“You might have warned me,” Maeve hissed, kicking Sean’s ankle when they rose.
“Ouch!”
“I can feel a million eyes on me,” she said quietly with her head down.
“They’re probably just jealous,” he said, turning his bowed head and grinning at her. “You got the best catch in town,” he whispered.
Maeve snorted and got a glare from his mother. She smiled sweetly back. “They’ll all think I’m pregnant,” she complained.
“Well, if they do it t’will be the longest pregnancy in history. We still have nearly eleven long months to go.”
“Maybe longer, much longer,” she snapped, glowering at him and giving him an elbow in the side as they knelt.
Sean grunted, put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “They have a cryin’ room you know,” he growled in her ear. “’Tis used for unruly children but ’tis sound proof. Maybe I should show it to you,” he threatened.
Blushing, she shook her head no and picked up her hymnal, ignoring him for the rest of the service.
As soon as they walked into the vestibule, she was surrounded by classmates of the feminine variety who all wanted to know the details as they looked Sean over like he was the last burger at the picnic. Squaring her shoulders, she smiled, nodded and acted like they’d been a hot item for a long time, when in reality she’d barely seen him in the last few years.
Apparently he took pity on her because he walked to her side and fielded questions about himself she had no way of knowing the answers to. Ever so gently, he edged her toward the side door until they could make their escape as young and old congregants alike offered their congratulations.
“Slow down,” he commanded when she started to run at the first opportunity.
“Pardon me if I want to get away from the inquisition,” she snapped as he caught her elbow and pulled her to a halt.
“Aye, t’was pretty bad,” he admitted, “but at least ’tis over. Things will have settled down by next week. By the way, my mother’s expectin’ us for dinner.”
“What?” she yelled, turning on him.
“Relax; your parents are comin’ too. They want to discuss the weddin’.”
“And when did all these plans get made? Why don’t I know about them?” she demanded, planting her hands on her hips.
“Ma called your ma yesterday and I imagine you didn’t hear about it because your ma isn’t speakin’ to you,” he said cheekily as he opened the car door for her.
“Oh, this should be fun with both of them talkin’ over my head, decidin’ my weddin’. Your mother doesn’t even like me,” she pouted.
“You’ll grow on her.”
“Aye, like a fungus.”
Sean laughed and took her to the coffee shop for a chocolate éclair.
Chapter Five
Maeve sensed it wasn’t going to be a good day when her mother slapped a bowl of porridge in front of her on the breakfast table Monday morning. She was wearing a new pink robe trimmed in lace and Maeve knew the silent treatment was truly over. Oh, she’d spoken quite nicely to her husband and daughter yesterday, but that was for appearances. Many times over the years she’d smiled and acted like she had the perfect family only to revert to a frozen woman with pinched lips when they returned home.
“I hope you’re plannin’ on goin’ to confession this week, Maeve Donahue. Mrs. Riley already called this mornin’ to tell me O’Malley had you out on the stoop last night stickin’ his tongue down your throat for all the world to see. What, by all that’s holy, do you think you’re doin’?”
“We’re goin’ to be married, Ma,” she replied picking up her spoon and adding sugar to her bowl.
“So you say, but he wouldn’t be the first man to change his mind once he gets what he wants. The days when a woman’s da could poke a man in the back with a shotgun all the way to the priest are long gone,” she warned.
“Sean wouldn’t do that,” she insisted vehemently. It surprised her how sure she was. “Sean’s a good man and he loves me.”
“They all love you till they’ve crawled between your thighs,” her mother scoffed before taking a sip of her tea.
“Well he hasn’t, at least not yet, so I guess the weddin’ is still on,” Maeve snapped, getting to her feet.
