Winter on the Mersey(20)
Rita smiled to herself. Even her own mother didn’t know for sure that Jack was Michael’s real father – if she had guessed, she’d never said as much. It was true; both his children had been born with eyelashes that would be the envy of many a film star. At this moment, though, Ellen was oblivious to everything, sleeping peacefully on her mother’s shoulder, rosy cheek against Rita’s rather bobbled woollen jumper in deep sea green. Rita used to think it brought out the colour in her eyes, but now she didn’t have time to consider such things.
‘Have you heard the news?’ she asked her mother.
Dolly put down her duster. ‘Depends what news you mean,’ she said briskly. ‘Sarah tells me that Danny’s had a letter from young Tommy saying he wants to come back here to live now he’s almost fourteen. Was that what you meant?’
Rita sat down at the table, carefully positioning herself so that Ellen couldn’t reach out and grab the old chenille tablecloth if she woke up. ‘No, it’s not that – though Danny did say something about it when he came in for a newspaper earlier in the week. It might make a difference to his plans, though.’ She looked up at her mother, a wide smile on her face. ‘No, it’s Kitty. She’s being posted to Liverpool. She’s coming home.’
‘Is she now!’ Dolly’s face was full of pleasure. ‘Well, sure, that’s wonderful! When’s she coming, does she say? Will she live in her own house again or will they expect her to stay in one of their billets?’
Dolly had never felt right about her son Frank’s return to the city of his birth, only to have to live with a landlady, not back in his old home with her. The fact that there wasn’t actually any room for him any more didn’t make a difference to her mother’s instinct to have him home to look after him. She’d felt hurt, even though she’d known logically he needed to be closer to the centre and Derby House. It wasn’t about logic, it was about the deep urge to take care of him, no matter how old he was and how far he’d risen through the ranks. Now she felt the same about Kitty. She was almost like another daughter to her, and she wanted nothing more than to see she was safe and well.
‘She’s not really sure,’ Rita replied, shifting a little to make Ellen more comfortable. ‘She’s told them she wants to live back at home. I suppose that would make it better for Tommy, come to think of it. Between Kitty and Danny, they should be able to keep an eye on him if he does come home. Isn’t it the best news, though? I can’t wait to have her back again; we’ve hardly seen her since she left. She says she should be back before Easter. Jack will be made up when he hears.’
Dolly poured two cups from the pot and pushed one across. ‘Here, let me hold my little granddaughter while you enjoy your tea.’ She reached out and Rita gratefully passed Ellen over, taking great care not to disturb her.
‘The thing is, I need your advice,’ Rita went on. ‘Jack’s too far away – I wouldn’t get a letter to him and a reply back in time – so I want to see if you think this is a good idea or not.’
Dolly looked up expectantly, while cradling Ellen’s head in its tiny crocheted bonnet against her shoulder. ‘What’s on your mind, Rita, love?’
Rita took a sip before explaining. ‘It’s who to have as godparents at the christening. Jack and I agreed we wanted to do this properly, seeing as our wedding wasn’t in the church. Now we’ve got time to plan everything. We want to be fair. Jack’s already said he wants to ask Danny, that’s only right, and I thought I’d ask Sarah, being as how she was the one who brought little Ellen into the world. With your help, of course.’ She grinned, glad that part of the process was over and done with.
‘Now don’t be selling yourself short,’ Dolly admonished her. ‘We just cheered you on – you did all the hard graft there.’
Rita nodded. ‘Worth it, though.’ She gazed in adoration at her little girl before carrying on. ‘So now Kitty is coming back, I would really like to ask her. She’s always been such a good friend to me, as well as being Jack’s sister. I couldn’t think of anyone better, and she’ll be a good example to Ellen too.’
‘She will that,’ said Dolly. ‘None better. She’s done well for herself, and all through her own hard work and talent. I take my hat off to her. She’d be a grand choice, Rita, and I’m sure Jack would agree if he was here. Why would you even think twice?’
Rita nodded. She had no doubts about Kitty’s suitability. That wasn’t what was troubling her. ‘I don’t want to offend Violet,’ she told her mother. ‘She might have expected to be asked. We’d have asked Eddy too, if we could have been certain he’d be back, but even though he’s due leave for Easter week, you know what it’s like – they could be delayed, or the weather could turn, or anything like that. But Violet – she’s here every day and she loves Ellen. I wouldn’t want to put her nose out of joint for anything. It’s just that it seems unfair to have two godmothers from my side and none from Jack’s.’
‘So that’s why you wouldn’t ask Nancy,’ Dolly said, more as a statement than a question. She looked at Rita.
Rita nodded. ‘Yes, we have to be fair.’ She didn’t say that she wouldn’t have asked Nancy anyway, as she didn’t think her middle sister was any kind of suitable role model. She knew full well that Dolly was thinking exactly the same, but neither of them needed to put it into words. Even though Sarah was four years younger, she was far more steady and reliable. God forbid, if anything were to happen to Rita, she knew she could safely entrust the care of Ellen to Sarah or Kitty. She wouldn’t feel nearly as happy relying on Nancy.