Chapter 59: Ted Booth

Bradlow: Sunday, October 12th

‘I’m William’s dad. How is he?’ Ted said, stepping into the small porch of the terraced house and holding out his hand to the small woman who opened the door to him. He could tell she’d been crying and still looked shaken.

He screwed his cap into folds and shoved it into his tweed jacket pocket, wishing for a moment he’d brought Ellen; in the right circumstances she was better at the ‘niceties’ than him. But then these weren’t what you’d call the right circumstances, he thought, and Ellen would probably have gone for the girl; she had a right tongue on her when she was upset. No, better he was here on his own.

‘Susan,’ she said, taking his hand, looking as uncomfortable as he felt. ‘And Linda says he’ll be fine.’

‘I’m sorry we haven’t met before. No, you first,’ he said as Susan held the door open for him to go through to the living-room. He followed her. ‘And I’m that sorry we have to meet like this now.’

‘I’m sorry, too. This is all my fault. William’s this way.’

‘We knew he had a girlfriend,’ Ted said as she opened another door. ‘But we didn’t know you were married before this last week.’ When she looked over her shoulder to him he saw the colour rise from her throat to her face. He heard the cry of a child. Looking up to the ceiling he said, ‘And with a bairn.’

She let him pass her into the kitchen. ‘If you’ll excuse me…?’

‘You go, see to…’ Ted rubbed his hand over his mouth, embarrassed. He was relieved when he saw William, looking ashen but sitting on a chair at a table opposite Linda, They were drinking tea. ‘Son.’ He nodded at them. ‘Our Linda.’

‘Don’t judge, Dad.’

‘I’m not, lad.’ Ted fingered the scar on his cheek. It wouldn’t be him that judged; Ellen’s face flashed through his mind. ‘How’re you feeling?’

‘I’m okay.’ William touched his shoulder under the clean white shirt. ‘Lin patched me up.’

‘Where did you get to, Dad? We didn’t go that fast. I think Jack was more nervous than me on Will’s bike.’

William gave a chuckle.

‘I thought you were right behind us?’ Linda said, standing up. ‘Tea?’

‘Please.’ Ted said. ‘I took a wrong turning and couldn’t get out of the one-way system. Stupid. I were that frantic.’ He saw the bloodied shirt in the sink. ‘Bloody hell, Linda, shouldn’t he be in hospital?’

‘I am here, you know, Dad,’ William said, ‘and no, there’s no need for me to go to hospital.’

‘I’ve told him.’ Linda said. ‘He won’t go. But I think he’ll be fine, so long as he rests for a few days.’

‘I can see Patrick liking that.’ William shifted on the chair and flinched.

‘It’s his son that caused this,’ Linda said. ‘So he can like it or lump it.’

‘Aye, she’s right.’ Ted took the cup of tea from Linda. ‘Thanks, love. Jack went then? Didn’t wait to face the music?’

‘There’s nothing for him to face, Dad. I’ll not be grassing him up to the coppers.’

Linda pulled a face.

‘Your choice, lad.’

The crying stopped. A minute or two later Susan came back into the kitchen.

‘How is he?’ William looked up at her.

‘He’s fine. Bad dream, that’s all.’

‘Sure?’

‘Sure.’ She smiled at him and then looked at Ted. ‘Won’t you sit down, Mr Booth?’

‘Ted, please. And no, lass, I’d better be off. Let his mother know our William’s okay.’ Ted drained the last of his tea. ‘She wanted me to bring you home,’ he said to William.

‘No, Dad, I’m fine here.’

‘What if he … Susan’s husband comes back?’

‘He won’t.’ William set his jaw.

‘He’ll be well on his way to barracks by now,’ Susan added. ‘And he knows he’ll never be welcome here again.’

‘I’d better be off, then.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Linda said. ‘I’ll be even later for my shift if I don’t get a move on.’ She hugged Susan, knowing already she was going to like William’s girlfriend. ‘I’ll call around after work tomorrow.’

‘You sure?’

‘Yeah. Need to keep an eye on my little brother. One of the nurses lives around here somewhere. I’ll cadge a lift with her.’

‘Dad?’ William caught hold of Ted’s sleeve. ‘I’ll be right. Honest. Everything will be all right. Tell Mum, won’t you, I don’t want her mithering. And then getting herself in a state again. You know what I mean?’

‘Aye, lad, I know what you mean.’ They exchanged looks.

‘I’ll keep an eye on her.’ Linda picked up her coat. Helping her dad to look after her mother would help to take her mind off her own problems.

Ted stopped by the door. ‘And perhaps you’ll bring your young lady home – to our house sometime? With the little ’un, of course.’

‘Thank you Mr Booth … Ted.’ Susan hesitated and then gave him a peck on the cheek.

‘You look after him,’ Ted said, blushing. ‘He’ll eat you out of house and home, mind.’

They all laughed. It released the tension.

‘Well then,’ Ted unfolded his cap and jammed it on his head, ‘I’ll be off. And I hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of you in future, Susan.’

‘You will.’ William grinned. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

Ted nodded. ‘You be careful.’

When Linda had settled into the passenger seat of the van, Ted stopped and looked back at the closed door of the house. It looked like they were all going to have to be careful in the future. One way or another. Seems they couldn’t help getting into trouble, not one of them.