A Brotherly Bond by Armando94

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(as suggested, some more from this small town world with the barber and priest...)

Paul Caffrey knew he would get lip for riding his bike without his helmet, but it felt like spring outside. And boy had January been frostbitten. In this small town, too, it felt even more cold thanks to the minimal lampposts that lit his path towards the garage his brother Scott worked at. This was the same route he took every day after school or after any of the activities he might have…including detention. Paul swore he wasn’t a bad kid, but he always got mixed up in bad stuff, or was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even the teachers took pity on Paul, and knew he was a good guy. But other times, Paul would act up. Somebody would say or do something to set him off, and before he even realized it, he’d react.

As he pulled up to the mechanics, Paul slowed his roll, and leapt off his bike. As he rolled it through the open garage door, where some zaps from the machines were still going off after five o’clock, one of his brother’s co-workers (and longtime buddy) spotted him.

"You’re gonna get it for not wearing your helmet, Pauly boy," Kenny commented.

"I’ve survived, haven’t I?" Paul said back.

Kenny looked him over and said, "Sure, you didn’t fall off your bike. Unless you did," his eyes narrowed their gaze at Paul’s right knuckles. "Or does that explain the detention?"

Paul froze, "How did you know?"

"School obviously called home, and so Scott learned from Darrin," miming a text message, and then letting out a low whistle before turning around and shouting, "Heyo Scotty boy, your criminal brother is here."

Paul looked down at his knuckles that were wrapped up from lunchtime’s debacle. As he went to knock someone off their feet, for comments he always got from jerks like that, he was being pulled back by someone. Losing control, and balance, he rammed his fist against the brick wall. Paul thought he shouldn’t have gotten in trouble, but because a teacher witnessed the whole thing, and Paul had "intent on hurting his fellow student", that’s why he was in detention that Thursday. "Fellow student my a**," Paul mumbled under his breath in the principal’s office. Maybe that’s what really dug him into the sentencing.

Scott walked towards him with a knowing look, but softer than the one Paul was expecting later on from their older brother Darrin. "You alright, kid?" Scott’s voice almost cooed.

"Yeah, fine," Paul mumbled, shrugging his shoulders.

Scott took is hand and inspected it, shaking his head down at it before giving it a light tap. Then he added a light tap to the side of Paul’s head before mussing up his shaggy hair. Paul favored more brunette, like Darrin but not as dark, whereas Paul’s hair was lighter, but not blonde. "Give me ten, and then we’ll head out, a’right? No fights here. You may not wanna stay in school but I wanna keep my job, kid. Cool?"

"Cool," Paul nodded and laughed. Once Scott and his co-workers were done closing up the garage for the night, they piled into his car and drove off to the diner to meet up with Darin. They entered from the cold into the super warm, and vibrantly lit establishment with its cream and cherry colored booths and countertop. There were a fair amount of people eating their dinners, but not too crowded. Darrin was behind the counter, the hulking figure himself it was a shock he hadn’t hit and broke the ceiling yet. Paul wished he wasn’t crouching himself to make space. Darrin’s gaze flicked to his two kid brothers standing around. He snapped his fingers once, loud like a gun shot that it caught everyone’s attention. He extended his finger at a booth in the corner and stated, "Be with you two in a sec."

Paul and Scott sat down in the booth across from each other. "No, sit next to me," Paul whispered.

"Nuh-uh," Scott had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Can’t get you out of this one, kid."

"Oh come on, please, Scott!" But all Scott did was give his little brother a knowing look, his expression soft as usual, letting out a little huff of breath and shaking his head. Moments later, Darrin came around and sat next to Scott, so that both of them were staring at the youngest Caffrey boy.

"How was school today?" Darrin asked calmly.

It was a trap, Paul knew it. He figured he might as well get it over with. "Was fine."

"Was fine," Darrin mocked. "Was fine enough you got detention…again?" Darrin didn’t erupt, but his tone was serious. Scott slightly sunk down in his seat. Darrin shook his head and said, "Paul, what’s going on?"

"Nothing," Paul lied.

Darrin shook his head, face getting slightly red. "Then why did you have detention? Why were you in the principal’s office and I had to get a call about it? And why that?" Now Darrin pointed at Paul’s wrapped up hand.

Paul looked down at it too, sighing, and announced, in a mumble, "Just some stupid kids. Said some stupid things, about me."

"Like what? Talk to us, kid, we’re your brothers," Darrin implored.

"Just some name calling, and usual stuff," he looked down at his hands on the table. Paul didn’t want to say it, because he knew it would hurt him and Scott, too. But Darrin asked for it. "I went at the kid when he finally said, ‘I’m sure your parents were probably thrilled to get hit by that drunk driver than be stuck raising you’."

After he said it, he heard Scott let out a little deflated moan. When Paul looked back up, he could tell Scott was trying to hold back some tears, and Darrin was trying to keep his cool, probably grinding his teeth down to nothing. After a beat, Darrin nodded his head, asking Paul if he’d told the principal or a teacher what was said. Paul said how it wouldn’t make a difference. They still said it, he reacted. "You gotta cool it though, kid," Darrin said. "I miss mom and dad too, of course I do, so does Scott. But those idiots, you can’t let them get to ya."

Paul figured Darrin missed a whole lot more than just mom and dad: how about his whole old life? He was a star athlete and everyone’s favorite friend growing up, from kindergarten all the way through high school. Went away to college and in his first year, his parents end up in the worst accident possible. His two brothers were left orphaned, and so Darrin made the ultimate sacrifice and left school in the middle of his spring semester. He came home and got to work, both keeping home life together and also becoming the man of the house. He was twenty-one now, a crazy few years it had been. Working this job and that where he could, having been a casualty in a major lay-off back at the holidays for a local factory that he worked at, even picking up some night shifts there to help make ends. That’s why he was working at the diner. A diner he worked at in high school that everybody loved to see him at, the handsome, charming local boy. And most of Scott’s money working as a car mechanic went to the three of them too. And when Scott played with his band, any of the money he got split from it usually went towards heating or groceries or something, not himself. Darrin wanted Paul to have the life that he almost had, and Paul knew it, and Scott wanted what was best for everyone.

Paul closed his eyes, then announced, "I’ll try. I’ll try…can we just order already?" Darrin extended his rough hand across the table and pushed back Paul’s hair from his forehead. Paul opened his eyes to see him. It was a miracle not a single hair on Darrin’s healthy head hadn’t gone gray, from all the stress. All three of the brothers’ hair was slightly shaggy: just barely an inch away from touching their collars, hair parted in the middle for the two oldest whereas Paul’s hung forward, and their ears partially covered unless they fixed it behind their ears like Darrin yelled at them to do when they went to mass on the weekends. But this was their little life, the little they had, the small family they were now. But amongst that, there was so much love, even if it was barely shown at times.


Darrin always went super early to the gym, and had been keeping it up even after getting laid off from the factory. He didn’t have to get to the diner right away, since he always stayed late. But after showering off from the gym, what he’d been doing during the weekdays was go to the church, and just sit in the pew. Not to pray, because sometimes he didn’t. Just to meditate, and think, and hope. Hope was all he ever did, it felt like. Hope for a better job, hope for a better life for him and his brothers, hope that Paul would find himself.

He’d been doing this for weeks, and it was peaceful. On that Friday though, as he lifted his head up from his prayers, he saw the parish’s priest up at the altar, fixing something. Then he spotted Darrin and said, "Ah, good morning to you Darrin."

"Morning, Father Theo," Darrin coughed. "Sorry, I—I should be going."

"Oh nonsense," the priest stepped down from the altar and walked over to him, motioning at Darrin to sit back down. "I shouldn’t be bothering you, I’ve been good about it these last few weeks, if I have to say so myself." Then Father Theo winked at Darrin, which made Darrin gasp. He sat back in the pew. Father Theo perched against the end of the pew in front of Darrin, and said, "So what’s on your mind, son?"

Father Theo had been around when Darrin’s parents had passed, so he’d always kept an eye on the three boys and been kind to them. Which is why Darrin always encouraged his brothers to go to mass. He wasn’t always successful, but most times he was.

"Nothing new, really, Father Theo," Darrin answered. "Usual stuff, making things work as best I can. Paul is, well, he has issues at school. Wish he didn’t."

"You shouldn’t put so much pressure on yourself, Darrin, you’re only…what, 21?" Darrin nodded back, and the priest shook his head, letting out a sigh. "Well I will pray that your brother will find his footing. Scott doing alright? I know he’s quiet, a different sort of quiet."

"Yeah, he’s fine," Darrin shrugged. "At least, he says so. I wish he could have more of a life too, but I guess he’s okay with what he does, work and when he plays with his band."

"Again, do not worry yourself ragged, my dear boy," Father Theo said. "As long as no one is out stealing or murdering."

"Well, who knows if Paul would ever do that…" Darrin started, then quickly retracted, "I’m only kidding, father."

"I know," Father Theo beamed. "You boys are all alright. And don’t feel you can’t come here whenever, the doors are always open. Especially in God’s house, but also at the rectory." Father Theo walked off. Darrin looked over his shoulders to catch a glimpse of him. Looked like the priest had paid a visit to his barber recently. His back was severely scalped. Darrin knew this was the sort of look the priest had become synonymous with, but with the weather they’d been having? Jesus, no pun intended. Wouldn’t he want to keep a bit of stubble? Darrin tossed his hand through the back of his hair, certainly more overgrown. He hadn’t had a proper haircut in ages. The three Caffrey boys used to go with their father. Even though they got very standard, classic cuts (brush cuts, Caesars when they got older, then even a little longer on top once Darrin was in high school so he could style more like a pompadour, but still expertly trimmed on the sides and back), Darrin couldn’t stomach the idea of ever getting scalped, let alone either his brothers taking the plunge.

Suddenly Father Theo turned back around, "Oh, actually great you are here, Darrin," he waltzed back his way. "There are a couple men from the parish who were thinking of getting together a little social group. Yes, it would be like a weekly prayer thing, but also just to talk about other things. So I think it might lean more into the social club part. Now before you say anything, its not the senior citizens of the parish who suggested it, although I’m sure some will come. Especially for free refreshments. Its actually being headed up by younger parishioners. Not your age, but slightly older. Just something for you to think about attending, no pressure, son."

Darrin did think about it, on and off while he was working. Then Saturday morning he thought about it a whole lot more, since he was off from work and just doing things around the house and running errands, making sure Paul tagged along so he kept an eye on him. When the three brothers went to mass that evening, Darrin snuck a word in with Father Theo after mass to say he’d thought about it and would be interested. The priest was glad to hear it, and told him he would know more tomorrow from the other parishioners, but that the plan was for Wednesday night at 8. Darrin figured he could make it work, with work being flexible.

When he strolled up to the parish center that Wednesday night, he was pleasantly surprised to find ten other men, plus Father Theo, already sat around. Father Theo introduced him to the other men, seventy-five percent did in fact look like they were in their thirties. He recognized a couple of them from the factory, so that made him feel good. After some opening prayers and reflections from Father Theo, the one group leader introduced himself as Nick. He was local, grew up here, had a business in town, talked about his family. Darrin had recognized him from church before, also because he too, like Father Theo, had an impressively sharp haircut, as did the man next to Nick, named Daniel. Darrin didn’t recognize Daniel from the factory, but he apparently had been laid off too. Once everyone had gone around and introduced themselves, they talked about the things on their mind. Father Theo let them freely speak, merely sitting back. After a little while, the one leader, Nick, turned to look at Darrin, and said:

"So what brought you here tonight, Darrin?"

Darrin gulped, not liking the spotlight. He pointed his finger at Father Theo and said, "Him," which got some laughs out of the other men. After that died down, and everyone was looking at him, Darrin launched into his woes. Everyone listened, no interruptions. He felt like he could keep going. It wasn’t just all the recent crap, or back when they lost his parents, but even to being so regarded and coveted in high school, how it mentally did something to him. Probably why he was always trying to make things work out now, and put others before him. He didn’t want much from life, just the safety and health for his brothers. Every man there understood him, and Darrin felt good for opening up. Even after the hour was up, and they’d said a closing prayer, most the group lingered back, chatting some more. And Darrin found himself doing the same but also looking forward to next week’s meeting.


Scott enjoyed his weekly night with the band. It was a nice disconnect from the other realities he and his brothers were up against. And, it was fun, just jamming with some old pals. Usually, Darrin preferred if Scott could bring Paul along, which he didn’t like. Especially when Darrin was pulling extra shifts at the factory, or now working at the diner again. But now Darrin, while not making a complete one-eighty in mood, was definitely forty-five degrees brighter than he’d usually been. Scott had no idea what had gotten into him, but he wasn’t complaining. And because Darrin had seemed a lot more relaxed, Paul was more willing to behave himself. Darrin had been attending this new group on Wednesday nights at church, bringing a friend or two from childhood along. But he also got close to some of the other men there. The band Scott was in had a gig at a local bar last Friday and Darrin got his group to show, both young and old. Scott was embarrassed, but he didn’t say anything. Besides, there was talk Darrin was going to get a new job, a better one. He’d impressed an older parishioner who owned the local pharmacy and, while Darrin wasn’t scientifically inclined, the old man wanted a new face to be managing the whole operation, and therefore Darrin: he was young, bright, charming, everyone loved him.

When Scott got to band practice that week, he and the gang let out a scream when the last member arrived. "WOAH-OH! Who do we have here?!"

Brock, the drummer, strolled over to his spot and said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, make your comments now." The lead guitarist, Sean, made some bee noises, and their lead man, Rob, asked, "What’s the buzz, my man?"

Brock rubbed his newly shorn noggin. What had once been long hair like he was a member of Oasis, now was a quarter of an inch of hair buzzed all around. But, at least from Scott’s perspective, he thought it looked really freaking good on Brock. The others admitted it too, which made Brock feel slightly better, but he just wanted to practice. They jammed for an hour and a half, and at the end of the session, Scott helped Brock load things into his car. As they stood out in the cold, Brock said, "I’m gonna need to buy a hat now."

Scott laughed, then rubbed the top of Brock’s head, quickly apologizing for being presumptuous. Brock said he didn’t mind it. "Feels good actually, don’t you think?" Then he gave himself a rub of his shorn top. "Don’t know what persuaded me, but I was passing that one local barber shop, and just said, ‘Why not?’ and here we are."

"Here we are," Scott echoed, slightly mesmerized by his friend’s new look. Scott wondered what that must have been like when Brock walked into the shop with his long hair. What the barber must have thought when Brock asked for a buzz cut. Once Scott got home and went to bed, he fell asleep to the visual of what it might have been like for Brock and the barber that day. How sheaves of his hair fell down in clumps at the mercy of the clippers. Oddly enough, Scott tried picturing himself in Brock’s place. He didn’t know why, but something about it got him excited.


"So when are you gonna let me cut your hair, DC?" Nick had come to call Darrin. The meeting was over for that week, and they were some of the last ones around cleaning up. "You’ve got that big boy job starting soon, so I’ve heard?"

Darrin blushed even though Nick couldn’t see him. "Uh…yeah, I’ve been training a bit every other day, when I get the time from the diner."

"That’s exciting," Nick stood behind the garbage bin, waiting. Darrin turned around with the last bit of things to throw away. After tossing in, he stared eye-to-eye with Nick. The town barber had clearly just had his own haircut. Although by now, Darrin figured Nick cut his own hair. He was truly an expert, how on earth could he get such a clean fade? Styling the top was one thing. Why shouldn’t Darrin let his new friend have a go at his mop? It certainly was long.

"Nothing wrong with your hair," Nick stuck a hand out and stroked ever so briefly through one side. "It is stylish, but, you know. I know you are younger than me and everybody else. But perhaps a new style might suit you with this new chapter of your life. Think about it," then patted Darrin on the shoulder before tying up the garbage bag and walking off.

Then, another member, Daniel, approached Darrin and said, "If you are curious about it," he started to say, "don’t hesitate." Then Daniel rubbed his own shorn sides and offered a slight grin.

While Darrin enjoyed coming to these weekly church meetings and walking away with some newfound wisdom, he had no anticipation that he’d spend a restless night and next day thinking about Nick’s proposition. Even while he was standing on his feet and learning more ropes at the pharmacy, he found himself swaying. Luckily, he was only there for a bit before he had a shift at the diner. He was moving and grooving there, thankfully, otherwise he really would have taken a nap in one of the booths. Just as he was catching his breath, Darrin stood at attention as Scott’s bandmate, Brock, entered, swiftly tearing off a beanie cap, and sat up at the countertop.

"Is that you under there, Brock?"

"Not much to be under anymore," he rubbed his noggin. "Go on, I know you want to, too. Everyone’s been wanting to. I think even Scott enjoyed it."

"Did he now?" Darrin asked hesitantly, as he reached out and grazed his palm across Brock’s head. The sensation was electric and it only reverted Darrin back to some of those restless thoughts he’d thought he’d finally overcome…


Paul didn’t know why Darrin wanted them all up early Saturday morning. And especially going to the diner for breakfast, on his day off. But Paul obliged, rolling out of bed and throwing on a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. As they were on their way, Darrin stopped them in their paths and said, "Hey, you mind if we stop somewhere first?"

Paul shrugged his shoulders as Scott said, "It was your idea anyways." Then a few stores later they came upon one of the few businesses already open this early: the barbershop. Paul suddenly felt a frog in his throat, bouncing up and down. He peered in through the big front window, and just the lone barber was in there, sweeping up dust Paul had to assume. He probably hadn’t had a customer yet.

Darrin pushed open the door and the bell above announced the Caffrey brothers’. The barber looked up and smiled, "DC! Morning to you. These must be your brothers?"

"Nick, this is Scott and Paul," Darrin pointed at each of them.

"Pleasure to meet you both," Nick shook each their hands. "Well, can I help you fellas with anything?"

"Oh…" Darrin startled. "Uh, we were just on our way to breakfast. Passing by."

Nick gave him a knowing look, "Alright, well enjoy your bonding time, boys." Darrin smiled back with a "Thanks" and then quickly turned on his heel. Paul followed suit, confused by the odd, short interaction.

But Scott remained fixed to his stand. Then he cleared his throat, "Actually, you busy now?"

Nick eyed up his first victim of the day, saying, "Ain’t nobody else around…you interested in a haircut, Scott?"

Scott turned to look at his brothers, an apologetic look, "You guys mind?"

Paul was speechless, mouth hung open, but Darrin shook his head saying, "No, no, no go for it! We can just, uh, sit and wait. Breakfast can wait." Then he motioned for Paul to sit beside him as Scott turned to sit in the barber’s chair. Nick was swift to secure Scott under the barber cape, with the tissue wrapped around his neck for extra security. And then, the barber asked, "So, what are we thinking today, Scott?"

"Uh," realization dawned on Scott what he was really doing. "I, my friend got a cut recently. Don’t know if he came to you or not…"

"He very well may have. Named Brock? I think he is in your band I saw the other week?"

"Yeah!" Scott brightened up. "Yeah, that’s him."

Then Nick took both hands and sifted through Scotts tresses. "It was a big change for Brock, be a big change for you too, if that’s the sort of cut your thinking."

Scott hesitated once more before shaking his head. No, he wanted this. Practically dreamed about it the other night. He nodded his head and said, "Yes, I’m sure." The barber did not ask a second time, he just smiled back through the mirror before stepping away and coming back, brandishing a pair of clippers with the #2 attachment on them. Before Scott could even take another deep breath, the metal hit his right sideburn and with one quick but great flick, hair started to fly off his head and onto the floor. Scott kept his composure together, even though he saw through the mirror his brothers: Darrin looking stunned and Paul hanging his head.

"Its going to be a new look for you, but I think you’ll wear it well," Nick reassured his client. Scott gently nodded, not wanting to mess up the work that had begun. Scott thought maybe the barber would start with the sides and the back. But then, after clearing a bit away from the right side, Nick crept the clippers closer to the top of Scott’s head until he was plowing down the middle. At this stage, Scott felt the sensation. It was different from when he first rubbed Brock’s head. In fact, this was even more pleasurable. Shocking, for sure, but he felt like he could get used to this. He even found himself slightly smiling bit by bit as his new look took shape. The barber was equally thrilled with the makeover he was getting to execute as his first client of the day. Nick was trying not to be too hopeful that the other Caffrey boys would follow suit.

Once the top of Scott’s head was cleared, Nick continued with the other side and then the back. Scott didn’t like complimenting himself, ever, but his head shape was kinda perfect with this buzz cut. He didn’t remember that being the case while growing up. He caught a glimpse at just how much hair was covering the cape, and still some on the floor. He really had a lot of hair! But before Scott got too comfortable, the haircut was over. Made him a little sad, the fun could only last so long. Then Nick outlined the haircut, asking Scott where he wanted his sideburns to end, if he wanted the back straight or rounded (straight). And then, just like that, he was being dusted off and asked, "So, any regrets?"

"Yeah," Scott said as he stood up, taller than when he entered the shop. "Why didn’t I do this ages ago?" Feeling his hands all over his buzzed noggin. The barber laughed, glad to hear it. As Scott strutted over to his brothers, he asked, "Well?"

The two of them hesitated, before Darrin said, "It looks good on you, Scott. But you always look good."

"Well, now I look better," Scott teased, "and so would you two."

"What?" Darrin tried to diffuse the situation.

"Come on, DC," Nick interrupted. "Don’t act like you didn’t come in here with an agenda." The barber winked at the Caffrey brothers. "Join your brother, won’t ya? What are big brothers for?"

"I…no, I…" Darrin looked down at his feet.

"I’ve offered to you before," Nick said. "Come on, its on the house, in honor of your new job."

Darrin would be lying if he said he didn’t have an agenda when they first stopped in twenty minutes before. But he got nervous, so what? It happens. But could he go through it, like Scott? Of course, of course he would. He always wanted to be the ultimate big brother, even though in recent weeks with the church group he was learning it was okay to not be perfect. Better to not be! But he saw how happy Scott looked, how happy it would make him if he got a matching haircut. Darrin sighed, standing up, a bit shaky, saying, "Well, since it looks like no one else is waiting…"

As Darrin sat in the barber chair, he felt like things became a blur, and that there was a loud vibration sound in his ears, and not just from the clippers that were shearing him down. He stared at his reflection, wide-eyed, as Nick made no fuss to start right down the middle for his new friend. Darrin watched as what was initially left was a huge strip of buzzed hair amongst the longer locks. He thought he heard Nick say something like, "This will be much more manageable, and presentable," but he wasn’t sure if he was just hearing things. Just like he wasn’t sure if this wasn’t actually happening, maybe they never woke up to go to breakfast that morning. But no, it was happening, especially just by the sensations the clippers gave across the surface of his head. Darrin couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this short of hair. It wasn’t until a large portion of his hair was cut off that Darrin began to relax. The sounds around him lessened and he started to feel present. While Scott looked great with the buzzcut, but Darrin, this was becoming of him. Letting the boy die and the man be born as he started this next chapter of his life. The hair off his forehead and around his face gave way to a sculpted beauty he’d been hiding these last few years. It wasn’t his varsity good-looks so much as his real-good looks for a man now. And with the shorn head, dare he say he looked even better. Yes, this would be a new look for him to try on, in fact, maybe keep.

Once Darrin was buzzed all the way down and dusted off too, he carefully stood up from the release of the cape, looking at himself in the mirror as he finally let his hand graze across his scalp. Like small bristles, so expertly cut. "Wow," he mumbled, "that’s short."

"No kidding," Nick teased him. Then the barber turned around to Paul, saying, "Last chance?"

Paul completely refused, shaking his head nonstop. "No, no, no way, no how." But with 2 against 1, or 3 if you counted Nick, Paul got a whole lot of convincing before he found himself in the chair as well, surrendering his own light brown locks to the barber’s mercy. Although with his hair hanging much longer in the front, unlike his brothers, it was a real shock when Nick brought the clippers across the top to the back. A whole new look, in more ways than one, for Paul with this cut. He could see better, or really actually see now. Even when the clippers came up the back of his head, he felt the longer hairs that touched his collar fall off and away. His brothers sat in the waiting area, complimenting each other, but taking chances to look at the progress of their younger brother’s haircut. Paul didn’t get comfortable while sitting in the chair, yet didn’t make it complicated for the barber. But when all was said and done (and dusted down), Paul took in his look in the mirror. As he felt his new buzzed patch, it was a definite shock. Yet somehow, he couldn’t help but slightly smile. His brothers caught it, and Darrin said, "So, not so bad, huh?"

"Yeah," Paul said, turning around to face them, "I look as ridiculous as you two."

"Ridiculously good you mean," Scott fought back, and the three of them laughed together. But Paul agreed, in fact, they hadn’t all looked this similar in a while. When Darrin tried to pay for the haircuts of his brothers, Nick refused. Darrin did ask if Nick could get a picture of the brothers, and he was happy to, asking Darrin to send it to him, maybe he’d even hang it in the shop amongst other photos of clients from the past and present. And so, the three Caffrey brothers went onwards to breakfast, finally, the staff stunned to see all their new looks, as well as some other folks from town who knew them. They didn’t let too many interruptions hurt them though. After breakfast, they went to run some errands and then back home where they tossed around the football for hours like they were young again, before washing off and going to Saturday evening mass.

"If I didn’t know any better, I’d say welcome to the parish, gentlemen," Father Theo teased after mass. "All sporting sharp looks, I see. Let me guess…who cut your hair?" At that, they all laughed. But the three brothers took a good look at one another. Things were starting to change around for them. They had been bonded by trauma and grief, but what was greater was their bond of love.

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