Page 10

Bia

When Cillian and Oscar left, they said they had some business to take care of. Daniel stayed behind, and I got to know him. He is a really nice man, he told me about being their family doctor. He does it all for the O'Sullivans from basic care to, removing bullets, to doing surgery on someone, whatever they need, he is there go-to guy for medical things.

Cillian and Oscar came back a few hours later saying that I was coming back to Ireland with them and staying in the O’Sullivan mansion until I marry Cillian.

I’m now slowly making my way down the steps of the plane and walking toward the waiting SUV. Cillian is gently holding onto me. He offered to carry me, but I insisted I could walk.

I figured he would let go of me once I was off the steps, but he holds onto me all the way to the SUV.

We arrive at the mansion not long after getting into the SUV. Cillian help me out and up the stairs to the door.

“Come, let me show you where you will be staying at. You heard Daniel, you need your rest,”

he says as he guides me away from the front doors and further into the mansion. I nod and walk with him up the stairs. He points out the west wing is for his parent’s room, and the twins, Aiden, and Keenan’s rooms.

“Once we turn twenty, we can choose to have our bedroom move to one of the other wings. After we get married, we will have our own set of rooms in the east side. Oscar has a room in the east wing but he is at the opposite end so we will have plenty of privacy. Kayleigh chose to keep her room on the west side.”

“Okay.”

“Until we get married, we will have separate rooms. You will be sleeping in one of the guest rooms in the east wing,”

he says, opening the door and leading me inside a beautiful light green and gold room.

“Wow, it’s beautiful,”

I say spinning around. The king size bed is covered in a light green quilt. The gold canopy brings out the gold flecks in the quilt. I continue to look around the room, everything is gorgeous.

“You can change anything you want. My mother loves green and gold. She has it in every room of the house.”

“Thank you, but I don’t think I need to.”

“Okay, your stuff will be here soon. Tell the maids how you would like your things to be put away, and make sure you rest. I have to go to work.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone. “Here, this has everyone’s number in it that you will need. You can use this at your pleasure.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Rest today. You can wonder around later if you would like later and tomorrow, I will show you around the mansion. I will see you at dinner this evening.”

“Okay. Thank you, Cillian.”

He nods before he swiftly leaves my room. I decide to follow Daniel’s orders and rest.

I tuck myself in under the blankets and lay my head down on the pillow and before I realize it, I’m dozing off.

A few hours later, I wake up feeling refreshed. The maids seemed to have already put all my stuff away while I was taking a nap. I decide to take a shower and clean off the grime of flying and being in the hospital for two days. I don’t waste time in the shower and getting myself redressed and presentable to see Cillian’s family.

I carefully open the door and shut it behind me. I walk down the stairs toward where Cillian told me the kitchen was.

“Miss Bia. It’s nice to see you again. We met when you were here previously, but my name is Molly. I’m the head maid.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Molly.”

“Cillian said you were resting. You must be hungry. I saved you some Shepard’s pie from lunch, with pretzel bites on the side, or I can have the chef, make something else.”

“That sounds delicious.”

“Wonderful. Why don’t you have a seat, and I will bring it out to you. Would you like coffee, tea or I have some fresh apple pear juice.”

“Tea please.”

She nods at me before walking into the kitchen and I turn toward the dining room. I have a seat at the table and look around the room, seeing what Cillian was talking about with green and gold being in every part of the house. The table and chairs are a dark brown, but the cushions and curtains are a dark green with gold trim.

“Here you go, Miss Bia. Enjoy,”

Molly says as she brings in my food.

“Thank you, Molly.”

“You are such a sweet girl. You are a perfect match for Cillian.”

I smile, not sure how else to respond. Our marriage is a contract marriage and nothing more. She leaves and I quietly eat the food she brought me. The meat is mouthwatering as is the baked mashed potato on top. I quietly moan to myself. The chef here clearly knows what he is doing.

“Bia!”

I look up from the masterpiece I’m devouring and see Kayleigh sitting next to me. I wipe my mouth.

“Oh, Kayleigh. Hi.”

“Good, isn’t it?”

she says, motioning toward my plate.

“Yes. It’s so delicious.”

“Chef Oisin has been with our family since Mam(Mom) and Daidí(Dad) got married. Before that, he was a chef at a famous restaurant but was fired when he argued with the owner over the quality of ingredients the owner was purchasing. Daddy overheard them fighting and hired him on the spot. He is like an uncle to all of us and has never served a meal that we didn’t like.”

“Wow. Lucky for you that you have Chef Oisin.”

“Yes, we are. How are you feeling? I wanted to come visit you earlier, but Cillian said you needed to rest.”

“I’m okay. Still a bit sore.”

“I can imagine. That had to be so scary.”

“It was. I honestly thought I was going to die right there in that car.”

I shiver, remembering laying on the floor of that car, coughing so hard my whole-body shook. Feeling the heat from the fire made me feel like my skin was melting off my bones.

Kayleigh grabs my hand. “I’m so glad you were rescued and are now here with us where you will be safe.”

“Me too. Everyone here is so welcoming.”

“I’m glad. Once you are better, I can take you to see the sights of Ireland.”

“I can’t wait.”

“Me either.”

“Oops. I didn’t realize the time. I have to leave so I’m not late for class.”

“Go. Don’t worry about me. I promise I will be okay.”

“Okay. I will see you at dinner.”

“Bye.”

I wave to her as I watch her red hair bounce as she jogs out of the room. I finish my lunch and carry the dishes into the kitchen. I place them in the sink and start washing.

“I know you are not to wash dishes in my kitchen,”

a male voice says from behind me. I turn around and see a tall, bald man with a red goatee. His chef coat is embroidered with the name Chef Oisin.

“I was just going to wash up my dishes that I dirtied.”

“No way miss. No can do. You are Sir Cillian’s fiancée and Molly’s head would pop off her shoulders if she found out I let you do those dishes. That woman has killer aim with her dish towel, and no one wants to be hit with that trust me.”

“Okay, I will leave them here then. I trust you must know of Molly’s dish towel smacks from experience.”

“Yes.”

He sighs dramatically. “I had the audacity to clean the refrigerator for her one time.”

I can’t hold the chuckle that sneaks past my lips.

“Keep laughing until it’s your turn to get smacked. I’ll make sure I get a front row seat.”

“You will do no such thing you cretin. Plus, I doubt sweet Bia will ever have to be smacked with my dish towel, unlike you,”

Molly says as she walks in the room with a coffee cup in her hand.

“Woman, I swear.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,”

she says, waving her hand at him, but she looks at me next to the sink.

“Sweet child, you don’t need to worry about those dishes.”

“I was told your head would pop off your shoulders if I did.”

“Really now?”

she says, facing Chef Orsin as she reaches for the dish towel. Chef Orsin sees it and scoots away from her, so the island is between them.

“Cretin,”

she hisses at him.

“Love you too, evil woman.”

“I’ll show you evil.”

She goes to step toward him, and he leaves the kitchen, saying he needs to go to the store. Both of us laugh as he runs out of the kitchen like his ass is on fire.

“How was lunch, sweet child?”

she asks me after we both have caught our breath.

“Is was delicious. Thank you.”

“Good. Cillian called and Mr. Daniel will be here soon to look at your injuries again to see how you are doing. Why don’t you go rest in your room and I will bring him up once he has arrived.”

“Okay. Thank you, Molly.”

“Anytime, sweet child.”

I walk back into my room and lay down while I wait for Daniel. I read one of the books about Ireland history that was sitting in my room when I arrived. I am only a few chapters in when I hear a knock on my door. I place the book on my end table and quietly walk across the floor. I twist the handle to find Molly and Daniel on the other side.

“Hi, Molly and Daniel.”

“Hello, Miss Bia. Cillian called me here to check on your injuries. May I come in?”

Daniel asks. I step to the side and open the door wider and welcome them inside.

“Go ahead and sit on the bed,”

Daniel instructs me. I walk past him and take a seat on the bed. Daniel starts with my face, checking all the cuts all over.

“Good. Good. They are healing nicely. And your wrists, how are they feeling?”

“Just a bit sore.”

“Good. Any issues with moving them?”

“No.”

“Wonderful, let me listen to your lungs but you are looking really good,”

he says as he pulls out his stethoscope from his bag. He presses it to my chest.

“Alright deep breath for me.”

I take a big breath in and then let it out.

“Good. Again,”

he says as he moves it to a different part on my chest, and again, I take a big breath in, then out. We do this a few more times on my chest before he moves the stethoscope to my back and repeats what he did.

“Well, you are healing really well. I’ll be back in a few days to check on you again.”

He starts packing up his bag.

“Oh, Cillian wanted me to let you know he won't be able to make it to dinner tonight.”

“Oh, do you know why?”

“No, I don’t, Bia.”

“Thank you, Daniel,”

I say with a smile covering up my disappointment that Cillian cancel on me. He nods and walks out of the room with Molly, who gives me a sympathetic smile before shutting the door behind them.