CHAPTER 94
And so Spring passed through, and our Summer came, and with it Merry, who came over for a weekend with Arwel and Alice.

That surprised me, initially, as they were only friends of friends by origin, but I had realised some time ago that when he took to somebody, he did it with a fierce loyalty that brooked no dissent. It meant, of course, that we had to have a visit from the Dover crowd, which left Darren very confused.

“Darren, it’s what being grown up is all about, spreading yourself a bit thinner so people don’t feel left out, aye? Shan understands you need a bit of bloke time, and Jim won’t mind if you ring her now and again, just spend a little time off the phone while they are here, aye? Deal?”

“I didn’t want her, lahk, to think I was going off her, yeah?”

“She won’t. Daz, you have aspirations!”

“Yeah, I want to be a pro, yeah, play for a good club”

I laughed. “No, my man, you are actually trying to pronounce things, aspirating your T’s”

I got a young Paddington’s stare. “Yeah, well it sounds stupid when I talk like I used to, yeah?”

“Darren, love, the way you talk is part of you, part of who you are. What people are supposed to do is learn how to talk in a way to fit the circumstances, aye? You talk one way to your schoolmates, one way to your Nan Naomi, another to Shan, aye? Doesn’t make any of them better, just more, well, right for what you’re doing”

I sighed. “it’s like clothes. When I get married, what will I be wearing?”

“Dunno, a big white dress?”

“Probably. Would that be the right thing for going down the pub, or a walk in the country, or watching you play football? Or a funeral, say? Horses for courses, my man”

I took him out then, from the kitchen at Naomi’s where we had been trying to sort his social graces out, into the conservatory that was stuffed with visitors. I looked around the sprawled tea-drinkers.

“Dear gods, if I had realised how many people I was going to have as ‘just stopping by’ mates, Eric and I would have taken on a hotel, aye?”

Sarah laughed. “There are more, you know, all the rest of my side of the family for starters, then Elaine’s mam-in-law, Andy and Bev, want me to go on?”

“Never mind, I get the picture. What’s the plan for your lot?”

“Well, as we are over here, we thought we’d head on over to see Arris and her family”

I made a quick decision, hoping Eric wouldn’t kill me.

“Why don’t you invite them down, we have plenty of room in the garden, weather’s set fair and the kids could camp”

Sarah looked interested at that. “Have to look at security, iawn, but if you have a good pub nearby…”

“Ah, we could go out to the Six Bells. Chain pub, but beer’s not bad, and a big garden. Right next to the church, aye?”

Tony snorted. “Repent your drinking before the hangover, yeah?”

“Sort of. And there’s no grass for Alice’s stilettoes to sink into”

That brought a pout from Mrs Powell. “Just because I like my shoes. I spent too many years without them, cruel and unnatural punishment”

I frowned slightly. “I think the yank term is ‘unusual’, Alice”

She grinned. “No, if it involves me, definitely unnatural. Does anyone know what shift Steph is on tomorrow night?”

It was earlies, so in a style to which I was becoming accustomed, we had a houseful of friends, because of course I had to ring round, and this time we had Sam as well, and, and, and. How the hell had I let my old life get so empty?

I collared Merry before we went out en masse to the Bells, what seemed like half a hundred of us.

“Just a thought, love, but perhaps a little slower in the drink front today?”

That brought a laugh. “I won’t be drinking anything apart from the soft stuff, as long as you are able to promise that there will be no more shocks to my system, Annie”

“Well, there will be no music at the pub, we’re leaving everything at home”

She leant in and kissed my cheek. “You will never leave music behind, and it will never leave you. He has blessed you, my dear girl.”

I had to grin back. “He certainly has, you can be our designated driver!”

And so it went, after the tents were up, Steve and Arris sleeping with the kids for safety, as a collection of vehicles disgorged our horde at the pub. There isn’t much that can be written about an ordinary night like that, just those little moments that imprint themselves on one’s mind. I did gather, though, that there might be more than a hint of puppy love from Jim towards Arris’ pair, as Darren did his best to include him in things and failed miserably as he laughed and smiled, and blushed, around Chantelle. I was just content. I was among other women who accepted me as what I had always been, even if three of them had started out as I had. There was warmth, and humour, and life all around, and for some stupid reason I got a little tearful as I watched the lot of them enjoying their common humanity. I made a subtle exit to the ladies’ to keep my face under control, and found myself flanked by Kirsty and Miriam. Kirsty knew exactly what it was all about, and just helped me clean up as Miriam listened to her prattle. Meaningless, funny, female, it was what I needed to bring me back, and then Merry cocked her head to one side and asked the question.

“Kirsty, when is it due?”

My pocket dragon went pale. “How did you know?”

Miriam smiled. “I am blessed with good observation, and an empathy with women, so I can feel when some new life is stirring. Oh, and I saw the box from the test kit in your handbag”

Kirsty smiled, and it was clear she was truly happy. “Doc says I am about two and a half to three months gone, yeah”

Miriam looked grave. “Out of wedlock?”

Kirsty actually blushed. “That’s what I really wanted to talk about. Den wants to do a quick registry office thing, you know, make it all legal just in case”

I had to ask. “What about June?”

“Oh, fucking hell, mate, that’s still on, but as a sort of blessing thing, but full throttle meringue, yeah? Bridesmaids and white Roller!”

“So when?”

“Er, couple of weeks, I wanted to ask if you and Eric would be witnesses”

I nearly squeezed the life out of her. “No need to ask, love, no need at all”

“Just the two of you, yeah? And my parents”

“Then we make June the best celebration ever, aye?”

“And then you try and do us over three months later? Yay!”

Her smile vanished as suddenly as it had come.

“No telling tales, yeah? And no big presents. Miriam?”

My cousin smiled. “My lips are sealed, and I shall pray for all three of you. This is the right thing for the child, Kirsty, and you are a wonderful woman to put it first”

“Yeah, like, but my Den, he says it will make sure that if anything happens to him, I’ve got his pension and stuff for the kid, and…Annie, there’s nothing going on, is there? He’s just been a bit off lately”

“What, off with you? You worried about other women, aye? Never in a month of Sundays, Ruthy. If there were, I wouldn’t fancy their life expectancy with you after them”

She laughed at that, which was better. “Na, he just seems a little subdued. He loves me, absolutely, I have no doubts at all on that front.”

I gave her another hug, gentler this time. “Neither have I, girl, neither have I”

We rejoined the rest, and I caught Miriam smiling as she watched the mother to be.

“You OK, Merry?”

“Ah, my dear Annie, just the ways of this world. She is a good woman, despite her immorality. I mean, she is moral, as far as modern society has taught her, and while I cannot completely approve of her life, she is honest and good in her intentions. I admire her, and then I am just a little envious of her. I dream of those joys, Annie, and I pray that one day my Lord will lead me to the man who is right for me, who will join with me in bringing new…oh, my dear, I didn’t think. You are just, well, so clearly a woman that I forget, and then I wound you. Without malice, Annie, you know that”

“I know, Merry, and I know one day he will turn up, but perhaps you need to ease back on the Chapel side of things?”

“Aye, my love, but then I would not be myself, and anyone who loves me must take all of me, otherwise how could it be love? My Lord will provide. He always has; he brought you home to your family, and showed them their error”

“And there are still two…”

There was mischief in her smile, mischief to match her name. “Ah, give me time, my dear, give me time and I shall deliver them to you, clean, contrite, and harmonious”