Southern Circle - Pt. 02

"Hey, what about me?" Riley protested. Nora and Isolt had wandered off together, chatting to themselves and casting quick glances back as they went, leaving the middle sibling standing there alone, looking forlorn.

Caitlyn stopped and turned back to her pouting niece. "I'm sorry, dear, but they didn't ask to see you."

Tim regarded Riley, seeing the dejected look in her eyes before she turned and began to slump away, feeling a sharp pang of guilt. So Riley was left to dangle literally and figuratively in the middle again. Well, it was time to change that, Tim decided.

"Wait, Riley," Tim said, causing his older sister to stop and look back. "Look, I don't know why the Calhouns didn't ask to meet you, but why don't you come with us anyway? I'm sure once they meet you, they'll regret not asking you along in the first place," he said, disregarding the irritated look Teagen gave him.

Riley straightened, her expression brightening into a grin that put her adorable dimples on full display as she made her way back to them, taking Tim's hand. "Thanks, little bro," she said, genuine affection and gratitude in her voice. "Well, not so little anymore," she noted, comparing their respective heights, "but still, much appreciated."

They continued on toward the elderly couple seated at a table in the center of the room, surrounded by a group of people that looked like their children and their spouses. But as soon as the pair noticed the O'Connors heading their way, the old man said something hurriedly to the knot of people who quickly hurried off, one of the young women eyeing Tim curiously for a second before heading over to the refreshment table.

"Ah, Caitlyn," Mr. Calhoun said, clasping her hand as she approached. "I just wanted to thank you for arranging such a lovely get-together for us. Truly, it is more than we imagined, and the decorations are lovely."

The eldest O'Connor tipped her head in thanks. "Thank you, sir, I appreciate the compliment, but truly the credit should go to my niece Teagen here. She's the one who picked out and arranged the decorations, as well as coordinating the food and music. Basically all I did was provide the alcohol and reserve the space," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, it seems we owe you a special thank you, young lady," Mrs. Calhoun said, holding out her frail hand towards Teagen, "you have a real eye for design, maybe you should do this kind of thing for a living."

Teagen reddened a bit. "Thank you both kindly, I'm glad I could help make the occasion special for you," she said, bending over to shake the aged woman's hand, her new necklace falling out of her shirt as she did so.

"My, my, how lovely," Mrs. Calhoun said as she took the pendant in her hand and studied it, forcing Teagen to remain stooped over. "Our Love is Forever," she said, repeating the phrase engraved in the gold, smiling coyly. "A gift from one of your paramours?"

"Oh, no ma'am," Teagen said quickly as the elderly woman let go of the necklace and she straightened, her cheeks coloring. "I'm not even datin' properly at the moment. This here was a gift from my one and only wonderful brother Tim for my birthday."

The wrinkled faces of the elder couple lit up and for a moment both looked twenty years younger, seeming unusually pleased with hearing this information as both shared a brief knowing look. "Is that a fact? And here's the brother in question!" he exclaimed, looking Tim up and down appraisingly. "Your sister must be mighty special to you, to spend so much money on such a lavish and thoughtful gift."

"Well, sir, there's a story behind all this, but yes, Teagen is very dear to me as both a friend and a sibling. And so is my sister Riley," he said, turning shifting to reveal his older sister, who had been silently fuming behind him at finding out about Tim's present to Teagan, shifting uncomfortably in place under the sudden and unexpected attention. "Honestly, they've always been there for me, and I can't imagine my life without either one of them."

"I see," Mr. Calhoun said, nodding thoughtfully, looking even more elated than before. "And you have two other sisters as well, don't you? Nora and Isolt, if I remember correctly." He went quiet a second, looking thoughtful. "Would you excuse my wife and I for a moment? There's something we need to discuss, but y'all stay put." And with that he and his wife leaned their heads together, whispering to each other hurriedly and excitedly, both turning to glance at the O'Connors periodically as the siblings and their aunt looked on, exchanging confused looks but remaining quiet.

Tim took this moment to study the Calhouns, for something was bothering him but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. They both were about average height and weight, the wife being somewhat thinner, with gray hair. Tim focused in on their faces, both in profile as they conferred together, and frowned. Their age made it difficult to say for sure, but both seemed to have the same round facial shape, the same sharp nose and cheekbones, the same wispy white hair still tinged here and there with fading gold. How could that be unless...no, it couldn't be. His road-weary brain, awash with images of Fiona and Aiden and wanting desperately to be back home in bed asleep, was getting its vengeance by playing tricks on his eyes.

After a few minutes the elderly couple stopped whispering, and, after a nod to each other, turned back to the siblings. "Me and the missus have come to a decision - we'd like y'all young'uns to come over to our place tomorrow evenin' for dinner, as well as your older siblings, and of course you as well" he added, nodding to their aunt, who looked just as astonished as her nieces and nephew at this unexpected invitation.

"Wow, that's very gracious of you," Caitlyn said, recovering her composure enough to answer. "Not that I'm not grateful, Mr. Calhoun, but may I ask the reason for this invitation? I didn't think you did much entertainin' these days."

"Of course you may, and please, y'all can call me Liam," he replied. "And we don't, as a general rule, but we do make special exceptions from time to time, such as with your remarkable young kinfolk here," he said, winking. "Thing is, there's some matters of importance we'd like to discuss with them, particularly Tim here, such as the bequeathing of certain antique heirlooms of ours to your family."

"Now wait a second," Tim said, "Mr. Calhoun--"

"Liam, please."

"Alright, Liam, sir, I'm afraid I'm a bit confused. I mean, first you decide to share this important occasion of yours to celebrate my homecoming, then you ask to meet with us, and now after a few minutes of talk you invite us to your home for dinner and talk of giving us your belongings. Forgive me if I sound rude or ungrateful, but we don't know each other that well, so why all the sudden are you extending my family and I all this courtesy? And won't your children be upset if you start giving away their inheritance?"

Liam smiled wanly. "Fair questions, ones I'd expect from one as sharp as you," he said, respect in his voice. "It's true our families haven't been close, lately anyway, but that doesn't mean we haven't kept an eye on y'all over the years, and been impressed with what we've seen. Like you, Tim, finishin' high school at seventeen and now about to graduate at the top of your university class!"

He winced. "Well, sir, there's something you should know about that..."

"And don't worry none about our kids," Liam continued, as if he hadn't heard Tim. "Well, technically, they're not our true kin. We adopted them, since due to an injury Alana here couldn't have children, regretfully," he said, patting his wife's hand. "In any case, they're already well taken of. Besides, the items we were thinkin' of bestowing on your family would be of no benefit to them whatsoever. So what do y'all say? Can we count on the O'Connors to grace our home with their presence tomorrow night?"

Tim mulled it over, trying to think of a tactful reason to turn them down but failing. Whatever their reasons, they were being gracious to him and his family, and he could at least reciprocate their kindness by accepting their offer. He turned to his sisters and aunt. "Well, what do you all say? I know I'm available, but does anyone else have any pressing plans?"

"I'm free," Teagen blurted out almost before Tim had finished speaking, smiling at the Calhouns. "I've heard y'all have a beautiful home, and I'd love to see it."

"Count me in," Riley chimed in, "contrary to uninformed opinion, I don't spend all my nights at The Rebel Yell," she added sarcastically, casting a glower at Teagen. "Aunt C, how about you?"

Caitlyn considered a moment. "Oh, what the heck," she said. "But I'm afraid Nora and Isolt won't be able to make it, they're leaving first thing in the mornin'."

Liam looked a little disappointed to hear the elder sisters couldn't make it, but shrugged it off. "No matter, it'd probably be better just to focus on the special ones right now anyway," he concluded, holding out his hand to Tim to shake on the arrangement. Behind him, both Teagen and Riley practically glowed at being referred to as 'special.'

"Of course," Tim said, taking the proffered hand and shaking it, wondering what Liam had meant by that last statement. For his age, Liam Calhoun had a strong grip, he thought to himself. Just then he felt something strange, as if something was passing from Liam's hand and into his. It felt warm and viscous, like honey in summertime, gathering in his palm in a tingling mass. Then the sensation seemed to push through his skin, into him and going up his arm. Panicked, Tim drew back his hand and looked at it, but there was nothing, just his normal hand and arm. Even the tingling was gone, if it'd ever been there in the first place. He really needed some sleep.

"Are you alright, Tim?" Teagen asked, tilting her head at him, frowning.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said before turning back to Liam. "Sorry about jerking away like that, sir, I've been through some heavy stuff lately and I think it's affecting my nerves."

Mr. Calhoun chuckled. "Oh I know all about that sort of thing young man, so don't you go givin' it a second thought. We'll see y'all tomorrow night at seven sharp. And remember," he said, fixing his eyes on Tim even as he spoke to all of them, "Love among family is just about the most special kind of magic there is. Never take it for granted, never be ashamed of it, and always cherish it."

"And now," Alana Calhoun said, smiling amicably, "Y'all go off and enjoy the party, we insist."

And the O'Connors went and did just that. Well, most of them did, anyway. While his aunt, Nora, and Isolt headed over to join in the dancing, Tim slunk away after declining to be a disappointed Teagen's partner, not caring for dancing in general, employing the excuse that he needed a refreshment and that he'd make it up to her later. He was glad to see another youth, whose name he thought was Sean, immediately approach Teagen after he'd turned away and asked her to be his partner for the dance. Teagen reluctantly accepted, staring after her brother as he made his way to the drinks table.

After collecting his beer, Tim slunk off to a shadowed, silent corner of the auditorium near the doors and leaned against the wall, watching as across the room the band struck up music for a square dance, the caller coming forward on the stage. He then took a chug from his cup, winced as he swallowed the satisfying liquid and leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

"Mind if I join ya, brother?" a familiar voice asked.

Tim opened his eyes from his moping and saw Riley standing there with her own drink in hand. He shrugged, gesturing to the space next to him. "Why not? You know what they say about misery."

"Yeah, it loves to drink," she quipped drily as she propped herself against the rough red brick beside him, so close they were almost touching as she drained half her cup in one swig. "This'll be my third, but I figure I've earned it after what I've been through. And not to dredge up any muck on this fine occasion, but I hear you're in the same lonely situation as I am."

"Afraid so," he said, taking a long swallow of his own drink as well. "But don't worry about it, it's always on my mind anyway."

"Sorry to hear it. And I guess you're tired of people askin' if you wanna talk about it, right?"

"Yep."

Riley twirled a braid around her index finger, staring at her cup. "Anyhoo, I just wanted to say thanks, ya know, for inviting me along for your little confab with the Calhouns. It means a lot, bein' included like that."

"Of course I included you, Riley, you're family. And beyond that, I consider you a close friend."

She perked up, eyes shining. "Really? You mean that Tim?"

He nodded. "We had some good times together growing up, and you've helped me out more times than I can count. And now that I'm here at least for the summer, maybe we can have a few more good times."

For some reason his words caused his older sister to flush and stare at her cup. "Umm...yeah. I'd like that a lot, thanks."

"Just whenever you're up to it," he added quickly, figuring she was about in as much mood for good times as he was.

"In that case, wouldja mind if I talked 'bout my thing with Bo a little? I think I've wrung all the sympathy I can out of Aunt C and Teagen, and considerin' things, well, I think you can understand better than most and help me get it out of my system."

He looked over at her, noticing for the first time how good his older sister looked tonight - her cute freckled face, the high black boots, the jeans that complimented her curvy figure, that tight red top that did little to hide her huge luscious tits, even bigger than Aunt Caitlyn's knockers, who was no slouch in that department, which made him want to bury his face in them and forget all about Tabitha...

He shook his head, shocked at himself. Where had those thoughts come from? He sniffed at his drink, wondering if that bartender hadn't slipped something more in his beer. This was his sister, for crying out loud! He'd beaten up guys in high school for less offensive catcalls. And it was such crass thinking that led to that...incident years ago. "No, I don't mind at all," he said, remembering the words of Liam Calhoun about cherishing family. "I'm here for you, sis, so you go right ahead and lay it on me."

She gave him a weak smile in gratitude before turning back to her drink, rotating it in her hands. "Thanks. And I know I've been in this situation before, so I shouldn't be takin' it so hard. But Bo was different, you know? We'd been together over eight months, and I was really starting to think he was the one, before the whole thing went straight to hell faster than a jackrabbit with a rocket up its hind quarters!" she said, sniffing.

"I'm sorry," Tim said, meaning it as he handed her a tissue.

Riley blew her nose, then shook her head. "Appreciate it. You've always been so understandin', unlike Teagen," she said with a touch of rancor. But the thing that really puts me in a tizzy is that after all this time, my mind's still so messed up I can't make heads or tails over just what went down with Bo, why I did what I did and said what I said that led to our breakup. Pretty pathetic, huh?"

Tim shook his head. "Not at all. Just about the same thing happened with Tabitha, one moment I was kissing her goodbye and heading off to class, the next I'm locked out of our apartment and listening to her bang an old boyfriend through the door. I have no idea why she chose to end things, especially in the vindictive way she did, and considering how she feels about me now I doubt I ever will. Losing her was bad enough, but to not know why, that's almost impossible to bear. So if you're pathetic, I'm even more so."

Riley reached out and took his hand. "Wow, Aunt C and Teag said you sounded bad on the phone, but I had no idea. Looks like we're both cut from the same tattered cloth that fell in the mud that a dog came by and pissed on." She sighed. "I told auntie and everyone else that you probably wasn't in any mood for a party, but you can see how well they listened," she said sourly, watching the dancing in progress at the other end of the room.

"It's fine," Tim assured her, letting go of her hand. "In a way, I'm glad because at least I know that Tabitha and I are done, that there's no hope of a reconciliation, so now I can focus on the future. But what about you and Bo? Any chance you two could work things out?"

Riley snorted. "I'll kiss a starving gator on the snout and then do an encore on his backside before I even think about getting back together with that crazy bastard. Even before we officially broke up he was accusing me, unjustly of course, of cheatin' on him. And after throwing all my stuff out in his lawn for all the world to see and screaming we're through, then he starts callin' me at all hours and showin' up at work and other places begging me to come back to him, threatenin' what he'd do if I didn't. Can you believe the gall?! I think the only reason he didn't bother me at home was because he knew about Aunt Caitlyn's shotgun and her itchy trigger finger."

Suddenly Tim felt a righteous heat rising within him, like the time he'd found out a bully had been harassing Teagen on the playground. "Is he still bothering you?" he asked, a menacing edge in his voice.

Riley shook her head. "No, haven't heard a peep out of him in a good long while. I think he's finally got the message, 'specially after the sheriff caught Bo when he was harassing me at lunch one day and put the fear of God in him. I swear, I didn't know a face could get that white and still be alive," she said, chuckling.

Tim smiled at that, knowing that if anyone could scare the imposing Bo Hurley shitless it was the far more daunting Sheriff Dallas Berne. Six foot five and a former Marine, he wasn't someone you wanted to see the bad side of. And his good side wasn't all that pleasant either. "Glad to hear it. But if you have any more trouble with him, let me know right away. I promise it'll be the last time."

Riley beamed at her brother, genuinely pleased that he was so concerned for her welfare. "Thanks, Tim, it's heartwarming to hear you stickin' up for me. But like I said, it's taken care of. Hopefully."

Tim nodded and turned his attention back to the party. He may not be in a celebrating mood, but at least the rest of his kin seemed to be getting the most out of the festivities, he thought, catching a glimpse of Teagen as she danced with Sean, their arms locked, laughing as they followed the caller's directions. She seemed to be having a good time, but somehow to Tim it seemed...forced. "Glad to hear it," he said, holding up his cup and grinning. "And here's to leaving assholes in the past, and parties with free liquor to help us forget all about them."

"Here, here," Riley said, tapping her cup against Tim's and taking a swallow. "And as a bonus, we're gettin' a fancy dinner too."

Tim nodded, having almost forgotten about that as he traced his finger around the rim of the cup. "Say, Riley, don't you think that it's a little odd that the Calhouns are being so nice to us all the sudden? I mean, who are we to them, anyway?"

She shrugged. "I s'pose it is something of a mystery, what with them bein' so uppity and us just being another average family in an average small town. Perhaps they know their time is near so they're just lookin' to spread around a little benevolence before they pass through the pearly gates, ya know, to balance the ledgers a bit for some misdeeds in their past? People don't get to their level of prominence and power without buryin' a few bodies, if you catch my drift.

"But whatever the reason, there's free food and maybe some priceless antiquities in play here that I'm keen to take a look at, all while maybe learning a little more about local history. I've always had a thing for our ancestry going all the way back to the homeland, if you can still call it that after 'bout two hundred years. I was even startin' to do a detailed genealogical study of our family all the way back to Ireland and beyond, but then this thing with Bo happened, and I took up a new hobby," she said, taking another gulp. "So this is one country girl who isn't gonna get too deep into the 'why' of this particular matter, and just let things roll."