2020-07-17 - Surprise results - Seamus, Iris, Sasha, Paige
Seamus knew that he had been a little off for nearly two weeks, since his trip into Vancouver on July 7. He’d tried to play it normal, as if nothing were the matter, but he knew people who knew him well knew something was on his mind. He buried himself in work and Iris to distract himself but at work, there was often nothing happening, which gave him time to think about his appointment on July 7. Iris had asked him many times what was wrong, and he always replied with something vague about money. While that was true, it wasn’t the complete truth, which he wasn’t yet ready to disclose.
Not until he got the results of the test he took.
Ten days later, on July 17, he got the letter with the results of his test and the next steps he could take if he wanted to. He read the letter and the accompanying forms four times, then made a phone call before he realized that he had no idea what to do. That’s when he took his phone and sent a group message to Iris, Sasha and Paige;
Somethings come up and I really need your advice. Can we meet at Iris and Paige’s place? Tonight at 6? I’ll bring some mac and cheese.
He sent the message and immediately felt a little better. Going downstairs, he looked in the refrigerator. Taking out a pork tenderloin, he cooked it in the oven, covering it with barbecue sauce. He then started on his making macaroni and cheese. Before putting the two dishes in the oven to bake, he stirred in the diced barbecue pork and some green onions for colouring and flavour. Once they were done, he took them out, letting them both cool a bit before covering both in foil and leaving a note for his family on one;
Dinner’s on me tonight. BBQ Pork Mac and Cheese. I’ll probably be home late, if at all. Love, Seamus
Finally, he changed into casual jeans and a polo shirt that perfectly matched his blue eyes. He took the second dish, got into his black runners and walked to the Water Street apartment. Hands full, he knocked on the door with his head.
Sasha was just finished mopping up at the Daily Deli when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He dumped his mop water and then put the mop and pail away and washed his hands before reading it. He looked curious and replied:
Hey man, I’m in. I love mac and cheese. See you all then. Love you Paige. The rest of you are alright too XD.
Sasha finished his shift and briefly biked home for a change of clothes, letting his family know he wouldn’t be there for supper which was no shocker to anyone. He switched from his uniform t-shirt to a black t-shirt that said St. Malo Triathlon 2019 and a pair of grey cargo shorts. He ran a comb through his hair, freshened his deodorant and brushed his teeth. He put on his usual black and white trainers and grabbed his helmet again to ride over to Paige and Iris’s place. He locked his bike to a street sign out front and ended up arriving in time to unlock and open the door for Seamus who had just walked up “Ooooh….the macaroni master! I can already smell it. Mon dieu mon ami!” He grinned at him but had a nagging worry about the tone of the text.
Iris had gone in early that morning to do some extra sorting of the catalogued items in storage so by the time the text came she was at home already. She replied briefly:
Sounds good to me and thanks in advance for dinner Love. Thanks Sasha, we really feel the love. LOL.
She had the sense something was bothering Seamus. The insecure crooks and crannies of her mind worried it was about her, like he was doubting his feelings or commitment to her. She had never had a guy stick around for the full deal so in a sense she sometimes fell into the waiting for the other shoe to drop fear trap. But this was a group text. He wasn’t giving her some letting her down gently speech in front of her sister and Sasha. She knew the other stuff had just been old tapes playing so to speak. She had taken a long bath to clear her head of it and now was cool and comfortable in a simple Hawaian flowered sundress and bare feet. Her hair was down and curling into her tortoise framed glasses a bit from air drying after the bath. She heard the boys downstairs talking at the door from her room where she had been trying to compose a new blog.
Paige heard the tone from the Discord app while she was doing a bit of hand sewing she couldn’t just drop, so she didn’t see it for several minutes. She arched her brows and then read Sasha’s reply, and then Iris’s. She beamed and made a reply of her own, curiosity consuming her.
Mac and cheese! Sold! And I love you too, Sasha XOXO … I love you two too.
After work, she headed home in time to bottleneck in the hallway with Sasha and Seamus. She moves to kiss Sasha. “Good evening Master Chef!” she waits for them all to file in and follows them, taking her shoes off at the door.
Seamus grinned at Sasha. “Damn right … I can make one thing … well.” he moves inside and heads for the kitchen, sliding the dish on the counter and immediately looking around for Iris. He needed her, even as he was afraid this would end it all for them.
Sasha had grabbed Paige in an embrace and kissed her intensely with a dramatic little dip if he could as he held open the door for Seamus. After he let go and walked in he kicked off his shoes, beaming at her “I get carried away.”
Iris came out of her room as they came in and met Seamus as he turned and walked from setting down the food. She looked a little concerned but hugged him and kissed him tenderly before speaking “Hi, you’re kinda freaking me out. Are you ok Seamus?” She wasn’t one to waste time on small talk when there was something to be discussed.
Paige accepted the kiss and grinned. “I know you do, and I love it.” she laughed going in and slipping out of her ballet flats. She was wearing a simple white button-up shirt and long brown skirt.
Seamus accepted the sweet kiss and held her close. “Sorry …” he apologized. “I’m kinda freaked out myself. Um … shit I was kind of hoping to blow it off through food, but … yea .. that’s … stupid.” he blows out a breath and takes two envelopes out of his back pocket. “It’s about why I went to Vancouver on the 7th.” he bites his lip and actually takes a step away from Iris. “I .. um .. had to take a .. court-ordered paternity test. And .. um … I … have a kid.” he blows out another breath and looks absolutely unsure. “Iris … I understand if this .. changes things …” he begins and sort of ... deflates in uncertainty.
Sasha had been smiling and laughing with Paige and then watching Seamus and Iris looks at Paige and then at the two of them with worry, especially Seamus. Then he hears what Seamus says and looks completely surprised.
Iris still looks really worried as Seamus begins. He’s got paperwork and he’s talking about why he went to Vancounver. Then he says paternity test and she looks worried for him but is in a way relieved. He’s not leaving her. It’s not some incurable cancer. “You have a kid..” She repeats back and exhales audibly. And then she hears his insecurity and pulls him back to her “I already told you that wouldn’t be a deal breaker….remember? I knew something was up and believe it or not this is not as bad as where my imagination went.” She runs her fingers through his hair, trying to sooth him “Seamus I love you. I’m not going to bolt. Talk to us…..I’m assuming some kind of custody or visitation situation needs to be negotiated if a woman is asking you to do a paternity test?” She attempts to steer him to a lawn chair since they still haven’t gotten a couch yet “Come sit…..take a breath and tell us about it.” There are 4 lawn chairs, all donated from various kind folks.
Paige was happily in Sasha’s arms when Seamus started explaining. She turned in his arms and stared in shock. Then she listened to Iris tell him that it wasn’t a deal breaker and finds herself nodding. She moves with her to the living room area with its lawn chairs, talking Sasha by the hand if she is allowed.
Seamus closed his eyes and nods but is far more soothed by the fingers going through his hair and her words of love. “I remember and I love you, too.” he moves with her to the lawn chair and sits. “Well … depending on my decision depends on the whole child support and visitation thing.” he sighs. “I know I told you and Sasha about Sam Coffee? My first … the girl that pretty much ghosted me when I was thirteen?” he looks at Paige, hoping he was filling her in enough. “She and her family moved the weekend my dad caught me screwing her up against a tree… anyway…” he blows out a breath. “It’s not all in the paperwork, but I called the social worker in charge of the case and she filled me in on what happened. “Sam was pregnant. And apparently there was some religious bullshit with her parents because she wasn’t sure who the father was. I guess when the baby was born with red hair and blue eyes … and not blond hair … she knew it was mine and she gave her my name. Um... it’s a girl…” he nods. “Her name is Ash. Ash Reinhardt.”
Sasha gets lead to the chairs and takes the one beside Seamus and leans in, listening intently. He nods about Sam Coffee, remembering Seamus talking about her. He glances at Paige too as Seamus does and then back to him. He puts a hand on Seamus’s shoulder if he can “She has your surname….” He comments. “I know it’s a lot.”
Iris sits herself down in Seamus’s lap if she can instead of the lawn chair to the side. She doesn’t care that they’re in front of Paige and Sasha and suspects they won’t care either. Seamus needs her. She tries to pull him into a hug as he talks still listening and nodding “Yeah I remember you talking about Sam. Ash Reinhardt.” She smiles a little and pulls back to look at him “Do we get to meet her? Where does she live?”
Paige listens and nods, getting all she needs to know about Sam Coffee from what Seamus is saying. “Religious bullshit?” she frowns slightly, unable not to think about her father’s parents. She watches Iris with a slight smile.
Seamus nods at Sasha even as he puts his arms around Iris. “Yea. I guess the story was that her parents made her give Ash my surname to always remind her of sin or some bullshit.” he hugs Iris. “I got more out of the social worker after talking to her. I guess Ash doesn’t call anyone Mom or Dad … and I guess there are other issues with the way she was being treated.” he bites his lip. “Sam and her parents all died of Covid about a month ago. And .. I’m Ash’s only living relative so …” he looks at Iris. “If I fill out all the paperwork here …” he motions to the thicker envelope. “I can take custody of her…”
Sasha exchanges a look with Paige about the words religious bullshit. They both knew their fair share of it. Then the whole naming thing about her sin makes him give a little eyeroll before he winces “That sounds cold….no mom or dad….” Then he exhales and closes his eyes about the family dying and Seamus’s very big situation. “You’ll be a dad…..wow….”
Iris shakes her head about the name as punishment to the daughter and then looks pained that this daughter of Seamus has a messed up family where it sounds like she’s been mistreated. Then she hears him say they all died and inhales sharply “Oh god...poor Ash.” She looks at the envelope “What are you going to do Seamus? I’ll support you...I’ll help you if you take her...I mean a little red headed girl who looks like you….how can I not just automatically love that child? And it sounds like she needs someone to love her….” Iris is trying not to influence the choice but realizes she’s already said a lot that might. But that little girl out there alone...Seamus’s daughter….
Paige shakes her head at the whole idea of any religious mistreatment, but then it seems there’s more. She opens her mouth to say something supportive when Iris says all of it and more. Looking at her sister, she smiles and takes Sasha’s hand. “I’ll help, too.” she vows.
Seamus nods and then smiles at the idea of a little redhaired girl that looked like him. He looks at Iris as if she is a goddess and to him she already was. “I want her, especially now I know I won’t lose you in the process.” he admits. “She has some issues I know, but .. I want her with me. I didn’t even know she existed.” he blows out a breath. “The problem I have now is … Where the hell can I live with her? I mean .. ideally … I can still stay at home with my parents. With Fiona and Owen gone there’s a free bedroom, but … oh god … I don’t even know how they’re going to react to this news…” he blows out a breath and drops his head in one large hand.
Sasha squeezes Paige’s hand as she takes his “We’ll all help you Seamus. It takes a village to raise a child right? Let us be your village. It sounds like this little girl needs you. Just call us Uncle Sasha and Aunt Paige.” He jokes. Then he realizes what he’s implying about Iris without labelling her out loud, but he shrugs. He could see it with them. Iris had just said she already loved the child.
Iris kisses Seamus’s cheek “I’m not going anywhere.” She sighs about what might be the complications of the kid being possibly messed up by all that came before and about Seamus having to tell his parents “You have to tell them…..I know it’s scary. They’re not going to turn away a grandchild? I can’t imagine that….especially not your parents. But it might not be a fun conversation for any of you….do you want me to come with you?” She offers genuinely. Then she looks at Sasha and laughs, shaking her head “Uncle Sasha and Aunt Paige?” She clears her throat and looks at Seamus.
Paige looks at Sasha and laughs. “Yea …. We’re behind you guys.” she includes both of them because she knows her sister. Iris was ready to help with Seamus’s daughter …
Seamus sighs. “I know I do … and .. I suppose they can’t. They already love Owen’s kids … including Liam.” When Iris offers to come with him, he again looks surprised, even though at this point he knows he shouldn’t be. “Would you? Fuck I am the luckiest man on this island.” and he kisses her deeply. “OK … let’s eat … and then go talk to my parents?” he suggests. Then he starts. “I should fill this out while we eat.” he nods, ready to take on his new life now he knows he won’t have to do it alone.
Sasha grins “What? I like the idea of being an uncle. My siblings are all younger so that won’t happen anytime soon in the immediate way there. A little girl Seamus…..” He muses and grins at them all “I wonder if she’ll be sarcastic.” He heads for the kitchen ready to help deal with food.
Iris gives Paige a loving look when she concurs about being there. Her sister was always there for her, and now she included Seamus in that. She looks back at Seamus and smiles and then returns his kiss and nods after “Yes food, fortification, paperwork….and then your parents.” She laughs a bit and then bites her lip. She still hadn’t gotten her period after their lovemaking in the woods. It was probably fine but she hoped to god they weren’t going to hit Seamus’s parents with a double whammy in a few weeks. She got up from his lap and exhaled. Probably not the ideal time to remind Seamus of that. Food, definitely food. She laughed at Sasha “Nature of nurture on sarcasm?”
Paige giggles. “Yea … well … how many sarcastic people do you have in your family, Samus? It’s always possible?” she stands and heads for the kitchen. “I’ll bring the food out here. We can have a little picnic.” she suggests. As she passes the front door, she kneels next to her bag and brings out a pen. “Seamus. Catch!” and she tosses it to him.
Seamus almost mentions Dante, but decides against it. “Sarcastic Reinhardts? Nah .. none of those in my family.” he rolls his eyes, but still manages to catch the pen. He slides to the floor and pulls out the paperwork. “Alright now … Name Seamus Michael Reinhardt.” he begins to fill out the paperwork. “You guys are lifesavers. Especially you, Iris.” he looks at her with a deep love. It just kept getting deeper for him and that fascinated him.
Iris stays close to Seamus, letting Sasha and Paige deal with the food as she knows they will. Those darned responsible eldest children they are. She sinks down beside him and giggles about the sarcasm jokes as he catches Paige’s pen and begins to write “Michael...like your uncle. I think you told me that but I forgot.” She sees his look of love and returns it after hearing his words. She could do this. Love this man and his daughter. After all she was a part of him “You would support me if something like this happened….not that biologically….you know what I mean.”
Sasha nods at Paige as he chuckles and gets out bowls and forks, working with her seamlessly to set up the meal. “Seamus, will you forgive me if I desecrate your creation with ketchup?” He snorts “I like ketchup on mac and cheese.” He glances back and catches the lovey looks between Seamus and Iris “Awww…..you guys….”
Paige begins to spoon mac and cheese into the bowls. “BBQ pork! Oh my GOD, Seamus! Your little girl is the luckiest on earth. A dad who can make mac and cheese.” she holds the spoon up defensively. “It’s not tuna melt, but you can’t have everything in a father.” she gives Sasha a look and shakes her head. “Oh leave them alone.” she chides. “They’re young and in love and about to have a baby they don’t have to potty train.”
Seamus keeps filling out the forms and then looks at Iris with a nod. “I know …” he blows out a breath. “You’d at least tell me if you got pregnant. It was months before the fog and I never heard from her. Not once. And now she’s dead? I’m going to tell myself she tried but at the same time … It seems I got her pregnant in January … probably up against that tree. The earthquake was in June … so she could have told me. Ash’s birthday is September 10th …” he blows out a breath and actually stops writing to look at Sasha. “This is not a side dish, man.” he laughs and then at Paige. “I guess. Little kids like mac and cheese … well, Olivia does .. or did.” and then he rolls his eyes at Sasha before looking at Paige. “I suppose. I know how to change a diaper tho. Ash … she’s had a hard time. I just don’t want to scare her more .. but with my family … might not be much choice.” he quips and gets back to filling in the blanks.
Iris smiles about the BBQ pork “Yum.” and laughs about the tuna melt. “Paige I suspect he can make a tuna melt if he can make this. It’s an open faced sandwich….” She chuckles at Sasha and then thinks “Was Thea done with diapers by 3? I think she at least still had pull ups at night…” She gulps a bit when Seamus says she’d at least tell him if she was pregnant. She wasn’t late technically yet. She exhales and rubs his back “She should have told you. And since I don’t want to be her I’ll just say it….and it’s ok if the aunt and uncle over there hear it….I’m not late…..but….it hasn’t happened.” She bites her lip awkwardly “Not a discussion we need to add to today. Again, not late. Shroedinger’s uterus?” She tries to joke. “I’m sure Ash will love your mac and cheese.”
Sasha starts bringing over bowls after Paige has them filled, putting a fork into each. As Iris says she’s not late he turns back to Paige with a little grimace as he heads for more to carry. That would be some timing if she’s suggesting what he thinks he hears. He exhales as he goes into the fridge and gets the ketchup “Oh man…” He has to just chuckle at it all. “We’re here for you guys no matter what’s in that….box? Sorry wrong word…”
Paige blinks at Iris’s … news. She grins and with all the food delivered, sits on Iris’s other side.... the one without Seamus on it and pats her hand to comfort her as she waits on Seamus’s reaction.
Seamus snorts. “Maybe. I know Mac and cheese … I stay in my lane as much as I can.” and then there is talk of diapers, followed by … Iris possibly being pregnant. He looks at her for a second, smiling. “We’ll see.” he drops his pen and cups her face. “I’m not gonna freak if you are …” he kisses her deeply. When he breaks it, he grins again. “Owen is having triplets plus has a son in Liam. I can’t possibly beat that.” he winks.
Iris takes strength from Paige’s hand pat. And then Seamus offers her the ultimate comfort as he reassures her he won’t freak out and kisses her. She kisses him back and rests her forehead on his after and exhales “Yeah thank god for Owen and his pending herd. And we’re probably fine. Just shitty advertising for your work at the love shop really. I’m still taking my pills assuming this is just a little scare, honestly.” She picks up her bowl and takes a bite “Mmmm!”
Sasha has to chuckle “I’m not judging you guys….at all...but Iris, you’re on the pill and he sells condoms.” He looks between them with a little eyebrow wiggle and unceremoniously dumps ketchup all over his mac and cheese.
Iris points her fork at Sasha “Do you really want to know? Really? The pill takes a month to kick in and we had a beautiful spontaneous moment one afternoon...it happens. I know you’re teasing Sasha and holy fuck that’s a lot of ketchup!”
Paige smiles. “Well I’m glad you two had a wonderful time because … they’ll be fewer before there more.” she stares at Sasha. “I think you missed one, Sasha.” she points to one corner of elbow macaroni that almost seems to be trying to breathe.
Seamus picks up his fork, then nods at Iris. “What she said. I think we’re alright because…” he considers. “Your last period started on June the 20th while we were in Vancouver … and our tryst in the woods was. … a couple of days after it ended … he 27th … so …. Yea … you weren’t ovulating then. We’re good.” he knows the dates of her period cold. He takes a bite and then his eyes grow big. “Sasha!” he grumbles around his food. “Dude you won’t taste the BBQ sauce. Or anything else .. what the actual fuck?”
Iris just about tips over at Seamus’s mental calendar of her cycle “Uh….wow. We haven’t been together that long and you’ve got all that sorted in your head? I couldn’t even tell you those dates! “ She just eats and stares at him.
Sasha mixes in the ketchup with all the stares, jibes and comments “What?” He takes a bite, chews and swallows and then makes the Italianesque finger kiss in front of his mouth about the food “Perfection. I can taste it all.” He grins at them all and then looks at Seamus “Yeah that’s some wicked mental math there about lady stuff.”
Paige gapes at Seamus. “Wow …” she turns to Sasha and teases. “Why can’t you do that?” she then rolls her eyes at his compliments. “We have the best ketchup money can buy.” she sighs deeply.
Seamus looks at Iris. “First of all, I’m good with numbers. Always have been. But…” he kisses her forehead. “I love you and have a vested interest in knowing when I MIGHT get away without wearing my raincoat … especially now that you’re on the pill. Now … any other woman? I could give a shit less. I learned the dates trick during the fog... it’s why I have no kids with Daisy … thank god for that.” he rolls his eyes at Sasha. “You know you two can stay here while Iris and I go talk to my mom and dad.” he tells them. “My guess is the first thing they are going to think is that I have knocked her up … and … but once they get past that … I can explain what happened … ugh … which will be … interesting since according to my math and Ash’s birthday … she was conceived when my Dad caught me screwing in the woods .. the day we found out my grandfather died.” he shakes his head and gets back to eating. He was going to need his strength.
Iris nods about Seamus’s math skills and then can’t help but grin about what’s he’s saying about her, them, the pill and no raincoat. Then she shudders about Daisy “Thank god indeed. I’d have wacked her with a whole volume of encyclopedias by now if you two were that intertwined.” Then he explains the Sam to Ash math and she just laughs “That’s more layers than Sasha’s ketchup monstrosity.” She eats her supper too. It could be a long night.
Sasha looks mock offended by Paige’s challenge “I’ll put a period app on my phone for you. I’m terrible with remembering dates. Honestly I had one of those for an ex who had it so bad with hers she didn't even want to see me that week. Like my very existence annoyed her….what could I do but stay out of her face right?” He looks at Seamus with sympathy “It sounds like a shitty conversation...we can be on call too if you want...but maybe less is better. Good luck. My monstrosity is delicious Iris.”
Paige grins at Seamus’s reasoning about why he already knows Iris’s periods so well. “I think it’s sweet, but … I’ve heard of this Daisy and .. yea … I’m glad you don’t have kids with her. She sounds like a nightmare.” then she winces at the other and has to agree with Sasha. “We’ll be on call, how’s that? Maybe once they realize you’ll have moral support with your girlfriend it’ll go down better?” she gets back to eating.
Seamus snorts. “Well my sister told me not to stick my dick in crazy, and when she found out I had, she told me to just not knock it up. And I haven’t.” he just rolls his eyes at Sasha regarding the monstrosity, but smiles at him and Paige. “I appreciate it guys and … honestly … Iris I think is going to be a big help. She makes me look responsible .. which I hope will help them not think about me getting a girl pregnant at 13 years old.” he sighs and finishes his meal.
“God I love Fiona more each day.” Iris takes the last bite of her mac and cheese and then stands as she chews and swallows and beams down at Seamus “I make you look responsible? Hmmm…..well good. Must be my nice librarian facade.” She looks to see if anyone else is done and she can offer to take more bowls to the kitchen. She reaches for Seamus’s “May I?”
Sasha nods “Always good advice.” He snorts and goes to the kitchen to take seconds “Don’t put that ketchup away.” He smiles over at Paige “That’s what I was thinking...and Iris you are responsible.”
Paige grins. “Your sister sounds like a wise woman.” she grins and hands the bowl to Iris. “Just soak them. I can get them later.” she knows that they might be eager to get the talk with Seamus’s parents over with.
Seamus hands Iris his bowl. “Thanks … all of you. And .. yea .. in hindsight .. my sister is pretty smart. Just .. don’t tell her I said that .. she probably wouldn’t believe you.” he chuckles and takes a deep breath. He looks the paperwork over and fills out the last few sections … and finally .. signs in three places.
Iris plunks the ketchup down vehemently in front of Sasha with a giggle and then comes back from ferrying bowls to the kitchen “Thanks Paige.” She sees Seamus appear to be signing and watches him before offering him a hand up if he wishes to take it. “I won’t tell her.” She says with a smile. “Shall we?”
Sasha takes the ketchup and once again drowns his food “No problem Seamus. Our thoughts go with you. Thanks for dinner. Next meal’s my treat, poutine.”
Paige passes her sister and gives her a light encouraging touch. She looks at Sasha. “Hold the ketchup?” she snarks with a grin.
Seamus takes Iris’s hand and stands, talking the papers and putting them back in their envelope. “Yea. I’m ready.” he looks at Sasha. “Deal … just no announcements of your fatherhood. Your mother is on the fence enough with me .. oh Jesus … never mind … once she finds out about Ash she’ll be buying you a chastity belt.” he heads for the door. “Night guys.”
Iris laughs as Seamus’s predictions and can hear Sasha in mock shock and then laughing with Paige as the door closes “Night.” She calls out and then is down the stairs and out the door with Seamus, taking his hand if she can to offer her love and strength for what he has to do next. In no time they’re at the edge of the Reinhardt house. She’s slipped on a grey cardigan and a pair of black ballet flats.
John Reinhardt is out in the garage varnishing his old boat. He looks up as he sees two figures approach and then smiles when he sees it’s Seamus and Iris “You exist outside of her apartment! I’ll call off the search.” He teases. “Hello Iris. How ya doing tonight? Hey Seamus thanks for the grub. That was a good one.” He’s wearing an old paint stained blue t shirt and some ratty old cut off faded jeans shorts with a pair of black rubber sandals.
Seamus holds her hand the whole way back to his house. He does need her strength. He sees his father and snorts. “You didn’t lo jack me?” he asks, unable to keep the cheek at bay. Then he squeezes Iris’s hand. “Your welcome. My pleasure.” he pauses and licks his lips. “Um … is Mom around? I need to talk to you guys about something.” he decides to di this the way Iris likes... no beating around the bush.
Colleen Reinhardt was putting the last of their dishes in the dishwasher. Logan and Kurt ere in their place for the night and she was half hoping to distract John from working on his boat with an empty house. Then she hears John, followed by Seamus’s voice and comes out. “Hey .. oh hi Iris.” she greets Iris. “I thought you’d be home late … or not at all.” she teases. She hears Seamus’s last and her smile fades. “Um …. OK … in the house…” but she looks wary. She’s dressed in a blue jean skirt and tank top with a bra underneath.
Iris had smiled politely at John “I’m good John. How are you? Great boat….” She grins at the banter and then Seamus gets right into it and Colleen comes out and looks wary and says in the house “Hi Colleen.” She now says a little awkwardly. God they were going to totally think she was knocked up with this set up. She would follow Seamus’s lead about going in when he did.
John had chuckled and then Seamus said he needed to talk to he and Colleen, with Iris? John suppressed a groan and looked at his wife. What now? He capped his vanish and tapped down the lid and then took his brush to rinse at the utility sink before washing his hands, stepping out of his rubber sandals and heading inside. He saw the light on the coffee pot and a full carafe. Was this a coffee chat or an Irish Coffee chat? He took out 4 mugs “Coffee?” He offered,
Seamus realizes immediately what it looks like. He goes in the house and stands beside his father, reaching up into the cabinet, opening it and taking out the Irish Whiskey. “Yea, coffee sounds great.” he sets the Irish Whiskey on the kitchen island. “Well, first of all, let me assure you. Iris isn’t pregnant.” he looks between his parents. “So get that out of your heads before it can get all comfortable.” he looks around trying to figure out where the best place as for this conversation.
Colleen reenters the house and watches Seamus take out the Irish whiskey. She blows out a breath, but then Seamus puts her greatest fear to rest by telling them that Iris is not pregnant. “Alright … then what IS going on, Seamus. You’re pulling out the Irish whiskey already, so it’s got to be something big.” Then her eyes widen. “Not Daisy!? Oh god, Daisy isn’t pregnant is she?” she looks ready to panic and then maybe kill someone.
Iris says yes to coffee as Seamus pulls Irish Whiskey out of the cupboard. She gulps. Seamus! In her mind she’s shouting his name. But before she can really do ti he does at least tell them she’s not pregnant and after his dizzying period math lesson earlier she actually believes it as well. Then his mom immediately asks about Daisy and she laugh coughs and can’t help but answer “No Daisy is not pregnant. Or I’d be drunk already.” She’s revealing she shares his mother’s feelings on Daisy but then goes quiet. This was Seamus’s deal and she was his support person.
John pours the coffee and slowly nods. Not Iris. OK. He spills a bit when Colleen says not Daisy and wipes it up. Colleen has that terrifying look on her face about the idea of Daisy. But then Iris confirms, it’s not in an amusing way. He pours 4 coffee and without asking for who wants what he just automatically spikes them all with whiskey and passes them out. “Seamus, out with it.”
Colleen was staring at Seamus when Iris comments on how it is not that Daisy is pregnant either and she laughs at the quip. She takes the coffee and holds it, bracing herself. When John speaks, she nods.
Seamus takes his coffee and sips. Out with it. Alright. “Fine. You remember Sam Coffee? Well it turns out she left town pregnant with my kid. She and her parents all died of Covid-19 last month and I was ordered to take a paternity test. Now that I have and they know the baby is mine, I’ve filled out the paperwork to take custody of her. Her name is Ash Reinhardt and she’’ll be three on September 10th.” he drops the envelopes onto the island and takes another sip of his coffee and then waits for … whatever is next.
Iris watches Seamus’s parents and then him telling it all at their insistence. After he says it all she moves closer to him and reaches for his free hand. She also takes a little sip of her coffee. Ironic that they’re drinking coffee when the mother’s name was Sam Coffee. But all that really matters is Seamus and little Ash.
John had started to sip when Seamus began with remember Sam Coffee? He sputtered a bit. He remembered. Then he stared over his cup at the news she was pregnant when she left town. Paternity test? Custody? Ash Reinhardt? Three years old?” He takes the envelope and pulls out the documents, reads them and then hands them to Colleen “Jesus Fucking Christ.” He deadpans and then points at Seamus “There should have been fucking bananas.” He sighs after his initial reaction “This Ash….they all died. You’re it for her?” Now he sips but he’s pained. Not mad.
Colleen sins her coffee and then couches, choking on it. She stares at her son and, when the paperwork comes to her, she reads it over, noting that Seamus had signed and dated them all today. She looks at John when he mentions bananas and sighs, then means over the counter and drops her head in her hands. John asks if Seamus is it for this little girl … her grandchild. Then she looks up again, this time at Iris. She came with him to tell them this? That her boyfriend had a child with another woman and she was standing by his side? “Alright …” she blows out a breath and drinks deeply of her coffee.
Seamus takes Iris’s hand and bites his lip when his father swears and then mentions bananas. He scoffs then. “Yea Dad … I remember the whole conversation … believe me. I was irresponsible .. but that isn’t Ash’s fault. And yea … I’m her only living relative, but according to the social worker I’m the first option anyway since I’m the father.” he pauses and takes in a deep breath. “I have a job … and I can probably move out if I have to .. but I’d honestly rather start her out here, because the social worker told me … there's some issues .. like her parents made her give Ash my name to remind Sam of her sins .. and that Ash never even called Sam Mom .. and no one Dad .. they think Ash didn’t know who her mother was. And . something about punishment in a closet. Apparently they were coming close to taking her away anyway when Covid hit and the whole system slowed to a crawl …” he drinks more coffee and lets that all sink in.
John gulps as Seamus reacts to his reaction about Sam. When he starts talking about what this kid, his kid, has been through none of that stuff matters anymore. “I’m sorry they all died….but what the fuck was wrong with that family? Naming her to rub it in Sam’s face but denying the kid a parent….did you say closet? Yeah you have to take her...we have to. How did she not get Covid is what I’m wondering.” He looks between Seamus and Iris “You didn’t run screaming from this? That’s a good sign.”
Iris had heard most of it but not the closet thing and she closed her eyes and shook her head wanting to just go scoop this child up now and get her to love and safety. She opens her eyes and sees Colleen look up at her then hears John react to the Coffee family and nods. Then he addresses her not running streaming “No I didn’t and I won’t. I love Seamus deeply.” She squeezes his hand and looks between both his parents “And I’ll love any child that’s an extension of him and help him face this.”
Colleen straightens up as Seamus lays out that little girl's life. Ash. She nods along with John. “And that’s not all, John. All of that was back in January. So she knew before …” she doesn’t know if Iris knows about the fog. “She could have contacted him before the baby was born. What the fuck did she wait for, Seamus?” she demands and then looks at Iris and her hand in Seamus’s. And then she breaks down crying. “I’m sorry. Just … Seamus … in love .. in love. Just …” she can’t go on for a minute.
Seamus blows out a breath. “I don’t know. I never met her parents. I didn’t even know she was religious. But thanks. I mean .. I don’t know how but she DID have it, but it must have been mild. When they tested her she has antibodies, like I do.” he looks at Iris with a small smile. “I love her, too.” and then his mother goes off a bit and then starts crying. He moves to her and takes her in his arms. “Yea, Mom. I know. I know.” and he just holds her.
John rubs Colleen’s back from beside her while Seamus hugs her and looks at Iris “Been a long time coming for him...and for us watching him. Basically, we’re glad you’re here Iris. And we’ll welcome Ash too Seamus. We’ll figure it out.”
Iris nods about Sam’s waiting. “She also could have said something in March was it? Of this year? Yeah I know about the fog so I won’t hold Sam and her parents accountable for the three years they couldn’t….maybe they tried even?” She gets a little teary eyed at Colleen’s words and then she and Seamus hugging. It’s sharing the emotion and also relief. When Colleen left the clinic exam room upset she had actually thought she had offended the woman somehow. But it was this. She smiles at Colleen through her own tears and then John “Been a long time coming for me too. Seamus and I are a lot alike.” She admits “And I agree about Ash. Whatever it takes Seamus. We can do it.”
Seamus held his mother for a bit. He knew his parents had worried about him. It was possible that they didn’t completely understand his complexity. They knew he wasn’t a ‘dumb jock’ and surely they got that the girls that had seemed attracted to him hadn’t had a mental capacity to keep him interested while he was dressed. He gives his mother one more reassuring hug and moves back to Iris. “Well, I’ve heard a lot of people that weren’t here got angry because … let’s face it … from their perspective everyone on this island ghosted everyone not on this island for damn near three years. So I’m not so annoyed that she didn’t try and find me in March, but when she found out she was pregnant …” he sighs and looks at his parents. “Joey Piccolo told me he’d been with her too. Remember that fight .. on Fiona’s birthday? That's what that was about.” he snorts. “I guess she guessed or figured it out and that’s why Ash is a Reinhardt and not a Piccolo? Fuck if I know. I’m just glad she’s going to be away from all of that.” he looks at Iris and moves to drink a bit more of his spiked coffee when she says they have a lot in common. “Baby, don’t tell them that. I really don’t need them stroking out on me right now.” he drinks again to cover his grin.
Colleen moves back to John when Seamus releases her. He was her youngest and in many ways the most complex of all of her kids, needing more attention than the others. For the longest time, she’d been terribly worried about him. Not so much now. He had a woman in his life that had been able to match him in life and loved him enough to take on a surprise child of his. But she scoffs at Ash’s mother. “So she was with that boy too. That would have made Ash another half sibling to Blaze and Olivia. Which would put you right back into Daisy’s life.” her compassion for the teenage mother had cooled a bit. More because she believed she was completely wrong for her son. Then she looked at Seamus and Iris together, sniffed and pulled herself together. “Well, you two make each other happy. I worried for Seamus as much as I worried about Michael … John’s brother. I’m sure you’ve met him. If not you will. Given Ash’s life I think it will be a bit different to how Liam was introduced to everyone, No need to overwhelm the girl.” she blows out a breath. “And we’ll have to get a room prepared for her…” she looks at Iris. “What do you think? We know she’s a girl and all … but not all girls love pink. Fiona didn’t.”
John raised a brow “You know about the fog. Well that makes things easier.” He nodded about the fight and about Joey and Daisy. Daisy had a crappy deal but he had watched Seamus get in his opinion a little used by her and he could tell it was imbalanced. Now he watched Iris giving more support to his son than many people could even handle. “Stroke out? Nah like Colleen said we watched Uncle Mike do crazy shit before you Shay. If Iris gets it, well then all the better.” He looks at Colleen “Yeah no big parties...a few at a time.”
Iris listened to Seamus and then Colleen about Joey Piccolo and Daisy. She didn’t have to know the guy to know what kind of ass he was. She’d heard enough. “I’m glad she’s yours Seamus.” She saw his smirk in his eyes after the stroke out comment and gave him a little elbow “I’m not offering details.” She jokes and then John chimes in. “I did meet your brother on my accidental Reinhardt whirlwind tour. And yes a few at a time. There’s a lot of you.” She smiles and then thinks on Colleen’s question. “Well it’s hard to say because we haven’t met her. But the closet thing... god I can’t shake that from my head. I think we should make sure all her spaces feel open and safe. Maybe like sky blue with clouds so she can daydream about outside? I can help paint even. My father is a disaster at any kind of home repairs or renos so Paige and I are self taught. I’m more the painter and she’s the curtain and picture hanging expert.”
Seamus gives a melodramatic sigh. “I never got to undo Uncle Mikey in reckless behavior. Ah well. I’ll have to beat him in academics.” he grins and looks at Iris. “Ironically I was named partially after Mike. My middle name.” He listens to the ideas. “That sounds nice. I’m no artist. Maybe Fiona can help too? No idea how many people would be needed.” he reaches for the forms he filled out. “I’m going to mail these out in the morning … maybe fax a copy too. That might speed things up a little bit. Ash is in foster care in Toronto right now.”
Colleen snorts at the comparison between Mike and Seamus. “He also seems to have a bit of Jude in him.” then she sighs. “Yea … I guess the best thing is she’s getting out young. She might not even remember this period in her life.” she beams at Iris. “That’s a wonderful idea! And yes, she might like that a lot.” she listens to the disaster Iris’s father is and looks at her husband. “Speaking of Dr Page …” she begins. “You never picked up your new glasses I’m assuming .. because I haven't seen them on your face.” she arches her brows.
“Academics is a wiser thing to compete on than recklessness.” Iris muses and then nods “I know. Oh you sophisticated humans with your middle names.” She jokes not having one of her own. Then she thinks “Ash is just Ash? No middle name? I mean you could give her one later in life from your family names? Painting is like a day, maybe two since we should let the base coat dry before doing clouds.” She sighs “I hope the foster parents are kind to her.” Then she smiles broadly at Colleen about her enthusiasm regarding the sky and clouds and laughs about the glasses conversation as she makes a point of adjusting her own “You could do contacts if you can’t stand the idea. I wore them for a few years but glasses is just less fussing.”
John gulps “Well uh…..work’s been….you know...I’ve had stuff going on..” He stammers. He had in truth been completely avoiding his glasses pick up. “You didn’t get a middle name Iris?” He looks surprised “John Killian Reinhardt. Like Ireland and Germany just upchucked right in the middle there. And yeah I hope they’re nice. I don’t know if I love the name Ash...I mean no offence to the kid or to Sam if she chose it. But if you’re going to….Jesus Fucking Christ was it an ash tree?” He gives Seamus a hard stare now and then finishes with a chuckle.
Colleen gives her husband a look. “So now we begin Round Two … making John pick up the glasses.” she blinks when John suggests the baby was … “Oh Seamus. Tell me that isn’t true.” she nearly begs of her youngest.
Seamus chuckles at his dad blowing off glasses. And he looks at him now. “Where does Seamus come from? I never looked it up and we don’t have a relative named Seamus, do we?” Then he sighs when his father and mother guess the origin of Ash’s name. “Honestly? Probably? There quite a few Ash trees scattered around in the Forest.” he rubs his temple. “And .. fuck … I don’t want to have to explain that. Why am I named Ash Daddy? Because thats the tree I … fuck no … Can I legally change her name? I mean I’m her father, right?” he pinches the bridge of his nose.
John shakes his head “It was totally a fucking ash tree. You have to change that kid’s name. After everything else….I think a name change will be the least amount of damage. And Seamus is Irish for James…” He head juts at Colleen “Your grandfather on the Murphy side.” He takes a long sip of his spiked coffee.
Iris has to work not to giggle at the child being named after the type of tree she was conceived against. Finally she sighs and nods “Yeah that’s just too awkward. What would you name a daughter, Seamus, if you could have decided from when she was born?” She smiles about the origin of his name at John and Colleen.
Seamus grins about the origin of his name. “I bet you told me that and it totally got lost in my brain as a kid.” then he nods. His father would probably remember it better than Seamus did … but he pushes that out of his mind. He looks at Iris, then around at his parents and then down a bit. “Probably after the strongest women I knew at the time … so I’d be one of those parents who give a kid three fucking names.” he shrugs partly shyly and partly self consciously. “Kaitlin Colleen Fiona Reinhardt.”
Colleen laughs. “Yes … you guys only caught about half of anything we said to you as children.” then Seamus answer Iris’s question about names and turns her head into John’s side, her shoulders shaking.
John gives Seamus a wry smile and then looks touched by his name choices, very touched. He feels Colleen’s head and her shoulder’s shaking and hugs her while talking to Seamus “You’re battin two for two here kid…….” He kisses the top of Colleen’s head “It is true.”
Iris gives Seamus’s arm a little squeeze “That’s an awesome name. Powerful women guiding your girl. I love it.” she smiles a little tearfully at his mom’s reaction, understanding how it would affect her.
Seamus shrugs. “It is true mom. I mean .. Gran Kaitlin had to deal with Heinrich. And I know Dad wasn’t always easy for you to deal with. And … shit Fiona. Just don’t tell her that. Tell her I just tacked her on to kiss her ass.”
Colleen holds onto John tightly. Then she gets herself together and looks at Seamus. “I am honored, but maybe save Fiona for your next daughter?” she likes to think there will be more grandkids from all of her children. “Leave something for Owen.” she giggles. “He could have a daughter … or more than one.”
John nods with Seamus about Heinrich with a small inhale and swallow and then he rubs Colleen’s back at the next “It’s true.” Then he laughs, hard “Oh Seamus.” His eyes twinkle at Colleen “Any three of them could be a daughter, or all…”
Iris laughs about what Seamus says about Fiona and then freezes momentarily about Colleen saying his next daughter. That could be theirs together. But it’s not an awful thought at all, just a pause in her mind to make space for it. Then she snaps back when they talk about Owen’s children and the name Fiona. A fleeting thought tumbles through Iris’s head. Would she and her sister be in competition for the name Audrey someday for future children? She’s lost in thought but she’s heard it all, her expression is far away regardless.
Seamus grins. “Fine I won’t steal all the baby names away from my siblings.” he rolls his eyes, like the youngest child he is. “Man, I should probably tell the siblings, huh? Especially Owen. Turns out .. it was me after all.” he knew that everyone in his family had expected that, if any of the kids had a baby in their teens that it would be him. But it had been a shock when they thought it was Owen. He kills the last of his coffee with a chuckle.
Colleen looks at Seamus. “Yes, it was you, after all.” she knows what he means. “And I’m still sorry for the way I treated you when you boys were trying to tell me about Owen and Slaine.” she blows out a breath. “You were my most challenging child.”
Now John can laugh about it. He’s processed the shock. He finally was over the demand for bananas. “Jesus Seamus, it’s go big or go home with you. You may have been first but Owen with triplets….” He just laughs and then nods along with Colleen “Yeah gave us a run fro it that’s for sure.” He reaches over to shake Seamus’s shoulder if he can grab it “But guess what sucker….now it’s your turn.” John just looks amused by the idea now. Payback.
Iris can’t help but laugh and feel a bit sorry for Seamus. His parents were delightful and brutally and delightfully honest. Her father was too so she got it. “Most challenging child huh? I don’t know which one of us my Dad would say that about. I’m thinking Thea because she needs a lot but Aislin’s a really headstrong personality so that’ll be a fun show to watch through her teens I’m sure. And I’m really curious to see what Kaitlin Colleen will be like. Nature vs nurture right?”
Seamus points to his father. “I cannot and, no offence to him, will not try and beat him in babies. Not three at once. I’d have started the heavy drinking by now.” he teases. “One .. I can probably even handle twins … but triplets AND a toddler? I’m not that good and I know it. Owen … that’s his people … babies.” the teasing never stops, even when Owen isn’t even there. Then his father continues and he groans. “Yea … but … surely MY daughter won’t be like … Fiona.” he looks genuinely worried for a second and then Iris speaks. “Hey Thea is a great kid, especially given everything. I probably would also have buried family heirlooms just to get some questions answered. And Aislin .. well she is,” he makes sir quotes. “Literally dying.” he drops his hands. “So she’ll be long gone by the time those teen aged years really kick in.”
Colleen smiles at them both. “Another Kaitlin … what if we shorten it now to Katie? Not that anyone is going to confuse one with the other.” she looks at Seamus. “And YOU got to avoid the diaper and three am feeding time.” she snorts. “But I admit … you seem to be a natural father. I’ve been impressed … and should have told you a long time ago.”
Iris laughs, especially about her sisters, and nods “She’s literally died many times and yet she perseveres.” She listens to Colleen “I like the name Katie. And yeah he’s good with kids from what I’ve seen of Olivia and Thea.” She gives Seamus a loving look.
John just downs his coffee and pours some more and then holds up the pot in one hand and the whiskey in another “Katie’s good, especially for a kid. You know the song right? Oh now we have to call her this so I can sing it “K K K Katie….beautiful Katie. You’re the only kinda girl that I adore. When the M Moon shines over the cow shit….I'll be waiting at the K Kitchen door.”
Iris holds up her cup “Isn’t it cow SHED?”
John snorts “Not when I sing it. Anyone else?”
Seamus laughs. “Yea … I think she’ll be fine.” and then he shrugs about how he is with Olivia and Thea. He laughs at the song and then nods. “Swearing is just … a Reinhardt … thing. I like Dad’s version. And I’d be glad to have him sing it .. because he will if for no other reason to embarrass me … or Fiona … or Owen .. or Logan.” he laughs and holds out his cup. “Coffee yes. Whiskey no. This seems to have gone a little better than getting you to sign my consent to work at the Love Shack.”
Colleen giggles at the song. “No one else but you, John.” she looks at Seamus. “That is only the beginning of the embarrassing. The spoiling. Watching you go through what he did with your own kids. It’s going to be beautiful.” and then she grins. “More coffee for me, please … and it was just a bit of a shock you wanting to work there. But you’re doing well. Megan even told me.” she praises him.
Iris had taken the whiskey in hers and was drinking with John, offering a toast. “Swearing, that’s why this family amuses me. We keep it a little cleaner for Thea, which is ironic since she’s a pirate really.”
John grins and toasts Iris “Well then you best teach her to curse properly.” He turns to Colleen and then looks at Seamus “Oh yes I fully plan for us to be the most obnoxious assed grandparents you kids have ever seen. I’ve been fuckin biding my time.” He pours for his wife, coffee and whiskey. “Yep, what Mom said.”
Seamus groans a bit. They would do it too. And now he couldn’t even laugh as Owen went through it. He looks at Iris. “I’d be more than happy to help Thea with her pirate vocabulary.” he offers, “Even though I am more Star Warsing it. I think Sasha is more a genuine pirate than I am. Don’t tell her because she’ll make me walk the plank and … yea … “ he looks at his parents. “Thanks … I really love the job.”
Colleen sips her drink and rests her head on John. “They even look it, don’t they…” she smiles up at him, just allowing herself to see Iris and Seamus interact .. it's like she can see the love .. like she could with Logan and Kurt, Fiona and Vincent, and Owen and Slaine. She sips again, before the tears again fall.
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