Chapter 188: Unicorns
*Narwhal? You mean water unicorn? – Siobhan*
Nessie sat with Siobhan on one of the couches in the common area. A plate that previously held bon bons sat between them.
“I can’t think of the last time I had haggis.” Siobhan said with a smile. “Did Toad give you my present?”
“The books in the solarium?”
“Toad!” Siobhan bellowed at her husband who was helping set up a dollhouse.
“Yes, my beautiful, darling, love of my life.” He answered putting the bathtub in the attic making the kids giggle.
“Did you forget to give Nessie something?”
“Well, fuck me.” He said and the kids around him giggled.
“I’m pretty sure that’s how I ended up pregnant at forty-five.” Siobhan countered.
Getting up, he told the kids not to move the oven out of the living room. He disappeared down the hall and returned a moment later with a violin case. Toad placed the black case in Nessie’s lap before he kissed her temple and then his wife.
“Play us a song.” Toad requested as he went back to the dollhouse. “Who put the oven in the kitchen?”
The kids were rolling with laughter as he moved items back to the wrong rooms. Shaking her head at his antics, Nessie opened the case and looked at the beautiful violin with hints of purple along the edges.
Tentatively, she removed the instrument and checked the strings. When she was satisfied with them, she inspected the bow. Setting the case aside, Ness stood up and began to play a sad song.
“Nacht.” Siobhan said. “Play something happy.”
“Play something that mom can sing to.” James requested.
Nessie thought for a moment and then began to play another song. Smirking, Siobhan began to sing in Gaelic and James tapped his foot. Toad grinned at his wife and they both watched Knuckles as he translated the song in his head.
As the meaning clicked, he began to smile and then laugh. Laying on his back, he looked over at James. “And why did your mom marry your dad?”
“According to song, because of his-”
“Hey!” Pagan warned. “Kids.”
“Can you play the Unicorn Song?” one of the girls asked.
“I don’t know the words to it.” Siobhan admitted. “I do good to remember the chorus.”
“There was green alligators and long necked geese, some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees, some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born, the loveliest of all was the unicorn.” The kids all sang.
Placing a hand on her heart, Nessie beamed with pride. “Sure of it all, we’ve got ourselves some little Rovers.”
“Are you calling my kids dogs?” one of the newer girlfriends demanded.
“Where are yeh getting such a wild idea?” Nessie asked her.
“Rover.” The woman said as if that explained everything. Nessie was still confused and looked at her aunt who rolled her eyes.
“Rover is an American term for a dog.” Toad explained to his niece. Looking at the woman, he continued; “The band that does the unicorn song is the Irish Rovers. She’s calling them little Rovers or little bards, as in traveling musicians that roam over the land or Rovers.”
“That I know. I want to know what gives yeh the right to call them yers.” Nessie clarified. “Yeh don’t like them. Yeh complain about them constantly. In front of their father, yer the perfect stepmum. But when he’s not there, yer Cinderella’s stepmum.”
“How dare you!” the woman huffed and looked at Pagan. “Are you going to let her talk to me like that?”
“Girls,” Pagan said gently, “is any of what Nessie say true?”
His two daughters looked at each other and then at their dad’s girlfriend. The woman smirked at them and they both looked at the ground. Unconsciously, one rubbed her upper arm and the other the back of her neck.
“What have you done to those babies?” Siobhan demanded as Doc walked over to them.
“Alyssa, show me your arm.” Doc said gently as he knelt before the six-year-old girl. She gave a little sob before lifting up her sleeve.
“If we’re good and do what she says, we’ll have a mom again.” The little girl whispered as he looked at the bruised arm.
“Not her.” Nessie said. “Never accept conditions on love. Yer new mum will love yeh without any conditions or requirements. Trust yer dah. And if a woman is telling yeh to lie to him about her hurting yeh and some other shit, tell her to feck off.”
“James.” Pagan barked. “Get this fucking bitch away from my girls.”
“You’re going to regret this.” The woman warned.
“Nay.” Nessie said coldly. “If yeh even think about doing anything to hurt any of me men or me bairns, like yeh did to Philip, I’ll put yeh on me fecking menu.”
The woman paled and her eyes went wide.
“How do you know…”
“I would love to tell yeh, but I don’t want to scare the wee bairns.”
“Let’s go.” James said gently grabbing her elbow and guided her out.
“So, how did you know?” Siobhan asked once the woman was out of the building.
“She was on the phone down by Camille’s alcove, she told us about it.” Knuckles answered from where he lay on the floor with the kittens chasing the laser pointer. “We were going to talk to you later.”
“I’m sorry, daddy.” Nine-year-old Ashlyn cried. “We tried to be good.”
“Come here, girls.” Pagan said gently holding his arms out for his daughters. They went and sat on his lap and he hugged them close.
“You two,” he kissed both of their heads, “are more important to me than anyone else. If you don’t like someone or they make you uncomfortable or hurt you, you need to tell me. If I’m not around, you go to one of your uncles. Don’t ever, no matter what, let them hurt you.”
They snuggled in close to their dad and he held them close.
