Eire of Hostility

  Chapter 2

  The cold night air of late January had begun to whip and rattle the window nearest Brody as he and Kate worked together in their home office. Cozy in fleece clothing and warm slippers, they sat side by side at the long built-in desk. Their stacks of paperwork were lit by two arm lamps that offered an intimate ambiance despite their current tasks.

  Brody's day had started with an early church service, then a trip to Simon's new house to meet the delivery truck that brought a few new pieces of rustic furniture. The mover's Sunday rate had Brody biting his tongue. Kate arrived soon after, and then Jane. The house and outbuildings were already in good shape from the paid labor force and construction crew; the trio went about making sure everything on hand was in place and looked as good as possible.

  Brody and Kate said farewell to Jane at sunset, and soon after headed back to the cottage. The dogs and mules were given warm hellos, and then leftovers were heated. Both of them wanted to make sure that details were taken care of, and so made quick work of their meal.

  The last three weeks had been busy ones. With an upcoming business opening, they both felt out of their depth with some of the specifics, especially Brody. He had initial thoughts that it would be a simple affair after the red tape was dealt with, and pictured himself and Kate overseeing operations casually. He quickly learned to dispel those illusions of simplicity.

  The day after Simon returned to Colorado, Kate suggested they get the bigger tasks underway and simply find time for the smaller projects. Brody wanted to get the details involving Gordon McCoy completed first, so as not to waste too much of the old farrier's time. With conference calls between himself, Gordon, and Simon, arrangements were put in place for Brody's cousin to be an apprentice farrier under the old man's sponsorship, as the national rules mandated.

  Gordon privately told Brody that if Simon was already a seasoned journeyman in the states, then it was only a matter of going on farrier calls and appointment for a few months. After that, Simon could essentially take over. Brody also needed Gordon to help select a new farrier trailer as well as oversee construction of a forge.

  With the guidance of Gordon McCoy and the labor assistance of Jack and the Gavin brothers, the big outbuilding was remade into a metal shop. A large forge was built to specifications, and many sturdy tables were attached to the walls. The men even constructed a bin for ash and a large container for coal; Brody ordered a few hundred pounds of it to get Simon started.

  Near the completion of the forge, Jack began going about his work with a silly grin on his face. When asked about it the first few times, he shrugged it off. When it kept up, Brody and Gordon demanded that Jack either explain himself or they'd throw him in the field pond out back. In reply, Jack dialed Fiona on his cell and confirmed his suspicions that she was pregnant. The party that evening at Gil's pub was, in Kate's words, deadly craic.

  Keeping almost constant contact with Simon, whether with calls or photos sent with questions, a few issues were settled. Through the dealer that Brody made deals with for both Kate's and Jane's cars, he got another for his cousin. The used, black Ford Kuga SUV was in top form except for a few small dents, and had more than enough power to haul the new farrier trailer.

  Simon's rural home was supplied with a few new appliances and 'western' furniture, as well as basic amenities like having some hay delivered and the garden tilled. After filling the small garden shed with lawn equipment and giving the house a shine, Brody and Kate considered that comprehensive chore of Simon's ranch complete.

  The location for the future craft, art, and supply shop was an empty building on the edge of the village hub. It was sandwiched between a movie rental place and a delivery alley, and only a few doors down from Doolin's restaurant. The owner of the property only wanted to rent it because of the flat over the shop. Brody had no interest in anything but the main level and offered a low but reasonable cash offer, which was quickly accepted.

  The commercial property was sound, but plain; neither Brody nor Kate had the expertise for a fitting décor. And, even with Simon's basic skills, none of them were comfortable staging their own internet marketing platform. They hoped to leave designs of those types in better hands than theirs.

  Alana had presented Brody with what both he and Kate considered a magnificent piece of artwork in the form of his shop name and logo: Hammerworks. Simon agreed not to have any lofty or archaic name for their business, and a hammer was the main tool in both sculpture and blacksmithing. They checked to make sure the title wasn't trademarked in Western Europe and claimed it. The internet domain name was available as well.

  Brody told Alana that her great artwork would be transferred to the building sign, the heading of the internet site, and present in any advertising. Kate made a note to make sure the artist's name was listed on the site, as well as a link to Alana's own design page.

  During lunch in one of the village cafes, Brody and Kate asked her friend Mary if she'd like an upcoming managerial position at Hammerworks. The pay would be slightly higher than her bank position, and they also offered generous profit-sharing. Mary calmly accepted the offer and upcoming position, if only to escape "that bellicose bastard Aidan McNally". Near the end of that lunch, the topic of marketing the new business came up. Mary mentioned she had a friend in advertising up in Sligo town, and gave the couple her friend's number.

  After a few phone conversations and one business dinner, Brody and Kate had a contract with a very reputable marketing firm. The cost was high, especially for a small shop in a small village, but the coverage was comprehensive.

  Brody and Kate agreed on one of the pitched concepts and an upper-range product-placement package. Websites were created and managed, and ad spots would be going up in magazines, newspapers, and various sites touting the impending opening. A few ads would also be entered into Irish radio and television and incrementally bolstered as time went on.

  Photos were taken of everything by the marketing crew; sculptures, Brody's work shop, borrowed images of Simon's wares, and even a few of Brody himself. The marketing rep had even contracted a design company to completely refurbish the empty store, all with Brody, Kate, and Simon's approval.

  When remodeling was complete, photos of the store were planned for future announcements. The ads were being translated to most European languages to further their reach. Select ads were even sent to specific, high-profile American markets for internet sales.

  While Brody and Kate kept up with the progressive publicizing of the store, they also had to deal with Simon's visa. Most options were detailed and didn't fit their needs, and another visa variable was negated by Simon's misdemeanor record and lack of references. He also couldn't prove his direct heritage to Ireland, so none of the simpler options would work.

  One last option occurred to Brody, and Kate verified that it certainly solved the dilemma. They simply commissioned work from Simon, paid in advance for the exact amount needed for an investment into Irish commodities, just as Brody had done. Simon had to handle the actual application from his end, but Brody and Kate guided him through it and cleared the path of some Irish ministry paperwork in the process.

  Brody unfortunately found that being an immigrant who was trying to open a business in Ireland was rife with red tape and difficulties. That equated into extra expenses, time, and headaches. At Brody's pleading request - and Simon's via text - Kate agreed to be the sole owner of the store. Brody reminded her that she could pass the official reins back to him when he claimed residency in a few years.

  Kate mentioned that Mary used to assist her late husband, an accountant, with some of his work; they were therefore prepared to raise her pay if she accepted the mantle of the legalities as well as daily operations. Considering that Kate didn't have to apply for loans, her paperwork cleared quickly.

  Kate's investment strategy for the large sums placed into the Rose Foundation was doing well enough; first quarter profits were a few points over what was mandated to be
spent by the foundation for charitable efforts. Those few remaining points were equal to a good yearly salary. Still, her confidence in the matter was a tenuous thing. Only a small part of her international banking degree dealt with stocks.

  Kate debated to let Jamal handle those monies as well, meaning almost the entirety of Brody's fortune. She brought the subject up with him, and his reaction was quite casual considering the amounts they discussed. Brody had every confidence in his broker friend; Jamal had done rather well with that money over the last six years.

  Nonetheless, Brody was confident in Kate's intellect and suggested that she keep with her strategy for at least one fiscal year to see if it panned out. His nonchalance and trust of her skills lessened Kate's doubts.

  Feeling that matters were well in hand, Brody and Kate finally relaxed after weeks of juggling activities. After Simon arrived the next day and was given a few weeks to settle in, more undertakings were planned.

  For one, Simon was needed for a photo shoot, something that both he and Brody grudgingly agreed to. Their marketing rep, Moira, bluntly stated that Brody's looks, and Simon's to a lesser degree, was a selling point. Brody made the demand that those ads with him pictured only go to foreign markets; he still wanted a modicum of privacy at home. Kate saw his demand partly as embarrassment, but didn't tease him for it.

  Moira then stated that some of the more artistic pieces could go for much more in international fine art circles than their current pricing. Brody allowed to let a few of his sculptures be used to test that theory.

  Brody realized that he was spending big numbers for all of the current projects, but he justified it with the fact that they were one-time expenditures. He didn't care if he made anything for himself other than covering supply and utility expenses; he took reward in his creations.

  Brody wanted to help the prosperity of the village and the people involved in his ventures, especially Simon. He thought that his cousin had been through enough, and deserved a break. Who better than his only kin to offer it? Brody didn't see it as pity for Simon; he respected the man's strength to go through hellish hardships that Brody couldn't truly fathom.

  Besides that testament to Simon's tenacity and endurance, his thick skin hid a good and honest man. Beyond the sarcasm, Brody heard Simon's underlying hope to earn and keep the friendship he was being offered. All that Brody selfishly wanted was his own sense of family, and a continued rapport with a man he admired.

  Still, his conscience nagged at him. He wondered if he was coercing his cousin into a radical change for his own selfish wants. He sat back in his office chair and turned to Kate, who was looking at stock reports on her computer. Brody's voice was full of concern when he asked, "Darlin', do you think I'm overdoing it?"

  Kate kept her eyes on the screen. "Overdoing what? I might need specifics, love."

  Brody sighed, reluctant but resolved to admit his flaws on the matter. "I meant about Simon; you know, getting him to move here, getting him all set up, making plans for him, all that shit."

  Turning her head to him, Kate replied, "Brody, he's your family. If I were in your place, and in the... unique situation that both you and he are in, I'd more than likely take the same route and make the same offers." She let her eyes linger on him for a moment, and then looked back to the monitor.

  Brody saw that most of Kate's attention was on the stocks site, but he needed to explore his guilty feeling to see if it had merit. "It's just that part of me feels like I'm, hell, I don't know, maybe trying to buy his friendship. I guess I'm worried that he might think that, and maybe you do, too."

  Kate sat still for a moment and then exited the site. Letting Brody know that he had her full attention, she turned her chair to face him. "You think you're paying your cousin to appease you? Brody, you big, gorgeous, sweet, foolish man, quit leading with your heart; it leaves no room for thought."

  Not sure if he should've been offended or not, Brody's tone was defensive when he asked, "What does that mean?"

  Offering a warm smile, Kate explained. "If I remember correctly, you and Simon formed a fast friendship well before any offers were made. It was grand to see how well you two got on, especially just from calls and emails. I'd wager that the bond grew even stronger while on his holiday here. It only makes sense, with so many things in common between you two."

  With a reluctant grin, Brody agreed. "Yeah, we did hit it off pretty well. Not as good as you and I did," he said with a smirk, "but there's no comparing the two."

  Kate's smile widened. "I'd hope not!"

  "But you said we had a lot in common? I can think of a few things right off the bat, but is that what you meant?"

  Scooting closer, Kate lifted one of Brody's feet, removed his wool slipper, and rested his big foot between her thighs on her chair. As she began to massage it, she answered his question. "Of course, there are the obvious things like your interests in each other's fields of work, as well as smaller but still relevant agreed views. I suppose I meant the broader observations. You're both American, both without siblings, and the both of you have had hardships… even if yours was, em, conventional in comparison. But I think another thing you and Simon share is loneliness."

  Brody frowned at that, but didn't remove his foot from her attentions. "Lonely? Me? Kate, I'm with you, I have the pets, and some pretty good friends I've made here. I'm about as un-lonely as it gets."

  Kate rubbed her thumbs firmly along the arch of his large foot. "Yes, you have all that, and me, but I'm referring to who you are, not what you have." She stopped her massage and looked at him. "Here, you have no family, while surrounded by an area of extended families. While you have made loyal friendships and gained respect here, you're still a foreigner with foreign views and opinions. With some, that's an easy enough bridge to cross, but still a bridge."

  "Well, hey, I really haven't been here all that long."

  "Granted, but I also imagine you miss having an instant camaraderie that no one around here can offer. In your favor, you've built friendships from nothing but goodwill. You've given and gained trust to earn some strong bonds; bridges, as I said. With Simon, though, there is no bridge. He's like-minded in so many basic ways that there is no effort needed. The fact that he's also your cousin, your family, makes the bond all the stronger."

  Brody hadn't thought of it from that perspective. While he felt happy to have Simon as a relative as just described to him, he felt lucky and blessed to have Kate and her intuitions. To tease her, he asked, "Did your nimbus give you all this wisdom and insight?"

  Kate moved her small fingers to his toes. "I don't need it to see that, love; I'd think it would be obvious to anyone in my position. And remember, Simon didn't need much coaxing to accept your offer, did it now?"

  Brody answered with a correction. "You mean 'our offer', darlin'."

  With a bright smile, Kate conceded. "Fine, our offer, then; Simon only hesitated because of his humility. He loved it here, Brody, and not just because of you. We both saw how he was after walks through the paddocks, or sitting out on the patio. He looked to be at peace, I suppose you could say. Here, there are no reminders of his past. Here, he has family, friends, and a future. But more than that; he found comfort in the solitude. He'll be happy here, for many reasons."

  His concern assuaged, Brody grinned and asked, "So now you're a fortune teller, eh? Then tell me where this awesome foot rub might lead to."

  Kate closed her eyes while tilting her head back in glib dramatic fashion, her fingers grazing over the top of his foot as if attempting misplaced phrenology. "I see myself..." Kate opened her eyes and abruptly shoved his foot off her chair, "washing my hands."

  They shared a wild, playful look before Kate leapt from her office chair and ran from the room. Brody was immediately after her. The laughing squeals and grunts of the chase that filled the cottage soon had the dogs joining in with loud enthusiasm.