More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“They love you so fucking much it’s palpable. And your girlfriend? Aoife? Holy shit, lad, I have never seen someone look so in love with another human being in my life.”
“You’re only eighteen,” he bit back, tears filling his eyes. “I don’t want this life for you.” “He’s only eighteen,” I shot back, trembling. “And he is my life, Dad. He’s my life and I’m his. We’re a family.”
“I only wanted to protect you.” “That’s my job, remember?” I joked through my tears. “I’m the one saving 6.”
Long after his mother was lowered into the ground and the other Lynch children had dispersed, Joey continued to stand vigil, still trying to protect her, even in death.
I spent so long trying to push her away that when I stopped, it was so easy. Being with her was like breathing. I didn’t know I needed the air, but I knew that I would die without it.
“Put the gun down, Joey,” she replied with a sad smile. “The fight’s over.” “Yeah, well, I’ve been fighting for so long, I don’t know how to take my finger off the trigger,” I muttered, cracking my knuckles.
“I didn’t understand it at the time, why you were so insistent about being his friend. I thought having a girlfriend was all about material shit, but then I would see you hanging out with him, and he had nothing to offer you and still managed to give you everything you wanted.”
“All of your shapes and versions, remember?” “You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that.” “What? I love you?” I heard him sniff before saying, “Yeah.”
And yeah, I’m a mess, and yeah, I’m an addict, but I’m a good father! I’m a good fucking parent, Darren. I kept them alive. I kept them fed, and loved, and nurtured, and goddamn educated. I did that. Not you. Not him. Not Mam. Me. So, call me a junkie and whatever the hell else you want to call me, but don’t say that I’m too young to be a father!”
“I already told you that I’m not interested in any of this,” I reminded her, squirming in discomfort when she squeezed my cheek. “I’m not your boy.” “And I already told you that we’re keeping you.” She chuckled. “Finders keepers, Joey love. You’re mine now.”
“Are you really here?” “I’m here, queen.” His arms came around my body, and I felt myself grow limp against him as my ability to be strong suddenly abandoned me. Months. I had kept up the act for months.
And then he opened his eyes and looked at me. And I was done. My heart no longer beat for me. For the rest of my days, it would beat entirely for the child in my arms. Fuck.
“Six years ago today, I locked eyes on you for the first time, sitting on the wall outside of school, and now we’re sitting here with our son.” Smiling, he leaned in close and kissed me again. “Thanks for my baby, queen. You still take the air clean out of my lungs.”
“So, where’s your other half?” “Claire-Bear? She’s in the year below us.” “No, asshole. Kav.”
“You’ve literally done every single night feed for the past seven nights.” “Because you’ve literally grown a human for the past nine months.”
But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, my brother was reborn the day his son took his first breath. Joey was living for himself now. For his little family.
Joey Lynch and Aoife Molloy: both full of flaws and humanly imperfect and yet so undeniably perfect for each other.
