Declan + Coraline

by J. J. McAvoy

  Meaning he wanted didn’t want anyone to know it was us.

  “Yes. I’ll call in once it’s done.”

  “Be careful, son.” He hung up without waiting for me to reply. Like always.

  I took a deep breath and turned to go back inside. It was only when I entered our room once more that I realized she hadn’t been exaggerating. She really did snore…loudly. But she looked cute.

  I walked over and pulled the blanket up and over her since the air conditioning was on. Grabbing my laptop and headphones, I sat beside the dimming light and searched for Emilio. I needed to get away while she was sleeping sometime this week to take care of him. I also needed to send proof to Sedric. He would take me at my word, but I wanted him to know that I could be with her and at the same time make sure that the family work was being taken care of.

  SIX

  “Let's take a walk. You can show me some of your memories and I'll show you some of mine.”

  ―Adam Berlin

  DECLAN

  It was mid-day on our third day in Cancun, and she held onto my arm as we walked barefoot along the beach. Somehow we found ourselves in the midst of our version of twenty questions.

  “What is the best gift you’ve ever received?” she asked me.

  I thought for a moment. “I’d have to say the broken Microsoft computer I got when I was eleven.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. Liam had broken his, but he put in a wagon, brought it down to my room, and begged me to fix it before his dad found out. I thought he was crazy but he told me that I was good with technology and promised to do my chores for a week.”

  “You did chores? Didn’t you guys have maids or something?” She sounded so amazed.

  “Yes, we did. But Sedric, my uncle, said that he didn’t want slackers for sons and that our future wives would all blame him for not raising us right. So the maids were instructed to clean everywhere but our rooms. We did our own laundry, vacuumed our own rooms and even had to use the ladder to wash the windows on the outside. Since Neal was the oldest, he usually went up and did it while Liam and I held the bottom of the ladders. I’ll never forget when Liam demanded to be paid for all this work. Sedric had everything stripped out of his room and demanded that Liam pay for everything in order to get it all back, plus extra for his ‘pain and suffering.’ ”

  She laughed outright and tears built up in the corner of her eyes.

  “Oh God, what did he do?”

  “Liam’s hardheaded. He refused to admit that he was wrong. So instead, he stole Sedric’s golf clubs and his wallet, and held it for ransom. Liam got his stuff back but not before getting a few lashes on his arse. So I’m not sure if it was a victory or not.”

  “What about the computer? Did you fix it?” she question, reminding me of how we’d gotten on this subject to begin with.

  “Yep, I fixed it, but not before Sedric came home and found out. He made Liam run fifteen laps around the house and I had to run double that for being an accomplice. But it was a worthwhile experience, after all, it’s how I knew I wanted to study computer programing. ”

  When I looked down at her she was smiling so brightly at me that I almost felt embarrassed. I kissed her forehead, and looked back to see the ocean. It looked like it could go on for miles.

  “Next question—”

  “Oh no. You’ve asked me like five questions. Now it’s my turn.”

  “Fine. Ask away.”

  I nodded as I tried to think of a question that would make her talk just as much as me.

  “I know you majored in business, but what was your favorite subject in school? And why?” I added the why part just in case she decided to give me a one worded answer.

  “Literature. I would have majored in that, but I settled for it as my minor.” She thought for a moment. “I guess the answer to ‘why’ would be because they’re like mini vacations. I can go anywhere and be anyone just by opening a book. It’s always so exciting when I start, and so sad when it over.”

  “What’s your favorite book?”

  “That’s like asking me what my favorite star in the sky is—it’s impossible to answer. It changes from day to day. But as of today, it’s PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. And now that I think about it, the main character, Garry, he’s Irish!” She grinned and I laughed.

  “What can I say, love, we’ve been in everyone’s fantasy from the dawn of time,” I said with an accent and I watched as her grin grew even wider. I loved seeing her smile.

  “You’re definitely reading to me later,” she stated as she nodded her head to herself.

  “You brought the book with you?”

  “Yeah. Book nerd rule number three: never ever, leave an unfinished book at home.”

  She’s so cute.

  Taking a break from our walk, we sat down on the sand right at the bank, as the tide brought the water up to just below our toes.

  “Okay, next question…”

  “Nope. It’s mine turn now.”

  “What?”

  She nodded smugly. “See? It goes by quickly.”

  “Go ahead.”

  She tapped her finger on her chin and I rolled my eyes as I tapped my hand on my watch.

  “When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?”

  Without thinking I answered. “Whatever my family needed me to be.”

  She tilted her head in confusion and I wished I had just said a doctor or something generic…but it was already too late for me to back track.

  “You never wanted to be anything for yourself?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer this, but I didn’t want to lie.

  “We Irish are different,” I replied. “It’s all about the clan, the collective group. When the Irish first came to Chicago, like with Boston, we were treated pretty like much like dogs. I’d dare say only a step above how African Americans were treated in the north at that time. We had no one to turn to, and so we turned to each other. People would have collective dinners for the community if they could afford to, or share blankets or tools if they could spare them. It was your job to support your fellow brother. It was the way Sedric was raised, and it’s the way he raised us. That’s why we hold a Thanksgiving and Christmas feast in the Irish neighborhoods every year. And also why we have emergency funds if people truly need it. The great thing is the neighborhood’s ability to regulate itself. If anyone finds out that you take beyond what you truly need, then you’d be run out of the community.” Also, in return for all that, we got their unwavering loyalty.

  “Wow,” she said softly as she brushed her hair behind her ear. “It’s so amazing that you all take care of each other like that. It’s like one big family.”

  “That’s the way we see it. Evelyn, my aunt, always makes sure that we have dinner every night together so the inner family stays connected. Honestly, it sometimes feels like I can never get away. Everyone knows everything about you. As a kid, if I lost a tooth, I could walk into Sedric’s office and he would be surrounded by extended family I didn’t even know, and they would all congratulate me and warn me to not get any cavities on my permanent teeth.” It used to annoy me so much when I was a kid, but now I’m used to it.”

  She frowned as her eyes glazed over. “I’m jealous.”

  “What?”

  She nodded. “My parents died when I was twelve, and for the first two weeks, everyone was hovering around me, so it didn’t really hit me until they all went back to their lives and I was left all alone. I had my aunt and uncle along with my cousin. But it wasn’t the same. My mother was only able to have me, and so she and my father basically smothered me to death with affection. They went to Greece for a second honeymoon and I told them that I would be fine. But they still called twice a day every day while they were gone. And on the day they came back, it was at three in the morning and my mother ran to my room and jumped up onto my bed.”

  I enjoyed watching how she spoke while her hands gesticulated and her face beamed
with joy.

  “She shook me.” She stretched out her hand like she was shaking someone in bed. “All the while saying ‘Cora, wake up, we’re moving to Greece.’ ” She laughed and shook her head. “My father came in behind her and told her to hush and leave me alone. But she ignored him and kept shaking me. ‘We’re moving to Greece, Cora. Get excited!’ she said again, and my father kept denying it. I was so tired that I buried my head under my covers. My mom hugged me anyway, still ignoring my dad. She talked about how blue the water was, how white sands were, and how great the food was. She talked a lot about the food. My dad said we would go when summer came, but they died in a fire a week later.”

  She took a deep breath and bit her lips. “Actually, my father died in the fire, while he was trying to get my mother out. My aunt and uncle woke me and my cousin up from our sleepover and rushed us to the house. We got there just as they were wheeling her out, and she was burned so badly that at first I didn’t even recognize her. She was rolled past me and her eyes fell on mine as she reached out for me. Instead of going to her, I cowered and screamed. That woman looked like a monster, not my mother. And when they took me to hospital, I refused to see her. She died shortly after, and to this day I still feel like I let her down.”

  “You were twelve, Cora.” I grasped her hand.

  She smiled sadly and nodded. “Yeah. I know that, but it doesn’t change the way I feel. If I had another chance I would’ve run to her instead of screamed. If only I’d known—”

  “It’s impossible to know. It’s not fair to be angry at yourself. From what you’ve said, she loved you a lot. I doubt she would want you to beat yourself up over it.” For some reason all the words coming out of my mouth felt like the words Sedric had often told me after I’d lost my parents.

  “I know. That’s why it felt so horrible when everyone left after the funeral. Everything was silent and I had no one to go to, so I began to set goals for myself. It got me from one day to the next. So I’m jealous of you, Declan. I wish that no one would leave me alone and that at least someone would know when I had cavities.” She smiled sadly.

  I had never thought of myself as lucky after losing my parents. I never wanted to be a burden to anyone. But I thought about how people were always around me growing up. I never could be sad until I was all alone at night, because that’s when I could think again. I hadn’t ever been grateful for that distraction from the pain until I’d met her.

  “Can I ask you another question?” I asked her.

  She nodded quickly. “Please, before I ruin this with morbid conversation.”

  What are you doing for the rest of your life?

  “What are you looking for, Coraline? In me, in a man, in anyone?”

  She paused. “I don’t know, but as the days go by, I’m finding it.”

  CORALINE

  The way he held me in his arms as we watched the sun set on the beach…I felt at peace. Relaxed. For the first time in my life, I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t feel the need to plan out the day or worry about tomorrow, and I wished that this moment would live on to infinity.

  “Coraline,” he whispered as the sunlight crept downwards below the surface of the sea.

  “Yeah?”

  “If you ever feel lonely, call me…I’ll be there in any way you need me to be. I swear.”

  I believed him.

  SEVEN

  “When he worked, he really worked. But when he played, he really played.”

  ―Dr. Seuss

  CORALINE

  The first day we’d gone skydiving.

  The second day was bungee jumping and ziplining.

  The third was a Mayan cultural day to give the daredevil in me a break. He’d rented a helicopter and flew it himself to the Temple of Kukulcan.

  The Fourth day we just talked and walked along the beach.

  And now, on the fifth day, he was once again trying to kill me.

  “Swimming with sharks?! Declan,” I said as he put the oxygen tank on my back and handed me the mouthpiece, “you know that this is the reason why women tend to live longer than men, right?”

  “I thought it was because you guys ate all that whole grain, gluten free, fat free crap, which might as well not be food anyway!” he joked as he shook his head and zipped up his wetsuit.

  “I’m guessing that’s a sore spot for you?”

  “My cousin, Neal, his wife is all about the free when it comes to her food. She roped my aunt into her health craze last month. So we were all forced to either sneak in meals or just eat out.” He’d said it so causally he must have not realized it, but I did. He had starting talking about his family.

  “I prefer all the fat in my food. I always figure that I can work it off later. Preferably before becoming food for sharks.” I pointed to the steel cage that hung off the corner of his yacht and the crew he had working on it.

  “Everyone knows sharks don’t like chocolate, you’ll be fine.”

  I stared at him for a second before I broke out into a fit of laughter.

  “Is this scientifically proven?”

  “Well, we’re about to find out.” He took my hand, as the crew dipped the cage into the water.

  “Wait,” I said, as I let his hand go and grabbed my swim cap. There was no way I was going to have time to fix my hair if the water ruined it.

  I packed it in as best as I could and turned to find him looking at me with his eyebrow raised.

  “I look so sexy right now, don’t I?” I posed for him.

  A grin spread across his face as he pulled me close. His held on to my hand just before we jumped into the water. Slipping the goggles over my eyes, he made sure my oxygen was secure and working before he tested his. He gave them a thumbs up to the crew above us and once the cage was lowered, I gripped onto him for dear life.

  The lights came on and I took calm breaths like he’d instructed me to. When I looked up I could see the bottom of the boat a few feet above us, and it only took a second before not one or two, but a shitload of sharks came out of nowhere and began circling us. It was like a horror show.

  I glanced to Declan and he was watching me closely, only allowing his right hand to float out the cage and grace the top of one of the sharks.

  He took my hand and slowly poked it out of the bars as well. With his hand on mine, I was able to touch the sharks as well.

  Five days into our trip and I was unable to stop smiling.

  Was there anything he couldn’t do?

  He pulled out the camera and positioned me in front of one of the sharks. I wasn’t sure what else to do, so I threw up a peace sign at the lens. He took the picture while shaking his head at me. I swam to him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he held his arm out so that we could take one together. He wrapped his hand around my waist and lifted me up higher so our faces were side by side before taking the picture.

  We stayed down there for only a few minutes before the cage began to make its way back up.

  When we broke the surface, I took off my goggles. “Are you afraid of anything?” I asked as I wiped my face.

  “What?” He took off his mask and shook the water from his hair before he ran his hands through it.

  “I asked if you were afraid of anything. Because from where I’m standing, you’re a little too good to be true, Declan Callahan.”

  “Yeah. I’m pretty much perfect. What can I say,” he said as he helped me onto the boat. When I got on board, I pulled off my cap and turned to him. He zipped down his wetsuit and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his abs as the water and sunlight reflected off its hard surface. My gaze followed the droplet of water that slowly dripped down his chest before it disappeared into…

  “Like what you see?” he asked when I met his green eyes again.

  I shrugged. “You’re alright, I guess.”

  “Really? Okay then.” He nodded and I was already used to that look.

  “Declan…”

  It was too late. He picked me u
p and threw me over his shoulder, taking us both up the stairs and onto the top deck.

  “We just got out of the ocean. I need to shower!” I said, knowing that that wouldn’t slow him down.

  “That’s fine.” He led me into his private bathroom, which was decorated in tones of rich, warm, golden browns, all of which were offset and accentuated by a bright white rug on the floor. He placed me down onto the lush rug, and turned on the shower. Facing me again, he unzipped my suit much slower than he needed to. When the zipper was fully down, he peeled the suit off of my shoulder and bent down to lightly kiss my skin. Then he set to work on the top part of my halter-top bikini.

  I tried to catch it when it fell, but he grabbed my hands, and shook his head. Holding on to my arms, he lifted them above my head and then grabbed my suit, which still clung around my waist. He pulled it, and my bottoms, to the ground in one smooth motion.

  He quickly peeled his suit completely off as well, and much to my delight, I found that his cock was already swollen, hard, and twitching with excitement.

  “What next?” I asked him, still slightly embarrassed at being naked. However, whenever he looked at me, stared at me, like I was the only person in the world, I felt beautiful…sexy even.

  “I fuck you,” he said as he grabbed on to my breasts, and his thumb brushed against my nipples. “I fuck you until you can’t stand straight.”

  “Oh—”

  He didn’t let me even get a word in before his lips were on mine. His hands gripped my thighs, and he lifted me up around him and walked into the shower.

  My hands snaked around his neck and I shivered as I felt not only the warm water pour over both of us and the also the cold glass of the shower as he pressed me up against it. He kissed the side of my jaw and trailed down my neck. His grip on my thighs loosened until my feet were on the ground near his. Then, he flipped me around so that my breasts were pressed up against the glass and he was pressed up against my back. His hands were on either side of my head as he braced himself.