Eva and the Irishman Page 5

  ~~~

  It took a half hour for the dogs to be called inside. That was O’Donnell’s signal that it was clear to leave. When Patrick and Liam exited the shed, the store owner wordlessly waved them inside.

  “That was close, boys,” Seamus O’Donnell said. He shut the door after them. An acquaintance of Patrick, he was nearly seventy, bent over from rheumatism and years of hard work. “Will ye stay and have a whiskey wi’ me?”

  ~~~

  On their way back to Patrick’s house, Patrick said to Liam, “Those orange bastards are gonna skin ye alive if they ever find ye out, ye know.” They stopped in the street, facing each other. “It came mighty close today.”

  “Aye, it did, and most likely they’d kill me,” Liam said. He thought for a moment. “The one they called Jimmy, I may know him. Perhaps I should not do this anymore. We’re gettin’ older now and they’re not so tolerant like they were when we were younger.”

  “Maybe so fer you,” Patrick put in. He sighed. “I’ll keep fightin’ though.”

  “It doesn’t ever seem to stop. What’s it all about, other than hatin’ others for bein’ a Protestant or a Catholic? Aren’t we all worshipin’ the same God? Don’t both groups claim Jesus Savior?”

  “We’re tired of the second-class designation, and bein’ called the defeated ones. We want home rule and freedom from the dictates of the British Protestants.” Patrick paused. “Maybe I won’t see ye for a while, Liam?”

  “Maybe not, Paddy. Maybe it’s not what I’m bein’ called to do anymore. I’m startin’ to get serious about medical school. Won’t that beat all, if I become a respectable doctor?”

  Patrick gave him a one-sided smile.

  Liam stood looking at Patrick for a few moments. They had been friends since they were ten-years-old.

  “I’ll always consider ye a friend, Liam. Hell, I consider ye a brother. If ye ever need anythin’, count on me, and my gang.”

  “Likewise, Paddy.”

  They shook hands, hugged, and parted—Liam back to the kitchen and Annie, and Patrick back to his divided, violence-prone Belfast.

  “Stay safe, my friend,” Liam said, while he walked away.

  Chapter 6

  Eva arrived home later, to warmth and the lovely fragrance of chocolate cake just out of the oven. It was her father’s birthday, she remembered. She had knitted a new pair of socks for him, noticing a while ago that his dress socks were so worn that darning the holes was just not worth it anymore. The old ones could be unraveled, and the good yarn from them would be reused for rag mittens.

  She entered the common room, feeling self-conscious. She and Victor had just been giving each other orgasms with their hands. “Hello everyone,” she said. “The cake smells heavenly. Is Pappa here?”

  “He’s out in the barn finishing up the milking,” Mamma said. “He will be in shortly.” She was sitting in the old, wooden rocker while Liisa and Aili cleaned up.

  “That gives me time to get his gift ready,” Eva said, noticing her voice was a little high-pitched.

  “What’s the matter, Eva?” Mamma said. “You sound … different.”

  “Nothing’s the matter.” Feeling unnerved, Eva walked quickly into her bedroom and closed the door, hoping they would think she just wanted the privacy to wrap her father’s gift. She heard Pappa come in and the fuss being made over him. Good, she thought, Pappa's inside. That will take Mamma's attention off me.

  Eva wondered if she were wearing some sort of sign around her neck announcing what Victor and she had been doing. Eva felt a heavy weight of dread, but it soon passed when she thought of Victor’s gentle ministrations until she climaxed, and how she held his penis to give him his pleasure. It gave her butterflies and took her breath away. I love him so much, she thought. And, I’m still a virgin. I know Victor wanted to go in there today, but I still would not let him.

  When Eva finished wrapping her father’s gift, she stood with her hand on the wrought iron door latch, took a deep breath, put on a celebratory face, and opened the door. She greeted her father with a kiss, put the gift down for later, and began to help with supper preparation. Nothing else was mentioned by her mother that night.

  ~~~

  When Victor arrived home, he heard his mother calling. “Victor, is that you?”

  He found her in the pantry.

  She looked up at him. “Where have you been all afternoon?”

  “Eva and I cleaned the barn,” he said. “Then we went to the lake to talk.” He washed his hands and arms at the sink.

  “About what?” she asked. Her voice sounded innocent, but Victor wondered about her sudden curiosity, innocent or otherwise. She’d never before asked where he’d been or what he’d been doing.

  “Things,” he answered with mild irritation, picking up a towel and drying his hands. He didn’t wait for her next inquiry as he hung the towel and walked to his bedroom. He sat on his bed and tried to assess the situation. Should he stay in his room for a while, or go out to the kitchen to butter up his mother? He could ask about her cooking and comment on how good things would taste when it was time to eat. Shit, he thought. All of a sudden, his mother was focusing on him and Eva. He decided not to hide in his room, took a deep breath, and exhaled as he returned to the kitchen. His father and two brothers were walking into the room, back from the ride to Rauma. Good. The attention will be off me for a while.

  Eino was limping but able to put weight on his foot again. Victor hoped this would make his mother feel less trapped by Eino, whose reemerged habit of incessantly demanding things from her had worsened with his immobility. He also knows I’ve been pursuing Eva, and he is not happy about it. He has no idea I have taken Eva away from him in the last twenty-four hours. All hell may break loose when he finds out, Victor thought. He felt triumphant. He didn’t want Eino following them and trying to watch them. They’d have to be more discreet. But Eino wasn’t the only one Victor was concerned about. He sensed his mother knew something. He would talk to Eva tomorrow.

  ~~~

  Victor waited for Eva the next morning at his usual spot. The rain had cleared, and it was a beautiful sunny morning. In the habit of checking, the hay field along the lane a brilliant new-growth green. Victor looked up and his heart jumped when he saw Eva. She seemed happy to see him, her stride strong as she walked to him. He leaned to her for a kiss. She put her arms around him and held him in a way she never had before. He reciprocated in kind. They stood that way for longer than usual.

  Victor finally broke the spell although the hug made him feel warm about her. “It was very strange last night with my mother,” he said. “It’s as though she knows something.”

  “I was thinking the same thing last night with mine,” Eva said. “I thought she knew something about what we’ve been doing.”

  “Also, Eino is up and about, so we need to be very careful, if we are to - you know-”

  Eva seemed pensive for a few moments and then said with disappointment, “Maybe we shouldn’t do it for a while, then.”

  Victor realized Eva was probably right. They would have to stop—for a while anyway. A very short while, Victor declared to himself. I just convinced her to start. I’m not about to go backwards and have to convince her all over again with all that cajoling and gentle prodding. “I think you’re right,” he said. “I hope not forever. I like making love to you.” He put his hand on her buttocks and pushed her into him. She giggled and pushed him away.

  Then she smiled and came close to his lips with hers, but ended up rubbing noses with him. “Me, too,” she whispered. “I like calling it ‘making love’ and I’m still a virgin.”

  He breathed easy, knowing he’s still on track to winning her.

  “I can’t get with child?”

  “No. Not with my hand.”

  Holding hands, they walked up the dirt road to the farm. Victor was sure Eva wouldn’t ignore the strong urges that had awakened in her in the last few days for long. Olga was like that. Eva loves
climaxing.

  ~~~

  Four weeks went by. All the grains had been planted, and plans at the Mattson farm turned toward getting ready for the Mid-Summer Festival, which was coming up in two weeks. Juhannus, was put on by the church in Rauma, and was always held on the summer solstice. Eva and her sisters were enthusiastically preparing. Pappa, sick or not, insisted on going. Eva suspected that he knew he wasn’t long for this world and was willing to put up with the body-wracking cough and discomfort to be with his family and friends. Mamma, too, seemed bound and determined to go to Rauma, even though her sight was diminishing at a rapid rate.

  Eva and her mother were baking bread, enough to last the next couple of days.

  “I have been meaning to talk to you, my daughter.”

  Eva’s stomach tightened. “About what, Mamma?”

  “I know you are of age now, and you and Victor are spending a great amount of time together.” She paused.

  Eva thought it was as if she were either putting her thoughts together, or afraid to say what she wanted to say.

  “I just hope you and Victor are being careful.”

  Eva knew what her mother was afraid of and put her arms around her. “Mamma, I love you, and I want you to know …” Eva hesitated for a moment “…that Victor and I plan to get married. He asked me a few weeks ago, and I said yes. Please don’t worry, Mamma. Victor will always take care of me. He promised. We are very happy together.”

  Mamma put her arms around Eva, who felt enveloped in her love.

  “I’ll tell you something else,” Eva said, trying to break things easily, “he has a wonderful idea to build a house for us right on the lake. Don’t you love that idea, Mamma?” Eva felt her mother relax a little. “He’s started to cut trees for the outside walls.”

  “As long as he is good to you, and he will take care of you, your father and I are all right with everything.”

  They embraced for several moments.

  I’m glad she didn’t ask me if I’m still a virgin, even though I am. Changing the subject, Eva groaned and told her mother that her monthly was coming on again. “But at least I won’t have to bother with this in two weeks at the festival.”

  “Speaking of the festival, do you have your Rauma outfit ready? Your sisters do. Will you even want to wear it?”

  “I’ll have to take a look, bring it out to air, and see what Victor will be wearing.”

  After they put the bread to rise, Eva went into her room and came out with her costume. “What are you wearing, Mother?”

  “My Rauma costume, of course. Pappa will be wearing his, too.”

  Eva was happy that her mother was excited about attending the festivities. It would do well for both of her parents to get out and about, even though they both were devout homebodies.

  ~~~

  That same day, Victor made an unusual visit to Eva, Sundays being reserved for family, and not visits to neighbors. As he approached the tenant’s farm, he saw Eva walking from the house to the springhouse and called to her. She looked up, smiled radiantly, and ran to meet him. He calmed his breath and tried not to look flustered.

  She peered into his face. “What is it Victor? Are you all right?”

  Without giving her a kiss or hug, he just blurted it out. “My parents know.”

  “Know what?”

  “That we’re getting married. Well, my mother suspected something, so she had my father talk to me. Father and I were discussing farm business after chores, and he asked me what was going on. Christ, Eva, I told them we were planning a marriage next spring.” He waited for her to scold him.

  “I told my mother, too,” Eva said. “She knew something. She feels much better since I opened up to her. I told her you would take care of me. She liked that.” She paused. “I hope you still want to marry me, Victor. You didn’t change your mind, did you?”

  Victor grabbed her in an embrace, hearing her grunt as she thudded against his chest. “Sorry,” he said with an anxious giggle. “I love you and I still want to marry you. I want that more than anything,” he said.

  “Oh, good,” Eva said. She sounded relieved. “Do you want to come in for coffee? Mother would be happy to see you.”

  “I’d like that.”

  They stopped in the vestibule, removed their shoes, and walked in, surprising Eva’s mother who was sitting in the kitchen rocker.

  “Hello, Victor. How are you?” She started to stand, but Victor stopped her by bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

  “I am well, Mrs. Maki. You are looking well yourself.”

  “How is your mother? Eva has been telling me of the difficult time she and your father have been having with Eino. Such a shame about him.”

  “She is coping as best she can. She was happy at the news that Eva and I have been discussing marriage.” A thought suddenly occurred to Victor as he stood next to Eva’s mother. “Now that I’m here, where is Mr. Maki? I’d like to talk to him.”

  He glanced at Eva, who had a quizzical expression on her face. He gave her a don’t-worry look.

  “He’s outside in the barn with the girls. Why don’t you go find him? Eva, you can stay in here with me. Victor may want to speak alone with Pappa.”

  “All right, Mamma,” Eva said. “I’ll just sweep up a little, here in the kitchen.”

  Victor slipped his shoes back on, and turned to leave. “Thank you, Mrs. Maki. I’ll be right back, Eva.” He smiled a big, toothy grin to let Eva know all was well.

  “I’ll have coffee for you and Pappa when you come back in,” Eva said and looked at Victor with a knowing smile. Yet, when he shut the door behind him her stomach churned thinking how Eino was going to react.

  ~~~

  Victor stood at the closed barn door. He took a nervous breath, blew it out through his nose, and opened the door. I can’t believe what I am about to do. I hope it’s the right thing. Inside, Mr. Maki was taking a rest on a bench while his two younger daughters were cleaning out the sheep stall.

  “Hello, Liisa and Aili,” Victor said cordially.

  “Hello, Victor,” Liisa responded, giving him a puzzled look.

  “What are you doing here?” Aili asked.

  “I’ve come to talk to your father.”

  “Go outside, girls,” Mr. Maki said gently. “Victor and I need some privacy, please.”

  They obliged.

  Mr. Maki managed a grin. “So, how is my boy? What brings you here today, Victor? Come to ask for my eldest daughter’s hand in marriage?” His breath sounded ragged, but he had a twinkle in his eye. In spite of his serious illness, he had not lost his good humor.

  Eva is just like him, Victor thought with sweetness.

  “As a matter of fact, I have,” Victor said. “But how are you, Mr. Maki?” Even though he’d been an employee of his father’s, Victor always showed the highest respect. It was how he’d been taught. As they shook hands, Victor signaled to the thin, frail man to stay seated, and then sat down next to him. “Eva and I have been spending a good deal of time together, and I realize my feelings for her have grown. I … we … that is …” Victor suddenly lost his concentration. He had an erotic flash of Eva half naked, legs spread, lying beneath him as he thrust in and out of her. Oh God, he screamed inside his head. He could feel his face getting hot and his throat drying up. “The truth is I love her. I’d like your permission for Eva’s hand in marriage, and to have yours and Mrs. Maki’s blessing.” Victor coughed and swallowed hard to get his throat to moisten. He exhaled in relief.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Mr. Maki teased with a wry smile, eyes still twinkling. “You only stammered three times, but you managed very well.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Victor smiled tentatively, his face still hot.

  Mr. Maki waited a few long moments, and then said, “I can think of no better young man for Eva than you. We knew this would happen sooner or later. For a while we thought it was going to be Eino, but it has turned out to be you and, just as well since Ei
no’s had run-ins with the law and what-not. It’s sooner than we had expected, but Eva is of age. My only wish is that you take good care of her. She’s my firstborn you know, and very special, although I probably treated her more like a son than a daughter. I don’t know if that has been harmful or not.” He had a faraway look of nostalgia.

  “Eva is quite strong and independent because of you,” Victor reassured him. “That is what I love about her.”

  “Did you say strong, or headstrong? She is that, isn’t she?” They both belly laughed. “Just like her mother. Yes, I love my wife for it, too.” He started to cough silently, his body wracked with the effort.

  Victor grasped his arm. “Let me take you inside. The women will have coffee for us, and I am sure we can get some water for you.”

  Mr. Maki waved him away. When the coughing subsided, he grabbed Victor’s arm and together they walked out of the barn to the house. As they slowly walked, Victor had a dreadful feeling that Eva’s father might not survive to see his first daughter get married next spring. Victor put on a good face when they came in, took off their shoes, and greeted the women with smiles.

  After several minutes, Mr. Maki was able to speak again. “Seems this young Finn buck wants to marry our eldest, Sinnikka,” he said. “What do you think?”

  Victor cringed at the word “buck,” feeling irritated, and perhaps guilty.

  “I think it is wonderful.” Mrs. Maki had moved herself to the table, ready for coffee, assorted cookies, cake, and nisu. Eva remained standing to pour the coffee. She only sat when she saw that everything needed was available.

  “All I ask, Victor,” Mrs. Maki said, “is that you take good care of her. She doesn’t know a lot about what a new wife needs to do. Though, neither did I. One learns along the way.”

  Eva blushed. Victor could feel his face turning as red as hers. Mr. Maki grinned, which made Victor and Eva blush even more.