Page 83 of Since We're Here
For the briefest moment, I wish so deeply that I’d taken Patrick up on the offer to find another helmet, one that fits better.
Then everything goes black.
22
PATRICK
I’m antsy as hell right now.
The smell of bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh cinnamon rolls—I’ve perfected the art of making them from scratch for my nieces—wafts through my cottage, and the girls giggle at the table as they lick icing-covered fingers. This is usually one of my favorite parts of having them stay over: making an extravagant breakfast before Saoirse picks them up.
But this morning, all I can think about is Sean quitting.
It’s even pushed out some of the dread around Maddie ignoring me after I was such an arsehole on Friday.
What am I gonna do about Slea Head? I’m only one person. I can’t be head brewer as well as run strategy and planning and administration for the brewery, plus keep an eye on things at the pub. I need to hire more people.
It won’t be easy to find someone as experienced as Sean. He knows everything about brewing and has been at Dad’s side at Slea Head for decades.
If it hadn’t been Cormac’s screwup that was the catalyst for Sean quitting, I’d consider giving the kid more responsibilities.But I can’t do that without risking even more going wrong. Not yet.
I’m gonna have to step up and step in, even though I already have so much on my plate, including the Wellington Pubs meeting this Tuesday. So much rides on that meeting. If it goes well, it could change everything for Slea Head. I can think about replacing Sean after I get through that day.
Saoirse shows up half an hour later.
“What’s wrong?” The girls run to the car, but my sister’s eyes are locked on me, her forehead crinkled. “You have a particularly unhappy expression on your face. Even worse than yesterday.”
“Sean quit.”
“No.” Saoirse gasps and glances over her shoulder at her daughters, who are settled in the backseat of the car. “Why? What are you going to do?”
I shake my head. “He hates me, hates change, hates everything. You know, the expected reasons.” Will I be a grumpy old man like that some day? Christ, I hope not. “I’ll need to cover his role at the brewery until I can find a replacement.”
“Pat, you already have, like, five jobs.”
“Not sure what else to do.”
“Hey.” Saoirse reaches out to touch my arm. “I can cover shifts at O’Brien’s if you need me to help.”
“You also work too much already.” The last thing I want to do is put more on my sister.
Saoirse shrugs. “Yeah. I do. But I’m getting fed up with the hotel. Maybe I’ll finally accept one of your job offers.”
“Anytime, Saoirse.”
“Have you made up with Maddie yet?”
“Feck.” I drag a hand roughly down my face. “No. She didn’t respond to my texts.”
“Well, she was working yesterday afternoon. Seemed disappointed when I told her you wouldn’t be coming by. I made sure to tell her you had my kids.”
I look up to the sky for help but find only thick gray clouds.
“Things have been shite at the pub. There’s been problems. Inventory issues. People quitting.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth. They are implied words of blame, and my sister recognizes that right away.
Saoirse presses her lips into a thin line.
“And is that her fault?”
