“Did ya see I’d be on the plane to ride back with ya?” She whispers.
I smile. “Yes, ma’am. I asked Uncle Wyatt to stop for a deck of cards for us to play. You like card games, right?”
“Aye, that’s our thing. Ya were so little and adorable, but ya kicked me bum every time. Let’s get to it, lad.”
She rubs her hands together and smiles. She smells like baked cookies. I don’t like sweets, but I love the scent as it clings to her. It makes me think of Mom.
I’m happy to be going home to see Mo-mo. I miss her. Ready to get back home, I take the seat across from Granny.
“Ya look like ya got taller since ya been here. This might have been a bad idea. Yer mum might clobber me for bringing back the wrong lad,” she murmurs the last part to herself.
“Mom will be happy to see me. She will know I’m her Sammy. Besides, Uncle Ronan needs you. You will keep Danny busy so his little girl can be conceived before they change their minds and don’t have her.”
“Ach,” she gasps and covers her mouth. “Me Ro is having another baby? Oh, me Danny is so sweet but a little lass.
“The big lad makes me so proud. Wait until we land. Aye, it’s time I call Cianán, he needs to be in America.”
It’s clear that she’s very excited. She and Cianán will move to the States for a while. Until Cianán’s health sends them back to the countryside. I will be a man when that happens.
“This news is grand. A wee lass. She’ll be the prettiest grand I have,” she sings.
“She’ll be your only granddaughter,” I snicker.
She smiles. “I know. I knew me Ronan was special. Took him forever, but he got me me lass. But he’s a good lad, he is. All the others gave me nothing but boys.”
Suddenly, I’m pushed forward into the future. I’m standing in a brightly lit room. My peace is with me.
She’s standing beside me. Bagpipes can be heard in the distance. I turn and Patrick is at the altar with his bride.
“This doesn’t happen if you don’t see the full picture. It all falls apart if he loses them. No Patrick means no me.
“You will be too angry and cruel to see me. Don’t let them take me from you,” my peace says.
“But I’m trying. Every time I look, I see the same ending,” I say in frustration.
“My sweet boy.” I turn to see my first mom watching me. “My selfish decisions are still affecting you.
“Because I saw what wasn’t mine and still chose to take it, you will see many things for others but will struggle with your sight for self.”
“I don’t know what to do. How do I fix this?”
“Make wise decisions, Sammy, and this too, you can change. You, my sweet boy,arechange.”
Mom vanishes and I’m standing alone. The bagpipes are still playing, but I’m no longer at the wedding venue. Everyone is gone.
I back out of the vision, humming and rocking. If I am change, I can figure out the way to save Patrick’s family. Losing them is wrong.
I don’t want to lose my peace. I will need and want her in my life. I wish I knew what her face looks like.
“Something has changed. The answers will become clearer. You still have time.”
It’s that whispering voice in my head. My racing heart calms a little. I grab my backpack and pull my notebook out to jot a few details down.
“Excuse me. We will play in a little while. I must do something first,” I murmur to Granny McGowan as I begin to write.
“Aye, take your time, love. I can’t go anywhere.”
Tasha
