Irish's Destiny

by Erin Osborne

  “Yeah,” I reply, walking inside.

  I’m sure that Bailey saw the embrace and wanted to get me away from Goose before anything could happen. We both are well aware of the fact that we can’t do anything. At this point, the only thing I’m interested in is spending time with him and getting to know Goose. I’ve never been one to be interested in boys and right now, I’m kind of holding myself back because I don’t know what mom’s plans are going to be as far as staying here or not. I hope we stay though.

  “Sami, can you keep watching over Cassidy while Irish goes to check on your mom and we put the finishing touches on everything in here? The guys are going to go out and start getting the grill up and going so that they can get food cooking.”

  “I can do that,” I answer as I see Goose making his way in the house. Like I said, never far from my side.

  It’s been a few hours and I’ve been playing with Cassidy. Goose and Joker have stayed close by my side. I can tell that Joker wants to talk to me but he’s trying not to overwhelm me. So, I make it easier on him and tell him that if he’s got questions or something to say, then have at it.

  “Well, I’m just curious to know about you. Anythin’ that you want to tell me is fine by me.” Joker tells me, scooting his chair a little closer.

  “As you know, I’m sixteen and I am hoping that we stay in Clifton Falls. It has nothing to do with Goose, I think that this is the type of town that we need to put roots down in. Now that we know we have family here, true family, I want to be close. I want to have the chance to get to know you all,” I tell him honestly.

  “I’m sure we’d all like it if you guys stayed here too. But, the ultimate decision is your mom’s to make,” Joker tells me.

  Before I can say anything else, I see my mom making her way out of her bedroom with Irish not far behind her. I know they’ve both been through some serious shit, but I think that they’d be perfect together. He’s always watching her, even when he tries to hide it, and my mom is doing the same thing. She thinks it’s too soon after leaving my dad to even be thinking about finding someone else to be with, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. With them, I think it’s just a matter of timing, and they’ll get it right.

  By this time, Joker has joined the guys outside. Goose is still sticking close and the women are all trying to include me in their conversations. I think that Bailey is going to try to get some one-on-one time later on. No one here wants to make us feel uncomfortable. So, I’m guessing that Pops, Joker, and Bailey are going to take some time and visit with us separately over the next few days. It will probably be better for mom in the long run. I know she’s already stressed out and this is just going to add to it. When that happens, she tends to get some migraines. I hate when that happens because she’ll be in bed for days and there’s nothing I can do to help her. It sucks!

  “Mom, I’m glad that you’re back out here,” I tell her, letting her come to me.

  “I’m sorry that I had to lay down for a bit honey. It’s just a lot to take in.”

  “I know. But, you’re here now and that’s all that matters. The guys are getting ready to cook so we can relax until it’s time to eat.”

  “I’m going to relax with you and spend some time with Cassidy.”

  “Well, you can relax Whitney,” Bailey tells us. “Sami, you’re going to open your presents while we’re waiting to eat. It’s taken longer than usual so this will make time seem quicker if you’re busy.”

  We all gather outside around the tables the guys brought over here. At some point in time, someone set up one of the tables with nothing but presents. I thought there was a lot in the SUV, but there’s nothing on what’s out here now. Where the rest of these came from is a mystery to me. I guess I’m about to find out though.

  Bailey and Joker start to bring everything over to me one by one. The kids wanted to do it, but I think that Joker and Bailey just want to do something for me since we’re just finding out that we’re all related. Today is definitely turning out to be one of the best days in a long time. If my mom hadn’t decided to stop here for gas and something to eat, we’d never know that we had family.

  I got so many gifts from everyone that I don’t know what to do. There’s been everything from clothes, gift cards, a new iPod, money, and the promise from Joker and Pops to teach me how to drive. Mom wasn’t too thrilled about the driving part, but I know that she knows I want to do it. Truthfully, I think that she’s a little relieved that she doesn’t have to be the one that has to do it. Mom’s never said anything, but I know that she’s scared to death to have me behind the wheel with her riding shotgun.

  “Did you have a good day today Sami?” mom asks me.

  “It’s been amazing! Did I show you what Goose got me?”

  “No. Let me see,” she says, excitement for me lacing her voice.

  I lift my arm and show off the charm bracelet. It’s one of my favorite gifts and I’m never taking it off. I don’t care what happens or where I go, Goose’s gift is going to be with me no matter what. I can’t wait to start adding charms to show our memories together. By the time we start to build our future, I’m going to need more than one bracelet for charms.

  “That’s so pretty!” mom gushes.

  “He was so sweet when he gave it to me. I’ve never seen someone nervous like he was. But, he gave me the sweet I see Irish giving you mom.”

  Before she can respond, I hear people start singing Happy Birthday. Looking up, I see Joker and Cage carrying a huge cake. I’m going to guess that Skylar made it because this cake is too awesome to be made at some bakery. It’s got pinks and purples on it with butterflies all over the different layers.

  As soon as the song is done, I blow out all the candles. I never used to make wishes, but this year I did. My wish is that we stay in Clifton Falls and my mom becomes happy for the first time in her life. She deserves to be happy after everything she sacrificed for me growing up and staying with my dad. I think that if it weren’t for me, she would’ve left a long time ago. We’ll never know for sure, but it’s my thought on the situation.

  Skylar cuts the cake while the rest of us wait to get our pieces. She serves me first and then the kids. I walk over to a table with my plate and get joined by Pops, Bailey, Joker, my mom, Irish, and Goose. They surround me, and I can imagine this is what my life would’ve been like if we had known that our family was out there looking for us. Well, they would have if they’d known about us. Now, we don’t have as much to worry about. We have people that want to have our back and make sure that we’re safe and happy. Today couldn’t have turned out better if I planned it out myself.

  Chapter Nine

  Irish

  IT’S BEEN WEEKS SINCE WE celebrated Sami’s birthday and found out that Pops was her uncle. Since then, Pops, Joker, and Bailey have spent more time with the women I’ve come to care about. Now, we’re going to spend the day shopping again. Sami needs to get ready for school and Pops and Bailey are making sure that she has everything she’s going to need, and want, to be ready.

  Whitney is slowly learning that she can’t argue with the three of them when it comes to taking care of Sami and her. Pops told her he had a lot to make up for since he was robbed of his chance to be in their lives. Joker and Bailey have pretty much said the same thing, but they were a little less polite about it. Which is why today the entire trip is being paid for by them. In fact, I don’t even think that Whitney’s going because she started working at the Corner Café a few days ago.

  Now, we have to split our time between the house with Sami and the diner with Whitney. She’s a damn good waitress and Alice has been extremely pleased with the work that she does. It’s given Alice the time to be away from the restaurant and spend it with her family. Whitney is fast proving that she can be dependable and not call off every day for one reason or another. Hell, she’s even got Alice convinced to let her cook and come up with specials a few days a week already. I’ve never seen her happier since we met
. The only downside is that she hates being away from Sami.

  I’ve already talked to Alice, since everyone knows that Whitney won’t herself, and when Sami starts school, Whit will be working days. That way she can be home when Sami gets out of school and for dinner with her. Since her daughter is a sophomore in school, there’s going to be dances, parties, and I hope for Goose’s sake no boys. I don’t know exactly what’s going on with them, but I still keep an eye on them.

  “Irish, can you help me for a second?” I hear Whitney call from her bedroom.

  “Comin’!”

  It’s been a nice day and she has all the windows in the house open. Goose and I go in more and more, but we still spend most of it outside standing guard. It’s been nice getting to know them without any pressure. We’ve just been taking everything a day at a time. Neither one of us want to rush into anything so there’s been no pressure to get in bed, be with one another, or anything else that people dating have to go through.

  “What do you need Whit?” I ask, walking in her room.

  “I want to move the room around. That’s allowed, right?”

  “Absolutely! You can change whatever you guys want to in here.”

  “In that case, I might need your help in the living room too.”

  “Oh boy! What did I just get myself into?” I ask, making sure she knows that I’m joking around with her. I have no problem helping her do anything she needs. That goes for Sami too.

  “Let’s get started in here and then I’ll start dinner while we work on the living room. Goose can help Sami with anything she needs.”

  “You think you’re goin’ to let them be in her room together? Alone?”

  “I trust them. They’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll be in here and the door will stay open the entire time. It’s just in case she wants to change her room around.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes. They’ll be fine. They both know that they can’t do anything.”

  I’m not sure that I like the fact that Goose will be allowed in Sami’s room, but she’s Whitney’s daughter. So, I’ll follow her lead on this. At least that she sees. I’ll be having a conversation with Goose on my own and let him know what’s expected if he’s going to be allowed in her room. Yes, we’ve had the same conversation over and over again, but I’m going to keep having it. At least until she’s old enough that it won’t matter anymore. And then we’ll be having a completely different conversation.

  “Where do you want everythin’?”

  “I want the bed moved to between the two windows. Then I want the dresser over by the closet so that all my clothes are closer together. I don’t want it by the bathroom because I want to get a bookshelf and put it on that wall over there.”

  I’m getting a glimpse into her world, what she holds dear to her by helping her right now. I’ve never seen her pick a book up, so I had no clue that she liked to read. I wonder what books she has to fill a bookshelf with. It’s just something to give me a little more insight into the way her mind works and things that she likes.

  “We can get that done. Do you have the bookshelf already?”

  “It’s in the car. I just have to bring it in and put it together.”

  “I can do that while you’re makin’ dinner if you want?”

  “No. I got it. I used to have to do almost everything in the house when I lived with Carl. He thought I called a repairman and I didn’t. I’d call and see what they would charge, and he’d give me the cash to pay them. That’s how we had as much money to escape as we did.”

  I can’t help but laugh at the thought that she used every resource she could to get away from the twatwaffle Carl. It’s a pretty perfect way to get money and hide it away if you ask me. He wouldn’t have thought to look for it because as far as he knew, she wasn’t smart enough to try to steal from him. Much less plan to call handymen to get prices and fix the problem herself. Whitney is a very resourceful and smart woman.

  Whitney’s room is completely rearranged and now she’s deciding what she wants to do in the living room. There’s another bookshelf in the car for the living room and one for Sami’s room. It’s taking everything in me not to go in and put the one in her bedroom together right now. I just want to make everything as easy as possible, but I know what it’s like when Whit thinks you’re stepping on her toes and doing something she can take care of. So, for now, the part of me that wants to do everything for her is going to have to take a backseat until I can throw my weight around a little bit more.

  “Meatloaf sound good for dinner?” she asks me, poking her head out from behind the door to the refrigerator.

  “Yeah.”

  “Any preference for dessert?”

  “Nope. Whatever you wanna make.”

  Goose and I usually eat dinner three nights a week with them. Sometimes the next guys on guard duty come early so we don’t have to worry about guarding the outside while we’re enjoying their company. Other times, we have to keep an eye outside while we’re in eating dinner and talking to the two ladies.

  Whitney usually tries to keep up with what Sami is talking about, and Sami is busy trying to make everyone laugh with tales of what she used to do at her old school. She’s getting excited about the new school year and starting over at a new school.

  “Mom, this year can I please go to the homecoming dance? And other things at the school?” Sami practically pleads with her mom.

  “Yeah. We’ll talk about the rules and curfew when we get to the events.”

  “Okay. Well, I think the homecoming dance is probably in the first few weeks of school. I’m going to need a dress and to get my hair done. I want to talk to Bailey and see if she can do my make-up like she did before.”

  “Okay. We’ll talk about it after dinner. Sound good?”

  Sami nods her head and goes back to talking to Goose about her old teachers. She had to behave in school and sit in certain spots in the classroom and Carl would just randomly pop in to check on her. At least this is what Whitney told me one night when I got her to open up a little bit again. It’s not very often I get her to open up enough to talk about her time with Carl, but there’s a few times she has. This was a conversation from a few nights ago we had during dinner.

  Whitney finally tells me the way she wants the living room rearranged and I get to work moving more furniture. It’s not too bad and only takes a few minutes to get everything how she wants it. I’m sure that she could’ve done this entire room by herself, but she wanted the company.

  Sami and Goose went out for the day. She wanted to go swimming, so they took Joker, Cage, Skylar, and the kids to the lake. There’s always going to be time for her to go to the pond. Goose wanted to get her out and see a little bit of the town. I’ve got the new prospect, one of these days I should really learn his name, and Glock out front. He came over when I started moving furniture around. I like when he’s here because he doesn’t come inside and only talks to Whitney or Sami when they go sit on the porch with him.

  Glock isn’t trying to be an ass by not really interacting with them. We’ve talked, and he’s told me that he doesn’t want to seem like he’s all up in their faces. So, he waits for them to come out and then they talk. I can see where he’s coming from and the girls haven’t said anything about him, so I think they get it too. I know Melody and him are planning on having them over soon so that they can get to know one another better.

  Whitney comes in just as I’m finishing up and tells me that she’s already got the meatloaf in the oven and the potatoes on the stove. Sami called and said they’d be back in about an hour or so. Just in time for dinner. So, now I need to decide what I want to do. I can go out and talk to Glock, or I can stay in here and see what Whitney does.

  “Are you going back outside?”

  “I don’t know. Glock is already out there. So, I guess it’s up to you.”

  “You can stay in here. It’d be nice to have some company.”

  “Okay. What ar
e you goin’ to do now?”

  “Well, you can come in and sit in the kitchen while I start dessert.”

  Since I love watching her work in the kitchen, I’m all for it. Whitney is so comfortable and at peace when she’s cooking or baking. It’s like all of her worries disappear and there’s no one else around but her. Half the time I don’t even think she realizes that I’m still in the house when she’s working.

  Today I see that she has everything out that she’ll need to make pie. I’m not sure what kind, but I really don’t care. Whatever she’s making, you can bet that I’m going to be eating. The only other people that I don’t mind her cooking for are Pops, Bailey, and Joker. They’re family and she can cook for them. No other motherfucker in the club better be eating anything she makes. I’m taking priority over that shit.

  Whitney

  It seems like my life is finally falling into place. It’s only taken twenty-nine years, but I’ve got a job, a house for my daughter and me, food, and we’re getting to know our family members. Irish is still helping out around the house, but he’s been spending more time inside with us. I’m still trying not to get my hopes up that we’ll be more than what we are now.

  He’s not made any moves or anything like that, so I’m not going to be the first one to make any. If anything happens between us, it’s going to be because he made a move. For now, I dream about him and that’s going to have to be good enough. And no, he doesn’t know that he’s the main star in all my fantasies these days. That’s something he’ll never know.

  I absolutely love my job at the Corner Café. It’s fun and I love Alice. She’s like the mother I should’ve had when I was growing up. Instead my own mother was cold and uncaring. I’m not sure if that was because of my dad or because she just didn’t really want to have kids. I try not to think of her though because it breaks my heart to know that she robbed my daughter and I of a loving family. Yeah, we’re just getting to know them, but I can already tell that Pops is truly upset that he missed out on our lives. My mom should’ve handed me over to him as soon as I was born.