Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Maeve got up and went to school as usual the next morning.
She didn’t tell any of her friends about her ‘temporary’ engagement to Sean O’Malley, nor did she discuss it with her mother at breakfast as, apparently, she wasn’t speaking to Maeve either.
Several of her close friends knew about the massive crush she’d harbored for Sean, and revealing certain recent events would give it new life.
Plus, she would get to spend the months between now and graduation with everyone staring at her tummy.
Seventeen-year-old girls did not make out with a teenage boy one day and announce their upcoming marriage to a grown man the next unless there was something fishy going on.
Sean, however, apparently had no such qualms. As soon as she entered the sanctuary for choir practice, Father Fitzgerald came and asked to speak to her privately for a moment.
He congratulated her on managing to capture the heart of a good solid man such as Sean O’Malley in one breath, and in the next, he asked her if she were really ready for marriage and all it entailed.
“I don’t mind tellin’ you; at first I wasn’t entirely supportive of this marriage when Sean came to me about it. You’re both quite young even though he’s completed his degree and has good prospects. But after Sean told me how he found you the other night, I reconsidered.”
“He told you that?” she gasped, dropping her head in shame, thankful her long hair hid her red cheeks.
“Aye he did, in the strictest confidence of course. As I said, after I learned that, I changed my mind. I’ll be perfectly honest. I’ve always liked you, Maeve, but you have inherited some of your mother’s willfulness.
I think Sean is just what you need. You’re impulsive, that goes along with being young, but the other night, your behavior was dangerous and foolhardy.
I don’t blame Sean for being angry with you.
After all, he’s been in love with you for many years. ”
“He has?” she choked out. “How do you know that?”
“Any fool could see he hardly let you out of his sight. I’ve never even seen a brother so protective of his sister.”
“A brother?”
“Well, in a sense, yes. He was very much like an older brother. Completely appropriate, my dear, given your age difference,” he assured her, patting her hand.
“In any case, Sean tells me you’ll be married in September.
That will give you a couple of months after graduation to set up your home.
Ah, I hear the organ. You’d better hurry along.
I just wanted to let you know that I approve and will be happy to officiate at your weddin’,” he said, beaming before rushing away.
Wonderful! He told our priest everything! No sense in trying to skip confession this week. Her husband-to-be had already confessed her sins for her. How thoughtful of him. Jaysus, she was getting a husband and a big brother in one fell swoop. Could a lass get any luckier?
“Come on, Maeve, you’re holding everyone up,” Angela called.
“I’m sorry,” Maeve said, quickly snatching her coat from a pew. “I’m goin’ to have to miss tonight. I’m not feelin’ well.” Dashing down the aisle, she saw Sister Bernadette.
“No running, young lady,” she barked out.
“Sorry,” Maeve hissed, slowing only until she was past her and then breaking into a sprint.
Bursting through the door, she ran until she came to the deserted park, four blocks away.
Sinking down on a bench, she dropped her hands into her lap and tried to gather her thoughts into some semblance of order. The last few days had been crazy.
Had she always had a thing for Sean O’Malley? Aye.
Did she feel safe, protected, cared for when he was around? Aye.
Did she want to marry him? She wasn’t sure. At one time she would have shouted an emphatic aye, but that was before she knew he was serious about the spankin’ thing.
When he’d threatened her at fourteen, she’d been mad, but also slightly excited.
A boyo had to really care about you to threaten that, didn’t he?
Even as she’d stomped away, she’d felt relieved.
It wasn’t just her imagination. He did have feelings for her.
And he’d never do it, not really. He was just trying to make her do what he wanted, which was to go home and cover up.
It was more than a big brother thing. She knew it was!
A lass didn’t get all tingly around her brother, not unless she was a big time sinner, which she was not.
Even as sick as she was the other night, it still thrilled her to be carried in his arms like a precious thing.
He’d rescued her yet again, and even though he was furious, he treated her gently, made sure she was okay.
That part was all good. It was something to build on, but the other things he’d said were not.
He said she needed “a man’s firm hand” and it didn’t take much imagination to know where that hand was going to be put to use and whose arm it would be attached to.
She was not a subservient sort of lass. No, she was independent.
Sure, she made mistakes. Not huge, giant blunders like the other night, but normal mistakes.
She wasn’t reckless, but she wasn’t fearful either.
Trying new things was good for you. It built character and she had a lot of character, or so she’d been told.
What a mess, she thought with a sigh. She could picture herself falling asleep once they were married, enfolded in those strong arms. Kissing him could be wonderful too, if he’d ever get around to it.
She had a feeling he was waiting until her eighteenth birthday.
Well maybe she wouldn’t be about that day.
Maybe she’d make plans with her friends and make him wait!
He could wait until the wedding for all she cared, she sniffed.
No, that wouldn’t be a good idea at all.
What if he was a lousy kisser? What if she hated his kisses and he slobbered like Kelly Rourke?
Then she’d be stuck with him for all eternity.
It was hard to imagine Sean being a sloppy kisser, but she supposed it could happen.
The spanking thing, ‘I’m king of my castle’, that definitely had to go.
If he ever tried to spank her, she would fight him tooth and nail, clawing and biting for all she was worth.
If he succeeded, she’d have to clobber him in his sleep.
It would have to be a good one too, hard enough so he’d be too dazed to chase her. But where would she go?
She’d have to run away. No one would take her in around here, not when half the town thought she should have been taken to task long ago. Even some of her friends said she was spoiled, but she wasn’t, not really. She’d almost been ‘spoiled’ the other night, but thank God, Sean had come.
See, he was a good guy and she did love him. It was always him.
“What are you doin’ here?” the man of her dreams asked as he took a seat on the bench.
“Sittin’.”
“I thought you had choir practice?”
“I did. I left early.”
“Early or before it started?”
“Tomato, potato,” she replied. It didn’t come out right, but he knew what she meant. He was funny like that, she realized. He understood her.
“’Tis pretty cold to be sittin’ on a park bench this late in the season.”
“Aye, and ’tis dark too,” she added.
“Are you cold?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
“No,” she replied with a shiver.
“You’re lyin’.”
“Why don’t you go tell Father Fitzgerald?”
“He told you about that, did he? I had no intention of tellin’ him, but he wanted to know why I was in such a hurry to wed you and the truth is always best.”
“Says you.”
“I might not have mentioned this before, but you’re cute when you pout,” he drawled, chafing first one of her cold hands then the other between his.
“Good thing. You’ll probably be seein’ a lot of that since you’re intent on robbin’ the cradle,” she sniffed.
“Is that how you really feel about it?” he asked, holding both of her hands tightly as he waited for her answer.
“No, but you obviously do. You say you’re goin’ to spank your wife, that would be me, and that’s not how you treat someone you see as an equal,” she pointed out. “I almost became a woman the other night, but someone butted in.”
“No,” he said sternly. “You almost became a victim. What he was goin’ to do to you had naught to do with becomin’ a woman. It had to do with lust, not love. It takes love to turn a girl into a woman.”
“You act like you know all about it,” she accused.
“I know enough and ’tis not from takin’ advantage of virgins I’ve had to drug,” he growled.
“You have a point.”
“Thanks for noticin’.”
“You’re welcome. Gettin’ back to the other thing—”
“You mean my intention to spank you if need be?”
“Aye, that.”
“What is it you want to know?”
“Why?”
“’Tis really a very simple concept,” he sighed.
“No doubt drummed up by a very simple man,” she said drolly.
“God you’re a sassy lass.”
“I’m tellin’,” she squealed, pointing her finger at him and laughing. “Father will not be pleased. You took the Lord’s name in vain.”
“Come on, let’s go. I’m freezin’,” he said, standing.
“No,” she replied. Drawing her legs up, she stood on the bench and perched on the back. “I’m not leavin’ ‘til you answer my questions.”
“I could make you quite easily, you know.”
He scowled down at her.
“So.”
“Lass, if you’re so curious I can spank you right here and now. You definitely have one comin’ for the other night.”
“Why would you want to? Do you think I haven’t been punished enough by my own stupidity?”
“’Tis not that at all. ’Tis what could have happened that bothers me. If spankin’ you means you’ll think twice before doin’ somethin’ so foolhardy again, ’tis worth the effort.”
“Worth it to whom?” she asked, tipping her head and peering up at him. In the shadow of the streetlamp, he was once again the huge dark shape who carried her away from danger.
“Worth it to both of us,” he snapped. “I’ll not be spending every wakin ’ moment worried about what you’re gettin’ up to. If you know there are consequences, you’ll be more mindful.”
“How do you know that? Maybe I’ll be so angry and upset with you I won’t be careful at all.
Maybe I’ll be a heartbroken young woman whose husband has beaten all the spark right out of her.
I’ll be a pitiful version of my former self, forced to wander the earth lookin’ for my one true love, as I’ve married the wrong man,” she suggested pathetically.
Sean laughed, snagged her wrist and pulled her over his shoulder.
“No, you’ll be a well-loved and possibly well-spanked young wife mindin’ what her husband says and tendin’ to hearth and home,” he countered, smacking her bottom as he carried her to his car.
Maeve squealed and, reaching down, pinched his arse, hard.
“That’s goin’ to cost you, lass,” he promised, setting her down and opening her door.
With a huge hand on top of her head, he plunked her down on the seat.
Maeve grinned when she saw him rub his butt as he went around the car. Hers didn’t even hurt. She had on heavy jeans and a car coat. She’d hardly felt his smacks at all.
* * *
Sean took her to a diner and watched her consume an enormous burger, chips and a chocolate shake. Lord, where did she put it, he thought, shaking his head when she ordered a hot fudge sundae. The waiter brought two spoons and he ended up helping her finish it.
“I’m not sure I can afford a wife,” he teased as he paid the bill.
“Grand, you’re off the hook,” she replied. “This may have been the shortest engagement in history.”
“You’re cute, but ’tis goin’ to take more than an empty pocket to get rid of me,” he said as he settled her in the car.
“Pity,” was her reply.
“What made me think you liked me?” he asked as he started it and waited for it to warm up.
“I did like you; I mean I do like you,” she stammered. “Actually, I may be a little in love with you,” she admitted, blushing.
“Then why are you givin’ me such a hard time?”
“I don’t want to be hit,” she said with stark honesty.
“Whatever gave you the idea I would hit you?” he demanded after he managed to find his voice.
“You did. You once said that, quote, after my Da got done skelpin’ me, you’d give me the spankin’ of my young life, unquote.”
“Aye, I did say that, didn’t I?” he asked, smiling as he remembered that day.
“Aye, you most certainly did, and I’ve never forgotten it.”
“I believe I also said you were advertisin’ somethin’ that wasn’t available, and that when it was available, it was mine. Do you remember that as well? Do you remember me warnin’ you to behave while I was gone?”
“Aye.”
“And have you?”
“Mostly.”
“I’m sorry, darlin’, but mostly won’t do. If I don’t follow through, you won’t heed me next time.”
“How was I supposed to know you were serious? I was only a wee lass.” Sean glanced at her pouting face as he backed out of the parking space.
“So you were ‘only a wee lass’, in those shorts that showed the curve of your cheeks? Were you ‘a wee lass’ the other night as well?”
“No, then I was just stupid,” she admitted with a sigh. “Can I have a fresh start?” she asked hopefully.
“Of course,” he replied as he watched her face break into a satisfied smile. “Each spankin’ ends with a fresh start. I don’t hold grudges, but repeat the same offense and the results won’t be to your likin’.”
“Right now you’re not to my likin’,” she spat. “A man who hits a woman is no man.”
Sean growled and pulled the car to the side of the street slamming it in park. “I don’t hit women, not you, not any woman. What you’ll get from me and what you’re headin’ for right now is a trip over my knees.”
Turning in his seat, he reached out and took her shoulders in his hands, pulling her close.
“I love you, lass, and I always have. Most likely I always will, but you’re not goin’ to bedevil me.
You have a spankin’ comin’ for the risks you took the other night, and you’re damn well goin’ to get it.
The other stunts you pulled while I was away…
I’ll let them go, but not this one. You need to know I mean what I say and have no doubts about it.
“There won’t be any silent treatment in our home. Whatever differences we have we’ll settle before bed, one way or another. Do you understand?” he demanded.
“Aye,” she breathed, held by his eyes as well as his grip.
“And another thing, you’re to stop tryin’ to antagonize me right now or I’ll warm your britches right here. Believe me, you’ll be sleepin’ on your tummy if I do,” he informed her.
“Okay,” she replied softly.
“So we’re all right?” he asked, letting his grip relax.
“Aye, kiss me,” she said, licking her lips.
“What?”
“Kiss me, O’Malley,” she repeated breathlessly.
“Why?” he asked suspiciously.
“I need to know if you’re worth it,” she answered.