Gull's Rock Harbor

“Only a couple of months, actually. It suits me pretty well, even with the wind.” He chuckled, settling in to the environment and feeling quite relaxed with Mrs. Burke, in general.  “My wife and I are expecting our first child soon and we both think it will be a good place to raise a kid – at least that’s what we’re thinking.”

“Oh, how happy you must be. That’s great. When we first had Sally Ann – she was our only child – we thought the same thing. In the end, we were glad we stayed here as long as we did. But when it was our time to get going south, we just kind of knew it, you know? Oh, here’s Leonard – finally.”

When Leonard Burke walked in carrying two bags under each bulky arm, Tom stood up introducing himself and the men shook hands.  Leonard was a male version of his wife. He looked well fed and had the same rosy cheeks, only natural. It was odd the way married couples began to resemble each other, he thought.  Leonard looked to be a jolly chap, just like the jolly lady who was taking the bags of groceries from his arms.  Neither seemed to be the least bit distressed. He was having a hard time trying to figure out how he was going to broach the subject of their daughter’s death without upsetting the apple cart, as it were.

“It’s really great to meet you.” Tom started. “I am only sorry that we’ve had to meet under such difficult circumstances.  Let me offer you both my condolences.”  And then he waited.  Gillian offered him a donut from a cardboard box. Tom declined with a shake of his head.

“Oh, Mr. Chen. Don’t offer us any condolences.  What happened to Sally Ann was for the best.  She had been depressed for years.  She drank liquor and took those awful drugs.  It wasn’t good for the boys to see. Len and I knew this would happen one day; we’ve been prepared for it.”

“And something else,” Leonard interjected.  “She left us a nine page letter about everything we would ever need to know about Kyle and Don, everything she was going through, her financial situation, and a lot of other stuff.  She said in the letter that she was tired of the struggle, tired, so tired, and she just couldn’t do it anymore, but that she would be with us again in heaven, and the boys, too.”

Gillian took over:  “And given Sally Ann’s difficulties, she knew that Kyle and Donnie would be a lot happier down in Florida with us than they were here.  It’s what she wanted, so why be said about it.  Life is tough. She just couldn’t deal with it all.  Life is hard enough without having so many problems heaped on top like Sal did.”

“Ya, that’s the way it is, I’m afraid.”  Leonard said as he took a huge bite of a cinnamon cruller.  “Mostly, it’s about the boys now. It’s time they have some better role models.  And we’re going to be just that.  We’ve wanted them boys so long now.  She wouldn’t let us have them. Said they were better off with her, with the Brennan’s paying her off the way they were doing.”

“Excuse me?” asked Tom politely.  “Did you say the Brennan’s were giving her money?” But right away he understood the connection.  “Oh!  I see!  Might I infer then that Jack Brennan is, sorry, was, the boys’ father?”

“Oh, ya.” answered Leonard. “And his parents gave Sally Ann a lot of money, as long as she stayed in town, which