Chapter 7 #2
“How was school today?”
“Fine.”
“You’re a liar,” her mother replied with narrowed eyes. “Sister Magdalena called to see how you were feelin’. She was concerned you may have had an ‘unfortunate event’. Whatever is she talkin’ about?” she demanded.
“Nothin’, half the school thinks I’m with child because Sean and I are engaged,” Maeve snapped angrily.
“Are you?”
“No, and I was in school. You can ask John O’Malley if you don’t believe me. He saw me there this mornin’. Someone must have screwed up the attendance again,” she said over her shoulder as she stooped to put potatoes in the bin.
“I may do just that,” her mother warned.
“Go ahead. I’m goin’ upstairs to work on my schoolwork,” she said, picking up an apple. “I need to get it done. I’m goin’ to be mindin’ the Monroes’ wee ones quite a bit in the future,” she added, leaving the room.
“Aye, you’d best do that. I don’t want you fallin’ behind this close to graduation,” her mother replied absently.
Falling behind didn’t even come close, Maeve thought as she went to her room to take a nap.
* * *
If her Ma thought she was dressed too fine to mind the Monroe children, she didn’t mention it when Maeve left the house the next morning. Sean would be on his way to America, there was no school and she was off to start a new phase of her life with a skip in her step.
Mr. McGreevy was tolerant as he taught her what was required and she spent the day typing up labels for patients’ medications, stocking shelves and sweeping.
Twice someone she knew came into the store, and she ducked behind the tall shelves of drugs on the upper level.
With her white coat and cap it seemed unlikely anyone would recognize her unless they made a point to speak with her, and she made it a point to be unavailable.
On Wednesday, she just made it home when a call came through from Sean. He’d had his interview, thought it went well and was enjoying some sights as he waited to see if he was called back for a second interview.
He asked her about school; she lied through her teeth.
He wanted to know what she was doing with her time, she told him she was minding children and staying home.
Aye, she was being good. Aye, she was watching her language and aye, she wasn’t looking for another boy to see if he could get her to make those sweet noises.
In truth, she’d kissed two boys since O’Malley left town.
On impulse, she gave Kelly Rourke one more chance to get it right, grabbing him after choir practice and pulling him to the end of the line as they all filed down the stairs.
She wasn’t surprised to find he still kissed like a fish, but it was worth a try.
On Tuesday night, she really did mind the Monroe children and told Tommy Mahoney he could walk her home.
They walked slow, talking and laughing and when they finally arrived at her home, he sweetly kissed her lips, blushed and almost ran toward his house.
It was disappointing and she began to think O’Malley was right.
It could just be he was the only one who could have her “nearly purring”.
She had to admit it, if only to herself, that she missed him, at least parts of him. He could provide a grand kiss, and his strong arms made her feel safe. His hands he could leave in the good old U.S. of A. for all she cared. After all, it was those huge hands that caused all the trouble.
* * *
Maeve didn’t worry overmuch about getting caught.
She’d been out of school nearly a fortnight and Sister Magdalena stopped calling when she told her she was recuperating and spending time reflecting on her sins.
When she had recovered fully, she may come back to school.
Of course, the nuns didn’t particularly want a lass with a tarnished reputation associating with the other girls, lest she lead them astray.
Engaged or not, she was now a pariah, which seemed to suit her fine.
She liked her job, was making a little money and doing as she pleased.
She attended early Mass, but slipped in a side door, sat in the back and slipped back out, for the most part unnoticed.
A few times, she caught Sean’s younger brother watching her speculatively, but she stuck her chin in the air and ignored him.
Sean was called back for a second interview and was staying across the pond for another week, maybe more.
If they offered him the job, he would be there for much longer as he looked for a house for them to start their married life.
All she knew about the place was that it was in upstate NY and he would be working at an Air Force Base on some sort of top secret project.
“Are you still keen to move to the States?” he asked when he called.
“The sooner the better,” Maeve replied. “In fact, I don’t see any reason I can’t come and join you now. We could even be married there,” she suggested hopefully.
“But our folks—”
“I’m sure if we explain things to them, they’ll understand. Or we could have a small private ceremony here and have our honeymoon in the U.S.”
“Oy, honeymoon,” Sean teased. “I like the sound of that word. Have you been behavin’ lass?”
“Like an angel,” she replied, crossing her fingers.
“My brother says he hasn’t seen much of you. Where have you been hidin’?”
“I’m mindin’ the Monroe children and savin’ my money. Maybe he just keeps missin’ me at school,” she added softly.
“Maybe, but I’ve a feelin’ there’s somethin’ you’re not tellin’ me, darlin’. Now would be a good time to confess if there’s anythin’ to tell. I’m thousands of miles away and would most likely cool off before I get back.”
“Um…no, everythin’s fine here. Don’t worry about me, just work on gettin’ that job. I can’t wait to see this place in the rear window. These people with their narrow little minds are beginning’ to make me mad.”
“What’s the trouble?”
“No trouble, just the same attitude as when you left. Nosey, gossipin’ fools all think we’ve done somethin’ wrong.
Well, not you, of course,” she drawled sarcastically.
“Men are known for that sort of thing. It’s always the woman who bears the brunt of it.
I think if I acted ashamed, they’d like it better. ”
“I’m a mite narrow-minded about some things myself, darlin. You should remember that. I hope you’re not makin’ things worse with your attitude.”
“How could they be worse? Your ma barely tolerates me in public. If no one is around she looks at me like I’ve crawled out from under a rock. Your brother smirks, like he knows some huge secret and winks at me whenever he sees me. Why is that?”
“I think he came home early that day and heard me spankin’ you,” Sean admitted quietly.
“What?” she hissed into the phone.
“I never meant for that to happen, sweetheart,” Sean sighed. “I’ll have a word with him.”
“No, I’ll have a word with him and then some,” Maeve snapped. “I wonder how many of his boyos he’s shared that with!”
“I’ve said I’ll deal with it,” Sean repeated sternly.
“You know what, O’Malley? At this point I really don’t care what you’ve said, nor do I care what you’ll say in the future. In fact, I’ve had about enough of people tellin’ me what I should and shouldn’t do. You’re there and I’m here, and I’ll handle things as I see fit.”
“Now listen here—”
“No, you listen. I’m goin’ to rethink this whole marriage thing.
Maybe I’m not good enough for you after all.
Not perfect enough to uphold the high O’Malley standards.
The golden child, altar boy extraordinaire, scholar, civil engineer, comes back home and wants to marry that wild Donahue girl.
No wonder the whole town is up in arms! Why she wears make-up and hikes her skirt up and now look, she’s trapped the poor boy into marriage by gettin’ pregnant!
’Tis a sin, ’tis what it is, a regular cryin’ shame,” she crowed loud enough to have her mother hurrying from the kitchen as she wiped her hands on a towel.
“Maeve…” Sean roared into the phone. “Stop that talk this minute!”
“I won’t,” she insisted, stomping her foot.
“And do you know what the funny thing in this whole farce is, O’Malley?
The little tramp is still a virgin. One who’s been in love with one boy her entire, short, uninspired life.
Well, maybe she won’t be by the time you get back,” she laughed.
“Maybe she won’t be in love and maybe she won’t be a virgin any longer. How do you like that?”
“I’d show you how I liked it if I was there, you little hellion,” he ground out.
“And another thing. I don’t think I’m goin’ to sit still for you smackin’ away on my bottom every time I do somethin’ you don’t approve of, in fact, I know I’m not,” she informed him crisply as she watched her mother’s eyebrows rise until they nearly blended into her hairline.
“No, most likely you won’t be sittin’ at all once I get hold of you,” Sean agreed darkly. “Listen, I have to go now, but I’m warnin’ you, lass, prepare to get straightened out when I get home and right quick. I’ll not have a wife who talks to me as you have.”
“That’s the point, O’Malley,” she snorted, brushing a tear from her cheek in surprise.
“We’ll see,” he said ominously.
“Aye, we will. Safe travels, Sean,” she said softly before hanging up the phone.
“Maeve, by all that’s holy, what’s this all about?” her mother asked, gently touching her shoulder as she huddled against the wall.
“Oh, Ma,” Maeve wailed mournfully before throwing herself into her mother’s arms. “I’ve told so many lies, deceived so many people and all because I got your stubborn streak.”
Margaret Donahue was taken aback and a few seconds later she dissolved in laughter. “I guess you do at that, daughter,” she agreed. “Come into the kitchen and I’ll make you a cup of tea. Then you can tell me just what you’ve gotten yourself into.”