her, but I know it’s because of that coin.
“I checked on those towns and Inns in Ireland she told everyone she’d visited. They all exist, only my daughter has never been to Ireland.”
Just as she finished her story, Sarah, still wearing the coin around her neck, slowly came walking into the room with the help of a kid-sized walker, and her physical therapist right by her side. Her little face beamed when she saw her mother. “Mamma, I was able to walk around the entire hospital today. Isn’t that good, Mama? Amanda says I can probably go home in a few more days if I keep it up.”
Cathy knew they couldn’t take the coin. Not when it was doing so much good, and Sarah wasn’t completely healed. Taking it now might jeopardize her recovery.
“Sarah, this is Ronan and Cathy. Ronan found the magic coin when he was a little boy. He stopped by just to see how you’re doing.”
Sarah looked over at Ronan, all smiles and dimples and walked right over to him and gave him a tight hug. Ronan, who had squatted on one knee, hugged her right back. Cathy could tell his heart was melting for this brave little girl.
“Thank you for the magic coin, Ronan.” Then she whispered something in his ear, and Ronan pulled back from her staring in her eyes, a look of shock on his face. Then Ronan whispered something back, and she in turn answered him. The whispering continued for a few more moments, until Ronan finally kissed her on the cheek and stood.
Cathy’s eyes stung with tears just watching the two of them, and she knew tough-cop Kelly had turned a corner. For real, this time. Then, as she and Sarah’s mom chatted about the wonders of the coin, Ronan and Sarah went over to the nightstand next to her bed. Sarah opened the drawer and handed something to Ronan, which he slipped into the pocket of his jacket. He thanked her, and gave her another hug.
Fifteen minutes later, he and Cathy were on the freeway on their way back to Chicago, without the coin. But the strange thing was, right before they drove away, Cathy swore she caught a glimpse of the nasty leprechaun standing across the street watching them, arms crossed over his chest, tapping his one-shoed foot.
“I don’t get it.” she said to Ronan. “Why is that leprechaun still interested in us? Something’s not right. Shouldn’t he be glued to Sarah?”
“No. He thinks we’re still looking for the coin. He can’t tell she has it, remember? As long as she believes in it, he can’t see who has it.”
“That’s right. I can’t believe you remember that. What did she whisper in your ear?”
“Something the faeries told her.”
“Ronan Kelly, do you hear yourself?”
“I told you I might be changing my mind on all of this.”
“Has everyone finally convinced you?”
“Not everyone, necessarily. Just Sarah.”
“Why?”
“Because she told me the faeries told her I would come looking for the coin, and that as long as she kept it, the leprechaun would never find it.”
“Why would that change your mind about all of this?”
“Because she called me by my Gaelic first name, Cailan. I asked her how she knew that name, and she said the faeries told her I would believe in the coin if she used that name. I’ve never told anyone my Gaelic name. Not even you. How could she possibly have known that unless all this faerie stuff is true? It’s almost creepy.”
She reached over and stroked the back of his head, tangling her hand in his thick hair. God, how she loved this man. “There may be hope for us yet.”
He glanced at her, smiling. “But first we have to return the coin to get this guy off our back. Sarah also told me the leprechaun won’t give up until he’s retrieved all his coins. I need to call my two cousins and make sure they’re on their way to Ireland to return them, or this thing will never end.”
“You seem to be forgetting one minor detail. We don’t have the coin.”
“No, but Sarah had a plan.” Ronan pulled out a tiny
“I checked on those towns and Inns in Ireland she told everyone she’d visited. They all exist, only my daughter has never been to Ireland.”
Just as she finished her story, Sarah, still wearing the coin around her neck, slowly came walking into the room with the help of a kid-sized walker, and her physical therapist right by her side. Her little face beamed when she saw her mother. “Mamma, I was able to walk around the entire hospital today. Isn’t that good, Mama? Amanda says I can probably go home in a few more days if I keep it up.”
Cathy knew they couldn’t take the coin. Not when it was doing so much good, and Sarah wasn’t completely healed. Taking it now might jeopardize her recovery.
“Sarah, this is Ronan and Cathy. Ronan found the magic coin when he was a little boy. He stopped by just to see how you’re doing.”
Sarah looked over at Ronan, all smiles and dimples and walked right over to him and gave him a tight hug. Ronan, who had squatted on one knee, hugged her right back. Cathy could tell his heart was melting for this brave little girl.
“Thank you for the magic coin, Ronan.” Then she whispered something in his ear, and Ronan pulled back from her staring in her eyes, a look of shock on his face. Then Ronan whispered something back, and she in turn answered him. The whispering continued for a few more moments, until Ronan finally kissed her on the cheek and stood.
Cathy’s eyes stung with tears just watching the two of them, and she knew tough-cop Kelly had turned a corner. For real, this time. Then, as she and Sarah’s mom chatted about the wonders of the coin, Ronan and Sarah went over to the nightstand next to her bed. Sarah opened the drawer and handed something to Ronan, which he slipped into the pocket of his jacket. He thanked her, and gave her another hug.
Fifteen minutes later, he and Cathy were on the freeway on their way back to Chicago, without the coin. But the strange thing was, right before they drove away, Cathy swore she caught a glimpse of the nasty leprechaun standing across the street watching them, arms crossed over his chest, tapping his one-shoed foot.
“I don’t get it.” she said to Ronan. “Why is that leprechaun still interested in us? Something’s not right. Shouldn’t he be glued to Sarah?”
“No. He thinks we’re still looking for the coin. He can’t tell she has it, remember? As long as she believes in it, he can’t see who has it.”
“That’s right. I can’t believe you remember that. What did she whisper in your ear?”
“Something the faeries told her.”
“Ronan Kelly, do you hear yourself?”
“I told you I might be changing my mind on all of this.”
“Has everyone finally convinced you?”
“Not everyone, necessarily. Just Sarah.”
“Why?”
“Because she told me the faeries told her I would come looking for the coin, and that as long as she kept it, the leprechaun would never find it.”
“Why would that change your mind about all of this?”
“Because she called me by my Gaelic first name, Cailan. I asked her how she knew that name, and she said the faeries told her I would believe in the coin if she used that name. I’ve never told anyone my Gaelic name. Not even you. How could she possibly have known that unless all this faerie stuff is true? It’s almost creepy.”
She reached over and stroked the back of his head, tangling her hand in his thick hair. God, how she loved this man. “There may be hope for us yet.”
He glanced at her, smiling. “But first we have to return the coin to get this guy off our back. Sarah also told me the leprechaun won’t give up until he’s retrieved all his coins. I need to call my two cousins and make sure they’re on their way to Ireland to return them, or this thing will never end.”
“You seem to be forgetting one minor detail. We don’t have the coin.”
“No, but Sarah had a plan.” Ronan pulled out a tiny
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