Page 186 of The Thief
"Dad."
We embrace awkwardly, uncertain. It's been too long, too much water under the bridge for easy familiarity.
"And you must be Alastríona," he says, turning to her with genuine warmth.
"Yes, sir. It's an honor to meet you."
"The honor's mine. I've heard a lot about you." I wonder who he's been talking to about her.
"All good things, I hope," she replies.
"The best things. Sit, please. Let's talk properly."
We settle into the plastic chairs, and I watch my father study the woman I love. Looking for signs of character, of strength, of the qualities that matter in our world.
"So," he says after a moment. "You're the one who's made my son happy."
"I try to."
"More than try, from what I hear. Freddie looks like he's found something worth living for besides work."
"We found each other," Tríona says simply.
"Good answer. Simple, honest. I like that."
The conversation flows easier than I expected. My father used to be good with people, able to put them at ease even in difficult circumstances. Tríona responds to his warmth, her nervousness fading as they talk about books, about Dublin, about everything except the criminal world that brought us all together.
"Your grandfather was a good man," my father tells her at one point. "Henry Gallagher. Old school, but fair. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thank you. Did you know him well?"
"Well enough. Our paths crossed a few times over the years. Always professional, always honorable. The kind of man you could trust with your life."
"He died protecting me."
"I heard. That's what grandfathers do. What fathers do. What any man worth a damn does when family's threatened."
He looks at me when he says it, and I understand the message. Family protects family. Love demands sacrifice. The lessons he taught me before everything went wrong between us.
"I'm proud of you," he says quietly. "Of the man you've become, of the choices you've made. Jer did right by you."
"You used to do right by me, too."
"Before I fucked it all up, you mean."
We talk for another hour about safer subjects; memories of my childhood, stories about my mother, plans for the future that don't involve violence or crime. Normal family conversation in the most abnormal setting imaginable.
When visiting time ends, my father stands and embraces us both.
"Take care of each other," he says. "In this world, love is rare. When you find it, you protect it with everything you have."
"We will," I promise.
"Good. And Freddie? I'd love for you to visit again, if you're up for it.."
"I'll be back," I promise him.
As we walk back through the secured doors, past the guards and cameras and barriers, I feel something I haven't felt in years.
