Seacliff

Chapter forty-nine: A happy family

1929

Saoirse tiptoed to her son's room, knocked, then poked her head in. "May I enter the citadel?"

The boy scoffed. Saoirse walked in, anyway, and went to sit on the edge of his narrow bed, one arm draped around him like a wing. Aidan pointedly refused to look at her.

"Aidan, mo mhuirnín," she ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head. "Why did you fight with Jemmy, love?"

"Papa has tattled, I see," he muttered.

"Of course he tattled. There are no secrets in this family."

A huff of disapproval. "Jemmy started it."

"Well, why did he start it?"

Aidan puffed his cheeks, crossing his arms.

"Maybe he didn't want to be kissed, did you consider that?"

"But I – "

The argumentative boy was at a loss for words. His gears cranked to a halt as he clearly couldn't fathom that something that felt so right to him could feel so wrong to somebody else.

"Aidan, mo mhuirnín..." Saoirse moved and dipped her head to be able to look him in the eye. "You should always ask before you kiss someone, all right? Especially on the lips. It's... very personal. Very intimate. And maybe that person isn't so comfortable with it."

The boy didn't answer. He seethed in his mother's arms, his lower lip curling into a persistent pout. Summoned by the whirlwind of his son's emotions, Sorley soon joined them and had to lift Aidan on his lap when he sat down on the tiny bed.

"What's the matter, lad?" the selkie enquired on a gentle, soothing tone. "What ails you?"

Aidan's little fingers fiddled with the hems of his socks as if they held the solution to his existential crisis.

"Jemmy punched me," the boy confessed after all, loud in his angered bewilderment, "because I kissed him! A kiss is a nice thing, isn't it, Da? You kiss Ma all the time!"

Hesitating, Sorley cast a quick glance at Saoirse over the boy's head.

"What did your mother say?"

The boy's pout deepened. "That I should have asked..."

"And did you?"

"No..." His little body sagged under the weight of realising and accepting his mistake. "I didn't want to hurt Jemmy... I love Jemmy, he's my best friend!"

His teary eyes pleaded for forgiveness and Saoirse had to stop herself from rushing into a shower of kisses. She had an opportunity to teach him a lesson that would stick.

"I know, my love," she said. "I'm sure Jemmy knows it, too. It's just that you frightened him. Apologise and shake hands when you see him and I'm sure all will be well. All right?"

A meek, distrusting nod.

"And Aidan, my boy..." He looked up at her words. "Can Mommy kiss you?"

She smiled, but the question confused him. He stared at his father for an answer.

"You can kiss me," Sorley said and leaned in to meet Saoirse's smiling lips.

"Oi!" the boy protested.

His parents chuckled.

"You want a kiss, too?" Da asked.

Aidan gulped, then nodded, more determined this time.

"Are you sure?" Ma prodded. "You won't punch me?"

The boy blushed. His father, still holding onto him, launched a tickle attack and madness ensued. Aidan guffawed and drowned in kisses. His heartache dissipated into giggles. His tears were of laughter rather than sorrow.

With harmony re-established, Saoirse found it appropriate to break the good news to her son. He lay on his side, sandwiched between his parents, facing his mother.

"Aidan, my love," she began, carefully, "how would you like to have, say... a little sister you could kiss all the time?"

He pondered his response with care. "Would a little sister want me to kiss her?"

"Sure, if you love her a lot and take good care of her. Would you?"

"Of course!" He drew a wide arch with his arm. "I would love her this much!"

"Well, then..." She propped her temple on a fist and tapped a fingertip on the boy's button nose. Her free hand then moved to pat her belly. "You're a lucky Irish lad, because Ma is making you a sibling. Your da thinks it's a girl, but we'll see. You would love a little brother just as much, wouldn't you?"

Aidan leapt to his knees, his mouth agape. His animated gaze darted from his mother to his father.

"A sibling! Aidan will have a sibling?! Papa!"

Like any discovery of significance, he felt the instant need to share it with the only other man of science in the house.

"Papa!" He jumped out of bed and dashed down the stairs. "Papa, Ma is making me a sibling! Da says it's a girl!"

James emerged into the front room from the kitchen, alarmed by the yelling. Saoirse trailed close enough behind her son to see the puzzlement devolve into wonder on her husband's face.

"Saoirse... Saoirse, is this true? Are you... Oh!"

They hugged, words insufficient.

"I'm so happy for you. I... Congratulations, I suppose?" An awkward chuckle. "How very lovely."

They pulled apart, holding hands.

"Will you be all right, though?" James asked. "I hate to say this, but – "

"I know, I'm old. I'll be careful."

Aidan was still doing victory laps around the house. Sorley stood by Saoirse's shoulder.

"Not running away this time?" James teased him.

"No such luck, doctor. No such luck."

The men exchanged a firm handshake and a heartfelt embrace. Saoirse found her son, hoisted him on her hip, and brought him into the kitchen, where his fathers followed. It was the happiest meal Saoirse ever remembered having.