“Why don’t you come in for a beer? You’re not in a big hurry, are you?” I thought about it for a minute and I thought of the long hot walk ahe...d of me. As a matter of fact, I wasn't. “No, I guess I’m not. I've got time for one.” I set my pack back on the seat of the truck and followed him inside. He went to the frig and pulled out two beers. “Hey, I’m sorry if I scared you back there driving. I know I’m pretty drunk. Maybe you should just stay here tonight and I’ll take you into town in the. One ... two ... three.I gave the port man a look, “You poor sap.”“What?”“Good lord, sir ... how many bodyguards have you hired to protect those?” I said, “Didn’t you have any boys?”“These are the ones at home ... there’s two married.”“All girls?”“They take after their mother ... thank God.“Agnes...” mom stepped forward, shook my hand and nodded. I don’t know if she was nodding at me or approving her husbands call.“Alice...” the about 11 year old gave me a look ... a very appraising look. A. It has been a long time since I’ve been with anyone but my husband and I feared I had lost my touch. I was going to simply let it be. See what happens, as one might say. I was disappointed to see Mike approaching, fearing that the night had ended before I had enough time to talk to Brenda more. I loved chatting with her. She was funny and smart, with a sense of humor just as dry as mine, and goofiness much like my own. I had to admit that going home might have been a good idea, though. I had. Go.’ Mairead thumped him on the back. ‘She’ll go away if she doesn’t find an empty corner.’ ‘Bring her here, will ye?’ Mae asked him. ‘Haven’t hugged her in a while.’ ‘Mam.’ Brandon rolled his eyes, making his way through tables to the front door. Isabel hadn’t seen him, was still looking for a quiet corner. ‘Hey,’ he waved when he was close enough. She raised a hand in a wave. ‘My seat’s taken,’ she sounded like a child whose favourite toy had just broken. Brandon looked around, found no empty.