by Kitty Neale
‘Have…have you told him?’
‘No, we thought we’d leave that to you. Now listen, Mavis, I ain’t being funny, but if the doctor doesn’t have your dad admitted to hospital, he can’t stay here. He ain’t my responsibility and you’ll have to take him to your place.’
‘No…hospital…too…too late,’ he gasped.
‘Oh, Dad,’ Mavis cried again, but then there was a knock on the door and Kate answered it to let in the doctor.
‘No…need,’ Ron groaned, but the doctor ignored him, insisting the others leave the room while he examined his patient.
Mavis hovered close by, Kate too, but it was some time before the doctor came out of the living room. ‘Are you his daughter?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m afraid your father is a very sick man. He won’t go into hospital and, as there’s little they can do for him, I’ve agreed that he can remain at home. He’ll need round-the-clock care—and get him this,’ he said, scribbling a prescription. ‘It might ease his pain.’
It was Kate who asked bluntly, ‘Is he going to get better?’
‘I’m afraid not, and he knows that.’
‘But there must be something you can do!’ Mavis cried.
The doctor shook his head sadly, the sympathy in his eyes too much for Mavis. Sobbing, she fled into Kate’s living room to kneel by her father’s side again, an arm across his frail body and her head on his chest. He couldn’t be dying, he just couldn’t.
‘Don’t cry, love,’ he said weakly.
Without thought, Mavis blurted out, ‘Oh, Dad, why did you leave me?’
‘I’m no good to you…or…or anyone.’
Mavis lifted her head, about to protest, only to find that her father had closed his eyes again.
Kate came into the room. ‘Mavis, I’m sorry, love, really I am, but you’ll have to take him home.’
‘How?’ she appealed. ‘Look at him, Mrs Truman. I doubt he could walk.’
‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll send Bill over to have a word with Olive Wilson’s husband. He’s got a van and we can put a mattress in the back for your dad to lie on.’
Mavis nodded. Yes, she’d take him home, and, no matter what the doctor said, surely if her father had decent care and good food to put flesh back onto his bones, he’d get better.
Over an hour after Mavis ran off, Alec heard a vehicle pull up and went to the window to see her climbing from the back of a van. Two men got out of the front, and Alec rushed to the street door, flinging it open, just in time to see them carrying a man from the van.
‘Be careful,’ he heard Mavis say, and then in a procession they moved towards the street door.
Alec refused to stand aside when they tried to walk in, demanding, ‘What’s going on?’
‘Please move out of the way, Alec,’ Mavis appealed. ‘My father’s very ill and we need to get him inside.’
‘You can’t bring him in here!’
‘What!’ Mavis spluttered. ‘But…’
‘From the look of him he should be in hospital and that’s where you can take him.’
Mavis seemed to grow in stature before Alec’s eyes and, eyes blazing, she pushed her way in. ‘No, Alec, I’ll do no such thing.’
Alec found himself forced to one side as Mavis held the door wide, saying to the two men, ‘Take no notice of my husband. Please, would you mind carrying him upstairs?’
Both men gave Alec a filthy look, one saying, ‘Of course not. Just lead the way.’
Alec was pushed aside again as they followed Mavis and angrily he hurried behind them, ignoring his mother’s calls as he shouted, ‘No, Mavis. You can’t do this.’
‘Just try and stop me,’ she cried as she dashed to the landing cupboard to grab linen and blankets. ‘I’ll need to make up the spare bed. Would you mind holding him for a while longer?’
‘It’s no trouble, love,’ one of the men said. ‘The poor sod’s as light as a feather.’
Alec could hear his mother ringing her bell incessantly now, and impatiently he turned to hurry back downstairs again. ‘Mother, not now!’
‘Alec, don’t you dare shout at me. Now tell me, what’s going on?’
‘It’s Mavis. Her father is ill and she’s brought him here. She’s upstairs now, putting him to bed.’
‘What! Without permission, she’s dared to bring him into my house. I won’t have it, Alec. Tell her he’s got to go—and now!’
‘Mother, from what I saw, the man can’t even walk. He had to be carried upstairs.’
‘Then he can be carried down again. Now get him out of here.’
‘I don’t think Mavis will stand for it, Mother,’ Alec said, bewildered by the change in his wife. ‘She’s like a different person and I’ve never seen her like this before.’
‘Mavis will do as she’s told. Tell her I want to speak to her.’
‘Very well,’ Alec said, leaving his mother’s room to find the men coming downstairs. ‘Wait,’ he ordered. ‘He can’t stay here. Wherever the man came from, you’ll have to take him back again.’
‘No way, mate. It ain’t my old woman’s place to look after him and she’d have my guts for garters if I took him back. What’s the matter with you anyway? I can’t believe you’d turn away a dying man and Mavis’s father at that.’
‘Dying? He’s dying?’
‘Yeah, that’s right, and from the look of him the poor sod ain’t got long.’
Alec’s jaw dropped, and though the men called a grudging goodbye he didn’t answer as he closed the door behind them. Still unable to take it in, he slowly went upstairs to find Mavis sitting by her father’s side. The man had his eyes closed, either asleep or unconscious, and now that Alec could see him properly, he was shocked to see that Ron Jackson did indeed look to be at death’s door. ‘Those men just told me. I’m sorry, Mavis.’
‘Told you what?’
Keeping his voice low, Alec said, ‘That your father’s dying.’
‘Don’t. Don’t say that.’
‘He should be in hospital.’
‘He won’t go.’
‘My mother said he can’t stay here.’
Mavis reared to her feet. ‘Oh, she said that, did she? Well, in that case you can tell her that if he has to go, I’m leaving too.’
‘Mavis, don’t be ridiculous.’
‘No, Alec, I’m not being ridiculous. I’ve looked after your mother for years and this is the thanks I get. My father is desperately ill yet she wants to throw him out and, let me tell you, I mean it. If you allow this to happen, I’ll go with him. You can find someone else to look after your mother, and her precious house.’
‘You’re forgetting the children, Mavis.’
‘No, I haven’t. I’ll take them with me.’
His temper rising, Alec said, ‘No, Mavis. I won’t allow it.’
‘I won’t leave James here for you to take your anger out on him. When I go, my children will come with me.’
‘They are my children too and you are not taking them out of this house.’
Mavis lunged forward, her fingers like talons. ‘I hate you! I hate you and your mother,’ she screamed, trying to rake his face with her nails.
Alec reared back, unable to believe that this screaming banshee was his wife. Mavis was like a mad woman and, unsure how to handle her now, he grabbed her arms. ‘Stop this, Mavis. Stop it at once.’
‘Look at him! Look at my father! Your mother can’t throw him out. She can’t!’
‘All right, Mavis. If you calm down I’ll talk to my mother again. I can see how ill he is, and perhaps when I tell her she’ll allow him to stay.’
There was a groan and Mavis yanked herself free to run back to her father’s side. ‘It’s all right, Dad. It’s all right.’
‘Where’s Lily? Get Lily.’
‘I will, Dad. I will…’
Ron closed his eyes again, and though Mavis’s voice was quiet it was venomous. ‘I mean it, Alec. If my father has to go, I�
�ll go with him, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.’
Alec left the room abruptly, hoping as he went downstairs that he could persuade his mother to let the man stay. He was seeing a new Mavis, one out of his control, and for the time being it looked as if he would have to tread carefully. Alec had a horrible feeling that if he didn’t, Mavis would carry out her threat.
Mavis stroked her father’s head as he drifted away again, her fingers trembling. She had gone for Alec, stood up to him, and she was still seething with fury. She had told Alec that she hated him, his mother too, and as the words had left her mouth, Mavis knew they were true. It had taken this to wake her up, to see that this house had never been her home. She just lived here, a slave to the demands of her mother-in-law and husband, her only solace being her children.
Slowly Mavis calmed, her anger replaced by worry. Alec was talking to his mother now, but if Edith still insisted that her father left Mavis didn’t know what she’d do. She had threatened to leave, and, no matter what Alec said, she’d take the children. But where could they go?
Mavis had no idea how long she had sat there before Alec returned, her eyes lifting to meet his as he walked into the room. ‘Well, what did she say?’
‘It’s all right, your father can stay, but you’ll have to go downstairs to see to my mother now. She needs the commode.’
Mavis saw that her father was still asleep and rose to her feet. It wasn’t going to be easy with both her father and mother-in-law to look after, but she was too relieved to worry about it now.
‘Thank you, Alec,’ she said coldly, and after one last look at her father she quietly left the room.
She had more to ask of her husband yet, and it would probably mean another argument, but her father had asked something of her and there was no way she was going to let him down.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The next morning, Edith was still fuming. She felt she’d been blackmailed, that unless she allowed Mavis’s father to stay, her daughter-in-law would leave. Of course, she couldn’t manage without Mavis, the girl for once having the upper hand. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact that Ron Jackson was dying and would soon be out of her house.
Edith rang her bell, already feeling neglected, and when Mavis at last appeared she snapped, ‘It’s about time.’
‘I came as soon as I could.’
There was no apology for keeping her waiting, and Edith could sense a change in Mavis. She no longer appeared obsequious; had barely thanked Edith for allowing her father to stay, and, not only that, she had somehow persuaded Alec to take the morning off work, something he had never done before unless forced by severe illness. ‘You’ve forgotten my pills again.’
‘No, Mother, I haven’t. I gave them to you half an hour ago, and I know that because I had to give my father his medication at the same time.’
‘I have not had my pills,’ Edith insisted. ‘Now go and get them, and to prevent this happening again, I want them left in here.’
‘Very well,’ Mavis said, ‘but, remember, you’re only supposed to take two every four hours.’
‘I know that, you silly girl.’
Mavis left the room, returning shortly afterwards to shake two pills out of the container. She held them out, and then poured a glass of water, saying as Edith swallowed them, ‘There, and if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ve got a lot to do.’
‘Yes, yes, go,’ Edith waved, ‘but you can leave the rest of my pills here. I’m sick of you forgetting to give them to me on time.’
Mavis handed them over and marched out of the room without a word. With an angry huff, Edith lay back on her pillow. She wasn’t going to stand for her daughter-in-law’s attitude. Now that she’d had time to think about it, she was sure that Mavis’s threat to leave had just been bluff. After all, she had nowhere to go.
Edith felt her pain easing. What did it matter if she took a couple of extra pills? They relieved her symptoms, and that’s what mattered. She found herself drifting, her mind on the plans she had to make. As soon as Alec returned there’d be more disruption in the house, something that she was determined to put an end to.
‘Alec, what are you doing here?’ Lily asked as she ushered him inside.
‘You aren’t on the telephone so I couldn’t ring you. Mavis asked me to come here. Her father has turned up and he’s asking for you.’
‘Ron! Ron’s back,’ Lily gasped, her knees caving in shock.
‘Yes, but I must warn you. He’s very ill.’
Lily found that she had to support herself and gripped the edge of the table as her thoughts spun. ‘Where is he?’
‘He’s staying with us. Mavis is looking after him, but he’s in a very bad way.’
‘What’s wrong with him?’
‘I’m not sure, but I’m afraid he’s dying.’
Lily’s knees went entirely then and she was hardly aware of Alec pulling out a chair, supporting her until she was able to sit down. She fought to pull herself together. Despite all that had happened, all he had put her through, Lily found that she wanted to run to Ron, to be by his side. ‘Give me a minute and I’ll get me coat,’ she said.
‘Are you all right?’ Alec asked.
‘I’m fine. It was just a bit of a shock, that’s all,’ Lily told him, taking in a few deep breaths to calm her churning stomach before she stood up again. She should be back before Pete came home, but, just in case, Lily scribbled a quick note to say she’d gone to see Mavis, leaving out any mention of Ron. There’d be time enough to tell him face to face, but for now she just wanted to get to Battersea.
Lily picked up her handbag, fighting tears as they left the house. Despite trying to make a new life she had never been able to get Ron out of her mind. Ron, Ron, she cried inwardly, you’ve only just come back. Don’t leave me again.
Mavis was sitting by her father’s side, Grace playing with toys on the floor beside them. It was odd really. Her daughter was usually such a difficult and demanding child, but since the moment she’d met her grandfather Grace had been strangely quiet.
Alec hadn’t been happy when she’d gone to ask for Jenny’s help earlier, but her neighbour had been wonderful. She’d agreed to take James to school and bring him home again. Jenny had also offered to look after Grace, but her daughter would have none of it, only calming down when she was allowed to be with her grandfather. He had hardly been able to speak when Mavis had led the children into his room that morning. James had been nervous, hanging back, but Grace had gone straight to him, taking his hand as though an instant bond had formed. But now, hearing her mother’s voice, Mavis rose to her feet. It had taken another argument to get Alec to go to Peckham that morning, but at last her mother was here.
‘Oh, Ron,’ her mother cried when she saw him, blind to Mavis and Grace as she rushed to his side.
Though she had thought him asleep, Mavis saw her father’s eyes open, a weak hand reaching out as he croaked, ‘Lily, Lily.’
‘Ron, where have you been? What happened to you?’
‘Doesn’t matter. Had to see you. Had to say I’m sorry,’ he gasped, every short sentence an effort, but then Mavis saw that his eyes had closed again.
‘Mavis, has he seen a doctor?’
‘Yes, Mum, he saw one last night, and I rang our doctor this morning. He’ll be round after his morning surgery.’
‘He looks terrible.’
‘Mavis, can I have a word?’ Alec asked as he poked his head into the room.
‘Yes, all right,’ she said, lifting Grace into her arms to walk outside.
‘I’ve got to go to work now,’ Alec said urgently, ‘though I’m a bit worried about my mother. I just looked in and found her sound asleep. She doesn’t look right, Mavis.’
‘She tires easily and I’m sure she’s fine, but when the doctor calls round to see my father, I’ll ask him to look at her too.’
‘Good idea, but until then keep an eye on her, Mavis.’
‘O
f course,’ she said, relieved when Alec then left for work. It had surprised her that he’d gone to Peckham, but his manner since she had threatened to leave him had been subdued.
Mavis walked back into the room, still holding Grace, to find her mother clutching her father’s hand. ‘I’ll make you a cup of tea, Mum.’
‘Thanks, love. I must admit I could do with one. I thought that bus was never going to get here.’
‘Stay here, Mummy,’ Grace said.
‘Yeah, leave her, love. I ain’t seen the kid for ages.’
Mavis lowered Grace down, amazed when she ran to stand quietly beside her grandmother. She hardly ever came to visit them and, too busy looking after Edith, they couldn’t go to Peckham, yet even so there seemed to be an instant rapport. Shaking her head in bewilderment, Mavis went down to the kitchen, and after making a pot of tea she first carried one into her mother-in-law’s room. Alec was right, she was asleep, but that suited Mavis fine and, hoping she’d stay that way for a while longer, she crept out again.
It was late afternoon and Lily was still sitting with Ron. The doctor had been and gone, James was back from school, but thankfully the woman next door had insisted on taking both children home with her. She seemed a nice sort, and though Grace had kicked up a bit, the woman had made it seem an adventure that they’d be sleeping in her house that night.
‘Stop worrying, Mavis. Your fault or not, Edith is gonna be fine. I just wish I could say the same thing about your father.’
‘Don’t, Mum. I can’t face it,’ Mavis begged.
‘We’ve got to,’ Lily said, fighting tears as she turned to look at Ron. The doctor had been kind and sympathetic when after examining Ron he’d warned that he might not even last the night. Worse was when the doctor said that Ron knew he was dying, knew that years of alcohol abuse had finally taken its toll. Lily looked at Ron’s face, unable to believe how old he looked, his hair and beard streaked with grey. He’d been drifting in and out of consciousness since she arrived, hardly able to talk, yet when awake he had enough strength to cling on to her hand.
