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Previously...

Kevin watched Cameron walk away and turned to go, but ran right into a very short, angry girl. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into an alcove of sorts under the bleachers; out of the way and much quieter.

“Today!” Moira stood on tip-toe once again and kissed her cousin and smiled. It was good that the alcove was out of the way, since it gave everyone privacy as Kelly O’Meara put her head on Moira’s shoulder and wept.

The three stood out of the way as much of the crowd moved out into the walkways; it was about lunchtime and the food booths were waiting. Gina grabbed Moira’s hand and Moira in turn pulled Kelly along as they made their way to the nearly empty bleachers on one side of the pavilion. As they sat down, they were met with some friendly faces.

“Now why would you be so unhappy after such a wonderful morning,” the man said with a smile.

“Because Uncle Kevin is acting like a fucking bastard.” Moira said as her face began to approximate the dark red of her hair. Her father leaned close and spoke in a hushed tone.

“Now you watch your language, young lady.” He pulled back only to come face to face with his wife.

“You have to admit, Tommy. My brother-in-law can really be such a fucking bastard.” Fiona half-smiled, remembering several not-so-pleasant conversations she had leading up to and even after her sister Heather's death. She had tried to put unpleasant thoughts behind her but his treatment of Kelly was one more reason to just avoid talking to him, but for the sake of her erstwhile niece.

“Oh, don’t I know. We just don’t need to be broadcasting it all over Sussex County,” he said with a laugh. He nodded at Moira. Gina patted Kelly on the back and shook her head.

“Mr. O’Conner? Kelly can’t keep this up much longer.” She used her hand in a broad gesture to indicate Kelly’s clothes.

“And she won’t; not if I have any say about it,” Fiona spoke up. Kevin Sr. wanted to be important, and he obviously didn’t care who got in his way in the process, including his own child. But as much as Fiona had a perfect right to speak, he never really paid heed to his late wife’s sister anyway. But she and Tommy together might have a chance of pleading the girl’s case; provided they could actually convince Kevin Sr. that he owed it to his only child to live her own life.

“We’ll have a nice chat with Kev, Gina. Don’t you worry, okay?” Fiona said. Gina nodded reluctantly; she trusted Moira’s parents but she held out absolutely no hope that Kevin O’Meara Sr. would be swayed in any way, shape, or form.

“Uncle Tommy?” A near-chastened voice spoke up; timid in the midst of acceptance, sadly. Kelly blinked back a few remaining tears.

“Do you know Mr. Davison? He’s Glynnis’ dad?” Tommy nodded and shook his head while Fiona completed a sentence for him he had yet to begin.

“Another bastard!” She glared at the other side of the pavilion where Cam stood, giving instructions to his family. She turned to her husband.

“That poor girl…Maggie….he’s put all of his baggage on her shoulders, and I feel so sorry for her. Don’t even get me thinking about how he treats Glynnis!” She turned and saw Kelly wince at her girlfriend’s name.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help overhear how he spoke to her just now.” It was safe to say that everyone within fifty feet of them heard what he said to Glynnis.

“What father treats his own daughter like that? If she were my kid…” Moira practically beamed with pride at her mother’s comment.

“Well, darlings, it looks like we’ve got a bit of convincing to do; maybe all of us?” Tommy said as he surveyed the pavilion.

“Kev? I think it best you finish up with your team, okay?” Tommy said. Kelly put her head down, but Moira lifted her chin and she noticed Tommy winking. Moira spoke

“You mean really finish, Daddy?” Tommy grinned and nodded.

“Yes…that’s exactly what I mean. ‘Cause after today…this afternoon before everything ends up, as a matter of fact? The only child of your Aunt Heather will cease ‘playing’ for the other team okay? Moira poked Gina in the arm in encouragement and they both hugged Kelly from each side.

A bit later...

“Well…that didn’t hurt you at all,” Kevin Sr. said to Kev as he swept his arm from right to left. Second place in the team. Who knows what lies ahead. Why we might even be able to see the team compete next month.

“But Dad…you promised.” Kev put his head down; what should have been a turning point in the life of the child became one more milestone on Senior’s road to success.

“Just one more,” the man practically plead like a drunk asking for another chance, only the opportunity was self-enabling and twice as harmful because it didn’t hurt him at all but was one more moment of selfish denial regarding his child. Without waiting for a reply, Kevin Sr. waved at another parent a few yards away and strode off to begin his post-victory self-congratulatory glad-handing. Kev sighed until he felt a tug on his shoulder.

“I saw what he did to you. It’s not fair.” Glynnis stood behind Kev and frowned; feeling helpless.

“It’s….okay,” was all he could get out before he put his hand in front of his face in shame. She gently pulled his hand away and kissed the palm.

“I wish I could help.” She said to no one, but she got an answer anyway. Moira smiled at Glynnis and pointed in the direction of the ladies room just outside the pavilion.

“I’ve got a plan, and maybe you and your sister can help. Can you and Maggie meet us over there in a bit?” Moira asked as she exchanged a conspiratorial grin with Gina. Maggie’s dance had finished with a decent if unacceptable successful third place overall in her age bracket. Cam Davison was probably walking around outside the pavilion with some business connection now that his daughter had let him down with a less than stellar performance that was due likely to the very thick ACE bandage around her ankle.

“Sure…. About ten minutes or so? In front?”

Fairground Ladies Facilities...

“Nothing fancy; she’s just another girl dancer wannabe, okay,” Gina said, pointing to the girl standing in front of the mirror in the ladies room. Between the large “Closed for Repairs” sign hastily drawn and posted on the door and the tall girl with her arms folded standing in the way, the girls inside the ladies room were still only guaranteed a few scant minutes to prepare operation ‘Wake Up!’ Moira looked at the girl’s image next to her own reflection.

“Damn!” She turned to the girl next to her and brushed the girl’s hair out into a half-way decent do; not very long but nice enough. No elaborate wig like the other girls wore earlier since the idea was to convince, not overwhelm. Modest with the makeup and the outfit didn’t look at all like what the girls had worn for their competition; a very plain navy blue dancing skirt over dark tights and a white sports bra under a grey-green exercise top, all courtesy of the smaller girl who leaned on crutches by the door; her friendly smile completely belying the dull pain in her sprained ankle

And the girl in the mirror looked as if she had just arrived from an intermediate dance class; no one to notice unless she drew attention to herself, which was exactly the plan the other girls had formulated. It would work…it had to.

Just after noon...

Tommy made a point of waiting for Kevin Sr. to walk to him and Fiona. As the man strode across the wide pavilion, he seemed in a hurry. Fiona stepped out from behind Tommy and shook her head.

“I suppose you’re proud of the way things worked out.” She glared at her brother-in-law. He shook his head back.

“Don’t get me started.” Kevin Sr. practically leaned into her.

“Or what? You’ll lie to me like you do your own child? Gee, Kev… what else can you do to me that you already haven’t done?” She would have kept up, but just the thought of her sister’s last days was enough to overwhelm her.

“Listen, you pompous ass. You may be family, but back off.” Tommy held his hand up in caution and Kevin Sr. actually punched it. Tommy looked at his hand and laughed softly.

“I suppose I should thank my wife.” Kevin tilted his head a bit in question.

“You can let go of my belt loop, Fi…I’m not going to hit the man….just yet.” Tommy straightened up just a bit, and even at three inches shorter than Kevin’s six-foot, he still towered over the man.

“I’m really sorry for you, Kev! One day real soon you’re gonna wake up and realize that all you have left will be your friends and your business. And your friends are just in it because of your business. You’ve already lost a wife. Think long and hard about what you’re doing to your child.

“You leave my son out of this…It’s none of your business!” Kevin snapped at him. Fiona stepped up to him and looked in his eyes.

“That’s the problem. Nothing is important to you unless it is business.” She lowered her head and began to cry. Tommy pulled her gently into his arms and glared at Kevin, who turned and walked away without a sound.

A while later...

A kindly round faced (and a bit round-bodied) old gent stepped up to the microphone and took off his wide brimmed hat and waved to the crowd.

“Thanks and thanks again fer that nice welcome. The lads and lass to my sides are great in their own right, but they’ve consented to indulge this old lad for a bit more music The Young Wolf Tones they are, and some of you may remember them from last year’s festival… A lovely tune we like to play and hopefully you like to hear?" His brogue was as thick as the welcome applause and whistles and stomps on the bleacher seating.

"It’s a song about what we civilized folks call football and you probably call somethin’ else…. No not that kind or even that kind… Irish! Jacks and Mollys!” As they began to play, several pre-teen girls began to dance impromptu around in front of the stage.

Some of the girls held hands and danced together; bereft of the fancy costumes and wigs, they looked like exactly who they were; girls having a good time with friends. A few younger girls and boys hopped and pranced, trying to imitate their more talented siblings. Even a couple of toddlers raced out and danced.

But three girls in particular stood out; all in their mid-teen, which was unexpected since the older girls usually spent the rest of the afternoon after competition away from the dancing. The three wore nondescript shorts or skirts and simple tops unlike earlier when dancing included costumes and makeup. The two on the outside looked like they were having fun but the one in the middle looked very nervous.

After a few minutes of different songs and banter, the man in the center of the stage waved his hat and explained that they would be taking a very short break while the Pipe Bands got ready to enter the pavilion for the announcement of the winner of the Pipe Band competition. As the children walked back to the bleachers, the three girls looked around and spied a familiar if altogether frustrated face standing alone by an outer support column.

“Hey, Uncle Kev. Whatdya think?” Moira did a curtsey and used her head to indicate her friends. Kevin Sr. nodded at his niece but seemed to grow even more sullen as he noticed his niece’s girlfriend. He sighed and smiled awkwardly at the girl; Moira made no secret about Gina and Kevin couldn’t begin to understand how her parents allowed it. But as awkward as he felt at the sight of Moira and Gina, he became nearly apoplectic as his eyes widened in angry recognition.

“Kevin?”

“No, Dad. Not anymore. It’s Kelly. Like Aunt Kelly over in Longford?” The girl smiled at her father; partly in remembering a conversation she had online with her ‘Aunt’ Kelly; a friend of a friend who knew what she was going through. But mostly because she had stood up to her father.

“Take that silly outfit off, boy!” He practically stammered. Kelly backed away nervously, but not quickly enough. Kevin grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her away out of Moira’s hands. It was more than ‘silly’ to Kevin O’Meara; it was outrageous that his own son would defy him so openly.

"Dad...let go," Kelly said, wrenching her hand free. Kevin probably hadn’t meant to raise a hand to her even if he had meant to down a few too many that led to the loss of whatever composure he still had remaining. He pulled back and slapped her in the face; not hard enough to knock her down, but just hard enough to break her heart.

“Uncle Kev…stop! Leave her alone.” What took place next seemed to play out in slow motion. As Moira went to pull Kelly away, Kevin raised his hand once again, but as he went to swing back, a very strong hand pulled his arm and spun him around.

“You ever raise a hand to my daughter again and you’ll be in the ER at Newton General in a full fucking body cast!” Tommy O’Connor stepped closer and spoke in a quiet but fierce tone.

“And this is for Kelly, okay, Kev?” He got closer and punched Kevin in the ribs and let him fall to the pavilion floor. The act took mere seconds and the sound of the argument was drowned out by the loud bagpipes and drums that heralded the welcome of the Pipe Bands. Kevin looked up and Tommy smiled and mouthed.

“Never again.”

“Gina and Moira held Kelly as she wept. As betrayals go, there are few worse than a slap in the face by a parent, and made worse by the rejection of everything Kelly had come to know about herself. Kevin didn’t just reject what she had done, but finally had displayed what Fiona and Tommy had feared all along; Kevin rejected who Kelly was. As the three held each other, a fourth girl joined them.

“I’m so proud of you,” Glynnis said, feeling out of place in the midst of true bravery. Kelly was still crying so hard that she couldn’t speak. She reached out and grabbed Glynnis’ hand and squeezed. Moira looked at Glynnis and sighed before half-smiling.

“Don’t worry. We all know what you go through every day, Glyn…. And we’re right here for you!” It was too much for the tall, awkward girl. Her face grew bright red as she shook her head and ran off past the line of drummers and pipers entering the pavilion and was gone.

To be concluded...

Jacks and Mollys
As performed by
Derek Warfield and the Young Wolf Tones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqsEAd1xz1U