Epilogue

“Is the oven working right?” Maura asked anxiously, as she watched Rose move around the newly finished kitchen as though she’d been working in it for years. Maura couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so nervous, and she couldn’t really understand why she was. She’d agreed that serving real food at Sullivan’s was a good idea (as long as she wasn’t doing the cooking), and she’d approved every change that had been made. They’d all sampled meals produced by Rose, just to be sure the appliances did what they were supposed to. All had passed with flying colors, including Rose.

Susan was watching Rose like a hawk, ready to deliver a finished plate as soon as it was ready. Maura felt both proud and distressed by that. She was glad Susan had thrown herself into this very ordinary task with enthusiasm and was doing it well, but she was pretty sure her mother had bigger plans for her than serving food. Still, they both knew it was temporary: at the end of the summer, Helen and Susan would be going back to Chicago so Susan could go back to school, and that would mean the end of what had become a pleasant relationship. She hoped Susan would come back to Cork sometime—and she knew Helen would, since the Crann Mor hotel seemed to have gained new life once Helen had gotten to know it and also know what local hotel-goers wanted.

“Yeh’ve asked me before and I’ve told yeh before, Maura,” Rose said, without stopping what she was doing. “Everything’s goin’ fine. Quit yer worryin’ and go enjoy the crowd.”

Maura had to admit she was useless just hovering in the doorway of the kitchen and getting in the way. “Yes, ma’am. But give a shout if you need an extra pair of hands. I’m pretty good at washing dishes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Susan, that plate’s for the corner table.”

Maura retreated quickly. In the main room she allowed herself a moment to enjoy the sight of people, both familiar and new, enjoying food and drink. It had been a slow summer, for no reason she had figured out, but they seemed to have turned a corner. She’d be happy to give the credit to Rose and her food—even she could recognize the quality. Maybe she ought to make Rose a partner in Sullivan’s—she’d earned it.

Maura slid behind the bar, where Mick was setting up pint glasses with practiced skill. “Everything going all right?” she asked.

He flashed her a quick smile. “Do yeh need to ask?”

“I guess not,” she admitted. “It’s been a while since we’ve been this busy. I hope it lasts.”

“The word’s out. Stop worryin’.”

“That’s what Rose told me. So I should go look like a successful pub owner and mingle with the crowd?”

“Yeh can take this tray of pints over to that table by the window. And one of them’s fer Billy.”

“Got it.”

Glad to have something useful to do, Maura hoisted the tray and made her way to the corner, stopping to chat with the American couple seated there. Their first trip to Ireland, and Maura now knew enough about West Cork to give them some good suggestions about what to see and do. Then she took the tray with its last glass and went over to Billy. For once he was alone, but he seemed to be enjoying just watching the hubbub. She set the full glass in front of him and dropped into the chair beside his.

“I’m afraid to say anything, in case I jinx it,” she told him. “Looks like things are going well. Think it will last?”

“Ah, Maura, don’t worry yerself. Yeh’ve got a good cook, and a cheerful place here. Just keep the pints comin’.”

“That’s the easy part. But it’s nice to see the place busy again.”

Billy stared across the room, but Maura wasn’t sure he was looking at anything in particular. Then he said, “Could be Old Mick’s at peace, and he’s givin’ you his thanks.”

“Was he really so upset by … what happened?”

“He never said much, but it didn’t sit well with him. He was never a violent man. But he spent less and less time out at Knockskagh in his last years. Maybe it didn’t feel like home to him anymore.”

“It’s a shame. But I’m glad we got it all out in the open. Thank you for your part in it.”

“Yeh needed to know. And I’d guess Old Mick wanted you to know. Now we can lay it to rest and enjoy what he created here, and what yeh’ve made better.”

“That sounds good to me.”

“Will yer sister be leavin’ soon?”

“End of the summer, I think. I hope she comes back.”

“I’m thinking she will. Not to stay, mebbe, but I think she likes this place, and her mother’ll be going back and forth for a while.”

“Good. She’s a good kid. If I’d been in her shoes, I would have been a real pain, and probably spent most of my time hiding out and sulking. If I’d come at all.”

“Yeh might have noticed, Maura Donovan, that these things have a way of working themselves out. Now, go on and take care of yer customers. We haven’t seen Seamus and his gang yet, and they’re sure to be thirsty when they arrive.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks, Billy.”

She stood and turned toward the bar, but she was intercepted by Susan. “Got a minute?” she asked.

“Sure. How about outside? You look like you could use some fresh air.”

“Great. But not for too long because Rose needs me.” Susan headed for the side door, and Maura wove her way through the crowd to follow her. Outside there were a few more customers, but they all looked well supplied with pints. Maura directed Susan toward the edge of the property, overlooking the ravine.

“Something wrong?” Maura asked, as soon as they were far enough away not to be heard.

“Oh, no, no, nothing like that. I just wanted a chance to thank you. We’ve never had time to talk much, and now the place is crazy busy.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“Well, I guess for being nice. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be you and to be handed a pissed-off baby sister out of the blue.”

Maura smiled. “If that was your pissed off, you’d better work on it. I was surprised you were polite at all. And at least I had some warning, since I knew you existed. Not that I expected you to pop up in front of me one day. Like your mother did.”

“Yeah, we started off really well. But you didn’t treat me like a stupid kid, and you gave me something to do, and I’ve had a lot of fun. More than I expected.”

“I’m glad. It took me a while to get there. I got here at a difficult time in my life, and then I kept getting surprises. Don’t get me wrong—they were all good, like inheriting a house and pub, but they were unexpected and I didn’t know how to handle them. It’s taken me a while to get used to the way things work around here, and I didn’t know anything about Ireland, or anywhere outside of Boston, really. But I like it now. It’s beginning to feel like home.”

“You look happy,” Susan told her. “Most of the time, anyway.”

“Good. I’d hate to scare customers away by looking grim all the time. Look, Susan, if you’re trying to find a way to say that you’d like to come back again, I’d be happy to have you. Or if your folks insist you have to go off to college right away, or take some super-serious summer class in astrophysics, I won’t take it personally. You can still come for vacations. I bet winters here are better than in Chicago.”

“Uh, yeah!” Susan said eagerly. “I just wanted to be sure you didn’t think I was in the way or something.”

“Not at all. It’s just that I’m not used to having family, so I’m still trying to understand how it works. I would be happy to see you here anytime, with or without your mother. Our mother. See? That takes getting used to too.”

Susan grinned. “I’ll be happy to lend her to you whenever you want.” She turned to go back inside, but stopped again. “By the way, I think Mick is cool. I think the two of you are cool together.”

Maura hoped she wasn’t blushing. “Are we that obvious?”

“Yes.” Susan turned to hurry back to the kitchen, and Maura followed more slowly.

Inside the noise level had risen another notch. The sun was low in the sky, turning the interior into gold. And wonderful smells were coming from the direction of the kitchen. People looked happy and well fed. Maybe this was all going to work.

She slid behind the bar again and came closer to Mick.

“Problem?” he asked.

“Nope. Susan likes me, and she’d love to come back here when she can. And she approves of you and me. Us, I mean. Smart kid.”

“She is that.”

“Do you know, I’m almost afraid to be happy?”

“What do yeh mean?”

“Business is going well. We’ve made some great improvements. Helen and Susan and I seem to be getting along. And then there’s you and me.”

“So?”

“So I finally feel I have some control over my life. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting closer. I never expected that when I left Boston. Now I have a place where I think I might belong. And I have you. At least for now.”

“Fer as long as you want.”