Christmas to Come: a heartbreaking coming of age saga set in London's East End by Carol Rivers (best motivational novels txt) 📗

But Bella stood up. 'You should be resting. Here …' She slid her hands under the tiny bundle. Neville's little black eyes opened as she rocked him. 'He's a solid weight, Dolly.'

Dolly laughed. 'Now I know why I was always eating for two.'

'Look, he's smiling!'

'It's probably only wind.'

'No, I'm sure it's a smile.' Bella tipped him up in the crook of her arm for everyone to see.

'He wanted a feed every few hours in the night,' Dolly pointed out, frowning at Percy.

'That's my boy for you.' Percy puffed out his chest.

'And someone – not to mention names - slept through it all!'

'I was out like a light, thanks to Ron,' Percy chuckled and Ronnie grinned as Mrs Taylor called out, 'Tea's ready,' from the kitchen.

There was chaos for the next half hour as food was dispensed and eaten on laps or wherever there was a space. Mrs Taylor took the baby and at last, full to the brim, Neville went to sleep.

After tea, the men took the children to the park to give the women a break. Dolly showed Bella the new clothes she had knitted for Neville in blue wool. Most of the girls' clothes were pink so Bella had brought a blue and white matinee coat and gloves to match.

'They're lovely,' Dolly said eagerly. 'He'll need those this winter.'

'We'll go to the market for some wool after Christmas,' Bella promised.

'What are you doing on the twenty-fifth?'

Bella shrugged. 'I'm not sure. Sean and Ashley said they're going away for Christmas and Ron just told me he's having dinner with a friend.'

Dolly looked surprised. 'Who's that?'

'He didn't say.'

'Didn't you ask?'

'No, because I know the real reason is he doesn't want to be in the house without Joyce.'

'So what will you do?'

'Just cook for us, I expect.' Bella hoped she wouldn't ask any more, but she did.

'How's Micky?' Dolly enquired just as Mrs Taylor brought in the screaming Neville again.

Bella was glad that the baby's loud yells made it impossible for her to reply.

It was the twenty-second of December and Sean and Ashley called at the coffee bar on their way to the airport. They brought Christmas presents with them that they asked Bella to stow under the tree. Sean was excited about their holiday in Switzerland and showed Bella the travel brochures. Skiing was the in-thing as many of their customers had told them. Sean was keen to take lessons whilst Ashley was content with the ski-lift.

'Don't break any legs,' Gina warned them. 'I want that nice hair-do you promised me, Sean. I'm fed up with all these grey hairs.'

Ashley grinned. 'It'll be me who has the grey hair, watching him try to ski down the mountain slopes.'

'I'll be all right, as long as I don't meet an avalanche,' laughed Sean.

There were more rude comments before finally they left for their long-awaited holiday.

'Why don't you have tomorrow off?' Gina suggested at five o'clock as they cleared the tables. 'Take Michael out to do some Christmas shopping. He must get a bit fed up in the holidays.'

'Oh, he's off with Teresa to the youth club. They spend a lot of time there now.'

'So have a day off and pamper yourself. Tina's here, remember. You're not indispensable girl.'

Bella laughed. 'I know that. And it would be nice to go shopping.'

That night, on her own, Bella thought about Micky. Where was he? He hadn't shown up since demanding money from her. Did he find enough to pay McNee. And should she have told Ron what happened? Ron was his brother after all. But Ron was dealing with his own problems and still grieving for the woman who was gone from his life. All these things were running through her mind. Unable to settle, she picked up the newspaper. She read it through and was about to close it when she noticed a small article. "Fire at Downey Manor".

Downey Wood - the name was familiar. She racked her brains trying to think where she had heard it. And then it came to her! Downey Wood was where Terry had been found! She read the few lines as her heart started to beat rapidly. There had been one casualty, an elderly woman who had died in hospital. Amongst other treasures that had been rescued from the house were a number of oil paintings.

Bella closed the newspaper, wondering who the woman was and how that place seemed to be ill-fated. She scoured the paper again, but could find nothing else on the fire. But what she had read had left her with a foreboding feeling she just couldn't shift. That night, after Michael came home from the youth club, she thought about knocking on Ronnie's door and sharing her concerns with him.

But once again, she felt that she couldn't burden Ronnie - and so she went to bed, securing the front door with the bolt, just as she had every night since Micky had gone crazy and ransacked their bedroom.

Christmas Day passed quietly. Bella listened out for more news on Downey Manor but there wasn't any. She cooked dinner and after unwrapping their presents, she and Michael listened to the Queen. As she told of the many countries she had visited in 1961, Bella's thoughts strayed again to Micky? Was he ever coming home? And if he didn't, what was she going to do?

That night Bella let the tears fall. She had to keep a brave face for Michael. It was only when she was alone that she could give way to her true sorrow. Her marriage was a failure. She had tried so hard to make it work. If only Micky would change his ways. Sell the clubs as he'd promised. They could manage on her wage from the coffee bar until he found something else to do. If he was free from the worry of his debts, she had been sure they could be happy again.

Early on Boxing Day morning there was