Lucky glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “She’d be happy to give you one.”
“I know she would, but I’d rather buy one from you, mate. No, wait. I’ll buy two, one for me and one for Granny.”
“She reads Westerns?”
“She doesn’t read much fiction, let alone Westerns. She’s into biographies, mostly. But I think she’d read one of Desiree’s if it comes from your shop and I have your mom sign it. Even if she doesn’t read it, she’ll love having it on display to show the neighbors.”
“Then I’ll give you the one for Granny. How’s that?”
“But—”
“I want to send something back with you, bro, and a book would be perfect. I’ll let you pay for yours, but hers will be my gift to her.”
“Can’t argue with that. She’ll be thrilled.” And didn’t he love it when Lucky called himbro? He hadn’t felt natural doing the same, but before he left he’d try it out.
At the market they each bought a bouquet, looking for the ones in non-breakable containers. Their drive to the cemetery was silent.
Lucky finally spoke as he pulled into the parking lot of the white clapboard country church. The graveyard was off to the left, bordered by a black wrought-iron fence. “I said I hadn’t been to the grave much, but the truth is, I’ve only been once, the day I asked to see where my birth mother was buried. I was five. Haven’t been back since.”
Sara reached over and touched his arm. “She didn’t let herself be known. It’s hard to care when a person is nothing but a shadow.”
“Sara’s right.” Kieran unfastened his seat belt and leaned forward. “Don’t blame yourself, boyo. I’m just now forgiving her. I came over here mad as hell.”
“I was mad, too. If Mom hadn’t been in that hospital having Rance, I’d have been SOL.”
“You need to come to County Kildare. It’s grand for most people living there, including Granny. But it didn’t suit Freya. She had too much fire in her.”
Lucky nodded. “I will come.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Does County Kildare suit you?”
“You ask hard questions.”
He grimaced. “So I’ve been told. Never mind.”
“Let’s just say it suits me well enough. Granny devoted her life to raising me when all her friends were long past that stage. I’ll never forget that.”
“Understood.” Lucky opened his door. “Let’s pay a visit to Freya Noreen Haggerty.”
“Do you remember where she is?” He and Sara followed Lucky through the gate.
“Oh, yeah. I was the smartest five-year-old you’ll ever meet.”
“Wow, good for you.” Sara switched her bouquet to her other hand and adjusted the strap of her shoulder purse as she picked her way along the gravel path. “You must have a photographic memory.”
“No, just a degree in smartassery. I don’t remember. I asked Mom for directions.”
“She comes out here?” Kieran hadn’t expected that.
“Much to my surprise, she does. I figured we’d be coming eventually so I got to the house this morning before she started working to get info. I thought she’d have to look it up. She told me exactly where to go.”
“How often does she come? Did she say?”
“Every year the day after Rance’s and my birthday. She checks on the condition of the gravesite and gives thanks for… for me.”
The last part sounded suspiciously husky.
“And here we are.” Lucky paused in front of a grave covered with neatly trimmed grass.
The modest headstone contained all the information Desiree had possessed, a name and a date.
