2020-06-26 Raining Reinhardts - Iris and All of them

Iris walks from home towards the power plant. It was a warm and pleasant day but windy as the Wizard of Oz. She was wearing her rainbow pocket jeans and a black t-shirt with the 1974 CBC logo on it in red orange and yellow. She had on her brown leather backpack because she was on an errands day, so she had grocery bags in it and a water bottle since she had lots of walking ahead of her. She’s wearing her practical white trainers today and her hair is styled as it often is with the top part pulled back and the lower part left loose. As always she has on her cat eye shaped tortoise framed glasses. Iris crosses the street to walk on the power plant side. There’s a group or worker talking out front wearing the coverall uniform being directed by a tall balding redheaded man holding a clipboard and giving them instructions. He’s gesturing up at the solar panels above. There’s a familiarity to the man Iris can’t place so she listens to him talk and slows her pace.

“OK so solar panels don’t need a lot, but we’re at that point where they could use a cleaning, so they take in all the incoming radiation…”

One of the workers puts up their hand “Mr. Reinhardt?” The man queries.

Mr. Reinhardt? Iris stops and looks back at the man who’s being questioned. He totally looks like Seamus as an older man. It must be his father.

“Troy...please call me John already. And you don’t have to raise your hand ok? We’re not in school here.” He laughs and the group of what seem to be trainees laugh with him. 

Iris considers going back to introduce herself, but she doesn’t want to just barge in on Seamus’s father’s training and maybe she should wait until he invites her to some sort of family thing. She was curious about his family though. She exhales and is about to keep walking when she thinks she hears something. Must have been the wind.

Aislin Page is tearing down 4th street trying to catch her older sister. “Iris!” She hollers and Iris starts walking. She runs faster and gets closer “IRIS PAGE!” she screams as loud as she can.

Iris turns towards her sister who’s now catching up and to her embarrassment, John Reinhardt turns around toward her and grins. Ok the grin is all Seamus...or she supposed Seamus’s grin is all John. Aislin shoves a grocery list into her hand while she awkwardly looks up.

“You forgot!” Is all she says, and then she runs off toward home, her task complete.

John approaches Iris Page, Seamus’s girlfriend. It had shocked him at first, but he was also truly relieved. He wanted to watch his youngest land with two feet on the ground in this area of life one day. Iris Page was quite a beauty, which didn’t shock him in the least “Iris Page?” He repeated and stuck out a hand to shake “John Reinhardt…. Seamus’s dad.”

Iris felt herself blush “Hi… nice to meet you Mr. Reinhardt.” She shook the hand and saw from glance the genetics in her boyfriend’s hands.

“Please call me John.” He said kindly. He noticed the grocery list in her other hand “I won’t keep you from your shopping, just wanted to say hello.”

Iris looked at the list “Oh yes….uh thanks.” She glanced to the trainees who were all now staring at her and smiling. She gave them a little wave “Well have a nice day then.”

They parted company and Iris kicked herself and muttered “Have a nice day? Oh, Iris, you’re more articulate than this…” She self chided as she walked past the Claremorris building, the green space of trees before the city hall and finally when she had just turned at city hall she was distracted by the sound of the police helicopter taking off, and she let her grip loosen on the grocery list and it flew right out of her hand across the street to the station where two officers were talking in front. She gasped and quickly glanced both ways before running after it “Oh come on….” she muttered.

Ryan Yamada was in the middle of what looked like a funny a story to his partner Micheal Reinhardt when a little paper sailed towards them followed by a frantic looking young woman with dark hair and glasses coming after it. Michael was taller and had a longer reach “Reinhardt!” he called as if asking him to catch a pass in sports.

Michael heard his name and his eyes quickly found the paper.  Leaping backwards, he reached and snagged the paper with two strong fingers.  His grace was surprising given his 6’4” muscular frame.  He lands and stumbles just a little bit, but recovers.  He walks back to Ryan and the dark haired girl.  “Your paper, ma’am.”  He is incredibly charming as he offers her the list.

The Alexandra PD door opens and disgorges a large man.  Built much like Michael but a good three inches taller, he slowly claps.  “Now ya can try out for the ballet, Laddie.”  his Irish accent was so thick you could walk on it.

Michael snorts.  “Fuck you, Fitzpatrick.”  and then he looks at the woman.  “Sorry ma’am.”

Iris heard the one cop call the other cop Reinhardt and watched him catch her list. Red hair, tall, muscular and bulky….then he offers her the list with absolute charm, and she laughs. OK definitely related to Seamus. She takes the list and securely pockets it now and is about to thank him when another big man comes out of the station, this one older and taller with an Irish accent. She hears the relative call the older one Fitzpatrick and thinks, ok not this one, but definitely the first one she guessed. Iris laughs “Thank you...and no worries. You’re related to Seamus somehow. “She just puts it right out there. “I’m Iris Page….” Should she just say she’s his girlfriend? Was that just bloody arrogant? He had said it. She got stuck contemplating it.

Ryan was cracking up at Ulick about the ballet comment and then the dark haired woman introduced herself to Micheal, and he stood and watched to see where this was all going. Seamus? What was up with Seamus?

Michael mock glares at his partner while the dark haired woman tells him he is related to Seamus.  Could she be one of the three people in Alexandra who didn't know that?  Then she introduces herself as Iris Page and it all clicks into place.  “I can’t deny it.  I’m his uncle.  Michael Reinhardt.”  he admits, offering his hand.  “Ah yes, Iris …  Seamus’s girlfriend.”

  

The taller older man looks at Iris with interest.  “Iris Page!”  he brightens.  “Oh you’re a bonny lass, for sure!  I’m Ulick Fitzpatrick!

Michael chuckles.  “Yea, she is.”  he head just.  “This is my Uncle Ulick.  My mother’s brother, hence the different name.  My father was the Reinhardt.  Anyway, a pleasure to meet you.”  he shakes his head in wonder.  “Seamus’s girlfriend.  I’ll be goddamned.”  and then he seems to remember something.  “Oh!  And this is Ryan Yamada, who … is sort of related because I’m married to his sister.  I hope you like big convoluted family trees.”

Iris smiles at Michael Reinhardt and nods, shaking the hand. OK so they all knew she was his girlfriend. She recalled something about a text being sent to the whole family but figured from the whole quake fog scare it was more like a Seamus is not dead text. She blushes a bit at the bonny lass comment and smiles “Uh thanks…” she lets go of the uncle’s big hand and marvels at the surprise in his family members. I mean she knew town rumours, but his family? Then she hears and notes the older man is a great uncle and the other officer who looks nothing like them is related by marriage. Good god….how many strands in this web? She tries to keep track of the names. John, Micheal and now she names the other men’s out loud in greeting “Ulick? Did I say that correctly and Ryan.” She nods “Wow there’s a lot of you ... but nice to meet you….all.”

 

Ryan snorts “Holy shit … Seamus has a girlfriend.” He looks apologetically at her “No offense … I’m sure you’re awesome. In fact the fact that he’s telling his family about you pretty much nails that.” He grins “Nice to meet you Iris Page. My sister, when you meet her is Stephanie, and she and Mike here have a son Tristan. You can join us as the non-redheads in the big clan … you don’t even have to be Japanese. My wife’s Black … and my daughter’s both......hell we have an Italian too…” He chuckles “Oh and what's Slaine? Thai right? Oh, and part Irish…..bloody green isle.” He jokes to Ulick.

Michael watches her pronounce Ulick.  “It’s unfortunate.”  is all he says then looks at Ryan.  “We’re turning into the bloody United Nations.”  he glances skywards.  “Fuck you, Dad.”

Ulick laughs.  “Aye, Iris.  Perfect pronunciation … as the boy said it’s unfortunate.”  he laughs richly.  “We should all be happy we’re strippin the red hair out of the family tree, before it starts looking like a blade of grass.  Poor Father O’Keeffe keeps saying people assume he's one o’ us.”  he snorts.  “That man isn’t a carrot top and the eyes are the wrong shade of green.”  he rolls his eyes.  “Well, don’t let us keep ya, lass.”  he claps Michael on the shoulder.  “Tha Chief wants you two in his office five minutes ago.”  he finally delivers the message.

Michael starts.  “Goddammit, Fitzpatrick.”  he heads inside.  “Great to meet you. Iris.  See you around!”

Ryan does an about turn after Michael “Ulick! You couldn’t have led with that?! Sorry Iris we’ll see you again I’m sure. Welcome to the madness.” He smiles briefly and dashes in.

Iris had quickly waved as they rushed away and then was left awkwardly standing with the great uncle who delivered a late message “Good I got it right. Ok well cheers then Ulick. I have somewhere to be too. See you around.” She was about to walk on the PD side towards the clinic for her pending doctor’s appointment and then saw the familiar form of Zeno Katz across the street. She checked her phone, and she still had a bit of time to try and catch him for news on the temporary library location after the little earthquake had done sewer damage to the old one and structural damage to the community centre. Zeno is talking with several men. Iris gives Ulick a last wave and crosses back to the city hall. Only one of the men had red hair, but he’s a slimmer build so maybe, just maybe he’s not in any way a Reinhardt. But the intermarriage factor is clearly the unpredictable variable too. There’s a blond man and a very dark haired man with long curly hair and a bushy beard. Iris approaches Zeno, hovering a bit and not wishing to burst in and interrupt.

Zeno has noticed Iris coming across the street.  “Oh, hello Iris.”  he looks put upon.  “I’m glad you found me.  The library … it’s a loss … I’m going to try to go mobile.  You know, bookmobile?  Do you drive?  Oh, please tell me you drive.”  he motions to the men.  “I was just talking to Kurt here … he’s the towns archivist … about space to hold our books until a new library space can be found or built.”  he blows out a breath and then blinks again.  “Right.  Manners.  I remember now.”  he motions to the blond again.  “Kurt Zimmerman.”  and then to the man with the long curly black hair.  “Jude Murphy.”  and then to the redhead.  “And Logan Reinhardt.”  he motions back to Iris.  “This is Iris Page, my librarian assistant.”

Logan stands with Kurt being silently supportive.  It was his day off, but it wasn’t Kurt’s so the visit was bound to be a little boring for him.  He smiles at the women who joins them, and then he blinks.  “Iris Page?  Seamus’s girlfriend?”  he offers her his hand.  “I’m Logan.  The oldest brother.”

Jude stands with his arms folded.  He is listening to the conversation and trying to decide if he can get his hands on a van for the librarian.  Doing good deeds and all.  He watches the young women cross the street and in moments she is introduced as Iris Page.  In his head, his grey eyes tinkle.  “Oh yea … Seamus’s girlfriend.  You must be one incredible woman, Iris.”  in his turn he will offer his hand to shake.  He seems pleasant enough although his face is scarred, his beard covering at least one and one close to his eye.  “I’m his uncle.  His mother’s brother.”

Iris nods politely at the other men and looks truly sad when Zeno talks about the library. She perks up at the mention of a bookmobile and her face breaks into a smile as she fishes her wallet from a side pocket of her pack and flashes her British Columbia driver’s license “Good thing I renewed this.” Then she hears the names and can’t help but snicker. Of course there’s a Reinhardt. There like Starbrews in Vancouver - one on every corner! She reaches to shake Logan’s hand, noting he is not an exact cookie cutter like the dad and the uncle and the great uncle. “Hi Logan, so very nice to meet you…” She is about to say more and greet Jude and Kurt as well when Kurt suddenly hugs her, and she’s caught off guard and finds herself awkwardly patting his shoulder “Kurt… right … uh nice to meet you too.?”

Kurt hugs Iris like she’s a long-lost relative “Seamus found love….I’m so happy. And you’re beautiful, look at you….don’t worry my heart belongs to Logan!” He says with a laugh and a wink at Logan before he lets her go.

Iris clues in Kurt and Logan. Mrs. Norris. This was the brother with a boyfriend Mrs. Norris said was going to hell that made the sweet little granny punch her. They were adorable together, and she hated the old bat all the more for ever making them feel bad. Now Iris smiles genuinely at Kurt “Thank you.” And finally she turns to Jude and shakes his hand “Mother’s brother….ok so another not redhead.” She’s flattered by what he said that she must be one incredible woman. She hoped she was incredible enough to stick around in Seamus’s life and heart and get to know all these people. She went through the names again like a mantra but this time said it out loud and explained to Zeno “So I hadn’t met the family….but then as it turned out...well I had met Kaitlin, the grandmother oh and Yuki her partner so Kaitlin and Yuki and then today John, Michael, Ulick, Ryan,...” and now she points around “Logan, Kurt and Jude.” She exhales “I'm determined to pass if there’s a test later.” She jokes.

Zeno watches and laughs.  “Well I’m glad one of us can drive the bookmobile … when we find it.”  he watches her interact and grins.  “There might be a test.  I’m not sure.”  he blows out a breath.  “Anyway, that’s all I had to tell you.  If the family lets you go, have a nice day.”  and he chuckles.

Logan watches Iris get her Kurt hug as well as listening to Kurt.  “Love, eh?”  he arches his brow.  “Seamus has never been in a real relationship before … never mind love.  At least not anyone any one of us has ever met.  I think Fiona and Vincent knew Daisy but Daisy was definitely not a relationship.”  but he’s looking at Iris.  “But you’re different.  I can tell that just by talking to you.”  he laughs at Zeno.  “We won't keep her.  

Jude shakes his head.  “Kurt, you're gonna smother her and then what?  Reinhards don't fall in love a lot, so this is probably Seamus's only chance.”  he looks at Iris.  “If you want to run, I can guarantee you a 20 second head start by hugging Kurt.  Don’t waste my sacrifice.” he chuckles and shakes his head.  “This family’s gonna take over the goddamned country.”  

Iris is blushing and laughing and a little bombarded “Yes that’s seriously my idea of a dream car and I don’t even really like cars. Just on the island ok? I hate the freeways.” She laughs about the test and then what he says about the family. She bites her lip a bit when Logan gets into the love topic. These people just laid out all the business like a buffet. Love, exes, all of it. She looked curious that Logan could tell she was different but then conceded “Well I’ve met Daisy…” She could see how they’d be described as different from one another. “And thanks I think?” She took in what Jude was saying. “Goodness no pressure.” She laughs “You don’t strike me as a hugger, Jude. I’m ok to take my chances with Seamus.” She admits to them all and then excuses herself “I’m actually trying to get somewhere by 10 am. Zeno, let me know about the library and bookmobile….and Logan, Kurt and Jude, very very nice to meet you all. Take care.” 

Iris gives a little smile and waves and heads off before she’s ambushed by any more Reinhardts. Heading into the clinic now she checks in with reception and is sent off to an examination room immediately. Iris exhales as she sinks into the exam table waiting for the doctor. This should be short and sweet. She basically just needs to have a tiny chat with Dr. McKinney and get a prescription for birth control pills. Totally standard fare for women’s health concerns. She didn’t even need a PAP because she just had one before Covid took over.

In less than two minutes the accordion door opens and a woman walks in looking at a clipboard.  She doesn’t have red hair, and she seems to be smiling from behind the clipboard.  “Hello Iris.”  she greets her.  “I’ve read your chart and it seems like you’re all good for a prescription.  You wanted it to control your menstrual cramps, it says here.”  she glances at the clipboard and back at Iris.

Iris sees the woman without red hair and exhales. She was a clinic nurse, it was routine, so she’s just honest “Well two reasons, but yes that’s one. I mean I also have a new boyfriend, and we...haven’t had intercourse but I’m not new so let’s be smart from the get go right?” She smiles at the woman like she’s talking both woman to woman and confidently to a medical professional, which she is.

The nurse nods.  “Right.  I’m so glad to hear that, Iris.”  she pulls a square sheet and hands it to Iris.  “You’re smart and responsible.  Perfect girlfriend material in my opinion.”  and she finally lowers the clipboard, revealing a name tag that says ‘C. Reinhardt.” her smile is genuine.

Iris blinks at the nurses’ wording and then lowers her gaze to the name tag and laughs, tossing back her head “Oh my god. Um...you knew? You’re going to have to help me out...I’ve met a lot of Reinhardt’s today … you don’t have red hair…” She goes through the related to but not by marriage ones and the only one she can think of is Jude and Ulick but this woman looked NOTHING like them. She was truly stumped for a minute until the fact that she was middle aged tipped her off “Are you his mother?” She hazards a guess.

The nurse smiles and nods.  “Yes.  I knew your name and put two and two together.” she explains.  She watches the struggle, but the girl finally gets it and she nods.  “Yes.  I’m Seamus’s mother.  Colleen Reinhardt.”  she looks at Iris a moment.  “Iris …  Seamus has been through a few girls … I don’t know how many but I know none of them was ever introduced to any of us.  But he calls you his girlfriend.”  she tightens her jaw and clears her throat.  “Anyway …  I’m sorry if I was unprofessional.  There’s a pharmacy right next door that will fill that for you.  I’ve got other patients, if you’ll excuse me.”  she clears her throat again and quickly exits, sliding the door closed behind her.  A second later the sound of a nose being blown can be heard.

Iris just stares but with a bit of a smile “Colleen” She repeats, committing the name to her list. John had said call him John, so she hoped Colleen was the same. Then there’s a whirlwind of information coming from Colleen, and she has the same mannerisms as Seamus when he’s overwhelmed. The jaw tightening and the throat clearing. Iris becomes a little concerned about it. Did the mother disapprove? She had said perfect girlfriend material, Then told her she hadn’t met any others, then seemed to be struggling. She looked down at her prescription as the door closed and heard a nose blowing. Was Colleen crying? Sad? Happy? Iris felt hopeful but oddly triggered by it. There was a vulnerability to meeting Seamus’s mom that she hadn’t felt meeting the dad. Iris had a disconnect from the energy of her own mother. She felt like a tourist with the mothers of friends, like she didn’t totally speak the language anymore. Seamus’s mother was, while lovely, oddly complex. Plus she had just fully admitted to the woman that she was planning on having sex with her son. Awkward! Iris shook her head around and took her prescription to head for the pharmacy,

In the office of Dr Susan McKinney shared with Nurse Colleen Reinhardt, Susan sat on the couch holding Colleen as she cried.  She understood her friend's pain.  Seamus had been a handful as a teenager, either flitting from girl to girl or being rumored to be.  Now, there is this smart lovely woman in his life.  Of course Colleen was relieved to the point of tears.  What mother doesn’t want to see all of her babies happy and in love?

Iris now walked into the pharmacy. It was a typical small town pharmacy.

There was a possibly Chinese guy behind the counter at the cash register with bleached blond hair and visible dark brown black roots. Even if he was Chinese, he could still be a Reinhardt. No one was above suspicion.  He looked up as she came in “Hi there, how can I help you?”

“Oh hi, I just need to get this filled please.” She requested. The guy nodded and scanned it. His name tag said Brayden on it, and he walked into the back and handed it to someone else. He was clearly a clerk not a pharmacist. Iris waited and glanced casually at the cold remedies and cough drops in the nearby display.

Slaine Indi walked into the Alexandra Pharmacy and held the door open for her son.  He ran STRAIGHT to the candy display.  “Mom, can I have some candy?”  he asked like any other kid in the world.  But then he was distracted.  “Iris!”  he called out and waved.  “Mom!  It’s Iris!”

Slaine walked over to Iris and looked at her.  “Yes, I see that.”  she smiled.  “Hi, there.  It’s nice to see you someplace besides the library.”  she  rotated her waist, her ever growing belly showing.

Liam, having pointed out a nice person to his mother and so earning a treat even more in his mind said.  “Mooommmm.  Can I?”

Slaine looked over her shoulder.  “No sugar.  I can’t handle it.  Owen can’t handle it and you can’t handle it.”  she pronounced and looked at him.  “But if you're good until we get home, I will make us some candy that’s even better than anything they sell here.”  she grins and winks at Iris, seeming a little more familiar outside of the library.

Liam brightens.  “Stephanie’s mochi?”  he begs, store bought candy forgotten.

Slaine nods.  “Stephanie’s mochi.”  she agrees and sighs almost in relief as Liam hugs her legs.

Iris happily waves at Liam “Hey Liam.” she sweetly greets. He was simply adorable and so kind-hearted for a little guy his age. “Hi Slaine.” She liked the mom too. From her conversation with Zeno she knew they had been through some shit. Iris was amused by the candy negotiations. Thea liked to try to sweet talk her way to sweets too. Then she heard the names Owen and Stephanie and pursed her lips. She vaguely recalled Zeno connecting Liam or Slaine to the Reinhard name somehow too. Oh, what the hell? It was going to be this kind of day “Slaine, you mean Owen Reinhardt?” She’s heard the name Owen every day she spent with Seamus, and he did mention a pregnant partner….triplets in fact and Slaine was definitely pregnant. She didn’t dig into the name Stephanie because for all she knew Stephanie and Michael had different surnames, but it was telling, that name too.

Slaine smiles when Iris asks about Owen and her hand drifts to her belly, as if to confirm it.  “Yes.  He’s my boyfriend.”  she says with a smile.

Liam pats at his mother's belly.  “We’re getting mochi, babies.”  and then he looks up at Iris.  “Owen loves Mommy so much, he gave her THREE babies!”

Slaine face palms, but the face that isn’t covered with her small hand is red.

Iris can’t help but smile at the belly pat confirmation. Clearly they were happy about the babies. And she laughs hard at Liam “That’s a lot of love for sure Liam., “Now Iris sighs “OK so belated congrats on mochi and babies … I think I’ve almost met every Reinhardt today and judging by what all the others knew I assume you know I’m dating Seamus.”

Brayden comes back to the counter now with a small rectangular box prescription from the pharmacist “Iris?” He calls out, and she takes one step back and taps her card when he tells her the amount. He bags the box and wishes her a good day and disappears into the back.

Slaine nods.  “Thanks.”  she finally lowers her hand.  “Yes.  I knew.”  she admits.  “I didn’t want to say anything.  Maybe because I was the last one before you.”  she blows out a breath.  “They’re so MANY of them….”  she laughs.  “And they’re actually a close family so … good news travels fast.”

Liam has been looking around the store, but is beginning to get a little bored.  He knows if he’s good and quiet, he’ll get mochi, so he tries to stay still and quiet.

Iris just looks truly amused “I swear there was one on every corner today. They are a lovely family. I’m glad you and Liam are a part of it.” She’s thinking about what both Liam and Zeno said and hoping this mother and son can find happiness through this connection if wherever they came from brought unhappiness before. “I still have a few more errands today.” She slips her little purchase into the other side pouch of her backpack “Oh shoot the library! We had sewer damage so Mr. Katz is looking for a temporary new space. Watch your email...we’ve got other exciting things coming too. We’re resilient.” She hasn't announced the bookmobile yet because they don’t have the vehicle even. And she’s starting to form ideas about offering storytime in the park if the weather is willing. She begins to head for the door “Bye Slaine...bye Liam.”

Slaine waves goodbye and heads for the counter to get her own prescription.  “And then we can go home for mochi.”  she tells Liam who cheers.

Iris stops just inside the door of Thriftys as she walks in and takes out all her reusable shopping bags, lays them in a cart and then takes it out of the rack as well as grabbing her list from her pocket and scanning it. She’s preoccupied with it and determined to be efficient. This festival of Reinhardts has been fascinating, but she’s also beginning to crave a little quiet time at home after all the conversation she’s been in today.

In the meantime Stephanie Reinhardt is in the produce aisle with her cart half full and her teenager half whining at being sent to fetch things and stop staring at his Discord app on his phone. “Tris…” She pulls out a bag of lemons he just distracted dropped into the cart “Tris I said 4 and this is two…”

“What?” He answered while looking down.

Stephanie stepped forward and grabbed the phone now and put it in her pocket “Seriously, go get two more lemons for this bag and then you can do the cereal aisle for us.”

The bag is snatched roughly back and the cloud of teenage angst floats up and hangs over the whole section.

Owen is halfway through the door to the staff room talking to someone “No no take your full lunch Lydia... I can do cash.” He flashes a grin at the meat department and then walks to towards the currently unoccupied tills and chooses the one closest to the carts and keys in his code. He notices a customer at the carts with dark hair and glasses and greets her “Hello, Can we help you find anything today.”

In the meat and deli Fiona is leaning on the counter talking to Vincent who’s in front of it. “No, Mitch left for an appointment, they had some kinda baby doc thing. He’ll be back. Minstrel, what are we cooking tonight?” She’s half shopping with him as she works “The chicken breast came in fresh this morning. We could do a chicken thing….they died so we could eat them after all. It's only right… Vincent, you should probably just get a cart….”

Iris looks up as someone walks past and then greets her, and she does a slow blink. There was no way in hell this wasn’t Seamus’s brother Owen. People kept saying how much they looked alike. Seamus was built more like Logan….but the face...and hair. She just laughed now. “I’m good … and you’re Owen aren’t you? I’m Iris.”

Vincent was standing at the butcher counter.  “Chicken works for me.”  he declares and laughs as he is sent to get a cart.  He turns and heads towards the front where  a dark haired woman just apparently recognised Owen and introduced herself.  “You’re Iris?”  he looks at her, even as he grabs a cart.  “Hey, Iris.  I’m Vincent Reinhardt.  Fiona’s fiancé.”  he doesn’t need to say his new last name, but since he’s changed his name he still loves to hear it come out of his mouth.  He leans on the handle of the cart and looks between her and his best friend.

It takes a moment for the words to sink in for Owen and Vincent walks up to get a cart and says it before he does. He then just beams at Iris and Vincent for saying it “Seamus’s Iris? Seamus’s girlfriend … sorry but that’s still so weird.” He laughs “Not that he’s not a good guy...he’s awesome.” He realizes he’s not selling his brother well in his shocked reaction. Then he looks awkward “Let’s come in again…” He offers as he laughs and reaches out a hand to shake “Hi Iris, yes I am Owen. I see you’ve met my best friend and soon to be brother-in-law.” He’s purposely being a  little over formal as a joke now.

Iris smiles at Vincent “Vincent and Fiona...I remember those names. Nice to meet you Vincent.” Then Owen does a whole somewhat delightfully awkward performance and in the end she laughs and just shakes his hand “Nice to meet you as well Owen. OK are there any more of your family stuffed into coolers or something because I swear I can’t walk a block without meeting one of you today…” She jokes.

Owen looks at Iris and then Vincent and just smirks and then pulls out the hand piece for the store’s PA “Pardon me Thrifty's customers, would any staff or customers with the surname Reinhardt please meet your party at till one.”

Iris looks like she might actually be searching for an exit now but keeps laughing.

Stephanie and Tristan come around the corner from the produce and Stephanie speaks up “OK Owen for fuck’s sake I know you got a promotion but this is just showing off now….”

Fiona walks out from behind the meat department and to the front “What the hell Owen? Are you pranking us?”

Owen just head juts at the dark haired woman with the glasses “This was quickest. This is Iris...Iris Page. Seamus’s girlfriend…”

Vincent shakes his head at Owen’s awkwardness and then laughs at the store wide announcement.  He pushes the cart nearer Fiona and stands beside her.  Fiona is a good 3 inches taller than Vincent but it doesn’t seem to bother him.  He looks excited.  “She’s real.  She’s really real.”  he looks at Iris.  “Don’t worry.  None of us bites.”  he tells her.  “Well, Fiona might, but I think you’re safe.”

Iris doesn’t know where to look with everyone staring at her and that whole announcement, so she stands there blushing and then starts to laugh “Do you guys do this to everyone? I should have asked Slaine...is it like a hazing? Will I be required to steal small livestock from a rival family in town?”

Stephanie laughs until she snorts after the bite comment and then Iris’s reaction to everyone with the stealing livestock hazing thing “OK you’re in. I’m Stephanie Reinhardt…not sure why I’m saying the last name since you know.” She gives Tristan a nudge. He’s laughing too but hasn’t spoken up yet.

“Now I want to pick a rival family. Hi Iris I’m Tristan.”

Fiona bats her eyes at Vincent “I only bite people I know much better, Minstrel.” When Iris offers to steal livestock for a hazing she waits for Stephanie and Tristan to introduce themselves and comment back. “We are pleased that you’re real and not made out of Lego, wood or some sort of building material. And if you are capable of running with small animals I’ve been meaning to expand my arch enemies…lawn ornaments would also be acceptable. In case you haven’t surmised it, I am Fiona. Seamus has done well.” Fiona’s deadpans were often hard for new people to read and engage with. Vincent had figured it out on their first meeting, but he was unique.

Owen looks apologetically at Iris “Sorry to put you on the spot but clearly you can handle us. Does Seamus know you met everyone?”

Iris laughed again now “Nope….but he will later. This was beautiful and bizarre. I do need to do some shopping.” She gives them all genuine smiles and her last lands on Fiona “I will find a worthy lawn ornament to fuel your most venomous feuds.” And with that she pushes her cart to the stand up dairy cooler and begins to shop.

Vincent blushes at Fiona’s biting comment.  After all these years with her you’d think he’d be immune, but he wasn’t.  But when Iris offers to help Fiona with her feuds, he glances at the ceiling, looks between Iris and Fiona and crosses himself.  Iris moves off and he turns to Fiona.  “Alright Boss.”  he looks at her with a grin.  “Your wish is my will.  How do you want me to cook your birds for you?”

Iris was home and with the help of her sisters putting their groceries away. Her day had been just bizarre, and she had to tell Seamus about it and maybe drag him into some of her own family weirdness, not that the 5 of them could ever compare to the literal army of Reinhardts in this town. She stepped away to the back porch and pulled out her phone and opened her very long thread she had with Seamus adding a wall of text:

 I think I met your entire family today. For some reason you can’t throw a Reinhardt without hitting another Reinhardt in this town. I’ve shaken many hands, there was the hugging one, your sister wanted me to steal some sort of lawn ornament, oh and Owen called a little herd of Reinhardts on the PA in the grocery store, and before she tells you first I got a birth control prescription from your mother...before I knew her name. How was your day? Would you like to come over for supper?

Seamus was at work.  Megan was taking the day off, even though it was Friday.  Turns out she was pregnant and was celebrating with her husband.  After this, he would possibly get more hours during the summer as Megan grew her baby and became less and less visible.  It made sense to Seamus.  Pregnancy really wasn’t good for the business of birth control.  He was experiencing a lull between business lunchtime and the end of the business day when his phone went off, and he looked at the text from Iris.  He loved her texts.  They were rarely one word or emoji but sentences.  Another rarity in his life.  Then he started reading and his eyes grew wide.  She met his family …  Definitely Kurt, the hugger.  Owen at work, which meant she’d met Fiona and then be blinks.  Birth control from his mother, before Iris knew it was his mother.  He loses it then and just laughs for a couple of minutes.  Then he formulates his reply:

Oh … damn.  Sometimes they’re hard to avoid.  Give Fiona what she wants and she won’t kill you.  Kurt hugs are only a minute.  Breathe through it.  I know it's too late for this advice but… And … Mom … you met my mother and got birth control.  I can’t stop smiling and laughing over that.  Sounds to me like you’re a hit with my whole family, not just Gran and Yuki.  My day was boring compared to yours.  Sold small condoms to a guy who totally owned it.  Respect.  I would love to come over for supper.  You’re damn near an only child compared to me.

Iris reads Seamus’s reply and her heart is instantly full. It was this feeling that just kept coming on related to him. She crafts a quick short reply to tell him the time for supper.

Not quite an only. You get to meet the little sisters and my Dad tonight. I like your family. I like you. Prepare for piracy and fish pie at 6:30. Small white house at the end of the gardens with a pirate flag over the front porch.

Iris hugs her phone to her and then pockets it, goes inside and starts dinner. She insisted on cooking tonight. Her boyfriend, her cooking. She settled on making an old recipe of her English grandmother’s, a traditional fish pie. She chose to double the recipe and make it in a  big roasting pan for what would be the 6 of them. There might be leftovers and that was always a good thing. When it was near done she made a quick fresh tossed salad to go with it. She had bought some fresh rolls earlier at the bakery on her way home as well.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/fish-pie-four-steps

Thea had been given a large drawing pad of newsprint style paper and had taken it out to the yard with a pack of markers. She had spent a few hours mapping out the yard like it was the sea with the greenhouse being an island and the house being a pirate ship. Now she brought it in and laid it out on the dining room table for the family to admire “We MUST find Captain Sasha’s treasure!” There were a few x marks the spot places around the yard and one in the greenhouse. Sasha had been elevated from his prior status as a casualty of battle and become part of her stories. Thea had tied a mutlicoloured winter scarf around her flowered sundress as a pirate sash and had not one but two foam swords at the ready tucked into it. Her feet were bare and filthy. Her hands were quite filthy too like she had been digging in the dirt.

It was now 6:15 and Iris was about to set the table and discovered the treasure map. “Thea…”

Paige worked until five and came home.  She’d been informed by text of Iris’s adventures on the street and it amused her to almost no end.  That Seamus was coming to dinner made her so happy for her sister, she was more than happy to leave her to make dinner on her own.  She changed into a solid blue skirt and a white blouse.  Putting her hair in a looser bun than she wore when working, so she looked more relaxed, she sat in the small living room and watched television with Aislin, allowing her to pick the program.

Aislin had arched her brows when she heard that Iris’s boyfriend was coming.  Things were looking up on the ‘getting my own room’ front.  She even changed into clean denim overalls and a black tshirt.  Since she wasn’t helping with dinner, she sat in the living room, here Paige let her pick what they would watch on television.  Without hesitation, she chose a program on Paratroopers and lay on the floor to watch.  Flying in planes.  Jumping out and free falling until you deployed your chute.  The thrill had to be incredible!  She could hear Thea outside and wondered what exactly she was preparing.  She had shot Sasha with cannonballs.  What did she have planned for Seamus?

Seamus got off work at 6pm, and headed home.  He showered and considered what he should wear.  It would be casual.  He could be meeting Isis's father.  A doctor.  Should he dress to impress?  He decided on a pair of dark jeans and a new henley shirt with three-quarter sleeves.  Down in the kitchen he paced a little, thinking he shouldn’t go over there empty-handed.   He went in the refrigerator and saw a bottle of honey mead that his mother had gotten from Peter O’Brian.  It was not aged and so was not alcoholic.  His mother loved it, and so did he.  Taking the jug, he left his mother a note before he left.

Mom,

I heard you met Iris today.  She’s fantastic, isn’t she?  I’ve been invited to her house to meet her family.  Taking the honey mead.  I’ll get you replacement as soon as I can.

Love,

Seamus

https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/recipes/calorie-counted/drinks/may-day-mead-non-alcoholic--275965.htm

He tackled the note onto the refrigerator and got into his black sneakers.  Then he left, locking the door behind him and checked his phone.  6:15.  He walked with purpose to the Community Garden, then crossed it and the street to the Page house.

Iris was still in her vintage CBC t-shirt and rainbow pocket jeans she had worn all day. She had thought about changing but as she was about to go look at her dresses she noticed Seamus crossing the street through the window. He was early. With a little chuckle she left Thea to her map and slipped out the door to greet him before he would be no doubt bombarded in some way by her sisters. She met him at the steps with a kiss “Hi….you’re early. You look nice.” She noticed.

Thea was kind of annoyed no one was noticing her amazing map yet. So she walked over to her sisters watching TV and stood in front of the TV holding it up “LOOK….look what I made us!!!” She was very proud.

Paige was trying not to watch what Aislin was watching.  Who jumps out of a perfectly good airplane?  She was saved by Thea holding up a map.  She reached for it.  “A treasure map?  We’ll be RICH!”  she proclaimed.  “We can all have our own HOUSES!”  she noticed Iris head out the door.  “I think Seamus is here.”  she proclaimed.

Aislin shouted “Hey!”  when Thea jumped in front of the television, but got more interested when she saw the treasure map.  “We live on a pirate ship?”  she proclaimed.  “That’s kind of cool, Thea.”  Then Paige said something about Seamus being there, and she ran to the window to look out at him.

Seamus kissed Iris back.  “Thanks.”  he held up the jug.  “Honey mead … it’s nonalcoholic.  Thought you guys might like it.”  he offered.  He glances towards her house.  “Alright … be honest … is meeting your family revenge for mine converging on you?  Because they like you.  They fuckin LOVE you.”  he goes into his back pocket and takes out his phone, unlocking it and showing her the text messages he got from his family.

Iris looks at the mead “That sounds lovely.” Then she smiles sheepishly “Maybe a little, but I do love my sisters and you probably will too…” She blushes and smiles and reads some of the texts “Oh goodness….” There’s a lot of kind words, and she’s truly touched. She hugs Seamus hard, with a bit of emotion behind it, but she ends up catching sight of the front window and giggles “We’re being watched.”

Thea’s face has joined Aislin’s at the window now, her nose pressed right into the glass “He has very red hair….” She observed. She also calmly pulled both of her swords out of her scarf sash.

Paige watched her sisters looking out of the window and suppressed a grin.  Thea was getting her swords ready.  Poor Seamus, but it would be fun to see how he dealt with the precocious 5-year-old.

Aislin looked at him and nodded.  “And tall … and pale.”  she smirked.  “I wonder if he’s a ghost…”

Seamus hugs her back.  “Alright … I’m ready.”  he proclaims, glancing at the two little faces at the window.  “Take me to them.”  he says dramatically.  “I’ll take my medicine like a man.”

Iris lets him go but takes his hand as she laughs “Oh my…” She’ll open the door and peer in like she’s waiting for something to be shot at them. It seems like the coast is clear of attacks.

Thea will wait until Seamus is totally inside the house before her greeting of handing him one of her swords and holding up the other to fight. “Seamus Redbeard! Are you worthy?!” She challenges. Clearly he’ll have to fight to be allowed further into the house.

Paige sees the plan as Iris walks in, followed by Seamus.  Thea engages him, immediately and she goes to Iris.  “I’ll support you if he dies…”  she proclaims, pulling her towards the kitchen

Aislin hops back from the window and springs on the couch.  It’s never boring in her family.

Seamus has both feet in the house and is toeing off his shoes when he is handed a sword, renamed and asked if he is worthy.  Shoes off, he wields the sword like a lightsaber.  “Do you question my intentions?”  he demands, bending and waving the sword.  “We DUEL!” and he leaps back, ready to fight, making note of everything in the room.  

Iris gets pulled with Paige and watches Aislin spring to the couch while Seamus takes up Thea’s challenge. “Thank you, Paige….he does appear to be formidable.”

Thea begins smashing her sword into Seamus’s and hopping around. She’s a little wild and imprecise but her spirit is fierce. She uses her smaller size to her advantage after a while and starts hitting at his shins a little harder than she has been sword on sword. “This is my ship Redbeard!” She declares.

Paige watches the combat with wide eyes.  “Aislin get off the … deck!”  she cries, trying not to laugh.

Aislin springs from the couch with another “Hey!”  and actually takes Paige’s advice.

Seamus is quite agile and, with each hit to his knees he lets it buckle and then recovers.  Standing behind the couch, he swings and humps over the couch.  “It may be your ship, but 'tis MY Maiden!”  he cries and jabs at Thea’s middle wiggling for a tickle if the foam is solid enough.

Iris cracks up at the fight and then looks impressed when Seamus jumps over the couch. He was not only fit but spry. She laughs harder when he calls her his maiden and gives Paige a little wink when Aislin’s looking at Thea and Seamus.

Thea is loving the intensity of this duel. When Seamus jumps over their couch she gives a little unintentional squeal of delight and then quickly narrows her eyes getting back into character. Then he says something about a maiden, and she glances at Iris distracted just long enough to get tickled, and she is very ticklish, so then she giggles and swats at the sword on her belly with her hand, and then she leaps up onto the couch and getting a little wild from the fight tries to leap onto Seamus’s back in a piggy back pose. “Calypso!!! Curse this scurvy dog!”

Paige begins to giggle at the athletics.  Then it looks like Seamus may have the upper hand hen the tickling starts, but then the tide turns once again, and Thea jumps on Seamus’s back.  “Oh ….  My ….”

Aislin laughs then screams in delight at the show.  She finds herself not sure who she wants to win.

Seamus thinks he might win the fair maiden with his tickle sword, but then she is on his back, and he bends and writhes as if to throw her off although his hands are actually holding her.  He jumps on the couch, then to the armchair, then gallops a round the cramped room.  “I’ve the blessings of the wee folk!  I’ll never surrender!” he cries in an accent his Uncle Ulick would be proud of, and he makes another careful circuit of the room.  He could do this all night.  It was fun!

Iris watches it all and grins. Seamus is being awesome with Thea and what a battle. He was going to spoil her for future battles with her that was for sure. Iris would sometimes “die” a bit earlier if she didn’t feel like such an epic saga. But Seamus looked like he was enjoying it as much as Thea, and then he yells something about the wee folk. She giggles as she quietly grabs plates and cutlery, not daring to set them out while this was on.

Thea feels like she’s winning even though Seamus is totally holding her on. This Redbeard is putting up a great fight. “The wee folk?” She snorts as she raises her sword “Surrender or I’ll cut off your head!” Thea just got real in the world of foam swords.

Paige is laughing hard now, watching them.  She moves to Iris.  “I never knew he had it in him.”  she speaks as softly as the yelling of combat allows.

Aislin jumps up and down.  “Never give up!  Never surrender!!”

Seamus  hears the threat.  He must surrender or die.  He freezes and adjusts his hands on Thea’s little waist.  “Surrender my maiden?  My Iris?  My flower?”  he takes in a deep breath.  “Never!”  He flips Thea off of his back, flips Thea upside down and around, depositing her in the armchair.  He snatches her sword.  “Release my maiden or suffer my wrath.”  he tosses the sword away and half drops the act.  “Besides … I really REALLY like her.  Come on … be a pal.  Youngest sibling to youngest sibling?”

Iris smirks at Aisln for her quote and then blushes a bit when Seamus says My Iris My Flower. And then she laughs and shakes her head. Iris watches Seamus flip Thea but he’s being careful. Then he gets earnest with Thea, and she can’t help but feel a little melty.

Thea had been nodding about the surrender when she gets flipped. She had shorts on under her sundress so it’s not indecent. Her clothes were still planned that way because the way she played skirts down were still no guarantee. She gasps at the sword snatch “Well I won’t kill Iris. She made dinner.” Is her logical reply. When this older boy admits he really really likes her Thea is thoughtful but smiling a little, and then he says he’s the youngest, and she frowns “But you’re so big?” She sits up letting the game go and needs to know more “Are the other ones giants?”

Paige beams at the word usage.  Maiden.  Iris.  Flower.  But she can’t help herself, leaning into Iris.  “But …  Maiden …  I mean …”  she teases.

Aislin laughs when Seamus’s ploy works and the fight ends without him dying.  “He wasn't BORN a giant, silly!”  she tells Thea.

Seamus relaxes when Iris’s life is spared.  “Good point … it smells really good, too.”  and then she asks about the giants in his family.  “Well I wasn’t ALWAYS this big.”  he kneels down and balances on the balls of his feet.  “I grew up.  You will too.  But … well … I guess most of us are giants once we grow up.”  he stands and lifts his hand about 6 inches above his head.  “My uncle Jude and Uncle Ulick are about this tall.” he proclaims … and it's true.

Iris rolls her eyes at Paige “Shush you. It’s sweet even if it’s not totally accurate.” She whispers so the sisters can’t hear. She sets the table now that the game is becoming an adorable conversation.

Thea nods a little. She had after all noticed Aislin growing taller, and she kept growing too. “Daddy used to make marks on the door thing...but we moved away.” She looks a little disappointed by it but then her eyes go wide at the height of his uncles. “That’s very big. What about the wee ones?” She’s now thinking Seamus’s family might range from Leprechauns to Trolls.

Paige giggles and offers to help her sister with setting the table, since she already knew Seamus ... although she’ never seen this side of him before.

Aislin’s eyes grow big at the size of his uncles and wonders if his family could possibly have ‘wee ones’.

Seamus nods.  “We had those in our houses too, but we moved a couple of times, so we stopped.”  he tells her.  Then he looks thoughtful.  “Wee ones?”  he strokes his chin.  “Well my big sister is about this tall.”  he moves his hand to mirror Fiona’s height.  But her fiancé is this height."  he lowers to mirror Vincent's height.  Then he snaps his fingers.  “My grandmother is this big.”  he nearly drops his hand, mirroring his grandmother’s mere five feet of height.  

Thea hops up on the couch and matches the heights by bending and squatting as she giggles. Then she loses her balance and crashes into the coffee table banging her elbow and laughing instantly flips to crying.

Iris had passed Page the cutlery and was about to go for the napkins when Thea is suddenly on the floor by the coffee table crying. She starts towards her looking mildly concerned but also like this was in no way unusual “Thea….you ok?”

Paige also takes a step forward towards Thea, concerned.  But she doesn’t go all in.  Part of her is wondering more on how Seamus will react.  He is taking the litmus test tonight, all out.

Aislin watches Thea tumble, but reserves judgement, because she believed her little sister sometimes milked for attention.  Like she wasn’t getting enough.

Seamus’s reflexes failed him, and he couldn't stop the fall.  Thea is crying on the floor, and he kneels beside her.  “Hey.  Let me see.  My mom’s a nurse and taught me a little.  Maybe I can help?”

Thea is in no way seriously injured but hitting your funny bone is just never funny. Her crying ebbs to snivelling, and she holds up her elbow to Seamus, rather enjoying being doted on by this giant of a boy. “Ow...ow…” She whines. 

Iris stays back and lets Seamus handle Thea with a little impressed nod. They were both youngest siblings, so she wasn’t sure how he would be with her youngest sibling. So far so good. Mind you he seemed to be a special person in Daisy’s daughter’s life so maybe he had some clue about little kids from that. She exchanges a little look with Paige and smiles and then gives Aislin a little elbow nudge “Would you please get the salad dressings and put them on the table?” The salad is tossed and on the counter. The rolls are still in a bag with the basket for them beside it. Iris grabs the oven mits and takes out the fish pie when the timer goes off and then looks at the clock on the stove wondering when their father will be home.

Paige steps back watching Seamus with her youngest sister and smiles back when Iris smiles.

Aislin jumps a little at the nudge and nods, getting the salad dressings and and setting them around the table.  She hears the timer go off and smiles, because she’s hungry.

Seamus can already tell that Thea isn’t seriously hurt, but suspects she might be milking her injury for attention.  He’s been there himself.  Carefully he bends her arm at the elbow a few times.  “I don’t think it’s broken.”  he tells her.  “Probably a good thing.  Who would protect your houseboat then?”  he glances up when the timer goes off.   “And it looks like your sister’s done making dinner.”  he looks down her arm to her hands, which are filthy he noticed.  “Wriggle your fingers.  Get the blood flowing.  Then you might want to wash your hands and stuff.”  he lowers his voice a bit.  “I bet your sister gets mad at dirty hands at the dinner table, eh?”  and he rolls his eyes dramatically as if Iris is asking way too much to have clean hands at dinner.

Thea allows the arm bending and looks up at Seamus with big green eyes behind her reddish framed glasses. “It’s a pirate ship not a houseboat.” She corrects but then does wriggle her fingers for him and looks at the dirt she’s collected on them like it’s her greatest accomplishment “Yeah…. I was burying the treasure. Captain Sasha’s treasure. Do you know him? He died but Calypso brought him back, and then she told me he gets to be a captain too. I hope he has his own ship though because ours is full.” She gets out the map and shows Seamus with no movements towards hand washing at all.

Iris watches Aislin and then thanks her and then lets the pie cool for a minute while she puts the rolls in a basket. When Seamus pretends to be on team sisters are mean about handwashing she shoots him a cheeky little look over the kitchen island. Then she turns to Paige “Captain Sasha, risen from the dead no less. Thea has promoted your man.” She teases. 

Paige giggles as Seamus shows the team he is on.  “That’s right.  Clean hands at the dinner table.”  she laps her hands and points to the door where the bathroom is.  “Both of you, if you please.”  and then she giggles at Iris.  “I see that.  She’s forming her own navy.  How frightening.”

Aislin giggles and heads to the sink in the kitchen to wash her hands.  Lead by example and  all that.

Seamus  looks at her hands and then with great interest at the treasure map.  “I didn’t know Sasha had treasure.”  he comments.  “I know him.  We’re best friends, you know.  So I’m glad he’s not dead anymore.  That would have made me very sad.  Paige, too I bet.”  he considers.  “I’m pretty sure he has his own ship.  I haven’t seen it, but there are boats on the island.  Maybe someday you can go on one of them.”  he suggests and then Paige claps her hands, and he stands.  “That’s the sound of ‘do it now, Seamus’, so I had better.”  he glances up at Paige and nods.  “Yup .. she’s pointing and everything.  SUCH a big sister.”  he moves to the bathroom and washes his hands for about 20 seconds.  Then he dries them and comes out and lens casually against the counter.  “Are you going to dig that treasure up later?”  he asks.  “Because Sasha might want it back.”

Thea beams that he’s friends with Captain Sasha. “How many boats?!” She feels like she’s been denied an important part of this new town not having seen them all. “I didn’t mean to kill him...some days it just happens.” She hears Paige’s demand about handwashing and groans. She follows Seamus and washes her hands after him, but she had heard the treasure question. She was just thinking about it while she got water all over the bathroom floor.

Iris answers Paige after putting rolls on the table “Yeah I’m not sure about the navy...more like that showdown in Pirates of the Caribbean with all the warring Pirate Lords. Hopefully Thea doesn’t try to pit our boyfriends against one another…..that would be a much more dangerous sword fight.” At this point Seamus is leaning against the counter and would fully be able to hear that. Thea on the other hand sounds like she might be flooding their bathroom.

Paige snorts and smiles.  Then she winces a bit.  “That could be a little too interesting a fight.”  she admits, but at the same time she suspects that Sasha and Seamus would put on a great show for Thea.

Aislin sits at the table, waiting as patiently as she can, which means a lot of squirming in her chair.

Seamus tells her.  “Oh ... a LOT.  There are many many fishermen on the island.  I’ve known some of them all my life.  They might not want a pirate on their boat.  It might scare them.”  and he nods about Sasha’s death.  “No … I get it … accidents happen.  Good thing you know how to bring people back to life.  A noble thing.  My mother helps with that sort of thing.”  He looks at Iris and Paige as they talk about he and Sasha in a duel.  “Well, we’ve already tested each other and … it’s a pretty even match.”  he winks and smiles because he loves being evenly matched … mostly because that’s been rare.

Iris giggles “Usually with Thea it involves a magical apple juice potion. You could offer some to your mother, but she might think you’re crazy. And maybe she’ll let you duel with hockey sticks instead of swords.” Then she looks at the food ready to go and sighs “I’m going to text Dad...maybe he had an appointment run late…”She sees Aislin already sitting and squirming and texts to her father Seamus is here for supper. I hope that’s ok...are you on your way? I made fish pie. Then she remembers Seamus’s mead “Glasses…” she mutters “Not the ones on our faces. Thea? Are you done washing yet?”

Thea still has water trickling away in the bathroom “What?!” She turns it off but it sounds like the sink is full of it, and she’s splashing around “I’ll sink ye scruvy rats….” She’s clearly started some kind of game in the bathroom now and gotten distracted. If anyone goes to check on her she has a hairbrush and a tube of shaving cream circling each other like imaginary pirate ships in the sink which is in danger of overflowing.

Paige grins at the idea of a hockey stick duel and looks at Iris.  “He DOES know we have a guest … right?”  she asks, it's just now occurring to her that this is a last minute dinner invitation.

Aislin squirms and rubs her belly.  “I hope not!  I’m starving!”  she stares at the fish pie, as if trying to eat it by simple staring.

Seamus grins.  “My mother thinks we’re all crazy, depending on the day, I think.”  and then shrugs.  “Hockey sticks ARE our swords.”  he proclaims.  Then he leans forward and turns his head, looking into the bathroom and then looks back into the kitchen / dining area.  “Um … one of you might want to take a look?  Maybe?”

Paige moves around the corner and looks inside.  “Thea!”  she cries.  “Oh for goodness sake.”  she goes into the room.  “That’s Paige’s shaving cream!”  followed by.  “And that’s my brush!”  she towers over her little sister, her hands on her hips and her face nearing actual anger.

Iris had shrugged at Paige before she went to check on Thea “I maybe should have texted him when I started cooking….my brain was just full of Reinhardts.” she winks at Seamus. Then she sighs at Aislin “I’m sure he’ll be here soon and you’re not actually starving Aislin. You will live.” 

Thea has perfected the big innocent eyes routine and turns them on Paige “Oh sorry….they fell in… I didn’t know I put the stopper down.” She outright fibs. Then she holds up her hands “All clean though Paige!” Trying to distract her.

Iris overhears Paige and then Thea and starts to crack up a bit.

Paige blows out an exasperated breath.  “Fell in there my left foot!”  she snaps.  “You’re soaking wet!”  she sighs with exasperation again and snatches a towel off the wall.  “Dry off and change clothes.  What must our guests think?”

Aislin is giggling listening to the banter in the bathroom.  When Iris tells her she is not actually starving, Aislin looks at her with wide eyes.  “I am LITERALLY DYING!”  she insists.  Then she hears Paige tell Thea to change clothes and whimpers like an injured pulley.  “That’ll take forever!  LITERALLY.  DYING, here!”

Seamus moves from the living room near the bathroom door to the kitchen as Paige starts in on Thea.  Iris speaks of a head full of Reinhardts and winks back, then takes her by the hips and kisses her, softly.  “You don’t want that.”  he tells her.  “There's too many of us.  My uncle Jude says we’re going to take over the country someday.”  and he kisses her again.  He hears the oldest and youngest sister in the bathroom and rests his forehead on Iris’s.  “Jesus … so that’s what me and Logan sounded like …”

Thea stamps her foot and a splash of water comes up from below it “I’m not that wet…” She feels the wetness of her clothes and knows her story is weak. “Fine.” She turns around to pull down a towel but in her haste pulls down 3 and just leaves the two while she dries off with one and then tosses it on the pile and begins to exit the bathroom. “I think he likes me... Seamus Redbeard…” She chimes as she’s trying to go change.

Iris rolls her eyes at Aislin “I do think you mean figuratively….don’t make me explain it again.” Then Seamus comes around and kisses her, and she kisses back softly. Even the little ones gave her a bit of a buzz with him. “He said that to me too, after he told me I could run, and he’d hug Kurt to give me a head start. I told him I’d risk it with you instead.” She kisses him back again, forgetting about Aislin literally dying 4 feet away. And then has to laugh when Seamus relates himself to Thea with his oldest sibling while listening to her two “Most likely…. Seamus Redbeard.” She overheard Thea say it and smiles as she repeats it.

Paige’s eyes widen as her youngest sibling tests her.  Three towels wind up on the floor, but at least they’re soaking up the water.  She moves them around with her foot as Thea stomps off to change … she hopes.  She simply snorts at her retort.

Aislin huffs.  “I know the difference.  I am literally dying here!”  she sticks to her guns and looks at her sister to find her kissing Seamus.  “Oh for fucks sake!  I’m dying and you two are making out?  Priorities, people!”  she shakes her head and then drops it on the table.  They were never going to eat, and she would die here with her head on the table as Thea changed clothes and Iris kissed Seamus.  No one cared!

Seamus grins at Iris and Aislin.  Then he hears what his Uncle Jude said and laughs softly.  “I’ll try not to let you down if you fall.”  he murmurs.  Then she calls him Seamus Redbeard and grins to himself as he moves in for another kiss as Aislin apparently sees them kiss.  He breaks it.  “This IS my priority.”  he tells her and moves in for one more.  Just one more.  The house is chaos.  He feels right at home.

Iris just giggles at Aislin “You’ll understand someday.” She hears Seamus say he’d try not to let her fall, and he kisses her again. Too late. Falling. He pulls away and says she’s his priority and kisses her again. Falling so damn hard. She wraps her arms around Seamus and kisses him back with more passion and emotion than is polite in front of anyone, but she doesn’t care. 

Greyson Page enters the house with almost a stealth like silence. He’s adopted this of course to be able to get inside without being bombarded with cannons, whacked with a sword before his shoes are off or told the entire history of paratrooping in less than a minute. A man had to have his strategies. His hair was once raven like his girls, but he greyed early from the grieving process of losing his wife to cancer. The silver makes him look older than 40 but his face is quite ruggedly handsome. As one would expect for an eye doctor, he wears glasses, old style glasses with wire rimmed bottoms and a black strip on top. He’s tall but not way over 6ft and he has a slender build with slightly poor posture at times. He’s wearing one of Paige’s signature ties in a maroon silk with little blue paisley designs. His white button-up shirt is a standard as are his black dress pants. He wears practical oxford style black shoes which he starts to slip out of at the door, and he’s carrying a grey suit jacket which he will hang up. He can smell supper and see Aislin at the table but the thing that draws his gaze and attention is his second oldest daughter Iris kissing a tall redheaded boy like he’s about to go to war in the kitchen. His eyes bug out and he clears his throat loudly. “Iris….”

In the meantime Thea has finished changing, into her bright orange bathing suit with a bright blue cape overtop, purple rubber boots and of course a pirate hat. She saunters out of her room looking pleased with her outfit and sees her father near the door just staring into the kitchen “Daddy!” She shrieks and takes a running leap at him. He catches her but keeps staring.

Paige has come out of the bathroom in time to see her father sneak in, as was his habit.  He   stares in the direction of the kitchen, and she takes the sodden towels into the kitchen where Iris and Seamus are kissing.  “Hi, Dad.”  she speaks casually as she heads for the back door to drop the towels in the laundry basket kept beside the washer and dryer.  She then leans against the machines, simply waiting.

Aislin’s head pops up when she hears Thea shriek to their father.  She leaps from the table, knocking her chair over and races around the half wall and launches herself at her father, hugging him around the middle.

Seamus is deeply into the kiss.  He can almost feel himself falling, it's so good.  He doesn’t see anyone else or hear anyone else come in, but when Thea screams Daddy, he pulls back from the kiss, but not as though he’s been caught doing anything bad.  “I think your father’s home.”  he murmurs and turns to look at Dr. Page who is staring at them.  Hadn’t Iris sent a text?

Iris is pulled from her intoxicating kiss and smiles a bit at Seamus before turning and seeing her father’s look of shock “Dad? Did you not check your phone?”

Greyson catches Aislin too and has Thea balanced on his hip held with one arm and Aislin at his middle hugged back with the other. He was used to this routine and truly loved it. He had heard Paige too but was distracted “No...I was swamped today. This island has a bit of a backlog for eye exams….” He eyes the redheaded young man now curiously “Hello I’m Greyson. And you are?” He actually did know but the sight of the young man kissing Iris had flustered him briefly.

Iris sighs “Dad this is Seamus. I told you in the texts….I told you I had a boyfriend.” 

“Seamus Redbeard.” Thea explains. “He’s friends with Captain Sasha.” as if this cleared it all up. She wriggled out of his arms to the floor and took a seat at the table next to the one Aislin had just been in.

Paige grins as she watches her father react to Seamus.  When Sasha had been over, she’d only had to come in and explain her fall in the water and how Sasha had saved her, then gone straight home to change out of his own wet clothes.  Now she was curious to how their father would react to kissing in the kitchen.

Aislin  looks up her father as Thea introduces him as Redbeard.  “I don’t actually think that’s his name, Thea.”  she argues and then looks back up at her father.  “Dinner’s ready, Dad .. let’s eat.” and she tugs at him to come to the table.

Seamus quickly licks the lips that had just been kissing Iris and heads around the dining room table, righting Aislin’s abandoned chair on his way.  “Seamus Reinhardt.  A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Page.”  He remembered his manners and used them, offering his hand for the doctor to shake.  He’d never met a girls father before.  None of his relationships ever lasted.  The two weeks he and Iris had already outlasted all but one.

Greyson gets tugged towards the table a bit and then watches Seamus’s manners and shakes the hand, his expression softening a bit “You as well Seamus. Please call me Grey.” He lets his gaze drift to the top of his head “It’s easy to remember.” He smiles a bit and lets go of the young man’s hand “Have a seat.” He looks between Iris and Paige “Seamus and Sasha are friends I take it...not just in a pirate story?” He winks at Thea and Aislin and takes a seat himself.

Thea then looks at Paige and back to her father “Did you wash your hands? Paige says we have to!”

Greyson chuckles “Paige is right...I’ll be right back.” He walks to the kitchen, still in earshot and rolls up his sleeves, washing his own and then heads back to his spot.

Iris looks visibly relieved that went well with her father and Seamus and then gets a little hot mat to put under the fish pie and proceeds to put the oven mitts back on and bring it to the table with a serving utensil. She starts picking up plates and doling out fish pie finally. It’s still steaming but not piping hot.

Paige is glad things went well with her father.  Since Iris didn’t reply, no doubt speechless with relief, she does instead.  “Actually, Dad, they’re best friends.  We met at that used bookstore you told us to visit.  Dust Jackets.  Seamus knocked me down … it was an accident.  Sasha helped me up, and we all got to talking and here we are …”

Aislin goes back to her seat and as soon as there is fish pie on her plate starts eating like she hasn’t all week.  Let the adults talk, she’s not going to die now.

Seamus  nods, letting his eyes up to the grey hair for a second.  “Grey it is then, sir.”  he takes his hand back and heads for the table, hesitating as to exactly where he should sit.  “And yes.  Sasha and I are best friends.  New … but best.”

Iris can see Seamus’s hesitation and directs him to the chair beside where hers will be when she stops serving by doling him out a plate and catching his eye as she sets it down. She smiles as Paige tells the story of their meeting “A happy accident indeed.” She finishes serving with her own. “Salad, rolls...do we need butter?” She’s halfway to the kitchen already “Oh mead….where did I put that down? Seamus brought it to share… nonalcoholic.” She’s looking around but has completely forgotten. In truth, it’s still on the table by the door where she set it down when Thea challenged Seamus with swords.

Greyson digs in and nods as he chews and then after he swallows replies “New best friends...that can be good. I’ve recently met the dentist couple in the office below me. I quite like Dr. Beaulieu.” He had never heard Sasha’s last name at their brief meeting.

Thea shovels in her food as fast as Aislin like it’s some sort of race and then grabs a roll “Butter please! What’s mead?”

Paige nods to the front door.  “That bottle over there, Iris?”  she looks at her father with a grin and a fork full of fish pie.  “I’m glad you’re making friends, Dad.  Especially since Dr Beaulieu is Sasha’s father.”  and she puts the fork in her mouth.

Aislin sighs happily after a while.  Most of the fish pie is gone, plus one roll, but no salad.  “Yes, butter please.”

Seamus sits where Iris indicates and before anything, he makes himself a large salad.  “The mead is a local speciality.”  he explains.  “They make some and don’t age it so people who don’t drink or kids can enjoy it too.”  He puts salt and black paper on his salad.  No dressing at all, and then tastes the fish pie.  Swallowing he looks at Iris.  “This is great.”  he praises.  “We eat a lot of fish around here.  Or we used to.”

Greyson  has to laugh now about Felix and Sasha being father and son “Of course he is. Get used to this girls. Small town life.” He gives Paige a twinkly eyed look as he can tell she’s truly happy and it makes him happy for her. Seamus seems genuinely nice too. His girls could do worse. “I’ll open that mead Iris.” He walks to the bottle Paige pointed out and fetches it.

Iris comes back with an awkward armful of glasses and a plate of butter and a knife “Ok I took on too much … someone take something before it all falls please….” She confesses her error in judgement.

Thea makes a little track in the dregs of her fish pie like a swirly little picture, distracted again by her own imagination “Down down down into the deep Calypso…..Davy Jones is waiting.”

Paige laughs.  “Small town life.  And it seems half the town is Reinhardts.”  her eyes twinkle.  “Iris has met all of them in one day.  Or almost all of them.”  she teases.

Aislin has, while waiting, finished her fish pie and is reaching for more bread.

Seamus helps Iris with the glasses, setting one in front of everyone.  “Yea …”  he chuckles about Iris meeting his family.  “Sometimes it’s hard to avoid anyone in my family.  But it’s a small island.  People can get nosy.  But I like it here.  Then again I was born here and lived all but maybe a year of so here.  I lived in Vancouver for a while when my parents separated.  But they got back together, and we were right back here.”

Iris smiles at Seamus for taking the glasses from her  “Thank you. Having met both your parents, I’m glad they worked it out...for them and for all of you.” She slides the butter to Aislin since she seems to be seeking bread. Then she finally sits down at her own plate to eat and takes a bit of her fish pie, looking happy with it. “This is a good batch.” She confirms to herself.

Greyson pours out the mead “What part of Vancouver Seamus? My wife was from Vancouver, well the girl's mother of course.” He nods at Iris “Indeed it is dear.” He takes another bite.

Thea grabs her treasure map and disappears under the table to look at it quietly, leaning back against Seamus’s leg.

Paige grins, but concentrates on her dinner.  Her sister had done a really good job on their supper.

Aislin watches Thea under the table for a minute, then grabs the butter, slathering it on another roll.

Seamus nods about the fish pie.  "I was a die hard pescatarian for about three years.  Some chicken and a little goad, but mostly fish.  This is good."  he grins about his parent's.  "Them being separated really sucked."  he looks at Greyson.  "Kitsalano, sir.  My mom rented a house.  Kinda near the beach, but …  It was sort of cool, but ... strange.  All us boys with mom and Fiona here with dad."  he shrugs.  He feels Thea on his leg and glances under the table, then points at Iris and then the table top, then the back door.  Almost asking silently to be excused.

Iris smiles about the pescatarian comment and nods “I’m mostly that, pescatarian that is. Funny that only one of you wanted to live with your dad? I mean unless she kind of took you all and left?” She winces. But then Iris beams at Seamus when he suggests he take Thea outside and nods and then leans her head down under the table “Captain Thea? I do believe Seamus Redbeard might like to have a closer look at that map….and see what you two can find…..”

Thea almost takes the table with her as she bursts out “Ar Redbeard….get ye a compass!” She lumbers towards the back door ready to hunt. It’s a remarkably well-designed map for a kid her age and where she’s marked treasure she has buried something. The first two will be ordinary objects, a garlic press from the kitchen, a fancy ballpoint pen with the initials GP, but the third will be a special looking silver chain with a blue stone set in a sort of teardrop shaped base. None of them are buried so deep they can’t be dug with a bit of easy finger scooping.

Greyson had been listening while he ate and looks touched by Seamus connecting with his youngest over her passion for all things pirate. “Be careful out on the stormy seas.” He’s finished his and sips his mead now “This is quite nice too...thank you, Seamus.” As they go out he focuses in on Aislin “What do you want to do to keep busy this summer Aislin? There might be some camps? You could join some activities for kids around town. You could just babysit Thea...but I don’t want you to get bored while your sisters and I are working…”

Seamus considers.  "It wasn't that ...  I mean ... "  he blows out a breath.  "Our mother needed us, I guess ... and Fiona is a Daddy's Girl.  They asked us and ... we boys decided to support mom, even though the whole thing sucked."  He grabs his glass as it's almost knocked over.  "We'll not return without riches!"  he proclaims and heads out with Thea.  He motions for the map.  "Let me take another look at that."  but he sees the small piles of dirt.

Paige watches them leave.  "I never imagined he'd be so good with kids."  she smiles at her sister.

Aislin watches them leave, abandoning her with adults.  "Can I learn how to fly?"  she asks.  "You know ...  gliding?"  she gapes at the idea of babysitting Thea.  "How much will you pay me?"  she asks.  "I DID see a girl across the garden climbing on the roof.  I wonder if she knows how to glide..."  she looks thoughtful.

Iris smiles back at Paige with a little blush “Yeah I wasn’t sure either...as he’s a youngest himself. Maybe that’s what they relate…” She jokes. She’s finished eating and starts to stack plates.

Greyson facepalms a bit at Aislin but is catching every word between his two older girls, even if he’s not commenting. Now he looks at Aislin “How about windsurfing? I saw some kids doing that...it’s looks fun?”

Outside Thea looks over Seamus’s shoulder to make sure he’s holding her map the right way. “This is North..” She proclaims and she’s right. No compass, she just knows. Thea is playing, but she’s a natural at orienteering and directions.  “20 paces South east..” She looks at his feet “Maybe 10 for you…”

Paige  can't help but giggle.  "Can you imagine him running around like Thea does?"  she shudders visibly.

Aislin looks at her father.  "Sort of, but I really want to learn how to glide."  her eyes dance.  "I saw instructions on how to make my on on the internet!"  she proclaims.

Seamus looks at the map and sees that Thea has it all right.  He looks at his own, much larger than hers feet.  "Maybe five."  he quips.  It's more like seven but soon he finds the first treasure, dropping to his knees and unafraid to dig in the dirt.

Iris laughs “After that sword fight, I can kind of see it actually. What did Sasha do when Thea shot him with cannons? Did you say he pretended to die?”

Greyson sighs and chuckles at Aislin “Humour me on something closer to earth, and we’ll study some Leonardo DaVinci?”

Thea squats down beside Seamus and watches him, looking ever so pleased he’s actually doing this. Sometimes the bigger folks humoured her more than they played. It was so boring. “I wonder what it could be?” She feigns like she had no idea.

Paige giggles.  “He did .. and I dramatically fell upon him and begged for his life.  Fortunately we had some apple juice and Thea didn’t drown him.  No he’s a captain in his own right.  What will Seamus be?”  she wonders aloud.

Aislin sighs dramatically.  “Thea can try and kill everyones boyfriends but I ask for one little thing and it's no.”  she huffs.

Seamus looks curious as he digs up a garlic press.  He looks at it.  "What sorcery is this?"  he wonders, opening and closing it.  He consults the map and moves to the next spot marked X.  He finds a nice pen with the initials GP which he assumes means Greyson Page.  He writes on his own hand.  "The ink is not in the ink bottle!"  he marvels.  Then he finds, in another part of the yard a silver chain with a blue stone in a teardrop base.  He handles this one carefully and suppresses a grimace as this looks valuable.  "Our treasure!"  he declares, victoriously.  He looks back at the house.  "Should we share our spoils?"  he wonders.  He couldn’t cover for her on this, and he knew it.  Seamus will close his fingers around the necklace.

Thea looks enthusiastic about his playing along and grabs the map to begin to bound into the house “You found them all!” She flies in the back door when she gets to it “Redbeard found them ALL!” She keeps bounding and lands in the end in her father’s lap.

Greyson had been trying to think up a way to answer Aislin and make her see reason and safety when all of a sudden he had a little pirate in a cape and bathing suit leaping on him “Oh good for him…” He placates. “Thea honey your boots.” He pulls them off of her and hands them to her since she’s now worn them outside and in “By the door please.”

Thea slides down and takes the boots. She’ll beam up at Seamus like a hero if he’s by the door.

Iris had been laughing at the adventures of Sasha “Apple juice! The elixir of life. Who knew?” she’s about to say more when Thea bursts in the door with her declaration “Guess we’re about to find out Redbeard’s rank…”

Paige watches them come in and chuckles at the rank.  “A promotion … who will outrank who?”

Aislin is hoping her father will see reason and let her take gliding lessons when the door bursts open.

Seamus slips back out of his shoes as he comes in.  The knees of his very nice jeans are dirty and his hands aren't the cleanest either.  He raises both hands in victory, then moves over to Iris.  "I won't plop in your lap."  he murmurs in her ear before kissing her on the cheek.  He looks around.  "Very nifty stuff ...."  he drops the garlic press down.  "But I think this might belong to one of you girls."  he looks between Paige and Iris as he sets the necklace on the table.  It's covered and packed in dirt.

Iris smirks at her dirt covered boyfriend and then hears his murmur and sees the necklace placed in front of them. Her breath catches in her throat, and she looks between Paige, Aislin and her father with suddenly tear filled eyes. It was her mother’s. She wore it every day until she died. She reaches out a shaking hand and traces the stone with a finger “Thea...we need to talk…”

Thea has deposited her boots and come flying back into her father’s lap. She hops around a bit as the garlic press is set down and Seamus raises his hands and then grins at the necklace.

Greyson was trying to maneuver Thea who was a little wild on his lap. He had been smiling at Seamus about his having amused Thea and played her game “Or aren’t you a good sport son…” Then he sees the necklace and his smile fades “Oh shit…” He lets out without thinking of the 5 year old squirming on his lap. Then he just stares at the necklace like it’s haunting him.

Paige looks at the victorious duo and then Seamus sets the necklace down.  “Oh ….”  her voice trembles.  “Oh, Thea ….  “  she blinks a couple of times.

Aislin watches as Thea bounces excitedly.  Then she sees the necklace and her jaw drops.  She blinks.  “Mama …..”

Seamus looks at all of the reactions and understands at least that this is not just some costume jewelry.  He reaches for it, then turns to the sink, turning on the water and beginning to clean the necklace up without a word to anyone.  But it was important … and not just to Iris.

Thea starts to look confused. Why weren’t they happy about the treasure. She suddenly shrank back into her father’s chest as if aware she was about to get in trouble.

Greyson sighs and looks around at how this has affected his older girls and gives Thea a gentle hug “Thea, where did you get that necklace?” He was asking the question like he knew the answer but wanted her to admit it.

Thea gave a little shrug “I dunno….the dresser?”

Greyson shook his head “No sweetie, not the dresser. I put that jewelry box up in the closet for safe keeping. Did you climb up there?” He kisses her forehead “You can tell us…”

Thea sees everyone looking at her and everyone’s sad faces and nods “I’m sorry. I know I’m not supposed to. I just wanted to know.”

Now Iris watches Seamus at the sink, and he’s washing the mud off her mother’s necklace. She had tried not to cry but the tears streamed down her face, and she leaned her head on Paige and then reached for Aislin’s hand “You wanted to know what Thea?” She’s not mad, just sad.

“I wanted to know….Mom.” Her little voice confessed and her eyes too filled with tears. She didn’t even understand it all, but she felt the grief in the room wash over her.

Paige listens and when Iris leans her head on her, she reaches up and strokes her hair.  Their father had been so torn up when their mother died.  They all had been.  Except for Thea, who had been a newborn baby.  She sighs and looks at her father, wondering if he even can.  They had to move, his grief had been so strong.  But it had been a good move, at least for she and Iris.

Aislin looks at her older sisters and then her younger sister.  She had been young and remembered a little, but she was almost eager to hear more.  No one had really talked to her, because everyone was so sad.

Seamus is listening over the running water.  He uses the soap and works on the charm first before working on the chain, letting the water force the dirt out of the links.  He dallies, giving the family time, and making sure the necklace is as perfect as he can make it.  Then he takes a paper towel and blots the necklace dry.  Once that is done, he moves back to the table, setting the necklace in the center of the table and beginning to clear it.  A minute later, he is washing the supper dishes.

Greyson is clearly struggling but as he had dragged his kids through his grief and depression for so long, especially the older two who understood more about it, he was determined to put parenting first now. He sees them all, the older two leaning on each other. He was so grateful for their closeness and strength, Thea in his arms and Aislin, Aislin who just needed to be loved and acknowledged in this and all things. He sees the necklace come back and Iris’s new boyfriend then take the dishes to wash after having cleaned his wife’s necklace. He blows out a breath and looks at Iris “He’s a keeper.” Then he looks between Aislin and Thea mostly “You want to know your mother. Ask us….it’s ok to talk about her. In fact, we should.”

Iris feels more tears pour when Seamus brings back the necklace and takes the dishes to wash them. She huddles into Paige and sniffs. When her father looks at the back of Seamus and says he’s a keeper she just smiles a little and says “I know.” Then she sighs and looks at her two younger sisters.

Thea looks at the now clean necklace and digests the gravity of what she did, as much as she can at her age. She was glad Seamus washed it. “It looks all pretty now.” Being given permission to ask questions she asks the most Thea question of course “Did Mom like pirates?”

Greyson laughs and hugs her hard, and then scoots their chair closer to Aislin and puts an arm around her “She liked stories, so yes pirates would be part of that Thea.” He looks at Aislin.

Paige  smiles a bit when her father says Seamus is a keeper, but even more when Iris agrees.  That's when the tears begin.  Of course, Thea asks first and foremost about pirates.

Aislin looks eager to know, but as she has some memories, and Thea has none, she smiles.  "But probably not gliding, eh?"  she asks her own question.  "I remember when I was little, like you and I climbed up on the wardrobe in mom and dad's room to jump on their bed, Thea."  she can't help but smile a little at the memory.  “Mom came in and oh boy did she scream.  But then she came on the bed, and she hugged me.”  she looks at Thea.  “You were in the way, as usual.  Inside her growing.”

Seamus freezes for a second when Greyson says he is a keeper and beams when Iris agrees he is.  They were six, so he is still working on the dishes.  But he is listening to them … and feeling part of the family.

Greyson grins at Aislin. She was steadfast in her goals. He’d give her that. “Aislin, maybe let’s work up to it. The gliding. You were always trying to fly...even off the dresser. Our little bird girl.” He gets both happy and misty eyed at the memory “I remember that day too. You girls were her world, our world. You’re still mine.” He looks from the younger to the older “No matter how big you get.” He sighs at Thea “So if you want to bury treasure again, can you please stick to the things in kitchen drawers?” He looks between them all “And if you want to know things, just ask. It’s ok.”

Now Iris has a question. She suspected his offer was mainly for the younger ones but it emerged and she had to ask “Dad….when did you know….that Mom was it for you?”

Thea nodded about the kitchen drawers and looked satisfied with the outcome. She had grinned at Aislin’s story of jumping off the dresser and her being in the way in their mother’s tummy. She stuck her dirty bare foot on Aislin’s arm as a sloppy offering of affection even if her sister might not see it that way.

Greyson chuckles a bit at Iris’s question “Oh probably as soon as she said the word Hello. Sometimes you just know.” He gives the girls a little twinkly eyed smile. Then he sees Seamus still finishing dishes and calls out “Thank you, Seamus. We don’t do this after every meal...just so you don’t get frightened off coming back for another.”

Paige grins, remembering that moment.  She looked at Iris ... asking what she also wanted to know.

Aislin both sees and then feels the dirty little foot touch her arm and she touches it, affectionately brushing the dirt off it.

Seamus finishes the last of the dishes and turns just as Greyson thanks him.  "No problem, Grey."  he grins and comes back to the table, placing his hand on Iris's shoulder.  "I'll come back whenever Iris wants me to."  he replies and watches the family.  For his words, he wonders if he should sit and take Iris's hand, or not, as she is cuddled up with Paige.  So he offers.  "Do you do after dinner coffee?  I can make it."

Greyson looks oddly lightened by letting the girls, and really the new boyfriend into his world of remembrance. He sighs and sees how much dirt comes off Thea’s little foot on to Aislin “You my little pirate, need a bath before bed.” He grabs onto her in anticipation of a protest, and she wriggles, so he’s clearly anticipated correctly “I’ll pass on the after dinner coffee or tea but does anyone need the bathroom before Captain Thea walks the plank?” 

Now Iris gives Paige a little hug, smooths Aislin’s hair and shakes her head at her father and a wriggling Thea “I’m good for the bathroom.” She stands up and walks to Seamus and gives him a great big hug “I like tea, but I can make it. If you want coffee I can make you that too. Two reasons, you’re amazing but you don’t have to do it all, and I’m really fussy about tea.” she admits with a laugh before she pulls back and kisses him sweetly.

Thea fights like the idea of a bath is sacrilege to her but when her father says walk the plank she yells “You’ll never take me alive! Captain Redbeard! Steer the ship!” Seamus had gotten his promotion as Thea was carted off, pending anyone else needing the bathroom first.

Paige giggles as little Thea protests, but is also glad to know Seamus got a promotion.  She sits back as the bath prep begins.  "I'm alright, and if not I can always use your bathroom, Dad."

Aislin giggles as her sister is carted off, but that becomes a yawn.  "Oh ... my ...."  she looks at her older sisters.  "I'm not tired."  she immediately insists, even though it's a lie and anyone can see that.

Seamus hugs Iris just as hard and keeps his arms around her a little bit.  "I'd love to try your tea."  he tells her.  "I'm just from a line of coffee drinkers."  he's ordered tea around her though.  He returns the kiss, then he straightens and salutes Thea.  "Aye, aye, Captain."  he watches as she is carted off to fight the waters of the tub.  Then he looks at Aislin and chuckles.  She's wide awake and he's blond.  But the moment she and Greyson are out of sight, his arms are around Iris again.

The bathwater can be heard running and an amusing walk the plank conversation can be caught in bits between Thea and Greyson. Clearly he’s also capable of being playful as he takes on an almost Scottish brogue and rattles off her crimes of mutiny. Then there’s water splashing and the wound of what might be ships battling in the tub. At some point Greyson seems to have the presence of mind to pop open the door and toss his phone out of it before it gets destroyed and then the door shuts again and the bath resumes.

Iris nods and smiles and then makes a little face at Aislin “Yeah ok….pants on fire.” She reaches for the tea pot without stepping out of Seamus’s arms and then sees her father’s arm throw a phone out the bathroom door and laughs hard. She steps out of Seamus’s arms but can’t stop stealing glances at him, staying in his range and energy. “Paige, Aislin,,, tea? I was going to make that Vanilla Chai Rooibos one…” She fills the kettle “Captain Redbeard, would that be a fitting drink for your promotion? You might still have to fight Sasha since he’s also a Captain…” She muses with a wink at Paige.

Aislin sticks her tongue out at Iris.  “I’m not tired!”  she insists.  “I’m not….” her head drops onto the table, and she starts.  “OK, maybe I am a little tired.”  she admits.  “I’m going to bed before Thea comes in for a change.”  she stands and hugs her sisters …  Page and then Iris.  Then she runs to Seamus and gives him a hug.  “Congrats on that promotion.  Maybe I’ll start an air force for you and Sasha.”  and then she turns and runs to her room, the one in the front of the house.

Seamus watches as Iris moves in his arms and then steps out of them.  “I have no idea … is it?  I trust your judgement.”  and then Aislin hugs him and runs off to bed.  “Air force?”  he blinks and then looks between Iris and Paige.  “I think the next time I talk to Sasha we’ll have to figure out what to do, if Thea pits us against each other.”  he grins at Iris.  “Will you cry over me when I fall?”  he asks.  “We can probably kill each other.  Hmmm … that would be interesting.”  and he actually seems to be working over it in his mind.

Paige is giggling and warmed by the whole scene.  “Good night, Aislin.  See you in the morning.”  She considers the impending fight.  “Oh she would love that.”  she predicts.  “I’m glad Thea doesn’t know about a widows walk.  She’ll be adding onto the house.”

Iris calls out “Goodnight Aislin.” She looks at Seamus, thinking how sweet it was that even Aislin hugged him. “She’s all about the flying things and air......Thea’s our water element child.” She looks at Paige but doesn’t comment on her being fire, not wanting to put her on the spot. Now she engages with the banter and clicks the kettle to boil “I will cheer you on….and cry loudly if you fail….” She gets a mischievous look and glances between her sister and her boyfriend “not so kid appropriate but it might be more fun for Paige and I if you boys were fighting shirtless. Not that I’m checking out Sasha, just the idea..” She giggles and then beams “Oh i want a widow's walk...how delightfully Victorian.”

The bath antics can still be heard, but they’re calming down as Thea gets tired.

Seamus looks between them.  He moves to Iris.  “You’re the earth I fall to.”  he tells her, realising he is using that word a lot.  But he is still answering her right.  “I hope you would.”  he grins at the fighting shirtless thing.  “You know ….”  he pulls out his phone.  “I think I got this by mistake, but … just to give you an idea of what Sasha will look like once I beat his butt …”  he finds the picture and shows it to Iris and then Paige.  Sasha laying on the grass, shirtless.  And as Paige looks he kisses Iris’s temple.  “Will you wear a corset and everything?”

Paige grins and comes to look at the picture of Sasha with his shirt off.  “Oh …. “  she blows out her breath and steps back, arm and slightly flustered.  At the corset comment she winces.  “Better Iris than me.  Those things are torture devices, I tell you!”

Not paying attention to the kids’s conversation at all, Greyson emerges from the bathroom with Thea wrapped in a big towel. She’s already drifting off on him, the day having caught up with her at the end of the bath. He’ll tiptoe into the room she shares with Aislin trying to get Thea settled while not disturbing Aislin. The door shuts behind him as he whispers to her while quickly finding her a nightgown and tucking her in. She’s out almost instantly, and he kisses her forehead and sits with her for a minute. It had been an emotional day for all of them.

Iris cracks up as she sees the picture but leans into the kiss “Goodness me Paige. Did you know about Sasha’s little sexting crush on Seamus? Talk about bedroom eyes…” She notices her father go by in stealth mode with the younger ones and drops her voice immediately. Seeing Paige’s reaction she grins “Did he send you one too?” She asks in a teasing hushed tone. “I hope you rewarded him.” Then she answers about the corset “I have 4, I’ll let you pick the colour…” She admits and then shrugs “Corsets, garters. Merry widows, I have a lingerie problem. I could probably outfit a brothel.” She pours the kettle into the tea and winks at Seamus “You’ll see it all eventually.” Her sister knows all so it’s no secret.

Paige laughs and nods.  “He says he sent one to Seamus by mistake, but I don’t know about these two….”  She watches Seamus as Iris talks, already knowing what’s in her sisters drawers.

Seamus hears Page but any reply is overridden by the corset collection, and before he can beg to see them, she promises that he will.  One she pours, he rests his forehead against hers.  “Jesus Iris …  I …”  he doesn't go on … not here, he tells himself and then calms as he lists several reasons why he can’t, but they sound weaker every time he trots them out.

Greyson tunes into the rhythm of each of his daughter’s breathing as they are now asleep. He tiptoes from Thea with a last touch to her forehead and then retucks Aislin, fixing her bed cover. She’s too old to want to be tucked in but she’s still his baby too. He carefully plants a light kiss on the side of her head and then looking between the girls, steals out of the room, closing the door behind him and walking up to the kitchen island. Seamus looks a little flushed chatting between his beautiful older daughters, and he chuckles to himself. “Do I smell the vanilla one? Maybe I will take a cup of that.” 

Iris just giggles at Seamus and kisses his cheek and then shuts up on the topic as her father emerges and asks for tea “Of course.” She grabs 4 cups from the cupboard and pours. “Thank you for letting us ask you questions Dad...it does help.” Seamus was with them but it felt natural to talk, even about this. She hands a cup to Paige, her father and Seamus and then takes her own.

Paige takes her cup, and nods, sitting back at the table.  “It does.  Especially for Thea.  I knew she’d have questions … sooner or later.”  she blows on her tea.  “Here or the living room?”  she asks. 

Seamus is almost glad to see Greyson re-enter the room.  He says nothing but takes his tea and looks around the two rooms of the tiny house, admiring it.

Greyson gestures to the living room where there are two arm chairs and a couch around a  coffee table. He takes up one of the chairs. “Well it’s time for her then. Aislin  too, and honestly I know you knew her, Paige, and Iris….but I knew her longer so if there’s anything you want to know I’m open. Seamus you’re getting more than you bargained for tonight but being ever so patient with all of us. I appreciate it.”

Iris starts to move towards the couch, head jutting at it to Seamus for him to join her. She shrugs “Seamus feels like our family...I know that’s a weird thing to say.” She looks at Paige “Sasha too although I can’t speak for you Paige. Is it this island?” She laughs lightly and then looks at her Dad, trying to think up a question. In truth, she has about a thousand but narrowing it down is hard.

Paige takes the other armchair, leaving the couch to Iris and Seamus.  “You’re right, Iris.  He does.  IS it the island?”  She laughs and looks at Seamus, who is a native.  Then she looks at her father.  “How did you and mom meet, Dad?”  she curls up in the chair, covering her legs and feet with her long skirt.  “I don’t think either of you ever talked about it.”

Seamus nods.  “It’s fine, Grey.” he assures the man, moving and sitting beside Iris.  He moves his arm across the back of the cough if Iris wants in there.  The comment about the island makes him laugh.  “I doubt it .. because not so incredible things happen here, too.”  Then he sips his tea, and Paige asks her question.  He sits, glad to be allowed into this moment and feeling like family, which touches him like nothing ever has.

Greyson looks curious about the idea of the island deepening connections of all kinds. But in a way he’d felt it too, not romantically but since the moment he met Felix Beaulieu the man had felt like a best friend from childhood days. “There might be something to the island.” He conceded “The good and the bad I suppose.” Then he considers Paige’s question with what almost looks like a little blush? “Oh...I’m sure we told you. We met at a nightclub. Bit cliché really…” He quickly sips his drink and looks at the coffee table.

Iris had gestured at Paige emphatically “I know right.” She leans into Seamus’s arm across the back of the couch and then listens to her father and frowns at him “That feels like the beginning of a story, a vague beginning….Dad are you blushing?” Iris looks to Paige now for backup.

Seamus considers that.  “Maybe .. I’ll have to look into the history I suppose.”  then the question is answered, but it feels like it hasn’t been.  He puts his arm around Iris, lightly and just sits back.

Paige blinks at the answer.  “So … cliché us .. we can handle it.  I promise.”  She is insanely curious about that blush.

Greyson sets his tea down and rubs at his face, blushing more “I’m not sure how much to say. I was rebelling against my parents. Methodist, very religious and repressed.” He explains for Seamus who may not know. “So I got on the ferry from Victoria and took myself out after an argument with them….I asked a wild looking couple I met on the ferry where the most scandalous nightclub was in Vancouver and they directed me to a place called Red Velvet in a neighbourhood called Hell’s Kitchen. I think the club is still there….it’s a…” He breaks off.

Iris’s eyes go wide “Uh...I’ve been to the Red Velvet...holy shit….Dad….it’s kind of a sex club. You met Mom THERE?” It dawns on her that she’s just revealed a whole lot about herself too and she gulps.

Greyson has the same wide-eyed look back at Iris “You HAVE?” There’s something unspoken that shifts between them, a fall from grace, an unveiling of reality perhaps. He clears his throat “Ok…..I went seeking the company of a woman. Please don’t think less of your mother and I but our first night together was somewhat of a …”He just sighs.

Iris starts laughing with her head in her hands.

Seamus nods.  He knows nothing about the club but ..  “I understand very religious … but angry, but repressed.  Catholics.”  Then he listens more and can’t suppress a smile at Iris’s laughter.  Her father is learning about her as she learns about him.

Paige’s eyes grow big.  “Wow .. and just … wow.”  she is smiling.  “We’re grown, Dad … and nothing can make us think less of Mom.  So … it was somewhat of a .. what?”  she can hear Iris laughing but her own curiosity keeps climbing.

Iris just calls it “Mom was a prostitute, wasn’t she? You guys were the pretty woman story?” She shrugs “It’s beautiful in it’s own way if I’m guessing right?” She leans back into Seamus again as if she needs his touch right now. It was not alarming but it was a shift in her understanding about her parents.

Greyson humbly nods “She was, and we were. Your mother grew up very poor. Her family life was rough. Young girls who’s mother’s have worked in the sex trades often get roped in...quite young in her case. But she was also beautiful and strong. I became a regular, and then we fell in love and I just became her lover. Her pimp didn’t like it….he was violent to her, and we had to get the police involved. I took her away with me back to Victoria and by then…” He looked at Paige “We were pregnant with you.” He sighs “My parents were not happy, but we married. They were so awful to her though that it ended my connection with them. And they didn’t even know what she had done for a living. And the rest, as you know, is just our family history.” He concludes and looks around a little sheepishly.

Paige nods when Iris figures it out.  She lets him finish.  “They were awful because I was born seven months after you married.”  she huffs.  “I was conceived in love … that’s all that should matter.” her jaw tenses, but then she grins.  “I can’t have got better after Iris came right after me.”  she didn’t care for her grandparents, even if she’d never met them.

Seamus holds Iris, rubbing her arm as she leans into him.  He also thinks it's a beautiful story.  But all he can think to say is.  “So Methodists are worse than Catholics .. or the same .. either way.”  he can’t help but roll his eyes.  He doesn’t talk about his religious experiences … about his grandfather, but Heinrich is on his mind now.

Greyson looks lovingly between his daughters. He had been worried that they would be horrified but they were both so mature and open minded. So was Seamus, but he could tell the young man had his own religious baggage. He addresses Seamus “Well maybe close in how thick the dogma and repression is. I mean I always felt Catholics were Methodists….with bingo.” He’s trying to lighten it a bit and also open up conversation for Seamus. Nothing like meeting a girl’s father and finding out he has a bizarre smutty story. Brave young man.

Iris nods in agreement with Paige “We came from love. I agree. Screw them if they don’t get it.” Then she notices Seamus’s eye roll and leans into him a bit more, turning to rest her hand on his chest. She laughs lightly at her father’s comment after Seamus’s about Catholics “I thought Methodists didn’t dance though too?”

Her father quips again “Well they can’t...it could lead to sex standing up…”

Paige laughs after the comments about bingo and dancing.  “But the Catholics … they own guilt.”  she sighs.  Sasha was Catholic … and falling away from it.

Seamus snorts slightly as the attention falls on him.  “My grandmother is Catholic.  But she’s sweet about it.  Tells me to be good because there isn't ice or hockey in hell.”  he grins and it fades.  “But my grandfather…  I never really knew him.  My father wouldn't really let us near him because, and I only learned this in the last few years, beat up on him, my uncle Mikey and my gran.  Uncle Mikey wouldn't even talk about him, never mind see him .. so he never saw gran either.  He identified as gay until he met Aunt Steph and … yea my grandfather would have hated it.  And my oldest brother is gay.”  he snorts.  “Lets see what would he hate?  Gay son and grandson.  Mikey married a Japanese woman, Owen, the brother just above me, is with his Thai girlfriend.  Fiona is with an Italian.”  he considers and looks at Iris.  “You’d probably be the best .. good pretty white girl … as long as you learned German and maybe converted.”  he winks at her, takes the hand on his chest and kisses it, playing it back afterwards.

Greyson frowns about all the things the grandfather would judge but then smiles “It sounds like you have a very interesting family then. Diversity is good in all forms. I’m sorry for what they were put through...no hockey in hell?” He laughs a bit and they nods at Paige “They might you know.”

Iris listens to Seamus talking about his grandfather and makes a face and then smiles at her father “They are. I pretty much met them all today. And I’m glad I don’t have to please the racist homophobic grandpa, only you. He probably wouldn’t like much about me once we started talking so probably good he’s not around for that to be an issue.” Then she has a look of dawning at Paige “Isn’t Sasha one of those French Catholics?”

Paige looks more than a little horrified at the kind of man Seamus’s grandfather was, but laughs at the idea of no hockey in hell.  Then she sighs and nods.  “Yes .. well .. sort of.  He’s stepping away from the church.  Like not wanting to go to Christmas mass.  He says his mother won’t like it.  I’m scared of her already and we haven’t even met properly.”  she bites her lip and takes a deep sip of her tea.

Seamus snorts.  “Well, I was standing there when My Dad allied Uncle Mikey to tell him their father was dead.  Mikey laughed.  I think that said it all right there.”  he looks at Paige and sighs.  “Yea, he told me that, too.  Maybe she’ll get to know Father O’Keeffe.  He’s Irish Catholic, not French … I’m not sure of the difference except the Irish drink a lot harder than the French.”  he snorts.  “Wine … well my mother likes it .. as long as I don’t have any news to make her worry .. then its straight to the Jamesons.”

Greyson nods at Paige “I get the sense Felix is not as much on the church page as his wife.” He doesn’t elaborate. “Don’t be afraid of her Paige. She is kind. People just get brainwashed and it’s hard to break free of. I was...for a long time even. I mean I still respect all beliefs. “ He looks between Seamus and Paige “She and Sasha will just have to figure that out. I know she loves her children very much.” He takes in what Seamus said about the uncle laughing but can’t comment. His parents did him and Audrey irreparable harm.  They’re alive but he has no idea to even begin to react one day when that’s not the case. “Your parents have good taste in whiskey at least.” He sips his tea now.

Iris looks sympathetically at her sister and then encouraged by what her father said to her. She can’t help but laugh about Seamus’s parents hitting the bottle about any worrying news. It, with the whole Catholic family stress,  also made her truly appreciate that despite his depression, he was really an easy person to tell things to without fear. “Paige, would it help you to meet Sasha’s mother if it’s not just you? I mean she knows Seamus I’m sure, she knows Dad…..you don’t have to do all that alone…” She’s not really sure what she’s suggesting and realizes it has no form so she just says something ridiculous “Dental cleaning and eye exam party?”

Now Greyson shakes his head “No no and just no.” He laughs “But we could meet them for a picnic or something. Aislin might enjoy talking with their daughter Catherine.”

Seamus nods.  “They do.”  He comments on his parents' taste in whiskey.  When Iris suggests comfortable ways to meet Sasha’s mom, he holds up his hand.  “If I am there, you will be a golden puppy, because we’ve met … at my work … she was looking for candy I think and … well ..  we sell that but …”  he looks at Greyson.  “I work in that pink and purple building on Water street.  The Love Shack .. it’s … a sex shop … or adult toy store if you’d prefer.  We sell candy .. cookies too.  But I don’t think she was looking for a felatable lollypop.  And …”  he places his hand on his chest.  “I’m the best friend?  A back alley condom salesman?  Yea.  Let me take that heat.  Believe me I’m used to it.”

Paige gapes at the story of how Seamus met Sasha’s mother.    As it gets to the candy sold at the Love Shack, she begins to laugh and at back alley condom salesman has to lean forward and set her cup on the coffee table for fear of spilling it as she laughs.

Greyson just laughs at Seamus and shrugs “After what I just told you, how can I even comment. And hey it’s a hell of an industry. I would say that’s a front street condom salesman son, nothing to hide from me.” He shrugs and just shakes his head. “At least I know you two are safe.”

Now Iris laughs “Sasha’s mom didn’t know it was a sex shop? Oh. My. God.” She cracks up now and then looks gratefully at her father “Dad….I love you. Thank you for being just awesome and making all these things easier for Paige and I and eventually Aislin and Thea.” She looks at Paige “Since we’re sharing…. Seamus and I together could make you look like a SAINT to that Catholic mama….we can just send her some links to my naughty blog and my old hook up group for sex in weird places. Yes Dad I’m telling you everything because...fair’s fair. I dropped the risky behaviour group though….it got a little scary  few times.” She admits.

Now Greyson looks a little shocked and chokes a bit on his next sip of tea “Iris…..no that doesn’t sound safe at all…..I should have protested your going to school in Vancouver harder.” He states, disturbed by the last part. 

Iris nods, looking contrite “I know but maybe better you know in case it all ever comes back on me somehow. Nothing ever fully happened...just a few hey I need to get out of here before this goes wrong. The last one ended it all. This guy….called himself Joe so really he could be anyone….….had a thing about his work delivery van….started to drive me almost right out of town saying really gross stuff. I jumped out at a stop light. The next week I read a woman my age had been raped by a guy with a  delivery van from that company and left beaten almost to death by the side of the road. I think I was very lucky I got out at that red light and ran.” She realizes Seamus is hearing this story in full for the first time too.

Paige recovers from her laughter in time for iris to confess about her once risky life.  She knows her father is worried.  “And now she’s safe and sound with the main street condom supplier.”  she hopes that can reassure her father.

Seamus nods.  “Front street works too.  Then Iris brings his name up and his eyes go to the ceiling for a moment.  He is not a blushing man, and so he doesn’t blush.  It took them weeks, but finally … only a few days ago .. had sex for the first time.  Iris even mentions her blog, which Seamus loved before he even knew who the author really was.  And then she gets into more detail about Joe the delivery man.  His head comes down and his jaws clench while his blue eyes snap.  Paige brings him back a bit.  “Damn right.  I’ll do my damndest to keep you safe.”  he addresses Iris but the message is for all of the adults.  “We did OK in East Vancouver.”

Greyson is still a bit shaken up by what Iris told him “I’m not judging you Iris, for any of it. That’s just my worst nightmare, what could have happened. For any of my girls.” He looks at Iris, Paige and then Seamus and smiles a bit and then takes his tea cup “I do trust all of you. Sasha too. I’m glad we moved here and I’m off to read before bed. Thank you for the tea and the chat.” He takes the long way around and plunks a little kiss on the heads of both of his daughters and gives Seamus a pat on the shoulder “Goodnight.” He drops off the cup in the kitchen and disappears into his room.

Iris says goodnight to her father and then grimaces a bit after he goes “I feel like I made that weird and heavy for all of us….sorry.” She looks between Paige and Seamus “We really will come with you though to meet the mom if it freaks you out.”

Paige smiles as her father bids them good night and heads for bed.  She looks at Iris and shakes her head.  “No … we’re closer now .. all of us.  It’s amazing.”  and then she nods.  “Please.  I’d love the support.”

Seamus smiles at the pat on his shoulder.  He’s glad they moved here, too.  When Iris thinks she made it weird, he pulls her a little closer.  “I don’t think so.  Your dad is fantastic.”  Then he looks at Paige.  “I will definitely be there.  And if you want I will even bring two dozen of Mrs Z’s sugar cookies cut in the shape of various sexual positions … you know .. pot luck it.”

Iris snuggles into Seamus and then gives him a playful little shove “Don’t poke the Catholic bears. We want them to like Paige.” And she nods in agreement “We are closer and it is amazing. Seamus I’m glad you like our dad. He really seems to like you. Which is good...because I do...well more than…” She breaks off before she says what she’s been feeling and nod saying and just takes a big sip of tea.

Seamus smiles, glad he is liked.  When Iris doesn’t say what he hasn’t said either, he only grumbles.  “Yea.  Me too ….”  and drinks his own tea.