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I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”

“You don’t stealchildren,” he hissed. “It’s like the fundamental rule of life.”

“I wasn’t thinking.”

“You have issues,” Gibsie accused, sounding horrified. “You have serious fucking issues with taking things that aren’t yours. You’re like a kleptomaniac but withhumans!”

“I know,” I choked out. “I’m going to work on it, but I need you to help me with these ones.”

“Why?” he demanded. “What aren’t you telling me, Johnny? Christ, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

“They’reShannon’sbrothers.” Turning my back on the car, I whispered, “They were all alone, lad. Their ma was in bed and they were hungry. I couldn’t leave them there.” I shrugged helplessly. “How can I take them back to that house?” I pointed back to the car. “That one’s only a baby.”

“Shit.” Gibsie dropped his head and groaned. “Should we call Shannon?”

“No,” I snapped, flustered. “She’s having a good day for once in her life. I’m not wrecking that with more shite.”

“Then we’ll take them back to your house,” he replied. “Your mam’s at home. She’ll know what to do with them.”

“She’s going to kill me,” I mumbled dejectedly.

“Yep,” Gibs replied, clapping me on the back. “And me with you.”

* * *

“Whoa!” Tadhg and Ollie chorused when we pulled up outside my house a little while later. “Your house ishuge.”

“None of you are afraid of dogs, right?” I asked as Bonnie, Cupcake, and Sookie bounded around in the back garden.

“Nope,” Ollie replied, pushing the door open and running straight for the dogs. “I like the black one,” Tadhg stated as he hurried out after his brother.

“Her name’s Sookie,” I told him, climbing out after them. “She’s old so be gentle with her.”

“Hey, Sookie,” Tadhg called out, running across the grass to where Ollie was rolling around with my mother’s two golden retrievers.

“What are we going to do with this one?” Gibsie asked as he leaned against the side of my car and pointed to Sean who was still sitting in the back seat, chewing on his fingers. “Why does he keep eating himself?”

“He’s not eating himself, Gibs,” I snapped, feeling oddly defensive of him. “He’s just nervous. This is all new to him, so just…leave him alone, will ya?”

“Jesus,” Gibsie muttered, holding his hands up. “Sorry,Dad.”

Ignoring my best friend, I walked around to the back door and crouched down. “Hey, buddy,” I coaxed, making eye contact with him. “You want to come inside with me?”

Sean stared at me for a long moment before crawling over the seats and slipping his small hand into mine. Uncertain, I looked at his small face and plastered on what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Good boy.” Helping him out of the car, I had to hunch while we walked so I didn’t pull the kid’s arm out of its socket.

“You know, if the rugby ever fails, you’d make a mighty fine childcare provider,” Gibsie snickered, holding the back door of the house open for me.

“Fuck off,” I mouthed as I helped Shannon’s youngest brother over the back step and threw a few Hail Marys up for self-preservation purposes. “Ma?” I called out, blessing myself as I pushed the kitchen door inward and found my mother sitting at the island with one of her work portfolios lying open. “I have a problem and I need your help.”

“Try three problems,” Gibs mused. “Three huge fucking problems.”

“But don’t panic,” I hurried to add. “Little ears are listening.”

Her gaze went straight to the toddler whose hand I was holding and then to Gibsie before back to me. “Oh, Johnny, what have you done?” Pushing back her stool, she stood up and walked over to us. “Who owns this child?”

“This is Shannon’s baby brother,” I explained as calmly as I could, careful not to spook the small child clinging to my hand.

“There’s two more where he came from in your garden,” Gibsie offered up. “Johnny stole them.”

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