~~**~~
"Lastly to my Emerald from the ocean and my diamond from my heart. I love you both more then I can ever convey. You have shown me what true love is and have given me the inspiration to sing from my heart.
Thank you for putting up with my long hours away from you both, always know that you consume my every thought.
Every word and emotion on this cd is because of you.
I love you
Yank/Daddy"
"Yank I don't know whether to knock you silly or rip your clothes off and make mad passionate love to you. I can't believe that you wrote this." Keavy stared into my eyes and threw her arms around me. "This is going to be read by millions"
"That's why I wrote it, I want everyone to know why this album is so good, for the record I vote for the world rocking, knee buckling, bed thrashing, sheet grabbing, back arching sex" I grinned and kissed her gently "So did my mom say she would watch Saffie?"
"She is excited, you would think she hadn't seen her in a year instead of yesterday."
"I hope our little girl realises how loved she is." I walked down the hall and stood above the crib and watched my little girl sleep. She was 7 months old and was growing up faster then my heart wanted her to. I wanted her to stay the tiny baby who curled up on my shoulder and slept. The little girl who giggled and waved her hands excitedly whenever I sang to her. She was crawling and starting to pull herself up and keavy swore that it would not be long before she took her first step.
"We should get ready" Keavy's soft lips kissed my shoulder and her hands slipped around my waist. "I picked up your suit from the cleaners"
"Will the missus join me in a quick, yet relaxing shower before we get dressed?"
"Relaxing yes, quick not even close" Keavy stuck out her tongue and took my hand "I think I can manage to yank the tension out of you"
"Ahhh I love it when the Belfast, street trash talk comes out of your usually Dublin, good girl, prim and proper mouth" I slapped her firm butt and chased her into the bathroom.
~~**~~
I was drying my hair when Keavy walked into the bedroom looking upset. "Yank, baby stop for a second, I need to talk to you"
I shut off the hair dryer and pulled her down onto my lap "What is it?" I stroked her damp hair and stared into her emerald eyes.
"There is a shortage at the hospital, ER is swamped. I need to go baby." her eyes filling with tears. "I know how important the record release party tonight is to you, Alex I am sorry"
I still don't know whether it was because I knew how many fans and media would be there and I wanted to show her off or the fact that her job was now the one that was keeping us apart instead of mine, but at that moment I was angry, I was jealous and I acted like a spoiled brat. "Baby you know how important this is, how the hell is this going to look...On one of the most important days of my career and my wife is not by my side. God damn it sometimes I wish you were back in Ireland, at least that way I could crave and miss you from afar instead of sharing my bed with you and not being able to see you. You tease me, you play with my emotions. Go to your goddamn hospital and patients who need you, don't worry about me, I am only your husband." I screamed and slammed the bathroom door. I lay against the door and heard her cursing as she dressed. I was shaking, we had never fought and it scared me that I felt anger towards her.
"Alex I am leaving, tell everyone I am sorry I can't be there. Don't bother waiting up for me, I am sleeping at your mother's tonight with Saffie. You need to calm down and realise what you said, you selfish BLOKE"
I put my head in my hands and cried.
~**~~
"AJ, where is Keavy?" Howie asked me as I walked into the party alone.
"An emergency at work, she needed to go." I walked towards the bar and ordered a drink. I needed to clear my head.
~~**~~
Keavy was hunched over the counter, her long curls spilling out the clip that she had tied her hair back with. She most have been deep into whatever she was doing because she was chewing on her top lip and her brows were knotted. I held the tiny box in my hand and walked towards the counter. Her head raised up and her eyes became level with mine. "Unless you are dying I would suggest you go back to the party, I am whacked and don't have time for apologies" she muttered, her voice sharp with anger.
"My love I am sorry, just give me 2 minutes" I took her hand and led her into an empty room "I am an idiot, a fool. You have stood by me while I toured the world, leaving you at home and you never complained or said a harsh word. I don't know why I acted like I did. Maybe I just couldn't bear being at a celebration without you. Everything I do is for you and Saffie and I guess I wanted you there to see what I had accomplished."
"Yank" She whispered but I continued.
"I bought you something. It's not anything big I just want to make a promise to you, right here, right now" I opened the tiny box and unfastened the chain around her neck, slipping a yellow lifesaver onto the chain. "This is a promise saver. I won't ever complain about your job again. I will support you and back you up always, everytime I look at the lifesaver around your neck I will be reminded of the promise I just made" I kissed her "Does that mean you forgive me?"
"For now, but when I get home I am slapping your ass and scolding you" she teased.
"Now that's a punishment I like" I grinned and pulled her back into my arms.
"Remind me to call your mother and tell her that it is just Saffie who is bunking with her. You and I have a long night of making up ahead of us"
~~**~~
I watched as Keegan's chest rose and fell in soft breaths. The ever present shirt was clutched in his hand. I think he knew that something was happening when he started cuddling with the shirt, it started when we got back from Ireland, 3 days after Keavy was killed. It was Keavy's favourite tshirt, she wore it around the house when she did her housework. It said American Women Suck, Irish Women Swallow. Nick had given it to her as a joke for Christmas and she loved it. Keegan wouldn't go anywhere now, without that shirt, I guess it was the closest thing to her that he had now, although it wasn't exactly the shirt I would have picked for my 6 month old to cuddle with.
~~**~~
"Yank I didn't think it was possible" Keavy whispered through her tears as she held Keegan Liam McLean for the first time. "He is perfect, look at his tiny fingers, his smooth skin. Baby he looks identical to you"
Keegan was the spitting image of me when I was born. We both had the identical brown hair, the big eyes and the chubby cheeks. He was too big for Keavy to have naturally so she had a cesearian. He was healthy, no denying that. He weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces. We couldn't quite figure out how he got so big when both of us were small people but we had him now and we wouldn't dare complain.
"You did it again baby, you made another dream come true" I kissed her and smiled down at our baby boy. Our family was complete.
~~**~~
"Keavy I think we should take the kids to see your family, show them off to your relatives." I was bathing Keegan and Keavy was curled up on the bed resting, with Saffie asleep beside her. She was having a rough recovery, she was extremly sore and very tired. She was breast feeding, with a great deal of difficulty as Keegan seemed to want to nestle on her incision, causing her extreme pain. She also was not producing enough milk to satisfy Keegan's hunger which meant she was doubling up on her breasts during the feedings, leaving them red and sore. Her pregnancy was uneventful but she was paying for it now.
"Yank it's a wonderful idea but baby we need to wait, atleast until Keegan is 3 months old and until I am able to get around better." She stroked Saffie's hair as she talked.
"His Highness is now spotless and smells like heaven" I carried Keegan into our bedroom and placed him on Keavy's right side and I lay down beside him. "My beautiful family" I whispered as I stared from my son, to my daughter and ending up on my beautiful wife. "WHo would have ever thought I would have been blessed with all this?"
"Magical things happen in Ireland yank" Keavy smiled and closed her eyes.
~~**~~
We watched as Saffie ran ahead, chasing her poppy, Keavy's dad, down the hill. Keegan was nestled in his baby carrier, close to my chest and sleeping contently. Keavy and I walked down the grassy hill, hand in hand, reaquanting ourselves with the country that had brought us together.
"It is a sin to admit this but I have forgotten how beautiful it is here." I admitted as I watched Saffie and my father in low rolling in the grass, their loud and blissful laughs carrying on the sea filled wind.
"I have lived here all my life and somehow it seems different now." Keavy stopped and faced me. "I think it's because for the first time I am experiencing it totally free, seeing it through the eyes of the ones I love."
~~**~~
"Are you sure you don't mind watching the kids overnight?" I asked my in laws.
"Aiye..I think not. You and Keavy go and have a wonderful time, we want to spoil our grandbabies and we can't do that with both of ya standing over us" Margaret hugged me "This is your vacation, have fun"
"Thanks mom I will" I hugged my mother in law tight. Not knowing that the next time I would hug her I would be a widower.
~~**~~
"Let's go to the pub and get a pint, come on Yank, me gut is burning for some ale" Keavy threw her overnight bag on the bed and wrapped her arms around my waist.
"5 minutes back in Belfast and already you are talking like the irish lass who stole my heart 3 years ago" I teased. Keavy's accent had faded in Orlando but now it was back with a vengance.
"Nothing stands between a true irish gal and her pint"
~~**~~
We walked through the busy streets. Even an outsider, a tourist could tell that it was Friday night in Belfast. The chip stand and the strong vinegar filled the air. People milled about, talking loudly and in gay humor. The pubs were already packed and the street lamps were burning brightly. Keavy and I walked hand in hand into the jewelry shop and after explaining that I had called a month previous the man behind the counter grinned and walked into the back, emerging moments later with a velvet box. He handed it to me and I extended it to Keavy.
"Baby on our first date you showed me something and told me how much you craved one. I have never forgotten that and I vowed that the next time we came to Ireland I would buy you it."
She opened it and started to cry. "Put it on emerald" I slipped the brooch out of the box and clipped it to her dress. "there, the crown jewel for my princess"
"Yank...I can't believe you, it is stunning, almost identical to the real Tara brooch." Keavy stared down at the brooch and reached for me frantically and kissed me feverishly in the middle of the store.
"Bey Jaysus I think she liked it" I proclaimed in my best Irish accent, forcing everyone in the store to laugh.
~~**~~
"Let's go into this one." Keavy stopped in front of Molly MacGuires "The music sounds incredible and it is packed so that is usually a good sign" Keavy pulled me into the crowded bar and the smoke and smell of stale beer welcomed us. We managed to find an ale covered table and settled in to listen to the band.
"Thank you for suggesting this Yank, It makes me fall in love with you
all
over again being here, and I know my parents are loving being with the
kids"
Keavy kissed me and the last thing I remember before I awoke was a
loud
boom, bliding light and murederous and anguished screams before
everything
went black.
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