Epilogue
Bridget - One Year Later
“How would you feel about us legally adopting you?”
My eyes widen at Ro’s unexpected question.
Honestly, I don’t know how to respond. We’ve been living under the same roof for a year now, forming our own family.
Yeah, there have been some ups and downs, adjustment periods, arguments, but overall, it’s been great.
Alicia doesn’t work as much. We travel more, and when Ro’s not on the road, we spend our evenings having movie marathons or playing board games.
Rowan has been a weird combination of older brother and father figure to me.
He gives me shit all the time, but is just as protective and caring.
When Li and I have issues, he’s a great mediator.
And when I’m being problematic, he’s quick to call me out on it.
Counseling has done wonders for us, too.
“What would that entail?” I finally ask. “Like, do I have to call you mom and dad?”
“No, and we don’t want you to,” Alicia says, stretching her hand across the dining room table to grasp my fingers.
“The documents would technically make us your parents, but we’d still be Alicia and Ro.
This would just be a step above guardianship.
You’re already family, but this would legally tie you to Ro, meaning that, no matter what happens, you belong with both of us. ”
“Would I have to change my name?”
“No, mo stóirín. Not unless you want to,” Rowan tells me, smiling softly. “You could stay a Petersen, become a Gallagher, or do a hyphenated version. That part is entirely up to you. We’ll support whatever you decide.”
I stare at the man who has turned our world upside down, seeing only sincerity in his expression.
“And you…you want to adopt me?” I ask him, the words coming out in a whisper.
“Aye, Bridget. I do. You’re just as much a part of my life as your sister. Even if you don’t want to make it official, I’ll still always claim you and love you as my own.”
My vision blurs with tears. “What if you two break up?”
They share a look, smiling knowingly at each other, before Ro says, “That’s highly unlikely to happen, love, but even if it did, that wouldn’t change what you mean to me, or the fact that I want to be a part of your life. You’re stuck with me forever.”
A watery laugh bursts from me. No one, apart from Alicia, has ever chosen me just for me.
While I absolutely do not want them to ever break up, knowing that I’d still have him in my corner fills me with so much love and gratitude that I erupt into chest-racking sobs.
I pull my hand from Alicia’s so I can cover my face with both of my own as I try to hide my reaction.
Chairs scrape against the floor, and then four arms are wrapping around me. A bearded kiss brushes my temple and his low voice rumbles in my ear. “I’ve got you, mo stóirín.”
“I don’t even know what that means,” I choke out between sobs.
Rowan chuckles. “It means my little darling or treasure, because you are precious to me, Bridget.”
He and Alicia hold me, murmuring soothing words, until my tears subside. Finally, I uncover my face and look between them. Alicia’s crying, but smiling. Ro’s eyes are red-rimmed and faint streaks from dried tears disappear into his beard.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Let’s do it.”
* * *
Alicia - Ten Years Later
“I can’t believe he’s actually gone.”
“The place doesn’t seem right without him behind the bar.”
“I remember the first time I ever met him. Nicest man in the world.”
“Remember the stew he used to make?”
“To Paddy O’Nelly. May the road rise up to meet him…”
I roll my eyes and slam my palm onto the bar top. “He’s not dead, you morons. He just moved back to Ireland.”
Rowan, Eamon, Teagan, and Isaac are sitting across from me, full and empty pints of Guinness and empty shot glasses scattered around them. These idiots have been here for three hours, drinking and bullshitting like a bunch of old men.
Paddy and Sondra have been traveling to Ireland every year since they were married and finally decided they wanted to live there permanently.
As neither one of them is getting any younger, the constant travel was becoming more difficult, and since all of their loved ones in the States are connected to the Green Isle in some way, they’ll always have visitors.
“And he’s been retired for ten years now, so you haven’t even seen him behind the bar,” I continue.
After the paperwork became official, and I took over ownership of O’Nelly’s, I was terrified that I was going to screw it all up, but once we finally settled into the new routine, it seemed easier to navigate.
We missed Ro like crazy when he was given the go-ahead to play again, but it made our reunions that much sweeter.
Now, he’s retired from MLS, but uses his skills to help kids with aggression issues channel that energy into something fun, rather than harmful.
“Ah, c’mon now, darlin’,” Ro hiccups, extending his hand across the surface.
Rather then placing mine in his grasp like he wants, I toss a towel into it.
“Clean up your mess, darlin’,” I say in my best Irish accent.
He groans miserably, but starts mopping up the condensation and spilled alcohol while the other guys just laugh. I’ve always loved giving them shit, but even more so when they’re drunk.
“I’m surprised Norah and Layla let you two out tonight,” I say pointedly at a Eamon and Teagan.
All of our kids are at the O’Brien’s house right now for an epic sleepover.
Norah, being an only child, always wanted a house full of kids, and Layla grew up in a huge family, so the chaos is normal and welcomed.
I, however, can only handle large groups of kids in small doses, and preferably with other parents around.
You’d think running a bar would make me more tolerable of the noise and mess, but no. It overwhelms my brain.
Don’t get me wrong. I love all our friends’ kids like they’re my own, and would drop everything to be there for them, but all of them at once is a lot.
The Kennedys have two boys and the O’ Briens have two boys and two girls.
Which is why, after we had our daughter, Aislin, we were content to leave it at that.
She was definitely a surprise, but not entirely unwelcome.
I hadn’t planned on parenting anyone but Bridget, but sometimes the world does you a favor you weren’t expecting.
She’s been the piece of our family we didn’t know was missing.
It’s also fun to have another redhead in our house.
“Are you slagging me?” Teagan asks. “They kicked us out. Some nonsense about not needing adult children added to the mix.”
“Aye, Norah told me I was only going to rile them up more,” my husband tells me with a pout.
“Is she wrong?” I ask knowingly.
“S’pose not,” he replies. “But Isaac is the one to worry about! He sneaks them all sorts of sugar and shite.”
I turn to glare at the man in question, who holds his hands up defensively.
“Don’t look at me. You know he’s always had it out for me.”
Isaac is still living the bachelor life, but has been a permanent fixture in our lives that I’m forever grateful for.
Rowan eventually accepted him as friend rather than foe, and the two became thick as thieves.
So much so that when CFC needed a new sports therapist, Ro secured him the job.
Since Sondra was really his only family, and she’s now living in Ireland, he spends the holidays with us and accompanies us on family outings.
When Bridget is off doing her own thing and we need a babysitter, Uncle Isaac is the first to volunteer. Aislin adores him.
“Lies!” Eamon slurs from his spot next to Teagan. “It wasn’t Ro that gave all the kids those minerals.”
Raising a brow, I point at Isaac. “Soda? Really?”
He pointedly looks toward Eamon and flips him off, making them all laugh.
The front door swings open, letting a blast of warm summer air into the building along with my sister.
“Bridget!” The guys all sing out in unison, making her stop in her tracks.
Her black hair hangs loose, cascading down her back in waves.
Her grey pencil skirt hugs her hips and the white bow tie sleeveless blouse shows off the soft lines of the peony tattoo descending from her shoulder to her elbow.
Everyone tells her how much we look alike, but as she’s aged, her face has taken on a rounder shape, unlike the sharp angles of my own.
She has emerald green eyes, and while she rarely rests, having a desk job has allowed her to gain an hourglass figure.
She’s stunning and I’m constantly jealous of her curves.
Bridget helps me out at the pub whenever she’s not working her day job as a youth specialist. She graduated high school with honors then went on to pursue her masters in Psychology.
In a wild turn of events, the year she was supposed to start college, our father was found and arrested after trying to rob a grocery store.
I don’t know how they did it, but I got back almost all of the money he stole from us.
I could have tucked it back into my safe, but decided to use it to pay for Bridget’s college.
Now, she’s currently working towards her doctorate, and we’re so unbelievably proud of her.
Switching schools made a huge impact on her, socially and academically.
The school counselor was a godsend, taking the time to actually learn and understand what Bridget needed to thrive.
Now she’s providing similar services to kids all around Wilmington.
She beams at us then saunters over to greet each one of the guys in turn.
She gives Eamon and Teagan quick hugs before tossing her arms around Ro’s neck, squeezing him tight before kissing his cheek.
When she makes it to Isaac, he’s turned all the way around on the bar stool and stands.
He’s a big guy, towering over her five foot five form by at about six inches.
“Little B,” he greets her, opening his arms for a hug.
“Isaac,” she responds, stepping into his embrace awkwardly.
Interesting. I make a note to ask her about that later.
“Hey you,” I say in greeting when she untangles herself and slips behind the bar.
“Hey!” She gives me a side hug, before finding a glass, filling it with ice, then grabbing the nozzle to fill it with water. She gulps down half it, then sets it on the coasters I put down for her.
“Rough day?”
“Ugh,” she groans, tilting her head from one side to the other, stretching the muscles. “You have no idea. Sometimes I wonder why I chose this field. It’s brutal.”
“It’s because you know what it’s like to not have the resources for a fulfilling life, and you want to make sure no other child experiences that,” I remind her.
“Yeah,” she murmurs, picking up her glass for another drink. “You’re right. I’m just exhausted. Between the office, classes, and everything else, I feel like I’m going nonstop.”
“Sounds like you need a vacation, Little B.” Isaac’s low rumble travels across the bar.
Her shoulders tense, but she smiles. “If only.”
I turn to her, placing a hand on her arm. “You can take a break from here, for as long as you want, Bridge. We have enough part-time help to make it work.”
She bites her bottom lip and glances at me. “Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you in a lurch.”
“Promise,” I tell her. “And if all else fails, I can make Ro work.”
“Oy! I heard that!” He hollers far too loud.
“But you won’t remember it tomorrow,” I tease. “You fellas need to sober up before you go home. The last thing your ladies want is to clean up your puke after having the kids all day.”
It’s late by the time we get home. Rowan collapses into our bed and is out cold almost immediately. I’m not quite ready to sleep yet, so I curl up on our overstuffed sofa and embrace the silence. Lou joins me, climbing into my lap and booping my nose with his.
“Hey, buddy.” I scratch under his chin.
As I sit in the quiet and look around the house we bought and made a home five years ago, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come.
My journey from a broken little girl to a strong and successful woman wasn’t easy, and there were several times when I didn’t think I’d make it, or even want to make it.
I’ve been in therapy for eight years and on meds to help manage my depression.
Both of those combined have done wonders for my mental health.
I’m able to process my emotions and triggers easier, communicate what I need to my family, and even though it goes against my nature, I’ve made self-care a priority.
Rowan is responsible for a lot of my healing.
Not because he, himself is the reason, but because he’s pushed me every single day to put in the effort to find the best version of myself.
He gives me the space I need to sort things out on my own, but never has a problem calling me on my bullshit.
I don’t think I would have pursued a better life if not for him.
The day we officially adopted Bridget will forever be a turning point for him.
The joy on his face when they declared my sister as Bridget Petersen-Gallagher, was the same as the day Aislin was born.
Never in my life would I have expected my wild Ro to embrace fatherhood the way he did.
His upbringing was so similar to mine. He never really knew love, but that didn’t stop him from creating the family we all needed and wanted.
My phone lights up beside me, pulling from me from my thoughts.
Bridget: You get Ro home okay?
Alicia: Yeah, he crashed the moment he hit the bed.
Bridget: Not surprised. Old man needs to go easy on the booze.
Alicia: Don’t tell him that. Why are you still up?
Bridget: Can’t turn my brain off.
Me: Need to talk it out?
Bridget: Nah. Just wanted to check in.
Alicia: You sure there’s nothing you want to tell me about concerning Isaac?
Bridget: What? Why would I have anything to say about Isaac?
Alicia: You guys seemed a little tense around each other earlier.
Bridget: I didn’t notice.
Alicia: Okay. I’m always here if you need me.
Bridget: I know. I love you.
Alicia: Love you too, B.
Bridget and I have become best friends over the years, our relationship morphing from child and caretaker to what we are now.
Watching her flourish into the successful young woman she is today is something that never ceases to amaze me.
She is proof that no matter how things begin, it doesn’t determine the outcome.
The End.