‘I’m just glad that Joe’s coming home safely. I’m made up for your mother.’
Sarah had been to tea at Anne’s house and found all the family excited about Joe’s homecoming. ‘You wouldn’t think one would be missed out of all this crowd, would you?’ Terry said to her, laughing. ‘But he is.’
Anne and Sarah had parted from the brothers who owned motor bikes as they felt that they were becoming too possessive, and had resumed their cycling excursions with Anne’s brothers and sisters. Occasionally Maureen and Terry and Tony came to the dances, and Helen, Tony’s girlfriend.
‘We’ll have to get a bike for Joe,’ Tony announced, but Anne and Maureen told him to let Joe decide what he wanted to do.
‘I’ll bet you don’t argue like this in your house, Sarah,’ Tony said.
‘There aren’t as many of us, but we still argue. My grandma said our John would argue with a lamppost if there was nothing else handy.’
Sarah thought of this conversation as she lay in bed. Would John still be the same? Would he still be so ready to argue with their father? I think he’d begun to change anyway since Grandad died, she thought, and he might be quite different when he comes home. She shivered as the thought came, If he comes home.
The family were dashing about as usual the following morning, getting ready for school or work, when three letters arrived from John. Greg went through them quickly and dropped two on the table.
‘This is the last one, Cath,’ he cried, and they stood reading it together.
‘He’s coming home,’ Cathy shouted. ‘Oh, Greg, thank God, thank God.’ She burst into tears and he put his arm around her and held her close.
‘What does it say? Is he all right?’ Sarah exclaimed, and her father passed the letter for her and Mick to read while he and Cathy read the others.
Kate stamped her foot with impatience. ‘Tell me. Tell me,’ she demanded.
Stan Johnson had given Greg a wrist watch before he left. He glanced at it now. ‘I’ll have to go,’ he said, ‘but listen – we must celebrate. What about the Forum for all of us, and a meal at the café? Will you book, Cath? I promise I’ll be home. Ask Mam to come too.’
He dashed away and the letters were passed around, then Cathy ran over to her mother’s house, waving them as she rushed in.
‘John’s safe. He’s coming home,’ she cried, and Sally put her hand to her heart.
‘Thank God! Oh, thank God,’ she said.
Sarah hurried to the shop, anxious to tell Anne and Mabel her good news, and they were both delighted.
‘Now I feel I can really look forward to our Joe coming home,’ Anne declared. ‘I’d have felt terrible if he was still away when Joe came.’
‘He’s being invalided home because his ankle won’t heal,’ Sarah explained. ‘But Dad says they probably haven’t got the right medical supplies and he’ll be all right when he gets here.’
‘I’m sure he will,’ Mabel said. ‘I’ll bet your grandma’s got something that will cure it. Her cough mixture can do wonders.’
‘Not as much as her jollop for female complaints,’ Anne said, and the two girls fell about, screaming with laughter.
‘You two are over-excited,’ Mabel said. ‘What’s the joke?’
‘If I tell you, Mabel, you won’t tell anyone else, will you?’ Sarah said, still laughing. ‘Mum told me one night when we were up late talking, but I think it was only to cheer me up after Michael so don’t repeat it.’
‘I won’t,’ Mabel promised.
‘Grandma started making this stuff for women who had internal troubles and a lot of pain after having a baby, or for women who had a growth, to ease them. Mum said she put all sorts of things in it but the basis was her own rhubarb wine that was very potent. It did ease the women, but the husbands started taking it too.’
‘That’s disgraceful,’ Mabel said. ‘I mean, if men are working they’re on the panel and can go to a doctor free, but women won’t go because they’ve got to pay.’
‘I know,’ Sarah said. ‘Mum said Grandma was furious but she didn’t say anything when she found out. She just told everyone that it was good for female complaints but it would make men impotent.’
Mabel gave a shout of laughter. ‘Typical,’ she said, ‘Typical of your grandma, Sarah. She could buy and sell any of them before they got up in the morning.’
From time to time as Sarah and Anne passed each other behind the counter, they would murmur to each other, ‘Female complaints,’ and instantly collapse in giggles.
‘You’re all very happy today,’ one of the customers commented.
Mabel said, ‘Yes. Their brothers are coming home from abroad and I can’t get any good of them today.’ But she was smiling too.
Chapter Thirty
Cathy had corresponded with her old friend Norah since she had sent condolences when Lawrie died. In the spring Norah had written that she and a friend were starting a guest house at Morecambe, inviting Cathy to visit her at any time. She had often repeated the invitation.
Now Cathy decided to take Kate there for a day out. ‘I couldn’t settle to anything until I heard from John,’ she said, ‘but I’ll take Kate for a day before she goes back to school.’
Norah insisted that they must stay at least one night, and a few days later Cathy and Kate set off. Kate was wildly excited and Norah made them very welcome.
She introduced them to the friend who shared the ownership of the guest house with her. ‘I’m a Lancashire lass,’ Minnie said, ‘from near Bolton. I often came to Morecambe on charabanc trips, and Norah had been, so we settled on it for our guest house.’
‘You’ve picked a lovely place,’ Cathy said. Later Norah told Cathy that when she and Jack had parted she had very little money and a big house so she took in lodgers. Minnie had helped her with the cooking in any free time she had from caring for her elderly mother, but they both hankered to come back North. When Minnie’s mother died they sold their houses and looked for a guest house to share.
‘Are you doing all right?’ asked Cathy, feeling that the guest house was a safer topic than Norah’s husband.
‘Yes, we’re always full,’ Norah said. ‘Minnie’s a very good cook and word gets around.’ Later they walked along the sea front and stopped to look at a Pierrot show. Children were invited on to the stage and Kate went up immediately. She sang “Bye Bye, Blackbird” and did some tap dancing, and was loudly applauded.
‘She’s never backward in coming forward,’ Cathy said. ‘No one could say she was shy.’
‘Your Mary never was, was she?’ Norah said, laughing. ‘Strange to see things coming out in the next generation, isn’t it?’
‘It is,’ Cathy agreed uneasily.
‘Is Sarah courting?’
‘No. She’s always making dates with fellows from the dances but she never gets serious with any of them.’
‘Just as well. She’s got plenty of time before she thinks of settling down,’ Norah said. When they were walking on again, and Kate had run ahead, Norah said quietly, ‘Be careful with your girls, Cath. See that they’re really sure when they come to get married.’
They spoke of old times, and Cathy talked of her family and gave Norah news of old friends like the Mellors and the Burnses. Cathy was sorry to leave the following day but anxious to return to her family and hoping to hear more news of John’s return.
Joe Fitzgerald arrived home before they heard from John again, and on the Saturday night the Fitzgeralds gave a party to celebrate his homecoming and the engagement of Tony and Helen.
Cathy and Greg were invited to the party as well as Sarah, and they liked all the Fitzgerald family.
‘I’m glad Anne and Sarah are friends,’ Mrs Fitzgerald said. ‘I think it’s important for girls to have nice friends.’
‘They certainly enjoy life, don’t they?’ Cathy laughed.
‘Yes, and why not? Youth’s the time for that,’ said Mrs Fitzgerald. As usual at these family parties the older people wer
e sitting in the Fitzgeralds’ roomy kitchen while the younger generation gathered in the parlour.
Sarah had been introduced to Joe, but he had immediately been whisked away to be introduced to someone else. Anne came up beside her friend. ‘What do you think of our Joe? He’s nice, isn’t he?’
Sarah agreed. Joe was dark-haired and brown-eyed like all the Fitzgeralds, and as tall as his brothers, but except when he was laughing his expression was serious.
‘I think he’s like your Maureen. He looks serious like her,’ Sarah said. ‘He’s quiet but he’s good company. We’ve had some good laughs,’ Anne said. ‘I wish he could get a job ashore. He doesn’t really like the sea, but it’s better than being unemployed.’
Later Sarah found herself beside Joe. She said shyly, ‘You’ve been on a long voyage, haven’t you?’
‘Yes. To China,’ he said.
‘You must be glad to be home.’ He’ll think me a brilliant conversationalist, she thought wryly, but Joe seemed as shy as she was.
‘I am. I miss the family,’ he said.
Terry came up beside Sarah, and put his arm round her. ‘Ah, you’ve met the Queen of the Ceilidhes,’ he said to Joe. ‘Sarah and Anne have been out with half the lads in Liverpool between them.’
‘You’re only jealous because you can’t get a girl,’ Anne called over to them.
‘Not so,’ Terry declared. ‘I just can’t choose. The girls all fall flat before me, you see, and I can’t see their faces.’
‘As modest as ever, I see,’ Joe observed.
Stephen and Eileen had been handing round glasses of punch, and there was a commotion near the door as the older people began to crowd into the parlour, among them Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald.
‘Welcome, everyone,’ Mr Fitzgerald said loudly. ‘This party is for two reasons. One is to welcome home our Joe. Step forward, Joe.’
He did so and Sarah felt sorry for him when she saw how red and embarrassed he looked.
‘Welcome home, lad,’ said Mr Fitzgerald. ‘Good health.’ Everyone echoed ‘Good health’, and sipped their drinks.
‘The other joyful reason we’re here,’ Mr Fitzgerald announced as Joe thankfully slipped back into the crowd, ‘is to announce the engagement of Helen and Tony, and to welcome Helen into our family.’
Helen and Tony stood up together, Helen scarcely reaching Tony’s shoulder, and a burly man called, ‘Why didn’t you pick someone your own size, Tony?’
‘Trust Uncle Fred,’ Anne groaned.
Tony only said cheerfully, ‘Good stuff in small parcels, Uncle Fred.’
‘Now then, Fred,’ Mr Fitzgerald said, ‘that’s for fighting and Helen and Tony won’t be doing that.’
‘Wanna bet?’ Fred guffawed, but there were cries of ‘Gangway’ and Maureen wheeled in a tea trolley with a large iced cake on it.
‘It’s too nice to cut,’ Helen said.
But the irrepressible Fred shouted, ‘Come on, girl. The sooner it’s cut the sooner we can eat it,’ and Tony and Helen made a cut in the cake.
‘Raise your glasses,’ Mr Fitzgerald said. ‘Long life and happiness to Helen and Tony.’
‘If I ever get married, I’ll make sure Uncle Fred’s out of the country,’ Anne said.
But Terry said easily, ‘He’s harmless.’
Maureen, who had joined them, said, ‘He’s very kind to Grandma, and we know it’s not easy living with her.’ To Sarah Maureen said, ‘Grandma lived with Uncle Fred for ten years, then she decided to come here. She was only with us for two years but nearly drove us mad, and now she’s gone back to Uncle Fred and Aunt Carrie. They knew what she was like but they welcomed her back and are very good to her.’
Joe put his hand on her shoulder and said quietly, ‘Still seeing the good in everyone, Mo?’
During the following weeks the Fitzgeralds went out often as a family party with Sarah included. They went to the ceilidhes, where Sarah danced most of the dances with Terry as her partner, and to the theatre or cinema, but Sarah had little chance to talk to Joe.
Joe was still at home when John arrived two weeks later. All the family were on Lime Street Station to meet him, except his grandmother, and they saw other families waiting and officials who had organized the recruiting for the International Brigade.
Eight wounded men arrived but John’s family were too intent on him to notice any of the others. John was walking on crutches and looked gaunt and tired. His foot was swathed in bandages, the outer layer dirty, but his face lit up when he saw the family. ‘Mum!’ he exclaimed, then hugged each of them in turn.
As they left the station, several men came up to John and shook his hand. Cathy heard him say to one man with an authoritative manner, ‘Yes, I will. Tomorrow.’
‘What are you planning to do tomorrow?’ she demanded.
‘To make a report, Mum,’ he said.
She declared, ‘You won’t put that foot to the ground tomorrow. I’ll see to that.’
Greg glanced warningly at her. ‘Is the foot very painful, John?’ he asked.
‘Not too bad,’ he said. ‘Worse some times than others.’ Greg hailed a taxi and helped John into it, then Cathy and Sarah followed, and Greg and Kate. Mick had volunteered to walk, but Kate was delighted to ride in the taxicab.
‘I’m glad you’ve come home, John,’ she announced. ‘I’ve never been in a taxi before.’ She bounced up and down on the seat. ‘I’m going to ride in taxis all the time when I’m grown up,’ she said. ‘Or have my own motor car.’
‘My God, I seem to have heard that before, or something very like it!’ Cathy exclaimed.
‘I’ve never said it before. I’ve never been in a taxi before,’ Kate said.
‘Not you. I was thinking of your Auntie Mary.’
‘How is she – and Sam?’ John said. ‘I couldn’t write to thank them for that money.’
‘They seem very well,’ Cathy said. ‘Sam seems to be prospering and Mary’s playing the grand lady.’
‘I met an American who’d heard of Sam’s business although he didn’t know him,’ John said.
The taxi had reached Egremont Street and Sally opened the door of the Redmonds’ house and came down the steps to kiss John. ‘Welcome home, lad,’ she said. ‘Thank God you’re safe.’
Cathy had put pillows on the sofa before she left for the station and John sank down on it thankfully and propped up his leg. The table was laid with a big spread of food and Sally had made tea which she began to pour immediately.
‘A cup of tea,’ John said. ‘I’ve been dying for a cup of your tea, Grandma.’
‘What do you fancy to eat, John?’ Cathy said. ‘Anything on here or would you rather have egg and bacon?’
‘Anything at all, Mum,’ he said. ‘Except beans. We’ve lived on them, and I never want to see another bean.’ He looked round all the faces smiling at him, then swallowed and fumbled for his handkerchief. Without a word Cathy took a clean one from the dresser drawer and handed it to him. He blew his nose noisily, then took a gulp of tea.
‘Thanks, Mum,’ he said. ‘You don’t know how good it is to be home.’
‘We’re just as happy to have you home,’ Cathy said.
She turned to Kate who was looking over the table and saying, ‘Can I have a pasty? Can I have a madeleine?’
‘Can I have? Can I? Have that’s all you ever say,’ Cathy snapped.
She had already shouted at Mick for being clumsy, and now thought, What’s wrong with me? Why am I so irritable when I’m so happy to have John home? It must be because I couldn’t really believe it until I saw him get off the train.
She spoke of her bad temper to Greg later when he and Mick had helped John to bed, and Greg had dressed John’s foot and rigged up a cage with a small fireguard to keep the bedclothes off it.
‘I should be so happy to have him home,’ she said. ‘I am happy, Greg, but I can’t stop myself from snapping at everyone.’
‘Just nerves,’ he said. ‘You’ve been very worried, and
now you can stop worrying so your mind’s confused. You’ll be all right tomorrow.’
She smiled. ‘Mam’s made up. I didn’t realize how worried she was about John until I saw how happy she was tonight.’
‘John’s very dear to her,’ Greg said, then as Cathy glanced at him he added hastily, ‘All our children are. She’s not like Peggy with dozens of grandchildren.’
‘It doesn’t look as though Mary will supply any,’ Cathy said. ‘Poor Sam. What did you think of Kate in the taxi? Didn’t she sound like our Mary?’
‘She often does,’ said Greg, laughing.
John slept until noon the following day and Cathy firmly vetoed the idea of him going out. ‘Dad left this paper and pencil for you,’ she told him. ‘He said if you write out a report, he’ll take it to the Old Haymarket after work.’
‘I’ll be glad to do that,’ John admitted. ‘My foot’s less painful but I feel weary.’
‘You’re very thin, son.’
‘I had a sort of dysentery,’ he said. ‘The Spanish people were very good. They had so little yet they’d want to share it with you, and try to help you. They gave me leaves to chew for the dysentery and it stopped it for a while but it came back again.’
‘I’m glad to know there’s another reason for you being thin,’ Cathy said. ‘I was afraid it was because the wound was so bad.’
‘No. Just diarrhoea, I’m afraid. Not a very heroic figure am I, Mum – for all my big ideas,’ he said ruefully.
‘Don’t talk daft,’ Cathy said. ‘Don’t worry, son. We’ll soon have you right. Between Dad with his St John’s training and Grandma’s remedies, you’re in the right family.’
‘Fallen on my feet, in fact,’ he said with a grin.
He wrote out the report and Greg took it to the office in the Old Haymarket. His reception was more friendly this time and he chatted to several of the men there and heard their views. When he came home he told Cathy that he had been impressed.
‘I thought John had fallen in with bad company with these men really, Cath, although I didn’t say so to him. I thought he should find it out for himself. But now I think they are idealists, and sincere. Misguided, in my view, but still sincere.’
There is a Season Page 38
