The Fire is Gone

Chapter One

"Or! Or! Cadhla I said Or!" My Ma kept telling me no! Or she yells. Or! She yells in her heavy Irish accent. I think Or's her favorite word.

"Aye! Ma! I'm just putting the dishes away! Am I putting them in wrong? What do you even want me to stop?"

She shook her head. She spoke in her heavy Irish accent. "Sweetart. You're doing notin' wrong it's just the sound be 'urtin my ears."

Pa yelled from the fireplace also in a heavy Irish accent, "Cadhla Aideen O'Kelley. Quit the sassing to your mather."

I shook my head. "Pa I be going on a trip over seas tomorrow and I be trying to help with everything I can but you make it so difficult. Pa I'm sorry if it be loud but the dishes are 'ard to handle."

Pa sighed and came in through the door. He kissed me on my fiery red hair and looked me straight into my wild green eyes. He then kissed my freckled nose. "Cadhla. I believe your middle name fits you best. Aideen. My little fire. I love you and I twas not tryin to be hard on ya. I shall miss you as will you mother, Cahira, Cait, Caomh, and Cathmore."

"I love you and I will always Pa. You as well Ma." I looked out at the sundial. "Look at the time! I best be departing. Kean will be here any moment for me bags! Cahira! Cait! Caomh! Cathmore! I be leaving!"

I could here thumping coming from the stairwell. Both sets of twins came running down the stairs. All I could see was a flurry of  fiery red hair. Cahira came and hugged me first. She hugged me and said I love you. Then Cait. She did the same as Cahira and so did Caomh. Cathmore hugged me and told me he loved me but he also said, "I can't believe the youngest of the family is going overseas and I, the eldest, haven't gone further than the old pumpkin patch!" He rubbed my hair and jostled it all up.

"Cait! Will you do my hair in a bun?" Cait nodded her head and easily pulled my hair up into a bun. The girls in the village all call it a knot though because it resembles that more than an actual bun! "One last time, Aideen. I mean Cadhla."

I hopped up, gave everyone a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and a big old I love you. Then we heard the rat-a-tap-tapping on the door. We all knew 'twas Kean Muckleburry.

My Ma opened the oak door and Kean tipped his hat that always sits atop his head outside. "Mrs. O'Kelley. You look lovely miss. Pleasure seeing you today." He smiled and shook my Pa's hand. "Pleasure to see you to Mr. O'Kelley! Pleasure to see all of you. I'll start carrying the bags. Miss Cadhla, the mistress is waiting for us in the carriage outside! Come quick!"

I gave everyone a hug and, as ladylike as I could, walked outside to the carriage. Kean took my hand and helped me up into it then jumped in himself.