Boston Blood

Seventeen

Boston, 1985.

Cillian lay on his bed, trying to concentrate on his homework. He had his walk man on, loud, Metallica blaring in his ears, fuelling his growing hostility. He had been getting into trouble in school much more frequently, lately and his mother had instructed his teachers to give him extra work by means of punishment. He hated school. He didn't mind the work but he just felt so bored everyday and so distracted with everything that was going on. He would always finish his work early and the teacher had started to give him college essays in the hope that it would keep him busy but he was just so angry all of the time, fighting with other kids in his class and getting caught smoking. It had gotten so bad that he was busted twice for anti-social behaviour by the cops but he was let off with a warning both times. His uncle surely had something to do with that.

His mother was terrified. She wanted him to go to Harvard and study law. He was smart enough but they didn't have the money and he knew he'd never get a scholarship, not with his family background and affiliations especially after what happened a few months ago at the Christmas party. Word had gotten out around Boston and Cillian was soon starting to really feel the effects his powerful family had on his life. The few friends he had stopped hanging around with him and he found himself being watched every time he left the house. It made him both uncomfortable yet oddly powerful.

His uncle, Aidan had offered to pay for college, of course, but his mother refused. She loved her brother-in-law. He had been so kind to her and supportive through her break up with Paul but she didn't want her son to to benefit from his dirty money.

Aidan had not stopped pestering Cillian to drop out of school and join the family business. Maureen, Cillian's mother, had had several very heated arguments with Aidan, warning him to stay away from Cillian.

***

He had over-heard the two of them in their small kitchen in their two bed apartment downtown just after he had returned from his Christmas break in Ireland.

"Aidan, leave him alone! I'm warning you. My son is good and kind and he's so smart, Aidan. But he's angry. I need to know he'll be okay. I'm going to make sure he's going to go to college and make an honest living if it's the last thing I do." Maureen yelled before a vicious cough rippled through her chest, rendering her speechless and gasping for air. Cillian winced at his mother's frail body as he hung back in the hallway, hoping they wouldn't see him.

"Jesus, Mo. Sit down and I'll get you some water." Aidan's voice was low and full of worry. Maureen gathered herself and took a swig from her glass. Her hand was trembling and the handkerchief she was holding was speckled with blood. His mother's eyes were filled with angry tears as she took a steadying breath. His uncle's face had turned grave. "God, Maureen, why didn't you tell me you were this bad? I can help you. There are people I know who ca-,"

"I don't want anything to do with your blood money, Aidan O'Shea. Jesus, the reason I left Paul was to start fresh and to take my son away from that life. I appreciate you trying to help, I do, but you need to leave us alone. I know you're still furious with Paul for staying there with Tommy but you can't take it out on Cillian by trying to rope him into this shit. Cillian will graduate in a few months and I'm going to hang on and make sure he has a future ahead of him. He's going to make me so proud, I know it. I have some money saved, He'll be okay." Her voice was unsteady and it sounded like she was actually trying to convince herself of this, not Aidan.

"How long?" Aidan asked.

Cillian could hear Maureen sniff and felt the anger raging within him bubble to the surface. "Doctor said about six months, if I'm lucky."

"Jesus, Mo. I'm so sorry." Aidan grabbed Maureen's hand and shook his head. Cillian's hands were balled into fists and he had to take a few deep breaths to calm down. Why did life have to be so fucking cruel? He was angry at his mother at first for refusing Aidan's money but as time went on he understood. He didn't want that life. He saw, first hand, the damage it did to families and he knew he could never be that person. He wasn't like his father or his uncle. They were hard and terrifying. Sure, Cillian acted tough and could throw a punch but the thoughts of actually being involved in this? Drugs, guns, murder? It absolutely terrified him. He was just going to keep his head down, stay away from Aidan and do right by his mother. He would honour her the best he could and try to make her happy in the time she had left.

***

Cillian felt a sharp pain pull at his chest as he threw his copy of "Romeo and Juliet" onto the floor. He threw his head back onto his pillow and had to fight the tears that were stinging his eyes. It was the day after Saint Patrick's Day and his mother had just gotten back from her latest appointment. The Doctor had told her the Chemo wasn't working and that she should get her affairs in order. She had sat Cillian down this afternoon and went through everything she wanted for her funeral. She was so strong. It made Cillian feel even worse. Her whole life she had put up with so much shit and now this was how it was going to end? She was the bravest woman he had ever met and it killed him to see her like this. She didn't deserve this. It wasn't fair.

After they went through everything, Cillian had hugged his mother and helped her get into bed. He went to his room and quietly shut the door before falling to the floor against it and completely breaking down. He cried angry, devastated tears and his body shook with anger. He could only ever let himself break down like this when he knew his mother couldn't hear him. She had enough to worry about without seeing her only child like this.

The sound of the buzzer pulled Cillian from his silent sobs. He ran over to the mirror and quickly checked his reflection. He fixed his long locks and slapped his cheeks before walking out to the hall and opening the door.

It was Aidan. He looked furious and heartbroken.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Cillian knew it was bad. He had never seen his uncle like this.

"Where's your mother?" Aidan brushed past Cillian and walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the top cabinet and two glasses. He loosened his tie and opened his top shirt button and poured himself and Cillian a large drink. "Bed."

Cillian eyed his uncle impatiently but he didn't speak. They both took their tumblers and necked the brown liquid. Aidan poured two more. "Aidan, What happened?"

"Sit down, son." Aidan rubbed his red eyes with the palm of his hands. It was after 2 a.m. and he looked exhausted. Cillian was starting to panic. His uncle was terrifying him. He knew then, that someone must be dead.