“We’re going to my home in Dublin.”
“I-Ireland?” I sputtered. “You can’t be serious.”
“On the contrary, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my entire life.” When he saw my expression, he added snidely. “If I remember correctly, it was a place you wanted to go one day. Consider this your lucky one.”
Afew minutes later, I stood there watching as Reagan stuffed clothing into two small suitcases. With every dress, pair of tights, tutu, and shoes I saw in her hands, it really struck me that I had a daughter. The most ironic thing was that the asinine shit my grandfather wanted Kingston and me to provide, I’d basically had all of this time. Granted Ciara was a girl, but she was still a Brannington, so our bloodline would live on after all.
Only, she had no idea who I was, and I needed to proceed carefully with her. Once Reagan called her friend to bring her home, any inquisitive child would want to know who I was. It was important to me that I not scare her right away, so I cleared my throat, causing Reagan to look up at me.
“I would like to wait some time to tell Ciara that I’m her father. The move to Ireland and being with me– or rather us together –will be a shock enough to her system.”
“Thank you so much,” she said to me.
When I witnessed the relief on her face, I added. “Just know that this will not last forever. She deserves to know she has a father as much as I deserve to know I have a daughter. Ciara willlearn who she is to me one day, but I just don’t think that day has to be today, is all.”
“I appreciate you waiting at least a little bit anyway,” she said to me.
After she zipped up the second bag, she pulled a much larger suitcase out of the closet. Inside it, she stuffed some of her own clothing. I could tell that she was silently sobbing a few times when doing so because her entire frame would shake. I wouldn’t be swayed by her tears now because I had cried my own over her, and it had been for nothing. Everything I had ever wanted was alive and well, and not the eyes I prayed over every night for weeks and months.
“You never told me that your sister was a twin,” I said, and she looked up at me.
“And you never told me that you were an heir to the Irish Mafia.”
“Touche,” I said, earning a smile before she realized what she was doing and wiped it away. “You do have passports, yes?”
“Yes,” she told me before going over to the bed and reaching under it. While some might conceal a weapon in a place such as that, I knew this woman was scared of them, so I was not worried. I was confirmed to be right the moment she pulled a small safety deposit box from under the frame.
She opened it, and every piece of documentation inside, including photographs were already in sealed bags, and I watched as she retrieved two passport books, then dropped them onto the bed before putting the contents of the box into her suitcase. Once done, she looked around the room, then slowly zipped the bag up.
“Make the call,” I said to her.
“My c-cell phone is downstairs.”
I grabbed Ciara’s suitcases and bags, as she grabbed her own, then we headed back downstairs. Once there, she quickly movedto the couch then reached under it to retrieve her cell phone. I watched to make sure that she only dialed her friend’s number, and motioned for her to put it on speaker so I could hear their conversation.
“Ro, what’s wrong. Do you know what time it is?”
“I’m so sorry, Monica. Can you bring Ciara home?”
I heard some rustling before the woman spoke again. “Can it wait until morning?”
“I’m afraid not. I’ve received bad news this evening,” Reagan said, and I tamped back my growl at how she categorized my presence, “And a family member is in bad shape. I need to leave town to...ahh...visit with her before she dies.”
“Oh my God, Ro. I’m so sorry. What family member is it?”
“G-grandmother,” she choked out.
“I can watch Ciara if you need to leave right away,” she offered.
“No, no. I would like for them to meet.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, and as I tapped my watch, Reagan gulped.
“Yes. Please bring her home right away.”
“I’ll be there in a few,” she said before disconnecting the call.
Reagan turned toward me. “You’ve never done anything but uproot my life, and those around me. Ciara and I will go to Ireland with you, but make no mistake about something.”
