A Wartime Christmas (22 page)

‘What are we going to do, love?’ asked Vi as they watched the two boys playing in the yard.

‘I don’t know,’ said Kay with a shrug. ‘What can have happened to Dolly?’

‘P’raps she’s done a bunk for good.’

‘And abandoned her own son?’

‘Could be what she wanted all along. P’raps she got the idea in the pub when she heard Harry talking.’

‘So she made up this Alan, just to get rid of Sean?’ Kay shook her head. ‘No, I think she wanted something more. Or why else did she bring that man to look for her
stuff?’

‘So you think she’ll be back?’

‘Yes, I do.’ Kay couldn’t believe that a mother, even a mother like Dolly, would leave her son in such a way.

‘Have you told Babs what happened?’

‘Not yet. Eddie was due to go back yesterday.’

‘Gill and Tim will call after school. You could give her the nod then.’

‘Yes, I will.’ Kay lowered her elbows to the draining board and rested her chin in the palms of her hands. ‘I wonder if Sean has been to school.’

‘Don’t seem like it,’ decided Vi.

‘I’ll get Alfie’s crayons. See what he can do.’

But Vi tapped Kay on her shoulder. ‘Don’t go getting too interested. It’s his mother’s job to see to his education, not yours. You’ll only get hurt when she takes
him away.’

But Kay was wondering what kind of mother would neglect their child so badly. Did Dolly have a conscience?

Perhaps she was trying out her luck, believing Kay was a soft touch and would return only when it suited her.

‘If he’s not your child, then I haven’t the authority to issue coupons,’ said the woman at the food office a week later.

‘I’m only asking for what a young boy needs,’ Kay repeated. ‘I took him to the doctor who said he’s undernourished and must eat properly. He’s got to have
milk, orange juice and cod liver oil. He needs clothes and shoes too.’

‘His mother should be here seeing to that, not you.’

‘I told you, she’s disappeared.’

‘Have you reported her missing?’

‘Yes. I was told lots of people go missing in wartime.’ Kay had eventually decided to go to the police station. It had been a mistake. The sergeant at the desk asked some personal
questions in front of other people. It was embarrassing to have to repeat what Dolly had said. Even after explaining it all, the policeman offered no help, saying it sounded like a domestic
matter.

The woman removed her glasses and sighed. ‘This is only the Food Office. You’ll have to go to another department for missing persons.’ The woman’s tone softened as she
saw Kay’s distress. ‘Look, I’m sorry, but rules are rules. Have you tried the Salvation Army?’

‘I’m not asking for charity.’ Kay picked up her shopping bag and left. What was she going to do? As she walked home, she decided she would use some of the fifteen pounds
seventeen shillings in the Anderson to buy some clothes for Sean at the market. Somehow she would make ends meet. With her wages and Vi’s small contribution, they could manage for a
while.

Tomorrow she would revisit the town hall. This time she would take Sean with her and let them see how his health depended on the things the doctor had ordered.

It was the end of June and Dolly still hadn’t shown up. Kay was beginning to think Vi was right. Even the woman at the council offices agreed that it looked as if Sean
had been abandoned. ‘I’ll get someone to call and speak to you,’ Kay was told at last.

To Kay’s surprise, the next day a young woman arrived on the doorstep. ‘I’m Miss Pearson from the Children’s Welfare Department,’ she explained. ‘Is it
convenient to speak to you?’

‘Yes, come in.’ Kay hadn’t expected someone to turn up even though she had been promised.

Vi took Alfie into the yard and Kay sat with Sean in the front room. Miss Pearson asked Sean his name, how old he was and where he lived. Both Kay and Miss Pearson smiled when he said he lived
at one hundred and three Slater Street.

‘Thank you, Sean,’ said Miss Pearson. ‘I expect you’d like to join your friend now?’

After Sean had gone, Kay said quietly, ‘He don’t seem to know much about where he lived with his mother.’

‘No, but I can see he’s taken a shine to you.’

‘He’s never any trouble,’ Kay agreed, going on to give an account of all that had happened since Dolly had appeared.

‘So, Mrs Lewis, you have no idea where she is now?’ Miss Pearson had short, curly brown hair and didn’t smile much, but she seemed interested in what Kay had to say.

‘No, I haven’t,’ Kay said.

‘She left no forwarding address?’

‘Like I told you, Dolly said she was going for a drink with her friend – the man who broke all me glasses and searched in the drawers for something that Dolly claimed was hers. We
waited and waited but she didn’t come back.’

‘And you told the police?’

‘Yes, I reported Dolly, not that it helped much.’

Miss Pearson frowned. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘If Sean had been found on the street I think they’d have taken more notice.’

‘Yes, you may be right.’ Miss Pearson frowned, her face clouding. ‘Street children are taken into care by the authorities and put into orphanages.’ She hesitated.
‘Or some other kind of institution.’

‘I don’t like the sound of that.’

‘In wartime, there are hundreds of displaced children. I’m afraid it’s a growing problem. And one the authorities are failing to solve. In these unusual circumstances,
you’ve been very kind to take Sean under your wing.’

‘I don’t mind looking after him,’ Kay replied. ‘He’s no trouble and gets on well with Alfie and his friends. It’s waiting for Dolly to appear that unsettles
us all.’

Miss Pearson turned the page of her notebook. ‘I can’t do much to resolve that problem. But, you could make an application for temporary care of Sean. If granted, you would receive
coupons and the things the doctor wanted him to have. There is a food and clothing allowance too.’

‘What about school?’ Kay asked.

‘He would have to go, of course.’ Miss Pearson wrote this down. She sat back then, pulling down the hem of her grey utility skirt over her crossed knees. ‘You know it could be
hard for you financially.’

‘We’ll manage somehow.’

‘You could apply for a test of means.’

‘No, thank you,’ Kay answered at once. Undergoing a means test meant that every stick of furniture you had was evaluated, all your possessions such as they were put under a
microscope. It felt like the very last resort and a disgrace.

Miss Pearson smiled. ‘I’ve one more question. It’s a rather delicate one. Is your husband aware of what’s happened?’

Kay blushed. ‘You can’t write something like this in a letter.’

‘No, I suppose not.’ The young woman closed her notebook. ‘Well, if you’re sure about caring for Sean, I’ll make the application?’

‘Yes, please go ahead.’

Miss Pearson stood up. ‘You’ll be hearing from me soon, Mrs Lewis.’

Kay walked with her visitor to the front door. Kay glanced along the passage to the open door of the kitchen where the two boys were playing in the yard. ‘You wouldn’t take him away
and put him in one of these institutions, would you?’

‘We aren’t known for dragging children off, Mrs Lewis,’ Miss Pearson said with a rueful smile. ‘In wartime our department has better things to do with its limited
resources. However, this is rather an unusual case and I can’t promise they will approve your application.’

‘What about Dolly?’ Kay asked. ‘What if she comes round?’

‘I would advise you to tell her we need to speak to her.’

With a nod Miss Pearson left. Kay wondered if she would ever see the young woman again. She was nice in her own way, but seemed more interested, just like the policeman, in writing everything
down for her superiors, rather than solving the problem.

That night, after everyone was asleep, Kay was sitting in her dressing gown at the kitchen table, deep in thought. Jean Pearson had suggested a test of means, but the council
representatives calling to inspect your home and everything inside it broadcast to the world that you were destitute. She couldn’t have that, no matter how short money was. A family in Crane
Street had been forced to give up their piano, she remembered, their only form of entertainment for the children, in order to receive help from the council. Alice Tyler had seen inside the house
and said it was almost bare of furniture. A cold shiver at her neck made Kay quickly sip from the mug of cocoa she had made herself. Her pride would never allow her to be reduced to begging for
help. If she was given the coupons for food and milk for Sean, it would solve half of the problem. But first and foremost, it was what the doctor had requested, that was most important—

Kay heard a slight movement behind her. Expecting to see Vi, she found instead a small figure watching her. Sean’s dark eyes were almost fearful under his shock of ruffled hair.
Alfie’s striped pyjamas were ruckled around his thin calves, one leg up and one down. His pyjama jacket was unbuttoned, revealing his skinny chest.

‘Sean?’ Kay swivelled slowly on the chair. She felt she was looking at a frightened rabbit and one movement from her would send him scooting off. ‘Can’t you sleep?’
she asked softly.

He lifted his hand and rubbed his knuckle in the corner of his eye. Kay slowly rose to her feet. Drawing her dressing gown round her, she looped the belt slowly at her waist. ‘Would you
like a drink of milk?’ She pulled out the chair. ‘Sit down and I’ll pour you some.’

Sean, still looking alarmed, watched her go to the cupboard. While her back was turned, Kay heard him shuffle across the kitchen floor and the chair creak as he sat down.

When she’d poured a small amount of milk into an enamel mug, she placed it on the table in front of him. ‘There you are. That will help you to sleep.’

Kay returned to her chair and watched him sip eagerly at the drink. She lifted her own enamel mug and finished her cocoa. For a few minutes afterwards Kay sat quietly with him. She could see his
long lashes blinking, as though he was fighting off sleep. But she still had the feeling he’d be off if she made any sudden movement.

‘Was it a dream?’ she asked and smiled when he nodded. ‘Alfie has them sometimes. But dreams aren’t real, Sean. They go away. You mustn’t be frightened.’

Sean gave a long yawn, revealing his gappy white teeth. His body seemed to relax but he showed no sign of leaving his chair. Very slowly, his eyes began to close.

Kay placed her hands on her lap. ‘It’s warmer over here,’ she told him. ‘Come and sit with me for a while before you go back to bed.’

Sean stared at her uncertainly, brought wide awake by this alarming suggestion. It was as though he’d never been asked to do such a thing in his life. Had he ever been cuddled or hugged,
she wondered? Kay slowly held out her hand. ‘Just for a few minutes. So we don’t get cold in the kitchen.’

The little boy slipped warily from the chair. Moving towards her, he positioned himself at her knees, allowing her hand to gently slide around his waist and lift him onto her lap. At first he
sat rigidly until Kay eased him against her, threading her fingers through his hair. She could smell the soap that she and Vi had used for the boys at bath time. She could also feel his stick-thin
arms and bony ribs as she encircled him, laying her chin against the top of his head.

‘You can always come down and talk to me if you should wake up,’ Kay assured him. ‘We can drink some milk and sit here like this. When you go back to bed, you’ll fall
fast asleep again.’

She felt him tremble slightly, then give in to her embrace and the warmth of her plaid dressing gown.

‘Can I stay ’ere then?’ she heard him mumble.

‘Would you like to?’

In reply he nodded, allowing her to pull him closer and she too nodded in silent agreement.

Ten minutes later, he was snoring softly against her chest. She didn’t want to disturb him as he seemed so content, his breathing matching her own.

Kay didn’t know how long they sat there. But when she eventually woke him and hand in hand they ascended the stairs, she knew she had drawn closer to this orphan of the storm.

‘Goodnight, God bless, sleep tight,’ she told him, as she placed the blanket around him.

Kay guessed that Sean had never been shown affection, had not the least idea who God might be or understand the blessing that accompanied the kiss each night that he had slept here. Watching him
slowly close his eyes, she was certain she saw a flickering smile on his lips and a soft sigh of contentment.

To Kay’s great surprise, the very next week she received a letter from the Children’s Welfare Department. Under supervision of the authorities, Kay had been granted
temporary care of Sean as a war nanny. Furthermore, the doctor had confirmed her request for the concentrated orange juice, cod liver oil, priority milk and other vitamins. Kay was also allocated
ten extra coupons to help with his food and clothing and fifteen shillings for his care for one month.

‘That’s a turn up for the books,’ said Vi as Kay replaced the letter in the envelope. ‘Thought we’d heard the last from that young lady.’

‘She must have gone to the doctor,’ said Kay, ‘and checked on what I’d said.’

‘I hope he told her just what a state Sean was in.’

‘Must have done,’ agreed Kay. ‘Miss Pearson said she’d do all she could, but I didn’t think she was listening.’

‘I warn you, love,’ Vi said firmly, ‘don’t go getting too fond of the boy.’

‘Course not.’ Kay tried to sound dismissive. But she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all Vi. This little boy might be Alan’s child although she was reluctant
even to think about it. Sean’s presence in her life could remind her of the pain that lies and deception might bring. But when she looked into Sean’s eyes, she saw just a helpless
little soul who had been deprived of the basic needs in his life: a mother’s true love and understanding. Alfie had been given Kay’s love from the start – for the nine months she
had carried him in her womb then from the moment he had made an appearance on this earth. She believed it was a child’s birthright to come into this world and be loved – at least, that
was how Kay felt. She ached inside for any child who was robbed of it. Vi might give her all the warnings necessary about keeping her distance, but when it came to matters of the heart, Kay knew
there were no bounds to her feelings.