A Mother Forever by Elaine Everest (good novels to read txt) 📗

engagement ring. Derek planned that when he left the hospital for good, they would rent a little cottage where he would tend his garden and work with a fellow injured soldier, starting their own carpentry business. Susannah was good for him, she kept telling Stella.

‘I think when you’re better, you should go and see him. You’d be so proud of your son,’ she pleaded. Running out of words at last, she fell silent.

After a moment, Stella’s eyes slowly opened. She looked at Ruby directly, seeming to see her clearly for the first time since she had arrived. Ruby waited anxiously; Stella looked as if she might be about to speak.

‘I’m sorry,’ Stella whispered finally, and with one struggling breath, she passed away.

Ruby softly cried for the friend that she’d loved; she cried for Wilf, who would be lost without his wife; and she cried for Frank and Derek.

‘It’s all over now,’ she said, as she closed Stella’s eyes and kissed her forehead.

Only minutes later, Wilf rushed into the house, the doctor following at his heels. He took one look at his wife’s peaceful face and fell to his knees, imploring her to wake up.

The doctor checked Stella before turning to Wilf, helping him into a chair. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Green – you were right. Your wife must have contracted the Spanish influenza; at least she’s at peace now. Would you like me to get word to Mr Hind, the undertaker?’

Wilf nodded. ‘Please . . . if you could tell them I want only the best for her,’ he said before going to his wife’s side, lifting her in his arms and hugging her close as he sobbed.

The doctor asked Ruby if she would be all right. Ruby nodded her head.

‘I’ll stay here with Wilf for a while,’ she promised as she saw the doctor out.

For an hour, she sat with Wilf. She tried to give him a drink, and offered to make him something to eat. But Wilf refused, all the time still holding on to his wife’s body.

After a time, the undertaker arrived. While he was still encouraging Wilf to let them take Stella away, there was a tap at the door. Ruby opened it to see two older men, who introduced themselves as Wilf’s brothers.

‘The doctor got in touch with us, as we work near the surgery,’ the elder one explained as she let them in. They both looked distressed at the sight of their brother. ‘We will take care of him now, my dear – you don’t need to witness this.’

Ruby told them where she lived, then left the house. Walking slowly across the road, deep in thought, she saw the door of number fifteen open and Pat come rushing out, her face ghostly pale.

‘Mum, come quick! Irene’s very poorly. She said to tell you the baby is coming. Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for ages!’

16

Could this day get any worse? Ruby thought. Hopefully Irene was worrying over nothing. They’d had more than one false alarm before, with the girl thinking she was about to give birth.

‘Where is she?’ she asked Pat, following her into Irene’s house.

‘She’s in the front room,’ Pat replied, looking tearful. ‘I don’t want to go back in there . . . Can . . . can I go home?’

‘Yes, of course you can, lovey,’ Ruby said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. ‘But can you do something for me? It’s very urgent.’

‘Of course I can, Mummy.’

‘Would you go into the front room and pull the curtains closed, then go upstairs to my bedroom and do the same? I’ll explain to you later why I want this done. Then I want you to stay indoors,’ Ruby asked, knowing that she ought to do something to pay her respects to Stella.

‘Can I go over to Stella and tell her that the baby might be on its way?’

‘No,’ Ruby said sharply. ‘It’s best you don’t. I’ll explain shortly, but I’d prefer you stay here for now.’

‘Is Stella still poorly?’

‘Yes, my love, she is,’ Ruby said, doing her utmost to smile and act naturally for the sake of her daughter.

Irene cried out for help. ‘I’m here!’ Ruby called back. Kissing Pat one more time, she ushered her into number thirteen and closed the door behind her.

‘I’m here, there’s no need to worry now,’ she said, taking a deep breath as she stepped into the room. ‘Oh my goodness, you have been busy,’ she grinned.

‘I’ve made a mess of my tablecloth,’ Irene smiled from where she lay on the floor. ‘I had Pat grab it for me and then sent her outside.’

‘Now, why didn’t you get her to call somebody?’ Ruby asked as she bent down next to the girl and looked at the small baby swaddled in the tablecloth.

‘Meet your first granddaughter,’ Irene smiled weakly.

‘It’s a girl? How splendid,’ Ruby said as the baby started to cry, and Ruby felt close to tears. ‘She’s got a good pair of lungs on her, I’ll give her that. If only George and your parents had been here,’ she added, looking sad.

‘It would’ve been rather crowded, don’t you think?’ Irene grinned. ‘And I’m not sure this kind of thing is my mother’s cup of tea. Speaking of which, I’m parched and rather stiff down here. I feel as though I’ve been lying on the floor for an age, when it’s probably less than an hour.’

Ruby stood up. ‘Right, let’s get organized. I’m going to pop up the road and fetch Mrs Leighton – she always does the bits and bobs for the ladies in the street when they’re giving birth. She knows everything there is to know. Can you stay there another ten minutes, until I bring her back? Then I’ll get that cup of tea for you. George will be delighted. He used to tell me when he was a little boy that one day, he’d have a daughter,’ she said, looking down at the prettiest baby she’d ever seen. ‘She’s adorable – but then, I am a little biased.’

‘Don’t