Patrick's Promise (Cloverleaf #3) (18 page)

“I’m not sure, sweetie.” Amber wasn’t quite sure how to answer her son. Things were a little strained between Patrick and her. He wasn’t acting himself when she was over at his family’s house, though she did appreciate his kindness to Dylan. Amber enjoyed visiting; she was quite fond of Mary and found they both shared a passion for baking and cooking. Amber spent the evening getting to know Maggie, Rachel, and her family, and really found herself liking the O’Brien family. What Amber couldn’t understand was why Patrick didn’t want her around them; they were great.

“I hope we can see Patrick and his brothers again. They’re pretty cool.”

Amber hoped so too, but after last night she went home with a lot of uncertainty.

***

“Oh good, you two are back. Your father was starting to worry,” Lynn said as Amber and Dylan walked through the door.

“Sorry, we enjoyed a little bit of a longer ride home.”

“Don’t listen to your mother. I know my girl can handle herself, plus she had that guy with her.” Her father was sitting on his recliner, the news blaring from the small TV in the living room. Dylan went up and gave his grandfather a hug. “How’s things at the diner, Amber? You burn it down yet?” he teased as Amber plopped down on the couch next to her mother.

“Well, if you’d hurry up and get better, you wouldn’t have to worry. But as of today, no structure fires,” Amber joked back. Lately her father had seemed better. He was eating again and had more energy; even the color was returning to his face. They had met with the oncology doctor a week ago and would be doing further scans to see if the chemo was working.

“I know you got everything under control there, hon. I appreciate more than you’ll ever know.”

“Dad, I know. It’s funny because just today Dylan mentioned he actually liked helping out,” Amber added proudly. Dylan, who was seated next to her, rolled his eyes and groaned.

“The boy should be out fishing and riding his bike with his friends.”

“Oh, but he’s been a great help,” her mother countered. “We’ve needed a strong guy around the place to fill in while you were away. He’s just keeping your post warm for you, dear.”

Amber felt her body grow restless in the noisy living room. Her parents loved watching TV, they had their favorite shows, some of which Amber couldn’t get into, but she tried when they would beg her to watch with them.

“Hey, I’m going to shower and then I have some blog stuff I need to work on,” Amber explained as she headed toward her room. Dylan got up and grabbed his laptop, setting it up on the dining room table. Amber considered joining him but thought better of it. She would need to be able to concentrate on her blog, to give it some undivided attention that it had been lacking. Then she planned to journal; she needed to try and work through some of the conflicting feelings she was having, all of which were about Patrick.

***

Amber was pouring a cup of coffee for a customer when she saw Maggie come into the diner. Their eyes connected, Maggie giving her a broad smile as she weaved her way to the counter.

“Hey, Amber,” Maggie greeted her and tried to take a seat at the counter. Amber was surprised at how much more Maggie’s belly was protruding and saw what a difficult time she was having trying to get on the stool. “I think I’ll take a table instead. This darn belly is starting to cause some issues. If I have to push my seat back in my car any further, I won’t be able to reach the pedals.” They both laughed, because it was the awful truth.

“Well, you look great. You're honestly glowing.”

“Aww, thanks, I really appreciate that. Because I’m starting to get to the point where I can’t see my feet anymore.”

“Been there. So what can I get for you and the baby?” Amber asked sweetly. She really liked Maggie and hoped they could become closer, not even for the sake of Patrick, but because Amber craved some female interaction.

“I actually came in to see you. Do you have a couple minutes to sit and chat?” Maggie looked up at her hopefully.

The breakfast rush was dying off, and Lynn was in the back prepping food with Dylan for the next wave of customers. “Sure, I got a little time. You want some tea or anything to eat?” Amber offered as she fluttered toward the counter near the coffee station. She needed caffeine; coffee sounded great right now.

“Tea would be wonderful,” Maggie answered politely.

“You take any sugar, cream, or honey?” Amber called out. She quickly poured hot water into one of the standard, boring, beige mugs that they’d always had. Her parents never thought to order anything different, she had suggested in the past, and their response had been simple, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” They did have a valid point there.

“Just sugar, please.”

Amber carried their drinks and all their fixings, along with two scones on a tray.

“That looks good.” Maggie eyed the homemade huckleberry scone. Huckleberries only came in around a certain season, and you had to know where to find them. Pickers kept their locations secret, and the precious, sweet, little, red-looking berries were worth their weight in gold.

Amber sat down, enjoying the feeling of actually sitting and resting. When she was working she found herself in constant motion. There was never a dull moment or time to get bored, especially with her father being ill; her mother and she were carrying the weight of the diner.

“So what’s up?” Amber asked, adding some creamer and sugar in her coffee. She watched the brown turn milky and appealing, and she could hardly wait to start sipping. She grabbed hold of the warm mug and inhaled its rich aroma. Yes, she loved coffee, especially that first cup of the morning, but now, this was her third, but who was counting?

Maggie took a small bite of the scone, closed her eyes, and moaned in delight. “This is delicious. Dare I say that it’s better than my mom’s?”

“I won’t tell her.” Amber giggled at the compliment. Mary O’Brien was well known in the community for being a fabulous cook and baker. Amber had enjoyed her cooking on Sunday, though it was a simple BBQ, mainly because she had so many guests, but from what Amber tasted, it was all fantastic.

“Did you make these?” Maggie held up the scone before she sunk her mouth on it.

Amber nodded and felt herself blush. “Yeah.”

“No wonder my mom likes you. You guys are like two culinary peas in a pod.” They both laughed and then sipped on their drinks.

Maggie released a content sigh. “So I might as well just come out with it. What’s going on with you and Patrick?”

Amber took her time responding, as things were complicated. She hadn’t spoken to Patrick since Sunday, granted it was only mid-week, but they had been chatting every day before that. So she knew all was not well.

Cautiously, she answered as honestly as possible, “You know, I’m not too sure. I sort of thought that maybe there was something, but right now he just seems like he might need a little room.”

Maggie rolled her eyes and gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, he’s been needing space for over four years. Probably longer, even.” Maggie took another sip of her tea and continued. “He really loved Beth, and he’s been through hell and back trying to cope. But he just shuts us all out.”

Amber nodded again. “I see that.” Without selling Patrick out, she kept her responses vague.

“So you can probably imagine my surprise, when I see you two at the grocery store together. Now, Amber, please don’t think I mean this in a bad way. I don’t. In fact, I’d be thrilled if he was dating you. I just don’t like him lying about it or feeling like he needs to hide things.”

“I completely agree with you.” Amber scanned the room in case she was needed, but luckily today was proving to be a slow one. “I think Patrick’s a good guy, he’s sweet, and even my son adores him. Actually, Dylan is like, over the moon with all your brothers. He just thinks they are the coolest group of guys. But I just don’t know what Patrick and I are doing.”

“They thought the world of Dylan. It was all they talked about after you guys left. As for Patrick, well, be patient with him, if you can. He’s getting better, believe it or not, well, until recently. I think the wedding brought back a lot of feelings, and then with me and Rachel both having babies. It’s a lot to take in. There hasn’t been any births since the twins, and well, you know that whole story.”

Amber frowned; her heart broke for Patrick. She understood that kind of trauma, that hole that you get sucked into during the grieving process. “I totally know where he’s coming from. When Peter was killed, it was the most awful, terrifying thing that I had ever been through. I wasn’t prepared for anything like that.”

Maggie reached for Amber’s hand. She didn’t realize that she was starting to shake and that tears were falling down her cheeks. Two years had passed, but she still had a difficult time talking about his death. Patrick had double that time to process everything, and he still struggled; it was something that many people didn’t quite understand themselves, let alone knew how to counsel others who were going through it. Death and grief were not easy; whether it was expected or sudden, moving on and coping proved to be almost more challenging.

“It’s a hard thing, Maggie,” she was finally able to say as she tried to sip her coffee, the warm liquid hitting the emotional lump that was forming in her throat.

Maggie gave her a sympathetic look. “Just don’t allow Patrick to push you away. He’ll try, trust me. He does it to everyone he cares about.”

Chapter Eighteen

Patrick

“Just how long are you going to keep this up?” Patrick asked. Daniel glared at him and continued hammering. It had been several days of no speaking, no jokes, or relentless teasing, nothing. It was actually starting to bother Patrick. He figured after their fight, if you would even call it that, and that Daniel would cool down and act normal. Not the case, no, Daniel was completely ignoring Patrick to the best of his ability. They had been out at another job site, and the ride there had been filled with uncomfortable silence.

Daniel refused to answer Patrick. “This is ridiculous.” Patrick started to storm away. He didn’t have time for this nonsense.

“Maybe if you would actually apologize, people would want to talk to you,” Daniel called after him, causing Patrick to stop in his tracks.
Apologize?
What did he do?

“What?” Patrick turned around fast.

“You know, say you’re sorry.” Daniel moved forward.

“Why do I have to? What did I do?”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “It’s the way you treat everyone, like they haven’t got a clue in their damn heads how it is for you. You treat everyone like crap the second they want to help you or if they are concerned.”

“Oh, come on, I only ask that people leave me alone,” Patrick argued.

“People? Is that all we are to you then?” Daniel challenged him. “Because it’s funny, I thought we were your family. Would you want your sons treating you like this?”

Patrick considered this, he tried to reason that he would want to give them their space and privacy, but in his heart he knew differently. Of course he would want to know what was happening in Finn or Connor’s life; he would want to give advice and help them. That’s when it started clicking together, and Patrick saw that it was more than his family pestering him for information and trying to make him talk. They wanted to help him. He knew that they cared, but he just didn’t see how they could help him. How could they offer advice when not one of them had been through what he had? Except for one.

“I would want my sons to come to me. You’re right, Daniel.” Patrick lowered his eyes and stared at the ground, focusing on some stray pebbles and bits of weeds trying to grow through the cracked concrete.

“Really?” Daniel seemed surprised.

“I’m sorry, especially to you. You have always tried to not get in my way. You and Liam have been good brothers to me. Far better than I have been to you guys,” Patrick admitted.

“You know what?” Daniel started as he put his hand on Patrick’s shoulder. He darted his attention up toward the brilliant blue sky.

“What?” Patrick asked, a little confused.

“We need to go fishing. Fishing fixes everything.”

***

Amber

Amber was busy grilling up some onions to put on a burger when she heard someone come into the kitchen. She turned and saw her father.

“Dad, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to make sure everything was still standing.” He laughed as he stretched his arm across her shoulders.

“You feeling okay?” Amber was concerned he was pushing himself too hard. It was wonderful seeing him, but she just wanted him to rest and get better.

“Today, yes, I feel good. Good enough to check on you ladies.” He winked as her mother entered the kitchen.

“Dean, you should be home resting,” Lynn scolded, but her eyes glowed with happiness.

“Yeah, you two just want to run this show by yourselves. Too bad, this is my kitchen,” he teased. That was true. He had always been the cook; he had a passion for food. That’s where Amber got her talent for creating amazing dishes with ease. Her mother was the smile behind the service; her sweetness is what kept the customers happy, while her father’s great food kept them coming back.

“How’s it been today?” her father asked as he stared at the grill. Amber moved the caramelized onions onto a patty waiting on a plate.

“Well, with it being Moose Days, it’s been a little quiet. No surprise,” Lynn answered. Moose Days was a fun carnival type of festival that happened every July. Vendors from the surrounding area would set up booths to sell their wares, and there were food trucks galore. Even the Saucy Gents, the famous BBQ sauce and BBQ truck, came all the way up to Birch Valley to partake in the event. There were rides and games, and musicians would perform on the giant stage in the park; it was really a wonderful thing for the community. It was best treat to celebrate the summer, and Amber remembered eating cotton candy with her friends, riding the Ferris wheel, splashing in the small river that ran through the park, running in the lush grass with bare feet. She was excited to take Dylan that evening after they closed the diner.

“You guys going to go tonight?” Amber asked as she handed off the fully dressed burger to her mother.

“We might, huh, Dean?”

He eagerly nodded. It was great seeing him looking more like her dad, the guy who wasn’t trying to fight cancer.

“I’m going to take Dylan. I think he’ll enjoy it.” Dylan was in the lobby wiping a couple tables and assisting his grandmother.

“Oh, I bet he will. You loved it every year.” Amber could see her father was itching to cook.

“Dad, do you mind making this next order? I need to take a quick break,” Amber asked as she went to untie her apron. She didn’t need a break, but she could tell her father wanted to be in front of his grill, doing what he did best.

He smiled at her, winked, and quickly grabbed a nearby hanging apron. She sent a silent prayer to God, thanking him for healing her father. She knew it wouldn’t be long before he was back at the diner.

“Where are you going?” her mother asked as Amber walked past the counter.

“On a little break.”

“What about the order I just gave you?” Lynn’s face twisted in confusion.

“Mom, he’s got it.” Amber tried to assure her mother. This was good for her dad, to feel like he was normal again. It was a terrible thing to be ruled by a sickness, having the threat of death hanging over you, and this gave him even more of a reason to fight and get well. He loved being in the diner. He was needed, and sometimes that reason alone was enough to push a person to pull through.

***

The air was permeated with the smells of fried fair food and sweet kettle corn that was being cooked in an open copper vat. The sun was low in the sky, allowing the brilliantly colorful lights of all the rides to illuminate the park. Laughter and screams echoed loudly, and music played from the center stage, which sounded like some type of bluegrass country, but it was perfect for the event. People were out dancing, eating, and just enjoying themselves. Children were weaving in and out of the crowds, faces painted, clutching balloons with sticky hands. Amber soaked it all in. This was one of her favorite things about Birch Valley.

“Isn’t this awesome, Dylan?” Amber asked as they sat at the bank of the river, watching the swarm of people amid the flurry of activity and listening to the happy sounds of Birch Valley. Their feet soaked in the cool running water. She sipped her huckleberry lemonade she had treated herself to, savoring the sweet flavor. This was what summer was all about.

“It’s pretty cool, Mom,” he replied as he chewed on a foot-long corn dog.

“So you want to go on anymore rides or do you want to get ice cream later?” Amber offered. She wanted her son to get the full experience.

“Yeah, let’s go on some more rides and maybe hit up some of the games.”

“You’re on.” Amber was giddy to be sharing this fun time with her son. She hadn’t felt this happy in such a long time, and it was great seeing Dylan’s face light up at everything he saw. This was good for them; they’d needed this. It was wonderful just for the two of them to spend this much-needed time together. They ran into her parents earlier, but they hadn’t stayed too long, as her father looked exhausted but claimed he was fine. She worried he was using up all the energy he was finally getting back and begged him not to overdo it. He simply hugged her and told her to have a good time. Now that he was back home resting, her mind was at ease, and she was savoring every last morsel of fun she could squeeze out of the evening.

***

Maggie

“We need to see if they have any baby blankets,” Maggie told Rachel as they walked through the grassy aisle lined with vendors. “Mom said she came earlier with Dad and Grandpa Paddy, and she mentioned the Belsky family had a booth set up.”

“I wish I knew what we were having. I have wait until next month for my ultrasound,” Rachel complained as she sipped on her lemonade.

They all were at Moose Days at the large park in the center of town. Michael and her brothers had taken off with the kids and were visiting the carnival side of the fair. This suited Maggie just fine; this allowed her and Rachel to browse the booths and spend some quality pregnant girl time together.

“You don’t want to be surprised?”

Rachel shook her head. “God, I have no patience. I was like this at Christmas. I always wanted to know. This is like way worse.” They both laughed as they stopped at a booth to browse a table that displayed homemade jewelry.

“It’s like the ultimate surprise, and it was so exciting to find out on that day. It totally beats Christmas.”

“See, I figure I’m going to be in so much pain that I won’t enjoy the surprise. Plus, you know me, I like to plan things. I want to know how to decorate the nursery. Besides, I have two I have to plan for now,” Rachel commented as she lifted up a silver pair of dangly earrings. “How much for these?” she asked the woman seated across from the table under the white tent. After hearing the price, she fished out her cash and purchased them. Turning to Maggie, she said, “Aren’t these pretty?”

“Very. I like these.” Maggie held up green beaded hoops. “I’ll take these, please,” she told the woman.

They continued to walk along the aisle, pointing out things that caught their eye. “Oh there’s the Belsky booth,” Maggie said. She saw Hannah smoothing some quilts that were hung on a rack. “Hi, Hannah.”

“Oh, hello. How are you ladies today?” Hannah asked both Rachel and Maggie as they stood looking at the quilts.

“We’re great. I have been telling Rachel all about the beautiful quilts you make.”

Hannah blushed. “Are you looking for ones for a nursery?”

Both Rachel and Maggie nodded in agreement. “Yes, I love this one.” Maggie held up a pastel yellow quilt with delicate blue flowers. The attention to detail was impeccable. “This is gorgeous.”

“I really wish I knew what Liam and I were having. These are really lovely,” Rachel commented as she examined several quilts. One was a rose pink, the other a cornflower blue.

“Hi,” Hannah’s sister, Nina, said as she walked up to the tent with Daniel in tow. “Look who I found, Hannah.”

Maggie watched as Hannah blushed again and darted her eyes away. Nina was wearing shorts that were indeed dangerously short, revealing long, thin, tan legs. She had a rainbow-striped halter top that left little to the imagination. Her long, almost bleached blonde hair was hanging loosely on her petite shoulders.

Daniel smiled at Maggie and Rachel, then turned toward Hannah. “Hi, Hannah, how’s it going?”

“Good,” she replied nervously.

Daniel moved next to Maggie and looked at the quilt she was admiring. He met Hannah’s eyes and asked. “Did you make these?”

Nina slithered over to him and gently pried his hand away from the homespun material. “All she does is sew these stupid things.”

“I think they’re pretty nice, actually,” Daniel shot back lightly.

Nina flipped her hair, annoyed at the lack of attention, and looped her arm through Daniel’s. “You should go get ice cream with me.”

“Um, sure, I guess,” Daniel replied as he shrugged his shoulders.

Hannah stood there, frozen and quiet as she watched her sister. Maggie looked at Daniel, who seemed completely unaware of the obvious flirtation from Nina and the ill effect it had on Hannah.

Nina practically dragged Daniel away. He gave a wave to Rachel and Maggie and told them he would see them later. Maggie rolled her eyes with annoyance. She despised girls like that; she knew that Nina wasn’t really interested in her brother, but it was apparent that she just wanted to rub it in her sister’s face that she could scoop up any guy and have him do anything she wanted. Maggie had seen the envy in Nina’s eyes when Daniel was complimenting Hannah’s work.

“Is she always like that?” Rachel asked. Maggie covered her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. She was surprised that Rachel didn’t mince words and called out the obvious.

Hannah sighed and her eyes seem to follow Nina and Daniel. “Well, she’s use to getting whatever she wants, even if she doesn’t really want it.”