chapter eight

"Kenell likes him." Aine said to her Mother.

The sun shone, the birds chirruped, the wind flirted with her skin that was bared, the grass was green and moist beneath her bared feet, she turned her head upward and smiled a little, gratitude in her heart.

The creator at work, she thought. Then looked at her mother.

"Does he?"

"He does." She replied, as she calmly sipped her lemon tea, and she felt a war of emotions stir within her soul.

Her mother thought for a moment before she spoke,

"And you? How do you feel about him?"

How did she feel?

She felt... She felt.

"Mama, I don't know how to answer that question. I enjoy being with him, when he's not there I miss him, every time... Every time I think about him I smile."

"Except now."

"Excuse me?"

"Baby girl, you aren't smiling now. But your eyes are a different thing, they're twinkling. He puts the sparkle in your eyes." Aine smiled at that.

"And the butterflies in my tummy."

Her mother gave a tinkling laugh.

"Does he now?"

"He does."

"I don't want to rush this, but I guess..." She drummed three fingers on her chest,

"And

.." Her mother actually drummed three fingers on her tummy.

Aine blew out a breath, "Exactly." And both mother and daughter laughed.

Aine thanked God that she had a mother like Jasmine O' connell , a mother who understood her like no other.

"I thought I smelled you, princess."

Her father said as he walked through the kitchen door into the backyard.

Aine cocked a brow,

"You know my scent, papa?"

"Well now, like the back of my mind."

He stooped down and kissed her forehead.

"Hi." She said, smiling.

Then he went to her mother and kissed her on the mouth.

Blessed was she, she thought, for she had parents who weren't perfect but who loved each other. Who loved her. Blessed was she indeed.

°°°°

Bryan was walking to Aine's shop when something– no actually – someone, caught his eye. The person had been watching him closely, but before he could get closer and take a better look, the person had blended into a gathered crowd and couldn't be found.

"You're seeing things." He said to himself. For a moment there he thought he'd seen Rhoda. But it couldn't have been. He'd left her and everything else in London, without a word of where he was going to. No goodbye, No nothing. She couldn't have been there cork, needless to say, she couldn't have been there in cork, Looking for him, Looking at him. So tried shrugging it off. It still tugged at him, but as he got closer to Aine's Floral Shop, his doubts and worries fell away and a smile smoothed away the lines of worry on his forehead as he got closer to her.

She was standing outside looking at something at the wall, her arms folded. when she sensed someone close, she turned and the concentration on her face fell away into the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen.

"Bryan."

He stood for a moment and just looked – he was doing this more often now– she looked tired, she had dark circles beneath her eyes, something he had not seen the last time they had been together.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Her brows knitted in confusion and her lips formed a soft ‘oh’

“of course, why wouldn't I be?” she said, that smile coming back easily.

He walked closer and pulled her Into a hug.

And whispered, “ you're working yourself too hard.”

She giggled and replied, “well I have to, you see, I'm the boss.”

He pulled away gently and lifted up her chin, “ Even bosses rest.”

She couldn't help but smile, his chide and care tugged at her heart. “ I'll try.” she promised.

“want to come in?”

“lead the way, boss lady.” she laughed, but did as he asked.

°°°°

"Cedric!" Aine called out when they entered the shop.

"In here! Coming." He answered from somewhere within the storeroom.

"He's coming." She playfully whispered, "I know." He whispered back.

“ I know you've met Bridget.” she said as the elderly woman walked out of the storeroom, vase in hand.

“ yes I have.” said Jasper, walking toward her and collecting the vase from her. He gently grabbed her right hand and lifted it to his lips. “Happy to see you again Bridget. ”

“Same, son. Now drop my hand before I blush to death.” she said affectionately.

Aine wondered at them. The looked like mother and son. Not in appearances, but in the way they received each other. It warmed her heart.

“what's all the commotion?” Cedric said as he came out of the storeroom a box of little trinkets in hand. He looked at around before his gaze rested on Bryan.

“can we help you with something?” He asked, mistaking him for a customer, Even though he somehow by the way he held Bridget and held that vase, he felt wasn't.

"Not really," it was Aine who answered.

"Actually, Cedric, I'd like you to meet Bryan. Bryan, this is Cedric, he runs the shop with me."

"I help around from time to time." Bridget said, trying to lightened the mood, Aine couldn't but smile. But she felt the tension as well.

"Hello, Cedric. My pleasure." Bryan finally said, he would have stretched out his hand for a shake, but Cedric's hands were full.

"Hello, Bryan." Was his reply, but his eyes which stared down Bryan held unspoken Questions.

"Cedric, let me help you with those." Aine said after a while, it was obvious to her, the two men weren't going to be buddies right away. That was fine with her, just fine. She took some trinkets out of the box and looked to Bryan.

“you can just drop that vase on the counter.”

The side of his lips lifted, she caught it. Understood it.

He wasn't pissed by Cedric's attitude. They'd talk about it. He wouldn't let it get in the way. And she loved him a little bit more.