Read Learning to Love for Free Online Page B

said.
    Gripping the handle of the broom in her hand, Shannon concentrated on the grain of the wood that lay under her fingers. Right now it was the only thing that felt real to her. Picking at a small splinter that had annoyed her earlier, she smiled as it came free. Looking it over and wondering how something so small could cause her pain, she held it out and smiled weakly at him.
    “Damn thing's been pestering me all morning.”
    “Are you sure you wouldn't like me to call someone?”
    “I'm fine. Thanks for coming Sean,” Shannon said waving away his comment. Hearing the room as if for the first time, she listened as the patrons at the bar cheered and laughed. Looking them over she thought it strange that the closest friend that she'd ever had was gone. Gone, and no one seemed to care about it.
    “Shannon?”
    “What?”
    “Maybe you should sit down?”
    Seeing him reach out and touch her shoulder, Shannon found his contact bring her back to the real world. Feeling embarrassed about how she must look to him, she grabbed onto the first thing that came to her mind.
    “Sorry Sean, how are you? Forgive my manners, how long has it been?”
    “Too long, but that's not important right now I-”
    “What was I thinking?” Shannon said, looking around her. “You must be thirsty after your long journey. What can I get you… whiskey?”
    “Eh, whiskey would be fine.”
    “Tom,” Shannon waved her hand to the barkeeper, “two whiskeys please.”
    Getting a nod in return, she turned her attention back to Sean, picking a table where they could talk in peace she pointed him in that direction. Getting there, she sat on her seat and watched as Sean looked her over once more.
    “Thought it better than you getting a telegram,” He said pulling up his chair. “I know how close you two were.”
    Seeing Tom come their way, Shannon said nothing in reply until he'd left their drinks and gone back to the bar. Picking her shot glass she toasted her brother and downed it in one gulp. Grimacing at the burning sensation of the spirit on the way to her stomach, she smiled weakly as Sean did the same. Now with it inside her and a sturdy chair to keep her upright, Shannon felt the courage to ask what had happened.
     
    “You probably already know that he'd joined up with a mining company.”
    Hearing those words Shannon nodded. He'd written only two weeks ago with news of his new venture. Sending her a portion of his money with the letter, he'd told her that life away from laying railroad tracks would give him a better life. They'd been promised a share of everything that came out of the ground, he'd reported.
    “He said that this was the one,” Shannon said, remembering the excitement in his letter.
    “Sometimes what's promised and what happens can be two different things,” Sean said. “From what I'd heard, they worked them hard. Conor volunteered to join the demolition crew, a week ago. They promised everyone that if the workload went up they'd all be in for a big payday. I don't know what happened tell you the truth, but I can only imagine between long hours and tiredness, someone made a mistake. They tried digging them out, but it was no use, by the time they got to them, well…”
    She watched him try to find the right word and nodded that she understood.
    “I thought you might want these.”
    Reaching down for a leather satchel, he lifted it off the floor and put it on his lap. Flipping the lid open she watched him rummage about inside it. Taking out a small bundle of letters he placed them delicately on the table. Looking to the pile and afraid to touch them, she watched as he placed a small cross and chain beside them.
    “That's all he had, Shannon. I'm sorry.”
    Ignoring Sean's apology, she stared at the cross and picked it up. Running her fingers over the small links in its chain, she remembered back to the day she'd bought it for him. Coming off the boat from Ireland, she'd seen it a small market stall and given it