Jessica giggled.
“I just love you, Father Mulcahy, and goingto miss you so much.” She drew his hands from her face and heldthem in front of her. “Thank you. Thank you so much for all yoursupport.”
She rose up on her toes and hugged his necktightly, whispering softly into his ear, “I’ll never forget allthat you have done for me. Never … ever.”
He patted the back of her head and repliedwith a voice filled with emotion, “I will miss you, child.”
“Me too,” she squeezed him fiercely andstepped back. “I promise to call you, when I’m safe in Albany, butyou mustn’t breathe a word to anybody. Hal’s got earseverywhere.”
He kissed her forehead tenderly and tappedher nose with the tip of his finger.
“Yer secret is safe with me.” He replied, ashe turned and walked away.
Jessica watched his departure, until he wasgone from sight. She was taken by surprise and squealed with frightas a vice-like grip encircled her upper arm and spun her aboutforcibly, making her fall hard against her father in-law’schest.
His pearly whites gleaned, as he glared downat her.
“Wasn’t that a touching scene?” He snarled,squeezing even harder and making her winch. “Now get your ass inthe car!” He barked, shoving her in the direction of the blackparked stretch limo awaiting to leave.
She stumbled and tried desperately to catchher balance, but failed miserably. She landed hard onto her rightknee, skinning it and the palms of her hands against a headstoneembedded in the grass.
Hal’s six-foot frame towered above her.
“That’s where I like to see you … on yourknees!” He sneered.
Jessica lowered her head and tried to controlthe rage surging beneath the surface. Slowly, she breathed in long,cleansing breaths to calm the quivering in her stomach. He was aman no one denied, as she gazed up at his hulking physique.
But, she would outsmart him, and that shedid, as she flipped about, pulled off her veil and threw it to theground, and growled. “You disgusting pig. Takes arealmanto beat up on awoman a quarter of his size.”
She hated the smug look planted on his faceand how he stood there all arrogant with his arms crossed at hischest.
“You goading me, little lady?”
Jessica’s reaction was immediate, as she drewboth of her knees to her chest and kicked out forcibly, hitting himsquare in the shins.
“Yep!” She replied matter-of-factly andlaughed aloud as he tumbled backwards.
Jessica bolted to her feet, chucklingdelightedly, as she watched him land with a splat into a mudpuddle.
“Your days of telling me what to do are over,old man,” she yelled.
“Hal!” Lorraine screamed, darting from thelimousine. “Oh, my God! Jessica, what’s wrong with you?”
Lorraine bent down and tried unsuccessfullyto aid lifting him, grasping him under his arms.
“It’s … okay … dear,” she grunted, as shetugged upward. “Jessica didn’t mean it. She’s just upset that’sall.”
Lorraine’s frustration was evident, as shebegan to slip and slide in the mix of mud and wet leaves. Her tonebecame aggravated. “Help a little, dear! I can’t … lift you … bymyself,” she moaned, as she struggled to maintain her balance.
Hal’s roar echoed through the cemetery, as hepushed her away with one backward swoop of his right arm.
Lorraine whirled out of control and squeakedin shocked horror, as she too landed onto her derriere into anothershallow puddle. Globs of wet mud hung from her perfectly coiffedup-do and muddied her Christian Dior ensemble.
“Back off, you stupid bitch!” Hal barked. “IfI want your goddamn help, I’ll ask for it!”
Lorraine’s hand flew to her mouth and shegasped loudly, mud smearing across her cheek and the bridge of hernose. The chauffeur stood beside the stretch limousine frozen inhis own shocked horror. He knew better than to intercede and offerhis assistance. It took a few moments for her to rise with all thegrace and dignity she could muster, and retreat to the car withoutspeaking a word.
Jessica took a few safe steps backwards andwatched as Hal rolled to his side.
