by Ken Busato
It took a couple of months, but we were starting to settle in a little in Blantyre. Mama was getting close to birthing, and many women have been very helpful, especially Mr. Docherty’s wife Arwen. She comes to our room every day to see if there is anything she can do. If not, she sits herself down and tells Mama about all the latest gossip. She is a nice lady, and she knows about everybody’s business. I think having a woman like Mrs. Docherty around helps Mama a little to forget her pain.
Liam and Mrs. Docherty’s son, Angus, sometimes leave for a long time. I’m happy Liam has found a friend, but I worry about some of the games they play. Once, I overheard them pretending to be British, kicking out Highlanders from their home. I could not believe my ears. I went right up to Liam and gave him a good pinch on the arm.
“Hey, what are you doing? That hurt.”
“You deserve more,” I replied coldly. “The least the two of you could do is play properly. You’re just lucky Papa didn’t hear you pretending to be a redcoat. He would have given you a good kick in the behind for sure. You too Angus! You can’t go on pretending to be someone you should hate. Look at what they did to your family.”
I could see tears welling up in Liam’s eyes. “We meant nothing by it. We were just playing.”
“I know,” I said, as I started to soften a little. “Just play a different game. Don’t play something that would bring pain and grief to Mama and Papa. Promise?”
“We promise,” they both said almost at the same time.
Liam was lucky he did not have to work, at least not yet. There were many children at the mill close to his age, and if Papa wanted it, he could get Liam work.
Many of the younger children who worked at the mill are piecers. It’s a difficult job where you walk a lot, maybe twenty miles a day. Sometimes I am asked to do the job. I have to lean over the spinning machines to repair broken threads, and broken threads happened all the time. A piecer has to work fast, and holding on to threads and piecing them back together makes the skin raw and bloody.
Even though we were getting used to the city, Papa and Willie could not get it out of their heads about moving on. It’s like Mr. Docherty planted an idea in Papa’s mind, and over time it started to grow into a course of action. Many nights, just before sleep, Papa, Mama, and Willie would talk about leaving.
“We can’t stay here forever Fiona,” Papa said. “Look at what the mill is doing to Molly. I can’t bear to see her poor little hands, with the cuts from the threads. She does not deserve to do that kind of work.”
“I don’t disagree with you John,” said Mama. “But what do you think we can do? I’m about to give birth. I can feel it. It’s going to happen almost any day. I can hardly move from the bed, and what I need most of all is to get out of here and take some better air, but I just can’t find the energy.”
“But once you have the baby, you can get your strength back, and then maybe we can start to think about what to do.”
“I guess you don’t remember what it’s like to have a little one, do you John? Do you think we can just put the baby in a sack and carry it to God knows where? America is a long distance. I’ve heard many people get sick on the crossing. You can be in perfect health when you get on board, and it only takes a few days for foul sickness to take hold. And you expect a baby to go through that?”
“Fiona, we should think about it a little, that’s all. I’m not saying we are going to quit Blantyre this very minute and make for America. Ships leave for America all the time. That won’t going to change anytime soon.”
“I know you are just looking out for us John. And you’re right; it can’t hurt to think a little about the future. Heaven knows I don’t want Liam working at the mill like Molly. Sure, the owner seems to be a decent sort of man, but no amount of nice intentions can take away from how awful the work is.”
“Better at the mill than harvesting kelp,” Willie said. “I can’t get rid of the stink of seaweed, especially when I’m burning it.”
“Quit your complaints,” Papa said. “The only other job men like us can get in these parts is down in the coal mine. I don’t like what we’re doing too, but it beats the hell out of working underground.”
“Both of you need to hush now and get some sleep,” Mama said. “In the next few days, we are all going to need as much strength as we can get.”
“You’re right Fiona,” said Willie. “But I want to say one more thing. I’ve heard about a meeting tomorrow night at Greyfriars Church. A man is going to talk about what we’ve been talking about right now. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go, but all this talk has made me a little curious. And as you said yourself Fiona, it can’t hurt to listen a little.”
“No one is stopping you from doing what you want to do Willie,” replied Mama.
“What do you think John? Do you want to come and listen too?”
“With the baby being this close and all, I don’t think I should be staying away after work. Then again, someone should go with you so you stay out of trouble.”
“Come on John. What kind of trouble would I cause at a meeting? What if I promise not to have anything to drink before I go?”
I finally stopped pretending to be asleep. “I’ll go,” I said. “If anyone can keep Willie behaving, it’s me.”
Willie started to laugh quietly to himself. “Well there you have it,” he said. “I need my niece to take care of me. With the marks I still have on my face, people will start to think you don’t like me very much.”
Everyone laughed. Mama wasn’t sure if I should go with Willie to the meeting, but she certainly didn’t say no.
Soon, in our little room, all was quiet, except for the heavy breathing of Papa and Willie. Faintly, I could hear voices from above and below. I soon fell asleep, but as usual in this place, no good dreams would come to me.