Bridger Read online

  “I can’t believe that idiot. Why would I have to stow my carry-on below the plane? What’s the purpose of a carry-on if it’s not a carry-on?” She fumed as we received our bags on the way into the airport in Cork, completely unharmed and intact. Well, except for Jamie’s hair straightener. That bit the dust in Manchester.

  “James, it’s over. We’re here.”

  Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again, seemingly over her rant. “You’re right. This is amazing. We’re actually in Ireland! Can you believe it? Oh I can’t wait to meet a cute boy with an accent.”

  I wasn’t paying attention to her. Scanning the small crowd outside of customs, I looked for anyone who looked remotely like a McVean. My cousins weren’t hard to find. Not only were they the loudest, rowdiest crew there, but they all looked exactly the same. Strawberry blonde hair and emerald green eyes was the staple of the McVeans. Strong genes, Memaw called it. I thought it was just a serious case of inbreeding, though I’d never say it out loud.

  A young man that seemed to be two of me in height and four in weight bounded forward. Scooping me up without so much as an introduction, he squeezed the air out of my lungs. He began rattling on like we were best friends. “Ashlyn, you’re here! I didn’t really think you’d come, but Emily said you would. We’ve got loads of things planned; you’ll never forget your trip to Ireland.”

  “I doubt I’ll ever be able to,” I coughed out, trying to give my brain enough oxygen to think in straight lines again. There was a small gaggle of guys behind him.

  He gave me a once-over. “Emily was right; you don’t look like a McVean at all. You must have got your mom’s genes.” I looked down in embarrassment, feeling as though I’d lost points on a test that I hadn’t been told to study for. Auburn hair and colored contacts made me stand out like a sore thumb in the family. If Mom wasn’t around, I could pass as being adopted.

  Ignoring our conversation, Jamie’s eyes glazed over. She was taking in the sight that must have been glorious in her opinion. She crossed the distance between her and the boys in three strides, taking out two old ladies with her massive bags in the process. She didn’t seem to notice.

  Looking back at the man who had practically assaulted me in his excitement, I smiled. “Sorry about Jamie, she’s a little boy-crazy.”

  He laughed, the sound rich and homey. He felt like a long lost friend as he winked conspiratorially. “It’s alright, they were looking forward to your friend coming. They have a thing for American girls. But where are my manners? I’m Jesse. We’re third cousins or something relationally, but we don’t really keep count.” He waved behind him to prove his point. Jamie was now entertaining the throng of guys with wild gestures. I was scared to know what she was telling them. “Everyone’s family to us. Even ones that technically aren’t.”

  There were three guys on the outer ring of the circle. These must be the ones we weren’t related to. It was easy to see the difference. While the rest of the group was as loud and excited as Jamie was, these three seemed more reserved. All of them had darker hair, two of them chestnut in color and the other jet-black.

  “Who are they?” I asked, taking in the sight. Jamie was well on her way to being best friends with all of them by the looks of it.

  Jesse shrugged. “Oh, friends of the family. They go wherever we go. Maybe not unlike the friend you brought over with you?”

  Jesse smiled while watching the antics of Jamie. She was so excited she was practically levitating off the floor. She would need to be reined in if I wanted to survive this trip. I smiled, nodding to confirm his guess. “Yeah, Jamie’s pretty much the sister I never had. I love her to death.”

  “It’s good to have a friend like that. I don’t know what I’d do without Liam.”

  “Which one is Liam?” I asked, assuming from our conversation that he was one of the darker haired guys. They had cracked to Jamie’s antics; they were laughing along with the rest of the group now.

  He pointed to the one farthest from the circle surrounding Jamie. “That joker right there,” he said, laughing. “He’s like a brother to me.”

  Standing there smiling from ear to ear, Liam was the one with jet-black hair that looked like it hadn’t been brushed in a week. It hung in waves to his ears. It didn’t diminish his appearance, though; instead it gave him a sense of devil-may-care. He seemed to be more guarded than the rest.

  Sensing my gaze, he looked over to us and winked as he pulled one hand through his mop of hair. I could tell he was simply humoring Jamie by laughing at the appropriate times. He motioned for us to come join the group.

  “Let’s get these girls back to the house, what do you say?” Jesse called out as we neared everyone.

  Jamie clapped her hands together, as though she was having an epiphany. “Is there a pub around? I want to see an Irish pub! Do you guys eat fish and chips like they do in the TV shows? I want to try it all!”

  One of the copper-haired boys laughed, clapping the other on the back. Those two were definitely related. “I like this girl already. Ashlyn, you’ve got good taste in friends.”

  Jamie beamed in exultation. I was never going to get her away from here with the guys encouraging her like this. “Jamie, it’s probably not a good idea to hit the pubs. We’re not legal.”

  The other copper-haired guy chuckled. “Ash, you’re responsible. You’re definitely a McVean even if you don’t look like one on the outside.”

  It was strange to have everyone know me, yet not know any of them. I tried to be polite while trying to learn names. “Uh, thanks. What’s your name?”

  “Oh, sorry. I’m Desmond and this is my brother, Issac. That’s our friend, Liam, and those are your cousins Thing One, Two and Three,” he said, grinning and dodging a punch that came from Thing One, Two, or Three, although at this point I didn’t know which. There was no way I was going to remember all of this. They couldn’t all be staying with us. If I knew who we’d be staying with, I’d focus on their names a little more.

  Jesse shook his head. He was obviously the leader of the group. “Let’s take them home first before we set them loose. There’s plenty of time to sight-see.”

  We headed to the parking lot. I wasn’t sure what kind of vehicle we were going to find. I always thought of Europe having those mini smart cars. Those wouldn’t fit three of these guys in there, let alone all of our luggage and the extra “family.”

  Instead of a smart car, Jesse directed us to the oldest, biggest jalopy of a car I had ever seen. At some point, it had been a station wagon. However at this stage in life, it could be better compared to a rusted toy wagon with a lawnmower engine.

  Jesse introduced us to the car as though it were another person. “Ladies, this is Queen Elizabeth.”

  The guys chuckled behind us. Jamie, on the other hand, looked like she might throw up as she watched Jesse start the car. The engine groaned to life and a cloud of black smoke erupted from the exhaust pipe. “Are you sure this is safe? Don’t you have e-check or something over here? This can’t be good for the environment.”

  Waving the smoke away, I pulled on the trunk door. Rust flecks covered the palm of my hand as I tried in vain to make the door open.

  Laughing, Desmond came forward and yanked on the handle mercilessly. The trunk popped open, more rust flying in every direction. “Sorry about that, you can’t be gentle with her,” he said, grinning ear to ear. The happiness that emanated from this crew was infectious. I grinned in spite of myself, already feeling at home.

  Packing all of our belongings in the back, we moved to get in the car. Literally sitting on one another, I laughed at what we must look like in this wagon. We could pass for clowns escaped from a low-budget circus. Jamie had no problem sitting on someone’s lap. One of my cousins seemed to have already taken an interest in her. They were chatting away, getting to know each other. Jamie played the field with the best of them, regardless of whether she had a steady boyfriend or not.

  “Do
n’t worry, it’s not too long of a drive,” Jesse called to us in the back, hitting another pothole in the road. The shocks on the car were long gone. The back bumper hit the ground, rattling the entire body of the car. I was going to lose fillings on this trek.

  It didn’t feel like we had been in the car for very long. The conversation flowed so easily. I was enjoying getting to get to know the family I hadn’t even known existed. They felt more like family than even Memaw had before our mending a few days ago. I loved it.

  Half of our welcoming party left in search of the fish and chips Jamie was so excited about while we got settled into the house. Jamie watched wistfully as the rickety old car pulled out of the driveway onto the muddy road once more, bottoming out as they turned off the driveway. Sparks flew off the exhaust pipe as it connected with the blacktop. I wondered how they had kept the car in one piece this long, even with the liberal amounts of duct tape and bungee cords they’d used.

  We filed into the tiny home, tossing our bags to the side of the door. Crossing the threshold, I was bombarded by the wonderful scents of fresh bread, cinnamon, and vanilla. It was like walking into an old, rustic home you would see in the movies. A fireplace was roaring, surrounded by an assortment of mismatched chairs filling the room. Open rafters made of red wood overhead made the eclectic array of furniture feel perfect for the home. It reminded me of a ski lodge.

  A woman of mammoth proportions made her way out of the kitchen. That had to be the source of wonderful scents. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until smelling the wonderful cooking. She wiped her hands on an already overused apron as she walked toward us.

  The woman was easily six-foot-three, a solid two hundred fifty pounds. She wasn’t overweight, but completely muscular. It didn’t detract from her femininity, though. Quite the opposite, actually. She looked agile despite her large frame and her waves of red hair framed her angular face, giving her a warm glow.

  She pulled off her apron and tossed it across the back of the nearest armchair. “Ah, are these our guests?”

  Once again I found myself being crushed in a rib-breaking hug from someone I had no previous recollection of. These people loved their hugs.

  “Um, hello,” I said.

  She flashed a brilliant smile, letting go after a few moments. “Hello, hello! I’m Theresa, but you can call me Tess. I’m Liam’s mum. You’ll be staying with us.”

  Confused, I looked to Jesse for answers.

  “There’s not enough room at my place for everyone, so Liam offered for us to stay with him.” Jesse explained, nodding in the direction of Desmond and Issac, who had headed off to begin raiding the kitchen.

  “Oh, are the rest of the guys staying with us, too?” I was afraid we would be falling out the windows of this already cramped house if they returned.

  “No, they’ll go back to my place. They’re family, but Desmond, Issac, and Liam have offered to show you two a good time. Me too, of course, if you’ll have me,” Jesse smiled, grabbing Tess’ apron and putting it on. He moved toward the kitchen. “Tess, what still needs to be done?”

  Tess laughed, smacking him with the mixing spoon she was still holding. “Oh, don’t play that game, Jesse. I know all you want to do is get close to the food!”

  Jamie looked frustrated. Confused on what could have upset her now, I turned to her as the rest of the group dissipated into the kitchen. I wanted to follow, but knew better than to leave Jamie in one of her moods. “What’s wrong, sis?”

  Brows furrowed, Jamie looked toward the kitchen. “Nothing, I just want to call Mark and let him know we made it okay.”

  I hadn’t thought about that. Although I knew Jamie would end up flirting shamelessly with any guy here that would stand still long enough, she would want to check in with her steady boyfriend. Memaw and Mom would probably appreciate an update, not to mention Reese. I had promised to stay in touch, after all.

  I called into the kitchen loud enough to be heard over the clanging of pots and pans. “Do you have internet here, Tess?”

  “Of course, dear. You should be fine, Desmond just recently put in wireless. Your family would probably like to hear from you,” she hinted, not knowing I was already on that page as well.

  Jamie grabbed her purse and body bag of a suitcase, disappearing. “I’m going to go find a room for us.” She was being surprisingly aloof all of a sudden. Weird. I’d let her storm take its course. If she was mad at me, I would hear about it at some point. Jamie wasn’t one to bottle too much up.

  I grabbed my computer and walked into the kitchen, not wanting to distance myself from the perpetual happiness this group had. They made it impossible not to smile. It was nice. Sitting down, I opened Skype, hoping Mom remembered to leave hers ready.

  “Remember, there’s a six hour time difference, so it’s eight in the morning in Ohio right now,” Issac called over from the pantry. He was grabbing bags of unknown substances, undoubtedly for Tess to continue whipping up whatever concoction she was creating over the stove.

  “They should be up, my mom insisted on me letting her know we were here the minute we touched down,” I joked.

  Sure enough, Mom was already logged in and calling before I even had the chance to look back at the screen. Clicking to answer, the little green light on my webcam sprang to life. Mom and Memaw were looking at me, smiling.

  Mom breathed a sigh of relief as though she had expected the plane to burst into flames over the Atlantic. She had the tendency to be a worst-case scenario worrier. “You got there safe!”

  Tess leaned over my shoulder to wave to my mom. “Sure did, Sarah. Hi, Emily.”

  “Hi, Tess,” they said at once. My mom smiled at the large woman threatening to crush me from behind. “It’s good to see you again.”

  Unaware that Mom knew our cousins let alone their friends, I looked at her questioningly. If she caught my gaze, she didn’t acknowledge it.

  Mom moved to the side, allowing Memaw to take precedence in the camera. “I won’t keep you. I’m sure you’re hungry and excited to see the sights. Please keep in touch and send us lots of pictures!”

  “Ash, where’s Jamie?” Memaw asked.

  Why did she care? If Jamie had been arrested in Manchester for physically assaulting the luggage handler, Memaw probably would have broke into a touchdown dance while singing the “I told you so” song.

  Shrugging, I grinned into the camera. “She’s Skyping Mark, I think. She went to scope out a room for us.”

  “I see,” she said, looking up at Tess. I looked back at her, worried.

  “Should I tell her you had a specific room for us?”

  “No, no, you’re fine taking whatever room you want. The boys will sleep in the living room most likely anyway. They all have night jobs so there won’t be much trouble with sleeping arrangements.”

  “How is your Liam, anyway?” Memaw asked Tess, grinning now. Uh oh. She was up to something.

  Liam was sitting across the table, legs across two chairs and back against the wall, reading something. His eyes were stuck in the same place on the page. He was listening to his mother’s conversation as much as I was.

  Tess returned Memaw’s smile, leaning forward and pressing me down into the computer. My face was practically smashed against the keyboard as Tess struggled to get her entire body into the frame of the tiny webcam. “He’s great, Em, thanks for asking.”

  “How old is he now? He must be about Ashlyn’s age, right?” Mom called from outside the lens of the camera on their end. They were trying to hook me up, half a world away. That was a failure of an idea. I couldn’t even find someone in the entire high school. I blushed, thankful my face was hidden from the boy across the table. I hadn’t even talked to him and they were trying to get us married off.

  “Sure is – he’s seventeen,” Tess confirmed. “Only a year older than yours. They grow up fast, don’t they?”

  Memaw agreed. “They do, much too fast. And how are you, Tess? Anything new?”

  I
could tell this was a loaded question, though I had no clue why. I glanced up from the corner of my eye that wasn’t pressed against a computer or a bosom. Nothing like getting to know people intimately in ways you’d never dreamed of. Tess’ face fell for the slightest moment, but she quickly pulled it back into her ever-present grin. “No, not at all. Sometimes no news is good news, right?”

  “Indeed it is, my dear,” Memaw said, though sounding disappointed at the same time. They were having a double conversation while I was having the keys of my MacBook permanently engrained into the side of my face.

  Pulling away from the screen finally, Tess nodded once more. “It was nice catching up with you, Sarah, Emily. We’ll have to do it more often.” I caught a glimpse of Tess’ necklace as she pulled away from me. Comparing the pendant she wore against the one I had underneath my layers right now, it was the exact same. My heart beat faster, realizing Memaw had connections she had never told me about.

  I came up for air, rubbing the side of my face that was red from being against the warm computer. My mind was racing a thousand miles an hour. “I’m going to go find Jamie. Can you keep Mom under control while I’m gone?” I asked Memaw, smiling while thinking of Memaw putting one of those kiddy leashes on Mom. She was capable of it, no doubt.

  Memaw smiled. “That can be arranged. Please be careful over there. Stick with Jesse and the boys. Don’t wander off by yourself, even if Jamie wants to. Even though I wouldn’t mind Jamie getting lost, don’t let her out of your sight, either.”