Page 91 (1/2)

Mrs Mularkey stood up,shoulder to shoulder with Tully

"Hey," Kate whispered "How long until Johnny—" At her husbands na and she started to shake

"Did someone say my name?"

Tully spun around

He stood in the open doorway, carrying a bouquet of flowers that wilted slightly to the left Everything about hi palette of pale skin and stubbly black beard, his hair was a long, tangled black mess, and his eyes bespoke a bone-deep exhaustion His Levis were torn and dirty, his khaki shirt had more wrinkles than an un to be a hell of a Visa bill "

He tossed the flowers on a chair and went to his wife "Hey, baby," he whispered "I "

"It was a boy," Katie said, bursting into tears, clinging to him

Tully heard Johnny start to cry with Kate

Mrs Mularkey came up beside her, slipped an arm around her waist

"He loves her," Tully said slowly The ht with Johnny had somehow blinded her, trapped her like an insect in the sap of a forgotten tiined that Kate was his second choice somehow, his Miss Runner-Up to love

But thisthis was no second choice

Mrs Mularkey pulled her away from the bed "Of course he loves her Come on, lets leave them alone "

They took their coffees and went out into the hallhere Mr M was sitting on an uncomfortable chair When he looked up, his eyes were bloodshot "How is she?"

"Johnnys with her now," Mrs M said, touching his shoulder

For the first time in years, Tully felt like an outsider in this family "I should be with her "