Winter on the Mersey(111)
The one thing she hadn’t raised, Nancy thought now, was where they would live. Come hell or high water, she would not spend one night more under her mother-in-law’s roof than she absolutely had to. The woman’s behaviour when Georgie had gone missing made it impossible. Nancy clenched her fists. She would not raise this new child in that poisonous atmosphere. Somehow she’d find a way for them to set up home elsewhere.
‘You’ve done it again,’ said Pop to Dolly, gazing in admiration at the row of tables, all covered with cloths or – when they’d run out of those – sheets, laden with sandwiches, pies and, in the centre of the row, the huge cake that Kitty had made. Everyone had contributed chairs and cutlery from their various houses and now sat around the tables, enjoying the food. Union Jack flags hung across the street, and the younger children all had matching red, white and blue hats, which Danny had brought back when he’d returned from work.
‘It was a team effort,’ said Dolly generously, although in truth she’d done most of the organising. She leant against Pop’s familiar frame and sighed. ‘Look at them, all together. They’re safe at last, Pop.’ She turned her face to his chest so that nobody would see her silent tears. ‘How I wish our Eddy was here to see it. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t think of him.’
‘I know,’ said Pop, putting his arm around his wife and remembering his brave son, lost for almost a year now. ‘Sure we’ll never forget him. He was the best son we could ever hope to have. Now it’s up to us to make sure his own children are brought up right.’
‘Yes, you’re right.’ Dolly swiftly dabbed her eyes with the edge of her apron. ‘They’ll want for nothing, those little twins. We’ll see to that, won’t we.’
‘We will,’ said Pop, glancing to where the big pram stood, one baby at either end of it, tucked in tight. Megan had fastened bunting to the handle. ‘If they turn out anything like as well as our five, they’ll have no trouble at all. You’ve been the best mother any of them could ever have hoped for. I’m so proud of you.’
‘Pop!’ Dolly could feel herself blushing. She knew Pop loved her, but he was a man of few words and didn’t often say things like that. He was a treasure, to be sure. She knew she’d fallen lucky when she’d met him all those many years ago.
She looked around at her remaining children. There was Frank with his arm around Kitty – well, no surprise there. It only surprised her that they’d taken so long about it. There was Sarah, still in uniform, right up close to Danny – no surprise there either, though they’d said very little as yet. Of course Sarah was still her baby – but older now than Dolly herself had been when she’d married Pop. In all the upheaval of the war, Dolly had overlooked that. She’d become so accustomed to Sarah having to grow up fast and act far older than her years. Maybe now her youngest could let her hair down and reclaim some of that youth she’d lost.
Rita had worked late last night, but had done her turn making sandwiches and was now carrying baby Ellen around to see everybody. It was a shame that Jack was still on duty, but Rita had been thrilled to get a telegram from him, wishing he could be there with them for this longed-for day, but assuring her that he’d be home as soon as he could. Dolly smiled. She had no worries for Rita any more. She and Jack were so obviously meant for each other and baby Ellen was thriving. Ellen was waving her podgy arms at Maeve, who’d decided to join in the fun with her Empire Street friends. Dolly made a note to ask the lively nurse to play them some tunes later on.
She shook her head as she regarded her middle child, the most difficult of all of them. Nancy was standing with Violet and Ruby, deep in conversation. Dolly worried for her. Anyone could see that Sid would take a long time to recover, if he ever did. She thanked the lord that Georgie was such a sensible little chap, despite what he’d been through. Nancy had been markedly less flighty since that day – it was as if she’d grown up all at once. Dolly regarded the young woman’s silhouette carefully – no, she was sure she wasn’t imagining that little change around her middle. Well, she wouldn’t push the matter but would wait for Nancy to speak. Dolly could do the sums as well as anyone else, but if Nancy chose to announce this new addition to the family as Sid’s homecoming present, then she wouldn’t contradict her.
She sighed in gratitude. When all was said and done she felt blessed to be here, with the prospect of peace at last, among her beloved family. Of course they’d had their ups and downs, but when it came to it she couldn’t have asked for a better husband, better children or better neighbours.
Ruby blushed to the roots of her white-blonde hair but smiled broadly. ‘So what do you say, Violet?’
Violet had to take a moment to reply. It wasn’t that she was surprised to learn that Reggie James had popped the question. He’d been paying court to Ruby for months now and evidently cared deeply for her. Violet and Rita had often discussed it when the young woman couldn’t hear, deciding that it would be the best possible thing for Ruby if she were to marry Reggie. She’d been dealt such a tough hand in life – she surely deserved her chance at happiness.
What Violet hadn’t counted on was Reggie’s idea formally to set up in business, supplying fruit and vegetables to the shops around Bootle and, in time, beyond. He had the gardening know-how, and Ruby had proved she had a good business brain and head for figures. But, Ruby had pointed out, that wouldn’t be enough. They’d have to have someone who was good with the customers, and ideally who knew about the growing side of things as well. Would Violet consider joining them?