“Well, if it’s right, he’ll wait.”
“He said he will.”
“He’s a smart man then.”
Ireland is givingme all sorts of déjà vu. But it’s all totally worth it when I spot my youngest brother and his newborn son. Seamus Peter O’Clery Greystone, ‘Shay’ for short. I cry. Tears are rolling as my brother waves his son’s little arm at me.
Jumping out of the car before it’s even fully stopped, Baz, my driver, shouts at my recklessness. But I can’t wait to hug my brother and nephew.
“Whoa, Jackson, he’s not going anywhere.” I pull Jonno in for a massive hug, but carefully avoid squashing the little bundle of love he’s holding. “Hey, little Shay, meet your Uncle Jackson.” He tips the boy towards me, and I look down into the darkest brown eyes I have ever seen. They’re nearly black, with little flecks of gold in them.
“Jonno,” I breathe out. “Hey, little one. It’s great to meet you. Aren’t you a Greystone.” I take the boy from him and kiss his head. “I thought Evie’s kids were spectacular, but he’s amazing.He looks like you, except for his mouth. That must be Aoife.” I grin.
“Yeah, and his hair has a bit more red in it than ours. We’re caramel, he’s definitely red tinged.”
“He’ll be fiery then. Like his mummy. How is she?” I ask him, totally hogging the baby. I can see he’s itching to take him back from me. “You can’t have him back, He’s mine for my duration. You can have him back then.”
“You won’t be saying that when I wake you in the night to take him. And Aoife is having a nap before feed time starts again.”
“Well, it will be same as it is at home at the minute. Rio won’t sleep unless she’s laid on someone. She loves the contact. Your fault, according to Kell. And Evie said you had her with you every night here.”
We hear a laugh, and Aoife appears from the front of the house. Tall, red hair, a total firecracker. Well she certainly set fire to Jonno.
“He did, Jackson. And I spoke to Evie, she was definitely blaming him. But he looked fantastic doing it.”
Jonno looks as smug as fuck. I go and kiss the woman who has given me another nephew. And tamed my wayward brother.
“Another boy. I can’t wait for Evie to have the twins so we have another girl. These boys will need keeping in check.” I’m pulling faces at little Shay, but he’s totally oblivious, snoozing all wrapped up in his blankets. He starts to stir, moving his tiny body from side to side.
“He’s a creature of habit already,” Aoife informs me. “You can set your clock by him. Your mum said Jonno was the same.”
Of course Ma and Pa have been over already to see the new family, totally falling in love with Shay.
“Yep, it was just later he went AWOL.” Jonno just grins at me, playfully pulling Aoife in for a hug, kissing her forehead.
“She loves my waywardness. Come on in and meet everyone. Although it probably feels like you only just left.” He laughs, as I nod.
We fall into a routine, and I’m pulled into the Shay circus. Everything revolves around the boy. As it should. There are loads of hands around to help, and I can already see that Shay will be like the twins and Rio, never alone. Although, to be fair—as Jude reminds me during our daily calls—it was the same for James, and then Bucky. They were never alone, someone always picking them up. Hugging and kissing them. Even now, in their twenties, it’s still the same. And it will be for this lot.
Jonno, the baby, and I are all sitting in the library. The fire is burning in the grate and the skies are darkening, and it’s hardly four pm. We’ve just passed the shortest day, headed full steam down to Christmas. My phone rings and Ash’s name is on the screen. I flick the screen to Jonno, and he raises his eyebrows in question.
I answer, telling him he’s on speaker.
“It’s Carter, I’m worried about him.” Jonno and I look at each other.
“Is it a security matter?” I ask. “We’re not in charge of his welfare, Ash. That’s Freddie’s job.” Jonno smirks at that.
“Well, it’s just Christmas in a few days, and he’s not doing it.”
“What? Christmas?” I clarify.
“Yeah. He’s opting out, he says. He doesn’tdoChristmas. And today he told me it’s because his mum died between Christmas and New Year. Filming stops for a few days and I've got the family out here. I don’t want to leave him home alone. Can you send someone? Otherwise I won’t take my holidays,” Ash says firmly. I look at Jonno who shrugs.
“Okay, I’ll sort someone. Is he at the chalet on his own?”
“Yes. I’ve got a whole load of family next door. But when I say next door, it’s a ten minute trek through the snow. And it’s fucking freezing here.”
“You’re in the mountains, in winter. What did you expect?” Jonno goads him. “Put a jumper on, Ash,” he banters. “Stop getting naked with the wife in the hot tub.”