Deception Shores

"Ah." Carlin said as his son and Emma came over. He leaned over to Colesta and whispered, "Why the distaste in your voice?" he asked.

-----------------------------------

"Yes. My papa is too. We used to live in Ireland but we moved out here a few months ago for some strange reason. He never really told me but I can't see my momma." he said with a slight sad look on his face. "Orna!!! Come here girl!" he shouted a bit about five feet away from Carlin and Colesta. Orna got up immediately and bounded over to Aengus, jumping up on her hind paws, resting her forepaws on his shoulders and licking him to death. Aengus started laughing and pushed her to the ground, "Good girl. This is my dog Orna." he looked at the dog and said, "Say hi Orna." Orna walked over to Emma sniffed her hand and put her nose in Emma's palm.

"Just the tone in your voice when you referred to her." Colesta said, "My child gets a lot of crap, I dont like that she has to put up with that."

..................................

Emma pet the dog, "Im sorry. Did she die?" She asked.

"Well I meant no offense. The tone in my voice must have been misleading. I'm glad my son made a friend. I was just curious as to who she is." Carlin explained. "It looks like the dog likes her too." he said with a smile. "Who gives your child grief?" he asked concerned.

------------------------------------

Orna wagged her tail and panted contentedly. Aengus shook his head and said, "No, my papa just left her. I don't know what happened but one day he had me pack my things and we just left. My momma wasn't even home to tell us good bye." he looked at the dog sadly and sat next to her petting Orna's back.

Colesta nodded, "Just stupid people." Watching their children mingle, she became a little happier.

....................................

Emma looked at him and then back to the dog, "Im sorry. That must've been hard."

Carlin looked at Colesta and then back at the kids. Aengus looked a little sad and happy at the same time. "Do you work during the day?" he asked Colesta.

------------------------------

Aengus nodded and glanced at Emma, "It is. But I'm happy with Orna and my papa." he said smiling. "I think Orna likes you." he said happily.

"Yes, I do. Dont you?" She asked, "Or does your wife work and you stay at home and watch your son?"

..........................

Emma smiled, "Im glad!" She began to pet the oldish dog again, and laughed when its tongue came out of her mouth, "Its good that youre happy, it really is."

Carlin looked down a little sadly, "I'm not married. Not anymore." he said quietly to himself. "I work from my home. It allows me to spend more time with my son. It's cheaper than paying for daycare too." he said quickly, trying to cover up his earlier comment.

------------------------------------------

"Yea. It is. I'm glad. I don't have any friends yet though" he said while smiling at the dog.

"Im sorry." She replied.

.........................

"I dont either." Emma replied

"It's alright. I got my son out of it and he's made me happy." Carlin said with a small smile.

-----------------------------

"Sure you do." Aengus said with a smile, "You have two. Me and Orna."

"Thats good then." Colesta said.

........................

"Then you have two also." Emma said smiling.

"Yes. Yes it is." Carlin replied. He called out to his son, "Hey boy! You ready to go home yet?" The dog looked at Carlin and so did Aengus as they got up off the ground.

-----------------------

Aengus smiled at her and looked at his dad. "Coming Da!!!" Aengus yelled back, "Come on," he said to Emma with a grin, "come meet my papa" Orna got up and trotted over to Carlin wagging her tail waiting for the leash to be put back on.

Colesta watched as her daughter followed shortly behind the boy. "I hope hes nice" Emma whispered under her breath.

Carlin slipped the leash on Orna and smiled at his son and his new friend. "Hi Aengus. You have fun with your new friend today?" he asked nicely. Aengus nodded and said "Da, this is Emma. Can she come over for dinner tonight?" he asked with puppy dog eyes. Carlin laughed and said, "Sure, as long as its ok with her mother." he looked at Colesta and asked, "How about it? Dinner to go with that drink? Give the kids a chance to get to play a bit longer?"

Colesta smiled after thinking about it for a bit. "I guess, that would be fine. Why not?" Emma walked over and curled up on her lap and whispered a thank you to her mother before kissing her on the cheek. Colesta laughed lightly and told her she was welcome. "When are we havign this dinner/drink/play date?"

Carlin glanced at his watch and saw that it was close to six and replied to Colesta with a small smile, "How about right now? It's almost dinner time anyway and I'm sure the kids are hungry. Right?" he asked his son and Emma. Aengus nodded and the dog barked in agreement.

"Okay. Sounds good." She said, as Emma got to her feet. Colesta got up and grabbed her childs extended hand. "Lead the way."

Carlin grabbed the dog's leash and simply said, "Ok, I guess we're playing follow the leader." he said to Aengus as he started walking home at a good pace that was comfortable for everyone. "So Colesta, since this walk might take a while, can I ask what you do?" he inquired.

"I work at a travel agency. And yourself?" She asked.

"I'm a security consultant." he replied.

Aengus walked next to Emma quietly not knowing what to say.

"I see." Colesta said. Emma and let go of her hand and meandered forward where she was walking next to Aengus. Hopefully she'd be able to make at least one friend, it would be good for her.

"Yea. I freelance so I don't have some company breathing down my neck telling me to sit in a cubicle all day. It makes it easier on Aengus too. Get to spend time together that way and he doesn't have to go to day care." Carlin looked over at Colesta and asked, "Emma go to daycare while you're at work?"

Aengus poked Emma in the arm and danced away behind the dog laughing. "Can't catch me!" he said to her.

"Ahhh." Colesta said, "That makes sense. And yeah, but I cant leave her there anymore, obviously." Colesta yawned, "Im so tired."
Emma ran after Aengus and grabbed his han to stop him, "Please dont run away." She sobbed.

"Yea. And did she break her arm there?" Carlin asked, an idea forming in his mind but he wasn't sure if Colesta would be ok with it. Carlin laughed a little, silently and said, "I know how you feel about being tired. I need a hot meal, a drink, and a shower later. It's been a long day."

Aengus nodded and stood next to Emma, holding her hand and said, "I wasn't running away. I was playing with you." Aengus gave Emma a smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Yeah. She got pushed off the swings. Apparently the kids hate her." She let out a sigh. "That sounds really nice."
Emma nodded, "Okay. I didnt know."

Carlin looked at Colesta and said almost in disbelief, "They pushed your daughter off of a swing? What the hell kind of daycare does she go to? Satan's?" he looked at Emma and shook his head, "No little girl deserves that."

Aengus nodded back and kept walking still holding her hand. He started humming an old Irish song that his dad used to sing to him to get him to sleep when he was younger.