THE WAR BRIDE CLUB (24 page)

      She squeezed her eyes shut and wished the tears away, before pushing away from him slightly so she could look up at him.
 

      “Why can’t we have a baby, Eddie? What have we done to deserve this?”

      He sighed, before pulling her tight again and dropping a kiss to her head.
 

      “We have to be patient,” he whispered, his voice soothing in her ear. “You are going to be a wonderful mother one day, just you wait and see.”

      That only made her want to cry more.
 

      “You’ve given me this beautiful home, you’re so kind and wonderful and…” her voice was barely a mumur.
 

      “Sssshhhhh,” he whispered. “Don’t say that.”

      “But it’s true!” This time she pushed hard away from him. “You’ve given me so much and I can’t even manage to get pregnant.”

      Eddie shook his head, a smile twisting his mouth. “Well I’m pleased I’m kind and wonderful, but you’re not exactly a bad catch yourself.”

      June tried to keep her mouth straight but she couldn’t help the smile that started tugging at her lips. He always managed to do this to her, make her feel good when she should be miserable.
 

      “I just really want a baby, Eddie. Is that so much to ask?”

      He closed the distance between them again and kissed her forehead this time, then her cheek, then her mouth.
 

      “I’m enjoying just having you, there’s no rush. When the time’s right, it will happen. Okay?”

      She leaned into him, his tall frame bracing hers.
 

      “Okay, June?” he asked.

      “Okay.”

      She didn’t want to wait, she wanted to be pregnant now, but when he put it like that. . .
 
It wasn’t like there was any great hurry. They were having a lovely time together. She couldn’t have asked for more in a husband. It was silly to get so upset when they were still only in their first year of marriage.
But still, she wanted a family of her own, and she didn’t want to wait.
 

      “Shall we go?”

      June smiled up at him, stood on tiptoe to kiss him again, then walked back to the bathroom.
 

      “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Eddie West.”

      She grinned as his laugh echoed out behind her.
 

      “My family’s still trying to figure out how I tricked you into marrying me. They’re sure I did something to fool you.”

      “Oh really?” She suddenly felt lighter, happier. He was always able to joke her from a mood.
 
It was right to share her concerns with him, he’d made her feel better in no time. “And what do you think?”

      June jumped as he appeared in the mirror behind her, arms wrapping around her waist as she tried to fix her lipstick.
 

      “I think,” he said, lifting her hair to kiss the back of her neck, “that I’m the luckiest guy in the
world
.”

      She wriggled but he held tight.
 

      “Anything else?”

      “Yeah. I think we should skip dinner and stay home.”

      She gave him a soft shove with one hand.
 

      “Absolutely not.”

      He pouted. Like a puppy that had been locked out in the rain.

      “Why not?”

      She powered her nose one last time then twirled around to face him.
 

      “Because, Eddie, we spend every night home alone together. Your family is probably starting to think we’re weird.”

Every single time June set foot inside her in-laws home, she smiled. Not just a polite smile - the kind of wide, hurt your cheeks, show your teeth kind of grin that could only come with great pleasure.
 

      Patty wiggled her fingers from her spot on the sofa, while her mother-in-law rushed over to kiss her on the cheek.
 

      “How’s my favorite daughter-in-law?”

      June kissed her back. “Great.”

      Eddie leaned over to kiss his mother, too, before disappearing over by his father, who was opening a bottle of sherry.
 

      “Sorry we’re late,” June said.

      She knew they wouldn’t mind. It was like walking into a stage for the perfect home. It was so warm, even at night when the sun had tucked away for the day. Large rugs adorned the floors, over-size sofas and chairs were filled the room, and a large table was set for dinner, without looking austere. It was a real home. The kind of home she could imagine Eddie and Patty growing up in. With parents who were relaxed and happy.
 

      “Glass of sherry, June?”

      She snapped out of her dream. “I’d love one.”

      Eddie walked a glass over to her. She smiled at him, trying not to giggle at his wink. He looked humorous doing things like that – he wasn’t exactly the suave ladies man that he would like to pretend he was.
 

      “We’ve got some gossip,” Patty declared proudly, stretching then standing as her father brought her drink over.
 

      “Patty, that’s enough!” June laughed as her sister-in-law was scolded by her mother. “You shouldn’t talk like that about people behind their backs. Not to mention finding entertainment in the misfortune of others.”

      Now she was dying to know.
 

      Patty grinned and skipped over, almost spilling her drink.
 

      “Do you remember the posh lady we saw in town a few weeks back? The one who was making a fuss about the food in the restaurant?”

      Oh yes, she remembered her. Women like that always stood out.
 

      “What about her?” June asked.

      Patty leaned closer, as if she was about to divulge something of the greatest importance.
 

      “Well, her
unmarried
sixteen year old daughter is pregnant.
Pregnant!’

      June didn’t feel like laughing along with Patty at all. It just wasn’t fair! How could a young girl with no interest in getting pregnant do so with ease, and here she was still trying with no success.
 

      “Did you hear me?
Sixteen
,” Patty hissed.
 

      “The poor girl,” said June, starting to feel hot all over, like she might faint. “It’s just not fair.”

      “Not fair!” her sister-in-law scoffed. “She should have thought about that before she started rolling in the hay with the butcher’s son.”

      “Patricia! That’s enough.”

      June dropped her head. She shouldn’t have encouraged her. Patty bit her lip and looked apologetic as her father glared at her.
 

      “What will she do?” June whispered.

      Patty snuggled in closer against her. June liked it, this sense of comradeship.
 

      “They’ll probably send her away, then arrange for the child to be adopted. You know, some nice couple who can’t have their one of their own will take the baby.”

      June nodded.
Someone like her and Eddie.
 

      “Come on, dinner’s on the table.”

      June turned as Eddie took her elbow. She let him steer her over to the table.
 

      
Adopt
. Was that something they could do? Would they even be able to?
 

      “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

      Eddie’s concerned voice shook her from her thoughts.
 

      “Oh, of course!” She smiled at the anxious faces directed her way. “Never felt better. Just daydreaming.”

      Eddie didn’t look convinced, but she squeezed his thigh gently beneath the table and leaned into him.
 

      If they couldn’t have a baby, they could adopt one.
 

      She would love any child, whether it was hers or not. So if they couldn’t conceive all was not lost. There was still hope. Even if they adopted now and had their own later when the time was right.
 

      “June, we’ve been thinking about your family.”

      So had she, every day without fail.

      “I would love you to meet them one day,” she beamed at her father-in-law. “They’d just love you. All of you.”

      June passed her plate over and watched as roast beef, potatoes and vegetables were piled high.
 

      “Well, that’s what we’ve been talking about,” her father-in-law said.
 

      June wasn’t quite sure she understood.

      “I doubt they’ll be visiting anytime soon, unfortunately,” she told them.
 

      She watched as the three of them all looked at one another and smiled. Like they knew something she didn’t.
 

      “We’re going to bring them out here to stay.”

      Eddie must have noticed her mouth gaping open. To stay? They would actually do that for her?
 

      “I told you we’d consider it, didn’t I, June?”

      She couldn’t believe it.
 

      “You shouldn’t feel obligated, I mean…”

      “Nonsense!” Now it was her mother-in-law speaking. “You’re part of our family, June. It won’t be for a little while, maybe in six months, but we’d like to start making some arrangements. See when might be most convenient for them.”

      She shook her head. June couldn’t even pick up her knife and fork. Tears filled her eyes, happy tears that she managed to smile through.
       

      “You all mean so much to me. I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

      Eddie put his arm around her and kissed her cheek, while his father raised his glass in a toast.
 

      “To June, our newest and most treasured family member.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

      “We just can’t stay here.”

      Madeline was determined not to cry. One hand fell to her stomach. Found comfort there. Some days, it was all she had. The feeling of her palm connecting with her belly.
 

      She certainly found no comfort in her husband’s arms.
 

      “I am
not
going back there.”

      He glared at her. “We’re not having this conversation again.”

      “No, Roy, we’re not.”

      She looked around at their home. Still bare, sparse, but it was
hers
. Every day she loved the fact that it was her own space, that it was their own house.
 

      It held hope.
 

      Moving back to the farm held nothing. Unhappiness maybe. But no future. Nothing for her to look forward to. And no where she wanted to be with her baby.
 

      Here, she could hold onto a dream that they might one day be a real family. That her husband would be more like the man she’d met in England, more like the man she’d seen glimpses of when they’d first moved into town.
 

      “Roy,” her voice was strong, firm. “I’m not moving back to the farm.”

      He didn’t look impressed. “I’ve already handed my notice in.”

      Pain exploded through her body, like fire tearing through her brain.
 

      She sat down. No.
No, no, no!

      “You what?” Her voice had lost its strength. It sounded like that of a child’s.
 

      He smiled at her. Was she imagining the evil flash in his eyes?
 

      “I’m your husband, Madeline, and I have made the decision that we are moving back to live with my family. I’ve given a long notice – they might not find a replacement for me for months.”

      “You can’t…” the words choked in her mouth, “you can’t just make that kind of decision on your own.”

      She knew now. His mother had been working on him. Forcing him. Telling him what to do. She groaned. Each week when he’d gone there for dinner, when she’d stayed home so she didn’t have to see them, they’d been figuring it out. Waiting until she was helpless, until she didn’t have a choice in the matter.
 

      “And where will we live there?” Her words were stuttered.
 

      He smiled again. It disturbed her. “In the room we shared last time. It’s plenty big enough for the baby too, until I build an extra room on the house.”

      She was numb. Her entire body felt cold. She started to rub her stomach again, trying to draw strength again.
 

      “I’m not going, Roy. I told you before, I will not live in that house again.”