Page 31 of Played By the Fool

Ciarán

“You lied,” Emilia grumbles to me on our daily phone call. “You said you’d be home in three weeks. It’s been four. I dislike this…”

“I know, baby. I promise I’ll be back next week. And I tell you what, I’ll come to Starlight Bay and we can drive to Lake Renegade together.”

There’s silence on her end. That’s never a good sign.

“Baby?”

I hear her sigh.

“I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too. And I promise, it won’t be much longer. And then we’ll never be apart again.”

“Pinky swear?”

“Yes.”

What Emilia doesn’t know is that I’m already in Starlight Bay. I got in about an hour ago and we’re driving to her house now. I didn’t mean to be in Ireland for a month, but because of my shoulder, I couldn’t really pack or do much. So my family helped me do it and I couldn’t just up and say ‘Okay, thanks forpacking my stuff. Bye.’ But my mam said it was time to finish up and start my new life with Emilia. My family will be coming back to Lake Renegade in two months for the grand opening of our dental office. So it won’t be long before we’re all together again.

My da has been talking to my grandparents and AintínCaitríona everyday. While I was back in Ireland, we got to spend more time with my da’s biological parents. We also had a small gathering so they could meet his siblings. We even did a video chat with AintínCaitríona and her family. I love how we’ve all become one big family. And I believe that if my da’s adoptive parents were alive, they’d be so happy for him too.

“Are you excited to start this new chapter?” I ask Aisling.

“I am. I mean, part of me is scared. But I have you with me so I think it’s going to be okay. And knowing our new family and how they’re always there for each other is really comforting.”

“Thank you for coming with me. I know making the decision to leave Ireland wasn’t easy.”

“It wasn’t, I already miss Da and Mam, even Fionn and Áine. But I also didn’t want you to do this alone. We all need each other.”

Emilia

One more week. Fine. I can survive one more week without Ciarán. And now that I know he’s coming here first so that we can all drive to Lake Renegade together makes me even happier. Frank decided that he wanted to come with us and start a new life there. And my family is coming to visit us when we get settled. It’s a two-hour drive from my parents’ house to Lake Renegade.

“So how’s the packing coming along?”Courtney asks.

“I never knew I had so much crap. What the fuck? Like, where did all this shit come from?”

Courtney laughs.

“You buy all kinds of shit. I told you before—when you decide to move, it’s gonna be like purging your life.”

“Oh, shut up. I do not buy a lot of shit. You’re just jealous because you have to stay in Chicago.”

“Psh. I can move to Lake Renegade too. You’re not the only one who was invited.”

“Who the fuck invited you?”

“I invited me.”

“You dumbass.”I laugh.“I’m excited to see you all soon.”

“I miss you too. And in all seriousness, I’m really glad you’re okay. And that you have Ciarán. I really like him. By the way, how’s Kali?”

“Thanks, Court. I really like him too. Kali is doing okay. I talked to her earlier today, she still seems down and that makes me sad. She said that she finally blocked John’s number. Her mom agreed that it was time. And unless she was going to forgive him, there was no need to keep seeing his texts. It was only making her sadder.”

“I feel so bad for her. She didn’t deserve any of that.”

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