shoulders. Patrick wasn't marrying Sophia. I could wear his bracelet after all.
"Did your dad ever tell you why we stay away from drug trafficking?" I shook my head as he wrapped me again in his arms.
"My Ma had two older brothers, Declan and Connor. They were already working with my Da before she arrived in the states. Anyway, they were out one night at a bar not far from where Whiskers is now when a man came running into the bar and began shooting people. They were shot in the back of the head; they never saw the man who killed them. When the dust finally settled, my Da learned that the man was high on LSD and was having hallucinations. He thought the bar was full of aliens. My Da had to tell my Ma her brothers were dead. He vowed he would never be a part of drugs ever again."
He began to rub my arms and I again let myself lean into him. "Your dad says your sister died from an overdose."
I nodded my head. I hadn't talked about Colleen's death in a long while. "She was in her last semester of college when she met this man, Jimmy. He got her started on drugs and he supplied her with the drugs that she died from. He didn't actually put a gun to her head, but he killed her just the same. My dad had to identify her body. It was horrible. She was found by a maid in one of those seedy motels. Jimmy had left her there to die, alone and naked in strange place. ”
I turned my body so that I was again facing Colleen's gravestone. Patrick just kept his arms protectively around me.
"Tell me your favorite memory of your sister."
That was easy, it was the one I always thought of when I came here to visit her.
"When my mother left, Shannon and I would have bad dreams and Colleen would have us come into her bed and she would read us a story, only she would animate it. She would change her voice for the different characters and she would change the story to something different. She would have us so wrapped up in the story that we would forget all about missing mom for a while."
We sat there for the longest time just looking at the headstone. He would touch my fingers with his or kiss the back of my head.
"My Ma said you gave the pendant back. Does that mean you don't want to wait for me?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"No, I was only trying to do the right thing when I was told you would be marrying Sophia. I knew you didn't have a choice and I didn't want to create drama."
"So, you're still considering an us?"
"Actually, I was going to ask for the bracelet during our date tomorrow night."
I felt him move around behind me and I thought he was getting up to leave, until I saw the necklace dangling in front of me.
"Can we put this back on then, please?"
I turned my head slightly and saw the smile that covered his face. It was quite contagious and I had one just as big.
The chain felt cold as he laid it around my neck. I couldn't help but touch it as it rested on my chest.
"I see no reason to wait until tomorrow for you to wear my bracelet, do you?"
I shook my head no as I felt him lift my right hand from my lap.
I watched as he removed the box from his inside jacket pocket and then he opened the hinge. The bracelet was as cold as the necklace had been and I loved how the diamonds glistened in the sunlight.
"I need you to make me a promise."
I looked from the bracelet to his green eyes. "Anything," I whispered.
"In the future, when you hear someone talking about me, no matter who it is, ask me before you do anything." I smiled as I again nodded my head.
"Good, now hold on to your hat, Christi. I ’ ve waited very patiently to kiss those pretty lips of yours."
He didn't give me a chance to respond as his lips connected with mine, leaving me breathless.
When I returned to my office, I found Nora sitting patiently in my chair. She was typing away on her cell phone and smiled as I walked into the room.
“ I see my son was able to talk to you. ”
She motioned to the pendant that hung from my neck.
“ Yes,
"Did your dad ever tell you why we stay away from drug trafficking?" I shook my head as he wrapped me again in his arms.
"My Ma had two older brothers, Declan and Connor. They were already working with my Da before she arrived in the states. Anyway, they were out one night at a bar not far from where Whiskers is now when a man came running into the bar and began shooting people. They were shot in the back of the head; they never saw the man who killed them. When the dust finally settled, my Da learned that the man was high on LSD and was having hallucinations. He thought the bar was full of aliens. My Da had to tell my Ma her brothers were dead. He vowed he would never be a part of drugs ever again."
He began to rub my arms and I again let myself lean into him. "Your dad says your sister died from an overdose."
I nodded my head. I hadn't talked about Colleen's death in a long while. "She was in her last semester of college when she met this man, Jimmy. He got her started on drugs and he supplied her with the drugs that she died from. He didn't actually put a gun to her head, but he killed her just the same. My dad had to identify her body. It was horrible. She was found by a maid in one of those seedy motels. Jimmy had left her there to die, alone and naked in strange place. ”
I turned my body so that I was again facing Colleen's gravestone. Patrick just kept his arms protectively around me.
"Tell me your favorite memory of your sister."
That was easy, it was the one I always thought of when I came here to visit her.
"When my mother left, Shannon and I would have bad dreams and Colleen would have us come into her bed and she would read us a story, only she would animate it. She would change her voice for the different characters and she would change the story to something different. She would have us so wrapped up in the story that we would forget all about missing mom for a while."
We sat there for the longest time just looking at the headstone. He would touch my fingers with his or kiss the back of my head.
"My Ma said you gave the pendant back. Does that mean you don't want to wait for me?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"No, I was only trying to do the right thing when I was told you would be marrying Sophia. I knew you didn't have a choice and I didn't want to create drama."
"So, you're still considering an us?"
"Actually, I was going to ask for the bracelet during our date tomorrow night."
I felt him move around behind me and I thought he was getting up to leave, until I saw the necklace dangling in front of me.
"Can we put this back on then, please?"
I turned my head slightly and saw the smile that covered his face. It was quite contagious and I had one just as big.
The chain felt cold as he laid it around my neck. I couldn't help but touch it as it rested on my chest.
"I see no reason to wait until tomorrow for you to wear my bracelet, do you?"
I shook my head no as I felt him lift my right hand from my lap.
I watched as he removed the box from his inside jacket pocket and then he opened the hinge. The bracelet was as cold as the necklace had been and I loved how the diamonds glistened in the sunlight.
"I need you to make me a promise."
I looked from the bracelet to his green eyes. "Anything," I whispered.
"In the future, when you hear someone talking about me, no matter who it is, ask me before you do anything." I smiled as I again nodded my head.
"Good, now hold on to your hat, Christi. I ’ ve waited very patiently to kiss those pretty lips of yours."
He didn't give me a chance to respond as his lips connected with mine, leaving me breathless.
When I returned to my office, I found Nora sitting patiently in my chair. She was typing away on her cell phone and smiled as I walked into the room.
“ I see my son was able to talk to you. ”
She motioned to the pendant that hung from my neck.
“ Yes,
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