Happy (early) Tuesday! :)  I'm updating this from my hotel room in Mississippi because tomorrow (technically now today) my friends and I are packing up and heading back on the road to home. Woo-hoo.  For anyone who cares, spring break was awesome.  Visited 3 states in the span of 4 days, which sounds like a lot of driving but it surprisingly wasn't.

Anyway, my adventures in real life are not why you're here.  You want my fictitious adventures :P

So, please, have yourself a jolly old time.

XOXO

sophie9630

****

TWELVE

Finn rose immediately from his place on the couch and gently grabbed his mother's shoulders. He ushered her to the couch, worry etched into his face. Abbie knew that while this appeared to be a happy occurrence Finn was still deeply concerned about his mother's failing health.

She watched his mother slowly sink into the couch, Finn at her side guarding her movements. After much hesitation, she settled in easily and leaned against the backrest.

"Oh, how rude of me to forget introductions!" She said exasperatedly. Turning to Abbie, she exclaimed, "Hello, dear, I am Maryanne Hallinan! It is a pleasure to finally meet a friend of Finnegan's!"

Maryanne was so cheerful it was difficult not to smile broadly while she spoke. Abbie couldn't help but enjoy Finn's immediate awkward manner and decided continue poking fun.

"Friend is a very interesting word," she replied. "But I do suppose I would consider Finnegan a friend." His ears lit bright red and Abbie giggled to herself.

"My name is Abigail, but I prefer Abbie."

"Oh, just like my son here prefers 'Finn,' eh?" Maryanne elbowed Finn, who sat on the arm of the couch. "But, I tell 'im that's not the name I gave 'im so I still call him Finnegan," she stated matter-of-factly.

The corners of Finn's mouth tugged upward into a tight-lipped smile. He shook his head and chuckled, shoulders bobbing slightly. When his mother patted his hand, he grabbed it and squeezed it gently.

"Yer the only person in the world that can get away with 'at," he mused with a grin.

Maryanne shrugged and replied simply, "'A course I am, darlin', I'm your mother." Abbie was extremely in awe of the closeness of the relationship between mother and son she was witnessing.

Her parents had always treated her well, from a young age to then, but there always seemed to be a stigma of formality. Finn and Maryanne looked at each other as equals rather than inferior or superior. In Abbie's household, her father always held authority.

Thinking about it now, Abbie felt as though she never had thought about having the type of personal relationship with him as Finn had with his mother. Nonetheless, she began to feel a pang of nostalgia remembering her childhood. She felt her cheeks getting warm and the onset of tears building in her eyes.

"Abbie, where did you say you were from?" Maryanne's voice cut through Abbie's revere. Abbie shook her head and blinked. Finn's mother glanced at her expectantly, not at all aware of the young girl's internal emotional struggle.

"Uh, I, I didn't," Abbie stammered finally. "I'm from the outskirts of London. My father and I live in the country." Maryanne nodded slowly, formulating her next question. Abbie was amused by how inquisitive Finn's family was.

"And how in the world did such a pretty young lady from England come to find my scrappy son?" Had the question been posed by anyone else, it may have come off as an insult or a remark of disdain. Maryanne's tone, however, was one of genuine curiosity. She seemed to be poking fun at her son.

"We met at the docks," Finn replied quickly. His eyes widened, pleading with Abbie to follow as inconspicuously as possible.

"Yes, uh, I was dancing and Finn happened upon me," she said, trying to abate the feeling that she was lying. Nothing about what they had said thus far had been a lie, but Abbie hoped that Finn's mother would not press for any more information. Luckily, Mrs. Hallinan seemed content, her smile widening as she absorbed Abbie's words.

"Dancing! Oh how marvelous. My Finnegan really is a sharp dancer, ya know?" Abbie resisted the urge to laugh. She thought back to the previous evening she and Finn had spent twirling and jigging together. Maryanne continued, her face aglow with pride.

"Taught 'im everything he knows. Never thought he'd ever use it to get 'imself a lady! What a delight!"

Abbie's face paled and then deeply reddened. Finn's mother believed Abbie to be her son's love. Finn mirrored Abbie's discomfort, shifting awkwardly in his seat and wringing his hands nervously. Before either could respond, however, Shannon entered the room and mentioned that supper was ready to be served.

Maryanne eagerly stood, Finn tensing next to her. "How marvelous! We shall be right there, Shannon."

She took several small, tentative steps before deciding that she could indeed make it to the kitchen on her own. Her stride widened and her posture seemed to glow with a new strength.

Abbie followed behind Finn quietly. As he helped seat his mother, Abbie noticed that two more chairs had been added around the tiny table. She also took note of Finn's bouquet of flowers in a tall vase in the center.

Unlike the enormous banquet hall tables that she had grown up sitting around, this one was crowded. But unlike the stuffy guests of dinner parties Abbie was accustomed to, this table was filled with animated, happy people.

Despite the uneasy feeling that was beginning to grow in the pit of her stomach, Abbie could not help but smile as Maryanne took her seat at the head of the table. Molly and Dan plopped down on either side; Finn sat by Molly and Dan asked to sit by his mother.

That left Abbie to sit across from Mrs. Hallinan, which felt terribly informal. She had to remind herself that she was not in England at a dinner party hosted by nobles, which meant that it wasn't supposed to be formal.

Shannon placed a pot next to the flowers and began ladling the contents into wooden bowls. "This is leftover from a few nights ago, Abbie, but I hope you enjoy it. I had to reheat it in the kettle out back," she explained. Abbie was beginning to sense that Shannon was very insecure about their humble lifestyle. She was always commenting on things as though Abbie might be displeased.

Taking bath outside of a tiny ramshackle house and eating few-days-old porridge with people too poor to afford any luxuries might have indeed displeased Abbie once upon a time. Something about Finn's family, though, made her realize how grateful and happy these people were to be surviving on so little, and how very ungrateful she had been throughout the abundantly lavished lifestyle she had been given.

"I am sure that this will be wonderful, Shannon!" Abbie replied enthusiastically as Finn's sister placed a hot bowl in front of her. As the vegetable soup's aroma wafted in the air, Abbie became aware of just how hungry she was. Hot food had not been possible aboard The Iron Lady, and something other than dried meat almost made Abbie dizzy with delight.

She waited patiently as Shannon served the others, removed the pot, and returned with a small loaf of bread. After she cut six slices, she handed one to each member at the table and finally sat down next to Dan.

Abbie was about to slurp down a spoonful of the delectable soup when Maryanne's soft voice began to speak. "Dear Lord, we are so grateful for your mercies and for your love that renews each day. I know that we are all so grateful that our dear Finnegan has returned home to us in one piece. Bless this food that we are about to eat, in Jesus's name, Amen."

Looking across the table, Abbie saw tears shimmering in Maryanne's eyes. She reached for Finn's hand and squeezed it, a small smile growing on her thin lips.

Finn coughed, and Abbie thought she caught a glimpse of tearful emotion in his eyes. "Let's, uh, eat then, shall we?" He retracted his hand and picked up his spoon, careful to avoid further eye contact with his mother.

And they began to eat.

Abbie helped herself to three bowls of soup, which she discovered had a blend of homegrown potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and parsley. The broth itself had very little flavor, but the vegetables were rich and tasty.

There was occasional chatter dispersed through bowls of soup, most of it occurring between Shannon, Finn, and their mother. Occasionally Dan would pipe up to mention something about his toy train, but the three eldest Hallinans did most of the conversing.

"Abbie," Maryanne stated suddenly, "I don't think I've asked what your family does for a living."

When the attention shifted to Abbie, she nearly choked. How was she supposed to answer these questions without lying or giving away Finn's secret? The first question was simple, but it sent Abbie's heart into frenzy.

"Uh, well, my father owns several printing presses and my mother, well... My mother died when I was thirteen," Abbie quickly took another spoonful of soup, fearing that she may begin to ramble. Maryanne continued.

"Printing presses?" She pondered for a moment. "What did you say your last name was?"

"Shannon!" Finn interjected, suddenly rising from the table. "Shannon, is there any more of that homemade bread anywhere? I would love a second slice."

Shannon was visibly perplexed by her brother's request, eyebrows furrowed as he scurried away from the table. She called to Finn, "Why, yes, it is wrapped in cloth in the barrel on the left. But, I was hoping to save that for tomorrow."

Finn turned slowly on his heel, reaching for something in his pocket. He casually tossed a small pouch to Shannon who gracefully caught it midair. It landed in her hands with a soft plink and Shannon's eyes filled with surprise.

As she opened it, Finn replied, "Please do not be afraid to buy more ingredients for bread. That should be enough for at least eight months."

He turned again and walked back towards the barrels. He removed the lid of one, reached delicately inside, and carried the small loaf back to the table. After he placed it on the table, he searched his other pocket and retracted another small pouch of coins.

"This should also be enough for eight months," he said, handing it to his mother with a knowing gaze. He didn't have to finish his sentence for Abbie to know he meant it for doctor visits and medication.

Maryanne nodded slowly, placing the pouch in the pocket of her dress. The table sat in silence for some time. Abbie wondered nervously if the questions would proceed again when Dan exclaimed,

"Uncle Finn is the best! I want to take care of mummy and gran just like him when I grow up!" His little mouth pulled into a broad smile and he began to clap excitedly. This prompted Molly to shout excitedly and squeeze Finn in a sideways embrace.

Her uncle's eyes were confused, but he smiled and hugged her back. Their outbursts brought animated chatter back to the table, and Abbie felt a strong sense of belonging as she laughed along with Finn's family.

Maryanne was not shy in divulging secrets of Finn's past, sharing humorous stories from his childhood. She told of a time when Finn decided that wearing pants made him too uncomfortable, and demanded that his mother make him a skirt.

"He walked around for the next month wearing a potato sack skirt, insisting that it was far more fashionable for men anyway!" Maryanne burst into a fit of laughter. "His father came home and nearly passed out from laughing so hard!" Finn sat with lips pursed but took the teasing quite well.

"That was the most comfortable month in my life," he muttered, ears flaming. Abbie struggled to breath she was giggling so hard.

Amid all the happiness, Maryanne abruptly stood, her bowl of soup tipping over onto the floor. She paid it no mind as she gripped the table tensely, steadying herself. The look of discomfort on her face quickly sobered up the room.

Looking at the panic etched into Finn's face, Abbie's heart began to race. He was by his mother's side in an instant, but Maryanne placed a hand on his chest to keep him back. There was a brief exchange of unintelligible words before he took hold of her waist and began guiding her out of the room. Maryanne slowly hobbled along, leaning into her son for support.

Finn and his mother had nearly made it to the door when she dropped to the ground. Everything that followed occurred so slowly, Abbie felt as though she were watching it through a dream.

Finn reached for Maryanne again, but she held a hand in the air to halt him. He paused momentarily, the pain of not being able to help her evident on his peaked face.

Then came the retching.

Maryanne heaved, the contents of her stomach landing on the floor. Molly began weeping and Dan clung desperately to Shannon's hip. Abbie sat in panic watching as not once, not twice, but three times Maryanne vomited on the dirt floor. Finn stood immobile; silent tears streamed down Shannon's face.

When Maryanne no longer shook violently and her breathing stabilized, Finn snapped out of his trancelike state and bent down to lift her into his arms. Mrs. Hallinan looked ready to protest but in her weakened state she could only mumble inaudibly. Finn paid her no mind, stepped pointedly over the mess, and began heading to her room.

When he was no longer visible, Shannon leapt up from the table, which startled poor Dan into a fit of tears.

"Shannon," Abbie blurted, "What can I do to help?"

Shannon wiped her tears on the back of her hands, trying to calm herself. Her voice was shaky when she spoke and Abbie saw great weariness in her blue eyes. "There is a shovel outside leaning against the house, please, would you go retrieve it?"

Abbie nodded wordlessly and rose from her place.

—

Blood pounded in Finn's ears. As he laid his mother in bed, he struggled to maintain his composure. His mother's eyes fluttered quickly, as though she were too week to keep them open. 

She mumbled quietly, "Finnegan, I will be alright. Please, Finnegan, go back to your guest and enjoy the rest of the evening. Please do not worry for me."

Her words were to be of comfort, but Finn felt lead weighing down his heart at the thought of abandoning his mother. He reached for her hand, which was so frail in his own large, calloused hand. It was also far too cold to be healthy, so he covered it with his other and gently rubbed it as he spoke.

"Mother, I cannot leave you. You are not well." He knew it was irrational, but he feared she might not wake if he returned to her later.

His mother shook her head gingerly, her stubbornness prevailing even now as she lay deeply weakened. "My son, I am always well when you are home. Let me rest, and wake me to say goodbye before you leave again," she said, voice fading. She was tired.

Finn knew better than to disobey her orders, even while she slept, but a part of him could not willingly comply. He silenced that part and nodded, placing a kiss on her forehead before exiting the room.

He found his pathway to the kitchen blocked by a small figure stooping to shovel up the mess his mother had made. Abbie? 

He halted, unsure of what to make of the strange sight.

She did not notice him, or if she did, she did not let on. She stood slowly, heading to the back door. Finn followed her quietly, unable to articulate the questions inundating his mind.

"Ah, Finn," Shannon mused as she observed him enter. "How...is she?" There was heaviness to her words, weighing his leaden heart farther down in his chest. Molly and Dan peered at him from behind their mother's legs, sniffling softly as they awaited a response.

"She is now sleeping. I will wake her before Abbie and I leave again," he replied simply. No sooner than he had spoken her name did Abbie enter again, a curious concern painted on her face.

"Leave? Finn, you can't leave," her tone was incredulous. "You need to st—"

"Staying is not an option right now, Abbie," he cut her off curtly. He could not have another voice pressing him to stay. Port had other plans for the upcoming months, those of which Finn had to be a part. Abbie might have had innocent intentions, but she did not understand the significance of her words. Her face fell, but she did not question him further.

Finn quickly began grabbing dishes from the table to busy himself while Abbie gazed at him silently. Shannon prompted Dan and Molly to play in the sitting room and they scurried away, careful to avoid the patch of freshly removed dirt. As Finn exited the house, Abbie took the rest of the dishes and followed him quickly.

"Finn, I can explain to Port what's going on. You don't have to rush back to the ship when your mother is in such a terrible condition! Please, Finn. I can't stand to think that you might leave!"

Abbie was clearly distraught, her face turning a bright vermillion. Finn was deeply perplexed about her concern for his family, but his heart quickened at the thought. She had not known them for longer than a few hours, but had inserted herself as though she'd always belonged.

She continued as they began placing the dishes in the freshly filled tub. "They need you here, Finn! You can't just—"

"Abandon them?" He finished for her. She lowered her gaze and stammered, 

"Finn, that's not...I wasn't...I'm sorry..." He turned his back to her and sighed deeply.

"I know, Abbie. You have good intentions, I understand. But right now I cannot stay. Believe me. Believe me. There is nothing more that I want to do than be here for them," he faced her again, staring intently into her eyes.

"Things right now are preventing that, but I'm hoping very soon that once and for all this will be over." Abbie opened her mouth, ready to speak her thoughts, but Finn turned quickly on his heel and reentered the house.

Shannon pushed past him saying; "I'll go help Abbie with dishes if you keep the children preoccupied." He nodded and went to the sitting room where he found Dan chasing Molly around the loveseat. They were so innocent, laughing wildly as they played.

His heart hurt thinking about how they were growing up without a father as he had. If anything he was their only father figure now, and he was hardly home enough to be a significant part of their young lives.

They still adored him though, something he would never understand.

When he entered, they bounced over to him and begged him to join in their game. They wanted to catch him before he sat on the couch, and if they failed, he then could chase them. He grinned broadly and nodded, scooping Dan into the air.

"Go, Molly, go! Before he can get you!" Molly giggled furiously as her hair whipped behind her. As Finn set him down, Dan shouted madly, "I'm gonna get you!"

They raced around like that for quite some time before Shannon entered the room. Her long hair was pulled back behind a handkerchief save for a single strand that fell between her eyes. She smiled at her brother but her eyes were tired.

Abbie followed suit, and Finn noticed for the first time that she was wearing one of Shannon's dresses. He eyed her quizzically, but she merely shrugged, fidgeting with the sleeves happily.

"Mummy, will you join our game?" Molly crooned, skipping to a halt in front of Shannon. Shannon, though clearly very tired, nodded eagerly. She started for Molly who shrieked in delight.

Finn took his chance to bow out, noting how winded he was. He took his place next to Abbie who was sitting on a stool in the corner of the room.

Her blue eyes were wistfully watching the family shenanigans in reverence, a serene bliss on her face. She was presently quite beautiful, simple brown dress and all. His flustered heart beat incessantly faster when she looked up with happy eyes and beamed at him.

"Finnegan, your family is lovely," she mused.

"Thank you, Abbie," he replied, unsure of what else to say.

While she had not shown a hint of disdain the whole afternoon, Finn was still surprised that Abbie seemed to be enjoying herself. He leaned against the wall casually, pondering the events of the last few hours.

If he were to be truthful with himself, Finn would admit that having Abbie home had frightened him. He worried that she would judge his poor lifestyle, his small shanty of a house, his dirt floors. He worried especially that she would find his mother's state repulsive.

And yet, Abbie had remained incredibly calm during the incident in the kitchen; the only emotion betrayed on her face was concern. That fact alone was astounding, but when he started to think about it, Abbie had been extremely warm with his family for the entire day. He sensed that when she smiled at the children or spoke with Shannon, her happiness was genuine.

And if he were to again be honest with himself, he would admit that Abbie's presence in his house felt so natural it was as if she belonged there all along.

He knew it was a ridiculous notion. Abbie staying in Ireland was even less likely than Finn staying. His chance to be home for good relied on her being returned to England.

He needed her to leave, to go back to the life she had led before her kidnapping. It was the only way that his life could return to normal with the family he loved so much.

But why did the thought of her absence leave him feeling so empty? He hadn't even known her for more than a month. How could she have impacted his life so much in so little time?

The chimes of the old church steeple rang through Finn's train of thought. They warned that it was three in the afternoon.

It was time to go.

****

Thanks to all of you who blew up my notifications in the last few days. (Special shout out to ZoeKraft in particular).  I have obviously said a dozen times how much your support means, but I will continue to say it because it won't ever stop being amazing.  :)

Can't wait 'til Friday!