Colin’s scowl is rooted on Da’s face as he takes a seat beside me. And frankly, so is mine.
“Rosa is not the Hernandez girl, as you put it. She’s my wife and is more than just the woman to bear the next Kelly line. She is going to be the mother of your grandchildren, Athair, and deserves your respect.”
My father frowns, staring at his tea mug instead of looking me in the eye.
“Her family took too much from us, Tiernan. You can’t expect me to welcome her with open arms and let bygones be bygones.”
“She’s not responsible for Patrick’s death, Athair. Her family might have had a hand in it, but in a way, so did we. Not Rosa. In fact, she’s done the very opposite. Her sacrifice in the treaty made it so she fulfilled his one true desire. Because of her, there is peace. How can you hate a woman that gave Patrick the very thing he always wanted most in his life?”
My father’s expression reveals sadness at the memory of his lost son.
“I miss him, too. Every fucking day. But I refuse to not be happy with Rosa just because you still hold a grudge. It isn’t fair to her, and it isn’t fair to us that want to move on and have a life worth living. I love her, Athair. Shay and Colin do, too. I will not feel ashamed or guilted into not loving the one woman who has finally given me a reason to wake up in the morning. She’s my heart, Athair. And the sooner you realize that she’s family, the sooner you can be a part of mine.”
I get up from my seat, Colin right at my side, when my phone decides to blow up and ruin my dramatic exit. When I see my mother’s name on the screen, I answer it immediately.
“Ma?”
“Tiernan! Thank Saint Brigid you answered.”
“What’s wrong,” I ask hurriedly, the hairs on the back of my neck rising with the sound of panic in her voice.
“It’s Rosa! She’s gone.”
Chapter 24
Rosa
I fidget in my seat as my mother-in-law keeps throwing not-so-subtle glances at me on the ride over to the Holy Cross Cathedral. As much as I would have preferred to go to the church I’ve been attending on Baker Street for the past few months, I couldn’t refuse accompanying the matriarch of the Kelly family to her preferred place of worship when she announced this morning she wanted to pray for the health of my unborn child and its quick delivery. However, I didn’t think I’d have to suffer being placed under a microscope the whole ride through. I try to feign nonchalance at her constant staring, but when she starts to giggle like a schoolgirl, that’s when my poised composure starts to crack.
“Please, Saoirse. If you have something to say, just come out and say it.”
“Now girl, call me Ma like I told ye.” She nudges her shoulder playfully against mine. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s that it only just occurred to me why my Shay wasn’t sure if the babaí in your belly was Tiernan’s or not.”
“It is,” I state evenly, hoping my stern tone is enough to dissuade her from asking any further questions.
I don’t want to sound rude, but I’m at a loss as to what to say if she does ask me what Shay meant by that remark last night. It’s not like we four have had much time to talk about the logistics of our relationship and what we’re going to tell people.
I mean, how would that conversation even start?
I’m in love with not only my husband but also his brother and cousin. And we’ve decided that we’re all going to be one big happy family together.
Not exactly a statement people will accept, no matter how open-minded they are.
“Aye, this one maybe,” Saoirse muses, pulling me out of my reverie and bringing my attention back to her. “But I doubt you’ll be too sure of the next younglings that might come along after. Am I wrong?” She hikes up her brow suggestively.
Virgen.
I guess this is how the conversation starts.
“Maybe not,” I admit, chewing my lower lip nervously. “Will you think any less of me if that happens?”
“Why would I?” She dismisses my apprehension with a smile. “From what I saw and heard last night, you’ve got all my boys tied around your finger, and they couldn’t be happier about it. Those three are head over heels for ye, and if the broad smile my Colin was wearing when he came downstairs this morning is any inkling, then I’m sure you are making all three extremely happy. And that’s all a mother like me would want for her children. For them to be happy. You’ll see that soon enough when your own little one is born.”