“Pleasure was all mine, May.” As she walks inside, I tip my hat to her parents. “It was a real honor meeting you both. Good night.”
I head back to my father’s car, and Mr. Kearns calls after me, “Son?”
I pause in the middle of their path. “Yes sir?”
“When do you leave?”
“Monday, fourteen hundred hours, sir.“ I remove my hat, holding it in both hands.
“Looking forward to it?”
“I can honestly say I am.”
He slides his hands in his pockets, a small smile appearing.
I decide to take my shot. “Sir, I don’t suppose you’d let me take May for a picnic after church tomorrow, would you? If it’s too much to ask, I understand and beg your pardon."
May stands on her tippy toes behind her father as he thinks it over. She grabs onto Mrs. Kearns arm, tugging it, but no help is given. If it were up to her, May would stay home until Tuesday on an exhale.
But Mr. Kearns has a better opinion of me than his wife has. “That sounds harmless enough. Will we be seeing you at church, Jerald?”
“Oh, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that, sir.”
“Until the morning then.” He shuts the door, and the porch light goes dark.
Putting on my hat I give it a tap and stroll away.
If I were the skipping sort, this here would be the time.
20
JERALD
“What’s this about you going to Mass?” Ma walks down the stairs in her Sunday best, a smart hat tilted just so, the short lace veil perfectly balanced. “It’s my week. We’re going to my church.”
“Since Pops needs to stay home and rest, I thought I would represent him at his church.”
She pauses at the bottom of the stairs. “You look so handsome in your suit, Jerald. I hate to think of going without you to show off to my friends!”
“Not sure if that’s a reason good enough for me to stand by.”
“How about your Mother wants you there?” She smacks me with her short gloves, before putting them on. “Your father might have to stay home, and I wish that weren’t the case, but why must I suffer with you leaving tomorrow.”
We were teasing up until now, but her voice has shifted and I can’t joke around her sincerity. “Well Mother I…”
Hank descends the stairs with a quick gait. “Why don’t you just tell her!”
Her head nearly spins off as she looks between us. “Tell me what?”
“He’s set on going because May is going to be there.”
I growl, “Hank!”
Ma stares at me. “Well I never! All this fuss seemingly about your Father and it’s about a girl. Whom you claim not to have a care for.”
“Now that’s hardly accurate.”
“Did you or did you not deny fancying a girl named May just two nights previous?”
Pops calls from the sofa, raising his voice to reach over the long distance. “Why did I marry a lawyer?”
She laughs and walks over to see him better, heels tip-tapping on the tile. “Raymond, I’m glad you see talent when it sleeps right next to you. I should’ve been a lawyer, believe you me!”
“You know I don’t like lawyers.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be resting?” She lifts her eyebrows, and hurries back to Hank and I. “All of a sudden I feel like going to Mass.”
Hank swats my arm as he passes me for his hat. “You’re gonna miss me.”
“Not too sure about that.”
Ma snatches the keys from a hook by the door. “And I think I’ll drive, too. Hank, why don’t you sit in front with me? Your brother can sulk in the backseat.”
A grin breaks free. “You made a fine mess of everything, didn’t you?”
He opens the door for her. “On the contrary. I’m quite proud of my endeavors in every way, shape, and form. After you, Ma!” The wise guy starts to shut the door on me. I grab it before he gets the chance. His laugh follows him all the way to the car.
“Let’s have the top down, shall we, boys?”
“Hold on a minute there!” Pops calls out. We all look over and see him buttoning his suit jacket, a hat under his arm.
“Raymond, if you don’t slow down this minute, I’m driving off without you!” Lowering her voice she says, “Hank, climb in back. Make room for your Father.” Raising her voice again, she shouts, “And don’t even try to suggest driving. I can’t make you stay home, but I will not have your exertion pushed to the limit.”
“Yeah yeah yeah,“ he mutters.
“Would you care for the top up or down?”
“How long have we been married?”
“Down it is.”
Now four hats ride to Sunday Mass, and Hank and I exchange a look that says it all.
Our Pops won’t admit it, but he’s a softy when it comes to matters of the heart. Though they argue, love is always the foundation. I believe that while he almost left this world, his devotion to Ma is what tethered him to it.
When he overheard there’s a girl I’ve taken a liking to, curiosity got the best of him. I imagine he would’ve come along even if we were heading to the Protestant church, rather than the Catholic. And that’s saying a lot for Raymond Cocker, Irish American through and through.
21
JERALD
We arrive with a few minutes to spare, but those are swiped by friends concerned about his health. “Wondered if we’d have the pleasure of seeing you at Mass, Cocker!” “You look fit as a fiddle, Ray! How did you manage it?” “Good to see you up and about, Congressman!”
May is seated on the opposite side of the aisle from us, a few pews up, her parents standing together on her right. The priest’s procession grants her the opportunity to look back, and our eyes meet. Her pretty smile makes my day, and I give her a wink in return with none the wiser.
Folks have asked why the Cockers don’t sit up front. Pops never fails to explain that he’s a
