He looked around at the faces watching him intently and grinned mischievously. “and told me he thought he could get me some fights that paid more. Well, I’d just lost a fight, looked like a slab of tenderized meat and thought he was teasin’. But he took me to his house, introduced me to his wife and they took me in for a time. After I healed up a bit, I started training and he did get me better paying fights. His cut was reasonable, so I kept with him. It was only a matter of weeks before other agents were clamorin’ over me, offerin’ me the sun, moon and stars. I decided to stay with O’Malley. He’s a good man and saw somethin’ in me that made him take a chance.”
Arianna noticed the strained look on Shannon’s face, how her shoulders tensed and her lips pursed as Patrick told his story.
“We’re happy it all worked out, Patrick,” she said, rising and moved toward Felicity, who had woken and begun to fuss. She slipped out of the room, flashing a look at Shannon as she went. It was only a moment later that Shannon excused herself from under Patrick’s arm and followed her.
Arianna picked up the baby and moved to the other side of the living room to a quiet corner.
“I hate it,” Shannon said in a breath, folding her arms.
“I know you do,” Arianna whispered back. “I’m sure if there was any other way, he’d take it.”
Shannon shook her head. “I realized something, Arianna. He loves this. At first I thought when he sent us here it was only for desperation. And I suppose part of it was. But listening to him, hearing how excited he is…he’s going to make a career out of this, you watch. And there’s nothing I can do to stop him.”
“Is that such a bad thing then? If he loves it?”
“Yes,” Shannon hissed. “Do you know what it’s like to have him come home lookin’ the way he does? To clean his cuts and watch his bruises spread. He wants you all to visit and watch a fight, but I just don’t think I can.” She closed her eyes. “And what if he gets hurt bad…the men that bet on him aren’t the only ones gambling. Only when Patrick finally loses because of a broken bone…or worse, he’ll lose it all and what are we to do then?”
Arianna shifted the baby, moved in front of Shannon and put a hand to her face. “Then you come back here,” she whispered.
Caleb swiped a few shortbread cookies from the tables. He saw Jonathan standing against the wall with his hands in his pockets, staring intently at nothing. He walked over, sidled up and held out a cookie. Jonathan shook his head briefly before he looked away.
“Are you going to hate me forever now?”
“You’re leaving us in a bind, Caleb.”
“You were going to have us split up anyway. Now there’s no reason to rush into buying a fourth boat. It divides evenly and you can hire some help.”
“My plan was based on four of us.”
As Caleb started talking, Jonathan pulled his hands from his pockets and folded his arms. Jean caught his eye, standing on the other side of the living room, apart from everyone else. The dark cloud that hung over his head was nearly visible as the other children bounced, cackled and joked. Most concerning was that he hadn’t even taken notice of Felicity. Jean loved all babies and gravitated toward them. Tonight he stood as an outsider, watching the children play.
“—and that’s why I have to leave the boat,” Caleb said, holding his hands out, pleading. Jonathan looked over and blinked.
“I’m sorry, what?” He didn’t mean it to come out with a snap, but it did.
Caleb’s face hardened with his stare. “Never mind,” he said and walked away.
He thought briefly about going out to the barn and waiting until everyone left. Or at least Jonathan. Arianna would just come find him, scold him for not being a good host or making every moment count before Patrick and Shannon left. No one knew how long it would be before they would see them again. He glanced around. Everyone was off in pairs or threes, talking or laughing except for Muzzy. Though she stood alone, she looked happy. Caleb made his way over, popping the last cookie in his mouth.
“Where’s Harold?” he asked.
“He couldn’t make it.” She held her hand up. “Don’t start, I already got an earful from Claire. I’m telling the truth, he already had plans.”
“Then what’s got you grinning?” he asked. “You’re practically the happiest person here.” His eyes wandered over to Jonathan, who had joined Aryl and Patrick near the stairs in the kitchen.
Muzzy pursed her lips, bobbled her head and then leaned in close for a whisper. “A man.”
“Oh,” Caleb said, lifting an eyebrow. “And I take it this man isn’t Harold?”
Muzzy squirmed and writhed. “No,” she finally growled.
“Well, for the record, I like Harold.”
“I like him, too, a lot. But when I met…this man who shall remain nameless, it was just one of those moments you never forget. The touch of his hand, the way he looked at me, there was a connection, you know? An undeniable attraction, really. Instantly. As soon as our eyes locked.” Muzzy let out a long, loud sigh. “Oh, what am I saying? You wouldn’t understand, would you?
Caleb dropped his smile and faced forward. “No. I wouldn’t.”
“Please don’t say anything to anyone. Nothing will come of it and I wouldn’t want Harold to feel threatened.”
“I’ll keep your secret, Muzzy.”
She swatted his arm. “It’s not a secret like that! You make it sound so scandalous!”
***
“I think that went well,” Arianna said, stacking the dishes in the sink. Every plate had been cleared of food and every mug drained of coffee. With the children asleep and everyone else having gone to bed, the house was blissfully quiet.
“Would have been better with something to drink,” Caleb said, sitting down with a slump.
“You know,” she said slowly, looking over her shoulder as she pushed a pan under hot soapy water to soak. “I heard what happened.”
Caleb scrubbed his face with his hand. “About Jon hating me? I thought he’d get over it by now.”
“It’s only been a few days. Give him time. He’s got that look again, like he did right before the crash when the weight of the world was on his shoulders.”
“Thanks to me,” Caleb said.
“You are doing what you have to do for your family.” She nodded toward the stairs. “Just like Patrick. But that’s not what I meant. I heard about the sheriff.”
Caleb shifted in his chair with a look of apprehension. “How did you hear about that?”
“From Claire. Honestly, Caleb, you have to know that when any of you tell each other anything, they are going to tell one of us and it’s only a matter of hours before everyone knows. What else do we have to do besides knead bread, change diapers and talk.”
“You mean gossip,” he said, his eyes teasing.
“Call it whatever you want. It helps keep me sane to have something to chew on.” She pursed her lips against a smile.
“Well, the last thing I want is your sanity compromised.”
She grinned wider as she sat down. “Too late. But back to your problem. I know you, Caleb and I know this winking sheriff business has completely thrown your world out of orbit. I want to help.”
“How on earth can you help?” he asked skeptically. Still he leaned his elbows on the table, interested.
“Well, I thought I’d go into town tomorrow and pay the sheriff a little visit.”
“Are you just going to ask him outright or something? You can’t do that, Ahna.”
“Oh, I’ll be pretty blunt about it, but not with words.” She flashed a devilish smile as his face went blank. “I’ll get a good idea pretty quickly about his…tendencies.”
Caleb pointed. “No. If I send my wife into town to flirt with the sheriff, I’ve sunk to a whole new low.”
“Do you want to know or not, Caleb?” She sat back and crossed her arms. “You can wonder and worry or you can know once and for all and put it behind you.” She choked down
her snort.
He tossed his head to the side and grumbled.
***
The next day Caleb was at the door when Arianna pulled into the driveway. She teetered up the stairs in her heels, holding her arm out for balance. “I forgot how badly these shoes hurt,” she hissed.
“Did he wink at you?” Caleb asked anxiously as she walked past him and sat down at the table.
“No.”
“Well, how did it go overall? Did he act interested?”
“I’m not sure.” She clasped her hands on the table, staring ahead.
“What do you mean you’re not sure. Either he was interested, which means I don’t have anything to worry about, or he wasn’t interested, which means we’re moving.”
“We’re not moving, Caleb.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Then he was interested.”
She held up a finger. “I didn’t say that.”
Caleb groaned and threw himself into a chair.
“Well, wait, Caleb, there are a few variables that we have to consider. Maybe he really loves his wife and wouldn’t consider flirting with another woman.”
Caleb cocked an eyebrow.
“Yes, even me,” she said, answering his questioning look. “It’s a remote possibility, anyway.”
“Did you really try to flirt with him? Cross your legs and make eyes…all that? Really give it your all?”
“Of course, Caleb.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “This whole conversation is so wrong.”
“What’s the other variable?”
She opened her eyes. “That he’s extremely professional.”
Caleb tossed his hands in the air. “Well, that’s out.”
“Why?”
“Because he winked at me! In uniform! Why would he wink at me and not flirt with you?”
“Why don’t you have Jon talk to him? He’s good at teasing apart delicate situations.”
Caleb slumped. “Jon’s too busy. And don’t forget he isn’t happy with me.”
“He’ll get over it,” she said, fluttering her hand. “Send Aryl then.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because every time I talk to him, he winks and it distracts me until I just walk away. I’ve yet to get out a full sentence.”
“I’ll ask him for you,” she said and stood, peeling off her coat. “Claire is coming over later today. I’ll ask Aryl when he drops her off.”
“No, I’ll ask him. I’ll just stare at the ground or something. I can’t have my wife doing everything for me.”
***
“Are you feeling better, Mam?” Scottie asked, standing before Maura.
“A bit, yes. Another day and I’ll be my old self. Isn’t it getting a bit late?” she asked, casting a stern look at him. “Ye have school tomorrow and need yer sleep.”
“I’m not tired. Can I sit with you for a minute?”
“Of course.” She adjusted the blanket on her lap to cover his legs.
She went back to her knitting, whispering to herself.
“What are you saying?” he asked.
“I’m keeping track of my knit and purls.”
“Pearl like the kind in oysters?” he asked scooting closer to her.
“No. Purl means two things. First, it’s a term in knitting. See?” She leaned over and showed him her work. “Those small loops I’m adding to the main piece?” She sat up and her fingers began moving again.
“What is it going to be?”
“A lace headband for Miss Ava.”
“Why?”
Maura moved her shoulders and adjusted the piece to see it better.
“I just felt like givin’ a gift is all.”
He watched her fingers fly and it was hypnotic.
“Second, the word purl is used to describe the motion of water. It reminds me of a wee river in Ireland that yer da and I would go to.” She stopped and smiled. “He pointed out the way it pushed its way around the rocks, curling and rippling. It was so slow moving that I’m not sure it was even a river. A stream, really. But yer da called it a river and that’s how I remember it. And, now, whenever I hear the word purl, that’s what I think of.”
“Is that why you knit so much?”
She let out a quiet laugh, but didn’t answer.
“Tell me about the river,” he said, snuggling closer, warming his hand in the pocket of her robe and laying his head on her shoulder.
“Yer full of questions tonight.”
She turned her head and kissed his hair. “The river isn’t so important as what I learned from it. Watching water bump against all the rocks, rippling out…graceful, determined…changing direction to get around these little obstacles on its long journey to the sea. It reminded me of life, in a way.”
Scottie lifted his head with a look of uncertainty.
“Life will throw all manner of things at ye. Tossing lots of rocks in yer stream as ye go. They have different sizes and shapes but in the end, they’re all the same, just rocks. Ye just need the grace and determination to get around them and keep going.”
“But if enough rocks pile up, it’ll stop the water.”
“That would be a dam, and yes, it would stop. Until enough water gathered together, rose up and eventually flowed over the top. Purling water is slowed, but it never stops.”
“I see,” Scottie said, laying his head back down.
“Would ye like me to make ye some warm milk?” she asked, laying her lace aside.
He thought about it for a moment. “No, I want you to tell me about the river.” He raised his head and looked her in the eye. “And my da.”
After a second of being taken aback, Maura smiled. “Yer da? He’s upstairs restin’.”
“No, my real da. It was him that took you to the river, wasn’t it?” He stared at her, patient and curious. His eyes told her he knew the truth and while he wasn’t angry, to tell him anything different would be a blatant lie.
She folded her hands, faced forward and steeled herself. “Who told ye?” she asked quietly.
“We were at Mr. Caleb’s last summer helping with the fruit stand. The adults were talking. I was walking away, I didn’t see who said it. And I didn’t believe it at first.”
“What made ye believe it?”
“When you asked me who told me.”
Maura closed her eyes and gripped her hands together tightly.
“I got tired of wondering. I knew you would never lie to me, Mam.”
Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, she opened her eyes. “No, I wouldn’t, Scottie.”
She tried to gather her thoughts, arrange her words and found it impossible on such short notice. She managed to say the one thing she knew to be true.
“Ye know yer da…Ian, loves ye, don’t ye?”
“Yes. And I love him.”
Maura seemed to sit a little easier, nodding slowly. With her thoughts and feelings jumbled, this wasn’t something she wanted to start tonight.
“It’s getting late. Can ye give me some time?”
He nodded, studying her face. Whether he could see her worry or not, he felt content tonight to have the wondering behind him. The knowing could start when she was ready to tell him.
“G’nite, Mam,” he said and kissed her on the cheek.
“Goodnight, Scottie.”
Maura gathered up her lace, arranging it in her hands and tried to start again. She dropped it in her lap and put a hand over her eyes.
Scottie stopped at the doorway and turned to look at her. “Did I throw a rock in your river?”
She smiled, then let out a humorless laugh. “Aye. But it’s alright. We’ll get past it.”
Episode Two
“Striking Out”
“Darling, you look fabulous. You must tell me what creative goddess does your hair,” Arianna said with a smirk as Ava opened the door.
“Oh, I know a girl…” Ava replied, tossing her head. “Everyone loves her though Lor
d knows why. Outspoken and brash…” She leaned her head and whispered. “I heard she’s even taken to flirting with the sheriff. But he might be on to her because it didn’t go anywhere.”
“Aren’t you a comedian,” Arianna said, dropping her smile. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Grabbing her coat, Ava looked over her shoulder at Jonathan sitting at the table with Amy on his lap. Jean sat across from him, both dark heads bent over. Jean whispered as he worked through his homework problems; Jon whispered through business problems.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” she called. Jonathan threw up a hand in acknowledgment.
“We’re driving?” she asked as she closed the door behind her.
“It’s mid-November and nearly dark. I’m not going to freeze to death,” Arianna said as they walked to the truck. “It was nice of Jon to come home early so we didn’t have to drag children along with us.”
“I think he was looking forward to it. More time to go over his numbers. He’s obsessed.”
“I don’t see what he’s trying so hard to figure out. What they’ve been doing so far has kept us alive. Why change it if it’s working?”
“Because he wants to do more than stay alive. I think we’ve all grown tired of that. And…” She glanced over. “He says it’s different now with Caleb gone.”
Arianna wiggled away from the uncomfortable comment, started the truck and began backing out. She weaved and one tire rolled off the curb giving them a jolt. She turned and smiled. “Sorry.”
“Just get us there and back alive, please.”
“I’ll have you know I’m an excellent driver. Now. And, I have more experience than you and Claire combined.” She faced forward with just enough time to avoid a mailbox.
“Have you gotten your driver’s license yet?”
Arianna fluttered her hand. “Details.”
Ava pursed her lips against a smile. “So, where do we begin to look for a place that will host a winter market every two weeks for free?”
Arianna knit her brows, concentrating. “A church?”
“I thought you’d be the last one to suggest that, but, alright. Which one?”
Purling Road - The Complete First Season: Episodes 1-10 Page 3