The Moose, the Tree, and the Irish Writer

The men went back into the living room leaving her to finish cooking.

Sean put his arm around Viggo’s shoulders. “She’s good for you Viggo…I haven’t seen you this comfortable in a long time.”

“Yeah.” Viggo answered.

They sat down and Viggo told them about Dave and the ax and the wonderful Gaelic phrases he caught her hurling about that day. Sean was laughing so hard he had tears rolling down his face and Orlando wasn’t in much better shape.

“She is a doll, Viggo.” Orlando said after he caught his breath. “An honest to goodness doll and not much bigger than one. God she is so tiny, when I first saw her I thought she was a little girl.”

“Yeah she is tiny but she is full of fire…I wish you could have seen poor Dave’s face when she lit into him…it was priceless.” Viggo said laughing again.

Sean laughed too. “I am glad to see you laughing…was afraid we would find you very depressed considering.”

“Yeah…I know, but ever since Tabby came into my life well I have laughed every single day…she just won’t allow me to get too far inside myself.” Viggo said seriously then.

“Good.” Sean said nodding.

Tabby walked into the room then. “You boys ready for breakfast?”

“YES!” Orlando cheered and hopped up.

“These really are delicious.” Sean said as they ate.

“Thank you.” She replied softly.

Viggo smiled, “Maybe you guys can talk her into making brownies again…they are absolutely wonderful.”

She smiled at that. Upon learning Orlando was a vegetarian Tabby was very glad she hadn’t made bacon or sausage for breakfast. She decided to amend what she would make for dinner to suit him.

After breakfast Viggo started to clear the table Tabby stopped him.

“No…go get dressed I will do this.” She said pulling the plate from him.

“But you did the cooking.” Viggo tried to protest but she was already shaking her head.

He looked at Sean and Orlando and they just smiled at him so he went upstairs to get dressed.

When he came back down Sean and Orlando were in the living room.

“Where’s Tabby?”

“She ran us out of the kitchen…said we were under foot.” Orlando said smiling.

“Ah…well you guys want to come out and help with the horses?” Viggo asked.

“Hell no.” Sean responded at the same time Orlando said “Yeah!”

Viggo laughed and said, “Typical.”

The two men headed out to the barn and Sean laid his head back on the couch…Viggo’s house had always been comfortable but Tabby seemed to make it more like a home.

She walked into the living room and said, “Well I guess it’s my turn to get dressed. Can’t very well remain in my bedclothes all day. Why don’t you take your bags up stairs, Sean?”

Sean looked at her a few moments. “I uh I thought I would be in the studio guest room…thought Orlando would sleep in Henry’s room.”

“No, I relinquished the upstairs room…I umm, I moved into Viggo’s room while he was gone…I knew you wanted that other room. I guess I will move to Henry’s tonight.” She said playing with the belt of her robe.

“I doubt Viggo will let you move out of his room then.” Sean said seriously.

She looked at him then with a shocked expression and Sean laughed. “You can’t stand there and tell me you don’t know how much Viggo cares about you.”

“Well I…I…I will still probably be in Henry’s room or here on the couch.” She said softly.

“I doubt that…Viggo will sleep in the barn before he lets you sleep on the couch.” Sean said softly as he got up to take his luggage to his room.

She stood there a few seconds blinking as if shocked then went up to Viggo’s room and got dressed. When she came back down she heard Orlando laughing.

Viggo was smiling and when she came in the room he gestured to her to come sit by him on the couch. She sat down and curled her feet under her and Viggo put his arm around her. Orlando smiled.

“You two are perfect together.” Orlando observed. “Absolutely perfect.”

“That they are.” Sean said stepping off the last stair into the room. He had changed out of his traveling clothes into something more comfortable.

He sat in one of the chairs across from them and the men talked about friends and a bit of Hollywood gossip. Tabby really wasn’t listening her attention had been drawn to Viggo’s hand which was rubbing her back and melting her insides.

Then she realized they were all looking at her…they expected her to say something. Shit…what had they been talking about?

“Sorry In’t n’t paying attention.” She admitted and they laughed.

“Orlando asked about the current book you are working on, his sister Samantha is a fan of your books.” Viggo said filling her in.

“Oh…sorry my mind tends to wander sometimes.” She said as her face turned red.

Sean smiled at her noting Viggo’s hand moving across her b She She realized what his smile meant and she thought perceptive shit isn’t he?

“This new book, well I am only a few chapters in really…I am still trying to decide where to take my characters at the moment…but things are starting to fall into place, albeit a bit more slowly than my past books. I have been having some writers block, though seems some of it has lifted since I came here…guess it’s the air.” She said.

“Inspired here are you?” Sean asked.

“Yes, suppose I am.” Tabby admitted knowing full well what he was on about.

Thankfully the phone rang.

“I’ll get it.” She said jumping up from the couch. Viggo frowned a little as he watched her go. He wished the phone would just stop ringing.

“Hello?”

“Hi Tabby…it’s Henry is Dad there?”

“Oh hello darling…yes just a minute.” She said smiling.

She walked over to Viggo. “It’s Henry.”

“Oh..thanks.” He grabbed the phone and felt a pang of guilt over wishing the phone hadn’t rung.

“Hey kiddo!” Viggo said happily walking to the kitchen to talk.

“You are from Kilfenora huh?” Sean asked.

“Aye.” She responded as she sat back down.

“I have been there…lovely…you get back there often?” Sean asked.

“No, I don’t actually…it’s been about yea years since I have been back to Ireland.” She admitted.

“Why so long?” Orlando asked.

“Nothing there for me anymore I guess.” She said softly.

“Don’t you still have family there?” Orlando asked.

“Aye…my parents live there as well as my four brothers, but they don’t want to see me.” She said looking down at her hands in her lap.

“Why?” Sean asked leaning forward a bit resting his elbows on his knees.

“They said I was am embarrassment to them…writing romance novels.” She said tugging at the edge of her sleeve.

“Oh that’s just stupid.” Orlando snapped and she looked up at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen.

Sean nodded in agreement with Orlando.

Viggo clicked off the phone as he walked into the room and said, “What’s going on?” He noticed how sad Tabby looked and how concerned his friends looked.

“Nothing.” Tabby lied trying to smile.

Viggo looked at Sean and Orlando but their expressions were unreadable.

“So what did Henry have to say?” Sean asked sitting back trying to break the tension.

“Oh he just called to check on his old man.” Viggo said sitting back but still watching Tabby.

“I have to make a call…excuse me.” Tabby said getting up and going to the studio for privacy.

Viggo watched her as she walked out, something wasn’t right. “Alright…what the hell is going on?”

Viggo asked Sean and Orlando.

Orlando looked over at Sean and he began to relay their conversation to Viggo. As they spoke they could see their friend getting angry.

Tabby was sitting in the floor of the studio with tears running down her face. The phone was in her lap when Viggo walked in.

He squatted down beside her. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I just spoke to my brother Cullen, he’s doing well. His wife is pregnant with their second child…I never even have met the first one. It’s been more than six years since I have been back to Ireland, Viggo. All because my father believes that what I write is smut. Last time I was home he called me a harlot and said I wrote pornography.” She said softly clutching the phone in her lap.

Viggo clenched his teeth until they hurt. “Your father is wrong, you know that, I know you are intelligent enough to know that.” Viggo said softly.

“I do know…but it doesn’t change the fact that when someone you love so much says something like that it hurts.” Tabby said softly looking down at her hands.

“Well you know it is minic a bhris béal duine a shrón. Your father will regret his words…I am sure he already does. Six years is a long time to not see your only daughter. Sean has daughters, just ask him.” Viggo said putting his arm around her. “Besides why don’t you let us be your family, let me be your family.”

Sean was standing in the doorway listening…Viggo had his back to him and Tabby was only looking at Viggo. Sean had heard Viggo say in Gaelic that, “Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose.” He stood watching the two of them mesmerized by the scene in the floor.

She looked up at Viggo then with tears in her eyes again. She threw her arms around Viggo’s neck and caused him to loose his balance and plop down on the floor next to her. He started to laugh but she stopped him with her mouth on his. When she broke the kiss, he hadn’t had enough; Viggo pulled her into his lap and kissed her again. He let his hands slide into her hair and pulled her even closer as she opened to him. His kiss grew hungrier, more demanding, and she responded in kind. His hands slid down her back from her hair, exploring and caressing her. When his tongue slid against hers she moaned softly in the back of her throat and he nearly forgot about his two friends in the other room. Nearly.

Sean silently went back to the living room…he hadn’t witnessed a kiss like that in a long, long time.
n Vin Viggo pulled back from her this time, they were both breathless. Tabby’s eyes flickered open and the tears were gone, and were replaced with a look that sent white-hot heat traveling straight to his groin. She literally felt him stir under her and her face turned redder than before.

Viggo laughed softly. “Umm we have guests.”

“Aye…that we do.” She said smiling.

When they returned to the living room Sean and Orlando were grinning at them.

“Everything ok Tabby?” Orlanskedsked concerned.

“Aye…everything is just fine, now…I think I am going to go start dinner though.” She announced gathering cups to take back to the kitchen.