5. An Unthinkable Solution
Chapter five
An Unthinkable Solution
KARA
Although I think both Sadie and her mom would be more comfortable in our private apartment, I know there's no way Mick will allow strangers into our inner sanctum.
So, I request sandwiches be served in the sunroom.
It's my favorite room in the main area of the mansion. The wall of windows with a view of the bay is south facing, so it provides lots of natural light whatever the time of day.
The casual atmosphere is nice too. There's my oversized reading chair with ottoman on one end of the long room and an overstuffed sofa with matching armchairs at the other. In the middle, near the window, is a table and four chairs great for casual dining and playing boardgames.
If you discount the bullet resistant glass on the windows and the fact the furniture was all purchased through an exclusive interior design house, it's pretty normal family living.
While we're still in the foyer, I turn to Fitz. "Why don't you get changed out of your uniform while I get something sorted for Sadie?"
My son gives his friend a questioning look. "Okay?"
Sadie nods without speaking and Fitz jogs off toward our quarters.
"You don't have to lend me clothes. I can stay in my uniform." She crosses her arms over her chest and hugs herself, trying to hide the way her uniform blouse gapes where the buttons are missing.
Yeah, no.
She does not need to sit with a constant physical reminder of what happened this afternoon. "Not at all. My sister's clothes should fit you just fine. She's smaller than I am."
Sadie looks askance at me.
Mick chuckles. "She doesn't mean shorter."
Which is the truth. Fiona is taller than me, but skinnier and the twelve-year-old Sadie won't swim in her t-shirts.
"Oh, uh…okay." Sadie gives Mick a wary look. "I'll stay here, I guess."
Not a good idea. My husband is a wonderful man but he is not comforting to anyone but his immediate family.
"Come with me. I'll text Fi and have her meet us at the guest bathroom with clothes for you." Which is exactly what I do.
We only have to wait a couple of minutes for Fiona to arrive with a pair of black yoga pants that are capri length on her and will be full length on Sadie, a light blue t-shirt and a lightweight gray hoodie.
"You can wear the t-shirt with your skirt, if you want. But I've got some slouchy socks for you in case you don't. Because who wants to wear knee-highs with yoga pants, am I right?" Fiona asks with so much more friendly confidence than she used to have.
My sister also offers a sling pack for Sadie to put her school uniform in.
"Thank you." Sadie takes the clothes and bag and then disappears into the bathroom.
Fiona tugs me away from the door where we can't be overheard and asks, "What happened to her? Her shirt is missing buttons."
I tell my sister the gist and she's scowling by the time I'm done. "I'm proud of my nephew for beating the crap out of them, but I still think Zoey should pay those boys a visit and make sure they understand personal boundaries in the future."
Fiona's partner, Zoey, is a mafiosa with the Cosa Nostra, but she's been working security and enforcement for our mob on loan since my cousin Róise got engaged to the Genovese underboss.
He's the don now and Zoey is on long term assignment to the Shaughnessy Mob.
"I'm not sure what disciplinary actions Mick has planned." Fitz clearly thinks that what happened today isn't enough of a deterrent for future behavior.
Which is really concerning.
Something has to be done. And it needs to filter out to all the mob families because what happened today should never have happened with children, but especially those associated with our mob.
When Sadie comes out of the bathroom, her shoulders are no longer hunched and she seems calmer.
A tray of sandwiches and beverages have been delivered to the sunroom when we reach it. Fiona doesn't stand on ceremony, grabbing a plate with one of the sandwiches in one hand and a drink in the other, clearly intent on staying.
Fitz hands a plate to Sadie. "Pick a sandwich. I know you didn't get lunch." He grins at me. "I did, but I'm still hungry." And he snags another plate for himself.
No surprise there. He is a preteen boy after all. And with a more rigorous workout schedule than his classmates. Fitz is always hungry.
The kids join Fiona at the table near the window and pretty soon our son has his favorite card-based boardgame out, which they play while they eat.
"You need to eat too," Mick informs me, knowing I haven't had lunch yet.
Because the man still watches me and he always knows. I think my brain must be wired wrong because that doesn't make me feel stifled; it makes me feel cherished. Looked after.
We're done with lunch and sitting together on the sofa watching the kids and Fiona play their game when Wraith arrives with Sadie's mom.
Sadie leaps from the table and runs to her mom, pulling the obviously worried woman into a hug. "It's okay, mom. Nothing happened."
Nothing happened?
I shake my head and approach the other woman whom I've seen but never met formally, my hand extended. "Hello, Mrs. Gallagher, I'm Fitz's mom, Kara Fitzgerald."
"áine please." She darts a nervous glance toward Mick and then shakes my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Fitzgerald."
"Call me Kara and this is my husband, Mick."
áine swallows and nods toward Mick without saying anything.
Wraith makes a noise of frustration and says, "The boss isn't going to eat you."
áine glares at Wraith. "I know that. However, I would appreciate you not making comments like that in front of my daughter and upsetting her."
"Don't worry, mom. Mr. Fitzgerald isn't like Mr. Shaughnessy," Sadie says blithely. "He's nice."
áine looks like she's trying not to swallow her tongue. I give her a reassuring smile, though I don't agree with her daughter's claim that my husband is nice. He can be. If he wants. But that's not his default setting.
"My dad will take care of it," Fitz claims.
Which is one-hundred percent true, so I nod my agreement. "Yes, he will."
Instead of doing as I suggest, áine spins to glare up at Wraith. "You said your name is Kieran."
Unsurprisingly, Wraith, a man of few words, doesn't respond, so I offer the explanation, hoping to allay the distrust rolling off the other mom in waves. "His name is Kieran, but his nickname is Wraith."
"I don't see it," áine takes a step toward Wraith, her expression still accusing. "You're hardly as insubstantial as a ghost."
"But I can move as quietly as one when I need to," he replies, offering more of an explanation than I expect.
"Oh."
Sadie is looking at her mom with big eyes, like something about the way áine is interacting with Wraith surprises her too. I'm not used to seeing anyone push their way into his personal space either, but women especially, act nervous around Wraith.
Like they do with Mick.
Wraith shifts so he's at her side and places a big hand on her much smaller shoulder, before leading her to the sofa and sitting down beside her.
Okay. That's unexpected.
Mick and I take the two armchairs while Sadie sits beside her mom. Fitz and Fiona bring over chairs from the table. Unsurprisingly, Fitz puts his at the end of the couch nearest Sadie.
My son has a protective streak that goes bone deep.
áine takes a deep breath and looks at her daughter. "I know there was some kind of fight at school today and Kenny Jr. got taken to the hospital afterward, but the school didn't call me or your gran to tell us you'd been involved."
"She wasn't part of the fight," Fitz says fiercely. "That was me and four other boys."
"Four?" áine asks, startled. "What happened?" she asks her daughter.
"You know the boys who have been bullying me?" Sadie asks.
áine nods. "I tried talking to their parents, but…" She shrugs with a frown.
"They didn't listen," Wraith growls.
áine sighs. "Why would they? I'm the wife of a traitor and Sadie is the daughter of one."
"You knew about your husband's activities?" Mick asks, a lethal chill in his voice.
áine scoots closer to Wraith and shakes her head vehemently. "Knew while they were happening? No. Know now? Yes, as you made certain I did."
Seeing Sadie's lack of surprise, I'd have to guess she's also aware. Why would a mother tell her daughter her father was a traitor? And why does áine believe Mick ordered for her to be told?
That's the last thing my husband would have done.
The risk of her turning state's evidence with information like that would be too great.
Mick's face is blank. "Explain."
"Do you order so many women terrorized, you can't remember sending Kenneth Shaughnessy to do it to me?" áine's hand flies to her mouth and she gives Sadie a guilty look.
"Don't worry mom, I know Mr. Shaughnessy is mean. He says stuff to me too."
"What kind of stuff?" Fitz asks, his tone a good imitation of his father's just before someone dies.
"That my dad's a traitor. That my mom's lucky to have a job working for him and I'm lucky he got me into our school because they didn't want a traitor's daughter mixing with the good kids."
From the expression on áine's face, that last bit is news to her and she's furious about it. "You are one of the good kids. You're the best kind of kid!"
"How exactly did Kenneth terrorize you?" Mick asks.
áine looks down at her daughter and then up at Mick, her expression troubled. "He told me what happened after you found out about what Troy did."
The words are innocent enough, unless you know what did happen. Mick tortured and killed the traitorous soldier.
And Kenneth Shaughnessy told áine about it?
That disloyal bastard!
"What do you mean, mom?" Sadie asks, her voice pitching higher. "Daddy died before the mob found out what he did."
"That's right, honey. But after Mr. Fitzgerald learned about what Troy did, he wanted to make sure I was made aware too." áine looks imploringly up at Wraith. "My daughter doesn't need to hear any more of this."
I didn't know the enigmatic, tough as nails, Wraith could feel compassion much less had that expression in his repertoire.
"Agreed." He looks at Mick, the compassion morphing to determination. "Boss."
Mick nods. "We'll talk more later." The without the children around goes unsaid, but we all know it's implied.
"Let's focus on what happened today, right now," I say.
With a concerned glance at her mother, Sadie takes that as her cue to continue. "I didn't tell you, but they started saying nasty stuff to me." The young girl gulps, going red as a beet. "Sex stuff."
áine erupts from the couch and glares at Mick and then puts her hand out to her daughter. "Come on. We have to go."
Sadie's face crumbles. "Mom?"
"We're not safe here," áine says with teeth gritted conviction and repeats. "We have to go."
"But she is safe here, Mrs. Gallagher. My da won't let anything happen to any of you," Fitz promises, guaranteeing Mick will take action.
My husband will not allow our son's word to be broken, even if he made it on his da's behalf.
áine's eyes close, her face wincing with internal pain. When they open again, they are sheened with tears. "He already did."
It's so close to something I said to Mick several years before that my heart hurts.
"But Fitz stood up for me!" Sadie exclaims. "He stopped them."
The tears spill over áine's eyes. "Thank you, Fitz. We have to go," she repeats to her daughter in a tear choked voice.
Something is going on here way beyond what happened to Sadie today and that was horrific enough.
Wraith stands up and places his hands on áine's shoulders. "I give you my word that what happened today will never happen again. I will keep you and your daughters safe. You don't have to run."
I don't understand why áine has stayed in New York the past seven years, but I certainly understand why she wants to leave now.
However, knowing what she does about Mick, she can't leave.
"You understand what you are promising, Wraith?" Mick's voice is devoid of emotion. "The only way you can keep that promise?"
Wraith jerks his head in a nod. "I know."
Mick nods. "You have my approval, but it will have to be quick."
My husband is not saying what I think he is saying. He can't be. Wraith only met áine today.
"We'll get the license tomorrow morning. The wedding can happen the day after."
Oh no. He is talking about marrying her. The day after tomorrow!
"Wedding?" áine is looking gobsmacked.
I love that word.
Sadie flashes a confused look at Fitz. "Who's getting married?"
"Your mom and Wraith…uh, Kieran." My son is not slow on the uptake.