Page 176 of Three Irish Kings

I just hope I don’t cross paths with Reese.

Irene makes her way through the aisles and sits down in the front.

I sit next to her, nausea forming in my stomach. My morning sickness lasts all day, lately, and I hate it.

She seems to notice that I’m not feeling well, and she offers me some popcorn.

I haven’t been given any food yet today, so I take a handful, crunching as we watch the movie.

Irene talks and laughs through the whole thing, and I can’t help from laughing, too, even though it’s a violent movie rather than a comedy.

She’s a good kid, and I hate what I’m might have to do if I have no other choice.

As the credits roll, I look over at her.

She’s calm, munching on popcorn.

It’s time to make my move.

Guilt stabs in my stomach, making me feel even more nauseous.

“Excuse me,” I mumble, getting up and rushing to the nearest bathroom. I barely make it to the toilet before I throw up the popcorn.

Irene’s footsteps are quiet as she walks up behind me. “You’re sick.”

I try to smile at her but don’t quite manage.

She looks so distressed, and it just makes me feel guiltier.

“I’m okay. Too much popcorn.”

“You barely ate any!’ Her voice goes high-pitched and reedy, tears welling in her eyes. “I know I can be too much, sometimes,so you should have just told me you didn’t feel like leaving your bed. I’m sorry, Maggie.”

I stand up, drawing on reserves I didn’t know I had. I draw her into a hug, the first time we’ve really touched.

She stiffens and then slowly, her arms go around me. She holds me so tight I can barely breathe.

“This is the first time I’ve gotten a hug since Ma passed,” she whispers into my ear, and sympathy for her rushes through me.

“Your da doesn’t hug you?”

She shakes her head. “He acts like I’m a nuisance, mostly. Bites my head off when I try to speak to him. He loved Ma so much, I don’t know why he doesn’t love me too.”

Her voice breaks, and tears run down her cheeks.

“Sometimes, fathers can break our hearts before boys ever get a chance.” I pat her hair before pulling away to look at her.

She scoffs, wiping at her eyes. “Like a boy would ever look at me. Da says I'm ugly. Says I look too much like him and not enough like Ma.”

I frown.

Irene is a beautiful kid, with bright blue eyes and a bit of a crooked nose. It gives her character, I think.

“I think any boy would be blessed to look at you, Irene.”

She smiles through her tears. “You’re a good person, Maggie.”

You won’t think I’m a good person soon.