Page 12 of Reckless

My father coughs loudly but I’m picturing what the inside of my new home would look like. Color rises up my chest. What our home must look like compared to his. Whitewood house was a mansion and a fascination to most of us in the area. It was gated, and you only got to see through the gates but the white house was far off in the distance. All of a sudden this felt like a fairy-tale.

“Where will you get married?” My father fires the question at Michael more forcefully.

“That would of course be Margret’s choice.”

I know my mother is watching me expectantly. “My parents married here in Monalty church,” I say and Michael nods.

“Monalty church it will be then.”

“More tea?” My mother is half standing ready to pour looking prouder by the second. My father declines and it’s then I notice he hasn’t touched anything on his plate.

My mother holds most of the conversation about my dress and what food would be served. Each time I look to Michael he smiles and tells me it is all up to me. He looks so relaxed in our home. My father is growing more and more sullen and he doesn’t stop even long after Michael leaves with a promise of returning tomorrow evening.

Once he’s gone, my father can’t seem to hold his anger in any longer.

“David, please.” My mother’s warning falls on deaf ears.

“How can you sit there knowing what that man does for a living?”

Something uncomfortable slithers up my spine. I wasn’t sure what he did, I just knew you didn’t cross him and it wasn’t above board.

“He loves our daughter.” My mother sounds so sincere her words have me looking at her.

“Love. You would base all this on love?” Anger swipes across the table like a wet cloth and I want to evacuate the kitchen.

“Why not? Maybe it will be enough.” My mother holds her head up high as she speaks.

“He will be the death of our daughter.” The pain in my father’s eyes radiates across the floor and manages to pierce some part of me.

“Father, he saved me today.” I step forward.

“That’s today.” My father steps towards me, hands hanging at his side and there is such a look of defeat in his eyes. “What about tomorrow? What about when me and your mother aren’t here anymore?”

My throat tightens. “Don’t say that.” I want to naively state that they will always be here, but that wasn’t true. “He would never hurt me.”

Releasing a deep breath my father sits in his chair beside the fire, the one that only he can sit on. “Maybe not today. Maybe not by his own hands, but being with a man like that will only lead to misery.”

“I’m marrying him, Father.” I stand taller and he rises giving me a nod before leaving out the back door. I’m left stunned for a moment. My mother’s hand rests on my shoulder.

“He will come around.”

I give her a doubtful look. “I don’t think so.”

“Well I’m here for you.” I knew she was but some part of me feared my father’s words. They sounded like a prophecy.He will be the death of our daughter.

What did he see that I didn’t? Was it just a father’s fear of letting go?

“Margret. You know your father. You are all we have. He’s afraid.” My mother answers my unspoken question and I feel a sense of ease immediately.

“You’re right. I’m getting married.” I’m smiling again and so is she.

“I knew you were special. So much more beautiful than all the other girls.” I blush. My mother wasn’t one for handing out compliments so I basked in her praise.

I didn’t always think I was pretty. When the boys passed me up at every opportunity I had started to believe I was ugly. But now with Michael’s attention I felt like a princess. A beautiful one.

Chapter Ten

Michael O’Reagan

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