Missing Scene From The Reckoning

by Theodora McKee


Assumpta sat at her kitchen table, unable to sleep, thoughts whirling through her mind. She replayed every moment of their walk at the lake, everything he had said, the way he'd looked at her, the way it felt to be close to him at last. It was a new feeling for her to be so exhilarated. Yet a sense of unease crept in. Was she right? Had it really happened? Did he really mean that he loved her? And if he did, where was that going? She'd always thought that Peter played games with her head, led her on, though he would deny it. Was this just another game? She was starting to feel an old, familiar, if disquieting emotion. Anger. An easy one for her to stoke. She got to her feet, ready to pace, when suddenly the telephone rang, a loud, shrill sound in the silence. She looked at the clock as she picked up the phone. Two AM. Who would call her at this hour?

"Hello?" she said cautiously.

"Apparently you're everywhere, all over the country."

"Peter?"

"I don't think so. I think there's only one of you, and I can't let you go. Assumpta, I love you. I want a life with you. I'll do whatever it takes, whatever you want. Just don't run away from me."  

Silence.

"Okay," she said. She could hear his sigh of relief, and she laughed.

"I didn't wake you?"

"No," she said. "I couldn't sleep."

"Meet me at the bridge," he said.

She didn't think there was danger of anyone being awake and seeing them together, but she took Fionn with her anyway. She could have been walking her dog and run into Peter by accident.  As she approached the middle of the bridge, she saw that he was already there, looking down at the river. He smiled as she came up to him, and their hands met on the railing.

"You feel cold," he said, folding his hands around hers.

"A little."

"Che gelida manina."

"What?"

"It's an aria, from La Boheme, `Such a cold little hand'. I've thought of it a lot since that night at Kilnashee."

She decided to let that go. The aftermath of that night was still too painful; she had to change the subject. "What was that mysterious thing you said on the phone? Apparently I'm everywhere?"

He looked at her lovingly. "I had a chat with Father Mac, and he said that Ireland was full of Assumpta Fitzgeralds. When he said that, I realized what you meant to me, and that I couldn't take the chance of losing you again." He pulled her close to him and held her for a long moment. "Assumpta, say something, please."

"Will we have to go to church?" He laughed. That was so Assumpta, so endearing.

"Nothing else?"

"Are you waiting for me to say that I love you?"

He looked at her, suddenly serious. "Yes."

"Well, Peter, you know what I'm like. Don't expect to hear a lot of talk like that from me."

"I think I need to hear it once."

She inhaled sharply. "It's not an easy thing for me to say. I don't think I've ever said it to anyone. But why would I be here if I didn't?"

"Didn't what?"

She looked at him, saying nothing, until he looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "All right, all right," she said. "I love you."

They stood there in the cold, both of them smiling, feeling a bit foolish. "So now what?" she asked.

"Now I file a petition to the Vatican, and wait. Could be six months, maybe a year, till I'm released from me vows. Will you wait?"

"Well, I've waited all this time. But you'll have to leave, won't you?"

Suddenly sad. "Yes. I'll do Kieran's baptism on Saturday, and on Sunday, I'll say goodbye to the parish. I think Father Mac will want me out immediately.  I want to do this right; I'll go home to England, see what else I can do for a living. Will you come soon, meet my family?"

"Ow. I can just imagine how they'll feel about me. Luring you away from the Church."

"They'll love you, most of them. They already know how I feel about you because I told them."

"What?"  She was truly surprised.

"When my mother was dying, I wished I could have told her. Afterwards, we were talking, reminiscing, my sister and brothers. One of my brothers started an old teasing, about when I was going to find a good woman and give up the priesthood. So I took a deep breath…and told them about you.  They took me seriously, although they thought I might have left it too long. I know they'll be happy for me, for us."

"Well," she said. "I wouldn't have thought it. I hope people feel that way in Ireland, but I'm not sure they do."

"Oh, yes," he said, tightening his hold on her hand. "Even in Ireland, it happens." He brought her hand to his lips, kissed it.

"I think we'd better go home, " she said. "This dog is freezing, and so am I."

"Okay. Listen, I'll stay after the Food Faire tomorrow. We can make plans. Be alone." He shivered. "Indoors." She nodded, reluctant to leave. He leaned over and kissed her gently. "Tomorrow." She turned and walked back towards the pub, glancing back once and smiling. He smiled in response, filled with joy and hope for the future.