“I’m sorry for your discomfort,” Fagan whispered back through a pained expression.
“Don’t be. Now can we talk about something else because our circumstance this evening is quite different from our last. I’d prefer to occupy my thoughts elsewhere, at least for a few hours as I’ve been able to think of nothing else all day,” Mary smiled shyly up at him.
“Indeed and they will most likely remain different until we are wed,” Fagan said, taking Mary’s hands.
“Fagan, please do not fret over this,” Mary said, holding Fagan’s eyes to hers.
“I spoke with my da last night when I returned home. After quite a lot of thought, I realize your honor far outweighs whatever needs either of us may have until our wedding night,” Fagan whispered. “Although as I’ve already expressed, last night will live in my heart forever as our true wedding night.”
“Fagan, I couldn’t have asked for a better more honorable man than you,” Mary replied, wrapping herself around him tightly. “I agree and we will make every effort to save what’s left of ourselves for our wedding night.”
Teagan was growing weary of waiting. It was now nearly six o’clock and yet she still had no sight of Eli. From the front porch, she was able to see someone coming from five minutes away but right now saw no one. She’d decided her waiting was over and she stood to head into the house.
“Come along and wash up boys. I’m sure dinner is about to be served,” she said to Brogan and Patrick.
All three headed into the house and she was again met with questions as to Eli’s whereabouts.
“It seems unfortunately Eli won’t be joining us this evening,” was all Teagan said before entering the kitchen and assisting her mother and Liffey with setting the table.
“Ennis has been telling Ma and I about his dream Teagan,” said Liffey. “He said he’d already told you about it. What were your thoughts?”
“She’s afraid for me, the same as you and Ma,” Ennis replied, still sitting at his place at the table.
“Ennis, it’s natural for us to fear for you. We love ya’ and would see no harm come to ya’,” Sarah said.
“I promise, no matter what happens, I’ll be fine,” Ennis said, laying his head down on the table.
“Ennis, are you still sleepy?” Teagan asked.
“A little. I’ll eat my supper and go straight to bed.”
“How about you go and gather everyone to the table, Ennis? That will keep your eyes open long enough to eat,” said Liffey.
Ennis agreed and he climbed from his chair and went about calling everyone to supper. Sarah looked out the back door to find Mary and Fagan were already on their way back to the house. Even from a distance she could see they were perfectly capable of deciding their own fates and she resolved to keep whatever opinions she had to herself.
Connell and Owen had been good entertainment in the parlor for Beatrice, who was quite impressed with some of their stories from the office and fortunately, they’d limited their discussion to fit a young lady’s ears by chatting mostly of the smallest of ailments.
Soon everyone was now seated at the large oak table and Patrick and Brogan had pulled three of the four extra dining chairs to accommodate their guests. The seat they’d placed next to Teagan, however, sat empty and she was becoming a bit uncomfortable looking at it.
“Shall we say grace, Owen, or should we wait a few more minutes for Eli?” Sarah asked.
“Please go ahead and say the grace, someone. I believe Eli may have been kept late at work and there’s no point in starving everyone,” Teagan said. “Can someone please take this chair away as well?” she added, now obviously showing her discontent.
“Well all right, I would give the grace this evening,” said Owen.
Everyone joined hands and lowered their heads as they awaited Owen’s words. He paused for several seconds and then said, “Our thanks be to ya’ oh Lord for this great bounty of both food and family. Lord guide us as you have always done as we embark on new chapters in our lives and give us the strength we need to see our way through. Amen.”
The meal started with Sarah’s delicious cream of pea soup and then moved on to braised beef, mashed potatoes and carrots. With each course, Teagan found herself moving her fork about her plate, growing ever more frustrated with each minute that passed. She sat quietly as everyone else spoke and laughed and complimented her mother on her fine cooking and glanced occasionally without realizing it, at the passing time on the clock.
Finally when their dessert of fresh creamed strawberries was about to be served, a knock came at the front door. It was nearly seven o’clock. Patrick stood up and announced he’d answer the door and bolted out of the room.
“I’m sorry Patrick. Am I too late?” asked Eli, looking slightly embarrassed as well as rather soiled.
“Not if you like to eat your dessert first,” said Patrick as he opened the door and invited Eli in.
“It’s Eli!” announced Patrick, on his way back into the kitchen.
Eli stood in the doorway still in his work clothes and certainly not dressed for a fine dinner such as Sarah had presented. However that was of no consequence to the Whelans.
“Patrick, bring that chair back to the table for Eli, please,” Sarah said. “Eli, would you like to clean up a bit before joining us?” she added, standing and leading Eli to the small closet off of the kitchen where she kept the wash basin with clean water and a mirror. She handed him a fresh cloth to dry his face and hands, lit the lantern for him and then returned to the table.
“Teagan, please fix Eli a plate of food,” Sarah said. Teagan, whose mood had suddenly changed to pleasant, happily obliged.
“May I be excused?” asked Ennis, who appeared to truly be struggling to stay awake.
“Ennis surely you can at least have a little dessert before you turn in?” Sarah said, passing around the bowl of strawberries.
“All right,” Ennis yawned.
“Mary, I was in the store today and that polite Davey Kennedy informed me your father was still not feeling well. Is he okay?” Sarah asked.
Mary was obviously a bit uncomfortable with the question but Fagan had taken her hand under the table which gave her the courage to speak freely.
“Well, my pa is much better, thank you. He’s had a great deal of rest and this afternoon, managed to emerge from his room and eat. My ma drew him a full hot bath and afterwards, he thanked her and asked for the paper. I’m sure he’ll be back at the store tomorrow,” Mary happily replied.
“Well there’s some good news!” Owen said. “So Beatrice, how old are ya’ now dear? I can’t keep count of all ya’ youngins’. I can barely keep count of me own.”
“Why I was sixteen just last month, Dr. Whelan,” Beatrice smiled.
“Yes that would have been quite a long time for me to remember bringin’ ya’. Although, I remember we had snow on the ground that year through April. That was a cold one fer sure!” Owen recalled.
Eli was eating like a starving man. Teagan had pinched him lightly and mouthed at him to slow down and he had but only briefly before revving up again and asking for seconds. Owen had sat back in his chair and undid his two buttons as usual. Dessert was now over but for Eli still working on his second helping. All of the young women began to clear the table and assist Sarah with cleaning up. Eli didn’t feel the least bit slighted as the remainder of the strawberries and cream were placed in front of him and he made quick work of them as Teagan laughed.
“May I be excused now, Ma?” asked Ennis again; his head bobbing. Patrick offered to help him upstairs to get ready for bed.
Sarah and the girls were having such a wonderful time chatting away, Owen offered to do the tucking for Ennis this evening and he followed them up the stairs.
“My goodness Ennis, you are tired this evening me boy!” Owen said as he struggled to put Ennis into his night shirt. “You’re like trying to dress a soggy noodle!” he added.
Patrick laughed loudly and aske
d if he could be excused back downstairs for a few minutes to join everyone else as he could hear Liffey at the piano. Owen happily agreed, telling him he would join them shortly.
“Da? Why are you always so sad when you think of Ireland? Didn’t you like it there?” Ennis asked with a yawn, as Owen opened the window and pulled his covers up to his chin.
“Well Ennis, that’s me homeland, son. It’s a sad thing to have to leave the place you were born and go somewhere strange. It’s especially hard for a young boy,” Owen answered tucking him in.
“You never did tell me about those Flynns, Da.”
“The Flynns were a lovely family Ennis. They were very poor and they lived from hand to mouth. They had two young sons when they died, and back in those days, they would ship kids off to live with their closest family, even if they didn’t want ya’,” Owen replied.
“Why wouldn’t they want them, Da?”
“Well you see me boy, that was a bad time and most folks were very poor and could barely afford to feed their own family, let alone two scrawny orphans. People were hard and strong but they had big hearts too, son, and like it or nay they met their obligations,” Owen said as he patted Ennis on his leg. “But the long hard days and half empty bellies didn’t leave much time for tending to the gentler things.”
“Is that why so many people are coming here?” Ennis asked, his eyes now closed.
“Yes, me boy. They’ve been coming and coming since long before you were born and I imagine they’ll continue to come.”
“Da, how did you die?” Owen quickly sat back, drawing a quick breath. His eyes were open wide and his heart began to pound in his chest. He had not expected such an unusual question but he came to his senses quickly and softly replied. “Why Ennis, I didn’t die, I’m right here son.”
“No Da. On that big ship a lady is crying and crying and she’s begging God not to take you. She's crying, Da. She’s crying ‘God please don’t take my Owen!’” Ennis said as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut as if he were in great pain and his body began to writhe beneath the blanket.
Owen stood up quickly and reached down and took Ennis by the shoulders, shaking him gently.
“Ennis? Ennis? Are ya’ all right, son?” Look at yer da now, Ennis. I’m right here son,” Owen said, trying to rouse Ennis from whatever he was feeling and just then, he noticed Teagan and Patrick behind him.
“Get to bed Patrick,” Teagan advised.
“Da? What’s wrong?” Teagan said as she rushed to Ennis’ bed.
“Ennis dozed off while we were chatting and he must have been having a bad dream,” Owen said as he was finally able to calm Ennis and get him settled back down.
“I heard him, Da. I heard what he was saying to you. He said he felt a woman crying over you and you were dead,” Teagan said, glaring at her father above the now sleeping child.
“No, Teagan. He said he felt the woman crying and asking God please not to take her son,” Owen whispered. “It was just a dream Teagan. It’s nothing to worry about.”
Teagan leaned over and kissed her brother on his curls and looked up at her father. “He told me he only dreams of sweet things, Da, because he feels so much sadness and pain when he’s awake. I don’t think he was dreaming, Da. I just don’t.”
Teagan turned and put out the lantern light and glanced over at Patrick, who lay wide awake with his blanket pulled up to his nose. He looked frightened.
“Teagan, can you leave that lantern on until I fall asleep?” Patrick whispered.
“Yes. I’ll turn it off when I come to bed,” Teagan said as she kissed him goodnight.
Owen walked quietly ahead of Teagan down the stairs and without so much as a glance back at her and without even acknowledging the joyful music coming from the parlor. He walked out through the screen door and onto the porch. He sat down slowly in his old chair and stared off at the glowing sun as it sat slightly behind the clouds in the distance.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Goodnight, girls!” Sarah called from the front porch as Fagan and Connell assisted Mary and Beatrice up into the carriage and then both climbed in for the journey back to the Olsens.’ Eli and Teagan were also saying their goodbyes and arranging their next outing on Saturday. Eli had promised to take Teagan into town to show her his father’s blacksmith shop and take her to dinner at the corner restaurant near the Olsens’ dry goods store. Teagan was thrilled to be able to go to town, until she reminded Eli she couldn’t leave Ennis. Eli encouraged her to request permission for just a few hours of freedom as he knew how much it meant to her to be able to get away from the country, if only for a bit.
“I’d really love to kiss you, Teag, but…” Eli said as they both looked back at Sarah and Owen on the front porch.
“Here,” Teagan said as she offered Eli her hand and her cheek. “I’m sure it isn’t against the law either,” she laughed.
Eli was on his way home and Teagan was exhausted. On her way into the house, she held her mother’s hand for a second and kissed her father goodnight. She could see the obvious concern in his eyes over the earlier incident with Ennis. She longed to ask him a thousand questions about it but she knew her boundaries and hoped if anything, to ease his mind he would speak with her mother about it before bed.
Teagan pulled herself up the stairs by the railing and upon reaching the top, she remembered the lantern. She quietly stepped into the boys’ bedroom and over to the lantern to turn out the light.
“Teagan?” Patrick whispered.
“Patrick, why are you still awake?” Teagan asked as she stepped to his bed.
“I’ve been watching Ennis,” he quietly replied.
“Why?”
“He wasn’t dreaming before. When he sleeps, he makes no sound. He doesn’t even move except for breathin’. I’ve been watchin’.”
“Oh Patrick, it’s alright. There’s nothing to fear. It’s your brother lying there. It’s Ennis,” Teagan said taking Patrick’s hand.
“I know, but he scares me,” Patrick said, squeezing her hand tight.
“You couldn’t be any safer than in this room with him. Now go to sleep,” Teagan said and she released his hand slowly and tucked him in.
Down the hall, Liffey was already sitting in the vanity chair waiting for Teagan to comb out her hair. Teagan entered the room and closed the door quietly behind her.
“I’ll be right there, Lif. Just let me get out of these clothes.”
“Wait, Teagan, I’ll help you,” said Liffey, as she sprang to assist her sister with the complicated garments.
“Someday I’m gonna run naked in the streets like Lady Godiva,” said Teagan, as Liffey giggled.
“Oh you will not, Teagan Whelan. You say the maddest things,” Liffey replied, releasing her sister from her bonds.
“I know and you let me and I love you for it Liffey,” Teagan said. “Lif, the oddest thing happened this evening.”
“Well come comb out my hair and tell me,” Liffey said as she hopped back into the chair facing the mirror.
Teagan explained Ennis’ ‘vision’ and how their father had seemed very uneasy and even frightened at what Ennis was saying. However, his explanation of the Flynns back in Ireland had at least solved part of the mystery and it confirmed that what Ennis had felt was real. Their father obviously seemed not to want to discuss them at all before but perhaps to soothe Ennis and to give him some sort of answer, he had finally relented and told a bit of their tale.
“Da was sick? On that ship? He nearly died you say?” Liffey asked urgently.
“That’s what Ennis felt. Ennis said he could feel a woman crying and asking God not to take her Owen. It gave me goose flesh, Lif, I swear it did,” Teagan replied, now sitting in the chair.
“Well it sounds to me like Da is a very lucky man to have such a wonderful mother to care for him and to have survived such an ordeal. Teagan, maybe this is all where Ennis’ gifts come from? Maybe Grandmother Rachel made some promise to God?” Liffey que
ried.
“I don’t know, but the more we discuss this, the more curious I become. I do certainly hope if Da hasn’t yet told Ma of all of this, he does soon because he was looking like he saw a ghost,” Teagan laughed. “I’ve never seen him so frightened.”
Owen was waiting on the porch for his sons to return from the Olsens’. Even with the story of Stephan Olsen’s miraculous recovery and the good spirits of Mary and Beatrice, he still had some concern for his boys. He was, however, content in knowing his overly amorous son Fagan was well chaperoned this evening, which gave him one less worry.
Then, his mind wandered back to what had happened with Ennis. He knew Ennis wasn’t dreaming and he knew the risks involved with being close to his youngest son. There was no way to hide from his reach, especially when your heart was open, as Owen’s always was. He’d wondered had Sarah yet to experience any such thing and decided he would step inside to the parlor and finally ask.
Sarah was in her usual spot. She had already started on Liffey’s dress for the summer fair.
“Woman, I don’t know how you do these things,” Owen said as he took the seat opposite her.
“Do what Owen? This?” she replied, holding up her sewing.
“Yes, yes. You make magic with those hands,” he said leaning back in the chair.
“As do you dear,” Sarah replied, looking back down at her work.
“I don’t know why you won’t let me buy you one of those machines for that,” Owen said.
“Well Owen, I’ll agree to the sewing machine on one condition,” Sarah said. “You go and apologize to Pastor Lincoln and invite him and Mae to dinner tomorrow night.”
“Done,” Owen replied with a slap on his knees.
He sat quietly and watched his wife skillfully as she worked on the puff of a sleeve on Liffey’s pink dress. He knew he had to tell Sarah what had happened and he figured the best way to do it was to just say it.
“Sarah, the boy can definitely read things,” Owen said.
“Ennis? What happened, Owen?” Sarah asked, putting her sewing aside and giving him her full attention.
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