Afterwards, as they gathered for wine, cheese and biscuits in the church hall, the three women were joined by the men in their lives. Everyone was anxious to catch up with each other’s news.
‘Which bit did you sew?’ Susan’s father asked.
Susan pointed to her own square and then to the square which June Carter had started. ‘I also helped to sew the loops onto the edge which was quite tricky,’ she said. ‘It was so heavy it slid off the table as we machined it so we had to ask Stan the security guard to hold it for us.’
‘Incredible, darling,’ said Jack. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. ‘You’re amazing.’
‘It must be in the blood,’ her mother cooed. ‘Your grandmother was a beautiful seamstress.’
For Susan that was high praise indeed.
The reporter and his photographer came round and Deidre, Hazel and Susan stood together for a picture.
‘Is your husband alright now?’ Hazel asked as Jack went to the table to fetch some orange juice.
Susan nodded. ‘He was exonerated and the real culprit was arrested. It seems the bloke was doing his best to put the blame on Jack. He almost succeeded but they sussed him out and now he’s going to stand trial at Lewes.’
‘It must be a huge relief for you both,’ said Hazel.
‘We couldn’t have done it without Valerie’s help,’ said Susan, stroking her rounded bump. ‘Her solicitor son was marvellous.’
‘What about you, Deidre?’ Hazel asked. ‘What are you going to do now that you have finished at drama school?’
Deidre slipped her arm through the tall, good-looking man standing next to her. ‘Well, Rex and I are getting married in September,’ she said. ‘Rex is my agent.’ She gazed lovingly up into his face.
‘Congratulations,’ cried Hazel and Susan.
‘And I have a job now,’ Deidre went on. ‘I do commercials.’ She held up her glove covered hands and began to sing, ‘Hands that do dishes can be soft as your face … Someone else is in front of the camera but those hands are mine!’ And everybody laughed.
‘She has to protect them to keep them looking good,’ said Rex by way of explanation.
Deidre smiled inwardly. She wished her old high school teacher could see her now. How she would love to see him eat his words.
‘You’ll never amount to anything in this life Deidre Abbott,’ he’d said one day. ‘You were born thick, and you’ll stay thick. Nobody’s ever going to want the likes of you batting on their team.’ Well just look at me now, she thought as she raised her eyebrow. And I’ll show you my bank account if you like.
‘Has anyone heard from Valerie?’ Susan asked.
‘She’s in New York,’ said Hazel. ‘She’s divorcing her husband on the grounds of adultery and I imagine she’ll be re-married before the year is out.’
‘Good,’ said Susan. ‘She deserves a little happiness. ‘What about you Hazel? Are you feeling better about things?’
Just then Stan the security guard came up to them and handed Hazel a glass of wine. She gazed up at him with a radiant smile. ‘Thank you, darling,’ she cooed, and although she didn’t answer the question, Susan guessed that everything in her garden was rosy too.
A woman tapped her on her shoulder and Susan spun around. ‘Oh mum,’ she called out. ‘Look who’s here.’
‘Jenny Ruddock!’ Susan’s mother cried. ‘I haven’t seen you since my tenth birthday.’
The two women embraced each other warmly.
‘I remember that lovely Russian doll your mother made,’ said Jenny, stepping back. ‘I was so jealous and then she told us the remarkable story that went with it, as I recall. Do you still have it?’
‘It’s still in the family,’ said Frankie.
‘Have you heard the story?’ Jenny asked Susan.
‘Of course,’ Susan said. ‘I grew up with it.’
Jenny slipped her arm through Frankie’s and led her towards the reporter. ‘This is my son,’ she said. ‘You really must tell him all about it.’
The End
You can read Frankie’s story about her Russian doll in Goodnight Sweetheart.
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About the Author
Adopted from birth, Pam Weaver trained as a nursery nurse working in children’s homes, premature baby units, day nurseries and at one time she was a Hyde Park nanny. A member of West Sussex Writers’ Club since 1987, her first novel, A Mother’s Gift (previously published as There’s Always Tomorrow) was the winner in the Day for Writers’ Novel Opening Competition and was bought by HarperCollins Avon. Pam’s novels are set in Worthing during the war and the austerity years which followed. Her inspiration comes from her love of people and their stories and her passion for the town of Worthing. With the sea on one side and the Downs on the other, Worthing has a scattering of small villages within its urban sprawl and in some cases tightknit communities, making it an ideal setting for the modern saga.
By the same author:
A Mother’s Gift previously published as There’s Always Tomorrow
Better Days Will Come
Pack Up Your Troubles
Mother’s Day previously published as For Better For Worse
Blue Moon
Always In My Heart
Sing Them Home
Come Rain or Shine
Short stories:
Emily’s Christmas Wish
Amy’s Wartime Christmas
Amy’s Seaside Secret
Memoir:
Bath Times and Nursery Rhymes
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