Juice: The O'Malleys Book 1, contemporary Adult Romance Read Online Free Page B

chance at life.
    They followed each other, shuffling slowly along the corridor and into the room where Harry lay. Except it wasn’t Harry anymore. No more beeps from machinery, no more wires and tubes. Just the stillness of death. He was cooler already, the warmth slowly leaving his blood. They held his hands and Cass wondered why her eyes had stopped crying. Maybe there were no more tears left. Just a feeling of being so empty there was nothing in the world that could fill her up.
    “He looks so beautiful, so peaceful. But his hair is all wrong,” Brian said, brushing Harry’s hair over to the side. The right side.
    “He does dad, he does look peaceful.” And he did. The only marks left on him were a smattering of small purple bruises to his forehead. Such a little life, thought Cass. Such a little life.

    Aoife and her family arrived at the Mater hospital in Dublin in just over two hours. They were met by the transplant team who greeted them warmly, having met Aoife many times before. Dr Phillips bent down to Aoife’s wheelchair and spoke to her with affectionate excitement.
    “Aoife, this is it. The perfect match. Well, on paper anyway. Still some tests to be done and then we’ll get on our way. Your new lungs are on route from England as we speak. It’s the start of a long road and a winding one. But, we’re here for you Aoife and we’ll do our best to make it as easy as possible.” Aoife grabbed his hand and gave it a light squeeze. “Thanks Doc, I know you will do right by me.”
    Aoife hugged her family one by one. Her younger sister Annie was subdued and teary, the complete opposite of her usual animated personality.
    “You’ll be grand Aoife, stay strong. I love you. You know that don’t you? I can’t wait to have you back on your feet and giving hell to the lads. We girls have to stick together.”
    “Hey, we’re not that bad!” her brother Darragh chipped in. He bent down to Aoife, and hugged her lightly.
    “Love you sis. I’ll be waiting here for you.” He high fived Aoife and winked at her. “Gingers forever.”
    “Love you too, Dar. You’re ginger, I’m auburn. Mind mama and daddy for me.”
    “I’m actually strawberry blonde,” Darragh muttered loudly enough for them all to hear and moved out of the way to allow Rian in to say his goodbyes..
    Aoife watched her brother Rian closely as he put his hand on her knee.
    “Don’t you be worryin’ about us Aoife? Worry about yourself for once.”
    Aoife looked up, her eyes filled with concern for her big brother Rian. Six foot five and brooding, he cut quite a remarkable figure. She saw two nurses passing by eyeing him up and nudging each other giggling. She worried about him the most. He was too closed in, too insular. She wished he’d lean on the others more. She nodded at him and winked. He squeezed her shoulder lightly.
    She smiled as her granny O’Malley pushed through the crowd.
    “Now girl, you’re an O’Malley and we are tough as nails. You’ll sail through this and be home in three weeks, please God. You’ve been getting away without doing chores and such for far too long, young lady.”
    Aoife grabbed her grandmother’s hand when she heard the old woman’s voice break with emotion.
    “Don’t. Not you. The rest of them I can take, but you have to stay strong. For me.”
    The old woman wiped the sleeve of her blue cardigan across her eyes roughly.
    “You’re right, silly stuff and nonsense. You’re as tough as old boots, Aoife. Don’t let me down now. And you have ‘The Bossman’ looking down on you too. He won’t let anything happen to you.”
    Aoife smiled, “That’s more like it.”
    She hugged her mama and dad to her chest and gave them both an enthusiastic thumbs up, too choked to speak. She felt her mama squeeze her hand and looked down at it. She marvelled at the beauty of her mama’s hands. Small and soft, those hands had so much love within them. So many strokes and caresses they had given. Never