Heavenly Virtues

Part 56

"Canada?!" The boys exclaimed. Rocco had kept his promise to Ashley. He had agreed not to tell the boys where she was going until it was too late for them to come stop her.

"The fuck ye mean she went ta Canada?!" Murphy asked bewildered. "She felt like there was nothing left here." Rocco replied  cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. Murphy clenched his fist, unable to contain his rage. He slammed his fist on the table and pushed his chair out. "This is yer fault!" He turned to Connor, "ye jus' had ta push er away, had ta.. had ta... ye fuckin prick!" Murphy pushed a now standing Connor before throwing the first punch.

The two brawled, worse then they ever had before with fists flying and landing, causing bruises, cuts and a near broken nose on Connor's end. In the end Murphy got the upper hand, straddling Connor and landing a few good hits before Rocco pulled him off.

"Ye did this ye fuckin' prick! Ye pushed er away and now she's gone!" Connor stood, wiping his mouth and spitting out blood before turning to Murphy "Aye. Aye I did, but where would she be if I didn't Murph?!" Connor's rage flared behind his eyes. "Ye want tha lass ta end up dead?! She's safe where she is. They can't get er, can't get them. That's all that matters now Murph."

Connors face turned soft, searching his brothers for any sign he understood. When Connor saw Murphy's face drop in defeat he moved in closer, putting a hand in his shoulder. "We'll get er back Murph. We'll finish this and we'll get em both back."

*****

As Ashley made her way through the airport, one bag over her shoulder and the other being pulled behind her. Her mind wandered to the dreams she had let herself work up in her mind. Ones of the boys coming home from work, a little brown haired blue eyed baby running about the house. She would be exhausted by the time they came home, mentally and physically, but with them coming home, so would a new energy.

Connor would take over with the baby while Murphy would cook dinner, she would shower and they would come together as a family after. Later with the baby asleep they would cherish the few hours of sleep they did get, wrapped up in each other.

Ashley wiped the tears from her cheeks and pulled herself together with a sniffle. That would just be a dream now. The boys didn't want her. In turn did they not want the baby? Their family? The thoughts of doubt and confusion clouded her mind as she came down the escalater to see her Ma.

With sad eyes and open arms she embraced Ashley, hugging her tight and rubbing her back. "Oh love, are ye okay?" Those words acted as the force pulling on the rope holding her together, and in seconds she was a five year old girl falling apart in her Ma's arms. Ashley's body was wracked with sobs. "Oh dear, come on let's get you home."

The ride back to her parents place was filled with her mother updating her on all the gossip of the neighbors and the accomplishments of Ashley's classmates. All of it falling on Ashley's deaf ears as she worried about what the future held for her.

As they pulled up to their house Ashley's Da stood outside. The tears flowed again as he embraced her and then helped her inside with her meager belongings. The greif she was experiencing was almost enough to make her not physically and mentally recoil at the sight of her attack, the thing that started all this. Almost.

She hadn't been here since the original attack and as much as Ashley thought she had moved past it, the sight of the blood stain on the hardwood floor was shocking. Her mother tried to comfort her, rubbing arm and giving her a sympathetic look. "I tried so hard to get it up, but it just wouldn't come out." Ashley nodded and put her head down, heading for the living room. "It's okay Ma."

*****

The week hadn't been very productive, Ashley had barely gotten out, only being dragged from the house by her Ma when she wouldn't stop going on about vitamin D being good for the baby.