by Mary Larkin
Tears spilled over at the loss of him. She hoped the darkness would hide them, but he saw them glistening in the half-light and was immediately all concern. In three steps he was beside her, dabbing at the tears with his handkerchief.
‘Don’t cry, Susan. I can’t bear it when you cry. What can I do to help?’
She blew her nose loudly and peeped up at him through wet lashes. ‘You could try holding me and kissing me,’ she whispered.
He needed no further bidding and, once in his arms, all restraint fled. She devoured his lips, his face and his lips again. ‘Oh, I’ve been such a fool.’
‘Hush. Forget it.’ Tears were now streaming down his own face. ‘Just convince me I’m not dreaming and you really do love me.’
For some time she did just that, until they were both brought to their senses by cries from William. They rushed into the hall. Rachel had beaten them to it.
Grinning from ear to ear, Graham looked askance, ‘Are we going to let them all know?’
At Susan’s nod of assent, he gently put a delaying hand on Rachel’s arm. ‘Susan wants to have a quiet word with you and Trevor, Rachel.’
‘And what about William?’ Rachel cried with an anxious glance up the stairs.
‘I’ll attend to my son.’ Graham took the stairs two at a time, singing at the top of his voice.
‘Your . . . son?’ Rachel shrieked and looked to Susan for confirmation.
Placing an arm gently around her mother’s shoulders, Susan said, ‘Mam, remember I said I’d tell you everything when the time was right? Well, that time has now come. But I think you’d better sit down first. Besides, I have to break the news to Dad as well, so come into the lounge.’
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For Better, For Worse
Mary A. Larkin
Belfast, 1946. Deserted by the father of her unborn
child, Eileen Ross has not married Johnny Cleary for
love. Handsome, devoted and eight years her senior, he
offers Eileen respectability rather than happiness. Her
sister Claire vows to do things differently - and the
magic of romance with Michael O’Hara is all she
dreamed it would be.
Yet in time married life brings unexpected joy for Eileen
as Johnny proves to be the perfect husband and father,
but for Claire and Michael tragedy will strike twice and
with shocking cruelty. Through all the trauma and
heartbreak, it is only Johnny who can hold the family
together . . .
For Better, For Worse - a heartwarming family saga of
love and fate.