Sarah began to tremble with fear. “Owen, what do they want?”
As they looked on, a radiant white light began to grow in the windows until it consumed the entire church, masking most of the world of flesh and blood. The doors opened with neither sound nor human touch as all of the Whelans huddled closely together to await whatever was about to enter. Ennis’ motionless body became weightless in Owen’s embrace and he squinted to see the gathering of souls waft apart, allowing the figure who entered to step forward toward him.
“Rachel,” Owen spoke.
“Yes Patrick it’s time to say goodbye.”
“Da, no, don’t let go,” Teagan begged, as Rachel held out her arms for him to hand Ennis to her.
“I can’t, Rachel. I can’t let ya’ take him back,” Owen sobbed.
“I’m not taking him back Patrick, I’m returning him to you.”
Rachel appeared to Owen in the most familiar and endearing way, resembling the fine lady with the brand new leather shoes peeking out from beneath her dress, the woman he’d met that late fall in 1844. The image of the Rachel who rescued him and raised him and whom he’d have laid down his own life for stood before him. He was entranced and no longer afraid either for himself or his son.
Owen willingly passed Ennis into Rachel’s arms and she backed away from him until they were completely surrounded by the light and the pale, dreary creatures instantly began to glow.
“Owen, no!” shouted Sarah as she struggled to push her way into the crowd of cheerless beings but he held on tightly to her and tried to reassure her Ennis would be all right.
“Sarah please! Rachel wouldn’t let anythin’ happen to him. I know she wouldn’t!”
Teagan broke free of their huddle and rushed into the sea of souls, searching for Rachel and Ennis, running up behind them. Rachel turned and faced Teagan and she stopped, looking into her grandmother’s tender eyes, feeling the same enduring love as her father and instantly understood. She paused, stunned to see Ennis aglow as well and fell extremely weak but continued to follow them as Rachel walked toward the front of the church hand in hand with Ennis. Rachel turned to Teagan and placed her hand on her cheek lightly.
“Fear not, Teagan. My sole regret is that I never met any of you children. You’re all so wonderful and brave, just like your father,” Rachel smiled.
Owen watched as this milky mob all turned facing him and the fear returned tenfold. He stood with Sarah under his arm and his children pressed closely around him yet he shook as if he were freezing and his chest heaved with quick hard breaths. He rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands, when a single form began to emerge and move toward him. His heart leapt when he saw the face of a young boy, whom he knew to be the true Owen Whelan. The boy’s eyes transformed from gray to blue and smiled as if the years between his passing and the here and now had fallen away.
“Patrick.”
Owen heard the boy’s voice and although his good sense marked this vision impossible, his spirit spoke up and reassured him this was real.
The soul of the true-born Owen Whelan nodded and turned, facing Rachel and Ennis as they stood together at the pulpit and the love born Whelans followed, awaiting the unknown and anxious for closure.
“Many years ago, I had two sons, one by birth and one who came to me as a blessing. When my life ended, the son I bore came to meet me and with him were eighty-two other souls who had found him and who had watched over him for me until I left this earth,” Rachel’s voice was like music. It carried from every direction and floated across the light and landed on their waiting ears as a feather from the sky.
“But Rachel, why? Why are they here? What do they want from us?” Owen asked.
“They want for nothing Patrick. The only wish they had was to find you and Owen. Owen joined them when he passed at sea and they carried him with them for many years as he was so alone and lost. Then when my time came, Owen brought them to me because he knew I could never really leave you.”
“Rachel, who are they? I don’t recognize their faces. I have no memory of these poor, sad creatures and in my wildest dreams I’ve never known them.”
“Oh Patrick, are you so far removed from our journey together? Have you truly left every memory of our voyage on that gangway in Philadelphia or were you simply able to bind those wounds and hide the scars?”
“I had closed those wounds and I’m grateful ta’ have been blessed with a life which is full enough to leave no empty space for tragic memories,” Owen answered.
“I assure you my son, there is no tragedy in honor and preserving the dignity of another human being.”
“Owen, please remember. Please. I want our son back. Rachel I’m beggin’ ya!” Sarah pleaded.
Owen’s hands covered his face and when he pulled them away, he looked once more at the dozens of apparitions, who now appeared cheerful and healthy, almost angelic and an expression of knowing flashed across his face.
“The prayers…” Owen mumbled to himself and then looked up at Rachel. “The prayers!”
“Yes my son, yes. These beautiful unfortunate souls, who’s only fault lay in the burden of their frailty, heard your prayers, prayers which carried them into the afterlife having restored their faith in mankind and preserved their humanity and value in the world. At your insistence, every night, you and Owen sat and prayed together for them as the sea swallowed them up. No one else in the world cared. No one gave thought to the memory of their lives but you and Owen. I surmised this desire in you to pray for these people had come from the losses you had suffered and the circumstances of your life that followed.”
“To those who cast them over, they were but nameless, faceless bodies, wrapped and disposed of like garbage, but not to you. Not to Owen. They weren’t a splash in the sea, they were mothers, fathers, children and grandparents, all of whom had lives and who deserved for their souls to be set free, if only by the few soft words spoken by two children in the dark.”
“When my time came, they were there waiting for me as they had been for Owen. Had I known when Ennis crossed over into my arms their need to find you and to thank you would have pulled them through, I’d have still given him back to you. I couldn’t bear the heartache of seeing you suffer even one more loss. It was our intention only to watch over you and our family but Owen wanted to feel life again. He wanted to breathe and run and play and Ennis is so open and loving and trusting…”
“I’m sorry Patrick. I didn’t mean any harm. I just wanted to be with you again, it was the only way. I had no idea of what would happen or how Ennis would, well, react when I joined with him but Mother never left our side,” the true Owen said.
“So now we go and leave you to your lives and to your happiness. Just know all of the souls here with me today are here to say thank you for giving them the peace which only comes from love and from knowing your life meant something to someone, even someone you didn’t even know.”
Upon Rachel’s final words, the light grew even brighter and the Whelans shielded their eyes for fear they’d be blinded by it.
“Wait! Sarah? Ennis! What about Ennis?” Owen shouted as one by one the souls faded like plumes of smoke and made their ascent upward and out of sight.
“There is no other way. They have to pass through the way they came. I cannot explain it otherwise. I love you, Patrick. Ennis will return to you and we shall be at peace.”
“Return how? You’ve stolen him from me! How can he return if ya’ take him with you now?” Owen screamed, falling to his knees before her, as Sarah and the children watched in horror.
“Owen, look back on your life in just the past week or so. Truly see it, without the fear and the questions, and ask yourself how the blessings Ennis shared have radiated throughout not only your family but through so many other lives as well. Even life yet born.”
“Oh Rachel I don’t understand!” Owen cried, lowering his head.
“Sarah already carries the child my son, only this time, he’ll
cry the second he takes breath and there won’t be any doubt as to his wellbeing or who he is. You’ll know the moment he opens his eyes.” Rachel said as she too began to rise out of sight.
The light was gone, as were Rachel and Ennis.
Chapter Thirty-One
“How many trunks does one woman need for Heaven’s sake?” asked Eli as he loaded up his wagon to take Teagan to Philadelphia.
“I told you, we could have easily just taken the train, Eli. This trunk contains all of my medical books. I couldn’t possibly leave those behind now could I?” Teagan said as she loaded two more hat boxes into the wagon.
“You married her, Eli,” laughed Patrick, as he climbed into the flat bed and tried organizing the crates and trunks to make room for more.
“Indeed I did and it was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said, taking Teagan into his arms and giving her peck on the lips.
“Where’s Ma? She needs to come out here and say goodbye,” Teagan asked.
“She’ll be out shortly; she was feeding the baby,” Brogan replied as he handed Teagan a thick envelope. “Now don’t forget Teagan, you’re to deliver this by hand to the publishing company. The address is on the front.”
“I know, Brogan. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll hear from them. Your novel is wonderful,” she cooed.
“Goodbye, dear friend,” said Mary as she took Teagan in a tight embrace.
“Mary, my sister and my friend. Goodbye my little niece or nephew,” Teagan said as she spoke to Mary’s very large tummy.
“Goodbye, little sister. Please give our best to Connell and tell him we’ll see him in the spring for his graduation ceremony,” said Fagan, as he kissed his sister lightly on the cheek.
“Eli, I’m so glad you decided to get married and go with her to Philadelphia. I just don’t think my poor heart could have stood the worry,” said Owen, taking Eli’s hand with a hearty shake.
“I knew I wouldn’t last three weeks let alone three years without my Teagan, sir. Don’t worry a bit. We’ll take care of each other just fine,” Eli reassured him.
“Here’s yer ma now, Teagan!” Owen said as Sarah finally emerged from the house with Liffey.
“Oh what will I do without my Teag?” Sarah said as she rushed down the front porch steps and took Teagan in her arms tightly.
“Ma, you’ll be fine. You’ll still have Liffey a bit longer until Davey finishes law school and of course you’ll have this little fellow to keep you busy,” Teagan said as she ran her hand over the beautiful amber curls sticking out from under the blue blanket in Liffey’s arms.
“Oh Teagan, I’ll miss you so,” Liffey said as she handed the baby to her mother and kissed her sister goodbye.
“Everything turned out just the way it was supposed to, hasn’t it, Ma?” Teagan asked.
“Yes it certainly has, dear. Don’t forget to write!” Sarah shouted as Eli lifted Teagan up onto the wagon.
“I won’t forget. I’ll never forget anything. I’ll miss you all so much. We’ll try to come home for Christmas. By then little Ennis should be walking everywhere and getting into things!” Teagan laughed as she wiped the tears away from her face.
“We better get going Teagan if we’re to make Philadelphia by tomorrow night,” Eli said climbing into the wagon.
“Give Aunt Kathryn our best!” Owen shouted.
“Goodbye, everyone!” Teagan called out, as Eli tossed the reins and they headed off down the road.
“Liffey, take Ennis back into the house. It’s rather crisp this mornin’,” Sarah said, passing Ennis into Liffey’s open arms.
Owen wrapped his arms around Sarah and pulled her in close to comfort her.
“Well my girl, there goes yet another of the litter, off into the world.”
“Litter! My goodness, Owen,” Sarah fussed through her tears.
“Oh come now Sarah, ya’ know yer good fer a couple more!” Owen laughed.
“Oh stop it now ya’ old fool! We’re about to be grandparents in a few weeks!” Sarah laughed.
“Well I made ya’ smile,” Owen said, holding Sarah tightly, her cheek pressed firmly to his shoulder as they watched the wagon fade into the distance.
“That ya’ did Owen. That ya’ did,” Sarah replied. “I told ya’ once he was the last and I was right.”
“Well, you were mostly right. Everythin’ happens for a reason, Sarah. Isn’t it funny how once everything comes to pass, the reason just doesn’t seem very important anymore?”
“If I’ve learned anything throughout this life Owen, it’s the only thing we can depend on is what’s happening in this moment. We can’t waste time worryin’ and wonderin’ what’s waitin’ in that next moment because there’s always that chance it will never arrive,” said Sarah.
“Ah but here it is and you’re in me arms. Now this is a moment I intend to make last.”
After a few more minutes, they turned and walked arm in arm up the steps and into the house. Liffey sat in the rocking chair with Ennis now sound asleep in her arms.
“Here, Lif, give him to me and I’ll put him in his cradle.”
“Oh Ma, can’t I just sit here with him a little bit longer?”
“Well, all right dear, but not fer too long. I won’t have him spoiled. I’ll just get back to work on his new bedding. He’s growing like a weed now and he’ll be needin’ to move into the crib soon,” Sarah replied as she took her seat by the hearth and picked up the soft white cotton fabric she was embroidering for Ennis’ crib.
“Shoo, Patches,” Sarah said to the gray and white ball of fur, which brushed against her feet as she sat. The cat purred and wound itself into a circle on the rug in front of her and fell fast asleep.
Her needlework was flawless. All around the edges of the top sheet, she had sewn eighty-five tiny yellow fireflies and was now finishing his pillow case to match. She carefully worked the needle through the fabric as she put the final touches of golden thread, around the edges of the open wings of the small sparrow in the center, as it rested in the chubby open hands of her son.
The End.
About the Author
Sherrie Fornoff Photography
I was born on Valentine’s Day a long, long time ago in South Baltimore, Maryland, less than a mile from Fort McHenry and Federal Hill. I’m the youngest of eleven children. I’m a very simple person. I love my life and am always striving to make it better for myself and my family. I write, I draw and I work full-time. I also paint beautiful watercolors with my three year old granddaughter.
I’ve been married for nearly 19 years and together we have two sons and a daughter. I’d call myself a football fan but I mostly only watch my home team, the World Champion Baltimore Ravens. I love super heroes and Superman has been my favorite since I was a little girl. June 2013 the new Superman movie “Man of Steel” arrives in theaters and it cannot get here soon enough for me. I love cats and I have a Maine Coon named Columbus.
I’m fascinated with anything paranormal and have been since I was a little girl and would sneak into my parent’s room almost every night to sit on the end of their bed and watch the “kids playing” as I explained it to them.
I finished my debut novel “Fireflies” in about six weeks, over the summer of 2012. Needless to say I don’t sleep much. After several rounds of edits, feedback and more edits, I began submitting “Fireflies” to literary agents and publishers in groups of five at a time. Through my diligent efforts, persistence and fabulous luck, I am blessed to now be a part GMTA Publishing’s fold and look forward to releasing my first novel soon!
I’ve been reading everything I can get my eyes on as to how this whole process works and I confess that I still don’t understand it and the social media aspect is just as perplexing. However, now I have the guidance and support of GMTA to help me succeed at doing what I love and I’ve told myself to above all, just keep writing.
I’m so excited because I’m about 30,000 words into my second novel which I have a
lready begun to map out a sequel to. I don’t even know where these thoughts came from but I’ve never looked a gift horse in the mouth that hasn’t kicked the crap out of me, so I place my hands on the keyboard and just let go.
Connect with P.S. Bartlett
Blog: http://psbartlett.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PSBartlett
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSBartlett
Fireflies Page 27