|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 10, 2011 17:56:44 GMT -5
Chapter TWENTY SEVEN
Ryan was in the arcade with Damian and George who had joined them to have a little fun with Mac. He felt a tap on his shoulder and then arms wound around his waist and he was being kissed. He opened his eyes and his heart shopped-Daphne!
Mac was scared of her and went to stand behind Damian who shielded him from the kissing bit but, not of her having her arms around his daddy. He said, “Let go fo my daddy, lady!”
Damian said, “Give me your room key and I’ll take him upstairs while you sort this all out, Ryan.” He flipped Damo the key and he was on his way to the elevators when he spotted Keith and Nico on their way to the arcade from the other side of the room. He knew what was about to happen and texted Keith: Brace yourself, Mate. You’re in for a shock and so is Nico.
One look at the woman in Ryan’s arms was enough to send Nico spiraling out of control and crying in Keith’s arms. But, she held it together long enough to say in a steady voice. “ Keith and I are together now, so whatever was between us is over. I am your employee only. Good day to you, Mr. Kelly.” She took Keith’s hand and walked to the elevators and when she got in and the doors finally closed, she collapsed in Keith;s arms and cried her heart out on his shirt.
Ryan for his part, asked her in a stunned whisper, “Why are you here?”
She said, “Accountant’s Conference. That was my intern from last summer. She is watching your son? Well, she is doing what she wants now, isn’t she? Stealing your heart and all from me.”
“Daphne, if you did that to cause trouble, you’ve done it. Now you can leave out of my life and never look back cuz I am moving ahead.” Ryan said softly for only her to hear. His heart was breaking all over again because now, he lost Nico as well.
Keith barely got Nico to her room before she became totally useless to words and he just carried her to the bed, settled with her on his lap and let her cry out all her broken hearted ramblings over how she could ever attempt to fall in love with some one-any one for that matter-not over their EX yet! She soaked his shirt and, since it was an air conditioned room he began to feel the chill in the cold room. She noticed his goosebumps and ran over to her suitcase and got her Glasgow University sweatshirt out of her suitcase and said, “Take off you shirt and put this on so I can dry this for you.”
The door was being banged on. “Probably George wondering if you are alright, love.” Keith said, as he opened the door shirtless to find a shocked and devastated Ryan at the door. ’Uh-oh’ Keith thought to himself. ’Now what?’
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 10, 2011 21:37:45 GMT -5
Chapter TWENTY EIGHT
Keith said, “What the heck was that downstairs? Daphne?? Are you kidding?”
“Well now, she cost me a shot with Nico, huh? I am doomed to be alone in my life. All I have is my son and I am going to make him my number one priority on my world. Just make sure you don’t hurt Nico, Keith. Ever!” Ryan walked away and off to his room. No one saw him crying and when he got in his room, he shot Damian a look that said-Get out-so he left and went to his room. Ryan looked at Mac and whispered through his sobs, “I am your daddy. No one is ever gonna hurt you the way I have been hurt these last six months. This, I promise you.”
Nico asked, “Who was at the door?”
“Ryan was here. If I had to guess he had no clue Daphne was gonna be here. Hey, George was there in the room, he saw everything. Want me to call him and ask him what he saw?”
She picked up her cell phone and turned it off. She took Keith’s cell phone and turned IT off too. She said in a soft voice, “I do not feel like being here alone tonight. Can you stay with me? You can use my old sweats for jammies and I can let you use my spare bed. Please, Keith?”
“How can I resist you when you look at me like that. OK, I’ll stay.”
She rummaged through her suitcase and found a pair of old purple sweats and one of her Glasgow University tee shirts out and gave them to him to change into. He came out of the bathroom five minutes later and said, “You don’t by any chance have Ryan’s spare key to his room do you love? I need to get my morning stuff and all.”
She was finished crying and said, “No, let me go get it, OK? I have a few words for Mr. Ryan Kelly.” as she stormed out of the room.
Keith turned his phone back on and texted Ryan: Be on guard NOW. Nico is on her way to your room and she is ANGRY at you now. Heads up, mate! He turned his phone off and sat on the bed to watch TV, worried about the outcome of the now happening fight he was sure of going on in Ryan’s room.
She just walked in and went to Keith’s suitcase, taking his shaving kit and his brush out of it and then she placed a swift kiss on Mac’s forehead from where he was watching cartoons and walked out. Ryan followed and she said to him in a hushed angry whisper, “What? Your ex shows up and kisses you like that and I am supposed to blow that off? No way, Mr. Kelly. I love your son and I will watch him when you are not able to but, that is all. Oh, and until further notice, Keith is rooming with me, kthanksbye!” as she turned on her heel went back into the room, got Keith’s suitcase fully packed and wheeled it back to her room in a storm of tears. Ryan shook his head and went back inside and called George on his cell. He walked into the bathroom and told him what just happened.
George, for his part in all of this had become Switzerland. He said, “I am on neither side in this Ryan. I can see how both of you screwed up and it is sad. You do know there are two beds in her room, Ryan. Keith will be in one and she in the other. He is her confidant-her best friend. She will never ruin that between them, you know?”
Nico came back to her room and let herself in with Keith’s suitcase behind her. He was shocked. He asked her, “Are we roomies now? She nodded and he said, “Room service on your winnings, love?”
She said, “Why not? Let’s have some fun while we are here, OK? On second thought, get showered and dressed. We are going out to the casino and have some serious fun tonight!” She reached into her suitcase and pulled out her Little Black Dress and went to the closet. She banged around in it for five minutes while he was in the shower and getting dressed. She came out of the closet in her dress and shoes and was sitting at the mirror in the bedroom putting on makeup and Beautiful perfume. She fixed her hair in an elaborate French twist and put her Chinese lacquered sticks in it to hold it in place. She watched him come out of the bathroom in a navy blue suit and crisp white shirt, fumbling with a tie. She tossed the tie on the table and said, “You look good now.” fixing his collar and inhaling his cologne. She said, “You smell sinful, Mr. Harkin.” Let’s go have fun with the House money!”
Ryan was on his way to the ice machine to get ice for some sodas he got earlier from the soda machine. He saw Nico looking amazing and Keith come out of her room arm in arm as they headed to the casinos to gamble and have fun. She saw Ryan and, wanting to inflict damage to his heart, stopped Keith at the elevator and kissed him hard on the mouth, which made Keith cradle her in his arms and kiss her back. She smiled at Ryan as he could not stop the tears from falling down his cheeks. Keith saw Ryan as the doors of the elevator opened and said, “That amazing kiss was for his benefit, huh?’
She nodded and said, “He deserved it. Kissing me and telling me he loved me when his ex can kiss him like she did and I am not supposed to be jealous? Please! Now, let’s go gamble and have fun.”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 10, 2011 22:39:59 GMT -5
Chapter TWENTY NINE
Keith and Nico walked into the casino and were welcomed like stars because they had received a lot of house points, their dinner that night was comped for them by the house. [it means you do not have to pay for anything other than gambling-you are a high roller.] and they got champagne served to them when they went to sit at the black jack table. Nico’s crazy luck from earlier that day had carried on to that night and she turned the 4500 she had left from earlier in the day to a scary 100,000 dollars in the play of ten straight winning hands of blackjack.
After that she cashed in her winning chips and she and Keith took a stroll along the Mall row in the casino and went browsing through the shops with huge smile on their faces. Keith made a list of things he wanted and so did Nico. She called her bank in Scotland and said she was wiring a sum of money to her account and had the Casino wired it there for her. When they received it, they called her back and said she was free to used her credit card for online purchasing in the amount of 67,689 pounds sterling.
She and Keith walked up the stairs to their floor and were a bit tipsy and a good bit happy when they got to their room. They stumbled in, waking their neighbors, Damian and George who knocked on their adjoining suite door. Keith let them in and they saw Keith and Nico, a bit too happy, Nico holding a bottle of champagne and in a very celebratory mood. She hugged Damian tight around the neck and kissed him on the cheek.
She giggled softly in his ear. “We just won 67,000 pounds gambling tonight. The casino comped us the champagne and we are a little buzzed right now. Did you know you are one of the cutest guys I have ever seen. If only you were legal to go in the casino, you would have seen it. Keith and me at the blackjack table-10 straight winning hands! We were lucky!”
George said, “Lass. You should seriously get into bed and sleep off your buzz tonight. You have to watch Mac tomorrow morning while Ryan and Damian go to a press meeting for the radio.” as he took the big bottle out of her hands.
It was here that Damian noticed Keith’s suitcase in her room and he asked, “Um, why is Keith staying in here? Nico what did you do?”
Keith said, “Damo, why don’t you head for bed. George, if you please.”
When they were back in their room, Keith locked the door to prevent them from coming back in. Keith turned around and found Nico sitting on the bed and patting the spot next to her. She smiled and as he sat down she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full on the mouth. Then she settled her head in his shoulder and passed out. The last thing she said to him was, “I love you, Keith Harkin.”
He called Sharon and said, “I am too tired and too drunk to explain anything to you right now. Please help me by getting Nico into jammies and ready for bed. She passed out in her party dress and I don’t think she wants it ruined. I will owe you huge and I appreciate it!”
Sharon came in and dressed her for bed and left without saying a word about what she knew was definitely a Dear Abby moment. She went back to her room shaking her head and wondering what kind of bloody mess Keith Harking had made now.
As Keith was settling into the spare bed, he heard Nico having a nightmare. She was calling out for Keith to save her from Ryan and she woke up crying. Keith immediately came over and crawled onto the bed next to her and puller into his embrace. She was crying but told him, “Ryan had gone insane and was holding a fireplace poker at us and ordered you to jump out the window so he could have me all to himself. He said he WAS the Dark Destroyer and he was going to have me any way he could. It was so awful.”
Keith laughed and said, “Ryan may be hurt and jealous but, he could never be that cruel as to make you cry, love. Do you want me to hold you or are you OK for the night?”
She looked at her clothes and said, “How did I get into my jammies?” he told her Sharon did it and she said, “She must think we are-all three of us-nuts right about now.”
“She does not have to deal with what an bum Ryan was yesterday-we do, love. Just lay back and rest your head on my shoulder and I will sing you to sleep” He sang ‘Castles In The Air’ and one of her favorites, ‘Its Too Late To Turn Back Now’ and she fell asleep in his arms and he dropped off in her arms shortly afterward.
The next morning, they both awoke to the realization that Nico was 67.000 pounds richer and she had a need to shop till she dropped. She went to Ryan’s room and gathered up Mac who, not being dull, asked why she was mad at his daddy. Nico said, “Daddy and I aren’t mad at each other. We just need a break from each other, isn’t that right, Ryan? Now come on, Little Ryan, Nicola won big at the casino last night and I know a little angel who could use some new toys, don’t you?”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 11, 2011 10:38:48 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY
Nico took him to the toy store in the Mall area and said, “You can have what ever you want today, Little Ryan, love. I love you so much.”
Mac said, “Nicola, are you mad at my daddy? Why is Unca Keith living with you now?”
Keith said, “Nicola and I are just roomies, Mac. That means we can live together and I sleep in the other bed and she sleeps in her own bed. Nicola is also a little angry at your daddy for letting that mean lady kiss him.”
“She snuck up and grabbed him-he didn’t like it when she did it.” Mac said, defending his father. He wanted Nico to be with his daddy. “He was crying last night. I saw him when he thought I was sleeping.”
Nico felt a tinge of guilt. But, before she could forgive him, Ryan was going to have to do the apologizing part first. He should never have let this happen to them. She begged him not to hurt her and he did. She said, “Your daddy hurt my feelings so, if he want to make things up with me he has to apologize for kissing that mean lady, OK?”
Mac said, “So, if daddy apologizes, you can forgive him and like him again?” When she nodded, he threw his arms around Nico and said, “I knew you loved my daddy!”
Ryan came to get Mac after his interview and asked to speak to Keith out in the hall. “Where were you going last night?”
“Ryan! We went to the casinos last night and-would you believe it-she WON ten hands of blackjack in a row. We made 67000 pounds in one night. That is why she spoiled Mac today.”
He was happy she won but that was not the only thing he needed to know about. “What was with that kiss she laid on you last night? She broke my heart last night. I so wanted to smack you silly last night for kissing on me lass!”
“Firstly, she is not your lass. She kissed me. She knew you were there and wanted to hurt you the way you hurt her. She died in my arms when she saw how you had your arms around Daphne and when Nicola saw that kiss she laid on you, it cut her to the heart, mate. She was just in that kiss with me for revenge-so you would see how it felt to be hurt. She does love you, you numpty! She loves me only as a friend-a friend she can use to make you insane. Do something and make her want you more she thinks she wants me!”
“And, if I can’t?”
“Then I will do anything to protect her heart-even marry her if I have to to save her from being alone. The footy ball is in your side of the pitch, mate. You going for the goal or, are you gonna be off sides?”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 11, 2011 15:19:19 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY ONE
Ryan collected Mac and took him back to their room for lunch. He was very quiet and looked like he was thinking about something really hard. Ryan finally asked, “Mac? What are you thinking about so hard?”
He looked at his father and said, “Daddy. Nico loves you. Nico wants to be in your life. She needs you to say you are sorry for breaking her heart. You hurt her by letting that mean lady kiss you and hug you. Nico told me she was crying and Unca Keith saved her from hurt worse. If you love Nico, you need to say you are sorry.”
He said, “Did she tell you to tell me all that?” When he shook his head, Ryan asked him, “Do you want me to tell her I am sorry?” When Mac nodded his head and hugged his daddy, Ryan caught the scent of Nico’s perfume on his son’s shirt and he sighed. “You smell like Nico.”
“She hugged me a lot, Daddy. I think she wanted me to be you.”
Keith came back in the room and sat on the bed. Nico was crying from the moment Mac left her side. He enfolded her in his arms and rubbed her back soothingly, trying to get her to stop crying. He tried doing an American accent which made her laugh through her tears and she looked at Keith and said, “You know I love you very much for cheering me up, Keith.”
He said, “I love you too and I would do anything to make you happy, Nicola darlin.”
Keith got an idea. ‘Oh this is gonna take a lot of help from George, Damian, Emmet, and Neil to pull off but, if it worked they way he hoped, more than one love life could be spared and he knew he had to put this plan in effect as soon as possible. He said, “Darlin, I need to go to a band meeting so, I’m gonna see if Sharon can watch Mac so you can get some sleep and relax. I promise we can go out to dinner together tonight and I might be persuaded to go to that karaoke bar we saw downstairs if you want to see me murder some American songs with this accent of mine! Just for a laugh, OK?”
Nico kissed him on the cheek and said, “OK, Keith. I would love that.”
He walked next door to Damian and George’s room and asked, “Where are Emmet and Neil? We need to have a band meeting right now to discuss Nico and Ryan and how we can force them to be alone together so they can make up and “
“live happily ever after?” Damian finished for him, hopefully. When Keith nodded, he started to think and think. He was mumbling and about five minutes into his mumblings he said, “what would happen….trapped together like……on the plane over here….”
Keith said, “Say that again? Damo, you are a genius!” as he clapped him on the back.
Damian looked confused, then he smiled, “I know I’m a genius but, exactly why this time?”
“Well, it’s simple, if I am following Keith’s thought…. You are a genius, Damo! Can we pull it off, Keith? George asked him wondering how it would work.
Keith said, “Hang on a second.” He got on his phone, “Um, front desk, please, lass. Um, I noticed your magic act in the main event room cancelled for tomorrow night. This is Keith Harkin from Celtic Thunder. What would you say if we did his charity gig tomorrow night? Oh really? That’s great! But, we need the elevator for our freight for the day tomorrow. Thinks we could have the key? No problem? Amazing! Thanks! I’ll be up for the key in twenty minutes, lass. Thank YOU very much!”
“You just volunteered us for a gig tomorrow? Sharon will kill you, you know.” Emmet said.
“Not when she knows WHY we are doing it, Emmet.” George said, finally getting why Keith was asking for the elevator keys-a trap that BETTER work, he thought to himself.
Neil, who had been quietly observing the whole event unfold, said, “Um, how do we get them in the elevator together and just the two of them?”
‘That my dear boy, is why we need to involve Mac in the plan.” Keith said, with a glint of a plan in his thoughts. “Now, here’s what we do….”
They huddled up and then, all of them said, “Break!” and went to do their parts of the plan to pull this miracle off.
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 11, 2011 19:24:01 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY TWO
To say things were tense when Damian asked to take Mac to the arcade the next afternoon for a bit of fun was an understatement. Ryan was nervous about the two of them running into Daphne but, he let Mac go cuz Mac was crazy about his ‘Goofy Uncle Damo’. Damian picked him up saying, “I will protect him with my life, Ryan, I swear!”
Ryan said, “If anything happens to my little boy, you best not come back or, you’ll be dead, got me?” drawing a gulp from Damian.
“Gosh. Um, overprotective, much?” as they walked out into the hall.
In the elevator, Keith, George, Emmet and Neil met them and they told Mac about what they were planning to do to his father and Nico. He asked, “Can I help too?” to which they said, “Here is what we need you to do….”
‘The plot is on!’ Keith thought to himself. ‘This might just work.’
Ryan got a phone call about two hours later saying that he should come to the event room of the casino because Mac had had a fall and he should bring Nico because Mac was asking for her as well and would not settle until she was with him.
Ryan went to her door and said, “Mac need us in the event room right now, grab your gear and let’s hustle!” She grabbed her purse and her first aid kit she always had for Mac and ran for the elevator. About ¾ of the way there, the car stopped between Floors. Since the walls were solid but the floor and ceiling were glass, Nico panicked.
She was sitting on the bench looking at the wall of the elevator and trying not to let Ryan see that she was crying hot tears in silence. He took a couple of minutes to assess why they were stuck and called Damian on his cell. “Damo, is Mac OK? How is his knee?”
Damian said, “He is just fine Ryan. Oh gosh, you aren’t the ones stuck in the elevator, are you? Cuz, if you are, you are stuck there for at least five hours. They are running tests on the cables and won’t be moving it again for that long at least.”
“Um, sure we will be OK for that long. Um, Damo? How do you know about those tests they are doing?” Ryan asked, smelling a Keith-sized rat in the pot.
Mac took that opportunity to call out, “Unca Damo! Watch me do a jump in the ball pit!”
“Gotta go and watch my nephew man, Mate. See you in awhile!” as Damian hung up the phone.
He then said to the rest of the band, “OK turn off your cells, all of you. All except Keith cuz you know Nico will call you in a bit to cancel your dinner, right?”
Ketih nodded and waited for the call to come.
Nico said, “If we are gonna be stuck here for a while, can I use your phone to call Keith, please? We had a date and I need to cancel it now.” He gave her his phone. She called, “Hey, Keith. Yeah I am stuck again in an elevator with Ryan. The floor and ceiling are glass so I am terrified! I can see the ground when I look down. They told Damian it would be five hours we would be stuck in here. I am going to have to cancel our date for tonight. Do you forgive me? I should have taken the stairs, I know it! I love you too. Bye!”
When she told Keith she loved him, it twisted in Ryan’s heart like a dagger. He said in a quiet voice, “So, things between you and Keith… Are they, um, serious?” Are you happy with him?”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 11, 2011 22:11:19 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY TWO AND A HALF
“At least he has never kissed another girl while he was with someone he was building a relationship with far as I know. Happy? No. I wish-well, what I wish doesn’t matter to you any more, does it? You have a girl you can get kisses from any time you want, huh?” she turned her head away so he could not see her crying. Her heart was shattering into a million pieces. Why on earth did she get in THIS elevator with him of all people?
“Look, it is hard for me to apologize. I don’t do ‘I’m sorrys’ very well. Can you try to see things from point of view? He tried to look into her eyes but she kept her face turned in the wall.
She said in her quiet angry voice, “Ryan Kelly, you are a male of the species who is only out to put notches in a bedpost someplace. All men are like that-except for my father, George and Keith. Your point of view makes Keith look more and more like a saint to me!”
Damo and Emmet were listening in to the baby monitor that Mac had put in Nico’s purse and conveniently LEFT ON. They were listening to the blow by blow of the conversation when Keith came up to them and asked, “What’s that you have?”
They both shushed him and Damian said, “A baby monitor that Ryan had for Nico in their room. He put one of them in Nico’s purse and one we have so we can hear what is going on in the elevator. Clever kid that one is. Now shush. She just compared you to a saint. She needs glasses, I think!” drawing a cuff to the head from Keith as he grabbed a chair and sat to listen.
“Mac told me you wanted me to apologize to you. Keith begged me to apologize to you. I went to George and asked him what I should do and he said he could not take sides…”
“My cousin is a smart man. He knew if he took your side in this, I would kill him in his sleep or put cologne in his toothpaste….”
Damo perked up at that thought and said, “Great idea for a prank!” drawing more cuffs to the head from both Keith and Emmet.
“I am trying to apologize to you for hurting you even though I had NO IDEA Daphne was going to be in this hotel or in this country for that matter. Can’t you look at me and tell me you believe in me again?” he tried to turn her face to meet his and was met with a hard slap to his face. They guys gathered around the monitor all said at the same time, “Ouch!” and winced.
Ryan, to his credit said, “Fine. I deserved that. I should have stopped her from kissing me in the first place. I should have told her not to try. I was shocked and then shocked again when you came in with Keith in tow and left in tears. I wanted to go to you but, I saw Keith with his arms around you and, then, last night, after the concert when you were in that amazing black dress and you laid that kiss on Keith…”
“Keith is a hot, sexy man who has never once told me he loved me and then kissed another girl on the SAME FRELLING DAY. I could so easily fall for him like a ton of bricks if it weren’t for the fact that I am nursing my shattered heart-a heart YOU had in your hands and dropped carelessly.”
Keith blushed to the roots of his hair as the guys both glared at him and had jaws dropped to the floor. Damo said, “She kissed you? Wow. That’s all I got-WOW.”
“She did it knowing he was in the hall to get him back for Daphne. She smiled at him and dragged me into the elevator after it and cried on my shoulder on the way down to the casino floor. Took her five minutes to calm down after that so we could go and have some fun to get her mind off him for the night.”
Ryan, “You know, Keith called me one of your words ‘numpty’ and told me you loved me still. Is that true?”
Nico, “They say falling in love is easy. Falling out of love takes a long time so, yeah I still love you. In love? I am on the fence and right now it swings both ways, you know?”
Ryan, “Keith is thinking if you were to end up alone, he would marry you to save you from that. If he asked you, would you say yes?” The guys gasped and looked at Keith with jaws open again. He nodded his head and listened for her answer.
Nico, “I told you never to hurt me like I was hurt by Alex. Remember? And, just when I started to revel in finding someone I could love, you dropped my heart on the floor and shattered it. I am so hurt. The trust we had is damaged badly. If Keith asked me to marry him at the end of the tour and you and I haven’t gotten past this chasm caused by that hurt, I would say yes to him to be with a man who loves me unconditionally and the way that I am. You want to know why I have nightmares about being alone? I was seriously in love with a wonderful man and we were together from the time I was 18 till I was 28. We were planning our wedding when he was taken from me in a drunk driving accident. Ripped from my hand as we were walking to the jewelers. I watched him die in my arms. Since then, no man I have ever been with has made me feel as safe or as loved-till you, I thought. Now, Keith is wonderful and I love him very much for being so good to me. So, if he is the one to ask me to marry him at the end of this six month tour, I would say yes to him and hope he could love me half as much as I loved you.”
She faced him now, tears streaming down her face and said, “Is this what you wanted to see? Really? Me a mess and you just standing there with nothing to say?”
Ryan swept her up in his arms and held her close to him as she cried her eyes out and soaked his white shirt with long mascara streaks. He sang, “Let me tell you that I love you and I think about you all the time.” in her hair. She sighed and said, “It will take more than pretty words to make me change my mind toward you and how you broke our trust.” pulling away from his arms and going back to her spot on the bench.
“Can Keith move back in with me and Mac at least? I am so jealous that he got to spend the last two nights with you in your room even though nothing is happening. I would love to be the one to hold you at night and protect you from your darkest fears.”
“I am not ready to give him up just yet. He stays where he is cuz I want him there. It could have been you, you know. But, you blew it. Make me believe in you again and I will send him back to your room. Till then, he stays with me.”
It was at this moment the monitor was bumped and turned off by accident. Damian said, “Aw, now I can’t listen to the rest of the story!” they went to cuff him again but, he blocked both of their hands and said, “Ah ha, stopped you.” The cuff that came in from behind him was from George.
“Leave them alone in there, lad. They have a lot to talk about. Keith, Emmet and Damo made to leave the room and caught Keith by the arm and said, “You. Stay. We need to talk for a bit.”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 12, 2011 0:12:59 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY THREE
“What can I do for you George?” Keith asked quietly, sitting in the chair vacated by Damo.
“Keith, she’s my cousin. I love and adore her to death so, forgive me for being rude but, what are you doing with Nicola and should I be concerned?”
“How much of that Damian-inspired bugging did you hear George?” Keith asked him, softly.
“Enough to know you love my cousin very much but, you aren’t really in love with her, are you? That’s why we trapped Ryan and Nico on the elevator, right? So, why on earth would she ever consider marrying you by the end of this tour?”
“Like I told Ryan, George, if he can’t earn her trust back by the end of the tour, I will marry her. I can fall in love with her and make her happy, George. I won’t leave myself wide open to be hurt if she chooses Ryan over me. He has a lot to do to make things up to her. Nothing was completely solved by locking them up in that car. Nope, he is gonna have to grovel for her love again. He hurt her so badly it broke MY heart hearing her cry herself half blind over him.”
“OK, I get it. You love her. You aren’t IN love with her yet. But, do you have to LIVE with her 24/7? You are sleeping in the spare bed in her suite. That is very um, imtimate of the two of you to be just friends, you know?” George was watching Keith for a reaction.
He got one. “Nicola and I have more than a friendship-not a romance but, more than friends-yeah. Typically, friends care about each other-we love each other and I would die for her. I don’t know if Ryan can say the same.” Keith rose out of his chair. “Can we be done with this, please? I wasn’t to be there when Nicola gets out of the elevator, OK?”
Four hours later, when the elevator doors finally opened, Keith saw a flash of brown hair rush at him with tears and sobs and he swept he up in his arms and carried her to the escalator to go back up to their floor again. The escalators were for people to sightsee till they got to their floor but, all Nico wanted was Keith to hold her and shield her from the pain.
When they got back to their room, he set her down on the bed and went into the bathroom. She thought he went in there to get her a glass of water but, then she heard the bathtub running and wondered what he was doing. She poked her head in the steaming room and saw him lighting candles and putting bubble bath in the Jacuzzi. He got the bubbles going full tilt and said, “come in and use this and relax, love. Decompress and de-stress. I’ll order dinner in and we can hit the karaoke bar later on tonight. I promised you, right?”
She wound her arms around him and said, “When you have finished ordering dinner can you come in and sit with me? I can’t be alone right now. I promise to stay under the bubbles so no one can say we did anything wrong-yet.”
He ordered dinner and changed into his blue flannel jammie pants and his green tee shirt and walked over to the bathroom door and knocked. She said, “Come in/” She had the Jacuzzi jets going and the bubbles were frothing all over the top of the tub so all you could see was her head sticking up out of the tub.
He came in with the chair from the desk and sat down. She said, “Oh, Keith. It was awful in there. Glass ceiling and floor. I am so afraid of heights! He was trying to be sweet and nice but, his words sounded so hollow.”
Keith said, “Tell me everything that happened in there and then I can tell you what I think, love.” Nico told him everything that happened in the car and included her feelings and how nervous she was the whole time she was trapped with him. She said, “Keith, did you set that up? So we were forced to talk? I am not mad at you if you did, darlin. Just tell me so I can avoid elevators unless you are the one I get in them with.”
“Yeah but, truth be told, it was Damo’s idea and Mac was in on it, too. He wants you and Ryan to get back together, you know?”
She took a huge handful of bubbles and slapped them on the front of Keith’s shirt and said, “Have you learned your lesson, Mr. Harkin?” as the bubbles fizzed an soaked his shirt through to the skin. He was shivering in the wet shirt and she said, “Take it off and put in on the heated towel rack. It should be dry by the time we come back from the bar.” He shot her a look and she said, “I have every intention of holding you to singing American songs badly for me at the karaoke bar. Can you bring me my Little Black Dress and Chinese sticks? I ‘ll get dressed in here and you do the same out there in the suite, OK? But, before you go, come here, please?” He padded over to the tub and she said, “Lean over please.” He put his head level with hers and she reached her wet arms out of the tub and pulled his face into a passionate kiss that left him breathless when she finished and sank her head under the bubbles.
He went out and got her dress, shoes and sticks and laid them on the changing table in the bathroom. He walked out to the bedroom and got changed into his navy suit and white shirt and waited for dinner to show up. When it got there, he slipped the steak salads into the refrigerator and waited the ten minutes extra to see her emerge from the bathroom looking incredible and smelling like coconut shampoo and Beautiful perfume-downright intoxicating to his senses. He whistled and said, “You look hot, Ms. Donaldson.”
She said, “You look amazing, Mr. Harkin. Shall we go and sing American songs in our Irish and Scottish accents and do them badfy?” They both laughed and left their room. He left his cell on its charger and she left hers OFF. She wanted no distractions from anyone tonight. She wanted to enjoy the one man in her world who had never hurt her heart for one night and feel free for once in her life to be silly and not be judged.
They were on the way to the bar when she saw that they were open till 2AM on a sign in the elevator. She looked at her watch-9PM. She said, “Keith, want to go shopping till the shops close at 11? We can grab drinks and sing after, I promise. And I would love to dance with you. Your cologne is making me want to hug you and dance slow.”
He gulped and said, “Whatever you want, you wish is my command.” as he bowed to her deeply, making her giggle at his gesture. He felt his heart beating in his chest for her giggle. ‘Careful, boy-o, she is still holding onto Ryan in her heart. Don’t fall for her, too!’ he thought at his beating heart.
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 17, 2011 7:36:39 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY FOUR
They went shopping and bought new videos for the bus. They bought a case of microwave popcorn for the galley. They bought a couple cases of ginger ale and water for the galley. Then Nico bought Keith a couple new shirts and a pair of brown leather pants. She said, “Come on Keith. They make you look SO sexy!” She bought them matching bracelets-silver with Irish marble inlaid in them. “This is our connection. No one else can say they have our bracelets!” she said and she put one on his wrist to match hers.
They did not know they were being followed by Damian and Emmet. Damian saw them with the matching bracelets and said, “Ryan is NOT gonna like that.”
Emmet said, “If they catch us spying on them they will kill us. Be quiet!”
Around 10PM, Keith caught their reflection in the glass of a bakery window. He whispered in Nico’s ear, “Wr have a couple bugs hiding in plain sight in the form of Damo nad Emmet. Shall we give them a show, love?” Nico said, “OK Keith. Let’s give them something to talk about!”
One of her favorite songs came on the PA system for music in the casino so she asked him fro a dance.
Electric Blue IceHouse From the Album: Man of Colours
If a boy had a chance a chance with someone like you are you gonna break his heart? let him cry for the moon? are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?
I just freeze everytime you see through me and it's all over you electric blue on my knees help me, baby tell me, what can I do? electric blue
Oh, I had a dream for a moment I believed it was true oh, I'd have given anything just to be there with you are you hiding somewhere behind those eyes?
I just freeze everytime you see through me and it's all over you electric blue in too deep standing here waiting as I'm breaking into electric blue I can see can see that it may be just a vision for you electric blue on my knees help me, baby tell me what can I do? electric blue
As they glided around the causeway, people started to gather and watch them twirling around in each other’s arms. When the song was finished, they drew applause from the gathered crowd. Damian had filmed it all on his cell phone. When the applause died off, Keith asked her why that song was her favorite and she told him about her fiancee that had died and when Justin died, he took his gorgeous blue eyes with him and Keith gave her permission to trust them again. She kissed him soundly on the lips and said, “I love you, Keith. Even if I ever end up with Ryan, I will always love and trust you above everything else.”
When they got to the Karaoke Bat, Keith signed up to sing a list of songs and sang them well enough to earn a spot in the finals at 1:30AM. Nico, thinking all she had to impress was Keith, sang Journey’s song ‘Lovin Touchin Squeezin’ and really knocked it out of the park. She made it to the finals as well, and the funny thing was, she was not trying to get there!
She sang first in the final and sang REO Speed wagon ‘I Can’t Fight This Feeling’ with such conviction and passion, he threw up his hands and said, “I can’t top that! She wins!” and the prize for winning was 1,000 dollars. She was beyond happy with that prize and she came up to Keith and kissed him deeply drawing ‘Outstand ‘Ahhs’ from the crowd.
Damo filmed the whole thing with his camera phone and said to Emmet on the way back to their room, “Man, if Ryan has a chance in heck with her, he needs to make his move SOON!”
Emmet said, “If he has ANY moves left to make, that is.”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 17, 2011 23:20:59 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY FIVE
The next morning, they woke up in their room and somehow, they managed to find their way home, get in their jammies and get into bed just fine. Thing was when Keith cracked his eyes open, sure he was in his own bed but, NOT ALONE. Uh-oh
He tried to slide himself out of bed but he found and arm draped over his waist and he could not move at all. He felt her back-Thank God she was wearing jammies. Wiggled his leg, she had on jammie pants and so did he-whew! He was not wearing a shirt, however and that was OK but it bugged him if it bugged her and he knew she COULD be bugged so, he tried to leave the bed again and she said, “Don’t even think about it. I am not ready to get up yet and I love the way your arms kept me safe and nightmare free for the first time since Justin died. Oh, Keith, how could I have let myself be suckered in by Alex and then Ryan-two guys who I thought loved me and now I know they can kiss ANYONE and expect me not to be hurt and be fine with it. When Alex cheated on me with my best friend, I thought I will only give my heart to someone I can trust. Everyone said I could trust Ryan-even you-and look what he did with that trust I put in him-kissed another woman. Even if it was not planned-he still DID it. This is why WE work-we both know we won’t hurt each other with silly stupid other people!” as she wound her arms around him and kissed his heart. She said, “if I am moving too fast for you I am sorry.”
“No. I am fine with all the attention. And I do love you Nicola. You are very special to me. You always have been from the first time I met you.. But, unless you want me to race you for the bathroom can you let me go? I need to use it!”
She laughed and let him out of bed. There was a knock at the door. She went to answer it and it was their breakfast order from the night before. And, a note from Ryan: Nicola, I am sorry you have to believe me. I want to take you to lunch today. Please say you will come out with me-Damo can watch Little Ryan for you. I want to spend part of today with the one I still love, if you’ll let me. Ryan wanted me to tell you he loves his Nicola, too! Ryan
She turned on her cell phone to find it had 10 messages from Ryan on the Celtic Thunder personal Twitter feed. She read them all and deleted them from her account. She considered deleting him from her account but, she would miss her daily photo of Mac from there so, she kept him on her following list.
She set up breakfast in bed for them both and jumped on the phone. She was just finalizing arrangements with the helicopter and the limo people when Keith came back in the room. “What are you planning, love?” he asked, curiously.
“Up for a five hour adventure, Keith? Because what I have planned requires two and you are one of those two-you and me, I mean. Do you want to wait till the end of the tour to um, get married? I think I am proposing. If you accept, we can do it today-your call.”
Just the radio played:
How Did I Get By Without You By John Waite From the CD Falling Backwards
There was a time When i thought i knew Everything about This great big world Until i met you Into my life Like a brand new sun Now i find my home Inside your eyes Wherever you are It's hard to say it Cause i hide things so good But you make me say it Like only you could
I love you More than any man could ever say I need you Baby let me count the ways And i'll be here I believe in everything you do So how did i get by without you
For the longest time Playing games of solitaire Taking my wine But now i'm with you baby Taking my wine But now i'm with you baby And i can dream out loud You're as pretty as a picture And you make me so proud It's hard to say it Cause i hide things so good But you make me say it Like only you could
I love you More than any man could ever say I need you Baby let me count the ways And i'll be here There?s nothing in this world i couldn't do So how did i get by without you You love me Now i know that i'm the lucky guy You've got me And there's nowhere i can hide So i'll be here I believe that all my dreams came true So how did i get by without you
In the morning light To see you wake up next to me It?s a beautiful sight Now everything's alright Yeah
I love you More than any words could ever say I need you Baby let me count the ways And i'll be here I believe in everything you do So how did i get by without you You love me Now i know that i'm the lucky guy You've got me And there's nowhere i can hide So i'll stay here I believe in everything you do So how did i get by without you How did i get by How did i get by without you in my world How did i get by without you as my girl You're beautiful Beautiful So how did i get by without you Without you Without you
And as she was singing, Keith got a grin on his face that this was his “IT” moment so, he said, “I am accepting. Let’s do this.”
The knock at the door was Damo and since they actually needed a cover story for this caper, they asked him to tell the band that Keith and Nico were taking him to Six Flags and would be gone for five hours, promising they would be back by 7 that night so they could go on at 8 with the concert. Sharon and Phil said it was OK and off they went.
Damian, clueless to the actual plan, asked, “OK, I know I just lied to them. So, where are we going really?” His eyes grew huge when they both said at the same time, “We are getting married and we need you for the witness and best man. Up for it?”
“Um sure, but there will be heck to pay when everyone finds out, you know?“ damian said, nervously.
They bombed through a jewelry store and got an engagement ring, a one carat emerald cut diamond and two gold weeding rings and took the helicopter ride to Kentucky. They found a justice of the peace to marry them and then they flew home, all three wondering what the heck they had just done and what the fall out would be.
Keith and Nico went to George first and told him. After he got over the shock he said, “Keith, I hope you know what you have here. She is my favorite cousin and I don’t want her hurt. You make her happy like this all the time and we will have no problems. Hey, we’re family now so I can do this!” as he swept Keith up in a huge hug! Keith just laughed and said, “OK, now you can put me down, cousin in law!”
Nico sighed and hoped the rest of the guys would be so understanding. Keith said, “We had to tell George. Let the rest of the gang figure it out for themselves, OK?”
Nico agreed but she wondered how this would play out with Ryan. She was nervous about THAT conversation to be sure!
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 18, 2011 10:25:59 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY SIX
That night at the concert, Nico was fiddling with her rings and could not stop smiling her face off. Mac was awake the whole concert and watched his father performing all over the stage and having fun. He was happy. Then Nico told him what her and his Unca Keith did and he said, “Is it forever?” When she nodded, Mac said, “Do you love Unca Keith?” Keith popped his head in the monitor room and listened for this answer.
Nico said, “I love you Unca Keith very much. He loves me too, I think. And, he can make me happy where your daddy can’t. I am sorry, Mac. I know you wanted me to be your mummy but, I can be your Auntie if that is OK with you?”
Mac thought about this and said, “I love you and I guess you can be my Aunite Nicola instead of my mummy.” Then, he noticed Keith in the door and said, “I love you too, Unca Keith!” Keith came in and hugged Mac and kissed Nico and said, “I love you two very much!”
Damian kept looking at Nico and Keith and wondering how long it would take Emmet, Neil, and of course, Ryan to figure out the marriage thing and it was his craic for the night. Neil, at the intermission, finally grabbed Damian and asked him, “Um, Damo? You are acting all fidgety. We know you went to Six Flags today…what happened there that got you jacked up and nervous?”
He said, “Oh, something happened while we were out today but, it has NOTHING to do with Six Flags, Neil.”
Keith and Nico just smiled and, as they walked past Damian, lightly smacked him in the back of the head with their wedding ring hands and drew a shocked look from Neil. He grabbed Keith’s wrist and stared at his hand and asked, “Is that what I think it is? Are you married, Keith? When, who and where?”
“How tick can you get, Neil?” Keith asked in a hushed whisper. “Yes, I am married and I think you can guess to whom and the rest is just details.” Neil was simply shocked. “Keith, you are going to get yourself screamed at when Ryan finds out.”
Emmet poked his head in the room and asked, “When Ryan finds out what?”
“Now, you’ve gone and done it, you numpty Neil!” Keith said as he thumped Neil in the back of the head.
“Keith ran off with some girl and got married, Emmet.” Neil said in a hushed whisper. “Don’t know who but, she must be special to put up with him!” drawing another thump to the back of his head and another “Numpty” from Keith, who walked away shaking his head.
Emmet shook his head and said, “He would not have done that. He is sort of living with Nico right now. He would not marry--” the light dawned on him quickly and he muttered, “Holy cricket! That numpty married--hang on a MINUTE!” he gasped, as he ran to the changing room to get ready for the next song. On the way by the control room, he popped his head in to just look at Nico’s hand and he gasped and said under his breath, “Holy cricket!”
Nico laughed as he walked by and said to Keith, “We are gonna give them fits, huh, love?”
Keith laughed and kissed the top of her head on the way out to the stage. He went to sing ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ with Neil and right before they hit the stage, Neil finally put two and two together and gasped, “You married Nico, right? Oh, my Gosh! Holy mackerel! Wait till Ryan finds out.”
After the show was all over, Nico and Keith took Mac back to the hotel and put him in his bed for the night. Nico went back to her and Keith’s room and waited for Ryan to get back to his room so Keith could come back to theirs. Ryan drifted in around 2 that morning and was not alone-he had Daphne with him. ‘Whoo boy.’ Keith thought to himself. ‘Ryan wasted no time with her\, huh?’
As Keith left the room he deliberately placed his wedding ringed hand on the door frame and said, “Glad to see you moving on, Ryan. Nico and I have and we are happy now. Hope you can be with your choices in life.”
It took about three seconds after Keith left for the wedding ring to register on his brain. He paled and then said to himself, ‘I hope I made the right choice for me and my son. It’s too late with Nico, obviously.’ as he sighed and closed the door to his room.
Keith went to his and Nico’s room and found her in bed, reading a book called ‘Elixer’ by Hilary Duff, looking gorgeous in his tee shirt. He changed for bed and got in next to her. She smiled as she kept on reading. He slid up next to her and she kept on smiling. She asked, “Did Mac wake up when Ryan came back?”
“Well, he came back with Daphne so, I hope he stays asleep for his sake. He is scared of her, you know.”
“Well, that just makes me sure that you are the one for me, Keith. I love you, Mr. Harkin.” she said, putting her book down and snuggling up to him sighing.
“I love you too, Mrs. Harkin.” he said, smiling. “How did I get so lucky to get you in my life?”
The next morning, Keith woke up to find Nico and Mac sitting on the edge of the other bed and all of his things were in the room with them. Keith scratched his head at this and asked, “Nicola, darlin? What’s going on? Why do we have our nephew-man now sort of living with us?”
Mac slid off the bed and walked over to his uncle and said, “Unca Keith? You know how daddy made you my godfather?” When Keith nodded, he said, “Daddy wants me to live with you, now. Please let me. I don’t like the scary lady he has in his room and she doesn’t want me there.”
Nico said, in a hushed tone, “Keith, he pawned this little angel off on me. Told me since I was married to you now, I could provide a stable life for him with you where he can’t. What was I supposed to do? His alternative? Send him ALONE back to Ireland to his mum-a woman he has only met once in his whole life.”
Keith nodded and said, “Of course we can keep you here, Mac! You are our nephew-man. You can stay!” Keith got up and got dressed. He was fuming angry. He jumped on his cell and called Damian. “Can you watch Mac in our room, Damo? Nico and I need to see Ryan and he does not need to hear what I have to say to his daddy.”
Damian was there in five minutes and when he took in the situation, all he could think was, ‘Uh-oh!
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 18, 2011 20:22:32 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY SEVEN
Keith and Nico went to Ryan’s room and Keith was none too polite about knocking on the door. “Come on, Ryan! Open up this door right now. We have to talk!”
Ryan’s door rattled open and there was no trace of him in the room. All that was on the bed was a bunch of envelopes addressed to the band members. He went back to his room and Nico began delivering the envelopes to the rest of the band.
She went to Emmet and Neil’s room and found them and Sharon and Phil there so she delivered all their letters to them. Emmet and Neil hugged her and said, “Congratulations to you and we are so happy for you.”
Sharon wondered what the good thing was and thought it was about her and Ryan until she read his letter to her. She threw it to the ground and said, “Oh he has stitched himself up but good now. I am gonna kill that man when I get my hands on him.”
Nico had a sinking feeling about what he had done but, was blindsided when Sharon said, “He bloody well left the band and, judging by the fact that he checked out of his room, he has gone home to Ireland. He is long gone-so the note says.”
Phil said, “He quit altogether. ‘I am leaving the show because I am getting married to Daphne and going into her family business-accounting. I am not happy and I need to leave. Mac is with Nico and Keith and I’ll let him stay with them-he needs to be in a family and they love him. Daph is pregnant with my child and I have to be with her. Sorry, Phil.’ I am going to get in line behind you and kill him too!”
Sharon asked, “Um, Nico? You and KEITH are together? When did that happen? Oh I am SO out of the loop, here!”
Phil asked, “Um, are you together single or are you married, too? I see rings and I am wondering how I got out of the loop, too!”
Nico sighed and smiled. “Yes, Keith and I are married, Sharon and Phil. And, yes we will keep Mac with us as long as he wants us to have him. Ryan really screwed up and brought ALL the bad things down on himself. I hope he can be happy. I know I am and Keith is amazing. I promise I will love him forever.”
Sharon looked at Phil and said, “OK, those tour meetings you wanted to have every week? We can start them Monday. We both need to be better informed about what the band and the crew need and are up to! I do not want to be this much out of the loop any more!”
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 18, 2011 22:20:40 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY SEVEN AND A HALF
Keith was in their room and gave Damo his letter. Damian just stared at the paper and said, “How could he do this to you, Nico and to this little guy? I am telling you right now, I am your official babysitter. This little man will never be left by any of us-he is our nephew and we can raise him in love and song and make his life as happy as possible, I promise you, Keith.”
Keith hugged Damian and said in a choked up voice, “Thanks, mate. We will protect and love him and give him the best family we can.”
Nicola came back into the room and Damian drew her into a tight hug and said, “I promise you, anything you need for the little Mac man, let me know. He is my favorite little guy. Whatever he needs, I will help you get for him no matter what so he has the best rest of this tour! Trust me!”
Keith overheard all of what Damian said and sighed, ‘The little guy is taking this missing Ryan Thing pretty good right now but, it will hurt tomorrow and from now on. I cannot believe he LEFT him with us. I swear, I am going to try to adopt him myself so Ryan can be free and have no strings. Lord knows we do not want Ryan to have strings in HIS life.’ Aloud, he said, “Damo, I have the feeling we are going to be taking major advantage of you over the next couple months. I want you to know right no, I appreciate you being in Mac’s life. Thank you for all of your help.”
“I’m gonna go and talk to Neil, Emmet and George about this, too. We will all help out to make the rest of the tour easier for you and for him. We all love the little guy-he’s part of our family!” Damian left the room and left Nico and Keith with a sleeping Mac.
Nico went to Keith’s embrace and said in his chest, “What are we going to tell him when he wakes up? ‘Oh, by the way, Mac? Your daddy is having another baby and he left you with us while he goes and marries its mummy?’ You can’t tell a child that, love. How do we tell him he is staying with us for the rest of the tour alone with no daddy?”
Keith stroked her hair and said, “If he asks, we tell him. I don’t think we should tell him he is out or anything like that. No, we tell him the truth but, we try to keep our anger out of it, OK, love?” Nico nodded against his skin and sighed, breathing in his scent.
“Whatever you are wearing for cologne, keep it up, love. You smell amazing!” Nico said softly in his chest. His chuckling made her only hug him tighter to breathe in deeper.
That nightm the show went on. Damian took Ryan’s songs and those that he was supposed to do after Damian’s songs, Emmet took over with no slips or glitches in the wheels of the show at all. The press announcement that went out to the fans and the halls affected said Ryan left the show for personal reasons and that the rest of the band would compensate for his sudden departure.
Nico and Keith read Mac stories and told him new ones till he fell asleep and then they went to bed. About three in the morning he woke up and was crying about missing his daddy. Nico and Keith’s hearts were breaking as they let him crawl into bed with them so he could sleep. Over the next two months, Keith, Nico, Damian, Emmet, George, and Neil had taken over the day to day of being with Mac. The only three people who called Nico Nicola were Keith, Mac and Damian (because Mac insisted). Mac was a perfect little angel for everyone. He was exceptionally smart, reading the names of everyone’s tags on their clothes for the shows to them as they went to change. He also was very good with math and even corrected Sharon when she made an error in a simple math problem which amazed her.
When everyone saw how smart he was, they began to teach him and show him how to do things most little kids his age could not do and he excelled at everything. Mac loved being challenged and loved making everyone happy with him.
Three days before the shows ended, the phone rang in Nicola and Keith’s suite and Nico answered, “Hello?”
“Um, hey Nico. It’s Ryan.” Nico thought, ‘Uh oh.’
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 19, 2011 15:13:32 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY EIGHT
Damian was just coming in with Mac when Nico shooed him back out of the room and, slamming her hand over the phone said, “Damo? Take Mac down to the lobby and get him an ice cream please? Oh, and send Keith in here right away. One of our ‘friends’ is on the phone.”
Damian, who had gotten very smart in the ways of Nicola, knew she meant Ryan was on the phone and texted Keith: Ryan on your room phone. Nico is alone in there and she asked me to send you in. GO now. The minute Keith got the message, he took off running for their suite.
Keith got to the room and heard Nicola say to Ryan, “We want Mac. You haven’t finalized your adoption of him and he and Daphne do not get along. She is pregnant with your child and we want him for our own. We can have him? You’ll send us the paperwork? Amazing! Yes, we have a fax machine. They are coming through right now. Yes, we will file with the magistrate the minute we get to Derry. Now, I have just one question for you: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? WHEN YOU LEFT?”
“I was thinking of my family and how I was missing them and the life I had in The Moy. I needed to go back but, I could not tear Mac away from you and his uncles-he adores you all and you are the closest thing to a stable family he has. I left him with the best people I could think of-you. Did Mac miss me a lot?”
Keith could not stay quiet any longer. “Mate you screwed up big time. Mac? Yes he missed you-very much after you left. Are you crazy? How could you leave him? He is three, mate-THREE! You left him-you were his daddy after his parents were killed. He cried for you every night for about a month and it is only recently that we have convinced him we will never leave him. I don’t care that you have Daphne and she is having your kid. You had one here and you LEFT him alone in a foreign country to live with us. Maybe someday, in the very distant future, Mac can come see you and tell you what he thinks of you. Till then you will have to wonder what you did and how it affects him in HIS future life. I can’t talk any more. I am disgusted and disappointed in my choice of friends.” He left the room and slammed the door on the way out.
Ryan sighed. “I am sorry for the way things turned out, Nico. I wanted to try to make things work our with you and well, things did not work out for us, did they?”
Nico sighed at him. “I am done with this, Done with you, too. I can’t believe how callous you have been through all of this. If I never saw you again, I would be fine with it. But, since Mac still loves you, I will come to your place to get the remainder of this things so you can have his room for your new nursery! I hope you are happy with your life. Really. I wish you happiness in the future.” ’I just don’t think you’ll have it.’ she thought to herself as she hung up and let the tears start to fall.
Keith came in as she hung up and saw her crying and sat down next to her on the bed. He took her into his arms and sighed as tears fell from his cheeks too. “What he did was rotten but, we get to have Mac in our lives for the rest of our lives. He is ours! Hey, does he get to call us Mummy and Daddy?”
She laughed in his neck and said, “I think he should make that choice. He will keep his McCallister last name but hyphenate it with yours so he has a link to his parents. We need to see Ryan and get all the family info we can about them so, when he asks about them, we know how to answer him. I’ll go out to his place and get everything alone if you want me to.”
“No way would I let you handle the two of them alone. In fact, I’ll get Damo to come along for the heavy lifting and Emmet can watch little Mac. He loves taking him to the movies and there is a new cartoon coming out. Mac wants to see it with him. We can go out to get his things from Ryan’s then. By that time, the adoption will be finalized and he’ll be our son.”
“Our son.” Nico sighed. “I know that when we married, we never thought we would have an instant family like we do but, I am so happy to be going through this with you. You are the most amazing man. I feel like I married my very best friend. I am so lucky.”
“No love. I am the lucky one. You saved me from being alone and gave me a goal- to make you and our little guy happy. No, the family thing happened way too soon but, I would not change a thing. I love you very much, Nicola and you and our little boy are all that really matters.” Keith smiled and kissed her face softly.
Damian knocked at the door about an hour later and said, “Whew! He is so full of energy, I am tired! How does he do it? I am the one that needs a nap!”
Mac said, “Unca Damo said he wants to take a nap. I don’t NEED a nap, Unca Keith. I’m fine!” as he raced into the room, diving into his toys.
Nico laughed and said, “Damian, you are our star. Thank you for letting him tag along with you. Since Keith and I are gonna be his parents soon, we want you to be one of his godfathers along with Emmet, Neil and George. He will always be surrounded by us and by love.”
“Yeah, I would love to be his godfather! He is my mate! I love that little guy!” Damian smiled at Nico.
Four days later, they were on the plane heading back to Ireland and home for all of them. When they landed, Keith loaded the trailer he rented with all of Mac’s, Nico’s and his bags and drove them out to his little three bedroom cottage in Derry. “How much further to your place, Unca Ketih?”
“Half hour longer and we’ll be there, Mac.” Keith said as he cruised along the ever narrowing roads to his home. There were a lot of changes in his life in just the last three and a half months. Never in a million years would you have had him betting he would be married and adopting a little boy from the last time he was home. In fact, he would have laughed at anyone who told him this was how his life would be.
As they pulled into his yard, Keith said, “There are two guest rooms in my place. You can pick one of them out and we can paint and make it your room, OK? Let’s get your things inside and get you settled in first.”
It took them the better part of three hours to get Mac’s new room unpacked and get him settled into bed for the night. Jet lag was killing both him and Nico but, they had to get their stuff in order before they could go to sleep themselves. As they were unpacking, Keith was talking animatedly about all the plans he had for the spring and summer off from touring and rehearsing and then he stopped suddenly and sighed as he looked at his wife.
She looked at him and realized they both hit the wall at the same time. Silently, they both got ready for bed and slid between the clean sheets and held each other as they sank into the oblivion jet lag gave them,
|
|
|
Post by celticthunder1510 on May 19, 2011 17:46:00 GMT -5
Chapter THIRTY EIGHT AND A HALF
Ryan hung up the cell and wondered how his life had spun so far out of control. He had Mac and he had Nico and because of his own stupid choices, he had let both of them slide right through his fingers like grains of sand.
He sighed heavily and packed the remaining things of Mac’s in a box and left them on his porch for Nico, Keith and Damo to pick up later that next day. He knew they had already filed the papers to make Mac their son legally and the judge had already ruled that their home would be the best place for him so, he would not be seeing much of him until he was old enough to ask to see him on his own. He hoped that Mac would be able to understand why he did what he did. Just then, he saw one of Nico’s Cds in his shelf. He put it in his system and spun it to a random song:
Broken Dream
One more illusion shattered One more broken dream Oh, that the morning brings the sun Gone are the days when I could Bounce right back again See how the tears flow down Like sweet summer rain Where does it leave me now? I find myself so free again
Even the smallest traces Of your sweet perfume Open the floodgates and I'm helpless Now as the moonlight shadows Cast across my room Only the whispered words Are heard in the night Only a silent prayer I love you still I always will
Out of the dark I stumbled Into the light Only my fear has tumbled I think I always knew That I would run to you
Somewhere there's children playing Somewhere far away Running with open arms to greet me Over the hill the sunset Dies and fades away I turn and I close the door With one last goodbye I will return no more I'll take my heart and let it fly
Written and Sung by Justin Hayward
As the tears slid down his face, Daphne was watching from the kitchen and thought to herself, ‘He and I are having this baby and there is no room for any other kids in my life with him. He will get over this loss and the loss of his singing with the band easily enough. My family’s firm will be enough for him. I will be enough for him.’
Ryan was wondering how he screwed up and lost his focus on his dreams so quickly. Over the next four months, he kept thinking about how he had made so many mistakes in judgment about Daphne-how she pulled him, let him go and just when he was going to finally get over her and be happy with Nico, she pulled him back with the ultimate lure-his own baby. He wondered as her due date came up what she was going to be like as a mother to her own child. She had no patience for Mac at all and made him chose between her and their baby or Mac and he felt he had no choice but to cave to her demand. He regretted that choice every day since then. He had not seen Mac one time since they had been home to Ireland from the tour. Nico, Damo and Keith came to get his things from the porch and not spoken a word to him the whole time they worked moving boxes.
When Daphne went in to labor, Ryan was gifted with a beautiful little girl which he named Reese Michelle Kelly. Daphne let Ryan take charge of everything concerning the baby so she could recover and go back to work at her family’s business faster. He felt trapped by his choices and lost in his own sadness at his losses of the woman he loved and his singing career but, he would not let that hurt his love for his little girl ever, he told himself. ‘She is all I live for!’
He took out a pen and paper and began to write.
|
|