Who’s Ye Fool?

I miss the fuck out of them both. Kaye is glowing. She looks so happy. According to her, she’s writing up a storm. However, she won’t send me any of her new work.

My phone vibrates again. It’s a picture of just Kaye blowing me a kiss. I bite my lip and grin like a fool.

“I always find it funny that ye fuckers believe ye can hide things from me. Who’s ye fool,, Felix? It sure as fuck ain’t me.” My mother says across the kitchen island, drawing my attention from my phone.

I focus on her face and see her hazel eyes locked in on me. She looks pissed. I groan internally. I don’t know how much she knows, but I’m positive my mother is onto me.

“What—”

She lifts the wooden spoon in her hand and slashes it through the air to silence me. My head whips back, but I shut the fuck up. I know that look too well.

“Don’t ye play dumb with me. At first, I thought ye were working and tending to business. Then I started noticing a pattern. Who do ye think audits the books each year? I’ve seen the flights and the locations. You keep taking ye ass to New York.

“At first I figured ye were going to hang with Jamie and Dylan. Which is fine. I wish youse boys lived closer to each other. But when I talked to ye aunt, she kept mentioning Dashawn this and Dashawn that. How the wee one loves ye so.

“I kept me mouth shut and just listened. Come to find out there’s a girl in New York that ye have the O’Briens looking after. A girl named Kaye. The same Kaye that’s been missing with her mother crying on me shoulder for her.

“Aye, I ought cobbler ye, Felix. I have a mind to put my foot clear up yer arse. I would too if ye weren’t the child ye are. I trust ye. So I’ll allow ye this pass. Now explain to me what me in-laws know that I don’t,” she demands.

I rub my forehead in frustration, as the wheels turn in my head. I had no idea Mrs. Porter has been coming to see mom.

Hope blooms in my chest. If I can fix this one thing for Kaye, I know it will ease her burdens a little more. I know how much she misses her family. Knowing her mother isn’t as closed off about the subject gives me a few ideas.

“Start talking ye rawny wee shit, before I batter ye hoop,” Mom growls.

I try not to laugh, she means every word. She’ll kick my ass if I don’t start talking, so talk. I tell my mother everything as she feeds me brownies and milk like I’m still eight. She takes a seat and listens just like she used to do back then.

“Yer still sweet on that lass,” My mother says when I’m done.

I know it’s not a question, she’s stating a fact. It’s the one thing I didn’t tell her. I never said a word about how I feel about Kaye, not once. As I look into my mother’s knowing eyes, I know I never had to. I get my watchfulness from her.

“I care about her. I want to do whatever I can to make sure she and the baby are taken care of,” I reply.

“Again, lad of mine. Who’s ye foul?”

I blow out a heavy breath. I might as well be straight. My mother knows me better than anyone.

“Not you. Yes, I’m in love with her,” I say.

“Ye have been for years. She’s a pretty little one. Her father…now that’s going to be ye challenge. He loves you like a son, but he is one stubborn as fuck man. He believes he means well and in principle, he does. It just doesn’t always translate that way,” she says.

“I want to bring her home. It’s been long enough,” I mumble.

“Some things we shouldn’t stick our noses too far into. Ye bring her home, ye may be bringing her too close to a fire that will run her away for good. Trust me. Her father hasn’t finished roaring yet and her coming home will cause her to have to face that noise,” she pauses reaching for my hand.

“She misses her family. They have a grandson they should get to know.”

“She also allowed someone to use her name and health insurance. Health insurance her father’s ministry paid for. She’s listed as the mother of that babe on his birth certificate.

“Coming home means choosing to expose a string of lies and choosing who to protect. Herself or her beloved brother,” mom replies.

“She gets hurt either way,” I huff.

“Aye. It’s a noble thing she’s done for Danny, but there has been a web weaved. Yer pressing up against someone’s beliefs here. The backlash will have a ripple, it will. Be careful of the stones ye throw at this one,” she cautions me.

“What should I do?” I ask feeling lost.

“Watch it all closely. I have a feeling it will work itself out somehow. Ye just don’t be the one to force it. She’s in good hands. That, I’m glad of,” she says smiling up at me. Patting my hand she stands from the seat she took when I started to tell her the story. “Ye have done good.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she says softly.

“I never told Danny how I felt about Kaye. Do you think it’s wrong that we’re…”

“That yer shagging his sister now?” she laughs. Patting my cheek she shakes her head. “If ye only want to have a fuck and test the waters then, no. I don’t think it’s something ye should do. But if ye love her, like I know ye do. He would be happy that his best friend is the one to take care of his little sister in every way she needs.”

“You’re sure?”

“Did I raise ye to be a fierce man in everything ye do? Yer like ye father in a lot of ways. Kaye is a lucky one to have ye,” she replies.