am.’
‘But the only time we’ve ever made love was under the oak tree during the storm.’ He stood up and put his hands on his hips. ‘How could you let this happen?’
Chrissie felt as though she had been slapped. ‘Me? I think you’ll find it takes two people to make a baby.’
‘A baby?’ Billy repeated. ‘I can’t believe this. How long have you known?’
‘I’m two months gone.’
‘And you’ve never said anything until now. Are you sure?’
‘I’m the daughter of a doctor and a midwife, of course I’m sure.’
‘This is a disaster,’ proclaimed Billy. ‘How could you be so, so…’
‘So what, Billy?’
He slumped back down on the bench and held his head in his hands.
‘Have you told your parents?’
Chrissie snorted. ‘What do you think?’
‘Can you give me a minute? I can’t…Look, I need to be on my own while I take this in. I’m sorry. This has come as a complete shock.’
He rose from the bench and strode off without a backward glance. Chrissie watched him as he broke into a run and disappeared round the corner. She had never felt so abandoned and alone in her entire life. She suddenly felt unwell as the fear washed over her and then abruptly turned to anger. How could Billy do this to her? She looked around the park, expecting someone to come to her aid, but they were all engrossed in their own lives. She might as well be invisible. She clutched her stomach and sank to her knees. Her whole body heaved as she sobbed uncontrollably.
*
Alice Stirling looked up from her sewing as her son burst through the door. Her fingers were sore from pushing the needle through the heavy blackout fabric, but she had nearly finished the curtains for their tiny house. He looked a dreadful mess with his tousled hair and profusely sweating brow.
‘Billy!’ exclaimed Alice. ‘Oh come in, sit down. It’s dreadful news isn’t it?’ She ushered her son to his place at the kitchen table and massaged his broad shoulders. ‘What a terrible shock. I know some people have been expecting it, but nevertheless…’
Billy turned to look at his mother, perplexed. ‘How do you know?’
‘What do you mean, how do I know? I heard it on the wireless. I went next-door and Reg let me listen with him.’
Billy realised then she was talking about the war.
‘Oh that, yeah, it’s terrible. But like you say, we’ve been expecting it. It was only a matter of time.’
He glanced around the kitchen. ‘Where’s Dad?’
Alice scoffed. ‘I don’t know. He went out early this morning.’
Billy hugged his mother tightly. She deserved so much better.
There was a pot roast in the oven and despite his turmoil, Billy felt comforted by its delicious aromas. It was only a cheap cut of meat, but by the time Alice Stirling had finished with it, it would have the taste and texture of the finest fillet steak. The thought of the rich gravy bubbling away inside the oven made his mouth water. His mother was a wonderful cook. Her roast potatoes were legendary, the best in the world, sweet and fluffy in the middle, crisp and dark on the outside. She had made his favourite apple pie too and it was sitting on the side waiting to be cooked.
‘Are you making custard, as well?’ asked Billy.
‘Billy, when have I ever served apple pie without it?’
Billy stared up at his mother and his eyes filled with tears. What would have become of him if she had not marched into that orphanage all those years ago and scooped him up out of his high chair, creating that instant bond between them? Billy knew that the war would separate them and his heart ached for the pain his mother would have to endure. He watched her at the sink now, her back shaking as she vigorously scrubbed the potatoes.
‘I love you, Mum.’
Alice Stirling stopped scrubbing and gripped the edge of the sink, trying to compose herself. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned round to face her son.
‘I love you too, Billy. Never forget that.’ She
‘But the only time we’ve ever made love was under the oak tree during the storm.’ He stood up and put his hands on his hips. ‘How could you let this happen?’
Chrissie felt as though she had been slapped. ‘Me? I think you’ll find it takes two people to make a baby.’
‘A baby?’ Billy repeated. ‘I can’t believe this. How long have you known?’
‘I’m two months gone.’
‘And you’ve never said anything until now. Are you sure?’
‘I’m the daughter of a doctor and a midwife, of course I’m sure.’
‘This is a disaster,’ proclaimed Billy. ‘How could you be so, so…’
‘So what, Billy?’
He slumped back down on the bench and held his head in his hands.
‘Have you told your parents?’
Chrissie snorted. ‘What do you think?’
‘Can you give me a minute? I can’t…Look, I need to be on my own while I take this in. I’m sorry. This has come as a complete shock.’
He rose from the bench and strode off without a backward glance. Chrissie watched him as he broke into a run and disappeared round the corner. She had never felt so abandoned and alone in her entire life. She suddenly felt unwell as the fear washed over her and then abruptly turned to anger. How could Billy do this to her? She looked around the park, expecting someone to come to her aid, but they were all engrossed in their own lives. She might as well be invisible. She clutched her stomach and sank to her knees. Her whole body heaved as she sobbed uncontrollably.
*
Alice Stirling looked up from her sewing as her son burst through the door. Her fingers were sore from pushing the needle through the heavy blackout fabric, but she had nearly finished the curtains for their tiny house. He looked a dreadful mess with his tousled hair and profusely sweating brow.
‘Billy!’ exclaimed Alice. ‘Oh come in, sit down. It’s dreadful news isn’t it?’ She ushered her son to his place at the kitchen table and massaged his broad shoulders. ‘What a terrible shock. I know some people have been expecting it, but nevertheless…’
Billy turned to look at his mother, perplexed. ‘How do you know?’
‘What do you mean, how do I know? I heard it on the wireless. I went next-door and Reg let me listen with him.’
Billy realised then she was talking about the war.
‘Oh that, yeah, it’s terrible. But like you say, we’ve been expecting it. It was only a matter of time.’
He glanced around the kitchen. ‘Where’s Dad?’
Alice scoffed. ‘I don’t know. He went out early this morning.’
Billy hugged his mother tightly. She deserved so much better.
There was a pot roast in the oven and despite his turmoil, Billy felt comforted by its delicious aromas. It was only a cheap cut of meat, but by the time Alice Stirling had finished with it, it would have the taste and texture of the finest fillet steak. The thought of the rich gravy bubbling away inside the oven made his mouth water. His mother was a wonderful cook. Her roast potatoes were legendary, the best in the world, sweet and fluffy in the middle, crisp and dark on the outside. She had made his favourite apple pie too and it was sitting on the side waiting to be cooked.
‘Are you making custard, as well?’ asked Billy.
‘Billy, when have I ever served apple pie without it?’
Billy stared up at his mother and his eyes filled with tears. What would have become of him if she had not marched into that orphanage all those years ago and scooped him up out of his high chair, creating that instant bond between them? Billy knew that the war would separate them and his heart ached for the pain his mother would have to endure. He watched her at the sink now, her back shaking as she vigorously scrubbed the potatoes.
‘I love you, Mum.’
Alice Stirling stopped scrubbing and gripped the edge of the sink, trying to compose herself. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned round to face her son.
‘I love you too, Billy. Never forget that.’ She
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