The Gathering by William X. Kienzle

to keep up with the Smiths.
    If, for example, the McManns hosted the Smiths at dinner, the menu was sure to reflect the Smiths’ taste and preference. It could be said that the McManns lived in the Smiths’ back pocket.
    And as proof of the axiom “The apple does not fall far from the tree,” Alice McMann shadowed Rose Smith like a faithful puppy.
    It was almost a given that Alice’s desire for the religious life sprang from Rose’s. Had Rose opted for marriage and family, to the best of her ability Alice would have found someone who was a friend of Rose’s intended. Someone who was apt to want to live near his good friend. In which case, Alice would then be living near her best friend. And the cozy relationship of the parents would be mirrored in the lives of the children.
    Alice’s greatest fear was that something would interfere with her relationship with Rose.
    Undoubtedly, Alice’s own choice for a vehicle through life would not have been the religious life. In her deepest heart she would have wanted a good, dependable husband who would love her and be unashamedly romantic long after the pronouncement of the vows. And, as a good Catholic couple, she and her husband would welcome all the children God would send.
    Should Rose change her mind sometime before taking her final vows as a nun, Alice would be more than ready to follow suit. She would think it a heavenly gift.
    But Rose seemed to have no doubts about the life she would choose. Rose seldom changed her mind; metaphorically, her decisions were carved in stone.
    So Alice didn’t let herself dwell on what lay ahead. She would simply be living in Rose’s shadow. And there be as happy as a pig in sunshine. For now, Alice had five more years to enjoy adolescence with Rose.
    Actually, Alice’s only hesitation concerned exclusivity. Rose was not only Alice’s best friend; she was, for all practical purposes, Alice’s only friend. All the others were classmates, or at best, acquaintances. Rose, on the other hand, was a popular girl. She had lots of friends. Admittedly, Alice was her best friend—but not her exclusive buddy.
    Alice, when forced to dwell on this disappointment, was saddened. For the moment, she tried to brush her sorrow aside and enjoy her special friendship with Rose.
    In this little circle, though not bound as closely, were Manny Tocco and his parents.
    The Toccos scarcely knew the Smiths and McManns. The three couples had little in common. As for their kids, it was a mixed if predictable relationship. Manny and Michael were close friends, spending hours together. As for the girls, there were times when Manny had to ponder to remember their names. And the girls knew Manny only as one of Mike’s friends.
    At this time in Manny’s life, girls were not a prominent fixture. Some of that feeling could be attributed to the gender separation in school. Some of it lay at the door of the confusion of puberty.
    In any case, Manny’s parents were the first to learn the startling news of the Brothers’ imminent departure. No chance the news could have been garbled or false: Manny had gotten it straight from Bro. V.’s mouth.
    For the first time in his young life, Manny would be in a classroom with girls. His parents now bombarded him with advice. He didn’t think he needed all this counseling. But he did. And he was not alone.
    The Brothers’ imminent departure and the ensuing mixture of boys and girls from first grade through high school seemed all that anyone could discuss. Whether or not each parishioner was directly or personally affected by this drastic change seemed irrelevant; everyone had an opinion. And each felt free—nay, compelled—to voice his or her concern.
    Compared with some of the other parishioners, the Toccos were rather laid-back. They’d had a headstart in being exposed to the news. In addition, if ’Fredo’s and Maria’s plans stayed in place, this state of affairs would exist for only one scholastic year. What could