see?”
“One glass, Sam. That’s it. Then pour the rest of it for—” She turned and pointed. “The man and woman over there. That’s my aunt Deirdre and uncle Frank.”
He looked disappointed, but he nodded.
The wind was rising outside, and Peggy checked the saloon clock. “I hope everybody gets here before this storm really breaks. It rains, then it stops, then it rains….”
“Cleveland spring.” Sam lifted his slight shoulders.
“Well, once they’re all here, it won’t matter.” She looked up as the door opened and Jon and Casey came in, followed by a large contingent of distant Donaghues.
Casey found her and pointed behind her, mouthing, “They’re coming,” enough times that Peggy understood. “The wedding party will be here pretty soon,” she told Sam. “Remember, don’t pop those corks until I signal. Promise?”
Casey managed to thread her way over to the bar as Peggy exited. “Where’s Kieran?”
“Upstairs sleeping. The baby monitor’s in the kitchen.”
“You’ve got a lot of people here that want to help you.”
“Kieran doesn’t need a lot of people, Casey. He needs a quiet environment and my full attention.”
“If this sojourn in Ireland doesn’t work out, you know you can always come back, right? Nobody will say ‘I told you so.’”
The door opened again, and this time Megan and Niccolo came through it, just behind Rooney. Behind them were the olive-skinned, regal members of Niccolo’s family. Peggy knew they were Andreanis because they were the only people in the saloon she didn’t know by name.
“Are they behaving themselves?” she asked Casey. “Nick’s family?”
“Actually, they’re charming. His mom’s a little reserved, like she’s here against her better judgment, but the rest of them are great. And can they tell stories. The trip from Pittsburgh’s worth a book. Maybe the Italians and the Irish are cousins under the skin? They’re going to get along with everybody.”
“And how’s Rooney doing?”
“He’s here, isn’t he? And it looks like Aunt Deirdre’s corralled him. She’ll make sure he’s fed and happy and not given anything to drink.”
Megan made her way toward her sisters. She was stopped, hugged and kissed by everybody between them.
“Other people have nice, quiet receptions,” she said. “Sit down dinners. Chamber music.”
As if on cue, the Celtic band—the lead singer was a second cousin on their mother’s side—began to play. The noise level doubled.
“Other people don’t have this much fun!” Peggy hugged her. “You doing okay?”
“We had to park down the street. Uncle Den claimed there wasn’t any room in the lot, not even for the bride and groom.”
Silently Peggy blessed her mother’s only brother and refused to meet Casey’s gaze for fear she would give away the truth. She just wondered how long it would take before someone mentioned the tree to Megan or Nick.
“Who invited all these people?” Megan shouted.
“You did!”
“Niccolo’s family will think he’s married into an insane asylum!”
Peggy looked past Megan to the Andreani gathering in the corner. Only they weren’t in the corner anymore. They were mingling and chatting, and they looked as if they were having fun. Even Mrs. Andreani, who was holding a small black-haired girl, looked as if she were loosening up. She caught Peggy’s eye and gave a slight smile.
There was a brief lull in the music, and Peggy heard Greta calling her. “Uh-oh, I’d better follow that sound. Kieran’s probably up.”
“What are you going to do with him?” Megan said.
“I’m going to bring him down for a while and see how he does. If he minds the noise and confusion too much, I’ll take him back up. There are plenty of people who will take turns watching him.” Peggy started off through the crowd, but she was stopped by her aunt Deirdre before she could get to her son.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow,” Deirdre
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