by D. A. Young
Beloved mother to Jackson, Darby, and Casey.
May you rest in eternal peace.
You are gone but never forgotten, for
death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
while love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Darby replaced the old arrangement of flowers with the new one Avery created this morning. Clearing his throat, he spoke first, and as always when they spoke to her, their voices took on an Irish lilt and vernacular. “Hello, Ma. How’s the form? (How are you?) Bet you never thought to see us all together again, eh? But you know we’re all good and back in The Row for good. Isna right, boyos?”
“Aye, Ma,” Casey said fondly. “We were right banjaxed (shattered and broken) with your death and didn’t know how we’d go on. Particularly me. But there’s no need to fash yerself; we’ve had a good support system, we ‘ave. Ian, Vivienne, and Alexei really stepped up to the plate and made sure we walked the right path, and in doing so, it led us to the loves of our lives.”
“He’s right, Ma,” Jack chimed in affectionately. “Our women have brought us not just a happiness that we never imagined but peace and adventure as well. There’s never a dull moment to be had with them or our kiddos.” He clasped Casey on the back with a grin. “Speaking of kiddos, baby boyo here has some news.”
“I dinna think he had it in ‘im, but he’s a slick one he is,” Darby elbowed his younger brother who was beaming with pride.
“I’m joining the fatherhood club,” Casey said proudly. “Next time I come, I’ll bring my woman. You’ll love Sidra. She’s feisty and kind with a big heart.” He ignored Darby’s cough, which sounded a lot like ‘don’t forget crazy’. “Sidra’s pregnant, Ma. So this will be grandbaby number four for ya. Accordin’ to her, one’s enough, but she doesna know me too well if she thinks that was the end of that discussion.”
They stayed a few moments more, and this time was easier than it had ever been because they were all in a good place in their lives and had let go off all bitterness, anger, and pain, which left behind only the good times they’d shared with Moira. And then they left with the kiss to the tombstone and their customary farewell, Mo ghrá, go deo agus i gcónaí ag (My love forever and always). Until next time, Ma.”
The walk back to Jack’s Range Rover was a lighthearted one, with each man thinking of how good it was to be free of their past.
“So, how are the renovations goin’? Darby asked Casey.
“They’re goin’ great; the new flooring was put down, but I have a feelin’ once Sid sees it, she’s not gonna be feelin’ it,” Casey remarked with dread. “Never mind that she insisted on it.”
“Pregnant woman’s prerogative to change her mind,” Jack replied with a chuckle. “I dare you to protest if she says somethin’.”
“Unlike the two of you, I ain’t scared of my woman,” Casey taunted his older brothers.
“That’s cause you’re as crazy as she is. Which is not necessarily a good thing,” Darby pointed out reasonably.
“You say to-ma-to, I say to-mah-to,” Casey tossed back.
“Yep, a match made in heaven,” Jack said with a laugh. “She’s definitely brought you over to the dark side.”
“It’s not so bad there,” Casey admitted with a chuckle. “Happy Hour is ‘whenever the fuck’ o’clock, and they serve milk and cookies at bedtime.”
“Jesus be a fence,” Darby said shaking his head and they shared a laugh.
***
“Babbbyyyy, I’m home!” Sidra called as the elevator to the loft opened and she stared at the new ash gray wood that had been installed throughout the residence two weeks ago. It was very attractive, but it didn’t look like the flooring they’d discussed. Strong arms encircled her from behind to rest under her belly and draw her back against a hard-muscled chest as her husband whispered hotly in her ear, “Don’t even, Sid. They’re stayin’. I missed you so much; welcome home, darlin’.”
“I didn’t say anything!” she said defensively as she inhaled his familiar scent and tilted her head back to kiss first his neck and then his lips. Mmmmm. Her lips opened eagerly underneath his warm seeking ones and for her efforts, she was rewarded with a sharp kick from within her abdomen. “I missed you too!”
Casey smiled against her mouth. “I don’t think Bean likes what we’re doin’.”
“Bean is mad about the floors,” Sidra informed him as she turned around to face him, her eyes gleaming with approval at his bare chest and jeans with the top button undone. She ran her fingers up his six pack and across his pectorals. “Oh, my...is this all for me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Casey drawled as he touched her straightened hair. “I like your hair. It’s givin’ me ideas.”
Sidra’s mouth flattened. “Do. Not. Touch. This. Blowout. You will be sleeping on the sofa for the rest of my pregnancy if you do.”
“Like you could sleep without me,” Casey quipped as he squatted in front of his wife and pulled her shirt up to press kisses on her rounded belly. “Hey, babygirl. Daddy loves you so much! Do you like the new floors too? What’s that? Don’t listen to Mommy because she’s bein’ hormonal right now? Okay, I’ll take your advice.”
“You’re the devil, Casey Sullivan,” Sidra said lovingly as she smiled down at him.
“And you’re just the angel I needed in my life, Sidra Jane Sullivan. I promise you these are the exact same floors that Ella had installed at her family’s hotel. She sent me all of the vendor information on it. Besides, you’ve been travelin’ for the last month promotin’ your new music so you probably forgot what it looked like.”
There was a slight possibility that he could be telling the truth. With the launch of her new music venture for children, Sid’s Sticky-Sweet Beatz, Sidra had been very busy. Her music and lullabies were highly popular and selling like hotcakes. Sidra had spent the last month talking about her music on Good Morning America, The View, Live With Kelly, and The Real. She’d also done interviews for Parents Magazine and Family Fun. She and her music were a hot commodity that everyone wanted a piece of but also because of the death of her sister and father and her famous brother and mother. The notoriety didn’t hurt in the least, but she refused to discuss any of that stuff during her interviews and won people over with her talent and personality alone.
After the murder/suicide of Nero and Nina, the media had gone into a frenzy over Sidra and Dominick, especially when Dominick officially announced that he was gay. Nero’s father-in-law had tried to prevent them from receiving any of his sorry son-in law’s assets. After a visit from Cruz Merada, the older man quickly changed his mind as Mauricio was familiar with the reputation of the Butchers of Aragon who hailed from the same region of Spain as him. The siblings took the Santos wealth and distributed it to various charities benefitting children and the LGBTQ community.
Lena’s own admissions of being in a longterm relationship and having an affair with a married man were an explosive bombshell and bitter pill for her devoted fans to follow. Ian arranged her interview with Oprah where she admitted her truths and imperfections. She talked about being scared to live life with flaws and was soon given a reality talk show on the Own Network called Living Lucky with Lena. It was an instant hit, and she was now creating a wellness line to help individuals find inner peace. She and Lucky were planning a wedding ceremony for this winter. Lena was right; America did love a comeback.
“Maybe you’re right,” Sidra conceded to Casey. “It could have been the lighting as well. It was a busy time, and there was a lot going on; I think I’m just imagining things.”
“Well, it was our wedding weekend. I’m surprised you even had time to notice it. Why don’t you get changed so we can head to Darby and Avery’s,” Casey said as he took her coat off.
To get away from the media swarming around them, Sidra had accepted Ella’s offer to stay at her place in the Pacific Northwest. Kismet Cove was a small, resort beach town on an island located in Washington state on the bay of Puget Sound. T
he Kemp family were hoteliers, and Ella had recently acquired an inn that she was in the process of renovating alongside her former sister-in-law Davina. Ella had offered Sidra and Casey a newly renovated room, and it was there that they’d relaxed and reconnected amidst all the turmoil. On their second day there, they decided to explore the island on horseback and discovered a beautiful white church on a hill overlooking the beach. The vicar was kind enough to offer them a tour and spoke of the weddings he’d officiated in the lovely stained glass building with the large bell atop. It was charming, quaint, and perfect for Casey and Sidra.
After all of the drama of the last month and a half and in their relationship, they wanted something beautifully simple just for them. So they set their wedding date and were married two months later in the church, officiated by the ecstatic vicar. They kept the guest list to family and close friends only with Lucky walking Sidra down the aisle in a simple, floor-length spaghetti strap dress made of white satin and lace. Her curly hair was styled in a French braid crown that led to a side ponytail with a gardenia. Casey wore a linen, wheat-colored suit, and he also included Dominick as one of his groomsmen. Afterward, they celebrated with a festive clambake on the beach with their guests in summer attire of swimwear and tee-shirts and cutoffs behind the newly-opened Siren Inn where their guests stayed.
“Need help with your back, Mrs. Sullivan?” Casey asked with a roguish grin.
“And my front too, Mr. Sullivan,” Sidra purred as they walked down the hall to their bedroom, stopping in their favorite room along the way. In addition to their new careers, they’d also decided to reside in Whiskey Row full-time and bought Darby’s loft, which they were transforming from a bachelor pad to a more family-friendly home. Although they had plenty of time until their baby arrived, Casey and Sidra had started decorating the nursery first.
They’d painted the nursery seafoam green and decided to do a beach theme in honor of their peaceful time on the island. Stencils of dolphins, seahorses, turtles, and coral adorned the walls along with paintings of marine life by a local Kismet Cove artist. The dresser, crib, and shelves were made of sandblasted manzanita with crabs, octopuses, and sand dollars carved into them, and Uncle Guy had created a mobile made from driftwood and sandblasted starfish to hang above the crib. White chenille body pillows shaped like seashells were strewn in the reading area. Their favorite part of the room was the name spelled in cursive font of iridescent seashells above the crib. Moira.
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Sidra said happily, running her hands lovingly along the smooth wood of the crib.
“You and me both,” Casey agreed softly, looking at the name lovingly.
***
Dinner at Darby and Avery’s proved to be a lively affair as the family feasted on smoked sausage and chicken white bean chili with pepper jack cheese and jalapeno cornbread. The purpose of the dinner was to plan the Thanksgiving menu and guest list.
“Okay, we’re doing two turkeys. One traditional one, baked in the oven, and the second can be smoked or fried?” Avery called out to the large group. “Let’s do a show of hands on each, please.”
“Baby, let’s do both?” Darby called, and the men readily agreed.
“We can do three, Ave,” Noelle said. “Anything leftover will make a good stock for soup.”
“What about oyster stuffing? Any takers?” Sidra asked, and the idea was rejected. “Okay, so let’s do cornbread stuffing and dressing then. Any sweet and savory or just savory?”
“Can we do apples and cranberry with sausage in the cornbread one?” D.J. asked, and everyone turned to look at him. He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what I heard Camille’s grandma is doin’ at her house this Thanksgiving.”
“You spend an awful lot of time Skyping with Camille,” Sidra teased her nephew as she ruffled his hair. “What does Mai Ling say about that?”
D.J. treated his aunt to a long-suffering look as he raised up to kiss her cheek. “I told her everything was strictly platonic, but who knows what she’s thinkin’? You know you women can be a handful.”
There were hoots and hollers in response to his comment, and then Guy spoke up from where he was feeding baby Jack. “I’m actually not gonna be here for Thanksgivin’. As you all know, Christmas is a pretty big deal for me, and I asked if the kids could spend it here in The Row, so Fern said yes, but she’d like for me to join them for Thanksgivin’.”
He ignored the speculative looks everyone exchanged and focused on baby Jack who whined loudly, eager for Guy to feed him faster.
“But you said we were gonna play the traditional football game the day after!” D.J. protested indignantly.
“And we will, brat. I’m headin’ back the next day,” Guy said as he lifted the baby and blew on his tummy, making him chortle with laughter.
“What about you, Dominick? Can we count you in?” Jack asked the singer.
“Yes, I’d love to come and thanks for including me. What should I bring?” Dominick asked, looking up from where he was coloring at the table with Ruby and Ian.
“Just yourself,” Vivienne said firmly. “Trust me, there will be more than enough food.”
“Yeah, Dom,” Casey agreed. “Be warned, though, I need all hands on deck three days before Thanksgiving. The Take A Stand foundation is giving out Turkey’s with all the fixins for dinner at the recreation center to families in need.”
“Sounds good; definitely count me in,” Dominick replied and turned to Ian who was coloring on the other side of Ruby. “Will you be here for Thanksgiving?”
It was just a question, but lately, Ian had been sensing there was something more to Dominick’s words and an undertone that he didn’t want to examine too closely. Ian had helped him to navigate his way out of the closet and transition smoothly into society as a gay man. While Dominick was an extremely attractive man, Ian wasn’t interested in being his Guinea pig relationship. Dominick was a regular client of the boys’ therapist Dr. Laura and seemed to be doing well for which Ian was glad, but he had no intentions of playing the fool for someone with daddy issues.
“No, I’ll be in Barbados,” he finally said, pretending not to see the disappointment in Dominick’s eyes as he bent his head to examine Ruby’s coloring. “Clever girl! Now let’s try staying in the lines this time, shall we?”
“Yes, no lines!” Ruby nodded her head enthusiastically and scribbled all over the page.
“Let’s take a head count now then,” Noelle suggested as Jack put his arms around her and helped himself to her cornbread as he distracted her with a kiss.
“Well, I’m speaking for Holt and Papa,” Kat added as she came from the kitchen carrying a tray of individually-sliced apple pies garnished with maple cream to the table, and everyone quickly grabbed one. “They’ll be here for sure.”
“And when are they comin’ back?” Casey asked as he accepted the bite of pie Sidra offered him. “I feel like those two are always gone.”
Kat and Vivienne exchanged a worried look before Kat spoke. “Holt is due back from Sweden the day after tomorrow. His grandfather has been…ill.”
It had been months since that evening by the lake when Holt had given her something to think about, but his offer was at the forefront of her mind with every kiss and touch he’d bestowed upon her since.
“Marry me, Kat…”
She knew if he took her, there would be no changing of her mind. It was a forever kind of deal.
“Lex will be here next week,” Vivienne offered with a tight smile. “He’s been in Europe on business.”
Vivienne shivered, recalling his parting words to her.
“Know this, Mrs. Romankov; there is nothing I will not do for you,” His inky eyes blazing his love for her as he holstered his guns. “It is time I remind the world of that fact.”
***
Glasgow, Scotland…
Ermines McNall shivered, feeling the cold through his thin shabby dress coat as he ducked in and out of corners, trying to make his way b
ack to his hiding spot in the warehouse district. His mind was whirling a mile a minute as he ducked over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. With that little shit Magnus’s disappearance, his days of being useful were a thing of the past. The troublesome ass had done what was needed and retrieved the necessary information Ermine’s former employer had demanded but was now gone with the wind. There was no footage from the hotel or any of the intersections during the slaughter that took place in the penthouse. That was the most troubling part of the whole incident. Someone had leveled the playing field for the other team. Thanks to their assistance, Magnus had escaped and was able to delete all the files he’d created for them, leaving the Romankov bitch to have peace of mind for the time being.
And now Ermines was on the run and forced to go underground to stay alive. The expensive, lavishly decorated home of his was no more. His coat had once been a custom-made design but now served as a blanket of sorts to keep him warm. His red hair that he used to get cut for a couple hundred pounds was now a faded, black, long unruly mess and the recipient of a bad dye job. All his power had been stripped when Alexei Romankov put a bounty on his head, cut off his income and threatened to go to war with anyone who aided Ermines. His former gang, the one he’d founded and brought up in the crime ranks had turned their backs on him along with his former employer.
It started to rain and that added a new layer of cold to the already freezing temperature. Ermines wished he was sitting in nice warm pub with a pint right about now and a willing doxie on his lap, but he couldn’t even afford to be seen. So busy shivering and huddling into his coat to keep warm and dry that he didn’t even notice the dark, tinted car at the curb on his right until the last minute. Then the big blonde giant stepped out from the store archway on his left before Ermines could run, and he was shoved into the darkened interior of the vehicle. He inhaled the scent of rich leather as he came face to face with Alexei “The Wolf” Romankov. Ermine looked around frantically for an escape as the giant got in on the passenger side, and the dark-haired driver slowly pulled away from the curve.
