"It wasn't supposed to be like that."
She clutched his hand tightly. "How it was supposed to be?"
"I was sent back here to straighten out a few unresolved matters."
"And did you?"
"Yes. I believe so, although my reasons for being here aren't the same as they were in the beginning." He frowned. "I feel different, lighter, more comfortable." He looked at her. "Have I changed?"
"Yes," she said slowly, her eyes moving across his face. "You're all Mickey now. There's none of Patrick left."
He touched her cheek. "I wasn't the best of husbands, Hannie. I know that now. But never doubt that you were my life. Always remember that."
Johannah felt the panic rise in her throat. "What's happening? Are you leaving?"
"That was always the plan," he explained gently. "Everyone leaves and I've been granted more time than most."
"But I'm not ready. I need more time. Please," she begged him, "everyone is leaving me." She clung to him. "There must be a way to ask for more time."
Slowly, his arms encircled her, crushing her against his chest. Seconds passed and then she felt it, warmth, beginning in the core of her, spreading out to her limbs, her fingers, toes and cheeks. She felt his breath on her face. "I want to come with you."
He laughed. "No, you don't. You want to be here for Liam's family. You want to share Kate's happiness and see Evan grow up. This is your time. Jump in, Hannie. Say yes to your life." He swallowed, cleared his throat and held her so he could look at her. "You are young. You will love again."
She shook her head. "No."
"Yes. You must. Do this for yourself. Live every moment and when your life is over, I'll be waiting for you."
Tears clung to her lashes. "You will?"
"I will."
"Promise me."
She felt his words, like the touch of a snowflake, and then the wind came out of nowhere, a rush of churning air that left her shaken and dazed. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, he was gone. She waited for the pain, the searing ache of his loss all over again. One minute passed, then two. Nothing. Nothing at all but remnants of the warmth in her fingertips.
Slowly, she walked back to her car, automatically inserting the key, pulling out on to the street, heading toward—where? Where did she want to go? Not home. She definitely didn't want to go home. Then with that flash of understanding that clarified so much of what had previously been only a hazy premonition, she knew. Purpose sent energy surging through her body. She felt electrified in a way she hadn't since Mickey died. Checking her mirrors, she made a u-turn on Castle Street and turned right at the circle, past the park and the museum, turning into the Meadowlands Hotel carpark.
She was moving quickly now, locking her car, entering the lobby, waving at the clerk manning the desk. Purposefully, she chose the main corridor, the one with the larger suites, checking the numbers until she found what she wanted. She stared at the knocker, wondering where she would find the nerve to make her presence known, when the door opened.
Jack Rafferty's smile of delight reassured her. "Johannah, what a lovely surprise. I was just about to call you."
"Why?"
"I thought we might take a look at a house outside of town and then have dinner together."
"A house, outside of Tralee?"
"The owners won't be ready to leave until the end of next month," he explained. "I wanted to talk it over with you, to be sure you understand that I'm not trying to pressure you, but the thing is, we can't get to know each other if you're here and I'm not. I have a few things to take care of in London, but I'll be back when the house is ready. Is that all right with you, Johannah?"
She stared at him, speechless.
He laughed and stepped back. "This isn't the way I'd planned to ask you. Please, come in. We can't continue this conversation in the hall."
She held out her hand. "No," she said, finding her voice, speaking quickly so as not to lose her nerve. "I won't come in. I'm thrilled about the house, really. But I'd like to wait until you're settled before I see it, and I would like to have dinner with you except that nothing will be open this time of night." She stopped to breathe. "Why don't you stop by after you've seen the house and I'll have dinner ready for the two of us."
He didn't touch her. It wasn't necessary. "Really, Johannah?"
"Yes."
"Then I will gratefully accept your invitation."
Chapter 46
Mickey
This time the wind surrounded him gently, almost as if someone was leading the way, buffering him from the worst of it. When he opened his eyes, the myriad of greens nearly blinded him, lime-green hills, blue-green pines, yellow-green silage, emerald-green hedges, a land as richly green as Ireland was green except that a brilliant sun warmed the air and the sky hadn't a hint of cloud. "Where am I?" he said out loud.
Peter materialized before him. "You wanted green." He waved his arms. "Here it is."
"I'm finished," Mickey said.
"I know. You've done well."
"It wasn't easy."
"Worthy endeavors rarely are."
"How long will it be before I see them again?"
Peter shook his head. "I can't tell you that. Some you'll see before others. Time passes quickly here."
Mickey sighed. "Have I passed the test?"
"There's no test, lad. The only requirement for staying is that you believe."
"Are you saying I went through all of this for nothing?"
Peter looked outraged. "Nothing? You call your metamorphosis, nothing? You were a lout, Mickey Enright, self-serving and pitiful. Now you're a presentable specimen, quite satisfactory, in my opinion."
Mickey met the saint's dark, penetrating gaze. "You knew all the time that my reasons were selfish."
"Yes."
"Will Johannah be all right, with this Rafferty fellow?"
Peter hesitated. "I'm not supposed to do this—"
"Tell me."
"Under normal circumstances you would never have known about him. We don't allow that kind of thing. It confuses the bigger picture."
Mickey waited, sensing Peter would relent.
"You've done exceptionally well, with little direction." Peter stroked his chin. "I see no harm in giving you this small bit of information."
"I suppose we've all the time in the world."
"Don't get cocky with me," the saint warned, "or I won't tell you."
"I wouldn't think of it."
"She's a very intelligent woman, your wife. It's odd that she chose you, but she knows her own mind. You have no need to worry about Johannah." He rubbed his hands together as if dismissing the subject altogether. "Now, we must move on to other business."
"You're not serious. What more is there for me to do?"
Peter's hand reached out to rest on Mickey's shoulder. "That's the beauty of this place, lad. We are never finished with the good we can do. Come along with me."
With purpose in his stride, Mickey matched his step.
The End
Jeanette Baker is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, published by Harper Collins, Pocket, Kensington and Mira Books, many of them set in the lush countryside of historical and contemporary Ireland where she lives and writes during the summer months. Her ancestors, the O'Flahertys, hail from Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands located off the coast of Galway. She takes great pride in the prayer posted by the English over the ancient city gates, 'From the wrath of the O'Flahertys, may the good Lord deliver us.'
Jeanette graduated from the University of California at Irvine and holds a Masters Degree in Education. When not in Ireland, she teaches in Southern California, reads constantly, attempts to navigate the confusing world of Facebook and, more recently, e-publishing, concocts creations from interesting cookbooks and enjoys the company of friends and children. She is the RITA award-winning author of NELL.
You can visit Jeanette at www.jeanettebaker.com
Table of Con
tents
Cover
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Meet the Author
Hannie Rising Page 29