An Early Wake (23 page)

Maura could only nod, because by the time the song ended, tears were running down her face.

Of all the money that e’er I had

I spent it in good company

And all the harm I’ve ever done

Alas it was to none but me

And all I’ve done for want of wit

To mem’ry now I can’t recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be to you all

When the song ended there was a moment of silence, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place, that Maura could see. Then Niall stepped forward again. “Before we all go our separate ways, we also need to thank Maura Donovan, who’s taken over for our old friend Mick Sullivan. Come on up here, Maura. I think she’s done Mick Sullivan proud.”

Maura fought down a wave of shyness and began to struggle her way to the stage, wiping the tears from her face along the way, trying to think of something, anything, to say. But she knew she had to do it, because that was her job now—she was the owner of the pub. When she reached the edge of the stage, Niall extended a hand and helped her up, then smiled his encouragement. “Go on, then.”

Maura turned to face the crowd, filled with both familiar and unfamiliar faces. “I don’t know how you all found your way here tonight, but I’m glad you did—and I hope you’ll be back. I never had the chance to meet Mick Sullivan, but I’ve tried to do right by him.” That met with cheers and clapping. “And this wouldn’t have happened without the help of a lot of other people, starting with Billy Sheahan and Tim Reilly, and of course Niall here. If you’re all willing, we’ll make it happen again.”
Minus the death,
Maura reminded herself. But despite it being his wake, it seemed Aidan was not on people’s minds, and they all cheered—for her. “Thank you all for making it a wonderful night, and safe home to you all.”

The crowd quieted slowly, and people began drifting toward the front of the building. Maura saw Mick making his way in that direction, probably to manage the traffic. She turned to Niall. “Thank you, for a lot of things. I’ve never seen anything like this, much less been part of it.”

“It’s what we do,” Niall said simply. “We make music, and that makes people happy. That’s all it is.”

“Will you be back?”

“I’d like that. But you’ve got to see what yeh can do with it on yer own.”

“Deal. Are you guys set for the night?”

“Not to worry—we’re grand.”

“Then I’d better make sure everything’s okay up front.”

In the front room the crowd had thinned, with only a few diehards finishing up their last pints at the bar. Billy had disappeared, which didn’t surprise Maura—she only hoped she had his stamina when she was his age, in a half century or so. But Sean was waiting near the door, leaning against the jamb, and he straightened up when he saw her, and she crossed the room to talk with him. “What did you think?” she asked when she was close enough to be heard.

“It was brilliant. Really. Niall was right—Old Mick would be proud of yeh. Listen, uh,” he said, looking down at his feet, “I’ve got those tickets fer the show we talked about. That is, if yeh still want to go?”

He looked back at her then, and his expression tore at Maura’s heart, it was so eager and so hopeful. Had he seen her and Mick? Or seen her face when she’d come back in? No, he couldn’t have. “Sure, I’d love to. Next week, is it?”

Now Sean looked ridiculously pleased. “That’s grand. I’ll let you know the details. Thanks again for an amazin’ evenin’,” he said as he turned and left.

Maura, still smiling, turned and found Mick staring at her from behind the bar. Her smile faded. “What?”

After a moment he said, “Nothin’. Want me to close up?”

“Why don’t you let me? I’d kind of like to be alone in the place, just for a minute.”

“Right so. I’ll be on my way, then,” he said. He set the broom carefully in the corner, then went out the door without looking back at her.

Maura sighed: this Sean versus Mick thing was going to get tricky fast, but she wasn’t going to do anything about it right now. She was in no hurry. It was her choice to make. Or maybe she’d choose neither of them. It would all work out in the end, and she had plenty of time.

She smiled, though there was no one to see. She’d turned a corner, somehow. She’d hoped the place would be profitable, and now she’d proved it could be. Better: she’d found something that was unique, that would draw people in. It was an unexpected gift, and she’d be an idiot to ignore it. She pivoted slowly, taking in the room. Everything was in order. All the people had gone. Did some hint of the music linger, embedded in the walls? Maybe.

So what if she’d also found some trouble here; that was the exception, not the rule, at Sullivan’s. There were people she could turn to for help, and, what was more, they
wanted
to help. They had accepted her. Some knot inside her, balled up tight since she had arrived, could untangle now. She was staying.

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