“No. He is on a flight to who knows where.” He left even after what we shared last night.
“I will say it again, sweet girl. Love can change everything. Now, why don’t you get ready for the parade? I have to finish the cookies I am passing out to the neighbors. Why don’t you run down the bakery and grab my soda cake for me, and then you and I will leave.” Smiling, I nod my head, grab my keys and walk the few blocks to the bakery. The line, as usual on this day of the year, is wrapped around the block, and I don’t mind it today. I need a moment to fortify myself. This is where I met him, and it will always be something I remember.
Twenty minutes later, I am finally inside the shop. The bell chimes when I walk in, and he comes to the front. Ah, Orla. Your order is ready. Let me go grab it.” I nod and put my head down as I look at my phone once again, disappointed he hasn’t called or texted. It hurts more than it should, considering it has barely been a week, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit it cuts.
A few minutes later, I hear footsteps and look up to take the order. “Liam!” I gasp, seeing him walk in holding flowers. “What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a flight out of the country?” I ask him, not allowing myself to hope this means anything.
“I am supposed to be, yes. But, I can’t leave my heart behind here without me.”
“Liam, what are you saying?” I sound like a beggar even to myself, but I need him to say it. Spell it out, so I don’t have any more doubts.
“I am saying that I love you, Orla, and I know it is crazy, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter where that takes us. Say you want that too.” Oh, God. I am going to ugly cry.
“I want all of it with you, Liam. All of it.” He moves around the front of the counter, and I am in his arms, kissing and crying as he swings me around. I can hear his parents laughing and crying, and I think I hear my grandmother, but right now, all I can really feel or hear is my Liam. My man that stayed for me.
“Thank fuck, angel. I would hate to have to tie you to the bed and make you change your mind.”
“We can try that later.” His mouth drops open before he kisses me again, and I forget everything else. I thought the luck of the Irish was a myth, but now, I believe in everything, including true love.
Epilogue
Liam
One Year Later
“Baby, do you have the diaper bag?” I am too busy fighting with this damn kangaroo thing she is insisting I wear to hold my baby girl in my arms. I keep telling my sexy ass wife that all daddy needs is his arms.
“Yes. It’s right here, handsome. Did you get it tight enough?” I growl in my throat as she pulls the strap a little tighter. She is going to get spanked later if she doesn’t stop trying to strangle me in this damn thing not meant for a man.
“Woman, stop fretting. She is snug as a bug in a rug in here against her daddy’s chest. The question is, how is mama feeling?” She frowns at me and turns her head. See, we found out a week ago she is pregnant already, and she tried to blame me when the doctor chastised us at the visit. Me, I simply smiled, puffed my chest out, and kissed my wife. Seems we should have waited longer than the three months required before knocking her up again. My response to that is to show me a man who has a wife as hot as mine, with a pussy hot enough to cook a pie and tight enough to trap a mouse in it that doesn’t slide in that oven the minute the bun is out.
“Mama is tired but happy.” Standing on her tippy toes, she kisses baby Orla’s head and then my lips. I find myself looking at my wife and daughter, and I can’t believe I was blessed with this family.
The day after I showed up with the flowers during the parade, we talked, in between fucking each other’s brains out, and we decided that I shouldn’t quit my job yet. She said she too had been thinking of how we could make this work, and after conversations with her grandmother, she decided she could come with me to locations as long as when I am not working, we could build our life here, surrounded by our families.