Silent tears slid down Mark's face as Ireland's coast faded into the distance. It never should have been like this- his family all leaving their old lives behind and Rob dead. Mark's older sister Bria and her husband Nicky had left for Boston 2 years earlier and were making a happy home for themselves, she as an English teacher and he as a policeman. They were thrilled to hear the family were coming but had no idea what prompted the quick move. He had no doubt it would leave them disappointed and shattered just like everyone else he loved.
He was surprised when he felt a head on his shoulder and looked to see his brother Colin there. "How's Ma little man?" he said watching his sad eyes stare out.
"Da's with her in the room, the doctor came and gave her something to make her sleep. All she does is cry, why do we have to go if it makes us so sad?"
Mark sighed deeply and put his arm around his brother. "It was something we needed to do, as hard as it may seem to believe. We'll be with Bria again and be as happy as we ever were. Just give it time."
Colin turned towards his brother with trusting eyes. "I believe you Mark but I don't think Erica does."
Poor Erica, she was taking it the worst. No two people could be closer than Mark and Erica and he was the only one who knew how deeply leaving would affect her. Rob had always made his feelings crystal clear that he wanted Erica but she had eyes for only one man, Robbie's cousin Bryan. They had been having a secret romance for the past couple of months and were very much in love. Now Rob was dead and Bryan would be the Lord of the Estate. Mark walked towards his sister curled up on the deck, her head down as the wind whipped her dark hair. The chill in the air reflected the hollow, empty feeling that surrounded her. "I'm sorry Erica, it all went horribly wrong. I never meant to hurt him but...he hit Ma and threatened to come after you. Please talk to me, I can't bear seeing you like this."
She lifted her tear-streaked face and just looked at him blankly. "Bryan could have fixed this, he hated Rob as much as anyone. It was an accident, he would have forgiven you. I never got to say goodbye, let him know how much I love him."
Mark wrapped her in his arms, "He knows."
3 months later...
"Hello, any one home?" Mark called through the Victorian home his extended family now shared. What had started as a bleak outlook was starting to turn rosy for the Feehilys. Mark and his father had a job at a local factory of mostly Irish workers and there was a sense of community and pride in their shared backround, and there was always good craic to be found. He even started taking night classes once a week to get a degree, he'd be a teacher like Bria and be someone they could be proud of again.
"I'm home Marcus Michael!" Erica shouted back and came down the stairs whistling a happy tune.
"I haven't seen you this excited since... I can't remember when. What has you so over the moon?"
"Bryan is coming to get me."
"What?!" Mark said his face falling.
"He'll be here soon. It's going to be alright. I told him the whole story and he promised to make it right. We can go home again."
He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach, his own sister betrayed him. "No, it won't be alright. I have to go away, again."
Erica's face clouded over, didn't he hear what she'd said? Just then everyone else came in and stopped in their place. "What's wrong?" Bria asked stepping between Mark and Erica putting an arm around each, feeling the tension within each of them.
"Erica told Bryan where we are and he's coming. I 've just told her it means I'm off. I've hurt you all too much and I can't do it anymore." He went upstairs to throw a couple of his most beloved of possessions in a bag and came back to find his family in tears.
Erica was nearly frantic, "Mark, please don't go. You can't leave me, us."
He hugged her close to him for the last time, "I'm not angry with you."
Everyone got a hug and a kiss and he stood at the door, hand on the knob. "When will we hear from you son?" his father asked.
"I don't know. I love you all." he said sadly and walked away.