her.
“Did you hear me? It’s fine. Mom says you need me down at the pub a few nights this week?”
“Fin and I can manage. You do what you need to do,” her dad said.
“Fine.” As Katie walked out, the phone rang. Katie stopped to answer. It was Michael. “Michael, I’m in no mood to listen to your bull. I have your ring. Let me know when you want to pick it up.”
“Katie, what--”
“I think that was clear. What about Sunday at four? I should have my things cleared out and I can give you back anything else of yours I find. Okay?”
“I’ll be there,” he said. Katie hung up before he could say more. She glanced at her father, whose mouth hung open. Fin grinned before assuming a serious expression. “Careful, Dad, or a fly might land in there.” Katie turned with a snap and sprinted upstairs.
At noon the next day, Katie stood alone in the middle of the kitchen and drummed her fingers on the island counter. Rose was across the street with Mrs. Knight, where Katie had spent so many hours during her preschool years. Fin and her dad had left for the pub ten minutes before. Fin worked hard, she had to admit. He’d probably put in another twelve-hour day today, as he had the day before. Her father had the help he needed. Wasn’t that what she really wanted all along?
“Hello?” Katie reluctantly said into the phone. She sighed in relief--it was Fergus. “Didn’t you speak to Rose this morning?”
“Yes,” Fergus answered. “I hoped to catch Fin.”
“Sorry, you just missed him. You could call the pub.”
“Maybe later. Listen, what’s all this about you and Michael?”
“I’m sorry, Fergus. I broke up with him.”
“I know, Fin told me.”
“What?” Katie leaned against the wall, pressing the phone to her ear.
“Look, Katie, I owe you an apology. I should never have set you two up. I took my dad’s advice a little too far.”
“Your dad? He knows?”
“No, but he always tells me to keep my friends close but my enemies closer.”
“Are you saying Michael’s your enemy? I can’t believe this.” She stood and paced in a small circle.
“I’m sorry. He’s not really. I want you to know I think you’re doing the right thing and if you need a job, my dad and I would love to find you something at Dunbar and Son. Things are up in the air right now, but if you can hang on for a bit…”
“I don’t know. Are you and Maureen okay?”
“Don’t worry, we’re working on it. Whatever happens, Rose comes first.”
“I hope so. If you need anything, please tell me. You’re my brother.”
“Thanks, you just take care of yourself and our Rose. And cut Fin a break, okay? He feels really lousy about everything but he won’t tell you.”
“Okay. I…you take care too. Will you still be back on the ninth?”
“Yes. We’ll see you then. We’ll call again tomorrow morning to talk to Rose, as usual.”
They said their goodbyes and Katie hung up.
She eased into a chair, not remembering walking over to it. She didn’t know why finding out about Michael hurt so much. It wasn’t as if she really loved him. The lies, the disrespect, being made a fool of--Katie couldn’t stomach them. She was used to men preferring Maureen, but usually they were more honest about it. She hoped Fergus knew what he was doing. Rose needed protecting.
She wanted to talk to Fin, but she only saw him at breakfast with her family before he went out to do errands or go to the pub and he didn’t get home until after midnight. Katie spent her days with Rose, doing the things they’d done before Fin arrived: playing at the park, painting, baking, dressing up, having tea parties with Mrs. Knight, and walking around the neighborhood. She tried to fill herself with Rose’s silliness and joy, tried to make sure Rose had everything Katie could give. As Sunday approached, Katie had a hard time
“Did you hear me? It’s fine. Mom says you need me down at the pub a few nights this week?”
“Fin and I can manage. You do what you need to do,” her dad said.
“Fine.” As Katie walked out, the phone rang. Katie stopped to answer. It was Michael. “Michael, I’m in no mood to listen to your bull. I have your ring. Let me know when you want to pick it up.”
“Katie, what--”
“I think that was clear. What about Sunday at four? I should have my things cleared out and I can give you back anything else of yours I find. Okay?”
“I’ll be there,” he said. Katie hung up before he could say more. She glanced at her father, whose mouth hung open. Fin grinned before assuming a serious expression. “Careful, Dad, or a fly might land in there.” Katie turned with a snap and sprinted upstairs.
At noon the next day, Katie stood alone in the middle of the kitchen and drummed her fingers on the island counter. Rose was across the street with Mrs. Knight, where Katie had spent so many hours during her preschool years. Fin and her dad had left for the pub ten minutes before. Fin worked hard, she had to admit. He’d probably put in another twelve-hour day today, as he had the day before. Her father had the help he needed. Wasn’t that what she really wanted all along?
“Hello?” Katie reluctantly said into the phone. She sighed in relief--it was Fergus. “Didn’t you speak to Rose this morning?”
“Yes,” Fergus answered. “I hoped to catch Fin.”
“Sorry, you just missed him. You could call the pub.”
“Maybe later. Listen, what’s all this about you and Michael?”
“I’m sorry, Fergus. I broke up with him.”
“I know, Fin told me.”
“What?” Katie leaned against the wall, pressing the phone to her ear.
“Look, Katie, I owe you an apology. I should never have set you two up. I took my dad’s advice a little too far.”
“Your dad? He knows?”
“No, but he always tells me to keep my friends close but my enemies closer.”
“Are you saying Michael’s your enemy? I can’t believe this.” She stood and paced in a small circle.
“I’m sorry. He’s not really. I want you to know I think you’re doing the right thing and if you need a job, my dad and I would love to find you something at Dunbar and Son. Things are up in the air right now, but if you can hang on for a bit…”
“I don’t know. Are you and Maureen okay?”
“Don’t worry, we’re working on it. Whatever happens, Rose comes first.”
“I hope so. If you need anything, please tell me. You’re my brother.”
“Thanks, you just take care of yourself and our Rose. And cut Fin a break, okay? He feels really lousy about everything but he won’t tell you.”
“Okay. I…you take care too. Will you still be back on the ninth?”
“Yes. We’ll see you then. We’ll call again tomorrow morning to talk to Rose, as usual.”
They said their goodbyes and Katie hung up.
She eased into a chair, not remembering walking over to it. She didn’t know why finding out about Michael hurt so much. It wasn’t as if she really loved him. The lies, the disrespect, being made a fool of--Katie couldn’t stomach them. She was used to men preferring Maureen, but usually they were more honest about it. She hoped Fergus knew what he was doing. Rose needed protecting.
She wanted to talk to Fin, but she only saw him at breakfast with her family before he went out to do errands or go to the pub and he didn’t get home until after midnight. Katie spent her days with Rose, doing the things they’d done before Fin arrived: playing at the park, painting, baking, dressing up, having tea parties with Mrs. Knight, and walking around the neighborhood. She tried to fill herself with Rose’s silliness and joy, tried to make sure Rose had everything Katie could give. As Sunday approached, Katie had a hard time
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