The Malones

Family Reunion

Chapter 4

"Ah, here's my daughter the doctor. Things will surely liven up now," said Frank as he got up to greet his daughter at the door.

"Dad, you don't have to call me 'My daughter the doctor', I have a name," laughed the curly haired, thirty something year old standing at the door.

The young woman entered the room and held out her hand to Sam. "I'm your cousin Eileen and I couldn't be happier that you're here. This must be Diane," she said as she reached out to take Diane's hand, warmly holding it, "This means so very much to all of us but especially to my mother."

Eileen threw herself around the room hugging her siblings and her nieces and nephews who in turn appeared thrilled to have her there. She stopped in front of Maura and Joey, stepped closer to look at them and proclaimed, "Aye, just looking at these two gorgeous babies makes my ovaries hurt. Where's a husband when you need one?"

"Bosh Eileen, I sent you a husband just three weeks ago," said Maura to her daughter, "You hated him."

"Mum, you have got to stop sending every eligible bachelor in Galway to Dublin to date me. I'll pick out me own husband thank you very much," laughed Eileen as she hugged her mother.

"Sam, now I know where you got your hilarious sense of humor. It's so obvious," Diane loudly stated as she unwittingly endeared herself to Sam's family.

A mountain of food was placed on the kitchen island for all to help themselves. Diane was feeding Joey while the others ate, chatted, and inevitably laughed at someone's jokes, including Sam's jokes. She sensed that Sam felt as at home in these surroundings as he did at Cheers. They both had met all the cousins and in-law cousins from the oldest, James, to the third child, Molly, to the youngest, named Ian. Eileen was Maura and Frank's second child. When Diane finished feeding Joey one of the granddaughters begged to hold him and enthusiastically took him from her to play with him. She was free to join the others.

"Molly," Diane said, "I love your family and I can tell that Sam does too. How do you manage to all stay so loving and warm toward each other?"

" Diane, you've only been here one day," she laughed," pretty soon all of us will revert to being age six again and start arguing, wait and see."

Diane laughed as Sam and Frank joined them. Molly's five year old son, Paul, walked over and said to Frank, "Papa, when do we start our sing?"

"Just as soon as the dishes are cleared honey. We'll be startin' then," said Frank with a smile.

"Sing?" asked Sam.

"Oh Sam, didna' anyone tell you, we always sing when we're together as a family, young to old. Family tradition. Everyone takes turns singin' solos. Been doin' it for years."

Sam looked and felt stricken. If there was a phobia that he had, it was a phobia about singing alone in front of anyone.

"Oh I don't know Frank, I don't think I can do this," said Sam.

"It's true Frank and Molly," said Diane, " Sam can stand up and pitch a baseball in front of fifty thousand people and he can give a wonderful speech in front of thousands but if he has to sing in front of just one person, he gets sick. It's his only phobia. I have an idea though. Maybe we can do a duet? He does join in when others are singing. Would that be okay Sam?"

"I guess it would," A very relieved Sam said.

"Ah phobia," said Frank, "I have one of those. I'm afraid to fly in an airplane. Of course you can sing a duet."

Dishes cleared, the family gathered together in the large family room and the singing started. James sat at the piano as the accompanist when needed. Frank asked for volunteers.

"Papa, I want to sing my song," said little Paul. "I learned it from Nana just to sing to Sam." Little freckled faced Paul stood in the middle of the room and began to sing in his loudest voice, "Take Me Out To The Ballgame; Take Me Out To The Park…" He finished and took a bow. Everyone stood and clapped.

Others sang, even two year olds. Some had beautiful voices, some with mediocre voices, and some who couldn't carry a tune. It didn't seem to matter to the crowd. They applauded everyone with equal enthusiasm. Sam and Diane stood to sing Oh Give Me A Home where the Buffalo roam…. Sam gave a little history of the song mentioning that it was an old American tune sung by cowboys sitting around a campfire. He told them about Ernie Pantuso who used the song to settle disagreements. When they were finished singing the family enthusiastically clapped for them. Sam felt relief.

"Diane, you haven't done your solo yet and you're the last one," said Molly. "We heard your voice shining through in your duet with Sam. Please sing."

"Well, okay, any requests?" she said.

"I like show tunes," said someone.

"I like bawdy, raunchy bar songs," laughed Eileen.

"Give me a good, old- fashioned, resounding religious song any day," said Maura.

" Hmm," Diane said as she walked over to the piano to confer with James.

"She'll love it Diane. It's her favorite. It was sung at their wedding," said James.

"Okay, key of G then."

"The song I'm about to sing is actually a prayer. In English, the prayer is Hail Mary but I'll be singing it's Latin version of Ave Maria." Diane heard an audible gasp from Maura but she continued, "I want to dedicate this song to Maura McHugh, wife, mother, grandmother, beloved aunt and great-aunt. The second line in the song is gratia plena which means full of grace. I think it suits her." Diane smiled at Maura and nodded to James to begin.

Maura sat on the couch between Frank and Sam, beaming and proud. Frank's arm was draped around her shoulder and Sam was holding her hand. Baby Maura was in Sam's lap, tired and fussy.

Diane sang Ave Maria in a pitch perfect soprano voice that had the family mesmerized. Baby Maura stopped fussing the minute she heard Diane's voice and with her chubby arms reached out for Aunt Maura who lifted her into her arms. The baby snuggled into Maura's chest. James' three year old daughter stood up and walked to Diane, taking her hand. Diane glanced at Sam and saw in his face a revealing expression of love and admiration which caused her voice to crescendo. Frank had tears in his eyes. When she was finished singing she took the obligatory bow. No one clapped, or moved, or for that matter, blinked. They were all so emotionally wrapped up in the beautiful woman and the song she had just sung.

The room was in complete silence for about ten seconds until Frank stood up and boomed, "Sam, you didn't marry a woman. You married a damn Angel."

The next chapter will be the last.