15
VIVIEN
“Alex!” Audrey hisses, elbowing him in the ribs. “You should apologize.”
“I’m not apologizing for speaking my mind,” her husband says, glaring at Dillon as the O’Donoghues file into the room. They aren’t all here. It’s just Ash, Jamie, Ro, Cath, and Eugene. I know the rest of the family is here somewhere, because Mom confirmed they were at the funeral. Ciarán, Shane, their wives, and kids, too. The only people missing are Ronan’s girlfriend and their baby daughter. I don’t know if they purposely stayed away, for my benefit, or some other reason. I’m touched everyone else came, but I’m sure it was more to support their brother than me. No doubt, they all know about Easton and they are keen to meet him.
“It’s fine, Audrey,” Dillon says. “He’s loyal to Reeve. I get it.”
Dillon is wearing a black suit with a black shirt and tie to match his black soul. The usual rings and piercings adorn his hands and face. His hair flops in brown waves over his brow, and I’m grateful he didn’t style it like Reeve usually did. I know I mistook him for Reeve at the hospital, but I’m chalking that up to stress and a drugged-up hallucination. Now when I look at him, I see glimpses of Reeve, but he’s wholly Dillon.
“It’s not fine,” Ash says, working hard to rein her anger in. She walks right up to Alex. “I understand if you hate my brother, even if you don’t know him and you’re not privy to all the facts. We’re all pretty pissed off with him right now too. But to say you wish he had died instead is horrible. Nobody should have to hear what you just said.”
Two red spots appear on Alex’s cheeks. “You’re right,” he grits out, lifting his head and eyeballing Dillon. “I don’t like you. For a lot of reasons, but that was harsh and uncalled for. I apologize.”
Dillon shrugs, eyeballing Alex in return. Cath glares at her son, and Dillon purses his lips before running a hand through his hair. “Apology accepted,” he begrudgingly says.
It’s fair to say there will never be any love lost between those two men.
Mom stands, ushering Mr. and Mrs. O’Donoghue over to the couches, making them sit down. She calls Charlotte via the intercom, asking her to bring some food and drinks to my office.
“We’re sorry for barging in here like this,” Cath says, narrowing her eyes at Dillon. “We know this is a very harrowing time, and we’re so sorry for your loss, Vivien. So incredibly sorry.” Tears well in her eyes as she leans across Mom to hug me. “We’ve missed you, and I hate we are meeting under these tragic circumstances, but we felt it best to speak when we are all in the one place. There are things we should discuss.”
Dillon and Ronan move the chairs from the front of my desk over beside us for Audrey and Ash to sit down. Dillon, Alex, Ronan, and Jamie all stand to one side. Dillon’s eyes drift to the window, instantly locking on Easton. Pain splinters through my chest, along with other indecipherable emotions.
“I’m not sure Vivien is up to discussing this right now.” Mom drags me back into the conversation.
“It’s fine,” I say, my voice devoid of emotion again. “Might as well get all the breaking done in one day.”
Dillon jerks his head around at my words, staring intensely at me, in the way he always does. I avert my eyes, knocking back a few mouthfuls of vodka, needing the liquid courage.
“We had no idea Reeve had a brother,” Mom says, addressing Cath. “Felicia was my best friend, but she didn’t know she was expecting twins, and Simon said nothing to us afterwards.” Anger flares in her eyes. “I am curious though. How did Dillon end up being adopted by you?” Mom slides her arm around my back for support.
Charlotte enters the room, depositing sandwiches, cookies, cake, and tea and coffee on the table, along with plates and napkins. I thank her, and we wait for her to leave before the conversation resumes.
“My Eugene is adopted,” Cath begins explaining, patting her husband’s thigh. “And when we got married, we decided we would like to adopt too. But Shane and Ciarán came along quickly, and we shelved the idea while they were young. My sister Eileen was working with an international adoption agency based in London. She let us know they were looking for a family for an American baby and asked if we wanted to apply. We almost declined. Aisling was only a year old, but we both felt a calling in our hearts.” She looks over at Dillon, smiling. “We just knew this was the child for us, so we processed the paperwork, met with representatives of the agency in Dublin, and a month later, we were waiting at the ferry in Dun Laoghaire to collect our beautiful baby boy.”
Dillon rubs a hand along the back of his neck in a familiar gesture so much like Reeve it hurts. I close my eyes briefly, exhaling heavily. Mom gently squeezes my side, and I force my eyelids to open. Audrey exits the room discreetly as I set my empty glass down on the table. Dad hands me a plate with some sandwiches, and I accept it to be polite, even though I can’t stomach the thought of food right now.
“Did you know he was a twin?” I ask Cath.
She shakes her head. “That was not disclosed to us, and Eileen died eleven years ago of cancer. God rest her soul.” She blesses herself. “So I don’t know if she was aware. The first we knew Dillon was a twin was when he phoned the other night to tell us.”
“You didn’t even tell your family?” Disbelief drips from my tone as I stare at him.
“No. He didn’t.” Ash thumps him in his stomach. “And he’s getting hell for it.”
“Love.” Cath tilts her head to one side, peering into my face. “You remember our little chat in my kitchen that Sunday?” I nod because I haven’t forgotten a single second of my time in Ireland. “Dillon kept all those demons locked up inside. He was always so guarded, no matter how hard we tried to break down his walls. You were the only one who got through to him.”
“Ma.” Dillon shakes his head.
“No, Dillon. You will not silence me. There have been too many secrets and lies. It ends now.”
“Amen to that,” Mom agrees.
“What Dillon has done has disappointed us as a family, but we love him, and we’ll forgive him because we know the kind of man he is inside. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking the worst of him, Lauren, and I’m not making excuses for my son, but he has struggled with abandonment issues his whole life. It has broken my heart.” Her voice cracks, and Dillon looks down at his feet. Mr. O’Donoghue presses a kiss to Cath’s temple, holding her close.
“Ma. Stop.” Dillon lifts his head. “I’m fully responsible for my actions. It’s not your place to apologize or make excuses for me.”