Heavenly Virtues

Part 17

It had only been about 20 minutes when she heard a knock at her door. "Ashley open up honey, we brought wine!" She heard her Ma on the other side of the door. She laughed "one minute!" She moved the dresser and opened the door to her Ma, Da, and Granda. She hugged them as they came in and dropped the wine off on the counter before moving to the table.

Her mother sat and gasped grabbing Ashley's attention. "Ashley Caragh McGinty have you been smoking?!?" Her Ma accused with wide eyes. Ashley laughed and shook her head "No Ma, that's from Conner and Murphy." She said removing the ashtray from the table. "Why are they smoking in your house?" She asked still upset. "Ma, you were at the pub last night. Everyone was smoking, you don't think it gets up here? It's really no different." She stated kissing her Ma on her head as she passed her.

"Well I don't think they should be smoking around you. There is a fire escape." Her father butted in. She shook her head and smirked "I had to nail it shut. Da it really isn't that big a deal." She said as she poured their wine.

True to their word the boys weren't far behind her family and arrived with a duffle bag each. They dropped their bags by the couch and greeted her family. "H-h-help me get tha f-f-fold table from downstairs boys." Her granda said. All four including her Da got up and made their way downstairs.

"So what's tha about, love?" Her mother asked pointing to their bags. She shrugged an hid the smirk from her face "they're gonna stay here at night, you know incase he shows up." Her ma scanned the apartment before turning back to her daughter "and where are they sleeping?"

As much as Ashley loved her ma, and she did, she was a bit over bearing which Ashley knew was justified considering the past few years, but she was also judgemental. Ashley knew she didn't want to tell her parents about the boys and exactly how close the three of them where yet. Her Granda knew how she felt and she felt happy she could confide in him, that was enough.

"With me. It's not weird, they'll be clothed, I'll be clothed and I'll be safer." She shrugged. Her Ma looked conflicted but agreed anyway. "I wish you guys could stay longer, I miss you both so much." Ashley said as she sipped on her wine, as the men came back with the table and extra chairs. "Why don't we all go to breakfast tomorrow morning, Conner and Murphy can come too!" Her Ma offered excitedly. "We'd love to, but we have mass in tha mornin'." Murphy said as he helped fold out the table, cursing at it under his breath.

"Mass! Oh good catholic boys! Why don' we all go!" Her Ma said excitedly. Ashley wasn't against religion, she knew the boys were both very devout and she had even been raised with it due to her mother's strong Irish background but she had struggled with her faith since Rachel's passing. It had been hard to find her way back to God after that and Rachel's funeral was the last time she had stepped into a church.

"You boys wouldn't mind would ye?" Her Ma turned to them. "No ma'am the monsignor would be happy to see new faces. We figure he's gettin tired of seein' ours every week." Conner joked. "Eileen, please. And how could anyone get tired of yer faces, you boys are quite adorable." The boys both smiled boyish grins at her as Ashley jokingly took away her Ma's wine "Alright Ma I think you've had enough." Ashley said with a laugh.

Her Ma snatched back her wine with a smile "so it's settled then? We'll all go with the boys ta mass?" Every body nodded in agreement as Ashley excused herself to the washroom. Her departure didn't go unnoticed by the boys as she looked troubled. Everyone continued to set up as Ashley calmed herself in the bathroom.

She was mad at God. That is what she thought anyway, the reason for her struggle. She knew he had a plan and it wasn't her place to question it but the last few years had been too much, she couldn't see his path, his light. Her road was too dark and lead to some very dark places. As she sat and really thought about it, the boys were a light no matter how big or small and they were so devout, maybe they were supposed to lead her back to God? Help her make peace with Rachel's death, something she never really had time to mourn.