A Rose and a Promise, page 24
‘I hope you’re right, and that 1945 will be the year we finally see peace return to our world,’ said Cadi. ‘I dread to think what state the country will be in if we have to stick this out for another year.’
‘I’ve been saying that too,’ said Aled.
Cadi sliced her knife through the crunchy batter. ‘Fish and chips used to be Jez’s favourite, and the crunchier the batter the better. He’d have loved this.’
Aled was about to speak when they heard the all too familiar sound of the air raid siren. Lifting the bar flap, the barman called for everyone to head for the cellar, and Aled picked their plates up whilst Cadi gathered the cutlery. ‘No sense in letting good food get cold,’ he said as he followed the barmaid down the steps.
Taking a seat on one of the benches, Cadi smiled weakly at Aled. ‘The last time I sheltered in a pub cellar was when we lost Carrie in the Greyhound.’
Aled gave her a reassuring smile. ‘It’s bound to be a false alarm, so try not to worry; lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice.’ He handed her plate over. ‘You’ll feel better once you’ve got that down you.’
Cadi had taken a bite of the fish when the barman began to descend the steep steps. Losing his footing, he dropped the till, which crashed noisily down the remaining steps.
Her heart pounding in her chest, Cadi shot the barman a furious look as she swallowed the fish, and turned to Aled. ‘Jez had been bringing the till down when the Greyhound got hit. The blast knocked him clean off his feet. I thought history was repeating itself for a moment there—’ Suddenly, a wave of pain engulfed her entire body, and she grabbed hold of Aled’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Struggling to regain her breath, she turned round eyes to Aled. ‘What the hell was that?’
Aled stared at her, his face full of concern. ‘What happened?’
She swallowed. ‘That pain. I’ve never felt anything like it.’
Aled looked at the fish. ‘It can’t be the food, you’ve only had one bite.’
Cadi shook her head fervently. ‘Definitely not the food, although I can’t say what—’ She stopped as another wave of pain took her over. Panting heavily, she stared fearfully at Aled, her gaze pleading for help. ‘It’s just happened again.’ Her bottom lip trembled as tears formed in her eyes.
Kneeling down in front of her, Aled held her hands as he tried to reassure her. ‘Where does it hurt?’
‘My stomach,’ she managed in between gasps. Another spasm racked her body, and she let out a low groan. ‘Not just my stomach, it’s everywhere …’ Screwing her eyes shut, she cried out as the pain took the words from her lips, and as soon as it had passed she looked at Aled through frightened eyes. ‘What’s wrong with me?’
Still holding her hand in his, Aled used his free hand to push her hair back from her face which was beaded with sweat. He had little medical knowledge, but he knew that his mother had lost her brother from a burst appendix when they were children. Cupping the side of her face in the palm of his hand, he spoke in low, reassuring tones. ‘I think you might have appendicitis.’ Seeing the fear in Cadi’s eyes, he quickly glanced at the other people sheltering in the cellar. ‘My friend is in need of urgent medical attention. Is there anyone here who can help?’
There was a general shaking of heads, and a ripple of ‘No’s’ swept the cellar walls.
With tears beginning to fall, Cadi looked pleadingly at Aled. ‘Am I going to die?’
Swallowing, Aled attempted to lift Cadi into his arms. ‘Not on my watch. I’m taking you to hospital, air raid or no air raid.’
Much to his surprise, Cadi was shaking her head. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she looked down at her skirt, which was wet through.
‘I can’t go in this state.’
‘Bugger that,’ said Aled. He slid his arms underneath her, but the barmaid who had just entered the cellar, was shaking her head.
‘You can’t move her, not in an air raid.’ She smiled at Cadi. ‘How far gone are you, luvvy?’
Cadi gasped, as yet another wave of unbelievable pain swept through her. When she could speak again, she said, ‘What on earth do you mean by that?’
The barmaid turned to her husband, the landlord of the pub. ‘I’ll need lots of clean towels, and hot water. I’m no midwife, but I’ve given birth to my fair share.’
Nodding, the landlord disappeared to do his wife’s bidding.
Cadi stared at the woman, her eyes rounding. ‘Too right you’re no midwife, cos if you were, you’d know I’m not pregnant!’
The barmaid smiled kindly at Cadi. ‘I wouldn’t have had you down for it when you walked in, but there’s plenty who carry a baby well.’
Aled stared at the woman as though she were talking in a different language. ‘What the hell are you on about? Cadi’s not pregnant, she’s got appendicitis, and hot water and towels will do sod all for that. We need to get her to a hospital before …’ He fell silent, unable to complete the sentence.
Cadi gaped at him. ‘Before what?’
The barmaid laid a gentle but firm hand against Cadi’s stomach. ‘I know this must be scary. Gawd only knows, I’d be the same in your position, but this baby is coming whether you like it or not.’ She broke off as her husband returned with a selection of assorted towels, sheets and blankets, and she instructed him to divide the cellar into two by using a couple of sheets. ‘Keep everyone on the other side of that curtain, and I’ll help this young lady bring this baby of hers into the world.’
Aled stared at the woman in disbelief. ‘She can’t be having a baby. You must’ve got it wrong.’
The woman indicated Cadi’s stomach with a jerk of her head. ‘That ain’t Scotch mist in there.’
Grasping hold of Aled’s arm, Cadi turned a tear-streaked face towards him. ‘Please don’t leave me, Aled. I don’t want to die on my own.’
He smoothed her hair back from her face as he knelt beside her. ‘You’re not going to die, and I’m not going to leave you.’
He looked at the barmaid, who was kneeling at Cadi’s other side. ‘This is really happening, isn’t it?’
She glanced up at him. ‘I can see the baby’s head.’
Aled swallowed hard before turning his attention back to Cadi. ‘Are you sure you want me here?’
As another spasm engulfed her, Cadi held his hand in a vice-like grip. ‘Don’t you dare leave me, Aled Davies.’ Panting hard, she fought to control her emotions, which were threatening to get the better of her. ‘I can’t do this. It’s going to have to wait for another day or two, until I can get to a hospital …’
‘I’m afraid you don’t get to call the shots. Your baby is ready to be born, and you’re going to have to push, but only when I tell you to.’ The barmaid slapped a wet cloth into Aled’s outstretched hand. ‘Mop her brow, and for God’s sake don’t let her go to pieces, cos I can’t do this on my own.’
Nodding, he turned his back to what he later described as the ‘business end’ and focused on Cadi. ‘You know I’d never leave you, so you needn’t worry about being on your own. I’ll see you right, no matter what happens.’
She broke into a fresh bout of tears. ‘How could I not have known.’ She stopped speaking as the barmaid told her to push, not that she needed telling; the urge to push was so overwhelming she was finding it difficult to only do so when instructed. Panting heavily, she gulped back her tears. ‘Jez is a father and he didn’t even know.’
Aled glanced up to the ceiling of the cellar. ‘He knows. He’ll be up there cheering you on, telling you that you’re doing a marvellous job and that he’s proud of you.’
She gripped Aled’s hand so tightly his knuckles whitened. With the barmaid instructing her to give one final push, Cadi roared like a lioness as she brought her baby into the world.
It was many hours after the air raid siren had given the all-clear, and the landlord and his wife had very kindly allowed Cadi the use of one of the rooms in their B&B.
Holding her baby boy, who was swaddled snugly in a clean towel, Cadi beamed through her tears as she gazed down at the precious bundle. Hearing someone knock on the door, she called for them to enter.
A woman wearing a midwife’s uniform came in, and spoke cheerfully to Cadi and Aled. ‘I hear you’ve had quite a surprise.’
Cadi, who had hardly taken her eyes off her son, glanced up momentarily. ‘You can say that again. My husband was killed in an air raid in May and I hadn’t the foggiest idea that I was pregnant until today. How is that possible?’
Feeling awkward, Aled thought he should make his position clear to the midwife. ‘I’m a friend of the family. I was here to help Cadi through her first Christmas without Jez.’
The midwife waved a carefree hand. ‘She’s lucky you were.’ She walked over to the baby, and smiled approvingly. ‘Considering he’s premature, he’s a bonny lad. I’m surprised you had no symptoms, but that’s a cryptic pregnancy for you.’
Cadi stared at her blankly. ‘What’s a cryptic pregnancy?’
The midwife took the baby from Cadi and examined him whilst she spoke. ‘It’s when a mother doesn’t have the normal symptoms that you’d expect with pregnancy, such as lower back pain, or morning sickness—’
Cadi cut her short. ‘But I was sick a few months ago. I did go to the doctor, but he said it was down to the stress caused by the sudden loss of my husband.’
The midwife rolled her eyes. ‘Doctors don’t know everything.’ She glanced at Cadi’s stomach. ‘I’m assuming you didn’t have a baby bump?’
Cadi shook her head. ‘Not even slightly.’
‘She was eating liver like it was going on ration,’ Aled put in.
Standing, the midwife wrapped the baby up before turning to Aled. ‘It’s often the way with pregnant ladies. I need to check Mrs Thomas over, so if you wouldn’t mind stepping out for a few minutes?’
Aled got to his feet. ‘She’s all yours.’ He smiled at Cadi. ‘I’ll just be on the other side of that door should you need me.’
‘Thanks, Aled.’
Outside the room, he sank down on to the floor. It had been a long night, and he’d hardly left Cadi’s side. Hearing someone ascending the stairs, he gave a nod of acknowledgement as the landlord came into view. ‘The midwife’s in with her now,’ he said as the landlord sat down next to him.
‘Poor mare. What a thing to happen to you, especially after losing your husband,’ said the man. ‘I gather she’s a sergeant in the WAAF, and she obviously had no idea that this was coming, so what’ll happen when her leave’s up? Because I can’t see them letting her back on base with a babby in her arms.’
Aled rested his head in his hands. ‘God knows. I’ll make a few phone calls, let everyone know who needs to know, and go from there.’ He shrugged. ‘She’s a Liverpool lass at heart, but her family hale from the hills, so she could always go back there if need be. Personally I reckon she’ll opt to stay with her husband’s adoptive family in Liverpool because that’s where she was calling home before joining the WAAF, and I know they’ll be eager to have her.’
He spoke slowly. ‘How do you know her, if you don’t mind my asking?’
Aled shook his head. ‘Not at all. We grew up in the same village, and met again not long after I joined the RAF.’ He gave the man a sidelong glance. ‘Her husband would have made a brilliant father. Why is it that all the good ones die young?’
The barman blew his cheeks out. ‘I’ve been asking myself that since the war began. We’ve three sons, all of them serving in France. We’ve been lucky so far, but we live in constant fear of receiving a telegram.’
‘Poor Cadi’s lost two family members, the first being her husband’s grandmother when they were sheltering in a pub cellar. Her husband – or fiancé as he was then – had been carrying the till down when the blast knocked him off his feet.’
The landlord clapped a hand to his forehead. ‘So when I dropped the till …’
Aled nodded. ‘I think it sent her into early labour.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘And there I was insisting she had appendicitis.’
They looked up as the midwife came out of the room and closed the door behind her. ‘Considering she had no idea she was pregnant, both mother and baby are doing well, but she’s extremely anxious about what’s going to happen.’ She glanced at the landlord. ‘Is there any chance she could stay here overnight?’
He nodded fervently. ‘Course she can.’
Aled plunged his hand into his pocket as he got to his feet. ‘I’ll pay for her room and board.’
The landlord waved him away. ‘Put your money away, son. This one’s on the house.’
Thanking him for his generosity, Aled went back into the room, where he found Cadi lying on her side, with the baby beside her.
‘I’ve just been talking to the midwife and the landlord,’ he explained. ‘She says you’re doing really well, under the circumstances, and the landlord says you can stay here overnight.’
Cadi heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Can you do me a favour?’
‘Telephone Fiskerton?’
She nodded. ‘Someone’s got to, and I haven’t got the strength.’ She indicated her son. ‘How do I explain this one? They’ll think I’ve gone stark raving mad.’
He laid a reassuring hand over hers. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort everything out. You just stay here and look after yourself and …’ He hesitated. ‘Have you thought of a name yet?’
She gently stroked the baby’s face with the tip of her forefinger. ‘Oscar Dewi.’ She smiled at Aled. ‘Oscar was Jez’s middle name, and of course Dewi after my father – we decided on names a long time ago, which was a good job when you think about it.’
‘It certainly was.’ Leaning forward, he twitched the swaddling to one side. ‘Welcome to the world, little Oscar. You’re going to be seeing a lot of me, cos I’m your Uncle Aled, and I’m going to take good care of you and your mother whether she likes it or not!’
Cadi called after him as he turned to leave the room. ‘Thank you for everything, Aled. I don’t know what I’d have done had you not been with me. In fact, I do know what I’d have done – I’d have gone to pieces, that’s what. You’re a real star, you do know that, don’t you?’
Thankful that she couldn’t see his face, he blushed. ‘Anyone would’ve done the same in my shoes.’
Her brow rose to her hairline. ‘I beg to differ. Not many husbands would choose to be in the same room when their wives are giving birth, let alone friends. You went above and beyond for me, and I’ll never forget that.’
It was several weeks after the birth of the baby, and Cadi’s life had changed beyond recognition. After Aled had telephoned Fiskerton, word had spread like wildfire and it wasn’t long before everyone knew of Oscar’s unexpected arrival. Fiskerton had let her go without any disciplinary action for leaving her duties, and Cadi had opted to live in the Belmont, where she said she felt closer to Jez.
‘I do wish you’d consider bringing him home to Rhos,’ Jill had said when Cadi rang to give her mother the news. ‘It’s too dangerous in the city.’
‘It’s safer here now than it was during the early years,’ said Cadi reasonably, ‘and I feel it’s where I need to be. But don’t worry, Mam. I promise to take plenty of photographs and you can come and see him whenever you want.’
‘But he has a family here,’ objected Jill. ‘Grandparents as well as three uncles.’
‘And would you see him working down the pits, just like his grandfather and uncles?’ said Cadi. ‘Because there’s very little choice for him in Rhos, you know there is.’
It had been enough to sway her parents into respecting their daughter’s wishes, and with no more to be said on the subject they had set about making arrangements to come and see their grandson in Liverpool.
Raquel had been overjoyed to hear that she was a grandmother and with her being based in Burtonwood she saw Oscar on a fairly regular basis. The girls had rushed over to the pub the very next day so that they could meet Oscar for themselves.
‘He’s better than a puppy,’ Poppy had cooed, causing everyone to laugh.
‘He’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever laid eyes on,’ Izzy had agreed. ‘Jez would be proud as punch.’
They had both made a real fuss over Aled for being there for their friend, but he had dismissed the praise, saying that he was just in the right place at the right time.
Now, as she stood in the kitchen to the Belmont, Cadi rocked the baby’s crib with the toe of her shoe as she rolled out a sheet of pastry.
‘Aled’s been marvellous,’ she told Maria. ‘But even though I know he means well, I don’t want him to think Oscar’s his responsibility.’
Maria pulled a face. ‘Have you ever thought that this might be his way of making things up to Jez?’
Cadi nodded fervently. ‘I’m positive it is, but I have to make him see that he’s done more than enough already, by being there for me. It’s impractical for him to spend the rest of his days looking after me and Oscar, not when he’s got his own life to lead. On top of which, Oscar and I will need to make our own way in the world without relying on anyone else.’
Maria leaned over the cot and smiled. ‘He’s the image of his father.’
Cadi placed the pastry in the tray, then used a knife to slice off the excess. ‘I see Jez every time I look into Oscar’s eyes. It makes me feel as though I’ve got him back, if only a little bit.’ She hesitated. ‘Is it silly of me to think that Oscar was Jez’s parting gift to me?’
Maria held a hand to her heart. ‘Not in the least. In fact, I think that’s a lovely way of looking at it. Because a baby is a gift.’
Cadi flattened the pastry down with pie weights before placing it in the oven to blind bake. ‘I had no intention of leaving the WAAF until I was demobbed at the end of the war,’ she reminded Maria. ‘I scoffed at the suggestion that I should come back to the Belmont to recuperate after losing Jez because I wanted to keep my focus on seeing the war out. But having this little one has changed my whole perspective.’
