by Maureen Lee
‘It shouldn’t be long now,’ Matthew murmured.
As if on cue, the world suddenly erupted in a mighty cheer. In the distance, church bells chimed, a glorious sound, accompanied by the mournful wail of ships’ hooters. Across the water, and on Kings Dock to their right, a thousand fireworks shot into the sky, exploding into a million stars. There were shouts and laughter from the balcony below. Somewhere close, a dog barked hysterically.
‘Happy New Year, Matthew.’
‘Happy New Century, Ruby.’
They kissed, a sweet, gentle kiss. There wasn’t much passion left nowadays.
The noise went on, the fireworks, the cheering, the singing, as their small part of the world celebrated the advent of the twenty-first century.
After a while, Matthew began to shiver, so they went indoors and found the telephone ringing.
It was Greta. ‘Happy New Year, Mam,’ she sang.
‘The same to you, love.’ Ruby was glad she sounded happy. Moira came on, then Sam, followed, one by one, by the children, all five of them, anxious to wish Bee and Uncle Matt a Happy New Year.
Then Heather rang, Daisy and Michael, Brendan, the new father, as drunk as a lord. Harry called again from the Embankment. He and Robert were on their way home with a couple of girls they’d met. ‘They’re Swedish and drop dead gorgeous.’
Matthew had been watching television all this time. ‘I think I’ll turn in,’ he said when Ruby judged there were unlikely to be any more calls.
‘Would you like some hot milk to take with you?’
‘No, ta, Rube. I’m dead beat.’
But Ruby had never felt more wide awake. ‘Goodnight, love. I’ll join you in a minute.’ She kissed him, then watched him go, stooped and feeble, and remembered the tall, dark young man in the cheap suit she’d met the day the war ended. She sighed, went into the kitchen, but instead of milk, poured another Martini, then put her coat back on and returned to the balcony to watch the fireworks and listen to the bells and the sound of people enjoying themselves. All of a sudden, she ached to be part of the crowd, to dance and sing, celebrate this unique night. She was reluctant to go to bed, curl up beside Matthew’s warm body, while the rest of the world was wide awake and having a wonderful time.
She went over to the bedroom door and listened. He was already asleep, snoring softly. It wouldn’t hurt to go out, just for half an hour, mingle with the crowds, shake a few hands. She might well be a silver-haired old lady with arthritis, but she still didn’t want to miss anything.
available from
THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP
Stepping Stones £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-1726-2
Lights Out Liverpool £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-0402-6
Put Out the Fires £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-2759-9
Through the Storm £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-1628-9
Liverpool Annie £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-1698-2
Dancing in the Dark £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-3443-6
The Girl from Barefoot House £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-3714-7
Laceys of Liverpool £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-4403-9
The House by Princes Park £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-4835-8
Lime Street Blues £5.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-4961-4
Queen of the Mersey £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-5891-3
The Old House on the Corner £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-6575-1
The September Girls £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-6532-4
Kitty and Her Sisters £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-7818-8
The Leaving of Liverpool £6.99
MAUREEN LEE
978-0-7528-8192-8
All Orion/Phoenix titles are available at your local bookshop or from the following address:
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