Sean’s strong arms banded around her, and he murmured into her ear. “Let’s go home, Brynn. My home is yours now.”
At his words, she remembered that her own house had burned to the ground, taking all of her personal possessions with it, but the pain of loss wasn’t nearly strong enough to match the exhilaration soaring through her heart. She’d only lost things. She still had her business, anyway, and—most important of all—Sean was safe.
Sean was safe, and he loved her.
“That’s really terrific red hair. I think you’re going to be a great O’Malley,” one of the brothers said, and the others started laughing.
Brynn’s mouth fell open. Things were suddenly moving very fast. “An O’Malley?”
“Yes,” Sean said firmly. “My O’Malley. Forever.”
SIXTEEN
Three months later
Sean’s mother leaned on his arm as they walked from his car to Black Swan Fountain. She was fading rapidly now, the cancer carrying her away from them and into a world made up of pain and weakness. Too often, he and Brynn, or one of his brothers, would find her staring off into the distance at something—or someone—that only she could see.
“I’ll see your father again soon,” she suddenly said, as he arranged a warm blanket on the cold marble bench for her.
“Mom,” he protested. “You have plenty of time left. Don’t—”
“I don’t, Sean, love, and you know it,” she said gently. “Of all my boys, you were always the most realistic, even though you were the baby.”
“Even though I fell in love with a swan?” He glanced at the fountain, reassuring himself that Brynn was there—safe—although he could already hear her lovely song.
“I fell in love with a fire demon,” his mom replied, smiling a little. “Sean, I want you to know how happy I am that you found your Brynn. She’s strong, and smart, and she loves you with her entire heart. I could never have asked for more for you, my beautiful boy.”
He felt his eyes start to burn, but he smiled for his mother’s sake and put an arm around her frail shoulders.
“A mother’s love is one of the most powerful forces in the world, Sean. I carried you in my body and nurtured you as babies, and then cheered you on to independence as boys, and now I am so proud of you all as grown men. My biggest regret in all of this is that I have to leave you before you come to the next chapters of your stories. I wish I could see your brothers all find love, as you have. I wish I could see you bring your own children into the world and help you raise them.”
He started to protest, but the gentle sadness on her face stopped him. She knew the truth and didn’t want to hear false platitudes. Not now.
“I love Brynn as if she were my own daughter,” his mother said, and he pretended not to see the tears that she tried to hide as they fell slowly down her face. Instead, he looked steadily at the fountain until she’d patted her cheeks dry with a tissue.
“She loves you, too, Mom. One day, when we break this curse, we’re going to have a daughter and name her after you,” he promised, even though it was tough to get the words out past the lump that had lodged itself in his throat.
“Oh, don’t do that,” she said. “Kathleen is so old-fashioned.”
She thought about it for a moment. “Or at least only for a middle name . . .”
They shared a laugh and then sat in silence for a little while, watching Brynn and listening to her beautiful song.
“We’ll find a way to break the curse and bring baby Kathleen into the world, don’t worry,” he said, hoping it was true.
“I have some ideas about that,” his mother said, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket and handing it to him. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you tonight—and here.”
He scanned the paper, which turned out to be a short list of names, one of which he recognized. “Mrs. Mastroianni?”
His mother smiled. “Did you know that Mrs. Mastroianni is a pretty powerful moon witch? We have some thoughts about how to beat this curse . . .”
Her eyes lit up as she explained, and then they sat quietly, sharing the peace and moonlight for what Sean knew might be the very last time. When she grew tired, he gently helped her to his car, and then took her to her house, where the kind and wonderful nurse they’d hired to help with his mother’s personal needs settled her in bed with a cup of herbal tea.
When the nurse indicated that his mother was ready, he went in to say good night.
“I love you, Mom,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“I love you, Sean. Now go on with you and watch over that girl of yours until we can break the curse,” she said, shooing him out with a smile.