One Year by Mary McDonough

“Jeannette and I will get dessert now,” she announced.
    PJ sat next to Alexis again, and while Paddy and Danny talked quietly together, he said, somewhat sheepishly, “I’m sorry I said that, about your Irish showing. I didn’t mean anything negative by it, really. And I’m sorry that I don’t have an anniversary gift for you. The trip to Charleston was going to be my gift. But then Grandmother said she wanted us here and things are so busy at work, and I didn’t get around to shopping.”
    Alexis tried to smile. She felt a headache coming on, either from the whiskey or the corned beef. What was corned beef, anyway ? “It’s okay,” she said.
    â€œWe can go into Westminster this weekend if you want. There are lots of nice shops there, and you can pick out something special.”
    Alexis looked down at the two layers of tablecloths and thought of the care PJ had put into her birthday gift last November. He had given her a very high-quality edition of the collected works of Vermeer, one of her favorite painters. And then there had been the wonderful Christmas gift of the Adrienne Jonas photo. And then she thought about how his Valentine’s gift had been chosen by Mary Bernadette. And now there was no anniversary gift at all, once again because his grandmother had intervened. And had Mary Bernadette even considered the deposit they had lost by canceling their reservation?
    Alexis lifted her head and, perversely, she found herself telling her husband that it didn’t matter that he had neglected to buy her a gift. “Besides,” she said, “we should save our money so that we can buy a house of our own one day.”
    PJ smiled. “Or build onto the cottage. There’s almost two acres out back, plenty of room to expand, especially when we start a family.”
    Alexis decided that this was not the moment to argue about moving out of the cottage. She thought of Maureen then, for no reason she could identify. “Too bad Maureen isn’t here tonight,” she said.
    PJ looked surprised. “Why? I didn’t think you really knew her.”
    â€œI don’t. We met in town a few weeks back. She seems nice.”
    â€œShe is nice. I guess. Honestly, I don’t know much about her at all. Oh, except that she dated my father once.”
    â€œReally?” This surprised Alexis. “How do you know that?”
    â€œGrandmother mentioned it, years ago. The relationship didn’t last very long, though. My father broke it off.”
    â€œHuh. Does your mother know about it?” she asked.
    â€œI assume so. There was nothing to hide. No secret love child, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
    â€œNo, of course not. It’s just interesting. Your mother seems so different from Maureen.”
    PJ laughed. “I think that’s what attracted Dad to her. Besides, he told me he always thought of Maureen as more of a sister than a girlfriend, and you don’t marry your sister.”
    â€œNo, I guess not.” Alexis lowered her voice to a whisper. “PJ, when can we go home?”
    â€œRight after dessert.”
    â€œPromise?”
    â€œOf course.”
    PJ joined the conversation between the other two men and Alexis busied herself refolding her linen napkin. She had little faith that they would be going home right after dessert. Her husband had broken a promise or two before. But it was all right. She got up from the table to get an aspirin from her bag.

C HAPTER 20
    M ary Bernadette had decided to present the coffee that evening in the silver service she had inherited from her father’s sister, Catherine. Aunt Catherine had married well and, with no daughters of her own, had left her favorite niece a few good pieces of her accumulations, as well as her wedding band (now worn by Alexis). Mary Bernadette kept the coffeepot, creamer, and sugar bowl in sparkling shape, though she doubted that anyone else