Pontypridd 07 - Spoils of War

by Catrin Collier

  ‘We’ll be together, Pasha. It’s what we both want.’ He gripped his son’s shoulder hard as Peter handed him his coat. ‘Goodbye, Huw, take care of yourself and your family and thank you for all I know you’ll do for my sons,’ he called back as Captain Melerski escorted him through the front door and down the steps. The lieutenant was holding the car door open. Charlie stepped in first, turning to Masha as she clung to Peter.

  ‘We’ll soon be together again, Masha,’ he murmured. ‘Just think,’ he smiled as he reached out and gripped her hand. ‘We’re finally going home.’

  ‘Alma asleep?’ Megan asked Bethan as she walked downstairs.

  ‘No, but she’s curled up on Theo’s bed. He’s the only comfort she wants.’

  ‘I can’t believe I’ll never see Charlie again.’

  ‘None of us can believe it, Auntie Megan.’

  ‘How is Peter taking it?’

  ‘He refuses to leave the spare room. Uncle Huw’s sitting with him in case he wants to talk. How about some tea?’

  ‘I’ve made it. That poor boy, seeing his mother and father carted off like that without being able to lift a finger to help. I thought we’d fought a war to put an end to injustice. When it comes down to it we’re no better than the Germans.’

  Huw opened the kitchen door and walked in. ‘Peter’s eyes are closed but he’s not asleep.’

  ‘How can you tell?’ Megan asked.

  ‘By his breathing.’

  ‘Can I get you anything, Uncle Huw?’

  ‘Tea please, Bethan.’ He sank on to an easy chair and buried his face in his hands. ‘I’ve never felt so bloody useless in all my life. Just standing there, hopeless and helpless while they drove Charlie away to God knows what.’

  ‘What else could you have done?’ Bethan questioned logically. ‘Arrested an official military delegation?’ She took the bottle of brandy she had coaxed from Andrew’s father and poured two measures for Megan and Huw.

  ‘I checked their orders. I didn’t even have the right to do that, but there must have been something I could have done to delay them, at least until Alma had a chance to say goodbye. Hopeless and bloody helpless.’ He downed the measure of brandy in one gulp.

  The front door opened. Bethan went into the hall as Andrew dropped a suitcase on to a chair.

  ‘We brought all the clothes we found in Peter’s room.’

  ‘Where is he?’ Liza followed, cradling Peter’s rucksack as though it held the crown jewels.

  ‘The spare bedroom.’

  ‘Can I go to him, Auntie Beth?’

  Bethan nodded, ‘But he hasn’t said a word since he walked through the door.’

  ‘He’ll be all right now I’m here. You’ll see. I’ll make him all right.’

  Peter was lying stretched out on his back on the bed, his eyes open, staring upwards at the ceiling. Closing the door, Liza crept close to the bed. Slipping off her coat and shoes she lay beside him, wrapping her arms round his chest.

  ‘Pasha, I am so sorry.’

  ‘You don’t have to be. I am used to being alone.’

  ‘But you’re not alone and you won’t be ever again now we have one another.’

  ‘You’ll leave me.’

  ‘No I won’t,’ she countered fiercely. ‘Not ever.’ She continued to hold him until slowly, very slowly, a tear trickled from his eye, then another and another, until the dam finally burst.

  She continued to hold him all through the night, bracing her body against the shuddering of his, stroking his hair away from his face, blotting his tears with her handkerchief. Oblivious to the footsteps that hesitated outside the door, and the whisperings in the corridor, she continued to lie there all through sunset and the long cold hours. When dawn finally broke he turned to her and she kissed him, a light, delicate, chaste kiss that he returned with a passion that bordered on savagery.

  There was no pretence at tenderness. His lovemaking was cruel, with none of the gentleness and consideration she had come to expect from Angelo. But she recognised his brutality for what it was. An assertion of his need to be recognised as a man, rather than a pawn in a prison system that destroyed humanity, family and all the love and compassion that concept stood for. It didn’t matter that his kisses bruised and his caresses raised welts on her skin. The price was small, and one she gladly paid, in the hope that it would give him a reason to trust her to take the place of the only people who had ever loved and cared for him.

  ‘Don’t you see, I have to marry him, Auntie Beth?’

  ‘Have to!’ Andrew almost dropped his coffee cup.

  ‘Think, Andrew, they haven’t known one another that long,’ Bethan interrupted impatiently.

  ‘I will marry him, Auntie Bethan; if I have to go to the courts to ask permission I will. And they’ll give it to me, you’ll see.’

  ‘Liza, in all the time you’ve been with us I’ve never seen you like this. I know Peter’s devastated but it’s dreadful for all of us. We loved Charlie.’

  ‘As a friend, but Charlie and Masha were Peter’s mother and father and that makes all the difference.’

  ‘I know, darling.’

  ‘No you don’t. Your father is living down the road. You can see him whenever you want. I heard what Uncle Huw said. Peter will never see Charlie or Masha again.’

  Bethan looked to Andrew for support but he shook his head. She knew what he was thinking: she knew Liza better than he did, she was the one who had adopted her. This was her problem.

  ‘I’m not saying don’t marry Peter, all I’m suggesting is that you wait a while. I just don’t want you to make any mistakes that you’ll regret later.’

  ‘Marrying Peter won’t be a mistake. He has a bigger house than we’ll ever need, all paid for. He’s earning good money, more than enough to keep the both of us and my sisters if you’ll let them live with us.’

  ‘Money and a comfortable home isn’t everything, Liza.’

  ‘It’s a lot.’

  ‘What about your nursing career? You can’t be thinking of giving that up?’

  ‘I have to, Auntie Beth, if I’m going to look after him.’

  ‘I agree with Bethan,’ Andrew chipped in, galvanised by Liza’s declaration that she intended to abandon her training. ‘The last thing you should do is rush into anything.’

  ‘But Peter needs to know that he has someone who loves him.’

  ‘He can stay with us as long as he likes.’

  ‘But staying here won’t make me his. You don’t understand Pasha. He’s never had anything or anyone except his mother until he came here. I know his father meant well but even I could see that Pasha was suspicious of him. He simply couldn’t understand why Uncle Charlie wanted to give so much and not take anything in exchange. Through no fault of his own he doesn’t understand kindness – family – or unselfish love. And just as he’d found a job and was beginning to meet and talk to people like Uncle Huw and me, he has lost not only his father but his mother – the mainstay of his life. He has nothing left, Uncle Andrew, and he needs something to hold on to.’

  ‘And that something has to be you.’

  ‘I love him. He needs me.’

  Bethan recalled the stunned, dead look in Peter’s eyes as he’d climbed into Andrew’s car. The warm and caring embrace he’d given Alma as she broke down when Theo asked when he’d see his Daddy again. The way he’d carried Theo upstairs for Alma, soothing the child with the assertion that they were brothers and nothing would separate them or alter that fact. Alma telling her that Will had insisted Peter had the makings of an all right bloke. Peter was odd, different, set apart from ordinary people by his upbringing but no one knew better than Liza just how different.

  ‘I’ve heard worse reasons for a marriage. All right.’

  ‘Bethan, have you gone mad?’ Andrew asked, horrified.

  ‘You heard her. We won’t stop her from marrying Peter so she may as well do it with our blessing as without it. Ask Peter when he wants the wedding and what so
rt.’

  ‘A registry office as soon as it can be arranged.’

  ‘You’ve already talked about it.’

  ‘This morning.’

  ‘I love you, Liza, and I only hope that you’re not taking too much on those thin shoulders of yours.’

  ‘I’m not. I’ll go and see Peter.’

  ‘He’s in my study writing a letter to the Russian Embassy in the hope they’ll send him a forwarding address for Charlie and Masha. He may not want to be disturbed.’

  ‘You don’t understand, Uncle Andrew, that’s just why I have to go to him. Pasha speaks something like ten languages but he can’t read or write in any of them.’ She closed the door behind her.

  ‘He needs her, Andrew. He may not be the kind of boy we’re used to but I believe he loves her in his way. And for her, being needed is a kind of love in itself.’

  ‘I hope you’re right.’

  ‘So do I, Andrew, because the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.’

  ‘The bride and groom.’

  ‘Weddings are getting to be a habit around here.’ Tina lifted her glass along with the other guests.

  ‘And the bride is more than Tony deserves,’ Angelo complained with a touch of bitterness. He glanced towards the top table where Gabrielle was seated between Tony and his mother, with Luke and Gina standing in for Gabrielle’s absent family and Roberto as best man. Gabrielle had succeeded in her wish for a small wedding but, like Megan and Dino’s wedding, the reception was considerably larger.

  ‘And amen to that.’ Tina handed William her sherry.

  ‘It only seems like the other day you were getting married, Megan.’

  ‘Which isn’t bad for a soon-to-be-third-time Granny.’

  ‘How did you … ?’ Tina looked at the glass she’d pushed in William’s direction. ‘I see.’

  ‘I couldn’t be more pleased, love.’

  ‘Neither can I, but not a single word to my mother until I begin to show, or my life won’t be worth living. She’ll make me give up work for a start.’

  ‘And quite right too. You shouldn’t be working in your condition.’

  ‘Gina did and it didn’t do her any harm. Besides, only six weeks until the last Yank leaves Ponty.’

  ‘Except Dino.’

  ‘Dino is no longer a Yank, Mam,’ William chipped in, abandoning the conversation on the other side of the table in favour of theirs.

  ‘Haven’t you heard,’ Dino boasted to his wife, ‘my stepson, stepson-in-law and Angelo here have voted me an honorary Pontypriddian.’

  ‘Which probably means they intend to drag you round the pubs every Saturday night and get you drunk, so I’d refuse the title if I were you.’

  ‘You going?’ Angelo asked as Ronnie helped Diana from the table.

  ‘We’ve done what we set out to do, drink a toast to the bride and groom for Mama’s sake.’

  Angelo nodded. He’d been amazed that Ronnie, Megan, Huw and Tina had consented to come to the wedding and bring their respective husbands and wives. But he hadn’t been surprised at Ronnie’s stipulation that they would only attend on condition that the bridegroom didn’t talk to any of their party.

  ‘Gabrielle does make a beautiful bride. You will tell her that from me, Angelo?’ Megan picked up Diana’s handbag for her.

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Laura’s dress again?’ Diana asked Tina, looking enviously at Gabrielle’s white veil and lace and satin dress.

  ‘Never mind, Di, we had smashing costumes.’ Tina buttoned her costume jacket.

  ‘Seeing as how you don’t remember it, we could get married again,’ Ronnie suggested.

  ‘At my age, after having two children?’

  ‘To me, fair wife, you will never be old.’

  ‘Misquoting Shakespeare is not romantic, Ronnie.’

  ‘She may not remember putting me down before, but she’s lost none of the knack,’ he laughed, as Dino offered Diana his arm.

  ‘You going across the road?’ Angelo asked.

  Ronnie nodded.

  ‘Wish Liza well from me.’

  ‘Do you mean that?’

  ‘I love her. I wouldn’t wish her anything else.’

  ‘I’ll tell her.’

  ‘Not that I love her.’

  ‘I’m not stupid, Angelo.’ He looked across the room. ‘There’s plenty of other fish in the sea.’

  ‘It’s not a fish I want.’

  ‘The right one for you is out there somewhere. Trouble is, you’re too picky. Now take Maggie.’

  ‘She’s older than Mama.’

  ‘Not quite. And what a personality.’

  ‘Ronnie!’

  ‘Sorry, bad joke, Not funny.’ He watched Diana hobbling down the stairs. ‘Not funny at all, because if I lost that one I don’t know how I’d survive.’

  ‘The bride and groom.’ Andrew raised his glass and Bethan, Alma and Theo – looking very small and very solemn – followed suit. After their glasses had been drained they looked to the two that remained untouched on the table; both filled to the brim. Peter took one and smashed it in the hearth. The glass shattered at the back of the fire, the flame crackled and hissed, burning bright blue and green where the alcohol ran over the hot coals. He handed the second glass to Alma. She threw it but her aim wasn’t as steady. Some of the glass shards fell into the hearth, hitting the tiles.

  ‘I think you have visitors,’ Andrew said, hearing a knock at the door.

  ‘Fugitives from the wedding across the road,’ Bethan predicted, recognising Ronnie’s voice.

  He was the first to walk into Alma’s living room, which suddenly looked very small and overcrowded with an influx of eight extra people.

  ‘We know you wanted a quiet wedding, Peter,’ Huw helped Myrtle into the nearest chair, ‘but we wanted to pay our respects.’

  ‘And drink a toast.’ Alma reached for another bottle.

  ‘No, really …’

  ‘Please, you have to drink the health of my bride,’ Peter insisted, taking the bottle from Alma.

  As toasts were drunk and Alma, who’d been tipped off by William that they might call in, handed round the extra sandwiches she’d made, Ronnie cornered Liza and handed her an envelope.

  ‘Money’s not romantic, but it’s the best we could come up with.’

  ‘You shouldn’t have.’

  ‘What, for my new partner?’ He kissed her cheek. ‘There’s something else. Angelo said he wishes you well. I didn’t make it up,’ he protested as disbelief crossed her face. ‘You’ll take some getting over, but he’ll do it.’

  ‘I’m glad.’

  ‘Who is Mary courting these days?’

  ‘Mr Ronconi, you’re incorrigible.’

  ‘If love at first sight can happen to you, it can happen to anyone.’

  ‘But Peter’s wonderful.’

  ‘I agree with that. Back first thing Monday morning to rebuild that engine, Peter,’ he teased.

  ‘Two weeks Monday, Mr Ronconi.’

  ‘Ronnie – remember, we’re business partners now. Where you going on honeymoon?’

  ‘Our Gower chalet. They’re going to tell us if it’s still standing,’ Andrew grimaced.

  ‘You’ll get there one day, darling.’ Bethan handed him a sandwich.

  ‘When I’m old, bald and toothless.’

  ‘You poor hard-done-by doctor.’

  Ronnie watched Bethan carefully. There seemed to be more of a smile on her face than he’d seen for quite a while.

  ‘You or William have any regrets about taking Peter as a full partner?’

  ‘None, Alma. I only hope he doesn’t have any when he learns that you bought the Cardiff garage and handed it over to us as full partnership price. On my reckoning he’s put twice as much cash into the business as William or I.’

  ‘You’re older, you’ve both got good business heads, or’ – she glanced sideways at William to make sure he wasn’t listening – ‘at least you have. Peter needs guidanc
e and he won’t take it from me.’

  ‘Which is strange seeing how well you’ve done for yourself. What’s this I hear about Liza taking over the shop?’

  ‘She insists she needs to do something, especially as she hasn’t the heart to tell Mrs Lane she isn’t needed any more. And as Liza is taking over both the management of the shop and the overseeing of the baking, I’ve rented this flat to Gina and Luke. They were pretty desperate. This place is ideal for them: two bedrooms, central, a marvellous place for a couple with a young baby …’ Her voice caught and he put his arm around her. ‘Have you heard that Theo and I are moving to Cardiff?’ she continued brightly. ‘With Mary of course. I couldn’t stay here any more – too many memories. And Charlie was right: the Cardiff shop is ripe for expansion. And I’ve bought six more shops down towards Penarth.’

  ‘Good God, woman, you’re going to end up as Business Queen of South Wales.’

  ‘That’s the plan but I’ve a long way to go. I’ve taken out some hefty mortgages. I only hope everything works out in the long term. It had better. I have two sons to look out for now.’

  ‘You don’t have to look out for Peter. It seems to me he’s doing all right. Beautiful wife, ready-made business, non-wicked stepmother.’

  ‘He’s very young.’

  ‘No, he’s not. Not after what he’s been through.’

  ‘To be honest, I need him more than he needs me, Ronnie. He’s like Charlie in so many ways and he can help me with Theo.’

  ‘And you?’

  ‘You just said it, Business Queen of South Wales sounds all right to me.’

  ‘Woman cannot live by business alone.’

  ‘Watch me, Ronnie, because I don’t want anything else.’

  ‘Thank you for a wonderful wedding, Auntie Bethan,’ Liza hugged her. ‘And you, Auntie Alma, thank you for everything.’ She began to cry as she kissed both women again. ‘And you three.’ She kissed each of her sisters in turn. ‘Look after Polly and Nell until I get back, Mary, and be extra good for Auntie Bethan,’ she warned the two youngest.

  ‘And you, look after your wife.’ Andrew shook Peter’s hand.

  To Huw’s amazement, embarrassment and pride, Peter kissed him on both cheeks.