The Trip of a Lifetime
by Virginia Dare
Maureen Burke rushed through the airport determined to make the Aer Lingus flight to Dublin now that she had finally decided to go. Just two hours ago she was still puttering around her West Village apartment. Her luggage sat by the door packed and ready for the trip she was supposed to be taking with her mother. They’d planned it for years, a trip to see her uncle in the old country that Maureen didn’t even know. When her mother was diagnosed with cancer two months ago she made Maureen promise to go anyway, no matter what. But when her Mom died Maureen knew she wouldn’t be going. How could she go without her Mom?
Then she got the letter her mother’s best friend was keeping for her. Maggie told her that her mother gave it to her a few days before she passed. The letter told Maureen in no uncertain terms that her mother fully expected her to take the trip and that she should do it for her. Still this morning Maureen couldn’t get motivated, convinced she was going to pass on it until the doorbell rang. The delivery was from her mother, inside the box was an Aran sweater that Maureen had admired in a catalog and planned to buy in Ireland. The note read, “My dearest child, this sweater will keep you warm over there and when you wear it, feel my arms around you. I’ll be with you wherever you go. I know you won’t let me down. Give my regards to Seamus when you see him. My brother can be an old sod but he’s family and I love him.
Have fun. I need to know you’re having fun. Love Mum.”
Maureen raced around the apartment pulling on clothes, stuffing the sweater into her suitcase. She only hoped she’d be able to get a taxi in time. As she exited the building she saw a limo parked in front. A man smiled “Are you Maureen Burke? I’m here to take you to the airport.”
“How…”
“Mrs. Siobhan Burke ordered the limo for you.” He pulled the door open and the stunned young woman got inside. Now she was minutes away from missing her flight but there was the gate and the door was still open. Ten minutes later she was settled in her seat and the plane was taxiing to the runway.
In the seat next to her, the one her mother should have been sitting in sat an older man who apparently loved his aftershave. As soon as the plane was in the air, the man was asleep leaving Maureen to her thoughts and memories. Maureen stared out the window at the blue sky, a stray tear traveling down her cheek. Maureen’s father died of cancer when she was just three and her memory of him was very faint. Her mother mourned him for the rest of her life. All Maureen knew was that it had always been just her and her mother.
Maureen grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in Queens. Her mother worked as a secretary and while money was always scarce, she still managed to send Maureen to Catholic School for 12 years. Maureen graduated from Queens College and went to work teaching third grade at a small private school in Manhattan. Life was good. The small studio apartment in the village suited her. Her mother understood when Maureen told her she wanted to move and helped her decorate the tiny apartment. They found all kinds of little tricks to take advantage of every inch of space. Her mother filled the apartment with plants and Maureen filled it with books.
Then came the day when Maureen couldn’t get her mother on the phone. The phone was busy and at first, she assumed her mother was talking to one of her friends. Two hours later the phone was still busy, and she knew something was wrong. She took a taxi to her mother’s apartment, Her mother was on the floor of her room, and the phone lay on the floor near her. The ambulance arrived quickly but her mother died before she got to the hospital. It wasn’t the cancer; it was a massive stroke.
While Maureen felt cheated out of the last months she thought she had with her mother, she was grateful that there was no pain. Maureen knew that the cancer would have been a horrible death.
There was so much to do after that day, she had to make the funeral arrangements and then she had to go through all of her mother’s things. She had to decide what to keep, what to give away, and to whom. She returned to work and filled her days with the children and their lessons but then June came and school closed for the summer. It was time for the long awaited trip that Maureen dreaded until this morning. How amazing that her mother, facing the end of her life, took the time to make all the arrangements she had. She’d set up the limo and the sweater delivery. She did everything she could to make sure Maureen would go to Ireland as planned. Maureen wondered why it was so important to her mother that she make the trip, but she believed she owed it to her to follow through.
An hour into the flight, Maureen was served her dinner with the glass of white wine she’d requested. She watched a movie while she ate, or actually, she had a movie on so she could put on the headphones and not listen to her seatmate slurp his food. How do you slurp solid food anyway? she wondered. After the meal, the man next to her fell into a deep sleep and Maureen opened the book she’d started the day before. The flight attendant brought her another glass of wine and Maureen began to relax a bit. She finished her book and pulled out another one. An avid reader she preferred real books to ebooks but she had only packed three paperbacks. The rest of the books would be on her Kindle. When she was reading she could forget about everything else. Lost in the story, she didn’t realize they were almost there.
Maureen put the book into her computer bag and pulled out her compact. After fixing her makeup and hair, she climbed over her still sleeping seatmate and headed to the bathroom. When she returned her seatmate was gone, apparently to the bathroom as well. She got in her seat, fastened the seatbelt, and looked out the window. She watched as the green fields of Ireland moved beneath her and for the first time, she felt a twinge of excitement.
Unwilling to chance driving on the left, Maureen looked for a taxi stand but instead found a man holding a sign with her name on it. She smiled, Mom did it again. The limo took her to the hotel in Dublin where she would spend the next two days sightseeing before taking the train to Cork where her uncle lived.
Maureen enjoyed seeing Dublin on her own. The first day she walked all over the city, popping into a lovely pub for lunch and finishing with a bit of shopping on Henry Street. The next day she toured the Guinness Brewery then saw Trinity College and Dublin Castle. Both nights she returned to the hotel exhausted and enjoyed room service for dinner. She missed her mother terribly but she was enjoying the adventure despite the sadness that still hung around her.
The train to Cork was amazing. Watching the Emerald green fields passing and seeing the quaint cottages and towns she finally understood why her mother wanted her to come here. She was beginning to feel her roots to this place even though she was a stranger here. Maureen was excited to think she was about to see where her mother grew up. She’d be staying at the family farm with her Uncle Seamus. Her mother told her the farm had been in the family for generations but that it would probably be sold when Uncle Seamus died. He never married and so there were no children. Colleen’s grandfather died shortly after her mother was born and her grandmother never remarried. So, Maureen was the only family Uncle Seamus had left and she couldn’t inherit the farm unless she moved to Ireland. Colleen’s life was in New York so sadly the family farm would go to strangers.
When she got off the train she was met by a man who introduced himself as Collin Murphy, her Uncle’s farm hand.
“Your uncle sent me to pick you up. Taxis are too expensive.” He smiled at her. “The car is this way.” She followed him to the old black sedan. He put her suitcase in the trunk. “Go on and get in, but unless you’re planning to drive, it’s the other side.” He chuckled.
“Oh, yes, of course.” Maureen settled in as Collin got behind the wheel and started the car. “Oh thank God, it started. You can never tell with this old heap.” He laughed.
“You sound like you’re from New York.” She said not attempting to hide her surprise at finding a fellow New Yorker living in Cork.
“I am. I grew up in Queens. I came here after a tragic breakup with my girlfriend. I needed some space and time to get over my broken heart.” He chuckled softly. “I was only planning to be here for a month but I just kept putting it off and never went home. Something about this place just got under my skin. Your uncle gave me the job of pretty much running the farm and I’ve been here ever since. Be careful Ireland doesn’t seduce you as well.” He laughed again.
“Oh no chance of that!” she said emphatically. “I am a New Yorker through and through.”
“I thought I was too but…” he grinned at her. For the first time, she noticed his green eyes, twinkling with humor.
“How long have you been here?” she asked, her curiosity was always a problem for her. Her mother said it was just plain nosiness and Maureen had to admit that was the truth.
“It will be five years this month. I still have no plans to go home. I love working on the farm. It’s a lot better than teaching high school math, that’s for sure.”
“You’re a teacher? So am I, but I teach third grade. You weren’t happy teaching?”
“No, the teaching was okay and I loved the kids but I found I like being outside all day. I like the smell of the earth at planting season and the feeling of accomplishment when the crop comes in. I love working with the animals and well, I don’t want to be cooped up anymore.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting. I can’t wait to see the farm.”
“Well as luck would have it the wait is over, we’re here.”
Seamus Burke was standing at the front door and waved as the car pulled into the yard. Maureen was suddenly self-conscious and shy as she approached the only family she had.
“Oh, Maureen, you are the spitting image of your Mum.” He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. At six foot three, he towered over her five foot four frame. “Come inside child, we’ll have tea. You’ll join us, Collin?”
“No, I’ve got an appointment in town.” He nodded to Seamus as he pulled Colleen’s suitcase out of the car. He winked at Colleen. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He got in the car and drove off.
Maureen followed her uncle into the farmhouse. “Your room is right here,” he told her as he opened the door to a small, bright room. The bed was covered with an old quilt that was obviously hand made and the furniture was old and worn but it was welcoming and comfortable. There was an easy chair in the corner with a table and lamp.
“I moved that chair in here because if you’re anything like your mother, you’re a reader.”
She smiled “I am. I read all the time.”
“The loo is over there.” He indicated a small room at the end of the hallway. “We’ve only had indoor plumbing the last several years. When your mother was here, we had an outhouse.”
“Well thank you for the indoor plumbing!” she grinned.
“I’ll get the tea ready while you settle in.” he left her to unpack and freshen up.
Maureen looked around the room. A breeze moved the curtains slightly on the open window and she breathed in the smell of the fresh air and the earthy scent of the farmland.
Over dinner, Maureen told her uncle about her life in New York. He told her that he had always wanted to come to America for a visit but with the responsibility of the farm and a lack of funds he never managed to do it.
“Your mother came home before you were born but that was the last time I saw her. We spoke on the phone and oh my there were so many letters. Hers were always so wonderful, I felt as if I was there. She sent me photos of you as you were growing up and although I am a stranger to you, you are not a stranger to me.”
“Uncle Seamus, you’re not exactly a stranger to me. My mother told me so many stories about growing up here and about you.”
He smiled, then got up to get more tea, pouring it into both cups. As he moved back to the stove, Maureen couldn’t help but notice he seemed to be in pain. His back was slightly stooped and when he sat back down he grimaced.
“Are you okay, Uncle Seamus?” Maureen reached for his hand.
“I’m fine, girl. No worries for me.” He smiled thinly but I retire early. Most farm people do, and we rise early as well. I don’t expect you to do that, but I hope you’ll excuse me, I need to go to bed as soon as I’ve cleared up the dinner.”
“I’ll clear the dinner; you go on and rest. I’m still a bit jet lagged so I’ll probably turn in early myself.”
He accepted her offer with a tight smile. “You help yourself to anything you like, make yourself at home. It’s so good to have you here. I only wish your mother was here too.”
“Me too, Uncle Seamus, me too.”
After cleaning up from dinner, Maureen took a shower and put on pajamas. She was glad she’d packed the flannels, her mother warned her it would be chilly at night. Back in the kitchen, she made herself a cup of the chamomile tea she brought with her then settled in the chair in her room, prepared to read for a while. She woke a couple of hours later, the tea was cold and the book was unopened on her lap. Jet lag. She thought as she climbed into the surprisingly comfortable bed.
Maureen slept until after ten the next morning. She dressed quickly in jeans and a tee shirt and upon leaving the bedroom she was surprised to find she was alone in the house. She made herself a big breakfast, frying eggs and bacon to eat with the freshly baked bread she found on the counter. When she was finished, she cleaned up the kitchen then went outside thinking she might see Collin and Uncle Seamus out there but they were nowhere to be found. She wandered around the yard, stopping to pet a cat that was roaming around. Maureen entered the barn, hoping to find some other animals but apparently, the cows and horses were out in the pasture somewhere. Opening a door at the far end of the barn, she was surprised to find Collin’s room. A small cot, a bedside table, and a chair were the only furnishings. She felt bad that after five years of working on the farm, this was his reward. A small room in the barn hardly seemed fair.
Maureen closed the door and hurried out of the barn. In the distance, she could see low-hanging storm clouds moving toward the farm. It would be raining soon, so she went back inside to read. By noon the rain was coming down hard, Maureen stood at the window watching for her uncle and Collin to come home. She had made lunch thinking they would be there but in fact, she had no idea how things went here. They arrived with Uncle Seamus leaning heavily on Collin. Maureen rushed out to help.
“Help me get your uncle to his room. I’ll help him change out of these wet clothes and get him into bed. Would you get him a cup of tea to warm him up?” Collin asked as they moved toward Seamus’ room.
“Of course.” She responded, concerned that her Uncle was silent and in fact almost unconscious.
Once Seamus was in the chair, Collin began helping him out of his shirt. “Go on now, he’ll be embarrassed if you stay while he changes clothes.” He whispered gently.
Maureen hurried out of the room, closing the door as she went. She put the kettle on and then sat at the kitchen table. Her uncle was obviously ill. Collin was more then a farm hand, he was her uncle’s caregiver as well. Did her mother know? Was that why she was so determined to make this trip, and why she was so intent on Maureen coming no matter what?
Collin came out of the room carrying Seamus’ sodden clothes. He took them to what turned out to be a laundry room off the kitchen and tossed them into the washer. Maureen began to make a cup of tea for her uncle when Collin joined her in the kitchen. “He’s asleep, Maureen. Lunch looks good, I’m starved. Do you mind if we go ahead and eat?”
“Okay, do you want tea?” she asked
He moved to the stove, “No, but I’d love some coffee.” He pulled out an old percolator and began making some. “I wanted to buy a coffee maker but your uncle insists nothing makes better coffee than this thousand year old percolator.” He laughed. “He may be right. It’s really good. Do you want a cup?”
“Oh God yes!” she exclaimed.
Over lunch, Collin told her that her uncle was very ill. “He insisted on working with me this morning, but as you can see it takes a toll on him. We have a couple of hired men who work a couple of days a week during planting and harvesting. From now until harvest, I’m on my own and to tell the truth, I like it that way. There’s a peace that comes over me out there working in the fields or tending to the animals. Speaking of animals, do you want to come with me to pick up Clancy? He’s your uncle’s dog, a six-month-old Irish Wolfhound. He’s been with the trainer for the last few days. He’s quite young and a bit rambunctious, which is not good for a dog who will grow to be huge. I’ll be going into town in about twenty minutes if you want to ride along.”
Maureen nodded “I’d like that. Is there a bookstore in town? Would we have a little time for me to pick up some books?”
“Sure, and we even have a library if you want to stop in there. I hear they have lots of books there.” He chuckled.
After stopping at both the bookstore and the library they went to pick up Clancy. For Maureen, it was love at first sight and apparently Clancy felt the same way. Back at the farm, he excitedly greeted Seamus, but he followed Maureen everywhere she went. At bedtime, she had no choice but to let Clancy sleep in her room. She refused to allow him on the bed. She was surprised to find him sleeping alongside her, under the covers when she woke in the morning. From then on Clancy was her roommate.
Maureen spent hours listening to Seamus’ stories of growing up on the farm. He told her of his one and only love Catherine O’Reilly who he would have married had her family not moved to America. She had begged her father to let her remain in Ireland with her aunt’s family but he wouldn’t have it. Seamus was heartbroken and though he wanted to follow her to America, he couldn’t leave his elderly parents at home alone. Siobhan had already gone over and there was no one else to help on the farm. And so. he remained alone on this farm, until he met Collin and hired him.
By the third day, Maureen was getting up as early as Seamus and Collin. She had helped make breakfast every morning, learned to milk the cows, collected the eggs, and had assumed responsibility for the kitchen garden. In the evenings, after Seamus went to bed, she and Collin would sit outside drinking coffee and talking about anything and everything, with Clancy sleeping at their feet.
“You know Collin, I can’t help but wonder why my uncle has you out there in the barn. I mean, I know he’s very fond of you and it just seems to me that he’d find you somewhere nicer than the corner of the barn.”
“He did. But he asked me if I’d let his guest have my room while she was here.” He grinned at her.
Maureen felt silly, of course it was Collin’s room she was staying in. “I’m sorry I put you out.” she said softly.
Collin shrugged “It’s been worth it. I’ve enjoyed your visit. The time is passing so fast, you’ll be leaving soon. I’m not sure Clancy will be able to handle losing you.” He leaned over and softly kissed her. “Not sure about me either. Goodnight Maureen.” He got up and walked to the barn, leaving Maureen feeling more confused than ever.
On Saturday, Seamus insisted they go have fun. “Go on then, you both need to do something besides sit around here.”
Collin asked her to go with him to the local pub for dinner and a few pints. When he asked her to dance she shook her head.
“Sadly, I’m a terrible dancer. I get self-conscious and stiffen up. It would be like dancing with a board.” She laughed.
“Nonsense. Come on, give it a go.”
As she expected when he put his arms around her, she felt herself become almost rigid. Collin pulled her closer, his arm holding her tight against him. His hand held hers and he whispered in her ear. “Just follow me.” Maureen felt herself melt against him as her body relaxed. Collin inhaled the soft floral scent of her hair; he could feel her breasts pressing against his chest and his response was immediate and unexpected. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way, not since the breakup with Laura. Oh, there’d been women, but no one had this effect on him. Maureen looked up at him, “You’re very good, I’ve never been able to dance with anyone, but I think I could dance with you forever.” She smiled at him, and he kissed her. This time it was a soul-stirring kiss. Maureen had never had never been kissed like this before.
“Let’s get out of here.” Collin took her hand and led her out of the pub. As soon as they were in the car, he pulled her to him and kissed her again until Maureen felt she was going to faint.
“Collin, I um, I don’t think…” she stammered.
“Don’t think. Let’s not think at all. Let’s just be together. I know you’ll go home next week. But just for tonight…”
She kissed him then. “Where can we go?” she asked.
Collin grinned “Well there’s always the barn.”
Just before dawn, Maureen woke him. “I need to go into the house before Uncle Seamus wakes up.”
He reached over and brushed her hair back off her face. “Maureen, we’re adults. We’re not kids who have to sneak home, just stay here. I’ve a feeling your uncle already knows. You’ve been gone all night.”
She giggled. “I’d just feel better if I was there before he got up.” She kissed him. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Maureen was in love. For the first time in her life, she was in love and she had only three more days to be with him.
The thought of leaving hurt her heart. It upset her to think she was leaving her uncle to die alone, although she knew Collin would be there for him. She didn’t want to leave Clancy either. She’d never had a dog and this one stole her heart. And then there was Collin. Maureen knew this could be nothing more than a summer romance, but the thought of ending it broke her heart. Then there was the question of what was waiting for her in New York. Her mother was gone. All she had was her apartment and her job. But here, there was family. This was where she should be.
Having decided to stay in Ireland she laughed at the memory of Collin’s words “Be careful Ireland doesn’t seduce you.” And her adamant denial. She went to find him. She couldn’t wait to tell him. As she approached the barn she heard a woman’s voice.
“You are a son of a bitch, Collin. The only reason you want that girl is because you want this farm. If you marry her, it’s yours but you love me. I know you do.”
“Mary, I’m sorry. I’ve never lied to you. I told you I didn’t want a relationship. You said you were okay with it just being friends with benefits.”
“Bullshit, Collin. You know I just said that. I love you.”
“You need to go, Mary. I’m sorry.”
The girl stormed out of the barn almost knocking Maureen over.
She stepped into the barn. “Is that true? Were you only after the farm?”
Collin shook his head, “Of course not. You know how I feel about you.”
“Do I?” Maureen felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. “I thought I did. I thought…I was going to stay. I didn’t want to leave you but Oh God, Collin.” She ran out of the barn, across the yard, and into the house.
Seamus was sitting with a cup of tea and jumped up as she crashed through the door. “I don’t want to talk to him, Uncle Seamus. I don’t ever want to talk to him again.”
“What happened? I thought you two were…”
“I thought so too. But his girlfriend was here, she said he was only after the farm. He was using me to get the farm.” Realizing she was talking about her uncle’s death she gasped. “Oh God, Uncle Seamus, I’m sorry I…”
“Sit down, girl.” Seamus poured her a cup of tea. “We all know I’m dying. I’ve known for months. It’s why your mother was coming home. I called her when I got the diagnosis. So, let’s not pretend that’s not happening. As for Collin, he needn’t do anything to get the farm. I fully expected that you would return to New York and as you know you have to live in Ireland to own land in Ireland. My will leaves the farm to Collin. He already knows that. He’s been like a son to me these last few years. He’s been my family. If you were to decide to stay, the house is yours, but the farm would belong to both of you equally unless you agreed to sell your share to him. So, he needn’t do anything to get the farm. As for Mary McLoughlin, she’s had her eye on him for two years, She’s the one who wants to marry and move onto the farm. Collin took what she offered but always called her a friend. There isn’t much about Collin that I don’t know, including how he feels about you.”
“I was going to tell him that I want to stay. I have nothing left in New York. I love you, Uncle Seamus. I want to be here with you.”
“And Collin?”
“Yes, and Collin. I need to go talk to him.” She turned to find him standing in the doorway and ran into his outstretched arms.
“Did you mean it? Are you staying?” He asked.
“Yes, I meant it.” She kissed her, “I love you, Collin.”
“Oh, and I love you, Maureen, I love you so much.”
Seamus quietly went into his room. “Well Siobhan, your girl is home. You can rest easy, she’s home and safe.”
Seamus lived long enough to see Maureen and Collin married and was there to welcome their first child, James Michael into the world.
Then she got the letter her mother’s best friend was keeping for her. Maggie told her that her mother gave it to her a few days before she passed. The letter told Maureen in no uncertain terms that her mother fully expected her to take the trip and that she should do it for her. Still this morning Maureen couldn’t get motivated, convinced she was going to pass on it until the doorbell rang. The delivery was from her mother, inside the box was an Aran sweater that Maureen had admired in a catalog and planned to buy in Ireland. The note read, “My dearest child, this sweater will keep you warm over there and when you wear it, feel my arms around you. I’ll be with you wherever you go. I know you won’t let me down. Give my regards to Seamus when you see him. My brother can be an old sod but he’s family and I love him.
Have fun. I need to know you’re having fun. Love Mum.”
Maureen raced around the apartment pulling on clothes, stuffing the sweater into her suitcase. She only hoped she’d be able to get a taxi in time. As she exited the building she saw a limo parked in front. A man smiled “Are you Maureen Burke? I’m here to take you to the airport.”
“How…”
“Mrs. Siobhan Burke ordered the limo for you.” He pulled the door open and the stunned young woman got inside. Now she was minutes away from missing her flight but there was the gate and the door was still open. Ten minutes later she was settled in her seat and the plane was taxiing to the runway.
In the seat next to her, the one her mother should have been sitting in sat an older man who apparently loved his aftershave. As soon as the plane was in the air, the man was asleep leaving Maureen to her thoughts and memories. Maureen stared out the window at the blue sky, a stray tear traveling down her cheek. Maureen’s father died of cancer when she was just three and her memory of him was very faint. Her mother mourned him for the rest of her life. All Maureen knew was that it had always been just her and her mother.
Maureen grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in Queens. Her mother worked as a secretary and while money was always scarce, she still managed to send Maureen to Catholic School for 12 years. Maureen graduated from Queens College and went to work teaching third grade at a small private school in Manhattan. Life was good. The small studio apartment in the village suited her. Her mother understood when Maureen told her she wanted to move and helped her decorate the tiny apartment. They found all kinds of little tricks to take advantage of every inch of space. Her mother filled the apartment with plants and Maureen filled it with books.
Then came the day when Maureen couldn’t get her mother on the phone. The phone was busy and at first, she assumed her mother was talking to one of her friends. Two hours later the phone was still busy, and she knew something was wrong. She took a taxi to her mother’s apartment, Her mother was on the floor of her room, and the phone lay on the floor near her. The ambulance arrived quickly but her mother died before she got to the hospital. It wasn’t the cancer; it was a massive stroke.
While Maureen felt cheated out of the last months she thought she had with her mother, she was grateful that there was no pain. Maureen knew that the cancer would have been a horrible death.
There was so much to do after that day, she had to make the funeral arrangements and then she had to go through all of her mother’s things. She had to decide what to keep, what to give away, and to whom. She returned to work and filled her days with the children and their lessons but then June came and school closed for the summer. It was time for the long awaited trip that Maureen dreaded until this morning. How amazing that her mother, facing the end of her life, took the time to make all the arrangements she had. She’d set up the limo and the sweater delivery. She did everything she could to make sure Maureen would go to Ireland as planned. Maureen wondered why it was so important to her mother that she make the trip, but she believed she owed it to her to follow through.
An hour into the flight, Maureen was served her dinner with the glass of white wine she’d requested. She watched a movie while she ate, or actually, she had a movie on so she could put on the headphones and not listen to her seatmate slurp his food. How do you slurp solid food anyway? she wondered. After the meal, the man next to her fell into a deep sleep and Maureen opened the book she’d started the day before. The flight attendant brought her another glass of wine and Maureen began to relax a bit. She finished her book and pulled out another one. An avid reader she preferred real books to ebooks but she had only packed three paperbacks. The rest of the books would be on her Kindle. When she was reading she could forget about everything else. Lost in the story, she didn’t realize they were almost there.
Maureen put the book into her computer bag and pulled out her compact. After fixing her makeup and hair, she climbed over her still sleeping seatmate and headed to the bathroom. When she returned her seatmate was gone, apparently to the bathroom as well. She got in her seat, fastened the seatbelt, and looked out the window. She watched as the green fields of Ireland moved beneath her and for the first time, she felt a twinge of excitement.
Unwilling to chance driving on the left, Maureen looked for a taxi stand but instead found a man holding a sign with her name on it. She smiled, Mom did it again. The limo took her to the hotel in Dublin where she would spend the next two days sightseeing before taking the train to Cork where her uncle lived.
Maureen enjoyed seeing Dublin on her own. The first day she walked all over the city, popping into a lovely pub for lunch and finishing with a bit of shopping on Henry Street. The next day she toured the Guinness Brewery then saw Trinity College and Dublin Castle. Both nights she returned to the hotel exhausted and enjoyed room service for dinner. She missed her mother terribly but she was enjoying the adventure despite the sadness that still hung around her.
The train to Cork was amazing. Watching the Emerald green fields passing and seeing the quaint cottages and towns she finally understood why her mother wanted her to come here. She was beginning to feel her roots to this place even though she was a stranger here. Maureen was excited to think she was about to see where her mother grew up. She’d be staying at the family farm with her Uncle Seamus. Her mother told her the farm had been in the family for generations but that it would probably be sold when Uncle Seamus died. He never married and so there were no children. Colleen’s grandfather died shortly after her mother was born and her grandmother never remarried. So, Maureen was the only family Uncle Seamus had left and she couldn’t inherit the farm unless she moved to Ireland. Colleen’s life was in New York so sadly the family farm would go to strangers.
When she got off the train she was met by a man who introduced himself as Collin Murphy, her Uncle’s farm hand.
“Your uncle sent me to pick you up. Taxis are too expensive.” He smiled at her. “The car is this way.” She followed him to the old black sedan. He put her suitcase in the trunk. “Go on and get in, but unless you’re planning to drive, it’s the other side.” He chuckled.
“Oh, yes, of course.” Maureen settled in as Collin got behind the wheel and started the car. “Oh thank God, it started. You can never tell with this old heap.” He laughed.
“You sound like you’re from New York.” She said not attempting to hide her surprise at finding a fellow New Yorker living in Cork.
“I am. I grew up in Queens. I came here after a tragic breakup with my girlfriend. I needed some space and time to get over my broken heart.” He chuckled softly. “I was only planning to be here for a month but I just kept putting it off and never went home. Something about this place just got under my skin. Your uncle gave me the job of pretty much running the farm and I’ve been here ever since. Be careful Ireland doesn’t seduce you as well.” He laughed again.
“Oh no chance of that!” she said emphatically. “I am a New Yorker through and through.”
“I thought I was too but…” he grinned at her. For the first time, she noticed his green eyes, twinkling with humor.
“How long have you been here?” she asked, her curiosity was always a problem for her. Her mother said it was just plain nosiness and Maureen had to admit that was the truth.
“It will be five years this month. I still have no plans to go home. I love working on the farm. It’s a lot better than teaching high school math, that’s for sure.”
“You’re a teacher? So am I, but I teach third grade. You weren’t happy teaching?”
“No, the teaching was okay and I loved the kids but I found I like being outside all day. I like the smell of the earth at planting season and the feeling of accomplishment when the crop comes in. I love working with the animals and well, I don’t want to be cooped up anymore.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting. I can’t wait to see the farm.”
“Well as luck would have it the wait is over, we’re here.”
Seamus Burke was standing at the front door and waved as the car pulled into the yard. Maureen was suddenly self-conscious and shy as she approached the only family she had.
“Oh, Maureen, you are the spitting image of your Mum.” He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. At six foot three, he towered over her five foot four frame. “Come inside child, we’ll have tea. You’ll join us, Collin?”
“No, I’ve got an appointment in town.” He nodded to Seamus as he pulled Colleen’s suitcase out of the car. He winked at Colleen. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He got in the car and drove off.
Maureen followed her uncle into the farmhouse. “Your room is right here,” he told her as he opened the door to a small, bright room. The bed was covered with an old quilt that was obviously hand made and the furniture was old and worn but it was welcoming and comfortable. There was an easy chair in the corner with a table and lamp.
“I moved that chair in here because if you’re anything like your mother, you’re a reader.”
She smiled “I am. I read all the time.”
“The loo is over there.” He indicated a small room at the end of the hallway. “We’ve only had indoor plumbing the last several years. When your mother was here, we had an outhouse.”
“Well thank you for the indoor plumbing!” she grinned.
“I’ll get the tea ready while you settle in.” he left her to unpack and freshen up.
Maureen looked around the room. A breeze moved the curtains slightly on the open window and she breathed in the smell of the fresh air and the earthy scent of the farmland.
Over dinner, Maureen told her uncle about her life in New York. He told her that he had always wanted to come to America for a visit but with the responsibility of the farm and a lack of funds he never managed to do it.
“Your mother came home before you were born but that was the last time I saw her. We spoke on the phone and oh my there were so many letters. Hers were always so wonderful, I felt as if I was there. She sent me photos of you as you were growing up and although I am a stranger to you, you are not a stranger to me.”
“Uncle Seamus, you’re not exactly a stranger to me. My mother told me so many stories about growing up here and about you.”
He smiled, then got up to get more tea, pouring it into both cups. As he moved back to the stove, Maureen couldn’t help but notice he seemed to be in pain. His back was slightly stooped and when he sat back down he grimaced.
“Are you okay, Uncle Seamus?” Maureen reached for his hand.
“I’m fine, girl. No worries for me.” He smiled thinly but I retire early. Most farm people do, and we rise early as well. I don’t expect you to do that, but I hope you’ll excuse me, I need to go to bed as soon as I’ve cleared up the dinner.”
“I’ll clear the dinner; you go on and rest. I’m still a bit jet lagged so I’ll probably turn in early myself.”
He accepted her offer with a tight smile. “You help yourself to anything you like, make yourself at home. It’s so good to have you here. I only wish your mother was here too.”
“Me too, Uncle Seamus, me too.”
After cleaning up from dinner, Maureen took a shower and put on pajamas. She was glad she’d packed the flannels, her mother warned her it would be chilly at night. Back in the kitchen, she made herself a cup of the chamomile tea she brought with her then settled in the chair in her room, prepared to read for a while. She woke a couple of hours later, the tea was cold and the book was unopened on her lap. Jet lag. She thought as she climbed into the surprisingly comfortable bed.
Maureen slept until after ten the next morning. She dressed quickly in jeans and a tee shirt and upon leaving the bedroom she was surprised to find she was alone in the house. She made herself a big breakfast, frying eggs and bacon to eat with the freshly baked bread she found on the counter. When she was finished, she cleaned up the kitchen then went outside thinking she might see Collin and Uncle Seamus out there but they were nowhere to be found. She wandered around the yard, stopping to pet a cat that was roaming around. Maureen entered the barn, hoping to find some other animals but apparently, the cows and horses were out in the pasture somewhere. Opening a door at the far end of the barn, she was surprised to find Collin’s room. A small cot, a bedside table, and a chair were the only furnishings. She felt bad that after five years of working on the farm, this was his reward. A small room in the barn hardly seemed fair.
Maureen closed the door and hurried out of the barn. In the distance, she could see low-hanging storm clouds moving toward the farm. It would be raining soon, so she went back inside to read. By noon the rain was coming down hard, Maureen stood at the window watching for her uncle and Collin to come home. She had made lunch thinking they would be there but in fact, she had no idea how things went here. They arrived with Uncle Seamus leaning heavily on Collin. Maureen rushed out to help.
“Help me get your uncle to his room. I’ll help him change out of these wet clothes and get him into bed. Would you get him a cup of tea to warm him up?” Collin asked as they moved toward Seamus’ room.
“Of course.” She responded, concerned that her Uncle was silent and in fact almost unconscious.
Once Seamus was in the chair, Collin began helping him out of his shirt. “Go on now, he’ll be embarrassed if you stay while he changes clothes.” He whispered gently.
Maureen hurried out of the room, closing the door as she went. She put the kettle on and then sat at the kitchen table. Her uncle was obviously ill. Collin was more then a farm hand, he was her uncle’s caregiver as well. Did her mother know? Was that why she was so determined to make this trip, and why she was so intent on Maureen coming no matter what?
Collin came out of the room carrying Seamus’ sodden clothes. He took them to what turned out to be a laundry room off the kitchen and tossed them into the washer. Maureen began to make a cup of tea for her uncle when Collin joined her in the kitchen. “He’s asleep, Maureen. Lunch looks good, I’m starved. Do you mind if we go ahead and eat?”
“Okay, do you want tea?” she asked
He moved to the stove, “No, but I’d love some coffee.” He pulled out an old percolator and began making some. “I wanted to buy a coffee maker but your uncle insists nothing makes better coffee than this thousand year old percolator.” He laughed. “He may be right. It’s really good. Do you want a cup?”
“Oh God yes!” she exclaimed.
Over lunch, Collin told her that her uncle was very ill. “He insisted on working with me this morning, but as you can see it takes a toll on him. We have a couple of hired men who work a couple of days a week during planting and harvesting. From now until harvest, I’m on my own and to tell the truth, I like it that way. There’s a peace that comes over me out there working in the fields or tending to the animals. Speaking of animals, do you want to come with me to pick up Clancy? He’s your uncle’s dog, a six-month-old Irish Wolfhound. He’s been with the trainer for the last few days. He’s quite young and a bit rambunctious, which is not good for a dog who will grow to be huge. I’ll be going into town in about twenty minutes if you want to ride along.”
Maureen nodded “I’d like that. Is there a bookstore in town? Would we have a little time for me to pick up some books?”
“Sure, and we even have a library if you want to stop in there. I hear they have lots of books there.” He chuckled.
After stopping at both the bookstore and the library they went to pick up Clancy. For Maureen, it was love at first sight and apparently Clancy felt the same way. Back at the farm, he excitedly greeted Seamus, but he followed Maureen everywhere she went. At bedtime, she had no choice but to let Clancy sleep in her room. She refused to allow him on the bed. She was surprised to find him sleeping alongside her, under the covers when she woke in the morning. From then on Clancy was her roommate.
Maureen spent hours listening to Seamus’ stories of growing up on the farm. He told her of his one and only love Catherine O’Reilly who he would have married had her family not moved to America. She had begged her father to let her remain in Ireland with her aunt’s family but he wouldn’t have it. Seamus was heartbroken and though he wanted to follow her to America, he couldn’t leave his elderly parents at home alone. Siobhan had already gone over and there was no one else to help on the farm. And so. he remained alone on this farm, until he met Collin and hired him.
By the third day, Maureen was getting up as early as Seamus and Collin. She had helped make breakfast every morning, learned to milk the cows, collected the eggs, and had assumed responsibility for the kitchen garden. In the evenings, after Seamus went to bed, she and Collin would sit outside drinking coffee and talking about anything and everything, with Clancy sleeping at their feet.
“You know Collin, I can’t help but wonder why my uncle has you out there in the barn. I mean, I know he’s very fond of you and it just seems to me that he’d find you somewhere nicer than the corner of the barn.”
“He did. But he asked me if I’d let his guest have my room while she was here.” He grinned at her.
Maureen felt silly, of course it was Collin’s room she was staying in. “I’m sorry I put you out.” she said softly.
Collin shrugged “It’s been worth it. I’ve enjoyed your visit. The time is passing so fast, you’ll be leaving soon. I’m not sure Clancy will be able to handle losing you.” He leaned over and softly kissed her. “Not sure about me either. Goodnight Maureen.” He got up and walked to the barn, leaving Maureen feeling more confused than ever.
On Saturday, Seamus insisted they go have fun. “Go on then, you both need to do something besides sit around here.”
Collin asked her to go with him to the local pub for dinner and a few pints. When he asked her to dance she shook her head.
“Sadly, I’m a terrible dancer. I get self-conscious and stiffen up. It would be like dancing with a board.” She laughed.
“Nonsense. Come on, give it a go.”
As she expected when he put his arms around her, she felt herself become almost rigid. Collin pulled her closer, his arm holding her tight against him. His hand held hers and he whispered in her ear. “Just follow me.” Maureen felt herself melt against him as her body relaxed. Collin inhaled the soft floral scent of her hair; he could feel her breasts pressing against his chest and his response was immediate and unexpected. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way, not since the breakup with Laura. Oh, there’d been women, but no one had this effect on him. Maureen looked up at him, “You’re very good, I’ve never been able to dance with anyone, but I think I could dance with you forever.” She smiled at him, and he kissed her. This time it was a soul-stirring kiss. Maureen had never had never been kissed like this before.
“Let’s get out of here.” Collin took her hand and led her out of the pub. As soon as they were in the car, he pulled her to him and kissed her again until Maureen felt she was going to faint.
“Collin, I um, I don’t think…” she stammered.
“Don’t think. Let’s not think at all. Let’s just be together. I know you’ll go home next week. But just for tonight…”
She kissed him then. “Where can we go?” she asked.
Collin grinned “Well there’s always the barn.”
Just before dawn, Maureen woke him. “I need to go into the house before Uncle Seamus wakes up.”
He reached over and brushed her hair back off her face. “Maureen, we’re adults. We’re not kids who have to sneak home, just stay here. I’ve a feeling your uncle already knows. You’ve been gone all night.”
She giggled. “I’d just feel better if I was there before he got up.” She kissed him. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Maureen was in love. For the first time in her life, she was in love and she had only three more days to be with him.
The thought of leaving hurt her heart. It upset her to think she was leaving her uncle to die alone, although she knew Collin would be there for him. She didn’t want to leave Clancy either. She’d never had a dog and this one stole her heart. And then there was Collin. Maureen knew this could be nothing more than a summer romance, but the thought of ending it broke her heart. Then there was the question of what was waiting for her in New York. Her mother was gone. All she had was her apartment and her job. But here, there was family. This was where she should be.
Having decided to stay in Ireland she laughed at the memory of Collin’s words “Be careful Ireland doesn’t seduce you.” And her adamant denial. She went to find him. She couldn’t wait to tell him. As she approached the barn she heard a woman’s voice.
“You are a son of a bitch, Collin. The only reason you want that girl is because you want this farm. If you marry her, it’s yours but you love me. I know you do.”
“Mary, I’m sorry. I’ve never lied to you. I told you I didn’t want a relationship. You said you were okay with it just being friends with benefits.”
“Bullshit, Collin. You know I just said that. I love you.”
“You need to go, Mary. I’m sorry.”
The girl stormed out of the barn almost knocking Maureen over.
She stepped into the barn. “Is that true? Were you only after the farm?”
Collin shook his head, “Of course not. You know how I feel about you.”
“Do I?” Maureen felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. “I thought I did. I thought…I was going to stay. I didn’t want to leave you but Oh God, Collin.” She ran out of the barn, across the yard, and into the house.
Seamus was sitting with a cup of tea and jumped up as she crashed through the door. “I don’t want to talk to him, Uncle Seamus. I don’t ever want to talk to him again.”
“What happened? I thought you two were…”
“I thought so too. But his girlfriend was here, she said he was only after the farm. He was using me to get the farm.” Realizing she was talking about her uncle’s death she gasped. “Oh God, Uncle Seamus, I’m sorry I…”
“Sit down, girl.” Seamus poured her a cup of tea. “We all know I’m dying. I’ve known for months. It’s why your mother was coming home. I called her when I got the diagnosis. So, let’s not pretend that’s not happening. As for Collin, he needn’t do anything to get the farm. I fully expected that you would return to New York and as you know you have to live in Ireland to own land in Ireland. My will leaves the farm to Collin. He already knows that. He’s been like a son to me these last few years. He’s been my family. If you were to decide to stay, the house is yours, but the farm would belong to both of you equally unless you agreed to sell your share to him. So, he needn’t do anything to get the farm. As for Mary McLoughlin, she’s had her eye on him for two years, She’s the one who wants to marry and move onto the farm. Collin took what she offered but always called her a friend. There isn’t much about Collin that I don’t know, including how he feels about you.”
“I was going to tell him that I want to stay. I have nothing left in New York. I love you, Uncle Seamus. I want to be here with you.”
“And Collin?”
“Yes, and Collin. I need to go talk to him.” She turned to find him standing in the doorway and ran into his outstretched arms.
“Did you mean it? Are you staying?” He asked.
“Yes, I meant it.” She kissed her, “I love you, Collin.”
“Oh, and I love you, Maureen, I love you so much.”
Seamus quietly went into his room. “Well Siobhan, your girl is home. You can rest easy, she’s home and safe.”
Seamus lived long enough to see Maureen and Collin married and was there to welcome their first child, James Michael into the world.