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“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, sir, but I could never share a woman with anyone Brother or no brother”
“Which bringsSylas has told me how you feel All of these men in this ro
o one woman All I ask is that you hear theo after that, no one will try to stop you”
Nic still couldn’t understand how families like these men had worked, hoas even possible Curious to find out, he said, “Fine That’s fair enough”
Sam turned to Patrick “Since you’re the oldest here, you’re up first, brother”
“Sae?”
All the hed
Patrick grinned “I’e does come some wisdom Sam, it’s your story to tell, too”
“But you tell it so much better”
Patrick grinned and then turned to Nic “ When Sarated to the United States We had no reason to stay in Ireland Our father had died in World War II and our mother had passed aith a broken heart a year later We needed a new beginning”
“I can relate,” Nic said, thinking about Pop Ji”
“So you understand anted new surroundings, a whole new place to start over”
Nic nodded
“Safield, Missouri We went to work for the local newspaper” Patrick brought out his pipe, and though he didn’t light it, brought it up to his lips It was obvious this man was a wonderful storyteller “On our very first day at the paperthe irl we’d ever laid eyes on She was the editor’s daughter, Ethel Mae Young She had deep blue eyes, like the sparkling Irish Sea, and long blonde hair, like golden flax I knew iet to know her better, despite our difference in class Saoing after the sairl would be a lark One of us would end up with her The other would step aside That had been the plan Or so we thought
“But Sam and I fell hard for our sweet Ethel We both wanted her Like you and Sylas, we each dated her separately She was the light of our life As the weeks turned to an to resent each other I felt like the time Sam spent with her was time I should be with her He felt the saoing to ask Ethel toand was going to propose as well Saant at that age that I laughed ‘I am the best man and I in’ At that point, we knee had to do We had to ask her together Then the loser would know the truth and back away