Moments In Time (19 page)

“Maggie, I’m not so sure you should drive home right now. You’re too upset. And I’m willing to bet you’ve not slept too much these last two nights and you’re tired.”

“I can’t stay here, Jamey.” Her sobs were softer now and came from someplace deep within, the rejection by her father having stung her so.

“That’s quite enough, Maggie.” Her mother took the phone from her with one hand and put the other arm around her daughter. “Jamey, this is Mary Elizabeth Callahan. You’re not going to spirit Maggie away to Toronto or anyplace else. She will be married here if that’s her choice. I’ll not have this go any farther.”

“Mary Elizabeth, have you lost your mind?” Frank exploded.

“Open your eyes, and take a good look at your daughter. Will you be turning your back on her, Frank?” Mary Elizabeth’s lips quivered, but her voice remained firm. “I will be there on her wedding day, and she will be married in this house, Frank, with or without you. If you cannot find it in your heart to attend, you can spend the day in the hardware store with your buddies or you can go play golf. But I will be at Maggie’s wedding, and the wedding will be here.”

No one so much as moved. Neither Kevin nor Maggie had ever heard their mother raise her voice to her husband and
had certainly never seen her defy him. Frank studied her face for a full minute and, without looking at Maggie, turned and left the room, headed, no doubt, for the sanctuary of his second-floor den.

“Jamey, I apologize for the outburst. We’d like to have a few days to get to know yo
u before you join the family…
That will be fine. Don’t thank me, I couldn’t live with myself if I hadn’t
…
Yes, well, frankly, I’m not very happy with the situation either, but it’s Maggie’s life and yours, of course. Now say good-bye to her so that we can hang up this phone. We’ve a wedding to plan and we only have three weeks
…
Yes, I know Maggie said two, but I simply can’t do a prop
er wedding in less than three…”

Maggie and her mother sat in the kitchen and talked for another hour, Mary Elizabeth having brought out a notebook to make some preliminary lists of guests and things to do. She was a notorious planner, and it was a family joke that she could not function without a piece of paper in one hand and a pen in the other. Mary Elizabeth watched as the light slowly returned to her daughter’s eyes as she spoke of the plans she and J.D. had made, and silently she prayed,
Dear Lord, please let her be happy this time. Please let him be everything she believes him to be
…

Frank had retreated to his den, still in shock over the whole thing. His Maggie, his precious girl, pregnant by some faceless rogue with an overactive libido and a smooth line. He too had prayed.
God, please don’t let this guy be as big a jerk as I think he is.

Around three o’clock that afternoon, Mary Elizabeth had instructed Maggie to go upstairs and take a nap. It would give her father some time to cool down before she spoke privately with him. Tired to the very bone, Maggie had agreed. Unfolding the cotton quilt that lay across the foot of her bed, she lay down and curled up under it. Neither nausea nor emotional turmoil prevented her from falling asleep almost instantly. When she awoke hours later, the room was in shadows, the sun was setting, and she became aware of a darkly clothed figure sitting quietly on the room’s other twin bed.

“Frankie,” she asked drowsily, “that you?”

“Yes,” a soft voice responded.

“Mom didn’t tell me you were coming home.” Maggie sat up and reached her arms out to her sister who had risen and seated herself on the side of Maggie’s bed.

“Mom didn’t know. I woke up this morning and had the urge to come home,” she explained, then added, “I’m glad I did.”

Maggie held onto her younger sister, searching for words. Frankie’s chin rested on the top of Maggie’s head.

“Your hair’s getting long, Mags. It looks great,” she observed.

“Thanks,
” Maggie whispered. “Frankie…”

“I know,” she said simply.

“Mom told you?”

“I walked into the middle of a conversation between Mom and Dad.”

“Dad’s livid.”

“He’ll get over it.”

“And Mom’s being really good about it, but she’s upset and I’ve let her down. I let everyone down.”

“Let’s forget about everyone else for a minute. Let’s talk about Maggie. Do you love him?”

“More than I can tell you.”

“Does he love you as much?”

Maggie nodded.

“Then maybe it’s not so much of a disaster,” Frankie said gently, removing her short dark blue veil and running long slender fingers through her straight brown hair.

“Not so much for Jamey and me as it is for the folks, I guess.”

“They’ll come around. You know Dad’s all bluster and blunder when he gets upset.”

“No lectures on chastity?” Maggie tried to smile, wondering what Frankie really thought.

“Margaret, I’m a nun, not a hermit. I know things happen between people.”

“You know what I mean.”

“All I really care about is that you do what’s right for
you.” She’d slipped her shoes off and sat cross-legged on the bed, resting her elbow on her sister’s raised knees.

“The irony is that we had planned to get married in August. We were going to drive up here in a few weeks and let Mom and Dad meet Jamey and get to know him a little and then tell them,” Maggie told her. “This changed our plans a little.”

“When will the wedding be?”

“In three weeks. We don’t have the luxury of too much more time before my condition will become very obvious. I’d like to avoid looking pregnant on my wedding day.”

Frankie smiled. “Fuel for the local gossip mill.”

“Well, I won’t be around to deal with it, but Mom and Dad will. I’d like to spare them the embarrassment if I can. I mean, could you hear the gossip, especially coming right on the heels of Kathleen and Tom’s speedy march to the altar.” “Hey, this could be the best scandal we’ve had around here since Mr. Mac
H
roney left town with his secretary nine years ago.” Frankie grinned.

“Tell me the truth, Frankie. Are you upset?”

Frankie paused before answering, then said slowly, “I just don’t want you to be hurt. But it’s between you and him in the long run, Maggie. And between you and God. No one has the right to pass judgment on you. Not Mom. Not Dad. Certainly not me. I love you too much, Maggie.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered, her voice cracking as she hugged the tall lanky figure and rested her head against the thin shoulder. “Pray for me, Frankie.”

“Every day, love. You can bet your life on it.”

M
aggie had hoped that her father would emerge from his room by dinner, but when he did not, she went up and knocked on the door tentatively. Facing each other had not been easy, each knowing how much they’d hurt the other, but in the end, he’d reluctantly agreed to give J.D. a chance, though he clearly had no intention of every liking him. He was almost as upset that Maggie would be married by a judge in a civil ceremony as he was over the circumstances. In his heart he still wasn’t convinced that the groom would
show for the wedding, but if Mary Elizabeth was willing to take the chance on Maggie making a fool out of herself, he could not prevent it.

“For your sake,” J.D. said when he called the following evening for an update, “I’m glad your family has come around. I know how important this is to you. But you’ve certainly put me at a disadvantage, Maggie. Not only does your father think I seduced you, he thinks I’m a coward as well. I’ve got an awful lot to live down.”

“He’ll be okay. Just keep in mind that he’s determined to dislike you, so you’ll just have to prove to him what a sweet guy you are.”

“Thanks for the tip,” he grumbled. “Is everything set for the wedding? You and your mother get all the details worked out?”

“Pretty much. Actually, Mother has pretty much taken over. I’m still not sure who she’s inviting. I gave her a short list of people I absolutely wanted, but beyond that, I told her to use her judgment, so we could have ten people or thirty or five hundred. Of course, if we let him, Kevin would invite everyone he knows, he’s so excited. He still can’t believe that he’s going to get to meet you, and he’s in an absolute tizzy over meeting Rick.” She laughed. “Rick will be there, won’t he?”

“Certainly. He’s the best man. God, but he’s been unmerciful, Maggie, ball and chain and all that.”

“Well, I hope he and Lindy behave themselves. And I hope Uncle Paul doesn’t get drunk and cause a scandal.”

“Seems to me that it wasn’t only Uncle Paul who got drunk at the last Callahan wedding,” he chuckled.

M
ary Elizabeth heard the car pull into the driveway and nervously peered through the kitchen window. She could tell by Maggie’s body language and gestures as she exited the passenger side of the car that her daughter was giving J.D. an earful about something. She went out the side door into the driveway, smiling as she recognized the look of exasperation on Maggie’s face. She hoped her future son-in-law was a man of strong character and unlimited humor.

“You told me you had a driver’s license,” she was shouting.

“I do. You didn’t ask me if I had it with me,” he replied calmly.

“Lucky for you I went to school with the officer who pulled you over after you went through that stop sign. Hello, Mom.” She hugged her mother. “Mom, this is—”

“Jamey,” her mother extended her hand. “I’ve been looking forward to this. Oh, what the heck, skip the handshake and give me a hug.”

He did, gladly, welcoming the unexpected warmth. Mary Elizabeth stood back and looked him over from arm’s length. Maggie smiled to herself, certain her mother was mentally comparing the man who stood before her with the photo on Kevin’s album cover. She could almost hear the sigh of relief and knew exactly what was crossing Mary Elizabeth’s mind at that moment. Thank heaven for small favors, she would be thinking.

They had started up the front steps when Kevin burst through the front door. He froze in his tracks, seeing J.D. on the porch.

“You must be Kevin. I’m J.D.” He shook Kevin’s hand, realizing the boy was awestruck. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Maggie’s told me about your band. Do you think I could hear you play sometime this week?”

Kevin nodded, speechless.

Maggie laughed. “Come on into the kitchen, Jamey. Want some tea? Mom?”

Maggie puttered a bit while J.D. and her mother made some small talk. Kevin, still speechless, hung over the back of a chair, mesmerized.

“Where’s Dad?” Maggie asked.

“At the hardware store, where he has been every Saturday afternoon for the past thirty years. Here, Maggie, sit here, I’ll move over. So, Jamey, is this your first visit to the States?” Mary Elizabeth had rehearsed some small talk and had decided this would be the appropriate place to start.

“No, no, I’ve been here several times before. I did get to do a bit more sightseeing this time, thanks to Maggie.” The
look in his eyes as they followed her daughter across the room dispelled any doubts Mary Elizabeth harbored. “Mags, you feeling all right?” he asked quietly.

She’d found a box of crackers and was nibbling on one as she sat back down, replying to his question by raising her eyebrows and grimacing. He rubbed the back of her neck, his gentle concern telling Mary Elizabeth all she needed to know.

Frank entered the house through the front door, slamming it behind him.

“Mr. Callahan.” J.D. had risen immediately and had taken Frank off guard with his direct gaze and his extended hand. Frank accepted the hand more as a reflexive reaction than a sign of greeting or welcome. Advantage: Borders.

“So. You’re J.D.”

Frank took in the man who stood before him, searching this stranger’s face, Maggie assumed, for a sign of weakness —something that would reaffirm his feelings about this man. Maggie knew, too, that her mother was watching him carefully, cautioning him to keep his temper in check.

As calmly as his shattered nerves and his rapidly escalating blood pressure would permit, Frank said with exaggerated pleasantry, “Why don’t we two go up to the den and get acquainted.”

“That would be fine.” J.D. rose from his seat, ready for the confrontation he knew was coming. Frank’s manner had left no doubt in J.D.’s mind that he was in for an earful.

“Daddy,” Maggie protested with alarm, “wouldn’t you like to sit down and have some tea with us?”

“Margaret,” he replied sweetly, “I’m in no frame of mind for a tea party.”

“Now, Frank,” Mary Elizabeth began anxiously.

Frank ignored her.

“Come on, J.D. We’ve a few things to discuss, you and I.”

Frank left the room with J.D., sending a reassuring wink to Maggie as he followed him up the stairs and into the den. Mary Elizabeth listened at the bottom of the stairwell and, hearing the door close quietly, marveled at the restraint
Frank was exercising, knowing he had wanted to give the door a good, hard slam. She was keeping Frank’s nitroglycerin handy, just in case.