Work was done and Sorcha was ready for the weekend. Once she got home Sorcha changed into a grey camisole and some cut off shorts. She was busy cleaning house when her friend Abigail called her asking if she wanted to come over to watch a movie and hang out. Sorcha had agreed and that was why she was currently standing in the local convenient store with a case of beer in her hand.
"Drinking heavy tonight Sorcha," Harding asked as he stepped into line behind Sorcha.
Sorcha laughed. "I don't drink this shit. This is for Abigail. I'm more of a wine person.
Harding chuckled and shook his head. Everyone knew about Sorcha and Abigail's drinking preferences. They had gone to some parties when they were in high school. Abigail was the type to get snockered and Sorcha preferred to get tipsy.
"Have fun," Harding said as Sorcha finished paying for her beer.
"Thanks," Sorcha said as she left the store.
She put the twelve pack in the back of her car before she got in. Sorcha waved at a few people as she pulled out onto the highway and headed to Sneeze's liquor store. Sorcha parked next to a fancy red mustang that looked really nice and expensive. Sorcha climbed out of her car and headed inside.
"Hi Sorcha," Annie said as soon as Sorcha stepped inside.
"Hey Annie. How are you?"
"I'm fine. It's just that these old bones are foretelling a storm. Mark my words, a storm is coming."
"I'll keep that in mind. The farmer's almanac says that there's going to be some storms within the next week or so."
Another customer came in and Sorcha moved farther into the liquor store. She browsed the selection of wines and chose two that sounded good, one was a blackberry wine and the other was a peach wine with hints of strawberry and vanilla. Sorcha headed back up to check out and almost ran into Calleach. Calleach steadied her as his beautiful blue eyes caressed her face.
"I hope I didn't hurt you."
Sorcha shook her head. "I'm fine."
Calleach let her go and motioned to the bottles in her hand. "Starting the weekend a bit early."
"My friend called wanting to hang out and watch a movie. Going over to her house usually entails drinking."
Calleach grunted and stepped back so another customer could walk between them. Calleach motioned for Sorcha to precede him. "Ladies first."
"Why thank you." Sorcha giggled as took her place in line and was instantly greeted by the person in front of her.
"I heard you got a tattoo," Lance Baird said.
"I've got several Lance. Which one are you talking about?"
Lance shrugged. "I was talking to your cousin the other day and he made a comment about your new tattoo."
A soft sigh escaped Sorcha. "Let me guess, you were drinking with Zarr again."
"Duh," Lance said with a roll of his eyes. "What other cousin of yours would I be hanging out with?"
"True," Sorcha said. "But you never know. You party with Zarr so much that I'm sure you've met some of my other cousins."
Lance laughed. "No one can party like Zarr."
"I would disagree. You haven't seen my other cousins or some of my aunts and uncles party."
Lance winced. "Not sure if I want to."
Sorcha laughed. "When did you see Zarr?"
"Last weekend. So what about this tattoo. How many does that make for you now? Six?"
"Seven," Sorcha said as she sat her wine bottles down, turned her back on Lance and swept her hair forward over her shoulder. "It's the one between my shoulder blades."
Sorcha felt Lance pull at her tank top exposing her back to his eyes. He whistled at what he saw. "Damn girl that's right over your spine. That must have hurt."
"It did, but not as bad as some of the other injuries I've suffered," Sorcha said as she turned back around rolling her shoulders to settle her shirt comfortably against her back.
"What made you decide to get a tree?"
"It's the tree of live or Ygaddisl in the Norse traditions."
Lance shook his head. "You're just as bad as Zarr with his themed tattoos. What is up with you two?"
Sorcha shrugged. "I'm just paying homage to my heritage."
Lance stepped up to pay for his alcohol and motioned to Sorcha. "I'm buying hers too Annie."
"You are not."
"Yes I am," Lance said as he took her wine from her. "Zarr told me that you bought the beer that we took fishing and now I'm paying you back."
"Thank you," Sorcha said as Lance swiped his card.
Sorcha followed Lance outside and waited while he put the wine in her car. Sorcha stood out there and talked to Lance for a couple of minutes. Calleach came out and walked over to the mustang that Sorcha was parked next to. He nodded her way as he climbed into the car. After he pulled away did Sorcha say goodbye to Lance and head over to Abigail's house.
As Sorcha pulled up to Abigail's house on the edge of town she saw a familiar mustang sitting in the driveway of the house next to Abigail's. Calleach stood outside talking to Abigail's hot neighbor, Barron. Barron waved at Sorcha as she got out of her car. Sorcha waved back as she grabbed the wine and beer and headed inside.
"Your super hot neighbor is outside," Sorcha said as she shut the door behind her.
"Which one?" Abigail asked as she looked up from what she was cooking on the stove.
"Barron of course." Sorcha sat the beer and wine down on the table before she went to check out what Abigail was making. "Yum," Sorcha said as she saw that it was Abigail's famous three cheese stuffed pasta shells with homemade sauce.
"This'll be done in about five minutes. How about you go in and look through Netflix and try to decide on what we're going to watch."
"Do I have free reign on what we watch tonight?"
"Yes. I'm up for whatever. Just make sure that it has some super hot guys in it," Abigail raised her voice so that Sorcha could hear her as she walked into the living room.
Sorcha picked up the controller and began flipping through Netflix. She finally settled on a movie that had a hot guy on the front. It was a thriller and sounded really good. Sorcha sat the controller down and headed back into the spacious kitchen to see if the food was done. Abigail was busy rummaging in the cupboards. Her head appeared around the one door as she heard Sorcha come in.
"I forgot to turn the water off in the garden. Can you do that while I dish us up some food?"
Sorcha shrugged. "Sure."
"Thanks," Abigail said as her head disappeared back into the cupboard.
Sorcha headed out through the garage and walked back towards Abigail's impressive garden. She grew so much food in the limited space she had available. Sorcha walked barefoot through the grass till she reached the hydrant. She shut off the water and pussy footed it back to solid, dry ground. Sorcha stopped at the garage door and washed her feet in the bucket of water that Abigail always had sitting there.
Abigail had two plates of food plus a beer and glass of wine waiting for Sorcha when she walked back into the house. Sorcha picked up her plate and carried it into the living room and sat it on the coffee table as Abigail pressed play. The food was piping hot and Sorcha let it sit and started sipping from her wine.
Four glasses of wine and two hours later the movie was done. Abigail was on her eighth beer as they went outside for some fresh air. Sorcha poured herself another glass of wine and joined Abigail. Her nose wrinkled as soon as she saw Abigail with a cigarette. Abigail stood with her cigarette in one hand while she drank from the beer she held in her other hand.
"I wish you'd quite smoking. It's going to cause you to age and give you cancer."
Abigail belched softly as she looked at Sorcha. Before Abigail could say anything Barron shouted at them from his backyard. Abigail gave Sorcha a big smile before she headed over to Barron's. Sorcha gave a weary sigh before she followed her friend.
Barron had his fire pit going and there were several people sitting around the fire drinking and talking. Sorcha knew most of them as she stepped onto the deck. The wood was rough beneath her bare feet and she walked gingerly so she wouldn't get a splinter. Sorcha sat down next to Barron's brother Bishop and relaxed into the arm he draped around her shoulder.
"What have you two beauties been doing tonight?" Bishop asked as he watched Abigail stumble.
"Drinking," Sorcha said as she watched Abigail right herself. "Eating and watching a movie."
"How much have you had to drink?" Barron was frowning at Abigail as he watched her walk.
Abigail shrugged and took a pull on her cigarette. Barron made a face before he took the cigarette from her and tossed it into the fire.
"Hey," Abigail said in a slurred voice.
"Cigarettes are bad for you Abby."
"So. Sorcha tells me the same thing every time she's over."
"You need to listen to Sorcha."
"Nuh uh," Abigail said as she swayed on her feet.
"How many beers has she had?" Bishop asked as he watched his brother deal with Abigail.
"Eight, but I'm not sure how many she had before I got to her house."
Bishop looked down at Sorcha with his warm brown eyes. "And how many glasses of wine have you had."
Sorcha raised an eyebrow at Bishop daring him to argue with her. "This is my fifth and if you ever watch me pour wine I only fill the glass half full."
Bishop snorted as he turned his attention back to Barron and Abigail. Everyone watched the spectacular that was sure to happen. Sorcha ended up rearranging herself so that her back rested against the bench she was sitting in and her legs were in Bishop's lap. Bishop's strong fingers were gently massaging her right knee where she'd been shot. It always got so tight at the end of the day and Bishop was really good at loosening it up. That was why Sorcha had him on speed dial. He was always willing to come over and massage her knee for her.
Sorcha's eyes traveled lazily around the group of people at Barron's house. She knew most of them, but there was one or two she didn't now. Sorcha flinched in surprise when she met Calleach's gaze. She didn't know that he was still here. Bishop felt her flinch and asked if she was okay. Sorcha gave him a smile and nodded. Bishop went back to massaging her leg and Sorcha tried to ignore Calleach.
"I heard that Ella asked you for money again," Barron said he finally managed to get Abigail seated in a chair drinking a glass of water. "Why do you keep giving her money?"
"I don't like the alternative Barron. You know that."
Barron gave Sorcha a look that made her heart ache. It was filled with such compassion that it made her want to weep. It was a look that few people ever gave Sorcha. "You need to stand up to your family. You leave the rest to me and Bishop."
"Thanks Barron, but you know my family. You could end up dead in a ditch somewhere if you anger my father enough."
"I'm not scared of him."
"You should be," Sorcha said softly as she tried to withdraw her legs from Bishop's lap. Bishop refused to let her go and Sorcha had to leave her legs in place.
"You can't let them ruin your life bae," one of the other men said.
"I know Beau," Sorcha said on a sigh. "But you all know my family. The only way I am going to escape their clutches is to get married and move far away."
"We can help you with that Sorcha," Beau said in excitement.
"No thanks Beau," Sorcha said on a laugh but it did no good. Sorcha had to endure twenty minutes of people throwing out men that she could date. It was embarrassing, but funny at the same time.
Sorcha called it a night when Barron picked up a drunken Abigail and started carrying her over to her house. Sorcha pulled her legs out of Bishop's lap and stood up, picking up her wine glass. Bishop steadied Sorcha as the wine went to her head.
"Do I need to carry you home too?"
Sorcha laughed as she patted Bishop's hand on her waist. "No, Abigail is too drunk to be by herself. I'll crash at her place."
"You're a good friend."
"Yea," Sorcha sighed. "Too bad I can't be a better daughter.
"Sorcha," Bishop started.
"Goodnight," Sorcha said cutting him off.
She met Barron as he was leaving Abigail's house. Sorcha thanked him before she entered Abigail's house. It was going to be a long night and Sorcha wanted to get as much sleep as possible. Abigail wasn't a very good drunk to take care of.