“Ship it home from Galway,” Colin told him. “Just shove it in there. We’ll sort it later.”
Joshua turned to Aileen. “Thank you,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers. “He loves it here, Aileen. He’s happier here than anywhere else on Earth. It makes my heartsingto see his joy. I’m so grateful to you.”
“And I to you, dearest Joshua. Your home will be here waiting for you both when you return.”
David and Nate embraced Aileen again, then climbed into the front seat. Joshua hugged and kissed her one last time, then moved to the passenger door and watched as Colin said farewell.
Colin embraced his aunt one last time, struggling to hold back his tears, then looked up at the house he loved for a long moment before kissing her cheek and moving to where Joshua waited.
“Be safe!” Aileen called as Colin and Joshua climbed into the van. As they drove away, Joshua turned to look back and saw she was still standing next to the driveway watching, her hand lifted in farewell.
He turned to Colin, who was staring out the window with his forehead pressed against the glass and laid a hand on his arm. “We’ll be back, my darling.”
Colin nodded but said nothing.
* * *
When they stoppedto grab lunch, Nate chattered away at Colin, teasing him, mocking him, trying every trick he knew to elicit a smile with little success. Finally, he covered Colin’s hand with his. “You’ll be back.”
Colin nodded. He patted Nate’s hand and leaned toward him. “She’s seventy-eight years old, Natey-baby. Seventy-eight. I know I’ll be back. I fear that she won’t be here when I return.”
“Colin, let me tell you something: you need to give Aileen some credit. That’s one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. Have you ever talked to her about what she went through during the Troubles? Jesus! She was arrested; her house was searched; she was assaulted, harassed, and forced to watch while her only brother was murdered right before her eyes. Plus, in hersparetime, she smuggled guns and ammunition into the country for the Catholic rebels!” He shrugged and squeezed Colin’s hand. “My money’s on Aileen. She’ll live to see one hundred.”
Colin smiled at him. “You spent a lot of time talking to her, didn’t you.”
“Hours,” Nate told him. “She’s one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met. I love her.”
Colin grinned at him. “You going to include her as a character in your next play?”
“You think you’re kidding, but I’m already plotting it out.”
“Well, you’d better come backwithme then,” Colin told him. “Work on your research.”
“I’d be happy to, buddy.”
“Ahn-tee would be thrilled to be in a Nate Gardener-Reese play.”
Nate gripped Colin’s hand tighter. “I hate to see you sad.”
Colin smiled at him, then leaned across the table and kissed his cheek. “I’m not sad anymore.”
* * *
They werea half hour from Galway when Nate suddenly pointed out the window, chattering with excitement. “Wait! David,stop! It’s Athenry! It’s the fields of Athenry!Stop, David!”
David glanced at Colin in the back seat. “Should we stop?”
Colin leaned forward and laid a hand on Nate’s arm. “Keep going, Davy. We’ll come back tomorrow, Nate. I want Joshua to see it, too. It’s his favorite Irish song. But I want to wait ’til Danny and his family can come with us.”
“Just as long as you promise me that you’ll sing.”
“You have my word.”
To Joshua’s surprise, David kept going when they reached the turnoff to Galway. “Aren’t we going to Danny’s?” He asked Colin.
“We are,” Colin told him. “Tomorrow. We have another stop tonight.”
Twenty minutes later, David turned down a graveled road surrounded by spectacular woodlands. “Where are we going?” Joshua asked again, then saw Nate grinning at him from the front seat. “Youknowwhere we’re going, don’t you!” Joshua accused.
