“I thought I’d say goodbye,” Anna said as her two boys cowered around the hem of her skirt.
“And just where are ye goin’?” Gabriel asked.
“Wit’ my husband gone, there are things I must attend to. Debts to be settled and I’m certain his house will go to his brother.”
“And where will ye go?” Elena asked as the news of her sister leaving pained her. Elena didn’t want Anna to leave. She liked having everyone close by. But she knew her sister wasn’t comfortable here.
“I daenae ken,” Anna said.
“Then stay,” Gabriel stated rather plainly. Elena and Anna shifted their attention to him as he bounced Darragh in his arms.
“What?” Gabriel asked as he noticed the girls staring at him. “She said so herself, she has nay place to go once things are squared away. And we have more than enough room here. Nae to mention, Darragh here will need family, bein’ an only child right now.”
“But my husband nearly killed ye,” Anna said, dropping her head.
“Aye, but he dinnae and I ken ye had nothin’ to do wit’ that. It was yer husband, nae ye. Ye must nae feel guilty about anythin’ and yer more than welcome to stay wit’ us.”
“Thank ye,” Anna said through sharp gasps.
“Ye can leave the children here to play with their cousins if ye’d like time to get things organized,” Gabriel added. Elena couldn’t believe her ears. Gabriel had been so opposed to a big family, yet, here he was opening his doors to his sister.
“Thank ye,” Anna said again as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Elena moved to her sister in a flash and curled her arms around Anna.
“I’m so very sorry,” Anna balled.
“Hush, now,” Elena said, brushing away Anna’s hair. “What’s done is done. But yer family and I love ye.”
“I was such a fool,” Anna said.
“Aye, ye were,” Gabriel interjected. Elena flashed Gabriel a disgruntled glare making him laugh at the sight of her crinkled face.
“Of course, if ye daenae want to,” Elena said. “I’ll understand. Gabriel is nae everyone’s cup of tea.”
“I’ll come back after everythin’ is settled,” Anna said as she patted her boys on the shoulders.
Elena waited till her sister was out of ear range before turning on Gabriel. “What was that all about?”
“Yer sister needs help,” Gabriel said. “And I ken ye’d do anythin’ for her. I figured that I’d say somethin’ before ye asked to save us that conversation.”
“And ye think ye ken me so well now, do ye?” Elena’s eyes narrowed as she threw her hands on her hips.
“Aye,” Gabriel answered as he stepped closer to her. “Better than ye ken yerself it would seem.”
“Ye may find I might surprise ye,” Elena said.
“I look forward to that day.”
The End?
Extended Epilogue
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