“Keep in touch,” Terry said, touching her arm lightly. “Now, I need to go referee because my husband and my brother are trying to micromanage my nephews and that never goes well.”
Siobhan turned as Terry walked away, and saw Evan and Joe on one side of a trailer and Brian and Joey on the other. From this distance it looked as though all of the rented items weren’t going in the trailer the same way they’d come out and she was right. It was getting heated.
It was probably for the best. Brian being wrapped up helping his family leave and her getting herself and Oliver ready to go would keep the goodbye from dragging out.
In an hour or two, she and Oliver could do a quick round of goodbyes and then hit the road. They’d be homebefore supper and for the first time, Siobhan would get to be alone and process in just how many ways this week had changed her.
* * *
Brian was aware that Siobhan’s car was packed and she was taking Oliver around to say goodbye to everybody.
He kept his focus on the landing gear of the camper that wasn’t cranking up the way it was supposed to. Doing a drawn-out goodbye with Oliver and Siobhan would kill him. And he didn’t want to witness his family saying goodbye, either. It would be tough for them, not knowing when or if they would see Oliver again. Genetics aside, he’d secured a place in everybody’s heart already.
“Are you sure you’re cranking that the right way?” Sean asked, and Brian glared over his shoulder at his dad’s cousin.
“I’m sure,” he snapped, though he looked at the setup for a second before resuming his efforts because his head wasn’t totally in the game this morning.
But the closer Siobhan got to her car, the less attention he gave it. Finally he stood and brushed off the knees of his jeans. “Fine. You do it.”
By the time he got to Siobhan and Oliver, only his mother remained at her side. As he got close, he watched her place her hand on Siobhan’s arm and say something. Then she kissed Oliver’s cheek and turned away. She was wiping tears from her cheeks when Brian passed her, but she managed to summon a weak smile for him.
“Hey,” Siobhan said when he reached her. “I was about to text you and let you know we’re ready to go. I wasn’t going to leave without saying goodbye and I figured somebody would tell somebody who’d tell somebody else who would tell you that we’re leaving.”
“The roots of my family’s grapevine run deep,” he said, giving her what he felt was a ghost of his usual smile.
He wanted to touch her—to pull her into his arms and hold her. They couldn’t leave if she was in his arms. And he was afraid if he looked down at Oliver, who was patiently holding her hand, he might cry.
Siobhan inhaled deeply and then blew out a breath. “I guess we’ve run out of time to not talk about it, so which one of us is making the appointment?”
“I don’t mind doing it—and I’ll pay the bill, of course—but I know your schedule must be a lot tighter than mine, with work and Oliver and everything, so it might be easier if you set the time and place. I can make anything work.”
“That makes sense, and I appreciate it.”
He hated this stilted, awkward conversation. “So just let me know where to be and when, and I’ll be there. I’m going to head home, probably tomorrow, so I’ll be closer. I own a place in Northfield, so I can be in Boston in an hour and a half or so.”
“Sounds good.”
He reached down and ruffled Oliver’s hair, taking a second to get his emotions under control. “Be good, little man.”
“Going home now,” Oliver said.
Brian put his hand in his pocket and felt the small gray rock. “Do you have your frog?”
Oliver nodded, grinning. “Gonna show it to Auntie Robin.”
“She’ll love it.”
“Okay,” Siobhan said in an overly chipper way. “Time to get buckled.”
Brian stepped out of the way while she put him in his car seat and gave him a water bottle and some books tokeep him happy. Then she moved and Brian gave Oliver a little wave before softly closing the door.
“Can you just shoot me a quick text to let me know you got home okay?” He wondered too late if the request was out of line, and he braced himself for her telling him he was overstepping.
Instead, she smiled. “I will.”
“Thanks.”
Her fake smile crumpled and her words were a whisper. “Please don’t stand here and watch us leave. I’ll be able to see you in the mirror and…”
