Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Maeve felt more settled after that night.
Two spankings and a bout of glorious lovemaking gave her an idea of what she could expect as The O’Malley’s wife.
While one was not particularly to her likin’, the other was far more appealing than she’d ever imagined.
She tried more than once to get Sean to repeat the act as they planned their wedding while waiting for him to return to the States. He flatly refused.
“No, darlin’, I won’t make that mistake again. I spent a long and painful night and I’m in no hurry to repeat it. The next time I have you in my arms like that, you’ll be my wife.”
“I’ll have you know my night was not pain free,” Maeve complained with a huff.
“Aye and every swat well deserved,” he insisted, bending to kiss her on the top of her head. “Now, are we goin’ to argue or are we goin’ to see a movie?”
“Why can’t we go to your place, Sean?” she wheedled. “We don’t have to do anythin’. We can watch the tube or listen to some music.”
Sean laughed and caught her hand, towing her to the car.
“If we go to my place, it will be so I can attend to you properly for bein’ so pig-headed,” he promised, opening her door and nearly stuffing her into the vehicle.
“If I let you spank me, can we do the other after?” she asked when he got into the driver’s seat.
“No! And it might be a good idea for you to remember you do not ‘let’ me spank you. I’ll spank you whenever I see the need, and I’m fast approachin’ that point. In fact, maybe I should just take you back inside and teach you a lesson right now. We don’t have to go anywhere.”
“My parents are home,” she sassed.
“Aye. Maybe your da should see how it’s properly done,” he growled.
“You wouldn’t?” she gasped. It was bad enough that her parents heard her cries the night he’d carried her upstairs.
“I would indeed, my feisty bride to be. Now what’s it to be? Are you goin’ to continue to bedevil me? I’ll only be here a few more days. After that, we won’t see each other for a month or more. Must we spend what little time we have fussin’ and fightin’?”
“You’re right, Sean. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just anxious.”
“About makin’ love with me?”
“That and other things. I’m nervous about our weddin’. I want it to be beautiful.”
“What else is botherin’ you, lass?”
“What if I don’t like livin’ in the States? Maybe I won’t fit in,” Maeve sighed. “Not everyone appreciates my outspoken ways.”
“Darlin’, we will make our home there. I have a good job and will be able to support you.
We’ll find a suitable parish and join the congregation.
Don’t worry, lass. We’ll do just fine and soon the children will start to come along and you’ll be too busy to worry about such things as fittin’ in.
Besides, you’re beautiful, witty and fun. Who wouldn’t love you?”
“I am?”
“Of course, ’tis not just any Irish lass who could turn my head,” he said, starting the car.
Smiling, she relaxed onto her seat. Maybe things would be fine after all.
* * *
For the next month, Maeve was beside herself with details.
She refused to let their mothers have any say at all.
She chose her own dress, flowers and worked with the ladies of the church on the menu for the reception.
It was to be a wedding brunch as they were getting married in the morning.
There would be no alcohol which disappointed her da, but it couldn’t be helped.
Having the reception in the church hall with the ladies making the food saved a pretty penny.
Father Fitzpatrick had been kind enough to approve one champagne toast. He was a tea-totaling man himself and frequently preached on the evils of over indulging in spirits, but he made an exception for the wedding of Sean O’Malley.
Sean had chosen his brother John to stand up with him, and not having many close friends of her own who hadn’t thought the worst of her, Maeve asked the young woman John was seeing.
Her name was Bridget, but everyone called her Bridy.
She and Maeve got along well as they both disliked Mrs. O’Malley and her bossy ways.
She’d pitched a fit when Sean told her to cancel the plans she’d made regarding the wedding, but his da soon put an end to her arguments, although the woman certainly knew how to hold a grudge. It would be no hardship on Maeve to be living across the pond from her mother-in-law.
Sean missed her graduation but Maeve didn’t care a lick about that.
She rose when they called her name, went up to receive her certificate and had a hard time stopping herself from thumbing her nose at the lot of them.
Only her upcoming wedding kept her from doing just that.
The last thing she needed was an angry Sean arriving home for the wedding and taking her over his knees.
She’d prefer to eat her wedding meal sitting down and wanted to spend her wedding night being able to lie beside her new husband.
The last time he’d spanked her on the night he carried her up to her room, she’d been sore for days.
Quick and sharp with no pretty kisses to follow was not something she wanted to experience again any time soon, and she vowed to be the best-behaved bride ever married in St. Patrick’s.
* * *
Sean arrived home three days before the wedding, which was also Maeve’s last day working at McGreevy’s. The old man gave her a lovely letter of recommendation as promised, as well as a tidy little bonus in her final pay envelope.
“A little weddin’ present,” he said, blushing slightly.
“Thank you, Mr. McGreevy,” Maeve replied, rising to her tiptoes and kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll miss you.”
“Aw, go on with you,” he replied. “You’ll get over to the States with your new husband and won’t give this old man another thought.”
“I don’t think so,” Maeve said. “You’ve been kind when others were not. I’ll not be forgettin’ that any time soon.”
“I wish you the best, you and Sean both. He’s a fine young man with a bright future.”
“Thank you. Now, I have to hurry. I badgered Mr. O’Malley into lettin’ me ride with them to pick up Sean. His mother wasn’t too pleased, so I don’t want to keep them waitin’.”
“Bah, that one. I knew her da. Spoiled her rotten he did and she’s been a pain in the arse for most of her life. Don’t know how her husband puts up with her. Take care, my dear,” he said as Maeve nodded and hurried from the shop.
At the airport, Maeve saw him first and took off on a run. Sean caught her as she launched herself into his arms. Laughing, he swung her around and kissed her long and hard.
“Sean, please, a little propriety if you will,” Mrs. O’Malley hissed, frowning when he finally set Maeve down and leaned to peck his mother’s proffered cheek.
“I’m bein’ exceedin’ly proper, Ma,” he replied with a grin. “If you knew what I really wanted to do, you’d be congratulatin’ me on my restraint,” he teased, winking at Maeve.
Mrs. O’Malley pulled the front of her coat together at her neck, hiked her handbag higher on her arm and marched toward the terminal doors with a huff.
Maeve giggled and tucked her arm through Sean’s as they made their way to the baggage area. His da strolled along with them.
“Has she been worrisome, Da?” Sean asked his father.
“Aye, you know how she is. You two really put her nose out of joint by takin’ the weddin’ away from her, but I imagine she’ll get over it in time.”
“Good. Maeve darlin’, are you feelin’ well?”
“I’m fine, Sean. Why do you ask?”
“Well, you seem a mite smaller, as though you’ve been sick.”
“Aye, I’ve shed some weight since you left,” she replied proudly.
“Why?” Sean asked, reaching to pick up his bag.
“To prove a point. I wanted to be very slim for the weddin’ and stop all the tongue waggin’.”
“So you did it on purpose?”
“Aye. Why?”
“I thought you were perfect just as you were,” Sean replied, taking her arm and moving through the crowd toward the exit.
“Oh, I see. Now that I’m slimmer, I’m no longer perfect, is that it?” she demanded.
“I didn’t say that,” Sean protested. “I just don’t see the need to starve yourself to please a bunch of people you won’t be seein’ for many years to come.”
“I didn’t do it to please none but myself,” she stated, glaring up at him and trying to tug her arm free.
“And so it begins,” Sean sighed, looking meaningfully at his father who was trying to hide his grin.
“If I no longer please you, O’Malley, feel free to back out now,” she said sweetly. “T’will be no hardship on me. I imagine I can find my way to the States on my own.”
“It would please me if you would learn to curb your sassy tongue, lass,” he sighed, nearly pulling her through the terminal. “Did you not miss me at all?”
“Of course I missed you,” Maeve replied, softening a bit. “I’ve been runnin’ around like a whirlin’ dervish these last weeks, and there’s more to be done before the weddin’.”
“Well, I’m here to help you now,” he stated calmly.
Maeve snorted and rolled her eyes.
“Yes, you’ll show up at the church in your nicely pressed suit and say your ‘I do’s’.”
“My God, woman, I can certainly tell you’ve been on your own. The last time we were parted I came home to find you so sickenin’ sweet you near gave me a toothache. This time you’re so full of vinegar, I don’t know whether to kiss you or shake you.”
“You’ll do neither. Your ma is already fit to be tied at havin’ me along. Don’t do anythin’ to make matters worse,” Maeve snapped.
“Has she been givin’ you a hard time?”
“If you call glarin’ at me as though I stole the holy child from the manger before the Christmas pageant and ignorin’ me at Mass, then yes, she’s been givin’ me a hard time.”
“You only did that once and I caught you and made you put it back before you got into trouble,” Sean reminded her sternly.
“Aye, ‘twas but a lark, but this time I’ve done nothin’ wrong, except marryin’ her son,” Maeve replied as they neared the car.
“Da, why haven’t you put a stop to this?” Sean demanded of his father.