Children in Her Shadow (23 page)

As the taxi passed the point where Ruth had seen Edward and Sarah, she looked in vain to see if she could identify where they had gone. In the matter of two minutes, she had seen Edward for the first time in nine months. Ruth wondered if she had concealed the evidence of her pregnancy from him but concluded that you would need to have exceptionally poor eyesight not to have recognised that she was nearing her day of delivery. Moreover, Edward had seen her pregnant on two previous occasions so was well aware of how large she could get.

On arrival at Sharoe Green Hospital, Ruth took a couple of moments to compose herself before presenting at the front desk of the maternity unit. The hospital was a grey Victorian building that at one time had been a work house and in that regard it was an imposing slightly fearsome structure that suggested it had many memories. Alongside this image was that of a popular cottage hospital maternity unit which served this demanding middle class area of Preston. For Ruth however, her baby would be delivered under the public assistance plans which meant that although she paid a nominal sum of five shillings per night that she was there, the rest was paid from the assistance funds.

Ruth reported to the reception desk and was immediately chastised firstly for not attending a clinic appointment two weeks previously and secondly for presuming that she could simply turn up, unannounced and expect to be delivered of her baby. Ruth was shown to a room where the midwife she had previously met, a jolly large lady ushered her towards the couch and examined her.

The midwife confirmed Ruth’s assertion that she would not be long before she had her baby and with that she was shown to a small ward of six beds of which only two were occupied. Both ladies in the ward were also awaiting their delivery and both were first time mothers.

By midnight, Ruth’s contractions were a matter of a few minutes apart and she was moved into a delivery room for the final stages. Ruth who had never experienced a delivery in a clinical setting before found the array of instruments, bright lights and sterile trays frightening and alien. Her two previous deliveries had been straight forward and within the bounds of child bearing, relatively pain free. It was soon clear that Ruth was about to be delivered of her child rather quicker than the planning in the delivery room had allowed for and in the time it took for the junior nurse to get the midwife back to the room the baby’s head was presenting.

Within a further few minutes and at precisely twelve fifty three on the Sunday morning of April sixth nineteen forty seven, Ruth was delivered of a baby boy. Having dealt with the cord, and having weighed him and checked him over the restless Ruth was finally given her baby. He was adorable and the image of Edward but without Edward’s birth mark on his forehead. Ruth fell in love once again.

That night Ruth’s baby was taken from her, the normal practice of the day and placed in a small room alongside the other babies. Ruth was irritated by this administrative arrangement but like others fell in line and did as she was told. Ruth had no trouble breast feeding and so when her baby was put down to sleep he was full and comfortable and seemed to sleep well. The following day Ruth was able to have her baby for most of the day and skilfully dealt with all his needs.

The staff were aware that Ruth was an ‘assistance’ delivery so sensitively steered away from questions about the father. They did however ask if she had decided upon a name and in the manner in which her own mother named her babies Ruth announced that the name would be Michael to commemorate her beloved brother who was so tragically killed in Singapore during the war. It had always been Ruth’s intention to call her first born son Michael and as she looked into the eyes of her baby and for the first time called him Michael she looked for those small characteristics that might remind her of Michael but there were none apart from the little dimple in his chin.

Ruth and Michael were examined every day to make sure that they were both well before discharging. The staff were showing some concern that Ruth was suddenly finding it difficult to breast feed her baby and called in the doctor to see her. He examined her and remarked that she was very under nourished and that her weight was considerably below what he might have expected from a woman of her age. He decided that for the sake of her own health, Michael should be put on a formula feed.

Ruth was disappointed but there was more concerning news about Michael who was showing early signs of having Eczema. These signs were present on his feet and hands but as each day passed they seemed to spread despite the application of creams. Ruth became overly alarmed and the doctors were concerned that this uncertainty was impacting upon Michael’s emotional bonding and reassurance. However their greater concern was that Ruth was constantly tired, eating little and fretting for her baby.

Despite their concerns it was agreed that Ruth should be allowed to leave the hospital, having been there for three weeks on the strict understanding that she would attend the outpatient clinic on a weekly basis so that the doctors could monitor the development of Michael and satisfy themselves that Ruth was coping well. Ruth reluctantly agreed and enthusiastically arranged for a taxi car to take her home.

Ruth arrived at her room in the early afternoon of Monday twenty eighth of April with Michael, her suitcase and her medication and gratefully accepted the offer from her driver to help her to her room. Her first chore was to buy food for Michael and herself and then return to the room and settle Michael into his new surroundings. Despite the irritation that the Eczema must have caused Michael, he was a quiet contented soul during his first few days which allowed Ruth time for sleep and to recover from the birth.

The living arrangements were less than perfect with lines of towelling nappies and clothes hung near the paraffin heater and the two of them sharing the same bed. The paraffin heater produced plenty of heat for cooking and general heating but gave off terrible fumes that sapped the air of oxygen. The two bar electric heater was hardly enough to warm the room and Ruth was finding the cost excessive. Because of Michael’s health Ruth rarely stepped out of the flat other than to buy food and on this day to return to Fulwood for her check up.

The outpatient clinic staff expressed concern about Michael’s breathing and diagnosed bronchitis. The Eczema was not getting better and different creams were provided in the hope of improving what was by now a rash over much of Michael’s body. However, the doctors were most concerned for Ruth who was also diagnosed with Bronchitis but whose weight had continued to fall and she was looking drawn and deeply unwell.

Ruth left the hospital agreeing to return in ten days. On her way home from the hospital, Ruth called into the registry office for Births, Deaths and Marriages to register Michael’s birth. She had with her the certificate from the hospital and quickly completed the necessary documents. Because she was married Ruth had no difficulties registering the birth and showing Edward as the father but she needed to show Bowland Moss Farm as the family home as this was, correctly the place that she had seen as home with Edward.

Armed with Michael’s birth certificate Ruth found a slight spring in her step as she walked home with her baby wrapped in a shawl across her chest. Her positive spirits lasted for only a short time as by that evening she became much weaker and found it difficult to manage simple tasks like making up a bottle. For his part, Michael was chesty but seemed to fret mainly as a reaction to the worsening health of his mother, Ruth.

Ruth and Michael managed to get through the next days but Ruth’s health was by now very poor. As May drew to a close Ruth rarely stepped out of the house and this was becoming noticeable to Marilyn who had still not seen Ruth and her baby. Marilyn decided to call on Ruth and invite her to have tea with her. She knocked on Ruth’s door at about ten o’clock in the morning and was surprised to get no response though she could hear the gurgling sounds of Ruth’s baby. Marilyn became concerned and knocked harder and for longer.

Eventually, Ruth came to the door and opened it very slightly. Marilyn was shocked by what she saw and resisted Ruth’s attempts to keep her outside the room pushing at the door and entering. The room was tidy though the evidence of drying nappies gave the room a slight odour and a feel of dampness. Marilyn’s great concern was for Ruth who looked weak. Ruth had dark lines beneath her eyes and her deep chesty cough was evidence that she was very unwell. Ruth apologised that she had not yet been to see Marilyn and explained that both she and Michael had bronchitis and that Michael was suffering from Eczema.

Ruth was anxious for Marilyn to leave, partly because she was embarrassed that Marilyn should see her like this and partly because she was concerned not to pass on any germs to Marilyn and her son. As Marilyn moved to the door she drew Ruth to her and put her arms around her and it was at this point that she realised that Ruth was abnormally thin and weak. Ruth agreed that Marilyn should do some shopping for her something she repeated over the next seven days.

Marilyn begged Ruth to return to the hospital but she refused. Ruth was concerned that if the hospital was to see her like this the doctors would take her baby from her. For Marilyn, there were no concerns about the welfare of Michael, yes he had bronchitis which simply wasn’t shifting and the Eczema seemed to be contained, but her concerns were for Ruth’s health which was deteriorating before her eyes.

Marylyn decided to contact Sharoe Green Hospital and spoke to the Matron. The Matron was grateful for the call and assured her that they would send a doctor to see Ruth that day. When the doctor arrived a couple of hours later, he initially had difficulty getting Ruth to open the door and it was only the intervention of Marylyn that ultimately persuaded Ruth to open the door. The doctor spent about twenty minutes with Ruth and Michael expressing serious concern for Ruth who he diagnosed as having pneumonia. He felt that Michael was well cared for but that he too needed to be treated for the Eczema. Ruth refused to go to the hospital and abruptly showed the doctor to the door.

On the doctor’s return to the hospital he reported his concerns for Ruth’s health to his consultant which began a chain of events that would change the course of Ruth’s life.

The only address the hospital had on their records for Ruth’s husband, Edward was Bowland Moss Farm and so they dispatched a nurse in a car to the farm to try to get Edward to persuade Ruth to come into hospital. On arrival at the farm, the nurse found that the Carmichael’s lived just a short distance away at Eastbrook Farm. The nurse rapidly found the new address where she found Ellen, Sam and Sarah sitting at the kitchen table.

The nurse explained that Ruth had given birth to a baby in April and that she was now desperately ill, living in a flat in Fishergate, Preston and that the hospital was keen to admit her but there was an issue about who would care for the child. She explained that the boy, named Michael was recovering from bronchitis and that he had a severe but treatable Eczema.

The family looked to one another each exploring why they should become involved when frankly they had no real connection with Ruth anymore. However, it was Ellen who, for whatever reason said that the family would take in the baby.

Still reeling from the shock that Ruth was again back in their lives, Sarah suggested to the nurse that it might be better if they arranged to take Ruth’s baby that night and they would then phone the hospital and arrange for them to send an ambulance for Ruth. Content that there was a plan that would take care of the baby and that Ruth could be in hospital soon the nurse left.

As she was leaving, Edward arrived from work and was told what had happened. His reaction was to immediately suggest that this was none of their business and they should leave well alone matters that didn’t concern them. With that, Sam turned to Edward and said, “Look me in the eye and tell me that this could not be your child, it was born on sixth of April, what were you and Ruth doing nine months ago?”

Sarah was distinctly interested in Edward’s response which was painfully slow in coming. “Yes” he said, “I suppose it could be mine but that was the last time I had anything to do with her.” Turning to Sarah, he said, ‘Honestly, if it is mine it would have been the last time we were together and the very last time I have seen her.” Angry but keen to see something happen Sam suggested that Ellen and Edward go to Fishergate and get the child.

In the confusion, no one had thought to ask the nurse where in Fishergate Ruth was living. Sarah, who seemed to have a plan for every occasion suggested that Edward should go to her sister’s boy friend George, who lived in Fishergate and see if he knew people who would know where Ruth was living.

Edward and Ellen left immediately in his father’s car and drove directly to George’s home leaving Sam and Sarah to care for the children. On arrival at George’s mother’s house, George agreed to help Edward. They left Ellen at George’s home but before they started their search George turned to Edward and said, “Where is she Edward? Knowing you as I do, I bet you have a good idea.”

Edward sheepishly asked George not to divulge that he knew Ruth was previously working and living in Fulwood because a friend had seen her. He went on to explain that he had seen Ruth in early April only a few yards from George’s home but he had not mentioned this to Sarah. George, not known for beating around the bush said, “You’re a bloody fool thinking that you can ditch a wife by pretending not to know where she is.” George was referring to the fact that Edward had recently and proudly announced to the family that on the eleventh of April he had filed for divorce on the grounds of desertion claiming not to know of Ruth’s whereabouts.

George and Edward walked across the road to where Edward had seen her and within a few minutes and a couple of conversations with people who knew George well they were knocking on the door of Ruth’s flat. George told Edward, “Shut up and leave the talking to me.” As Ruth opened the door, she staggered backwards as she saw George, who she had last seen some years ago. But as she absorbed that shock, she saw Edward who was clearly intent upon entering her room.