“I’m his aintin Nora, and this is his uncail Patrick. He rang us and told us you’d be stopping by.”
“Great,” I say, trying to sound enthusiastic.
I gesture to a table, asking if we should sit, but she shakes her head.
“None of that. You’ll eat with us in the back.”
“What about your customers?” Farrah asks.
“Oh, Naimh will handle that.” She screams the girl’s name, prompting a tiny blonde teen to come running from where Pat did.
The teen gives us a little wave before moving behind the desk.
“Come on then.”
We follow her through the swinging door and find ourselves in a kitchen. We don’t have enough time to really look, but my quick glance lights up my face. I feel like I’m walking through the back of an old-world tavern.
Through another door we find ourselves in a quaint home. Mismatched furniture, wood beams, and rugs laid out in front of afireplace makes me want to act like a cat and curl up. To the side of that is a dining room table small enough to only fit four or five people.
“Please sit,” she says, pulling out the chairs.
Patrick, yet to say anything, just holds his belly, looking at us. His big, gentle nature reminds me of Callahan. I should remember to soak that up about him before I kill him.
She brings out a pot of stew and some bread and butter. The butter has herbs in it and looks homemade. So does the bread with this weaving design carved into it.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Beer,” Farrah says, and I ask for water, our eyes too busy looking at the food to turn towards her.
She brings us each our drink and then gives us hearty servings of the meat and potato stew. I butter up two pieces of bread and add them to my bowl.
We say a prayer just like at Callahan’s family home, and then they watch as we take our first bites.
The spices mingle on my tongue, creating a robust flavor. The meat and potatoes are soft and perfectly cooked. Like with the butter, the subtle salt and herbs make the dish very savory. I feel my mouth watering for another bite after each swallow.
“Oh wow,” Farrah says, looking at Nora. “This is amazing.”
“Yes, it’s really delicious,” I add.
They both clap their hands pleased. Finally eating too, there is silence in the room besides the sound of our spoons hitting the bowl. I know I should make conversation, but I can’t stop myself from devouring my meal. Eventually, the choice is taken from me when they start to ask questions.
Apparently, while Callahan has led them to believe I’m the love of his life, he left it up to me to explain who I am. I try to tell them all the relatable things while leaving out the cancer.
“Well, you’re gorgeous, that’s for sure. Apparently, the lad has good taste after all,” Nora says, touching my cheek again.
“You know, when he was a boy, he would just sit and pick flowers in the backyard. That brother of his, Finn, would be running the street looking for any girl to kiss, but Callahan got stuck on one and decided he was going to build her a bouquet. Sweet, that one is.”
I look out their back window and try to imagine him as a small child just trying to decide which ones would be best for his girl. It’s comforting to know he has been taking love seriously since he was young.
“So you and his dad are siblings?” I ask.
“Ah, no, we’re cousins. We moved out here from where the family is in Cobh. Pat had to take over the business from his da.”
Pat nods, his only contribution to the conversation.
“We’ve only seen the kids a handful of times in their lives, but they call.” She points to a picture on the wall. I get up to look at it.
It’s just three of the kids. Rowan is standing there with her hair windblown and a big toothless grin. Finn has his arms crossed, trying to look tough. And then there is Callahan, cropped red head, sun freckled, and staring at the ground. He looks so serious for only being around five or six.
