The Greenest Isle Read online

  “Yes, I do work from home. And thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

  “Your blog makes me want to visit Boston.”

  Siobhán lightly thwacked Sorcha’s arm. “I’ve been begging you to visit for years and you haven’t come!”

  “No beating up on the driver!” Sorcha teased before her tone turned more serious. “And I know. I should have visited. I just got so wrapped up in life and ...” Sorcha sighed. “But that’s a terrible excuse.”

  As Sorcha merged onto the M50—the large motorway around Dublin—Annie was momentarily disoriented. The last time she was in Ireland, it had taken her brain a little while to adjust to being on the other side of the road. She couldn’t blame Siobhán for asking Sorcha to drive them to the hospital. She tried to remember if the area between Dublin airport and city centre had been so developed the last time she was there. It seemed far more built up than when she’d been there in 2001, but that made sense of course. Time had seemed slower in Ireland. Dublin felt less frantic than Boston. But progress—if you could call it that—was relentless everywhere.

  “It’s a good job you landed when you did. Any earlier in the morning and you’d have hit rush hour. The M50 resembles a parking lot rather than a motorway at that time of day,” Sorcha said.

  Annie stared out the window, drinking in the sights as Siobhán and Sorcha talked. She must have dozed or been lulled into a stupor, but the time passed quickly, and before Annie knew it, Sorcha slowed to a stop in front of a modern-looking hospital.

  Sorcha parked the car and turned to look back at Annie. “I’ll take your luggage back to my flat. If you need me to pick you up, just let me know—Siobhán has my number.”

  “Thank you.”

  Siobhán leaned over and hugged Sorcha. “Seriously, thank you for taking the day off work. I appreciate it. I couldn’t have handled the drive right now in the state I’m in.”

  Sorcha waved off the praise. “Of course. I told them it was a family emergency. It’s close enough to the truth.”

  ***

  Siobhán slipped her hand into Annie’s as they approached the reception desk in the lobby. Annie squeezed it, hoping it would give Siobhán whatever reassurance she needed.

  “I’m here to visit my father,” Siobhán said quietly. “Sean Patrick Murray?”

  The woman at the desk typed the name into her computer. “Yes. I see he was brought in day before yesterday.”

  “I’ve been living in Boston.” Siobhán sounded apologetic. “I got here as soon as I could.”

  The woman gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, of course.”

  “I’d like to see him now if it’s possible.”

  “Visiting hours don’t begin until 2 p.m. but given the circumstances, the nurse in charge will likely make an exception. He’s in the intensive care unit. Are you familiar with the hospital?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  The directions the woman gave them were clear enough, and a short while later, they found themselves in front of another desk. Siobhán explained the situation again. The woman at that desk responded, “The nurse in charge of his care is with another patient now. I’ll let her know you’re here, if you can wait a moment.”

  “Of course.” Siobhán gave her a tense smile. She drummed her nails on the desk while they waited until Annie covered Siobhán’s hand with her own.

  “Sorry,” Siobhán murmured.

  “It’s okay. I know this is tough,” Annie said softly.

  “It’s just—” Her words were cut off by the woman’s return.

  “Your father’s nurse will be with you shortly.”

  “Thank you.” Siobhán stepped back, pacing a little as they waited. Annie couldn’t imagine what it felt like for Siobhán right now. She’d never been in a situation that was even remotely similar. Her parents were healthy, and the only family members she’d had in the hospital were her grandparents, but she’d been a teenager at the time. What could she say to reassure Siobhán that everything would be fine? There was no guaranteeing it would be fine.

  A woman approached. “You’re here to see Mr. Murray?”

  Siobhán stepped forward. “Yes, I’m his daughter Siobhán. I’ve just flown in from Boston.”

  “I’m his nurse Caitlyn. I’ve been taking care of your father since he arrived. I can take you to his room now, if you’d like.”

  “Please.” Siobhán gave the nurse a tight smile. “May my partner come?”

  Caitlyn glanced over at Annie. “Yes, for a few minutes. If you both come this way, I’ll show you to his room.”

  “How is he?” Siobhán asked as they walked down the hallway. She reached out to take Annie’s hand again.

  “He’s stable. It was a serious heart attack, and he had bypass surgery. He’ll need to make some lifestyle changes, and he’ll be weak for a good long while. But with proper rest and rehabilitation, he should make a full recovery. His doctor will be running some more tests today, and after the results are back, he’ll be able to update you more thoroughly on what the prognosis is.”

  “Thank you.” Siobhán gripped Annie’s hand tightly as they approached the door. Annie squeezed it reassuringly, trying to offer Siobhán some strength.

  “You can go right in,” Caitlyn instructed. “And if you need anything, just press the call button.”

  Siobhán thanked her again, but she hesitated in front of the door.

  “Are you okay?” Annie asked quietly.

  Siobhán shook her head. “No. I don’t know what to expect. I don’t even know if he wants me here.”

  Annie squeezed her hand again, then let go. “I know. But I’m afraid there’s only one way to find out.”

  “You’re right, of course.” Siobhán took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, then pushed open the door. Annie followed her inside. The room looked similar to hospital rooms in the US, though she’d never been in an intensive care room before. There seemed to be a lot of medical equipment. Her gaze drifted to the bed as Siobhán stopped in her tracks a few feet from it.

  From the pictures Annie had seen, Sean Patrick Murray was tall. Lying in a hospital bed asleep, he looked smaller. His hair was mostly silver and his hairline had receded, but even ill, he was a handsome man.

  Siobhán walked over to the bed. It was only then that Annie noticed there were no chairs for visitors. That was different than what she was used to. Siobhán stood there a moment, watching her father sleep. He was hooked up to the myriad of machines to monitor his vitals, and Annie assumed the tube in his nose gave him oxygen.

  “Da?” Siobhán’s voice cracked. She rested her hand on her father’s. He blinked slowly, seeming to come out from a very deep sleep.

  “Aileen?” He sounded hoarse as he squinted at her. It made the lines around his eyes deepen.

  “No it’s me. Siobhán.”

  His expression fell for a moment, but he studied her face intently. “It can’t be. You’re in Boston.”

  She shook her head. “No, Mrs. O’Connor called yesterday to tell me you were in hospital. After she explained what happened, I flew to Dublin. With Annie.”

  “Annie?” He turned piercing blue eyes on Annie and examined her critically. Annie fought the urge to fidget. Despite the freshening up she’d attempted to do in the airport bathroom, she knew she looked like a mess right now. Ahh, well, there was nothing she could do about it now.

  “Annie’s my girlfriend, Da. We met a year and a half ago, and we’re living together.”

  His gaze was accusing as he looked at his daughter. “You didn’t tell me you’d met someone.”

  Ouch. It stung that in all the time they’d been together, Siobhán hadn’t told her father about Annie. But Annie tried to remind herself that Patrick and Siobhán’s relationship was strained at best. What did she expect?

  “I love her, Da,” Siobhán said quietly.

  “Come here then,” he gestured weakly toward Annie, but his voice was still commanding. “Let me have a look at you.”

  Annie stepped forward. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Murray.”

  He reached out a hand, and she took it. His fingers were cool, but there was more strength in his grip than she’d have expected. “Call me Patrick. Mr. Murray was me da’s name.”

  “Patrick,” she said. “I’m Annie Slocum.”

  His gaze narrowed. “English name, but you’re from Boston, I take it? You sound like it anyway.”

  She nodded. “Yes. I’ve lived in that area my whole life.”

  “That’s good, so.” He looked away, and Annie had the sensation that she’d been dismissed. Annie walked over to the window, leaving Siobhán and her father to catch up.

  “How are you feeling, Da?” Siobhán asked.

  “Tired. Annoyed by all the fuss.”

  “Mrs. O’Connor told me you had a heart attack. And the nurse said it was serious.”

  “Well, I’m not dead.”

  Annie glanced over to see Siobhán give her father a tremulous smile. “I’m glad of that. What did they tell you about the prognosis?”

  “I don’t know. The doctor was spouting some gibberish. You’ll have to ask him. Maybe you’ll understand him better than I did.”

  “I did speak with the nurse. She said you’re going to need to make some lifestyle changes.” Patrick let out an annoyed-sounding “hurrumph”. “And that your recovery will be slow. But Annie and I will help you with that.”

  “How long are you here?” Patrick asked.

  Siobhán blinked at him. “Well, as long as you need.”

  “What about your job?”

  “Well, my art gives me the flexibility to be away for a little while.”

  “It’s going well then?”

  Siobhán shrugged. “It has its ups and downs. It’s been a little while since I’ve painted anything new, but what I have done is still selling at the gallery, so that’s something.” That was glossing over the situation, but Annie supposed this wasn’t the time to dig into it.

  “What about Annie? Surely she has a job she has to get home to?” Patrick glanced over at her.

  “Annie runs a travel website for Boston,” Siobhán explained. “She brought her laptop and can work from anywhere.”

  “Hmm.” Patrick sounded unconvinced. Or at least unimpressed.

  “We’re staying with Sorcha for now. She’s living in Dún Laoghaire.”

  “Sorcha Kennedy? Or whatever her married name was—I can’t remember.”

  “Yes.”

  “Didn’t know you were still in touch. She was a nice girl though. How’s she and that husband of hers?”

  “They’re divorced, unfortunately. He turned out to be a cheating bastard. She found out shortly after the wedding and kicked him to the curb.”

  Patrick grunted. “Never did like him.”

  “Sorcha’s doing well though. She’s working for a law office in the city centre.”

  “No wonder she can afford to live in Dún Laoghaire. Rent’s terrible now.”

  “So I hear.”

  Annie smiled to herself. The last time she’d been in Ireland, the talk had all been about the weather. Now, it seemed to be about the price of housing in Dublin.

  There was a quiet knock on the door before a man in scrubs walked into the room, pushing a wheelchair. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to take Mr. Murray for some tests.”

  Siobhán leaned in. “Da? Annie and I’ll go to Sorcha’s place and shower, freshen up, and have a bite to eat. After you’re done with your tests and you’ve had a bit of a lie-in, we’ll be back.”

  “I feel like all I’ve done is lie-in,” he grumbled.

  “Yes, well, you need it.” Siobhán leaned in, hesitated for a second, and then pressed a kissed to his whiskery cheek. “Take care of yourself.”

  “You’ll be back?” He sounded fearful all of a sudden.

  “Of course, I will. Annie and I will stay until you’re well. I promise.”

  “Thank you.” Patrick gripped Siobhán’s hand tightly. Tight enough that even from a few feet away, Annie could see his knuckles turn white.

  “Love you, Da.” Siobhán pressed another kiss to his cheek.

  “You too, Siobhán,” he said gruffly.

  After they let go, Annie escorted Siobhán from the room. She seemed dazed as they took the elevator to the ground floor. It wasn’t until they were out of the hospital that Siobhán’s eyes welled up with tears. She flung her arms around Annie and buried her head against her hair. Annie pulled her close, holding her until the sobbing stopped.

  Annie could imagine the myriad of emotions coursing through Siobhán right now. Relief that her father had survived the heart attack. Guilt at not being there when it happened. Not to mention the slew of conflicting feelings given the current state of their relationship.

  “C’mon,” Annie said softly. “Let’s go to Sorcha’s and take a shower and relax. We’ll come back this evening.”

  “Okay,” Siobhán agreed as she wiped her eyes. She was more subdued than usual, and Annie squeezed her hand in reassurance. There was so little else she could do.

  Chapter Three

  Siobhán texted Sorcha to tell her they’d be taking the train from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire. Sorcha said she’d be happy to pick them up, but Annie and Siobhán agreed it was ridiculous to ask her to make another trip.

  They walked to the nearby Dean Swift Bridge rail station and purchased LEAP cards that they could refill as needed. The DART train ran every twenty minutes or so, and the weather was pleasant, so it wasn’t a terrible wait. Annie spent the time on the train staring out the window and trying to stay awake. She kept Siobhán’s hand tucked into her own, but Siobhán was quiet, seemingly lost in thought. The train took them straight to Dún Laoghaire where they picked up a bus. From the bus stop, it was a short walk to Sorcha’s place. The building was modern and made an interesting contrast to the older architecture nearby. Annie was looking forward to checking out the area when she had time. Sorcha buzzed them in through the exterior door, and they walked up the stairs to the third floor.

  “How’s your da?” Sorcha asked the moment she opened the door to her apartment.

  Siobhán’s smile was wan as she stepped inside. “Not great. According to the nurse, he’s had bypass surgery and he’s stable, but they’re going to keep monitoring him for a while. He’s gone for tests this afternoon, and we’ll go back after. We probably could have stayed or found something to do in the city centre but ...”

  “No, I’m glad you came here. Let me give you a spare key so you can come and go as you please. I want you to make yourselves at home while you’re here. You’ll want to wash up and have a bite to eat now, I’m sure.” Sorcha glanced over at Annie.

  She nodded gratefully. “That would be nice.”

  Sorcha led them to the room where they’d be staying, pointing out the shared toilet along the way. Like the rest of the apartment, the bathroom was bright and modern but with a few simple touches that spoke of the Irish cottage style Annie had liked so much on her previous visit. “I don’t know if you brought a converter for your styling tools, Annie, but if not, you’re welcome to use my dryer and straightener. They’re in the bottom drawer there.” She pointed to a storage tower beside the sink.

  “I appreciate your offer, but yes, I did bring a converter,” Annie said, feeling grateful for her previous experience in Ireland. “I spent a semester in Dublin for a study abroad, and thankfully, I held onto the converter.”

  Sorcha beamed at her. “Well, that’s all sorted, so. Bedroom’s this way.”

  Sorcha opened the door to show off a pretty, bright little room with a double bed, charmingly mismatched side tables, dresser, and wardrobe. A few pictures hung on the walls, and the window was covered in a curtain, but it was quite simple and restful looking.

  “There’s not much to it, so it should be self-explanatory. I’ve left some extra towels on your bed. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thanks, Sorcha.” Siobhán leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

  Sorcha gave her a small smile and squeezed Siobhán’s arm before she left, closing the bedroom door behind her.

  “Do you want to shower first?” Siobhán asked.

  “You go first,” Annie said. “I’ll get our bags out of the way.” At the moment, they were taking up the majority of the floor space.

  “Thanks.” Siobhán lifted her suitcase onto the bed, then dug through it, pulling out her toiletry bag and robe.

  After Siobhán left, Annie unpacked their belongings, hanging some in the wardrobe and tucking the rest into the dresser on the far side of the room. She glanced longingly at the bed with its mountain of fluffy pillows and cozy-looking duvet. It called to her, but she wanted to stay awake as long as she could manage.

  She’d just pulled out her laptop when Siobhán stepped into the room, dressed in her favorite robe. It was silky, long, and white with peonies and butterflies in deep shades of peach, copper, and green. A towel was wrapped around her hair, and with her makeup scrubbed off, she looked younger than her thirty-seven years. No matter how many times Annie looked at her, Siobhán took her breath away.

  “How was the shower?” Annie asked.

  “Heavenly.” Siobhán closed the door behind her. “I feel a little less exhausted now.”

  “Good.”

  Siobhán slid a hand along Annie’s waist and drew her in for a kiss. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For ... all of this. Helping get the travel plans sorted, coming with me, all of it.”

  “There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” Annie said.

  “Any excuse to come back to Ireland, huh?” Siobhán said with a tired smile.

  Annie shot her a look. “You know that’s not why.”

  “I do know.” Siobhán kissed her again. “You’ve been wonderful, Annie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  ***

  The shower was heavenly. Although Annie tried not to stay in too long, she found herself lingering, enjoying the feel of the hot water beating down on her stiff, aching shoulders and loosening them. A quick, final rinse in cool water energized her though, and once she was dressed in clean clothing, she felt a little more human, if not quite normal yet.