hate to say it, but I think the restraint did me good. I wanted out so badly, even the library was a thrill."
Marcy pushed the kitchen door ajar and called the others to breakfast. Within minutes, a stampede of hungry O'Connors descended on the kitchen while Marcy poured steaming cups of coffee for Patrick and herself.
"Mama, Faith won't let me wear my red dress to church this morning." Katie's mood was clearly not as jubilant as Charity's.
Marcy smiled patiently at her youngest daughter. "Katie, you wore the red dress last Sunday; your blue dress looks lovely, dear."
"But I like the red dress, and what's more, God likes it better too!" Katie was quite adamant, arms crossed and tone unyielding.
"Katie, stop complaining and sit down." Patrick's tone was as obstinate as Katie's. "Your mother's fixed a wonderful breakfast, and I'd just as soon avoid indigestion before tasting it."
"What's inde-jest-shun?" Katie wanted to know.
Patrick gave her the eye. "An upset stomach ... not unlike," he continued, "an upset bottom after a spanking."
Katie got the gist and scrambled up into her chair, a truly angelic look on her face.
"Mama, I forgot to tell you Sister Cecilia says we need to bring money for the pagan babies," Steven said, grabbing his milk.
Marcy nodded as she spooned eggs on his plate. "Sean, will you be a dear and reach behind you for the toast? It's right on the counter. Does everyone have what they need? Are we ready to say grace?" Marcy sat down, took a deep breath, and smiled at Patrick.
He smiled back and bowed his head in prayer. "Lord, we thank you for this bountiful breakfast and for the beginning of another wonderful week in our lives. Our gratitude knows no bounds for the blessings"-Patrick glanced up at Marcy and grinned-"and the mercy you've so lavishly bestowed. Amen."
After the prayer, Patrick began loading his plate with bacon. "So, Faith ... how was the library?"
Charity choked on a piece of toast, and Marcy patted her back while she coughed for several seconds. "Charity, are you all right?"
She nodded, her face flushed. "Yes, Mother, I'm fine. Just went down the wrong pipe."
Faith's eyes narrowed as she looked at her sister, but Charity avoided her gaze altogether. Patrick munched on his bacon, apparently still awaiting an answer. Faith sighed and frowned at her plate. "It was fine, I suppose. I mean, I love being with Maisie because she's so much fun, but I guess I just wasn't in the best of moods."
"You seemed fine when you left. What happened?" Patrick asked.
Charity chewed her bacon slowly.
"Oh, nothing, really. It's just Maisie and I spent so much time talking, I felt badly she didn't get much research in. Seemed like a wasted evening for her, that's all."
"Cultivating a friendship is never a wasted evening, darlin'," Patrick said, reaching for more toast. "Besides, young girls are entitled to a little fun on a Saturday night. How about you, Charity-did you get much research done?"
The tone of his voice caused Marcy to look up. He was studying Charity closely, as was Faith. Charity appeared cool and unruffled as she responded to her father, her smile stage-perfect.
"Yes, I did. I'm nearly done with my paper, as a matter of fact," she said. "Thank you for letting me go, Father. I feel worlds better today. Is anybody going to eat that last piece of toast?"
Marcy put a piece of bacon into her mouth and chewed, looking across the table at her husband. A frown furrowed her brow as she detected a slight scowl on his lips. His pensive gaze flitted from Faith's deadpan expression to Charity's smiling face, then back once again. Marcy stopped chewing. Faith seemed fidgety, pushing at the untouched food on her plate, and her face was flushed. "Faith, are you feeling all right?" Marcy asked.
Faith dropped her fork on her plate with a clatter. Blushing, she suddenly shot up from the table and glanced at her father before attempting a feeble smile in Marcy's direction. "No ... no, Mother,
Marcy pushed the kitchen door ajar and called the others to breakfast. Within minutes, a stampede of hungry O'Connors descended on the kitchen while Marcy poured steaming cups of coffee for Patrick and herself.
"Mama, Faith won't let me wear my red dress to church this morning." Katie's mood was clearly not as jubilant as Charity's.
Marcy smiled patiently at her youngest daughter. "Katie, you wore the red dress last Sunday; your blue dress looks lovely, dear."
"But I like the red dress, and what's more, God likes it better too!" Katie was quite adamant, arms crossed and tone unyielding.
"Katie, stop complaining and sit down." Patrick's tone was as obstinate as Katie's. "Your mother's fixed a wonderful breakfast, and I'd just as soon avoid indigestion before tasting it."
"What's inde-jest-shun?" Katie wanted to know.
Patrick gave her the eye. "An upset stomach ... not unlike," he continued, "an upset bottom after a spanking."
Katie got the gist and scrambled up into her chair, a truly angelic look on her face.
"Mama, I forgot to tell you Sister Cecilia says we need to bring money for the pagan babies," Steven said, grabbing his milk.
Marcy nodded as she spooned eggs on his plate. "Sean, will you be a dear and reach behind you for the toast? It's right on the counter. Does everyone have what they need? Are we ready to say grace?" Marcy sat down, took a deep breath, and smiled at Patrick.
He smiled back and bowed his head in prayer. "Lord, we thank you for this bountiful breakfast and for the beginning of another wonderful week in our lives. Our gratitude knows no bounds for the blessings"-Patrick glanced up at Marcy and grinned-"and the mercy you've so lavishly bestowed. Amen."
After the prayer, Patrick began loading his plate with bacon. "So, Faith ... how was the library?"
Charity choked on a piece of toast, and Marcy patted her back while she coughed for several seconds. "Charity, are you all right?"
She nodded, her face flushed. "Yes, Mother, I'm fine. Just went down the wrong pipe."
Faith's eyes narrowed as she looked at her sister, but Charity avoided her gaze altogether. Patrick munched on his bacon, apparently still awaiting an answer. Faith sighed and frowned at her plate. "It was fine, I suppose. I mean, I love being with Maisie because she's so much fun, but I guess I just wasn't in the best of moods."
"You seemed fine when you left. What happened?" Patrick asked.
Charity chewed her bacon slowly.
"Oh, nothing, really. It's just Maisie and I spent so much time talking, I felt badly she didn't get much research in. Seemed like a wasted evening for her, that's all."
"Cultivating a friendship is never a wasted evening, darlin'," Patrick said, reaching for more toast. "Besides, young girls are entitled to a little fun on a Saturday night. How about you, Charity-did you get much research done?"
The tone of his voice caused Marcy to look up. He was studying Charity closely, as was Faith. Charity appeared cool and unruffled as she responded to her father, her smile stage-perfect.
"Yes, I did. I'm nearly done with my paper, as a matter of fact," she said. "Thank you for letting me go, Father. I feel worlds better today. Is anybody going to eat that last piece of toast?"
Marcy put a piece of bacon into her mouth and chewed, looking across the table at her husband. A frown furrowed her brow as she detected a slight scowl on his lips. His pensive gaze flitted from Faith's deadpan expression to Charity's smiling face, then back once again. Marcy stopped chewing. Faith seemed fidgety, pushing at the untouched food on her plate, and her face was flushed. "Faith, are you feeling all right?" Marcy asked.
Faith dropped her fork on her plate with a clatter. Blushing, she suddenly shot up from the table and glanced at her father before attempting a feeble smile in Marcy's direction. "No ... no, Mother,
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