Authors: Carrie Crafton
Something Found (23 page)
“Of course they aren’t. Oh they were in the beginning and so was I. Nobody wants to be told their family business by somebody else. It’s not a nice feeling. I had to talk Joni down a little last night. But we didn’t spend the whole night talking about you. Joni and I had a nice long chat, about our mam and about our dad. We haven’t had our own time for a chat like that in a while and I think it was needed. But don’t be so self-centered as to think this is all about you. Joni gave Kevin a call this morning and we had a little family meeting about our father and the secrets he’s been keeping. Did he happen to mention to you that the last time he dated a woman was five years ago?”
“No,” Emily said in a small voice.
“I didn’t think so. At that time Joni had just gone over to London and she felt she was being replaced. And while we probably didn’t give the other woman a fair chance we did think she was too motherly and none of us were willing to accept that kind of intrusion then. It just wasn’t what we wanted. We were harder on her than we should have been but that was five years ago. We’ve grown up since then. The love our parents had was special, it really was, but it’s not like we don’t want our Dad to be happy again. We’re not that cold hearted.”
Emily finally managed a smile. “I still feel like a fool going down to face them.”
“Don’t worry about it. Joni was planning on letting you squirm for a little bit but I think after the burning yourself incident she might relent.”
“Hopefully.”
Collin smiled and kissed her gently. “Welcome to the family love. They wouldn’t bother if they didn’t care about you. Now we have to finish fixing you up and then we have to go back downstairs so we can all plan a way to make my father squirm.”
“But poor Joseph-.” Emily started.
“No. We’ll have none of that. Poor Joseph has been deceiving his family for some time now and there’s a price to pay for that. Besides it’ll be fun.”
The mess on the floor had been cleaned up and everyone had been given a fresh mug of coffee by the time Emily and Collin descended the stairs. Orla was exiting the kitchen with a big plate of sausages and Joni was following behind her with a plate of toast.
“All better?’ Joni asked with a look of concern.
Emily nodded and smiled an embarrassed smile.
“Wonderful,” Joni gave her a warm smile in return. “Then maybe it’s time we called Martha and Uncle Pat as well. If we’re going to do this we’re going to do it right.”
Chapter 18
For once in her life Emily didn’t want to leave the kitchen. Everybody was in a festive mood and she had to admit she enjoyed the party like atmosphere. Orla’s little house was crammed to overflowing with Orla’s mother Margaret, Martha, and all of Collin’s family taking up whatever available space there was. The kids had been put into the guest bedroom and Brendan had moved the t.v. along with the dvd player in with them but they still kept making occasional appearances. Uncle Pat was on his way and Emily was looking forward to meeting him. Paul had even been called in Dublin and each of the siblings took turns explaining what was going on. He was as shocked and upset as each of them had been but by the end of the conversation he was mostly disappointed that he wouldn’t be there for the fun of the confrontation. But it was Joseph’s appearance that had her hiding even though he wouldn’t be there for another hour or so.
Emily could still picture his upset face that day in the pub. While she knew he’d been unfair to both Martha and his kids, and in a way he did have this coming, she still felt badly for him.
“Would you stop chewing on your lip,” Collin chastised her. “You’ll have half your face eaten off before he even gets here.”
Emily lifted her fingers to physically pull her bottom lip away from her teeth.
“Everything’s going to be fine Em. He’s the one getting his way in the end. He’ll get Martha back in his life and he can finally stop hiding it. He only has to live through about ten minutes of embarrassment and torture first.”
Emily reached up to touch Collin’s face and the smile on it trying to convince herself to go with the flow. Just because in her own house confrontations like this would have turned into screaming matches didn’t mean it was that way for everyone. “I know. I know. It’s just . . . . .”
“Besides,” Collin ushered her towards the kitchen door and together they peaked out of it. “Look.”
Martha was sitting on the couch with her sister at her side. Margaret had had the defiant look of protectiveness when she’d entered the house with Martha, just waiting for one of the Ryan children to make the wrong remark. But they’d both been welcomed with open arms. Now Joni, Laura, and Kevin were gathered around them listening to the story of Martha’s first date with Joseph.
“You, my nosey wife, did help to make this possible.”
Emily smiled proudly.
“But don’t let it go to your head.”
“I won’t. Not after all the trouble I thought I’d gotten myself into.”
Emily followed Collin out of the kitchen but rather than sitting down with everybody else she went to check on the kids. A month ago she would have felt she didn’t belong in this scene, that it wasn’t her place. Now she reveled in the feel of the family all sitting together, but she knew she didn’t have to join them to be part of it. She’d have plenty of time in the future to get to know Martha better. It was important for Joseph’s kids to get to know her now. Besides her niece and nephew were the only two innocents in this plot and she found their presence to be a little more calming.
“Emily,” Leah cried out a greeting as she scooped an escaping Owen up in her arms. “Are you going to watch the movie with us?”
“I’d love to.”
It was about twenty minutes later when Joni came looking for her. Owen was asleep in Emily’s arms and Leah was mostly conked out curled up with blankets and a pillow.
“They’re adorable when they’re like that,” Joni commented.
Emily looked up and smiled at her as Joni came further into the room shutting the door behind her.
“I’m sorry if I was hard on you last night.”
Emily shrugged not sure what to say.
“It was just-.”
“It’s okay Joni. I’m sure my smug righteousness doesn’t help situations like that.”
“No,” Joni smirked, “It doesn’t. But what I actually came in here to do was thank you. Not for any of that, but for babysitting. Before it all went sideways Robert and I really had a great night.”
“Really?” Emily’s eyes lit up.
“Really.” Joni reached out to gently stroke Owen’s hair. “We laughed. Somewhat about you.”
Emily’s expression faltered.
“Nothing mean Emily. It’s just funny . . . when you look at your relationship through somebody else’s eyes.” Joni stood up a little straighter, and just that movement made her seem younger, not as beaten down. “Robert and I will be fine. We haven’t lost anything. We just stopped sharing it with each other for a while there.”
There was a knock at the door and Orla popped her head in. “Sorry to interrupt but we’re getting closer to Joseph’s arrival time and I could use some help in the kitchen. And yes that means you too Emily. We’ll just keep you away from the stove.”
Collin and Brendan we’re seriously getting into the joy of the prank being played. They’d driven all the cars except Orla’s and Collin’s a good bit up the road and walked back. Collin had ushered their Uncle Pat in with a hug and an admonishment that he should have been there earlier. There was excitement and laughter in the air.
“Everybody take your places,” Brendan cried from his position at the window. “He’s here.”
There had been some talk about hiding behind furniture and jumping up to yell surprise but that wasn’t quite the effect they were going for. Instead they had everyone seated at the table, except the children who were still sleeping, with Martha and Uncle Pat sitting next to each other in the middle where they’d be the most likely to catch Joseph’s eye first. That more than anything would let him know exactly what this was about.
“Quiet,” Brendan hissed at them all. Then he put on his best smile and went to answer the door as the host.
“Hello Joseph,” he said warmly swinging the door open. “We’re so glad you could join us.” Brendan kept him in the doorway for just a moment longer accepting a bottle of wine that Joseph had brought. “Thank you. Come on in. The food is just about ready and everybody’s here.”
Brendan led him in and then slowly melted away from his side as Joseph turned to face the dinner table.
For almost ten seconds nobody spoke. The family held their breath while Joseph’s eyes traveled over all the collected guests. When he saw Martha his breath caught in his throat and then he saw Uncle Pat.
“Why what’s wrong Joseph? You’re eyes are all but popping out of your head.” It was Martha who broke the silence. It had been agreed earlier that even though their father had done them an injustice by not trusting them, it was Martha who had been hurt the most. Her voice contained the slightest hint of bitterness as she got her revenge. Then her expression broke into a smile.
As Emily had feared there was that moment when Joseph’s eyes sought out her own. But Joni spoke up, unable to hold her tongue any longer, before Emily became too uncomfortable. “What the hell were you thinking old man?” she shot out at her father. “And using Uncle Pat as your alibi. I was actually beginning to think he was dying or something you were visiting him so often. And not trusting us.”
“I- I . . . .” Joseph struggled to find any words that would leave his lips.
“You’d be lucky if she took you back.”
“That’s the truth,” Margaret huffily agreed with Joni.
Joseph’s eyes then turned to seek out Martha’s face. The pleading in them was so open and honest it was heartbreaking.
Emily caught sight of tears forming in Joni’s eyes and only then realized she had tears of her own rolling down her face. The look that passed between the two of them was one of the most romantic things she’d ever seen in her life.
“Oh go give her a kiss already for Christ’s sake,” Joni blurted out. “We’re all starving and we can’t eat until you do.”
As the rest of the family sat riveted watching Martha stand as Joseph moved to kiss her, Emily watched Robert put his arm around Joni and Joni place her hand on his.
“Thank you,” Collin whispered in her ear.
Emily turned surprised, unaware he’d leaned in so close to her, and he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“Now let’s get to the food.” Brendan said standing. At that moment the whole room erupted into conversation, everyone trying to get a word in at once.
But Emily sat quietly content. For the briefest second she allowed herself to picture her cousin’s face smiling back at her, happy for her. She’d found her family. She’d found the peace she’d always wanted. And that included the peace with her mother. She couldn’t wait to call her mom and share all of this with her. To tell her everything was going to be okay.
But then again, she could wait a little longer.
Other Titles by this Author
Snow Soldiers
Kate seemed to have an idyllic life. A husband she loved, two little boys that were the center of her life, and even a mother-in-law who adored her. So why was she being packed up and shipped off from her home in Ireland back to her own country? Was it really up to everybody else to tell her she needed to find herself again?
But, when she’s reunited with her best friend and the other women in her life she left behind, the key to the person she once was dangles in front of her enticingly. Will she be able to reach out and grab it?