Page 30 of Paddy

“I wish I could say I wasn't, but guilty as charged,” I assured her.

“Oh Paddy,youknow Pretty Washington?” she squealed, unable to hide her excitement.

“Yeah, I know Pretty Washington. But she's only Pretty tonight, so just make her and her son feel welcome,” he said, pressing a kiss to his sister in law on the forehead.

“I'm Queenie, by the way. Cillian’s wife.” As she barely got to shake my hand before three kids came running, two mixed race, one white, all with red hair.

“Mommy, mommy Riona won't share—” The youngest boy whined, hugging his mother's leg.

“He broke my last wooden duck.” The daughter Riona, complained.

“Cilly, you're not always careful when it comes to Riona’s toys,” Queenie defended her eldest but in a gentle way. I could already tell what kind of mother she was by her interaction with these ones.

“I'll be careful this time?—”

“Uncle Paddy!” the white nephew interrupted, accepting Paddy's high five.

“Eoghan, I got a friend of mine here who wants to meet you, but you can only play with him if you take care of him. Think you could do that?” Paddy said before calling over Elijah, but naturally Elijah asked for my permission first.

“Mommy, can I go play?”

“Sure, but just be mindful that this isn't our house, okay?”

“Do you collect baseball cards?” The one that I’d just learned was named Eoghan, asked.

“Yeah!”

“Come see my baseball cards!” the gleeful child said, as they both ran off into the house, and Paddy snatched one of his nephews off of Queenie's leg.

“Stop bothering your mother,” he scolded, as he carried him away so we could finish our conversation.

“You have such a beautiful home, Queenie.” And I meant it. Not just by the look, but by the warmth that emulated with the people inside.

“I try,” she admitted humbly, as Cillian wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, kissing her on the back of the neck, rubbing her bump.

“Cillian, remember that picture we saw last year? The one with Lena Horne in it?”

“Woman, you know I'm not good with names and faces,” he whined, as it wasn't long before his daughter was tugging at his pants.

“Daddy, can you pick me up?” At her request, Cillian reached down and lifted his daughter off the ground.

“Who's my little munchkin?” he cooed, as he gently rubbed his nose against her, causing a melodic laugh.

It pained me to admit this, but I was a little jealous. Cillian wasyoung. He looked like a baby himself, yet here he was, dropping everything to give his daughter the attention that she craved. Most times, I had to remind Vernon not to forget Elijah’s birthday.

I had never seen a successful couple of different races before, so I didn’t know they could be so loving. Cillian had been more than affectionate to his wife in fifteen seconds than Vernon had been to me all year.

Most times, there was a deep seed of shame I felt at being mixed race. Sometimes I wished I’d just had two Black parents, as being half white, I knew I was my father’s biggest shame. Seeing an interracial couple actually work just proved that my father was an asshole and not worth the space in my head that I gave him.

“I'm sorry,” Queenie apologized. “It can get pretty noisy in here.”

“Don't apologize. It's nice seeing such a lively home for once. Why don't you sit so you don't have to put weight on your feet?” I offered, as we sat down on the closest couch together.

“Can't believe I have Pretty Washington in my home.”

“I'm just a woman, dear. Bleed like everyone else.”

“But it must be exciting doing what you do. Traveling, seeing the world. I think before I got married, I hoped I’d get the privilege of entertaining the idea of traveling more. Guess God had other plans for me,” she smiled weakly.

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