Irish Deception

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Stasia

I'm not a religious woman by any means but with the way Finn holds my hand in a death grip as we make our way up the front path towards the little house I can't help but send a prayer up to whoever might be listening so these boys don't have to be disappointed by the woman inside that house.

Although they seem eager I can feel the tension and hesitation radiating off them both, even more so when Cian knocks on the door and we all wait in complete silence for it to be opened.

When the door swings open the ragged looking woman standing in front of me isn't what I'm expecting at all and from the way Finn's hand almost cuts off the circulation in mine I gather this isn't the version of the woman he was hoping to see either.

Pauline looks nothing like what the twins had described her to be. Her too slim frame is washed out, her glossy eyes sunken with dark bags under them. Her tattered clothes look as if they haven't been washed in days or probably weeks who knows. It's instantly obvious that she's fallen off the wagon again and that just breaks my heart for the brothers, the twins in particular.

I quickly glance to where Blake stands and the eye roll and slight shake of the head he does confirms my thoughts before she's even said a word.

"My babies!" She slur-screeches as she stumbles over the threshold her arms out wide as she practically falls against Cian forcing him to have to catch her.

His whole body goes rigid as he hugs her and it takes everything in me to not rip her off him and force them all to turn around and leave because I know this isn't going to be the 'meet the parents' visit the twins were so obviously hoping for.

When she pulls back she looks up at Cian with glassy light hazel eyes and sloppily smiles up at him.

"Oh Finn look at you" she slurs sadly stroking the scar down his face and now it's my hand holding Finn's in a death grip.

"I'm Cian Ma" he grumbles as he clutches her elbow to keep her upright.

She looks from him to Finn with her brows pinched together, obvious confusion there and the fact she doesn't even know which of her own sons is which infuriates me.

"Hi Ma" Finn then grumbles just as deflated as his twin.

He then looks to me as he says "this is Stasia, we told you about her remember?"

When she looks to me completely bemused it's obvious she doesn't remember and to save the awkward silence I release Finn's hand and hold it out for her to shake as I introduce myself.

"Hi Pauline, it's lovely to finally meet you" I leave the part out where I'm meant to say I've heard lots about her because frankly right now I don't feel too keen on pretending to be nice to this woman but I somehow manage it for those few words.

She quite literally looks me up and down and then actually laughs.

"Oh you're a tubby one aren't you" she says way too cheerfully and Blake's reaction is instant.

"Don't you fucking dare" he sneers at her and goes to step forward but I quickly reach out to stop him.

She doesn't even pay any attention to it, instead she stumbles backwards and somehow manages to make it back through the door as she gestures for us to follow her inside.

"Come in come in" she says not even bothering to acknowledge Blake as if he's not even there.

The twins follow in behind her, both their shoulders slumped as they do whilst I hang back slightly with Blake.