Burden Off Our Shoulders

put the kids to bed in the main bedroom. Sarah, Kieran and I stayed in the living room of the suite. I made coffee. ‘Thank you,’ Sarah smiled weakly at me as she took the mug. She looked contrite. ‘I’m sorry for running out like that.’ Kieran said nothing, just gestured for her to continue. ‘When you came to the restaurant, I was surprised. When you said you wanted me to come back to Lisbern with you, I was…happy at first. But then I had some time to think.’ Sarah wrapped both hands around the coffee mug and stared at the floor. ‘Clarissa, that’s Ed’s mother, she’s been suffering from poor health for a long time. Ed refused to leave her side, but we were both afraid that she wouldn’t survive the transatlantic flight.’ Since Sarah and Ed arrived in Lisbern with just their kids, I could guess what happened to Clarissa. ‘And a small part of me was worried that maybe…’ Sarah looked at Kieran. ‘Maybe I couldn’t get you out of the city,’ Kieran said. Sarah nodded apologetically. ‘I talked to