ON THE MORNING following the accident, Sally woke and was immediately aware of pain and discomfort. She had cut her face and had landed with her head against the skirting board and had obviously wrenched her neck. Beside that, her hand was bruised and her shoulder was also stiff and painful. Getting Sadie up, dressed and ready for nursery took longer than usual and she was reminded of what an amiable child she was, and tried to imagine how she would have coped with all that had happened, including the fall, if Sadie had been fractious or demanding. She hugged her and held her for longer than usual, telling the little girl how much she was loved. Reaction to the accident was mixed, most people laughing as Sally told the story to the mothers at nursery with that intention but when the news reached her, Valmai was concerned and went to Greenways at once.
‘You must see a doctor,’ she said. ‘I’ll come with you now, shall I? I can look after Sadie while you see him.’
‘But I’m bruised, that’s all,’ Sally protested, trying to hide her painful hand, now a startlingly dark blue. ‘Besides, I haven’t cleaned all the paint off myself yet. I keep finding smears on my arms and in my hair. I can’t be seen looking like this.’
‘Tomorrow,’ Valmai insisted. ‘I’ll meet you after you’ve taken Sadie to nursery. Right?’
‘I can’t tomorrow, I have work to do.’
‘So have I, but this is important. Besides, you can’t work. Just look at that hand. Nine o’clock, right? And look, I’ve brought some soup for your supper, save you bothering and I’ve sliced some bread.’
She knew Valmai was right; she did need to see a doctor to make sure the damage was nothing more than bruising. Whatever he advised she would have to carry on as usual. A few weeks of being unable to work and she would lose all her clients. So it was pointless really. She went to the surgery as soon as Sadie had been handed over to the assistant at the nursery. Valmai was waiting.
The hand and other injuries were examined and then the shoulder and arm were strapped and she was told she must rest. She thanked the doctor and the nurse who had applied the dressings to the cuts but as soon as she was outside, she shook her head. ‘Rest? That’s a joke. I have to keep my cleaning jobs, and if I don’t continue with the decorating, Sadie and I will have to move out of Greenways.’
‘You know there’s a home with Gwilym and me for as long as you need one,’ Valmai said, adding quickly, ‘Don’t worry, I know you and Rhys won’t get back together and I don’t blame you for that, I really don’t. But we still want to help. Fond of you, we are, and full of admiration for the way you’ve conducted yourself through all this.’
‘Thank you.’ Sally hesitated then said, ‘There is something you can help with, if you’re sure you don’t mind.’
‘Anything.’
‘I’ve been asked to do a full house-cleaning for Mrs Glover ready for when her visitors come next week but it will take a day at least and I can’t really expect her to look after Sadie for the whole afternoon, much as she loves to see her. Would you meet Sadie from nursery and look after her until I’ve finished? There’ll be two of us, and Mrs Glover also does what she can, so I hope to finish after one whole day and the following morning.’
‘Glad to. I’ll take her to the park – she loves that, even though it’s so cold – and Gwilym will be pleased to spend some time with her. Just let me have some spare clothes in case she gets dirty and we’ll have a lovely day.’
News of the accident and Sally’s injuries spread and when David’s mother told him, he was concerned and went to Greenways at once.
‘You must do as the doctor said and rest,’ he said.
‘But I’m just a bit bruised, that’s all,’ Sally insisted, trying to hide her painful hand.
‘At least let me help. I can light the fire for a start.’ He moved the electric fire to one side and, ignoring her protests, he set about cleaning out the grate and getting the fire to blaze.
Rather unkindly, Sally wondered why he didn’t show the same enthusiasm when looking for work. For more than two years he’d been unemployed. She couldn’t imagine Rhys doing nothing for all that time. Then that train of thought stopped abruptly. As far as she knew that’s exactly what Rhys had been doing. Nothing! No college, and certainly no job or he wouldn’t have been using the money she had been sending regularly. What had he been doing? He must be in serious trouble but why couldn’t he talk about it?
‘I’ll just go and fill the coal scuttle. I’ll come tomorrow and do the same, shall I?’ David’s comment startled her out of her puzzled musings.
‘Thank you, David, it does cheer the room, doesn’t it?’
‘And tomorrow, before you get home with Sadie?’
She searched her mind for an excuse then remembered she had a genuine one. ‘Not tomorrow. Sadie is going to stay with Mr and Mrs Martin. I’ll be out all day helping Mrs Glover. It’s sooner than I expected but she’s expecting visitors next week and wants it done straight away. Pity really. I’d hoped to get the front bedroom walls papered this week. I set everything out ready to start, but now it will have to wait.’
‘Forget it for a while. I don’t think you should be climbing stepladders until you’ve lost the bruises from the last time,’ he said jokingly. ‘The work will get done. Just be a bit patient.’
She was apprehensive when the day of the landlord’s inspection came and spent as much time as she could spare making sure the place looked clean and tidy. Mr Davies was a man in his fifties formally dressed in a dark suit and a smart overcoat. His shoes shone with much polishing and he wore gloves. He said very little at first but seemed satisfied with what he saw.
‘I’ve bought it for my parents,’ he explained. ‘My father is retiring in April and they’ll move here.’
‘I’ll be finished and gone long before then,’ she said.
‘Fine, but if you still need a place, you can stay after the work is done. We can arrange for a small rent to help cover the expenses.’ He glanced at the accounts and told her not to spend any of her own money when he noticed there were a few items not listed. ‘I’ve opened an account at the local paint shop. Just get what you need and I’ll deal with it.’
‘Is there anything else you’d like me to do?’
‘You’ve hurt your hand. Don’t try to do anything until it’s better. There’s plenty of time.’ He looked around the room where she spent most of her time and asked, ‘What about Christmas? You don’t seem to have made any preparations. No trimmings?’
She couldn’t tell him that she hadn’t given the festival a moment’s thought. ‘I don’t want to risk marking the newly painted walls,’ she told him.
‘I’ll come next week to put up the curtain rails. I’ll bring a tree.’
‘Thanks,’ she murmured, wondering what she would use to decorate it.
Mrs Glover was one of Sally’s favourite clients. She helped her with the work, making her feel more of a friend than a person employed to clean. Sally knew some of the work would be difficult with a bruised hand and shoulder but was determined to do the best she could to please the lady.
It was a tiring day, washing curtains and ironing them. Brushing walls and lifting carpets. Cleaning windows and the inside of cupboards and wardrobes. Washing light fittings and occasionally used china and glasses. Mattresses were moved and the old-fashioned springs dusted. Sally and the young woman hired for the day to help didn’t stop, even drinking tea and eating sandwiches as they worked.
When Sally went to collect Sadie from the Martins at six o’clock she wondered how she’d continue to place one foot in front of the other. To her relief, Valmai had the table set for four and a casserole, sending out tempting smells, was ready to serve.
They stayed until eight o’clock then Valmai walked them home. She took her bicycle and gave Sadie a ride, so she’d be able to ride back. Sally wished it was she sitting on the bike and being pushed.
She got Sadie ready for bed and the little girl was almost asleep before she had kissed her goodnight, then she undressed and after the briefest of washes, fell into her own bed completely exhausted.
The plan was to finish the last of Mrs Glover’s tasks the following morning and despite her aching body and throbbing hand and shoulder, she rose early. After the usual chores and before Sadie awoke, she went upstairs to look at the room she was due to wallpaper, to plan in her mind the best place to begin and check the length of the pattern on the paper and consider the waste a large pattern would mean. She wondered whether she’d ordered enough paper. When she opened the door she shouted in dismay. Someone had started the job. Two walls were papered but the sheets weren’t straight. Staring in disbelief she could see that whoever had done it had used the door jamb as a guide instead of checking it was upright. So the paper had been hung at an angle. Very slight, but enough for her to know it wouldn’t do. It would all have to come off and more paper bought. Who could have been so stupid? She used anger to avoid precipitate tears. Not Valmai, but who else had a key?
‘Sally?’ a voice called and at once she knew. David!
‘I’m up here. I hope you didn’t do this,’ she said, fury making her voice tight in her throat. ‘Someone has interfered and ruined this job and now I’ll have to take it all down and start again. And buy more wallpaper – which I’ll have to pay for.’
‘What’s wrong with it?’ David ran up the stairs and looked at the walls. ‘I matched the pattern as best I could. I thought you’d be pleased.’
‘Mummy?’ Sadie called and, pushing past him, Sally ran down the stairs and began talking to her daughter, ignoring David’s comments, knowing that if she looked at him she’d scream in frustration. Why did nothing go right for her she wondered?
Valmai was waiting at the nursery to see if she was all right and her anger and despair burst from her and she told her what had happened. ‘Please, don’t offer to help,’ Sally said as they parted. ‘I can’t stand the thought of someone else doing a poor job. I want the landlord to be pleased with everything I do and he’ll be around again next week to check on my progress.’
‘What was David thinking of? I’ll help you to take the wallpaper off and then I think you should go away for a couple of days. You’re worn out and you can’t hide the fact that you’re finding it painful to use that hand. You aren’t in the right frame of mind to do anything at present. I’ve got a friend in Saundersfoot. Pretty little place. She’ll have you there and won’t charge much, it being out of season. Go, love, and relax for a couple of days. You’d benefit from a break. Just you and Sadie.’
Sally was about to argue. There wasn’t time. She had to finish the room. She had to conserve her savings. There were a dozen reasons why she should refuse, but then, as she stared into Valmai’s kindly face, she suddenly felt more calm and in control. In that moment she changed her mind about two things. One, she would go away for the weekend and two, she would never move far from Valmai and deprive her of her granddaughter. Whatever happened between herself and Rhys, Valmai didn’t deserve such treatment.
‘Thank you. You’re right and I’ll do that. Just me and Sadie, somewhere near the sea.’
She went on the train and found the cottage advertising bed and breakfast and Mrs Daniels offered to provide an evening meal. ‘I don’t usually, mind, but as I’m not busy and you’re only staying for the weekend I’ll let you come in for a bit of lunch too if you find the weather too much for little Sadie.’
With Sadie in her pushchair and wrapped cosily with fluffy blankets, Sally explored the small town. Many places were closed for the winter but the beach sheltered from the wind during those few days was a fascination for Sadie. They even managed to survive the cold weather long enough to build a sandcastle and gather some shells and pretty pebbles.
The contrast between beach and town was marked: the cold, empty sand and rocky coast and the bright, overheated, glittery shops in their brightest displays. Carols were sung by small groups of people collecting for charities and from out of some of the shops other seasonal music emerged and distorted their efforts. Yet still the approach of Christmas hadn’t penetrated Sally’s thoughts. Probably because she had never had a home where her parents had indulged themselves in all the excitement and gaiety of the celebration.
Her parents had died when she was young and her memories of the years before were vague. They hadn’t been there to set traditions: large amounts of luxurious food, the stocking filling, the secrets, the mysterious and colourful parcels under the Christmas tree. Those things had always happened to other people and without a home of her own, no one with which to share the joy if it all, she didn’t know how to begin.
She tried not to think of the empty house she presently called home and the mess of the wallpapering that would be waiting when she got back and the tension eased from her. She felt anger every time she thought of David and his stupid attempt at helping but pushed it away more and more easily as the hours passed. She felt calm, philosophical about the disasters that had befallen her and better able to cope. There was nothing that she couldn’t deal with. Once her hand and shoulder were strong again, she would look for work, build a new career. She wasn’t a failure, she had just trusted the wrong person, that’s all. A human mistake, not a criminal or negligent act.
The good feeling lasted until she reached the railway station to begin the journey home. A young man she had noticed once or twice on the beach stood near the entrance and she smiled politely and he spoke to her, as a stranger might.
‘Have you and your little girl enjoyed your break?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Mrs Daniels is my aunt and she told me you were here to rest after an accident.’
‘Hardly an accident,’ she said with a smile. ‘I slipped when I was painting a wall. Just bruises, nothing dramatic. Getting covered in paint was the worst thing.’
‘I’m Geraint.’ He held out a hand and she shook it.
‘I’m Sally and this is—’ She smiled and waited for her daughter to speak.
‘My name is Sadie Travis,’ she provided.
‘Hello, Sadie.’
He bent down and talked to the little girl until the train arrived, then helped her into a carriage and sat near them. He didn’t force his attentions on them, just an occasional remark, and once or twice picking up a book or a toy Sadie dropped. Then when they reached the station and the train squealed to a stop he helped her down with the pushchair and her small case while she held Sadie’s hand. She thanked him and they went out of the station together and bumped right into Milly Sewell.
She said nothing when she saw the young man pick Sadie up and fit her into the pushchair, she just waited until Sally looked at her. Then she raised an eyebrow and muttered to her friend, ‘Another mysterious father, d’you suppose?’ Sally heard the words as Milly intended her to and she hurried away without a goodbye to the friendly young man. Humiliated and aware that the restful interlude was well and truly over, she almost ran back to Greenways, her shoulder agonizingly painful as she dragged the suitcase and pushed her daughter’s pushchair. She was in a place where critics were determined to think the worst of her and home meant hours of hard work and little comfort. Something would have to change.
The fire was alight when she opened the living-room door and the warmth was a wonderful welcome. For a while at least she could wallow in the pleasure of the knowledge that not everyone was as unpleasant as Milly Sewell; the town held more people who were kind than were unpleasant.
Valmai had left food and a note on the table to welcome her home and that helped too. But it wasn’t until Sadie was asleep that she could face walking up to look at the disaster in the bedroom. She took a deep breath, convinced it would look even worse than the first time and switched on the light. The room was completely decorated. The wallpaper perfectly hung, a matching lampshade added, and even in the poor light she could see that the windows had been cleaned of paint splashes. The floor had been thoroughly scrubbed and the room smelled refreshingly of pine soap.
Who could have done this? Certainly not David. Could Valmai have made such a good job of it? There was no one else. It was too late to find out tonight. Once Sadie was asleep she couldn’t go anywhere, so she settled beside the glowing fire and thought about the good friends who must have somehow arranged this wonderful surprise. Tomorrow she would find them and thank them.
Her Monday jobs kept her busy until lunchtime and after collecting Sadie she went to the butchers to buy sausages and in the doorway as she turned to leave was Milly Sewell.
‘Nice time with your new friend, was it? Saundersfoot’s a bit cold for me in December but if you’ve got love to keep you warm I don’t suppose it matters what time of the year, does it?’
‘Sadie and I were on our own and—’
‘Sorry, Mrs Sewell, but I’m closing for an hour,’ the butcher interrupted. ‘I might serve you if you come back later, if there’s anything left.’ The butcher ushered the woman out of the shop but continued to serve others who were waiting. ‘And any such comments from any of you and you’ll be banned, the lot of you. Right?’ He winked at Sally and continued to serve a very subdued queue.
Sally didn’t go back home. She knew Valmai finished around lunchtime and went to her house. Sadie ran excitedly towards the shed and Sally chased after her, arriving in time to see Gwilym, out of his chair, exercising his limbs. She stared, embarrassed at the man’s expression of, what? Shame? Guilt? With the aid of sticks he walked back to the bench to hide his disability.
‘Hello, I hope you don’t mind us calling. We want to ask Mrs Martin about the miracle of the ruined bedroom.’ She spoke light-heartedly as though she had not witnessed his movements. Sadie climbed into his lap and began talking about sandcastles and train rides.
The sound of a bicycle bell announced Valmai’s arrival and Gwilym said, ‘Not a word to Valmai. She’d be keeping on, pushing me to get out and I can’t, see. I just can’t.’
‘One day something will happen and you’ll have to,’ was all Sally said, before turning to greet his wife.
To Sally’s surprise she learned that Eric and Rick had papered the room and Valmai had cleaned it.
‘I thought I must be dreaming when I went to assess the damage and found the room finished, and perfectly done too. How can I thank you all?’
‘No need. What are friends for? Now, what about a bite to eat before I have to go back to work. I bet you’re starving, aren’t you, Sadie?’
With Sadie helping by throwing assorted cutlery on the table and setting the table in her own inimitable style, and Sally putting out plates of sandwiches quickly made by Valmai, they ate a pleasant lunch before Valmai set off for work pushing her bicycle with Sally and a chattering Sadie walking beside her.
Waiting for her at the gate was someone she didn’t recognize at first – a smartly dressed young woman in a fur-trimmed coat and a fur hat. When she turned to face them she saw the sharp-featured face within the furry frame, of Amy, Rick’s fiancée. She wasn’t smiling. Oh dear, Sally thought. She looks as though something has upset her and it’s probably me. And I thought we were becoming friends!
‘Amy? This is a nice surprise. Will you come in?’
‘I can’t stay long. I just wanted to ask you not to expect my fiancé to help you out of any more of your so frequent problems.’ Her voice was shrill. Her face showed disapproval and she ignored Sadie completely. ‘He has quite enough to do with the wedding imminent and getting our home ready in time.’
‘I quite understand, I really do, but I don’t ask him for any. He’s just a very kind-hearted man and I’m grateful for his help. But if we both have a word with him and remind him how inappropriate it is, I’m sure he’ll ignore my “frequent problems” and concentrate on yours.’ She ushered the woman inside and lit the electric fire. ‘Stay and have a cup of tea. I’d love to hear about all your plans for the wedding and your future home. It’s such an exciting time, isn’t it?’
‘No, I won’t accept tea. We aren’t exactly friends, and I’d be glad if you’d avoid both of us in future.’
‘Have you been talking to Milly Sewell by any chance?’
‘Well, yes, I have.’
Sally gave Sadie a few toy building bricks and said firmly, ‘Please sit down, Miss Jones. I think you should at least listen to my side of the story, don’t you?’
‘It’s Seaton-Jones, actually.’
With a smile, Sally said, ‘All right, Miss Seaton-Jones-Actually! Firstly I am not promiscuous. My fiancé, Rhys Martin, ran away when he was afraid the police were about to question him about some robberies. He wanted to train as a teacher and knew if a criminal record was attached to his name he wouldn’t be accepted. So I have been sending money to him each month and in July he had completed two years and presumably qualified. Only he didn’t come home, and when I went to look for him I found out that he hadn’t been to college and certainly hadn’t qualified. What he was doing with my money I have no idea. And why he ran away yet insisted he was innocent, well, that’s another mystery.’ She went on, over Amy’s attempt to speak, ‘Sadie and I have enjoyed a couple of days in Saundersfoot, just the two of us until another kind young man helped us off the train, and—’
‘Really, this is nothing to do with me.’ Amy moved towards the door.
‘No? Yet you were happy to listen to Milly’s gossip, Miss Seaton-Jones-Actually,’ she retorted sharply.
Then Amy smiled. ‘Call me Amy,’ she said.
‘And there’s another thing,’ Sally went on and when Amy looked startled, she added, ‘I have decided to invite a few friends to lunch on Sunday. People I owe a big thank you to. I’d like it if you and Rick would join us. Trays on laps, I’m afraid, but as you see, this place isn’t exactly well furnished.’
‘We usually go to Mummy’s on Sundays, but, yes, thank you, we’ll both look forward to that.’
When Sally showed her the work already done on the house she was impressed. Particularly the troublesome bedroom. ‘I didn’t dream that Rick could do anything like this. Mummy arranged for a decorating firm to do the work on our home.’
‘I don’t know, but I imagine Eric was the guiding hand. He’s such a lovely man, a particularly fine craftsman too. It was just bad luck he lost his job at the age when it’s difficult to start again. His wife took all his savings and left him in serious debt a few years ago, leaving Eric with nothing. And now he never hears from her or his daughter.’
‘Eric?’
‘Yes, he’s the one you called the tramp.’
Amy looked ashamed. And when she had gone Sally felt guilty. How could she have been so rude to the woman? She hoped she and Rick would still come on Sunday.
A cold wind was rising with the end of the day, and she wrapped Sadie up in her warmest coat and a thick scarf and went to put an invitation through Eric’s door and another through Valmai’s without interrupting Gwilym. Perhaps she had better make amends and do the same for David. He might have ruined the wallpapering but he had tried to help and he had done many kindnesses before. She felt happy with her day. She was badly shocked by Milly’s remarks but it had resulted in a Sunday lunch party to plan and at least a slight thawing of her acquaintanceship with Amy Seaton-Jones. She was excited at the prospect of welcoming friends to the house for the first time.
The following morning the invitation to David was sticking out of her letterbox with the invitation scored through and the words ‘No thanks!’ added.
She had obviously offended him and she determined to make amends. After collecting Sadie from nursery she went to where David lived with his mother. Mrs Gorse opened the door and greeted her with a smile.
‘Sally! Come in, come in, dear. Lovely to see you and this pretty little girl. Let’s see if I can find a chocolate.’ Taking Sadie’s hand, she led them into the living room.
The house was dark and filled with clutter and the windowsills were so covered with ornaments and greenery that hardly any light entered. The living room was cosy with a fire burning brightly, sending patterns of brightness over the dark walls.
‘It’s David I’ve called to see,’ Sally explained, as Mrs Gorse searched among several tins for some chocolate.
After giving Sadie the promised chocolate, she said, ‘David’s asleep. Keeps strange hours, he does, wandering around all hours of the night unable to sleep, then dozes for much of the day. Ever since the factory closed and he couldn’t find another job. I keep asking him to see the doctor – he needs help adjusting his sleep pattern – but will he listen?’
‘I owe him an apology. As a surprise, he very kindly helped me with some decorating and I – well – it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped and I was rude to him. He was only trying to help.’
Mrs Gorse frowned. ‘Are you sure it was my David? He’s wonderful at wallpapering and the like. Look at this room – did it on his own, he did. Made the shelves and that glass-fronted cupboard. Clever with things like that, he is.’
Sally looked more closely at the small amount of wallpaper still visible among the confusion of pictures and shelves covered with ornaments. She prepared for the worst but in fact the papering was neat and perfectly matched. If he had done this, then why had he made such a mess of the bedroom?
‘I must have got it wrong, Mrs Gorse. It must have been someone else who messed up the bedroom. Will you tell him I’m very sorry and I would really like him to come to lunch on Sunday?’
‘Sundays we always eat together – he’s always up and dressed ready for lunch on Sundays – but I’m sure he’ll accept if I assure him I won’t mind.’
‘Thank you. You’re very kind.’ She hesitated then said, ‘I’d be more than happy if you come as well.’
She hurried from the house, not wanting to see David and have to grovel. There hadn’t been a mistake. David had told her the work was his. Yet it was impossible for him to have made such a disaster of the bedroom and yet be capable of doing a perfectly acceptable job in his mother’s living room. What was going on?
On Sunday, Sally woke very early and with Sadie still peacefully sleeping, she began her preparations for lunch. She had some qualms having invited so many into a house that looked more like an abandoned building than a home, but once both fires were alight and the place was warm she knew people wouldn’t be disappointed. There were some early daffodils in the shops and she filled a few vases and added some branches with leaf buds and some ivy trails. The rooms looked as good as she could make them.
David and his mother were the first to arrive and she stifled a sigh. Too early could be as difficult as people who were always late, she mused, as she took their coats. She still had a lot to do. Mrs Gorse followed her into the kitchen. David didn’t say a word or even look at her.
As it happened she was glad they were there half an hour before anyone else as Mrs Gorse had brought flowers to add to the displays and also some cakes and mince pies. ‘Handy they’ll be to offer with a cup of tea before your guests leave,’ she said, unpacking them on to plates, which she had also brought.
Sally planned to use two rooms and with the extra flowers and foliage the place looked surprisingly festive. The bustle of people arriving filled the silence and the ill will emanating from David was lost in an atmosphere that was friendly and lively.
She happened to be looking at David when Rick walked in with Amy and was startled to see his expression change to dislike. Oh dear, she thought. I’d better keep those two apart. She sat the new arrivals down beside Eric and was relieved to see Amy talking to the man, stiffly at first but thawing as minutes passed. David had disappeared. Valmai sat on a sofa with a chatting Sadie on her lap.
As the food was consumed and cups of tea were replenished, the group rearranged itself and the conversations grew louder, interspersed with laughter. Sally looked around and smiled. It had been a success despite the lack of a formal setting. They consumed more of Mrs Gorse’s mince pies and the conversations became low and easy. She saw David get up and at almost the same time, Rick also rose and left the room. He came back with a coal scuttle to add fuel to the fire and David snatched the tongs from him and muttered, ‘Thank you but I’ll do this.’
‘As you wish,’ Rick said, and turning to look at Sally he shrugged as though puzzled.
The slight action changed the mood. Amy stood and reached for her handbag, preparing to leave, and others followed suit. Within ten minutes everyone except David, his mother and Valmai had gone. Wordlessly Valmai stood Sadie on her feet and came to hug Sally. Then she went into the kitchen with a few dishes, where Mrs Gorse was starting to wash up. Sadly, wondering what had gone wrong, Sally followed.
‘It’s been a lovely day, thank you, Sally,’ Mrs Gorse said. ‘Strange isn’t it that when someone leaves it’s like a signal for all the rest to do the same.’
‘I had hoped they’d stay to finish the cakes you brought,’ Sally replied.
‘Never mind, they’ll keep for a day or so.’
When everyone had gone Sally sat and hugged Sadie and wondered what it was about David that he managed to spoil things. Alone he was a kind, thoughtful man but when anyone else was present he ruined the occasion with a hint of – jealousy? But why? There was nothing between them that could cause such a destructive feeling.
She went for a walk to the park and in the fading light she saw David watching the house. He didn’t acknowledge her and turned a corner before she could speak. She gave an involuntary shiver. Was he a friend, or an enemy? That was a dramatic thought and she walked faster as though to run away from it, but it remained. She had the feeling that with David Gorse, she had to be either friend or enemy; with him there was no middle ground. The thought played on her mind as she drifted into sleep and caused troubled dreams.
The landlord came back and fixed curtain rails in all the rooms and as he was leaving he brought in a very large Christmas tree.
‘Thank you,’ she said politely, wondering what she would find to fill it. He went to the car again and came back with an assortment of tinsel. ‘This will make a start,’ he said as though reading her thoughts.
In fact the tree was fun to decorate. Sally made stars which Sadie helped to colour and place among the branches and hair ribbons were used too, much to Sadie’s amusement.
Amy called while the work was in progress and advised uselessly on the position of some of the better of Sadie’s efforts. Sally smiled in relief that at least one problem had been eased. Amy was certainly more friendly.
‘I hope you don’t mind, Sally, but Rick and I have talked over this problem of yours. He told me about your not knowing where Rhys is living. I have to go to Bristol to buy some special material and I wondered if you and Sadie would like to come? I can leave you in the area you need to search and pick you up later.’ Once they had decided on the most suitable day for them both, Sally agreed.
The journey was pleasant and they talked mostly about the forthcoming wedding. As they drew closer to their destination, Sally went quiet, afraid of what she would learn. Amy went to deal with her business, having arranged a meeting place for later, and Sally took Sadie in her pushchair to the café.
It was with some trepidation that she approached the place to which she had posted her letters and the monthly sum of money. The man behind the counter was not the same as before. He was young and obviously new as he had difficulty finding what was needed when Sally asked for cheese on toast.
‘I’m just filling in for my uncle,’ he explained, having found the cheese in a second fridge.
‘You wouldn’t know anything about the man who used to collect his post here, would you?’ Sally asked, with little hope. To her surprise the young man looked away as though embarrassed.
‘I don’t know anything about post, Mrs. Now, cheese on toast, a pot of tea and orange juice for the little girl. Will that be all?’
Since she had asked her question he hadn’t looked at her. Softly she asked, ‘Can’t you tell me where to find him? I really need to talk to him. Please?’
‘Sorry, Mrs, I don’t know him.’
‘Does he live near here? At least tell me in which direction to look. I don’t wish him any harm. I just need to see him.’
Lowering his head, the young man said, ‘I didn’t tell you, all right? But if you watch at the school gates when the children leave you might see him.’ Paying for the food which she didn’t stop to eat, she thanked him and left.
After buying a couple of currant buns to compensate for missing their lunch, she played with Sadie for a while then found the school. She stood in sight of the gates and prepared to wait. Thankfully, Sadie had fallen asleep.
Her heart was racing as mothers began to arrive, some with pushchairs, some rattling car keys, some loaded with cheerfully patterned bags of Christmas shopping. Of Rhys there was no sign. She moved further along the road and stood once again watching the arrivals. Then the doors opened and the children ran out, searching the group at the gate then running to hug their mothers. Then she saw Rhys.
She moved towards him, about to speak, words racing through her mind as she tried to decide on the best thing to say to him. Then a girl aged about seven approached him and he picked her up and hugged her before moving away from the diminishing crowd. Her mind in complete confusion, Sally followed him.
He didn’t go far, just walked around a corner and up some steps leading to the front of a neat terraced house. As he and the little girl reached the door it opened and a smartly dressed woman came out, smiled at Rhys and kissed him on the cheek. Sally could hear them laughing as she stood, undecided, a few houses away. Then Rhys went inside.
She continued to stand watching the door, wondering whether to knock or walk away. If she did knock, what could she say to him? She gasped as the door reopened and he came out and ran lightly down the steps, turning to wave as he reached the pavement. She remained frozen to the ground wondering which way he would turn. He was whistling as he turned towards her and he was staring down at a piece of paper in his hand. She said, ‘Hello, Rhys.’
‘Sally!’
‘You haven’t forgotten my name. That’s nice. And your daughter? D’you remember her?’
‘This isn’t what you think.’
‘You mean this isn’t you living with someone else, meeting their daughter from school? That is a shopping list in your hand, isn’t it? Very domestic, meeting the daughter, shopping for your evening meal.’
‘It isn’t like that. I can explain, but not yet. Please, Sally, you’ve been so patient, just a few more weeks and I’ll tell you everything.’
She shook her head. ‘You’ve just run out of time.’ She turned and hurried away, pride and anger preventing tears, and went back to where Amy had arranged to meet her and take her home.
When Amy asked if she had learned anything, she replied, ‘Yes. I’ve learnt that it’s time to restart my life. That’s a good lesson to learn, don’t you think?’
The mystery of what Rhys had been doing all this time deepened, but later that day another mystery was cleared up. She went to the post office. Walter was standing nearby and he called to her, ‘I hear you didn’t think much of my wallpapering, then,’ he said.
‘What d’you mean? Your wallpapering? You can’t mean the work in Greenways, David Gorse did that.’
‘No, it was me. Paid me to do it he did. Trouble is, my back isn’t up to it. I couldn’t get it finished in time.’
‘Just as well. There was enough of a mess to put right as it was!’
A bad back was just an excuse for laziness. Someone had once told her that a lazy man is the worst. Even a drunkard would work even if only for his drink. The thought brought her thoughts back to Rhys. What was he if not lazy? There was no evidence of him doing anything for all the months he’d been away.
Christmas came and went and at least Sadie enjoyed the thrills and even Sally got caught up in the excitement. It had been Valmai who carefully asked her if she realized it was the day before Christmas Eve and asked if she’d done anything towards Sadie’s stocking. The misery of finding out about Rhys’s dishonesty had left her in a daze into which Christmas hadn’t entered. All the plans and excitements were for other people, not for her and Sadie.
The memory of her second child wouldn’t leave her at this time, the loss of Samuel overlaying every happy thought. She hadn’t the right to enjoy the family celebration. Then she watched her daughter’s face as she stood near the school children singing carols near the shops and with a shock reminded herself that Sadie was the important one. Sadie was her wonderful daughter, the most precious gift. She was alive and deserved all she could give her. Samuel would remain in her heart as a sad and beautiful memory.
Leaving Sadie with the kindly Mrs Glover, she had dashed into town and bought a few toys and colouring pencils as well as wrapping paper and gifts for Valmai and Gwilym.
Next year she’d do better. She and Sadie would have a proper home and they’d prepare properly and have the very best Christmas ever. She firmly built a picture of the two of them, just Sadie and herself sitting beside a tree very like the one in their room, but properly decorated with a fairy, some coloured lights and lots of glitter. They didn’t need anyone else. ‘Just you and me,’ she whispered to her sleeping child. ‘That’s all I want. No one else.’