When mamaí’s upstairs feeding Alex, I sneak quietly down the stairs. I want to see for myself if Dec’s still alive. I don’t tell mamaí how scared I am. When I saw Dec, all beat up and bruised, I thought he was going to die. Then I thought about my daidí, and I got really scared, because he did die.
I see Dec lying there on the cot in the glow of the fire, I can’t tell if he’s breathing, so I creep closer. I stand right next to his head, I look around to make sure no one’s around, then I lean down to his ear, whisper, “Dec, Dec? Are you dead?”
His face is big and puffy, his stitches look like a scary thing from Halloween. He doesn’t look like my Declan, he’s purple and blue colored. He isn’t moving, so I poke him in the shoulder. “Dec, are you dead?” Tears are in my eyes when he finally starts to squirm, he groans a little, then slits his eyes open. “You’re not dead,” I say, my voice wobbly.
Dec cracks a smile. “No, darlin, I’m not. I could never leave you.”
“I’m scared, you look broken, and the store looks broken.” I’m embarrassed that tears fall down my cheeks. “Are you going to die when I go to sleep tonight, like my daidí?”
Dec takes my hand. “Aggie-girl, I am so sorry you lost your papa so young, I know he didn’t want to leave you, if he’d had a choice, he would have lived and loved you forever. I’m not going to die, darlin’, I’m not going to leave you just yet.”
I miss my daidí so much that I start to cry really hard. Dec softly presses my head to his chest. “I just, I just want you to m-m-marry us.” I cry for a little while, Dec’s arms around me make me feel safe.
I feel his chest rumble in a laugh against my cheek. “I’m going to marry all three of you soon, Aggie.” Dec lifts my chin so we’re eye to eye. “I’m going to need your help, I want to plan something really special for your mama when I ask her to marry me. Would you be my little helper?”
I bounce up, fisting the tears from my eyes. “I love surprises, I’ll be the best helper you ever had.”
“Good, I know you will be, but we have to keep it a secret. Can you keep a secret, darlin’?” Dec asks me.
I nod, swiping my finger over my heart, then locking my lips with an imaginary key. “I can keep a secret.” I hug him real soft, so I don’t hurt him, “You’re my best person, Dec. I love you.”
I tuck the quilt up to his chin like my mamaí does to me. “You take a nap, and don’t tell mamaí that I sneaked down here.” Dec locks his lips up too, throwing the pretend key away, making me giggle.
I’m back sitting on the top step reading a book when mamaí comes to check on me. I smile big at her; she’s going to love the surprise me and Dec make for her.
She smiles, kissing the top of my head. “Are you keeping watch over Dec, ceann bean?”
I nod. “Yup, he’s still sound asleep.”
“Good, our Dec needs his rest so he can heal.” She hugs me close. “Thank you for being such a big helper.”
When mamaí goes back into Dec and Crag’s apartment, I smile into the pages of my book. I’m so happy me and Dec have a secret, a secret that will make us all married.
YOU ARE READING
On The Other Side
Historical FictionImmigrating from Scotland, her husband passing away suddenly on their crossing to America, a pregnant Claire Birrell and her daughter Aggie try to carve out a life for themselves in New York during the Great Depression. Can Claire find courage, hope...
