Hard Irish Read Online Free PDF

don’t believe that.”
    James nodded.
    “You’ve never said a word.”
    “What the hell was I supposed to say?  I see future ghosts?  It all sounds so impossibly insane, but I’ve always wondered if it wasn’t some sort of premonition.”
    Jared shook his head and glanced across the yard to where Jesse and Jackson were grilling more chicken with their dad, John Weldon, who’d declared himself to be “Gramps” the day Jake was born.  All three men were laughing, eyes bright and smiles confident.  They were clearly on top of the world and seemingly invincible.  Jared thought what James had said was beyond the realm of believable and, like he said, totally insane.  Jared knew that in his head, but seeing his twin so shaken and burdened brought the sharp edge of doubt cutting through his mind.
    Hell.  James did not scare easily.  But to believe him just wasn’t something Jared could wrap his mind around.   Yet now that the seed had been planted, he couldn’t blow it off either.  There was only one thing to do – tackle this thing head on. 
    He made sure Alexi and Nan were occupied.  Emma Weldon, now known as “Grams,” had Jason and Jake in her lap.  She sat in the middle of a baby pool she’d bought, laughing at the boys splashing up a storm.  Alexi and Nan stood ready to lend a hand should Emma need it.
    Jared grabbed James’s arm and hauled him up.  “Come on.”
    “What?” James pulled back.
    “We’re telling Jesse and Jackson and Dad.  That way everyone can make up their own mind.”
    “But...”
    “But what?  If they think you’re crazy, it’s better than them thinking you’re drunk.  And if they don’t quite think you’re crazy, it’s better for them to be forewarned.  Wouldn’t you want to know if someone thought you were going to be in trouble?”
    James exhaled as if sucker-punched.  “I guess.”
    All three men stopped laughing at their approach.  The glare in their eyes meant there was still hell to pay for this day’s events.  Jared jumped in the deep end, headfirst.  He kept his voice low.  “James has one hell of a problem that you three need to know about.  The reason he passed out this morning wasn’t because he had a hangover or cancer and is going to die tomorrow, but because he thinks he had a premonition that Jesse and Jackson are going to die.”
    Everyone stood frozen, which was saying a lot.  Between Jackson’s medical experience and Jesse’s military, there wasn’t much they hadn’t seen or faced in life.  James gasped for air and bent over as if he was going to pass out again.  Jared caught his twin’s arm in support.  “Go ahead and tell them about what happened before.”
    James stammered out his story, staring at the ground.
    Jared watched as his older brothers’ expressions turn from skepticism to concern.  Not necessarily for themselves, but because they realized James really believed in his promotion. Their father sat in a nearby lawn chair as if his legs had given out from beneath him.  All eyes turned his way.
    John grabbed a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and dotted his brow then rubbed his chest as if he had a sudden gas attack.
    “What is it, Dad?” Jackson leaned in, scrutinizing as if a patient just walked into his office.  “You can’t think this is for real.  James has made a connection in his mind between an incident and a tragic accident.  That’s all.”
    John shook his head.  “My grandfather died when I was ten.  I don’t remember much about him, but I remember he came from Dublin, he could drink whiskey with the best, and he knew when a man’s time was up.  One day he’d say God bless so-and-so and keep them in His care.  Then the next day the man would up and die.  Happened three times that I know about.”
    James collapsed on the ground with a groan.
    Jared ran a harried hand through his hair, seriously worried about everyone.  Jesse and Jackson were bouncing their gazes between James and