Mary, Mary

by Lesley Crewe

  Peggy stared. “Ted?”

  “I’m here! It took a lot of planning and I can’t stay long, but they let me go on compassionate grounds.”

  “You asshole!”

  The family, the caterers, and even the photographer instantly melted away from Ted’s side. No one wanted to be in on this conversation.

  Ted looked confused. “Excuse me?”

  Peggy disappeared back into her room, so Ted had no choice but to follow her upstairs. He shut the door behind him. “My God. What happened in here?”

  “What happened in here is my life ever since you left. Pretty, isn’t it? How dare you not tell me you were coming?”

  Ted put his suitcase on the bed. “I literally didn’t know until two days ago, and I’ve been travelling ever since. I thought it would make you happy.”

  “So now you get to waltz in here after all the work is done and walk her down what little aisle she has and I’ll be shoved off to the side like yesterday’s leftovers.”

  “We can both walk her down the aisle if that’s what you’re worried about. I didn’t mean to come back and screw everything up.”

  “But you’re so good at it, Ted.” She collapsed into her armchair and stared off into space.

  He came closer and took a good look at her. “What medications do they have you on? I think it’s too much. You look terrible.”

  “So now I look terrible on my daughter’s wedding day. Thank you for flying a million miles to tell me that.”

  “And what is that smell? If I didn’t know better….” He gave her an incredulous look. “Have you been smoking up?”

  “So what if I have? It’s none of your business. It helps me relax.”

  Ted sat back on the bed, dumbfounded. “We haven’t had a joint in twenty years.”

  “Well, it’s amazing what happens when your life falls apart. And you know what’s really irritating? You look twenty years younger, which I assume is because you’re not living here with us.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “And to top it all off, you can’t stay long. Gee, that’s too bad.”

  “Maybe I could stretch it out for a couple of days.”

  “Please, don’t do so on my account. Just go and make sure things run smoothly downstairs. I’d like to have a nap before the ceremony.”

  She got into bed and pulled the covers over her head, chignon and all.

  Ted did as she asked. Sheena told him to stay away from her until she was ready. She wanted her dress to be a surprise. He wandered into the family room because there was mayhem in the kitchen with people he didn’t know running around. Mary, Ethel, and Carole were in their finery already, just waiting for guests to arrive.

  Ted gave them a sheepish smile. “Looks like I ruined Peggy’s day.”

  Ethel shook her head. “You surprised her, that’s all. She’s had a really rough go of it since you left. I think she’s depressed.”

  “What she is, is high as a kite. She’s been smoking pot up there. Did you know that?”

  Mary’s stomach did a backflip.

  “Frig off!” Ethel said. “Where the hell would she get that?”

  “Beats me,” replied Ted.

  “Well, doesn’t that take the cake,” Carole mused. “I was wondering why she was singing The Sound of Music this morning.”

  “I’m going to see if Sheena needs anything.” Mary left the room in a hurry.

  At two o’clock, the Corbett family and wedding guests started showing up. Ted and Carole greeted the guests and ushered in the justice of the peace when he arrived. The house was soon filled to the brim. Servers began offering champagne to the guests. Ted told everyone his wife was up with her daughter, having a moment.

  Chuck and Maxine Corbett were surprised to see Ted. Maxine stared at him, holding two glasses of champagne in her hands. “I thought you were AWOL,” she said, almost accusing.

  “Some things are too important to miss.” Ted smiled.

  “So right!” Chuck boomed. “So right! I hope you noticed the limousine outside waiting to take the kids to their hotel tonight. Couldn’t have them driving in Sheena’s old Jeep, could we?”

  “That’s very generous,” Ted said.

  Ted made his way over to Drew, who was standing off to the side in the living room with his two brothers, all of them looking very dashing in their tuxes.

  “It’s great to see you, Mr. Henderson. Sheena must have been so surprised.”

  “Yes, she was pretty pleased. I’m glad I made it. And I hear you’re leaving Sydney to move to Halifax almost immediately.”

  Drew gave him an sheepish grin. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “You and Sheena have your own life now. Whatever you decide is okay by me.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  Carole pulled Mary over and pointed to the dining room. “Make sure your Gran isn’t in there polishing off the champagne. I better go get Peggy, or she’s going to miss the whole thing.”

  Carole opened Peggy’s bedroom door, not sure what she was going to see, but when she realized that Peggy had covered up her fresh hairdo, she was livid. She pushed back the covers.

  “Peggy Sue Ryan-Henderson. Get out of this bed this minute and behave yourself.”

  Peggy gave her a filthy look. “I’m hiding.”

  “Get up.” She reached over and grabbed a comb off of Peggy’s bureau. “You’ve made a mess of your hair. Sit still.”

  Peggy did as she was told. “Can you believe he waltzed in here today like a big hero?”

  “I think it’s wonderful. Sheena is so happy her dad is here, and why shouldn’t she be? You better get over yourself or Sheena will be upset with you. And she’d be furious if she knew you were smoking joints up here.”

  “He told you? Blabbermouth.”

  “There. Now go see Sheena. It’s all about her right now.”

  Peggy stood up and took a deep breath, then she walked out of her room and down the hall and knocked on Sheena’s door. “It’s Mom.”

  “Come in.”

  Sheena was as beautiful as Peggy always imagined she’d be, breathtaking in her ivory ball gown with diamond drop earrings shimmering against her cheeks.

  “Oh, honey.” Peggy started to cry.

  “Mom, don’t. You’ll make me cry. Just hug me.”

  Mother and daughter hugged each other for a long time. When Ted showed up in the doorway, Peggy forgot she was mad at him. The look on his face as he saw their little baby erased everything. Instantly, she was gratified beyond words that he’d made it home. She reached over and hugged him and he hugged her back.

  They heard the violinist and flautist begin to play. Peggy and Carole walked down the staircase together and joined their mother, who was standing by the fireplace holding a champagne flute in her hand. Carole grabbed it from her as soon as they got settled into their seats.

  “Meany,” Ethel muttered.

  As the music played, Mary came down the staircase, followed by Riley. They walked towards the boys, and Mary had to admit that Drew and his brothers, Chris and David, looked spectacular in their tuxes. How was it possible that tubby Mr. Corbett and his miserable wife had managed to produce these three?

  Ted walked down the stairs alone and stood at the bottom with his hand held up, waiting for Sheena. It was a good plan, because there was no way the two of them were going to be able to fit on the stairs together with Sheena’s skirt.

  The sight of Sheena in her finery was something everyone in that room would remember for a long time. She flashed Drew a huge smile when she saw what he was wearing, and Drew shed a few tears as she walked towards him. Mary liked him a whole lot better after that display. She could even forgive him for chewing with his mouth open. And she noticed even Maxine was a little starstruck when she saw Sheena. Mary was proud of Sheena for
getting one over on her new mother-in-law.

  The officiant then announced that Sheena and Drew had written their own marriage vows. Mary wondered how Sheena had managed to twist Drew’s arm on that score. In her opinion it was hokey and cringe-worthy, but she’d only seen it done on television. She hoped it was better when you knew the person.

  It wasn’t.

  Among other things, Sheena promised to always have Drew’s favourite beer in the fridge, and Drew said he’d rub her feet whenever she asked. Maxine went back to rolling her eyes.

  An exchange of rings, a kiss, and then it was over. Everyone clapped, kissed, and hugged each other.

  Mary, Carole, and Gran made their way out to the kitchen to see if they could be of some help so that Ted and Peggy could greet their guests, spend some time with the happy couple, and get some pictures taken. As soon as they walked in, they could tell something was wrong.

  “What’s the matter?” Carole asked the woman in charge.

  “There’s no power.”

  “What do you mean? Of course there’s power.” She flipped a light switch but nothing happened.

  “How did we not notice that?”

  “It went off five minutes ago during the ceremony. I have trays that have to go in the oven. I can serve some things, but others need to be warmed up.”

  “Damn. What do we do?”

  “I was hoping you’d know.”

  “Just give everyone more booze,” Ethel suggested.

  “Mary, you better tell Peggy and Ted.”

  When they arrived in the kitchen Peggy looked stricken. “Maxine Corbett will have a field day with this. What do we do?”

  “I’ll get the barbecue going,” said Ted immediately. “And what about our camping stove? I’ll set them outside the kitchen door and we’ll heat as much as we can.”

  Having Ted take over was just what Peggy needed. “That’s perfect. Frig Maxine. We’ll manage.

  In the end, they had a blast sitting in the living room in candlelight, most of the young people on the floor, eating and drinking all together because there weren’t enough candles or lanterns to light up every room.

  Sheena and Drew thanked everyone for coming to the best wedding that anyone had ever had. Cheers went up. Even Maxine Corbett shouted hurray, but she was entirely drunk and swaying in the corner with Gran.

  Mary was laughing at Drew’s brothers having an arm-wrestling match over the last pig-in-a-blanket on the buffet table when she glanced in the dining-room mirror. She looked actually honest-to-God beautiful. Her bright lipstick brought out her smile and her freckles looked warm and summery. Darn it. Daniel wasn’t around to see her and this might not happen again in her lifetime.

  “Sheena! Can you take my picture?”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The next day, Carole, Gran, and Mary sat at their kitchen table with a big bottle of Tylenol on the table. Only Mary didn’t need it. One thing she’d learned early on was that she would forever be the designated driver in the family; she never bothered learning how to drink.

  She poured hot coffee for her mother and grandmother and then fed Roscoe, who was waiting patiently by his dish. “Would you like some eggs?”

  The other two shook their heads.

  “I’m making some anyway. You need something in your stomachs.”

  They didn’t bother objecting.

  While Mary set about making breakfast, the sounds of suffering didn’t let up.

  “My head,” Gran moaned. “I didn’t have that much to drink.”

  “Don’t make me laugh,” Carole scoffed. “You had more than anyone, except maybe Maxine Corbett. What got into her? Chuck had to carry her to one of his fancy cars.”

  Mary stirred the eggs. “I thought it was a beautiful wedding in the end. Even with the power out. It made it kind of romantic.”

  “The food wasn’t that great,” Carole said. “But what do you expect trying to barbecue in a hurricane?”

  “I wonder how Aunt Peggy and Uncle Ted are this morning.”

  “Signing divorce papers is my guess.”

  “Surely not.”

  Her mother lit a cigarette. “How else do you explain her reaction to him coming home?”

  Gran grunted. “If she’s been using wacky-tobacky this whole time, that might have something to do with it. What I want to know is where she got it. There’s no way she was cruising Charlotte Street at night.”

  Mary doled out the eggs on two plates and put them in front of her relatives. “Want some ketchup?”

  They shook their heads. Mary put the pan in the sink. “They stopped fighting just before the ceremony, so that has to count for something. I’m sure they’ll be fine. I can’t see Aunt Peggy and Uncle Ted breaking up. They fit together.”

  “She was fit to be tied,” Gran laughed. “I hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  The Hendersons were having breakfast with the Corbetts that morning because the new Mrs. Sheena Corbett woke up in the hotel honeymoon suite and had a massive panic attack. Not the kind that called attention to itself; just an overwhelming feeling that she would never be able to stay at her parents’ house anymore by herself. She’d have to let Drew know first. Not that he would care, but he would now have to be consulted about her every decision. Or at least be informed.

  It was suffocating.

  What was she doing with a husband? Would she be able to go out with her friends and drink shots? Of course not, because he was taking her off the island and she didn’t have any friends in Halifax. What would she do all day while he was working? Did he expect her to cook? She’d have to wash his underwear.

  For the rest of her entire life she’d never be able to flirt again or ever go to bed with anyone else. What the hell had she been thinking? Why had she been so impatient to marry a guy who ate with his mouth open? She looked at her expensive wedding dress in a pile on the hotel floor and realized she’d spent about seven hours in it. And after that first hour, no one really saw the exquisite details because of the power outage. What did she do with it now? She’d have to take it to her mom and dad’s house. The dress was going to get to live in her bedroom and she wasn’t.

  Sheena told Drew that she wanted to visit her dad because she didn’t know when he would be leaving. Drew believed her and went along with it, even though she could tell he was a little disappointed to be getting out of bed at such an ungodly hour. Her only hope was that she wouldn’t cry on the way over.

  Peggy was snoring so loud that Ted couldn’t sleep, so he set about trying to get the house back in order. The caterers did a good job cleaning up the dishes, but the place was still a tip. Regardless, if you had to have a wedding without power, you couldn’t have had a better one.

  The front door opened and in walked Sheena and Drew.

  “This is a surprise,” Ted said.

  “It was to me too,” Drew replied.

  “I was afraid you were going to leave without seeing me.” Sheena walked over and hugged her dad.

  “I’m here for a few more days. Don’t worry. I won’t go without telling you.”

  Ted was about to release her but Sheena clung onto him. “Maybe you shouldn’t go back. Mom’s had a hard time without you. What will she do when I go too?” She could feel the build-up of tears behind her eyes and knew she had to leave. “I’ll go wake her up.”

  She left Drew downstairs and went up her mom’s room. Despite the fact that her mother was sawing wood, she crawled beside her and sobbed her heart out. After a few minutes Peggy realized there was an unfamiliar weight leaning on her. Her eyes opened, and she couldn’t believe her baby was in her arms.

  “Hey now, hey now. What’s this? What’s wrong?” She shook herself awake and patted Sheena on the back. “Shhh. It’s okay. You can tell me anything.”

  “Oh, Mama…I’ve made a terrible mistake!
I don’t want to be married. Why did you let me do it?”

  Peggy had had a rough twenty-four hours, but she wasn’t completely insane yet. She pushed Sheena away from her and struggled to sit up in bed. “Oh, no you don’t. Don’t you dare come in here and decide it’s my fault you’re married! You wanted this and drove us crazy to make sure it happened. If you weren’t sure, you should’ve let him go to Halifax and delayed the wedding for a year.”

  “Why didn’t I listen to you? Why did you have to be right?”

  Now that Peggy was more awake, she saw what was happening. Sheena had on her petrified-little-girl face. She always panicked when faced with a new situation, whether it was school or the first day of ballet class or—apparently—being married. Peggy reached over and took Sheena’s hands in her own.

  “I want you to take a deep breath. Don’t shake your head. Just do it. Deep breaths.”

  Sheena followed her lead.

  “You got married yesterday because you love Drew, and I don’t believe for a minute you would’ve done so if he weren’t the one for you. As desperate as you’ve always been to wear a wedding dress, you’re not that crazy. It’s a new experience. You’re afraid to leave home. You’ll be sleeping in a different bed. I had all these same thoughts the day after my wedding. It kind of sneaks up on you and reality hits. But you don’t have to be afraid. Your dad and I are always here for you. You’ll spend plenty of time here too. Now why don’t we go downstairs and get something to eat? You barely had anything last night and that’s not helping the situation. I’ll make French toast.”

  Sheena grabbed her mom around the neck. “Thank you for being the best mom ever. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

  “Remember that. Now let me go. I can’t breathe.”

  They had a nice breakfast together, Ted doing most of the grunt work for Peggy, before the happy couple decided they wanted to meet friends for lunch. They said they’d be back for supper. Ted and Sheena took their coffee into the family room and hashed over the night before.

  “I’m sorry I was so rude when you came in. I thought I was hallucinating.”