Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle. Leah Fleming

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СКАЧАТЬ when she finished cooking the vegetables, and despite Dolly’s scowl, Pearl went across to see Bessie, the woman smiling as she went into the shop.

      ‘Hello, love,’ she said, moving to look into the pram, her face soft as she gazed at Johnny. ‘He’s thriving.’

      ‘Yes, and it seems Dolly was right about putting him on the bottle.’

      ‘If you say so. Anyway, what’s up, love? You seem a bit down in the mouth.’

      ‘Nothing really.’

      ‘Don’t give me that. Now come on, tell me what the problem is.’

      Pearl sighed. ‘It’s just that I don’t hear Johnny crying in the night and I feel like a useless mother.’

      ‘Considering that you have to be up at four in the morning, it ain’t surprising.’

      ‘Dolly said she never failed to hear Kevin when he was a baby.’

      ‘Huh, I can see she’s still holding herself up as a saint.’

      ‘She wakes for Johnny, and I don’t.’

      ‘If you ask me, you shouldn’t have to work in the café. When is Kevin going to get a job?’

      ‘I don’t know. I mentioned it yesterday, but he said his nerves are still bad.’

      ‘Huh, nerves my arse.’

      ‘Oh, Bessie, don’t be like that. I’m sure as soon as he’s able, he’ll find work.’

      The door opened, a woman coming in.

      ‘Hello, Tessa,’ Bessie said. ‘What have you got for me?’

      ‘A really nice coat,’ she said, laying a parcel on the counter.

      Bessie opened the package, the smell arising awful. She held it up, her nose wrinkling. ‘Sorry, love, but I can only give you a tanner for it.’

      ‘All right, and thanks,’ Tessa said, her hand held out.

      Bessie gave her the money, and Pearl shook her head as the woman left the shop. ‘That coat’s only fit for the dustbin. Why on earth did you buy it?’

      ‘Tessa’s struggling. Her son used to look after her, but he’s just been sent down for six months.’

      ‘What did he do?’

      ‘A bit of petty thieving. He’ll see me all right when he comes out again and, in the meantime, us locals will keep an eye on Tessa.’

      Pearl nodded, used now to the ways of the area. She still felt like an outcast, and missed the easy camaraderie she used to have with the costermongers. They didn’t cut her dead now, and some stopped her to have a look at the baby, but others still refused to speak.

      Pearl glanced at the clock. ‘I’d best get back or Dolly will go on the warpath.’

      ‘Christ, girl, you’ve hardly been here for five minutes.’

      ‘I know, but when the café closes she likes to spend time with Johnny.’

      ‘Whose baby is he? Yours or Dolly Dolby’s?’

      ‘He’s mine, of course, but I don’t want to get on her bad side.’

      ‘Pearl, when are you going to stand up for yourself?’

      ‘Stop worrying, I’m fine,’ Pearl lied. ‘I’ll see you soon, but I must go.’

      Bessie didn’t look convinced, but Pearl ignored this as she hurried back to the café. It was all right for Bessie to say she should stand up for herself, but she didn’t live with Dolly.

      This thought was affirmed when Pearl walked into the living room.

      ‘It’s about time too,’ Dolly snapped, immediately rising to her feet and taking Johnny from her arms. ‘Bloody hell, what sort of mother are you? His nappy is soaking wet.’

      ‘Is he?’ Pearl said, her eyes widening with surprise. Johnny had felt fine to her and she was sure he didn’t want changing. ‘I … I’ll change his nappy.’

      ‘No, I’ll do it,’ Dolly snapped. ‘I’ve shown you time and time again, but you never do it right and one of these days you’ll stick him with the bloody nappy pin.’

      Pearl knew that when Dolly was around she was fumbling and awkward, the constant criticism making her nervous. ‘I wouldn’t do that. I’d never stick the pin in him.’

      ‘Huh, so you say. Anyway I could do with a cup of tea. Leave Johnny to me and get to the kitchen. I’m peckish too, so make me a sandwich while you’re at it.’

      ‘I’ll do it,’ Bernie offered, throwing Pearl a sympathetic glance.

      ‘No you won’t,’ Dolly snapped. ‘I told Pearl to do it and don’t need your interference. There ain’t much she can do, especially when it comes to looking after this poor little bugger, but at least she’s learned to make a decent brew.’

      Pearl felt her eyes filling with tears, but hurriedly left the room, at least making sure that Dolly didn’t have the satisfaction of seeing them, something she obviously enjoyed.

      Oh, if only Kevin would get a job, Pearl thought for the thousandth time. If only they had a place of their own.

       Chapter Thirty-One

      A month passed and at five one Saturday afternoon, Kevin was sitting on the side of their bed, Pearl beside him. She was looking scrawny and miserable, and he tensed, fed up with her constant complaints.

      ‘I’m at the end of my tether, Kevin. I don’t feel that Johnny is our baby. Your parents seem to have him all the time, and every morning when I wake up I find him in their bed.’

      ‘Whose fault is that? You still don’t hear him crying in the night, and you should thank God that my mother does. She looks awful lately, with dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, but you don’t hear her complaining.’

      ‘I can’t understand why I don’t hear him. I wasn’t a heavy sleeper before Johnny was born, so why now?’

      ‘How should I know?’ Kevin shifted on the bed, hoping that Pearl had said her piece, but no, she was off again.

      ‘I’m grateful that she hears Johnny, but it’s getting me down that she undermines everything I do. I’m fine with Johnny when we’re on our own, but when your mother’s around she acts as though I’m incapable of looking after him and it’s turning me into a bundle of nerves.’

      ‘Don’t exaggerate, and I’m sure she only telling you what’s best for the boy.’

      ‘What’s best in her opinion. But Johnny’s our son, not hers. As soon СКАЧАТЬ