Rehearsal Day
Mike Ahern sat on the bed of his room at the motel and looked at the box Steve Applebaum had given him as a wedding gift. “I hope it’s not too presumptuous,” Steve said, when presenting him with the gift.
Eden broke in with, “We also got you 400-thread-count king-sized sheets, as Riley said you were getting a new bed.”
Mike smiled at that. Riley was already needing her space. Maybe it would be good to look for a house sooner rather than later. They were both used to being independent and alone.
He wished Riley were here with him now. But she was staying with her mother. He supposed it was only traditional not to see the bride before the wedding. But that was a day away, perhaps time enough for all of them to finish digesting the pizza from the rehearsal dinner.
He supposed, if his mother had a choice, she would have held the “dinner” at MacDonald’s, but Riley had suggested the parlor, where she and her friends had spent so much time when they were in high school. It had a private room, just beer and pizza, what could be better? And relaxed, which is something families needed when gathered together for the first time.
Not that many of the Aherns were in attendance. It had been decided by Mike’s mother that only a few of the family should make the trip. After Mike’s honeymoon in Ireland, the whole family would gather for a celebration at the church hall, where the wedding should have been held in the first place.
So Mike was in Scarsdale with his parents, his sister Mary and her husband Thomas, and his cousin Declan, along with Orla, Declan’s wife. Declan would be his best man. They had always been close, and it would save hurting the feelings of any of his brothers.
One more day, Mike thought. Were all weddings this tense?
The box that Steve gave him. The presumptuous box. Mike decided to open it. What else did he have to do but watch television and maybe fall asleep.
Inside was what looked like a scrapbook, with a note affixed to the front of it. “Riley told Eden, Eden told me about your parentage. I used what skills I possess to find out what I could. If you don’t want to know, just toss this before opening. Steve.”
Oh, yeah, sure. After a note like that, Mike was just going to toss the scrapbook. He took it from the box and opened it.
Wow. This was like that television program, “Finding Your Roots.” How did Steve get these photos that looked as if they were from the origins of photography itself, along with some sketches and some photos of the dead? Actually dead. Weird. There was the genealogical tree of the Aherns,' a branch coming to America in 1812. But not their branch. They came later, 1840, first to Boston and then on to upstate New York, and then finally to eastern Ohio, where several set to farming, until some of those members removed to Pittsburgh to work in the steel mills. And now look at how their professions had proliferated.
Mike turned the page to a new heading. There was Nora McKinnon. Mike’s mother. Well, he knew it was his mother because Steve had labeled it, “Your Mother.”
Mike couldn’t believe it. There she was in her school uniform with her parents, with her siblings, and then—
At least when she was pregnant, her family didn’t kick her out and send her to the nuns. Then what would have happened to him? And her! No. Mother and daughter traveled to England. Then cousin contacted cousin and some arrangement was made to enfold Mike into the loving arms of the Aherns.
But the story didn’t stop there for Nora. She returned to Ireland, not to County Mayo but to Dublin, where she got a job at Bewley’s and then met and fell in love with Joseph Reardon, who was on his way to becoming a solicitor. They had two children, in their twenties now, who took advantage of the European Union to work across the sea, one in Berlin, the other in Brussels.
But Nora and Joseph were still in Dublin, well, a suburb. She looked—happy.
Mike wondered if he should be feeling something other than what he was, which was curious. Should he be resentful? Angry? Grateful?
Gratitude was probably the best response. That she hadn’t had to suffer, that she had gone on to live the life she deserved, and that he had prospered too. Perhaps not with the greatest love a mother could give. But then love in his family came from all directions. Not just from his parents, who were busy surviving, but from his siblings, his cousins, his aunts and uncles.
The last page included Nora’s address and cell phone number. But what was Mike to do with it? He wondered. He didn’t want to get her into trouble if she had never told her husband about this earlier birth. Could he claim to have a message from a family friend and would she like to meet? Did she have family in America? Well, what person from Ireland didn’t?
He’d like to meet her. He wanted to tell her that things for him had turned out just fine, to introduce her to Riley, to tell her that he was so glad her life had also found a path toward happiness.
He’d discuss it with Riley. She always gave good advice. As far as Steve, what a very handy brother-in-law to have. Unless he got arrested.
*****
They were sex-segregated, even though there were only four of them. Eden and Lily were on the couch, laughing away. Steve and Frank stood by the bar at the carriage house they rented for the wedding weekend. “I just hope no one brings up the prom,” Steve said sotto voce.
“If they had a lot to drink, maybe,” Frank guessed. “But Eden’s not drinking.”
“Some medication she’s taking,” Steve threw out there.
“It’s good to see them getting along. For the moment. What’d you think of Mike?”
“Quiet,” Steve assessed. “But was he given a chance to talk? With his mother and your mother going at it—in the most polite way possible.”
“Ding ding ding,” Frank said with a smile. “Well, you were strong enough to survive my mother. I’m sure they will be too. Notice how she talked to you to avoid talking to Eden. Until Eden called her on it. I think saying, ‘Let’s make this a happy occasion,’ was the perfect response to the cold shoulder.”
Steve recalled only too well, as Bernice came back with a snide remark about how she hoped Eden’s matron-of-the- bride dress was appropriate for the occasion. Like, why wouldn’t it be? Eden knew fashion. She had to for her job.
He sighed, thinking about Bernice and his mother Sandy. What the hell was going to happen when they had this child of theirs. How would the mothers-in-law react? Would they both want to stake their claim or maybe just ignore their grandchild entirely? His mother might, Steve considered. But this would be Bernice’s first grandchild. Of course, if his mother knew that Bernice was ready to take over in the grandparent department, wouldn’t she come charging down from Pennsylvania to try to edge Bernice out?
But enough contemplating. Turning once again to Frank, he asked, “What’s with you and Lily? After all this fuss, have you decided not to get married?”
Frank frowned. “Well, you know Lily’s father is still out on appeal. She won’t get married until he’s safely locked up.”
“You think even then he couldn’t ask for a release for his daughter’s wedding?”
Shrugging, Frank said, “Her family situation is so complicated. They had to sell their house for legal fees, but then the people he defrauded got wind of it and put a lien on it. After which her mother shows up at our house and begs to be taken in. I had to be the bad guy and say under no conditions were they ever to stay at my house. Emphasizing the ‘my.’ I thought maybe Lily would hate me for being so abrupt, but she was relieved that I had taken the onus on myself. Still, I know the whole situation gnaws at her. There’s the anger but also the guilt.”
“Well, if you get married, she’ll no longer be a Stanton.”
“But she wants the walk-down-the-aisle wedding.”
“I’ve never regretted the way we were married. It solved so many problems. It was really a wonderful day.”
“Sorry I wasn’t there,” Frank noted, annoyed.
“Hey, don’t blame me. I just walked in the door and Eden said we’re getting married. You know there are aisles all over the world, Frank. Just have Lily name which aisle she wants to walk down, and we’ll be glad to join you there to celebrate.”
Eden looked over at them. “What are you two talking about?”
“Weddings, what else,” Steve replied.
“Us too. We’re wondering how Riley is faring at my mom’s condo.”
“Mom will be too busy taking care of last minute details to bother her,” Frank assessed.
“She’s never too busy to nag,” Eden replied.
“Riley’s a big girl. She can take care of herself. And let’s just say, sweet baby of the family, that she’s a hell of a lot more diplomatic than you are. Everything will be fine.”
Eden just rolled her eyes. As if!
*****
Riley wished she were wearing a diaper so she didn’t have to go out into the hallway to use the bathroom. She was afraid of another assault by her mother. It was eleven at night and still her mother was on the phone. To someone. Maybe Thad? Riley couldn’t figure out who else would be awake. That her mother would dare to bother.
After the rehearsal dinner, she had come back here to listen to her mother rip Mike’s parents apart in a very underhanded way. It was true that they weren’t exactly engaged, never really got into the spirit of the rehearsal “dinner.” On the other hand, this isn’t what they wanted for their son. However, it was a bit insulting that they only really talked to Declan and Orla. Even when Thad tried to draw them out, they would just nod and smile. Oh well, their problem.
So Riley said nothing except, ”Well, families are difficult. Aren’t they?” The only time she fought back was when her mother started in on Mary Ahern. “Mom, she is a good friend to me and she’s Mike’s sister. She and Thomas have supported us every step of the way. Do not even think of criticizing a hair on her head.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t make a Federal case out of it. After all, I behaved beautifully through the whole trying experience. I even spoke to Eden.”
“Maybe that’s because she’s your daughter? Look, I’m tired. I need my beauty sleep.”
But, of course, she couldn’t sleep. The last time she looked at her watch, it was midnight. Would Mike be awake? Would she wake him if she called? She decided she’d try him; and, if he didn’t answer in two rings, she’d cancel the call.
He answered right away. “I can’t sleep,” she confessed.
“Me either.”
“Why you?”
“Just thinking.”
“Me too. Do you realize by tomorrow this time we’ll be husband and wife?”
“Not in my mother’s eyes.”
Riley giggled. “I’ll love living in sin with you.”
“And I’ll love doing sinful things with you.”
“Won’t your mother make you go to confession?”
“I wouldn’t dare. It’s been too many years.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Get some sleep.”
“You too.” Riley put down her phone, totally satisfied with life, and finally fell asleep.