“I can save every spare farthing for the trip home, with three of you bringing a wage into the house that shouldn’t be too difficult,” said Mary.
“I don’t want you taking that journey on your own and none of us can go with you. Even if I could take the time off work, both Maggie and Mr. Harrington have urged me not to return because of all the fuss being made over that Flanagan man,” said James. “Besides, Peter was quite happy to have his youngest born here. This is our home now so I don’t want to hear any more talk about you going back.”
“If we lived in Liverpool, would you mind me going, it would only be half the distance?” asked Mary.
“Well, we don’t. Now let me get some sleep, woman, or I’ll not be fit for work tomorrow,” James turned his back to his wife, signalling the end of the discussion.
Mary lay stewing with frustration, knowing that sleep would not come easy while her mind continued to throw up ideas on how she would get back to Ireland for the birth of their next child. She calculated that there was another three months left before her baby would be born and she had already been saving the money for the trip.
“Two of your cousins live in Liverpool, James. Surely I could stay with one of them before setting off across the water. It would break up the journey.”
James sighed and agreed to think about it over the weekend, when he had both the time and the energy to spare. It was enough to settle his wife’s troubled mind and buy him a couple of day’s peace before the discussion was taken up again.
By the time Sunday arrived Mary knew exactly how much she would need for her trip. James had discreetly arranged for both his sisters-in-law to encourage her to remain in England for the baby’s birth, but nothing that was said changed her thinking.
“Mary has a way of wearing a person down, doesn’t she?” remarked Owen.
“She’s a very determined woman. Once my wife sets her mind on something, she does it, there’ll be no changing it. She doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to send Mary-Anne with her, for my own peace of mind. And wee Brigid has to go with them, sure there’ll be nobody here to take care of her. I suppose the fresh air will do them all good.”
“Rose is of the same opinion as yourself about the journey. She says that Mary has been quite ill of late and that it’s not a good sign,” said Owen, “She tells me that one of the doctors has said he will examine her if she goes up to the hospital.”
“She won’t go. Mary says having a child is as natural for a woman as breathing. She’s happy to let Rose and her friend, the midwife, take care of her, but I have noticed she’s looking thin of late. The baby seems to be growing fine, though,” said James. “If she’s faring any worse when the time comes, I’ll put my foot down about the trip back over. Best not mention anything to young Mary-Anne about it, Owen. I don’t want to get her hopes up just yet. She’s missing home more than any of us and since we’ve been here, a week hasn’t gone by that the poor wee mite isn’t sickly.”
“Don’t fret over it, James. Maggie’s youngest was in a worse state than your wee one and look at the lad now, fit as a fiddle,” assured Owen.
As the weeks went by, Mary’s health rapidly declined and it was in the middle of a wet, stormy night that Rose and James had to rush her to the hospital. He paced back and forth across the waiting room while his sister-in-law and the doctor on duty took care of his wife. An elderly woman gave him a sympathetic smile every time she caught his eye and appeared to be on the verge of speaking to him. James left the room to pace the corridor instead, he was not in the mood for conversation. When he saw Rose coming towards him he knew by her face that something was seriously wrong.
“Please, don’t let it be Mary. If I have to lose one of them, please let it be the child,” he silently prayed.
When she reached him, his sister-in-law linked his arm and led him back along the corridor, opening and closing doors until she found an empty room. By that stage James had already resigned himself to the fact that the news was not good but he was unable to find his voice to ask the question playing on his mind.
“Sit down, James. Mary is sleeping now, but she will need you when she wakes up. Can you stay here till then?” Rose waited for a response, continuing when James nodded his head. “Good. I must go home soon but I’ll be back here for work later this morning. Owen will get word to your foreman that you are here, can you afford to lose a day’s pay, James?”
The young man nodded his head, still afraid to ask about his wife and child. Instead, he looked up into Rose’s eyes and waited for her to tell him the news.
“James, there is no easy way for you to hear this. Mary was carrying twins but she lost both of them, two little boys. It was much too early for them to come into the world, I’m so sorry. Neither myself nor the midwife had any notion that there were two babies, one must have been hiding behind the other. The doctor has given her something to make her sleep but when she wakes up he says it would be good if you were by her side. I’ll leave you alone for a wee while and fetch us both a cup of tea.”
“Twins you say, boys. Poor Mary, her heart will be broken. Does she know, Rose? Please don’t say I have to tell her.”
“She knows, James. That was why the doctor had to give her something, she was hysterical. Mary is weak but perfectly healthy, the doctor has assured me of that. She’ll be here for a few more days, but she will need to take things easy for a while. Mary-Anne can look after her and wee Brigid until she’s recovered,” Rose patted her brother-in-law’s hand reassuringly. “I’ll be off now to get that tea.”