“We’re not goin’ to discuss this tonight, darlin’,” he told her as he drove her home. She looked both terrible and terrified as she leaned against her door with the window open and let the cool night air sweep over her. “Tell your Ma you must have eaten somethin’ bad and that when you started gettin’ sick, you called me for a lift.”
“I didn’t even know you were home.”
“They don’t know that.”
“So you want me to lie? To my own parents?” she asked with a touch of sarcasm.
“No, don’t lie. Tell them their daughter went off with some friends, met up with strangers and got good and drunk on cheap wine. Then she took an illegal drug from one of them and almost got raped. Don’t forget the possibility that you could be presentin’ ‘em with their first grand babe in nine months if things had turned out differently,” he snapped. “Aye, you sassy little bit, I want you to lie.”
“Okay, I’m sorry,” she sniffed, a sob escaping.
“Don’t cry, darlin’,” he advised her. “There’ll be plenty of time for that later.”
“What do you mean?” she whispered.
“I think you know exactly what I mean, Maeve my girl,” he replied calmly.
“No, no I don’t,” she insisted, turning to face him.
“Well if you don’t, you should. I told you three years ago how things stood between us and don’t go tryin’ to deny it. I warned you not to be givin’ somethin’ away that belongs to me.”
“And just what do you think belongs to you, O’Malley? You haven’t called me, haven’t written and barely spoken to me when we saw each other at Mass. And from this I’m supposed to know I somehow belong to you?” she demanded.
“No, you’re supposed to know because I told you, right out and proper like. And don’t think I haven’t been keepin’ an eye on you, darlin’, because I have. The way I see it, you have quite a few things to atone for.”
“Oh, I do, do I?”
“Aye, you certainly do.”
“Like what?”
“Like the way you let Kelly Rourke kiss you in the sanctuary after choir practice.”
“How do you know about that?” she gasped. “And I didn’t let him kiss me, he just did it.”
“You should have slapped his face. I haven’t even kissed you yet, and I’m going to wed you.”
“Who says? What makes you think I’d marry you anyway?”
“I don’t think, I know,” he replied confidently.
Maeve snorted as Sean pulled up in front of her house.
“I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow,” he stated, turning to face her as he shut the car off.
“Don’t bother,” she shot back, opening the door.
“Little lass, you’re playin’ with fire and you’re goin’ to get scorched in more ways than one. You’ve loved me since you were seven so don’t try to deny it, and I’ve loved you too. I’ve been waitin’ for you to grow up, but it’s come to me that you might need a man’s firm hand in order to do that. After tonight, I’m more convinced than ever. I need to marry you before you get yourself into trouble you can’t get out of. Now get up the yard before I forget you’re not feelin’ well. I’ll be waitin’ for you tomorrow.”
“There’s no law against waitin’, O’Malley,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been waitin’ for three years.” Slamming the door, she ran up the steps to her house.
Chapter Two
As soon as the last bell rang signaling dismissal, Maeve hurried to the girl’s room. Hanging her bag on the back of the stall door, she removed a pair of thigh high stockings, navy heels and her make-up bag. Quickly, she stripped her loafers and knee socks off and replaced them. After stuffing her original items in her bag, she peeked out the door, thankful to find the bathroom still empty. Most of the girls scattered as fast as they could once the bell rang and the nuns never used this bathroom. Exiting the stall, she went to the mirror and applied eyeliner, shadow, a heavy dose of mascara and frosted lipstick. Taking a brush out of her bag she pulled her ponytail free and bent upside down, brushing her hair until it was full and fluffy before flipping her head back and arranging it in a tousled style.
Turning this way and that, she was satisfied with her appearance. Now she had to decide whether she wanted to tie her shirt under her breasts or roll her skirt up. It could only be one way, but which was best suited to pissing O’Malley off? The shirt she finally decided. Unbuttoning it, she tied the ends together, exposing her midriff.
Carefully, she tiptoed to the door. Clicking heels could draw attention and that was the last thing she wanted, at least from the nuns. She opened the door the tiniest bit, saw Sister Margaret and Sister Beatrice walking down the hall and quietly let it close. It was all she could do not to tap her foot while she waited, and it suddenly occurred to her she should have a breath mint. Digging through her bag, she found them and popped two into her mouth.
