Lisa had signed over custody to them days before she died, but the boys had felt like theirs for much longer than that. He and Caro had been caring for them, as well as the mixed-breed puppy they’d named Burpy, for weeks now as their mum slowly faded away from the ravages of lung cancer.

He held the younger boy, Jackson, who was five, on his lap. The poor kid had been inconsolable all day, even though they’d done what they could to prepare him and his brother Kyle, age six, for the inevitable. But what did little guys their age know about death and dying? He’d been much older than they were now when he lost first one brother and then the other, and he hadn’t been able to make sense of it then. How were they to make sense of losing their young mum so tragically?

Having to tell them that Lisa had died overnight was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. Though they’d known it was coming, the reality had been heartbreaking for them.

The boys lit up at the sight of Shane and Mac McCarthy, who’d been building them a house when their mother got sick. Now the house, like their mother, was lost to them, but Seamus was determined to fill the void in every possible way that he could.

Jackson showed the first sign of interest in something other than Seamus when Shane held out his arms to him and his brother. Both boys went to him and then Mac, allowing the two men to provide what comfort they could.

Mac had tears in his eyes when he released the boys.

Caro came into the room, and her tired eyes met his.

Seamus smiled at her and held out his hand.

She took his hand, gave it a squeeze and sat next to him. “Hey, guys,” she said to the boys. “I made some of the lasagna you love, and Grace brought brownies. Do you think you might feel like eating something?”

As he always did, Jackson looked to Kyle to decide for both of them.

“Yeah, sure, thanks,” Kyle said.

Caro gave Seamus’s hand another squeeze before she got up to lead the boys into the kitchen with Burpy hot on their heels.

Jackson looked back over his shoulder.

“I’ll be right here, buddy,” Seamus said, hoping to reassure the boy. They were so darned cute with their white-blond hair and big brown eyes that were sadder today than any child’s eyes should ever be.

“How do they seem to be doing?” Shane asked.

“It’s minute by minute,” Seamus said, relaxing into the sofa while he could.

“What can we do for them?” Mac asked. “I feel so helpless.”