We Are the Brennans

After agreeing to tell Denny and Kale what happened, Sunday and Jackie go to Brennan’s to reveal the truth. She prepares glasses of Jameson whiskey for them and then tells her story. The novel flashes back five years. Sunday, who had agreed to stay and care for her mother and Shane during the Ireland trip, is tired at the end of the week and goes with Grail to the Penny Whistle Pub for the night.

Grail admires and flirts with the bartender, whom Sunday recognizes as Billy Walsh. The two cousins have a few more drinks, but Grail says her boyfriend, Brad, will pick her up. She offers Sunday a ride home, but she politely refuses, stating that she wants one more drink and will have Jackie drive her home. After Grail leaves, Sunday has another drink and anticipates Kale coming home from Ireland and them starting their new lives together.

After closing, Billy tells her he has pictures of her father upstairs and offers to show them to her. This piques Sunday’s interest, and she goes with him to his room. She then remembers to text Jackie to drive her home. Billy shows her a picture of his father, who died from alcoholism.