problems.”
“I know.”
“Where you go, I go.”
My lips tipped up in the corners. “That’s what I tell the kids.”
Richie nodded. “Don’t wanna be without you or them, Aoife. Promise that we’ll stick together no matter how shit plays out.”
“I promise.”
“Forever, remember?”
“I remember,” I replied hoarsely.
“Good.” He slapped my ass. “Now get up so I can go see the kids.”
“That’s it?” I asked in surprise as I climbed off his lap.
“You want me to be more pissed?” he asked in surprise.
“Well, no,” I grumbled, turning toward the door.
“You didn’t see what I did that night,” he said softly, stopping me. “You were panicked, E. Fucking frantic. I don’t ever want to see you like that again. I was pissed, but that was gone by the next morning. Then, I just wanted to get to you.”
“I don’t deserve you.”
“You’ve dealt with a lot of shit you don’t deserve,” he said, pulling me against his side as he walked us toward the door. “But you definitely deserve having a man who gives a shit.”
The kids yelled Richie’s name as we walked inside, and he was pulled away from me almost instantly.
I went over and stood by Aunt Ashley at the kitchen counter as Aisling and Ronan told him all about what they’d been doing all week, describing the chickens and alpacas in detail.
He listened intently to every word, soaking it all in.
“I was prepared to throw my weight around,” Aunt Ashley said, smiling. “But holy cow, that boy is pretty.”
I laughed. “Yeah.”