Eileen in Genderland Part 1 by Andrea DiMaggio

"Ben, can you come here for a moment." Any time Gina used his name, Ben expected that she had something "up her sleeve," as it were. He wasn't far from the truth.

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A Working Vacation

"Ben, can you come here for a moment." Any time Gina used his name, Ben expected that she had something "up her sleeve," as it were. He wasn't far from the truth.

"Sweetie, I think we need to get away for some "us" time." Gina said as she poured Ben a cup of coffee. The school year had drawn to a close, and apart from the transitional work for the fall term neither had any work to do at their respective schools. And Ben's small clientele had "stabilized" to the point where there was less concern; small being three young men with varying degrees of emotional problems that were well on their way to being resolved.

"I can't think of anything better, my darlin' wife," Ben said with a smile, which quickly faded as he noticed a conspiratorial grin on his bride's face. Yes, even after nearly two years of marriage, she was still his bride. With all love a devoted husband can have for his beloved, he nevertheless continued,

"But there's a catch, isn’t' there?"

"Wellllll," Gina said, unintentionally imitating Ethel Mertz (you know...Lucy & Ethel? Cable TV? Black & White?)

 

Ben had become accustomed to Gina's occasional foray into mischief, and it usually meant something involving his sister Katie. For those who are unfamiliar with the Doctors Kelly, Gina had met Ben at a Counseling Conference in Atlanta, where she became immediately enamored with his charm and his intriguing but "pretty" looks. She referred to him as "like Sean Dillon (Jack Higgins' character), only taller and softer. And at the risk of being repetitive, she found that he had the "enigmatic face that could grace either a man or a woman." In the nearly two years of their marriage, Gina had "invited" Katie along on her honeymoon, and had talked her into posing for two wedding photos, as well as attend a jazz club to encourage a fellow (no pun intended) "sister" play piano. Ben was used to Gina's spontaneity, so nothing really would be a complete surprise....until today.

 

The plane landed in Shannon Airport at three PM exactly and they went through customs without so much as a fuss. The two women were ushered through customs quickly by a young fellow who was completely enamored with and distracted by them; the raven-haired beauty beside her sort of....flirted with him. A quick stop at the baggage area was followed by a visit to the Avis rental, where they picked up an Audi A4 Estate Wagon. A nice tour of Ireland for two very attractive women.

 

The two women stood at the check-in at Carrygerry Country House as the man looked at the computer screen in the desk.

"I'm sorry, but I've only got one reservation, Ma’am." The gentleman said, noting the ring on Gina's left hand. The two women stood before him, standing a little closer than...well... The raven-haired beauty wore an exquisite charcoal grey silk skirt suit, which set off her gorgeous legs quite nicely. The blond was wearing a nice ivory skirt suit with an attractive Kelly green blouse. Both women gained the attention of the clerk, who was entirely distracted.

"That's alright, we're together," she said as she grabbed Katie's hand and squeezed. Katie actually was getting used to the attention of her "sister-in-law" in that regard, as they had it all sorted out in their own heads, even if everyone else didn't. She actually leaned over and kissed Gina on the cheek, causing her creamy complexion to redden slightly.

No mean feat, since Gina didn't embarrass easily.

"Second honeymoon," Katie said to the clerk, who smiled lamely. Gina was glad she hadn't been drinking anything at that moment. Gina decided, as they say, "in for a penny, in for a pound," and turned to her lover. She pulled Katie's face towards hers and kissed her full on the lips, causing Katie's and the clerk's faces to turn bright red.

 

Two women; a teenage girl and an older woman, likely her grandmother walked into the gift shop and up to Gina, who was looking at some pewter mugs.

"Excuse me, miss?" The older woman looked at Gina. "May I ask you a question?"

"Including that one," Gina thought, but the lady was sweet enough and polite, so she left that unsaid."

"Of course." Gina smiled, noting that the woman reminded her of an Irish version of her Italian grandmother.

"I know this is a little forward and all, but...We noticed you this morning at breakfast. You’re from the States?”

She said with a slight brogue. “Do you...would you mind if my granddaughter and I join you for lunch. It would be my treat, of course." Gina smiled as she pondered the request. She and Katie had been a little "out there" already, and while they had intended to keep a lower profile for the remainder of the trip, something told her to accept.

"I would...we would be honored," she said, using her hand to point back to Katie, who was paying for paperback at the counter. "But only if we can buy you dinner tonight?" Gina asked.

"That would be nice, Thank you."

 

Katie felt only a little uncomfortable as she noticed the older lady staring at her. Katie’s clothing was rather non-descript, and uncharacteristic perhaps for a "venture outside," as some might say. She wore a nice magenta blouse and vest sweater with jeans and low heels. Gina wore khaki slacks and a cobalt blue silk blouse with two inch heels, causing her to stand at least a little taller than Katie. The older woman wore a nice floral print dress, and her granddaughter wore a medium length denim skirt with a white cotton blouse and green cardigan. She looked uncomfortable, and more than once looked over at the door of the restaurant, as well around at the customers.

"Eileen, sweetie," the older woman said, "It's okay, I'm sure everything will be alright."

The teen looked at her grandmother and smiled, but still maintained a vigilant affect.

"We're from Philadelphia....West Chester area, actually. My granddaughter and I decided to come to Ireland to visit my hometown. I was born right in Kilkenny and grew up in Thomastown, probably near where you lived, Gladys said. Katie had explained that she was planning on visiting Kilkenny to look up relatives.

“Eileen has been staying with me," She leaned closer to Gina, noting that Eileen had excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. "Since my daughter died this year."

"I'm so sorry. It must be hard for both of you." Gina really wasn't lapsing into her counselor mode; she truly understood and wanted to comfort the two.

"I'm glad that we were able to come here; it's really a welcome change. Eileen has been going through such..." The woman started to mist up, and turned away to compose herself. She looked at Katie and back at Gina before continuing.

"As I said this morning, I don't mean to be forward, and I would never impose except for the sake of my granddaughter." She looked back at the ladies’ room door. She continued.

"I'm a fair judge of character, and I think a pretty good detective as well, so please excuse me for asking the next question?" She looked right at Katie and asked the following in an almost whisper,

"I can see you are a very attractive couple, and that’s still unconventional in most circles, but how long have you been...dressing?" Her eyes moved back and forth between the two women before her. Katie looked at Gina as if to say, "The jig is up." She looked at the woman and said in a soft voice,

"Since I was fourteen." She looked over at Gina and continued. "My wife's idea," Katie said, moving her glance up and down at herself, "for the trip." Then Katie surprised the woman with,

"And how about your grandson, Ma'am?"

 

Something in Common

Mrs. O’Malley sat across from the two younger women, surprised at Katie’s question. She looked to see if her granddaughter was back from the ladies’ room. Seeing that she had not returned, she answered,

"My grandson has been dressing since he was fourteen as well." The woman said to them. Her granddaughter joined them momentarily, and sat down at the table, still displaying her nervous affect.

"Eileen, sweetheart, our friend Katie has something she wishes to say to you. She has something in common with you, and she thinks it might help. Please listen, honey." Katie leaned over to the teen sitting next to her and whispered something in her ear. She remained nervous, but her affect changed as tears of recognition came to her eyes. She leaned back to her grandmother and said,

"Grandma, is she telling me the truth?" She looked almost pleadingly at her grandmother who simply nodded yes, tears filling her own eyes.

Gina leaned toward the girl across from her and put her hand in the girl's hand.

"Honey, believe me, we understand, and it's okay. Really."

 

"Anne, my daughter, Eric's mother was driving home from work...they said it was an aneurysm..." Gladys O’Malley explained with tears in her eyes. “He's been with me for the last three weeks. His stepfather agreed to let him accompany me on my trip back home. We agreed that the trip might do some good, if only to get away for a least a little while. But the lad has been deathly afraid of what his father will do if he finds out when we get back." She spoke as if Eric was somewhere else, and that was true, to some extent. Eileen had accompanied her grandmother in her "brother's" place, but hadn't appeared until just before they boarded the plane for the trip. Jamie had dropped them off and "she" changed in the ladies' room with her grandmother's help. Their tour was coming to an end just as Gina and Katie had started theirs. The women agreed that it would be helpful if Gina's husband spoke with the woman's grandson after everyone returned.

 

Two weeks later the boy...young man, actually, sat nervously on the couch as Ben sorted through some papers. He looked down to see a bull terrier sitting at his feet, gnawing on a chew toy. The dog noticed him and immediately began to wag his tail in greeting, which eased the young man's anxiety only somewhat. They had been talking for about a half-hour and Eric, Eileen’s “brother,” felt embarrassed. Ben tried to diffuse his anxiety by getting off “the” subject.

"Your grandmother tells me you lost your Dad when you were about three or four. How long before your mother remarried?" Ben asked.

"I was about five, so Jamie's been in the family for about eleven years." The boy said this almost matter-of-factly.

"Yet you're afraid he might leave you with your grandmother." Ben looked at the young man before him. He reminded Ben of several other young men Ben had come to know over the last few years. They had one thing that bound them together in sad commonality; shame!

"Yehh...yes." Eric said, fighting back the tears. He had yet come to understand that anyone, ANYONE, who loses both parents, has a perfect right, and perhaps even a responsibility to cry.

"It's hard enough losing both your mom and dad, but to risk losing the one person you look up to?" Ben conjectured accurately.

"I...I loved my own dad, but I really was too little to miss him...." He almost...well actually, he did feel guilty about what he had said. Guilt and shame are very tenacious partners that hold on with almost unbreakable grips. Ben just nodded, allowing the boy to process on his own.

"Jamie has been the best. He's done...he did everything for Mom and me. I just don't want to let him down. I mean..." He faltered. As if grappling with his guilt and shame weren’t enough, he was understandably fearful to face the implications of how his "lifestyle” would be received by his father. Jamie Connors was about six years younger than Eric's mom when she married him, and unlike some younger men, he accepted and welcomed his responsibility as Eric's new dad. They did everything any father and son would expect to do, but Eric was so unsure about this one thing that he would almost rather die than disappoint his father. But Eric didn't really know his dad...at least; he didn't really give his dad enough credit.

 

Even as Eric was baring his soul, his grandmother had done some soul-searching of her own, and she had someone she needed to talk to, as well.

"I'm so sorry, Jamie." Gladys said to her son-in-law. I really worried how you'd take Eric's going to a counselor. I apologize."

"I am upset, Gladys, but only because you don't know me enough to know I'd do anything for the boy. After all, he's all we've really got left of..." You might have noticed that there's a lot of crying that goes on the greater
Philadelphia/West Chester area, even by some men. That's because life goes on, even for strong men of character. In fact, it's the one's that can't or won't cry that should gain our attention and worry. But Jamie was a strong man of character, who loved his wife and her son with all his heart. He knew, even if he didn't understand completely, that it was absolutely essential for his son to receive help. God knows he was going through his own private hell grieving for his wife. What they would all discover is that the family would find peace and solace and encouragement as they grieved together. He reached over to his mother-in-law and embraced her and they wept; for the first time since he had married her daughter, the two came to a place of acceptance and even love, as sad as the circumstances were.

 

Ben was just finishing his lunch when he looked up to see one of his mates from the Rugby team standing in the doorway of his office.

"Jamie, lad, what can I do for you? I haven't heard whether or not we made the playoffs. Jackie Boy hasn't called me yet." Ben was surprised to see his teammate.

"Actually, Ben, Dr. Kelly." He used Ben's title. "I'm here in a professional capacity." He smiled and looked down at Ben's name plate.

"My mother-in-law explained that you're the doctor who's been seeing my boy." Ben couldn't help but note the affectionate tone when Jamie said, "my boy."

"Golly, (yes, people still say that) I didn't realized Eric was your son. I'm so sorry. I knew you'd lost your wife, and I didn't put two and two together. Eric has been coming to me for about two weeks, and I mentioned that he might want to have you sit in as we discuss some things."

""Ben...I'd do anything for him. He's like my own flesh and blood, and it pains me to see him this way. If I feel this way myself about Annie, what must it be like for him?" Ben noted the emotion with Jamie's words, and asked,

"He doesn't really know where he stands with you, does he?" It wasn't an accusation, by any means.

"Heaven knows I've tried, but he seems to have something...I'm worried about him and I don't know what to do."

"Perhaps the three of us can figure that out."

 

Later that week three nervous figures sat in Ben’s office. Jamie and Eric sat on the couch, looking very anxious. Ben wasn’t nervous at all, but Rocco paced anxiously as he spotted a cat on the window ledge outside.

"I know this is hard, so maybe Jamie; you could say something to your son to help him along?"

"Eric...I want you to know I miss your mother so bad...it hurts so bad, buddy, that I can't even begin to say." For the first time since his wife died, Jamie actually cried in front of his son. "I'm sorry that I haven't said that enough.

You probably thought I didn't care. I just..."

"It's okay, Dad...really." He leaned over and put his hand on his father's arm and patted it. Son and father...man to man.

"I want you to know that I'm here for you....I love you son....I'm sorry if you didn't believe that, but please believe me now. You're my son, and I love you as much as any father could love a son." His eyes almost pled with the boy, who continued to pat his father's arm.

"I know Dad. It's not you. I know you love me. You've been..." Eric started to break up, not over the sentiment, since he had been absolutely sure of his stepfather's love. It was his acceptance that Eric was unsure of.

"It sounds like neither of you is going anywhere anytime soon, is that about right." The two actually laughed softly at Ben's comment and nodded. "Then perhaps you might be able to tell you Dad just what we've been talking about. I know this is difficult," and here Ben looked at Jamie, "But I think your Dad can handle whatever you tell him."

Two hours later, Eric had finished “explaining” himself to Jamie. He had been dressing for nearly two years, and couldn’t actually point to any event or reason for cross dressing. As you already know, many of us have no idea why we do what we do. Some may have had a traumatizing event to point to or a series of words that may have pushed us in “that” direction, but many of us really don’t know. That’s okay, and Eric was about to find that out.

"I'm...I don't know why, Dad. I just do." Eric looked at his father, who was sitting quietly, his face almost stoic, revealing nothing.

"Ben says there's lots of reasons, and that I might not ever know exactly why." He said the following, which was surprising; at least to Jamie. Very few things surprised Ben these days except for the odd “adventure” his beautiful bride might concoct.

"I don't....I'm....I still like girls, Dad." He said it honestly but apologetically, his voice wavering with emotion, which evoked an even more surprising response.

"If you told me otherwise, I don't think it would have made a difference. I still love you. I've loved you since your mom and I first got together. You and your Mom walked into my store; you were about five, and the cutest kid. I've loved you and I've been proud of you ever since. You're my son." Part of Jamie was relieved that Eric still liked girls. Dads do want grandkids, and we can all understand that, but he really would have accepted Eric either way.

Adoption is funny that way. You may have heard it explained like this: The children that we have bless us, but they "choose" us, so to speak. But the kids we adopt; we choose them, and Jamie had chosen to be a father in every way imaginable to Eric. And now he would choose to get to know someone else in the family.

 

A week later, Jamie sat in Ben's office; Rocco was sitting on the couch next to him, and he was nervously scratching the dog's ear.

"It's alright. Please come out." Jamie said. The bathroom door opened and out stepped a young lady of about sixteen.

She wore a dark grey vest sweater over a white cotton shirt. She wore a mid-calf length charcoal corduroy skirt, and suede boots. Her hair was dark brown and shoulder length and was pulled back into a pony-tail. She wore little make-up, but had no need for blush, since her face was already red from being nervous and embarrassed by her appearance. Ben looked at her and then over to Jamie, who still sat anxiously on the couch. The girl stood stock still, unable to move until Jamie got up from the couch and walked toward her. He nervously embraced the girl, patting her softly but awkwardly on the back. The girl looked up at him and tried to turn away, but he would not let her.

You see, not only did the girl have something in common with her friends, but she had something in common with the man who had decided to accept her. They were family, after all. Her father kissed her on the forehead and said,

"Hello, Eileen."

 

Eileen in Genderland - With Thanks to Dr. Alice Novic

"Can you help me find a book?" Jamie seemed embarrassed, but he wanted to understand. He had a piece of paper with the title, which he had "googled" after talking with Ben and Eric their last time together.

"Of course," the clerk said with a smile. She pointed over to a terminal and continued,

"I can look it up here, or you may look it up yourself, if you’d like."

As much as he preferred to look it up himself, something about owning the process caused him to have her look it up, forcing him to say the title; he owed his son that much.

"I don’t recall the author, and I forgot to write it down. I have the title." He hesitated, but his anxiety was overcome by his need to understand.

"The title is ‘Alice in Genderland.’"

 

Eileen sat on the couch. She petted the dog next to her; his ears twitched with doggie dreams. Her father sat on the couch beside her.

"I miss Mom so much," she said, her eyes filled with tears. Part of her wanted not to cry, not so much because of the emotion, but she already felt uncomfortable and even a little ashamed, unnecessarily I might add, about her appearance, and wanted desperately to be accepted by her father. Her Dad patted her shoulder awkwardly, more out of not knowing how to react than for the emotion of the moment, like his daughter next to him. He wanted to maintain a point of physical contact, and he was trying very hard, but still remained anxious. In spite of the awkwardness of the moment, he said,
"I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night," Jamie started. His own eyes teared up as he looked at the girl and continued, "Eileen," making a point of saying her name while looking at her. Father and daughter were just getting to know each other, having only been introduced a few weeks ago, so to speak. You may recall that Jamie was a widower, whose wife had died suddenly. He was left with a teenage son that he had adopted after marrying the boy’s mother years before. He loved his son more than life itself, as some say, and he wanted to show his son that his love was unconditional, however unconventional it might be. Eric had been cross dressing for nearly two years, and had been heartsick over the prospect of being rejected by his stepfather, but his fears, however predictable, were unfounded, as he discovered an acceptance born out of an unconditional love for Eric and his mother by the man who sat beside him today. Yes, the girl Eileen and the boy Eric were one in the same. Jamie was struggling with this new relationship, more out of not knowing how to react, as if there actually were prerequisites.

"It’s okay, Dad, I’m still here," the girl said in a voice that sounded exactly like her "brother." As much as Eric had been afraid of losing his father after telling him about his need to express his feminine side, his father feared understandably that he had to lose his son in order to gain the daughter he never knew he had. "I’m not going anywhere….do you understand? I…."

Ben looked at Jamie, who despite his awkwardness kept his eye contact with Eileen as "she" spoke. "It’s okay, lad; I think your Dad wants to hear what you have to say."

"I just need to have this part of me…It’s…I don’t know why, but I just need it." He began to weep tears of shame and regret until his father reached over and hugged him, this time without the awkwardness that had accompanied their most recent contact.

"I don’t understand, but I love you, Eric, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to show you."

They agreed, quite surprisingly, that Eileen would visit from time to time, just like some other daughters and sisters we already know. Surprisingly in that they came to the decision quickly, without much need for discussion. Eric was happy with that, as he really didn’t want to change altogether. He was thrilled that his sister had finally found a home, and Jamie was relieved that he still had a son in addition to the new daughter who sat next to him.

 

The following Sunday afternoon, Jamie and his mates were on the field for their playoff game. The sidelines were filled with family and friends, including one girl who had never attended her Dad’s games. She wore a white denim skirt and red blouse with a Kelly green cardigan. Her hair was pulled back with a scarf, revealing her slender neck.

She felt somewhat overdressed until she noted another girl sitting several yards away similarly attired in skirt and blouse. Her attention turned back to the field at the shouting. She rose from the lawn chair on the sidelines as the game ended, remembering to smooth her skirt as a girl should do. It was the first time she had seen her Dad play, and it was great, despite the fact that his team lost by the narrowest of margins. The players walked off the field, more relieved than dejected, and they were greeted by family members and friends who congratulated them for a great season.

She was glad that the game was Sunday afternoon so she and her Dad didn’t have to miss church. Her Dad usually brought her brother since she had only begun to do things with him recently herself. She looked with pride as her Dad’s teammates patted him on the back for a great game

Paddy Reagan came over to the sidelines and clapped his big hand on Jamie’s shoulder. Paddy, along with Kenny and Ben, some folks you may already know in one "form" or another, was one of the fastest men on the field. He looked a lot like Ed Harris, but with much more hair, all of it bright red. He was quickly joined by two teenagers, a boy and a girl.

"And who might this charming young lady be, Jamie lad?" He said this while doffing an imaginary hat in a somewhat chivalrous manner.

"This is….my daughter, Eileen."

"Well, young lady, you must be proud of your father. I’m glad to meet you finally; I’ve only met your brother Eric."

Eileen blushed at the mention of her "brother," who was quite familiar with the Reagan clan.

"Please to meet you, as well, Mr. Reagan. And yes, I’m very proud of my Dad." Jamie looked at his daughter with amazement and pride.

"This is my daughter Karen and her boyfriend Gary," Paddy said. Karen smiled at Eileen warmly, and shook her hand.

Karen was likely the prettiest girl Eileen had ever seen; rosy cheeks and bright red hair like her father. And Eileen’s "brother" had a crush the size of Brazil for the girl, but had been too shy to act on it. And now Karen had a boyfriend. She noted Gary, feeling uncomfortable at his stare. She would have been relieved if her Dad said it was time to go, but heard instead,

"My Dad’s driving us over to Vesuvius for Pizza, wanna come?" As much as she wanted to say no, she thought she heard her brother’s voice say, "Say yes." Before she knew it, she had agreed to accompany the teens, wishing desperately that she hadn’t, for a variety of reasons.

 

Eileen had expected the parents to join them, but it was just the three teens at the restaurant. They sat in the booth at the pizza place. Karen sat across from Gary and right next to Eileen, who felt very good and extremely uncomfortable at the same time. Eileen was like most teenage girls; she liked pizza and she liked friends and music and movies and stuff, but unlike Karen, she had already decided she didn’t like Gary. He had a reputation that "preceded him," as some say, and Karen was such a nice and innocent girl that she hadn’t a clue. She wasn’t "clueless," like the ditzy girls in the movie; she was just such a sweet person that it never occurred to her that some folks just aren’t like that themselves. But Eileen didn’t just feel bad for Karen; she felt uncomfortable for herself. Gary stole glances whenever he could and his look was entirely creepy and condescending, like he was doing Eileen a favor.

 

Karen excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, leaving Eileen alone with Gary. Eileen tried to make small talk with him but he surprised her.

"I’m free Saturday. Karen’s got some family thing to go to. You want to go out." It would have appeared to be an innocent remark but for the creepy look on his face that promised more than just a date." Eileen grew angry, both for herself, but also for Karen. She didn’t deserve this, and part of her thought of how much her "brother" actually cared for the girl.

"Wouldn’t Karen mind?" Eileen asked, anticipating that not only would Karen mind, but she would be entirely hurt and disappointed with her boyfriend.

With all the aplomb and lack of grace a low-life can have, Gary replied in an entirely stereotypical manner,

"What she doesn’t know can’t hurt her." Eileen was going to say something when Karen returned to the table and Gary returned to his insincere but all-too-convincing charm.

"Hey, honey," he began, which made Eileen even angrier, "Since you’re busy Saturday, maybe I could take Eileen to Joey’s picnic…Sorta introduce her to everyone (everyone being his cretin buddies, Eileen thought.) Karen, as sweet a girl as ever was, as some of our friends might say, nodded and said yes.

Karen’s Dad was due to pick them up, so Karen walked outside and waited, looking for the van, which left a very uncomfortable and increasingly angry Eileen alone with Gary. Looking around and feeling secure and somewhat self-satisfied, he reached over and put his arm around Eileen’s shoulder. She winced, but he pulled her close to him and whispered something entirely crude and disgusting in her ear. When she turned to confront him, he pulled her close and kissed her before she could object. When she tried to pull away, he grabbed her wrist, twisting it, perhaps unintentionally, with enough force to cause her to say "OW!" in a decidedly un-lady-like tone, which caused him to say,
"What the hell?" Gary looked at Eileen, who continued to try to pull away. His eyes widened in angry recognition, and he pushed her into the doorway; she hit her head hard, causing her to fall to the floor. He turned to walk away just in time to come face-to-face with a very tearful but angry Karen, who was standing in front of an even angrier and entirely dry-eyed Paddy Reagan, who was standing with his arms folded, as if he were expecting an explanation, which he was. Paddy took two steps toward Gary and slapped him hard in the back of the head, like Gibbs does to DiNozzo on NCIS, but it was clear to everybody, including the patrons at the restaurant, that he was no longer on "Team Reagan." Paddy grabbed Gary by the arm and shoved him out the door. Gary held his hands up to plead,

"She’s….he’s a guy," He said, almost in a whisper out of deference to his own embarrassment, as if that would justify his behavior. Paddy surprised Karen, Gary and Eileen, but thankfully no other, since they were outside, when he said,
"Of course he’s a guy, ya fookin’ moron!" He smacked Gary in the head once again and pushed him away. "Now get the fook outta here and don’t you even think of calling my daughter again, ya brainless bastard!" Paddy never swore in front of his family…at least almost never. Colleen, his bride of almost twenty-six years, would have hit him in the head just like he hit Gary, but this was not a normal occasion. He turned to Karen and Eileen and added,

"Even Oy culd see he’s a guy!" Paddy, like some other Irish folk we know, found that his accent grew thicker when he was angry, which he was. "And so what of it. Who the fook cares?"

Karen looked at her Dad and back at Eileen and then one last time at Gary, who hadn’t quite figured out that he needed to leave. She folded her arms, much in the same way as her father, and in a soft, decidedly feminine, but still angry voice, said the following, which would be her first and only time,

"Yeah! Who the fook cares? Get the fook outta here." Uncharacteristically, Paddy almost beamed with pride at his daughter’s utterance while praying that he would not have to explain her language to her mother, who was waiting in the van, hopefully out of earshot.

 

Colleen Reagan looked at the two girls in the back seat, frowning in sympathy for Eileen. Karen sat next to Eileen on the ride home and held a bag of ice they had got from the restaurant against the growing bump on Eileen’s forehead. She listened as her father spoke from the driver’s seat.

"Jamie is my best lad….I’ve known your family…y’d tink he woulda known I’d guess that his only son….fer cryin’ out loud, lad, I’ve known you since you were five. Now I’m not sayin’ I’m progressive and all, but you’ve been a good lad all your life, and while you might favor yer mother, God rest her soul, yer just like your father!....Fer da most part!" Paddy laughed heartily at the joke, wondering why his daughter and her friend failed to join in. Colleen leaned over her seat and touched her daughter on the arm gently. She looked at Eric, who sat nervously next to the girl he had a crush on, wondering how he would handle the rejection that was inevitable. Mrs. Reagan was not necessarily progressive, per se, but she had more than just a little experience with these things, and Karen did too, surprisingly. She leaned closer to Eric and said softly.

"My brother Danny." Eric looked at her and recalled that his Dad’s team had a half-back named Danny; his wife and kids were at the team picnic last week. "Been dressing since he was your age. The whole family knows." With this she looked at Karen, who in turn looked at Eric and nodded with a smile.

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To be continued…