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Mary Agnes McDaniel
December 25, 1988
Thomas decided to accompany Sean and Joe to the hospital to visit with Mary Agnes. They had finished the scrumptious feast provided by the members of the parish. They had the added pleasure of Thelma and her husband, Jimmy, at the table. Thomas had shown them where the "good Christmas china" was kept, and Thelma asked Sean to help her set the table for lunch. Thelma offered many affirmations to Sean as he followed her instructions on how to set a proper table. He was a proud doobie as he held Joe's hand during the blessing of the food and for those at the table. Sean had never seen so much food on a table.
Thelma and Jimmy never had children and in less than twenty-four hours, it seemed they had adopted Thomas and Joe as their sons and Sean as their grandson. They certainly felt that they were at least their guardian angels. Sean took to them immediately. That, in and of itself, made Joe smile with gratitude.
Thomas carved the goose and served everyone the same as his father had done at all holiday meals. By the time they finished, they were as stuffed as the goose had been earlier. The apple, cranberry, and chestnut stuffing had been otherworldly. They were not used to such wonderfully prepared food. When the mincemeat pie was plated for dessert, Joe dug in. Sean looked at it askance and sniffed the slice. He couldn't decide whether he would eat it. Joe laughed and said it was payback time and he would eat it. Thomas disappeared and then came back with a sherbet glass filled with chocolate ice cream. Sean glowed and made the ice cream like it was a disappearing act. Thelma said it was good to see men with such hearty appetites. Jimmy patted his girth and said that he had a genetic disorder that made him hungry all of the time. Thelma laughed and said she remembered that he had a 29-inch waist when they married.
"It was all of your good cooking; it made my tiny waist disappear and the Santa Claus waist to take up residence." He leaned over and kissed Thelma. They were clearly still in love after many years of marriage.
"Father, why don't the three of you go to the hospital to visit with Mary Agnes while Jimmy and I clean up the kitchen and put everything away?"
"We couldn't ask you to do that."
Thelma smiled. "I don't remember you asking. I suggested what Jimmy and I were going to do. In fact, Jimmy will probably take a nap in your library while I do the cleaning. He is like a bull in the kitchen, and I don't want him to break up your good china." Jimmy grinned and said he felt a nap coming on.
Joe and Sean said they were going to clean their teeth and comb their hair. Sean wanted to look good for his mother. Thomas grabbed his communion kit and stole. They left the house in Thelma's capable hands and got into Thomas's staid Buick and drove to the hospital. Sean insisted that he sit in the front seat between Thomas and Joe.
The hospital was very quiet. Most of the patients had been discharged for the holiday. After the first of the year, it would be bustling again. They walked to the nurse's station to let the staff know they were going to visit with Mary Agnes. Joe had an armful of presents. When they walked into the room, they thought there was a corpse lying in the bed. In fact, Sean let out a gasp that awoke Mary Agnes who started smiling. She was obviously very ill. Sean crawled onto the bed and hugged his mother while Joe and Thomas stood back. When Joe began handing Mary Agnes the Christmas presents tears formed in her eyes. She had Sean open them for her. They were all practical gifts like nightgowns, bedroom slippers, and a housecoat. There was also a bottle of perfume which thrilled Mary Agnes. She took the stopper out and put some on her pulse points. She smiled and hugged Sean. "Father and Joseph, thank you for taking care of Sean while I am in the hospital. There is a Christmas present for him at the apartment. Can you take him there for me? It is hard on a child when they don't get a present for Christmas."
"Yes, Mary Agnes, we will do that."
Sean was about to tell his mother about all of the presents from Santa Claus when Joe shook his head. He understood that it would hurt Mary Agnes' pride if she thought they were a charity case. Instead, Joe asked Sean to tell her about the different foods they had for lunch. She smiled and said she had never tasted roasted goose.
"It is something the parishioners did for me. It was so kind. They knew how busy I had been with the Christmas pageant. It was certainly better than the baloney sandwich on white bread I was going to fix for these men."
They all laughed, and Mary Agnes closed her eyes. Thomas asked if they wanted communion, and all agreed. Sean told his mother about carrying the processional cross that morning and she smiled that her son would have such an important role. He told her how heavy it was. He then said that Thomas asked him to read the Gospel and that the Bishop smiled at him while he was reading. Mary Agnes couldn't believe that her son had been allowed to read the Gospel and that the Bishop would approve.
"He smiled at me, mama, and told me afterward that I did a better job reading than most priests. Of course, it is not hard to read better than Fr. Thomas. He has that southern accent, and sometimes it is hard to understand him." Sean gave Thomas a sly grin.
Mary Agnes laughed and said their Irish accent was sometimes hard for others to understand. Joe then spoke a bit of Gaelic and Mary Agnes' eyes got big and watered. She reached out and grabbed Joe's hand.
"Blessed Mother Mary, I knew you were the right man for my Sean. God has a way of looking out for us. We Irish are a blessed people, you know. Father, could you take my Sean to get something to drink while I have a conversation with your Joseph?"
Thomas nodded and told Sean they would go to the cafeteria and leave the Irish to themselves for a few minutes. Thomas closed the door when they left. He was sure that an important, private conversation was about to happen. Little did he know. Mary Agnes lay back in bed. It was apparent to Joe that the short visit had been exhausting to her. She then proceeded to tell Joe her story. Joe sat quietly and listened. When she asked the crucial question, he could only nod his head in agreement. Joe reached out and hugged Mary Agnes.
There was a knock at the door and then Thomas and Sean entered. Thomas opened his communion kit and put on his stole. He asked Sean to recite the Gospel for them to start. Sean stood at the foot of the bed, held his head up, and started his recitation. He mimicked Thomas standing at the altar and raised his arms inviting the Holy Spirit into the room. By the time he finished, two nurses were standing in the doorway. They heard a voice and were drawn to hear its beauty and the familiarity of the Christmas scripture. Thomas invited them in to share in the Eucharist. He distributed the bread and asked Sean to distribute the wine. Sean had seen Thomas use the spoon of wine with his mother earlier in the day. He did the same thing. Mary Agnes' eyes shone, knowing that her son would be under the care of these two men. The nurses were touched that they had been included in the communion. Neither had been happy at the start of their shift because they had to work on Christmas Day, but now felt a sense of joy for the gift they had received.
When they left the hospital, Thomas drove to the apartment where Sean lived. He was shaken by the paucity of what they found in the immaculately clean space. Sean got a paper bag from the kitchen and put his few clothes in it. He saw the wrapped package from his mother on the kitchen table. There was also an orange, an apple, and some walnuts in a sock that was serving as a Christmas stocking. Then they stopped by Joe's apartment, and he put a few clothes in a bag to take to the rectory. He didn't know how long he and Sean would be there. He could always come back to the apartment to get more clothes and to wash those that were dirtied.
When they arrived back at the rectory, they found Jimmy asleep in the library. He had built a fire, there was a glass of melting ice and scotch in a glass on the coffee table, and Jimmy had a pillow under his head and a blanket covering his ample frame. Thelma was sitting in the front parlor reading. She smiled when they came in. After she inquired after Mary Agnes, she awoke Jimmy and said they would be leaving.
"It was the best Christmas we have had in many years. I would like to thank you for letting us join you." Jimmy was packing the Santa suit and Thelma was putting on her coat.
"Would you like to stay for some supper?"
"No, Father, we have appropriated enough of your life today. I think the three of you need to talk. You let us know if you need anything, I mean anything."
"Thelma, you were an angel sent to us on this Christmas, and I thank you and God for that."
Thelma was right. There was a conversation to be had, and Joe realized that he had things that needed to be said, but he didn't quite know how to start or exactly what to say. They were all exhausted and decided that everything could be postponed for another day. Then Joe realized that maybe it had to be done sooner rather than later.
"Thomas. Sean. Let's sit in the library. I need to talk to both of you." Joe could see the fear in Sean's eyes. He could see the questioning look from Thomas but realized the three of them would have to process this together.
"How are you feeling, son?"
"I am okay. I am tired, though." Tears came to Sean's eyes. "Where am I going to live?"
Thomas turned to Joe for the answer.
"We are all staying here right now."
Sean got up from the chair he was sitting in and moved to the couch where he sat between Thomas and Joe.
"First, Sean. Your mother cannot go back to the apartment when she comes home from the hospital. She will go to a nursing home." Sean burst into tears. "That is unless we let her come here. Hospice nurses would provide care for her. We could provide her a safe place to live here with us."
Thomas knew full well that the rectory would be where she would die. She was not going to get better. When Joe said hospice nurses, that meant only one thing. Sean didn't fully understand the meaning of that.
"Of course, we can put her on the second floor in the front bedroom. She will be able to look out at the world and see what is happening. We will put Sean in the bedroom next to her. You and I will have the master bedroom."
Joe smiled at hearing Thomas talk about them living here.
"I will let the doctor know tomorrow morning. It will be a huge change for you, Thomas. It is like an invading army of people. Are you sure you can do that?"
"Yes. I am sure. I have lived alone in this big house for too long."
"Sean, is this okay with you?"
Sean nodded his head.
"Fine, tomorrow you and I will go close up your apartment and let the landlord know you won't be coming back. Thomas will talk with the doctor and arrange for your mother to come here."
"But where will we live when my mother gets better?"
"One thing at a time. There are lots of apartments and when the time comes to find a place, I will help you find one. Maybe you can live in my apartment since it seems that I may be living here with Thomas."
Thomas grinned and leaned over to kiss Joe. Sean squeezed between them.
"Well, it seems that we have talked about the important things. What say, we men go upstairs and get ready for bed?"
Sean could barely keep his eyes open as they climbed the stairs. Thomas showed Sean the bedroom he would use; it was old fashioned and fussy. Thomas said they would talk about how to redecorate, so it looked like something he would enjoy. Sean nodded his head, and he was asleep by the time Joe lifted him into the big canopy bed.
Thomas and Joe brushed their teeth, stripped their clothing, grinned at each other, and climbed into another big canopy bed.
"Okay, tell me the rest of the story."
Joe swallowed a couple of times and then pulled Thomas to his chest. "It is a sad story. Do you want a sad story before you go to sleep? It might give you nightmares."
"Tell me the basics. With you beside me, I will have my Highland man to hold onto if I have scary nightmares."
"Mary Agnes is a Traveller." Joe looked at Thomas to see if he understood. He didn't. "She is a gypsy. Specifically, she is an Irish Traveller. The Travellers were here for a summer sojourn up from South Carolina. They are settled out in Murphy Town in North Augusta, but in the heat of the summer, some of them took to the road. Anyway, she met a local boy and ended up pregnant. The king of the clan was furious and was going to kill the boy for impregnating Mary Agnes, only she would not tell anyone who he was. The members of the clan had seen him but didn't know his name. Mary Agnes convinced the boy to leave until the clan left to return to South Carolina. She knew that the king would find him if he were around. Mary Agnes became very sick while they were here and decided to stay in Philadelphia when the clan headed back south. The king was furious about her staying and about her being pregnant. If the father of the child had been a member of the clan, they would have married, and everyone would have turned their heads about the baby being "early." Mary Agnes decided not to return to South Carolina, thinking she would reconnect with the father in the fall. He didn't return and she moved into a tenement. She worked odd jobs to keep food on the table and to pay the rent. People did not want to hire a pregnant gypsy. She became sicker and sicker during the pregnancy, and when Sean was born, he too was sick. He was born with congenital tuberculosis. He almost died. Mary Agnes and Sean started receiving treatment."
"Mary Agnes is now suffering from end-stage pulmonary failure further complicated by after-effects of a horrible case of syphilis from the father. Mary Agnes did not go in for health care during the pregnancy and didn't see a doctor until she was delivering the baby. Sean was treated for congenital tuberculosis also. His lungs were severely damaged, he had congenital syphilis which was treated, and he was a failure to thrive baby. A Catholic Church helped provide food for a while, but when Mary Agnes would not have Sean baptized, they lost some of their enthusiasm for the mother and child. Mary Agnes was a fiery soul and told the priest where to shove it. So, how she is dying of respiratory failure complicated by the prior bouts of tuberculosis; she doesn't expect to live much longer. Weeks maybe. Sean was treated for tuberculosis but has significant respiratory illnesses every winter. The doctors told Mary Agnes after Sean was born that he would have a fairly short lifespan."
Thomas was weeping as Joe pulled him into his arms. Joe held him close as they fell asleep. Thomas awoke sometime during the night and could not stretch out his legs in the bed. He realized that Sean was at the foot of the bed wrapped in a quilt he had brought in from his bedroom. Thomas nudged Joe trying not to awaken Sean. As Joe slowly came awake, he too tried to stretch and realized there was an impediment. After whispering to each other, Joe picked up Sean and took him back to his bed. When he came back to bed, Thomas handed him pajama bottoms to put on.
"We can't be walking around naked with a young boy in the house."
Joe was aware it was morning when the waft of brewing coffee came floating up the stairs into the bedroom. A figure appeared in the doorway. Sean held a mug of coffee for Joe. He brought it in and set it on the nightstand.
"Good morning, dad." Joe was startled at the ease with which Sean had said that word but he tried not to let it show.
"Good morning, son. How are you?"
Sean hung his head. "I got scared last night. This is a big house. I was alone and I was scared because I didn't remember where I was. I was afraid you would kick me out today."
"Not on your life. We are family."
Sean's smile lit up the room.
"Papa Thomas said for you to put on a bathrobe because it is cold in the kitchen."
"Papa Thomas?"
"Yes, he and I talked this morning while you were sleeping. We both agreed that it was a good name. I could call him Father Thomas, but that sounds like what I call him at church. He is now my papa and you are now my dad."
Joe got out of bed and Sean gawped at his muscular frame and hairy chest.
"Will I be big and hairy like you when I grow up?"
"Well, time will tell, time will tell. You need to eat breakfast to grow big and strong. Breakfast is important. I don't know what will make you hairy?"
"Papa said we're having Irish Oatmeal, bacon, and toast with grapefruit marmalade."
"Did he now? Well, let's go down and have some of Papa Thomas' breakfast."
While Thomas organized things on the home front, Joe took Sean to the hospital to see Mary Agnes. She smiled when they walked into the room.
"Mama, you are coming to live with Daddy Joe, Papa Thomas, and me at the big house. Your room is really nice."
Mary Agnes looked at Joe as he nodded his head. "Thomas is taking care of everything today. As soon as you are released from the hospital, we will have you with us. I am taking care of everything at the apartment."
"I couldn't impose."
"The mother of my son is not imposing." Both Joe and Sean smiled. There was a sigh of relief from Mary Agnes.
Thomas had called Thelma and asked if she could come for coffee. It turned out she was a hospice volunteer and gave Thomas advice on what room to use for Mary Agnes.
"Don't put her in the front bedroom. After she passes, Sean would not want to go into that room. Let Sean have the front room and we can set up another room for Mary Agnes."
"Thelma, we also need an attorney. Do you think Jimmy has time to meet with us?"
"Of course, he does. I will have his schedule cleared to meet with you whenever you need it. My husband generally does what I tell him." They both laughed. Thelma really was an angel who brought peace and understanding to her new sons and grandson.