Secrets Left Neglected

Chapter 34

Irish Pronunciation Guide

Caireann sounds like "Care + in", or "Karen" as is used in English.

Aibhlinn sounds like "Ave + Leen".

Back to Present Day...

Tadhg

We're smiling and holding hands as we come through the front door of the I-S Club. I reach over to brush a hair out of Caoilainn's eyes. It's late so the place is pretty much empty. It's a good thing, too because anyone who takes a good look at Caoilainn will be able to tell what we've been up to these last few hours that I've been home on leave. I grin at the memory and lean in to kiss her on the head, taking in the smell of her hair as I do.

"I love you, a rúnsearc," I say to her.

"I love you, too, Tadhg," she answers me, laughing at my nickname for her, though I guess she's not really my little secret any longer. When I came home everyone seemed to know about us already. I'm glad we can be together publicly. It feels right.

I can hear someone banging around in the back. They must be cleaning the dinner pots. Whoever they are, they're loud. I wonder if it's Duncan. It'll be nice to see him tonight; my leave is pretty brief so I'll be happy to talk with him one last time before I'm shipped overseas.

When I spoke to Duncan on the phone earlier, he mentioned some work on the books he needed to do this week, but he didn't say anything about working in the kitchen.

I look around the room and notice Ruari nursing a drink in the back while tallying up bar receipts with the calculator on his phone. A dirty plate sits to the side of him, leftover chicken wings with an empty tub of blue cheese and some sliced celery sticks scattered across it.

"Tadhg, hold on," Caoilainn says looking up at me, tightening her hand as she stops. "Remember? I want to grab my notebook off of the stereo in the other room. I need to go over my choreography later tonight when I get home."

"Ok," I reply. "I'll be right here." She runs to grab her book and I walk into the bar and over to Ruari's dropping the salt water taffies we picked up for him on the table in front of him.

"Mind if I join you, Ruar?" I ask him, sitting down before he has a chance to reply.

"Yeah, sure," he responds looking up. "Thanks for these. I didn't hear you come in," he says, opening the box to dig out a chocolate taffy. "Want one?"

"Nah, I'm good," I answer. "Caoilainn's with me. She's in the other room getting something. How's it going?"

"Been quiet in here tonight, Tadhg. Pop's in the back cleaning up some dishes. Some of the help called out at the last minute so he filled in back there this evening. You know how that goes. He's tired."

I look over towards the double doors of the kitchen. "That sucks. I bet he is tired. He told me he has some work to do with the books, too. Guess he has a lot of hours ahead of him tonight."

Ruari grunts in response.

"So, uh, listen," I start to say. "Thanks for looking after Caoilainn while I've been in training. I know it's a lot-"

Ruari sits forward and hangs his head, resting his face against his hands. "Jeez, I'm sorry, man."

"What?" I ask confused. I don't know what he means. "No, it's alright. Like I said, I know it's a lot but I appreciate knowing you have my back while I'm away."

"Tadhg, you're my brother. Now that everyone knows....well," he starts to say, "Look, I've always considered Caoilainn my sister, and with the loss of your daughter, I-"