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A HUGE MISUNDERSTANDING

Hugh

APRIL 24, 2000

“H UGH, LOVE ,” M AM SAID IN A HUSHED VOICE, AS SHE SHOOK ME AWAKE IN THE middle of the night. “I need you to get up and throw some clothes on.”

“Hmm?” Blinking my eyes open, it took me a few seconds to get my bearings. “What’s wrong?” Locating my mother’s face, I pulled up on my elbows and frowned at her tearstained face. “Mam?” An immediate surge of panic set in. “What’s wrong?”

“Mark called,” Mam choked out, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears streaming down her face. “Keith’s already on the way over. Sadhbh’s downstairs.”

“On the way over where?” Heart racing, I glanced at the alarm clock on my nightstand and felt even more confused. “Why is Sadhbh in our house at four o’clock in the morning?”

“She’s going to watch Gibsie and Claire,” she strangled out, pressing a hand to her chest. “They’re still asleep in her room, but I need you come with me and Dad.”

“Come where?” I demanded, instantly on edge. “Where are we going, Mam? What’s going on?”

“Oh, love, I’m so sorry,” she choked out a gut-wrenching sob. “Caoimhe Young passed away tonight.”

My whole world bottomed out the moment those words came out of my mother’s mouth.

“What are you talking about?” Throwing off my covers, I jumped out of bed and reached for my sweatpants. “What do you mean Caoimhe passed away ?” I waited for her to explain, and when she just continued to cry, I started to panic. “Mam! What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Come here, love.” Dad strode into my room, moving straight for my mother. “I’m here.”

Mam folded into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Pete!”

“I know,” he replied in a soothing tone, wrapping her up in his arms. “I’ve got you.”

Meanwhile, I scrambled to throw my clothes on as quickly as I could, while demanding, “What the hell is happening?”

“Caoimhe had an accident tonight, son,” Dad explained in that steady, soothing tone that made everything feel better. The tone I hadn’t heard him use for years. “It’s serious, and we need to go,” he continued, holding on to my mother, who looked like she had lost all ability to stand on her own feet. In fact, if Dad let go of her now, I had no doubt Mam would hit the floor like a sack of spuds. “Mark’s over at Old Hall House with Lizzie, talking to the Gardaí.”

“At the house ?” I gaped at my father, feeling like I was two seconds away from having a stroke. “What are you talking about?”

“Just go downstairs and get in my car,” Dad instructed, moving for the door with my mother. “We’ll talk on the way.”

“Okay, okay,” I strangled out, hurrying after them, even though I knew they were mistaken.

Whatever was happening, my parents had gotten it wrong.

Lizzie and Caoimhe were in Texas with their parents.

Christ, even Mark was in Texas with their family.

This was a huge misunderstanding.

It had to be.