Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

  She hurried out of the house and knocked loudly on Anna’s door. Tommy answered it and Sadie explained what she was after while striding into the small hall.

  A male voice called out, ‘Who is it, Tommy?’

  Before Tommy could answer, Sadie went into the kitchen. ‘I hate to bother you but can I borrow some milk please?’ She held out the jug. ‘I brought a load of groceries with me but stupidly forgot the milk.’

  Anna walked over and took the jug from her hand while glaring at Thomas who sat with his mouth open. Sadie walked over to him. ‘We haven’t met although I’ve met your lovely wife. I’m Sadie and I hope my boy Eddie will become friends with your daughter and the girl next door.’

  Thomas stood up. ‘I’m pleased to meet you, Sadie. If you need any help to get settled in please let me know.’

  Sadie said she would as Anna almost thrust the milk jug into her hand. ‘Thank you, Anna, you’ve saved my life as I’m gasping for a cup of coffee.’

  After she left, Thomas sat back down again and lit a cigarette. Anna was furious. ‘You can close your mouth now, Thomas, as the blonde bombshell has gone.’

  Thomas was unrepentant. ‘I was only being friendly as she’s had a long journey.’

  Anna said that was so but added, ‘Let’s hope she doesn’t need any help as it’ll mean getting up off your backside.’

  Thomas laughed. ‘I think you’re jealous of her.’

  Anna glared at him and turned to the sink to finish washing the dishes, a job she had been doing when her visitor had rudely entered her house.

  Thomas stood up and walked over to her. ‘I’ll tell you one thing, love, she’s not as good-looking as you.’

  This compliment seemed to calm her and after the dishes were done she sat down beside him, although she was still annoyed at him. Sadie had only been in the lane for a few hours and already she had caused a row between them. Tommy had stayed silent during this spat but now she said, ‘Mum, why don’t we have coffee instead of always having tea or milk?’

  Thomas looked up. ‘It’s because we’re not Yankees, Tommy.’

  19

  Sadie was pleased by the reaction she had caused in the lane. It was just like old times and it gave her a feeling of being at the centre of things and not just a nobody in the wilderness of Ed’s farm back in America. She was confident that Eddie would soon settle in his new home, it was just a matter of time.

  She was sipping her cup of coffee when Grace knocked at the door and came into the kitchen. Sadie was annoyed over this casual coming and going and this was something she was going to sort out soon. Maybe this was the way her mother liked to live but she wasn’t going to have people popping in and out, even though this was something she herself was guilty of as she had already popped into Anna’s house as if she owned it.

  Sadie put her cup down with a dramatic sigh and gazed at her neighbour with a glare. Grace was aware of this slight but she wasn’t going to be cowed by Maryanne’s daughter.

  ‘I hope you’re remembering your mother comes home tomorrow, Sadie.’ When Sadie nodded, Grace continued, ‘I’m going to Auchterhouse in the morning and we can go together on the bus.’

  Sadie smiled but the smile didn’t reach her eyes and it vanished in an instant. ‘Oh I can’t come with you, Grace, as I’ve got an appointment at the school with Eddie. I want him to be enrolled as soon as possible.’

  Eddie heard all this conversation through the open door and he was unhappy. It looked like his mother had made up her mind that this was to be their home, and he rushed through to the kitchen.

  ‘I’m not going to this school. I want to go back home to Dad and Grandad.’

  Sadie was infuriated by this outburst but she didn’t want this nosy woman to witness her son’s unhappiness. ‘Of course you want to go with Evie and Tommy.’ She gave a brittle laugh and rolled her eyes at Grace. ‘Kids, eh. What can you do with them?’

  Grace almost retorted that she could go back home to her husband in America where Eddie would be happy but she didn’t. It wasn’t any of her business and this was something that Maryanne would have to sort out.

  Eddie rushed back into his room and Grace said she had to get her shopping done. After she left, Sadie went into Eddie’s room and sat down on the bed with the yellow candlewick cover. She began to pull at the tiny tufts of material, trying to compose her words that would placate her son but he stood up and hurried out of the house. Sadie went after him but he was striding along the lane where he met Albert. Eddie stopped when the old man spoke. ‘I hope you’re settling in, Eddie.’

  Eddie nodded but stayed silent. He had been brought up to respect his elders and he didn’t want to snub the man but Albert went on. ‘You must come and visit me and Bella Duff some time. We knew your mum when she was a small girl.’

  Eddie said he would and hurried away while Albert gave him a quizzical look. He’s not a happy lad, he thought.

  Eddie reached the Hilltown and as he passed Burnett’s bakery he was seen by Mrs Bell who was lifting a sponge cake from the window display. The customer also looked out. ‘Is that the American lad?’

  Mrs Bell said it probably was. News of Sadie and Eddie’s arrival wasn’t restricted to the lane but was a topic of gossip around the surrounding streets. Most people thought that Maryanne’s family was over for a holiday and to look after her mother during her illness. However Mrs Bell was shrewd and she wasn’t as sure of this as others were and she was sure the young lad didn’t look happy.

  This was verified when Albert came in for his loaf of bread. ‘I think I saw Eddie passing the window. He didn’t look pleased to be living here,’ said Mrs Bell.

  Albert wasn’t a man to gossip but he knew Mrs Bell was the great-niece of Bella’s late fiancé Davie so he didn’t want to snub her.

  ‘I think he’s finding it hard at the moment to settle in, but his granny comes home today so maybe that will help.’

  Mrs Bell wasn’t pleased by this terse statement. ‘I’ve heard that Sadie and her son are back here to stay for good. Is that right?’

  Albert said he didn’t know as he hadn’t seen Sadie except for a few brief moments. Thankfully two customers came in and he was glad to escape. He had a terrible feeling that things in the lane would never be the same again, then he dismissed that stupid notion. Once Maryanne was back home perhaps Sadie would get tired of living here and she would go back home.

  20

  It was the middle of April and the weather had been cold and wet. Grace saw the heavy rain when she pulled the curtain aside in the morning. She gave a huge sigh and hoped the rain would go off before she set out to pick up Maryanne. She was so annoyed at Sadie for not accompanying her but she was fast believing she was a selfish woman and she felt sorry for her mother and son.

  She trudged off down the hill towards the bus stop and when the bus reached Auchterhouse, Maryanne was sitting waiting for her with her small suitcase at her feet. She had said her goodbyes to her friends and the staff and the two women went towards the homeward bound bus. The rain was streaming down the windows and although Maryanne’s coat was a waterproof one, Grace hoped she wouldn’t get soaked on the way to the house. She had brought her umbrella so that would help a wee bit.

  To break the silence, Grace said, ‘You’ll be glad to get back to your own bed.’

  Maryanne didn’t seem too happy about the prospect. ‘I would be more happy if I knew I didn’t have Sadie at home.’ When Grace looked shocked, she added, ‘Oh don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter and grandson but I wish they were back in America with her husband and Eddie’s dad.’

  Grace nodded but didn’t say anything as this was a feeling she shared. When the bus arrived in the city the two women were pleased to see the rain had stopped and a bright sun shone on the wet pavements so the umbrella wasn’t needed although the wind was still cold.

  As they walked towards the lane, Grace hoped that Sadie had lit the fire as Maryanne was used to being in a warm and comfortabl
e home but when they opened the door she was dismayed to see a pile of cold ashes in the grate and a basin full of dirty dishes in the sink.

  Maryanne looked around at the unwelcoming room with annoyance. There was a small pile of discarded clothes on the fireside chair which Grace picked up and placed on Eddie’s bed before filling the kettle and putting it on the stove. While she waited for it to boil she cleaned out the fire, putting the ashes into the bucket from the cupboard under the coal bunker.

  Once the fire was lit and Maryanne was settled in her chair, Grace nipped out to her house and brought back a tin of home baking. ‘I’ll get the tin back when you’ve finished with it.’ She then tackled the dirty dishes and hung the wet tea towel up to dry.

  At that moment, although they didn’t know it, Sadie and Eddie were sitting in the headmaster’s room at the school. Sadie had spent ages getting ready for this visit and had wanted to wear her blue shirtwaister dress with her white gloves but because of the rain she had to settle for a woollen jumper, plain pencil skirt and her blue swagger coat. Eddie was dressed in his long cream trousers and cream coloured windcheater.

  Mr Bellamy, the headmaster, was quite bemused by the sight of the lovely young woman and the quiet, blond haired boy as he wrote down the answers to his questions.

  Sadie was quite at home as this was her former school which she had pointed out to the man. ‘My son’s name is Edwayne Joel Boyd but he likes to be called Eddie. We’ve come here from Nebraska and will be living with my mother who has been ill.’

  Mr Bellamy wrote this all down before asking, ‘Will Eddie be at school for a short time?’Sadie looked at him as if she didn’t understand the question. ‘I mean, will you be going back to America when your mother gets better?’

  Sadie laughed. ‘Oh no, we are here for good. We won’t be staying with my mother for long as I hope to get my own house shortly and I’m looking for a job.’

  Mr Bellamy looked at Eddie but the boy was gazing out of the window. It was a strange set-up, he thought, but it wasn’t his job to pry into his pupils’ domestic lives. As he stood up, he said briskly, ‘Well as Eddie will be ten years old in November he will be in Miss Malcolm’s primary five class.’

  Sadie and Eddie followed him along a corridor to a classroom with high windows that rattled against the rain and wind. When they entered, the teacher walked away from the blackboard and twenty-five pairs of eyes watched intently from their desks.

  Evie and Tommy gave a little wave but no one noticed except Sadie who gave them a wide smile. Most of the girls smiled back and nudged one another while the boys were either uninterested or jealous of Eddie’s clothes.

  After giving the teacher all the information, he left and Miss Malcolm turned to her class. ‘Boys and girls, this is our new pupil Edwayne Joel Boyd who will be joining us tomorrow.’

  Sadie butted in. ‘He likes to be called Eddie, Miss Malcolm.’

  The teacher nodded. ‘Please say a big hello to Eddie.’

  There was a loud chorus and Eddie wanted to run out of the room and keep on running to anywhere rather than this place. Sadie poked him in the back. ‘Say hello to your new classmates.’

  Eddie looked at the floor and almost whispered a greeting and then it was time to head off back home. When they were out on the street he erupted with fury. ‘I’m not going to that school. I want to go back to see Dad and Grandad and stay at my old school where I’ve got loads of friends.’

  Sadie was dismissive. ‘Oh I know your friends, those farmyard kids with no ambition to be anything else but corn farmers. You’ll do a lot better here, believe me.’

  Eddie ran off up the hill while his mother hurried after him. Thankfully the squally shower had passed and the sun was out. She caught up with him at the entrance to the lane. ‘You’ll see your granny when we go in.’

  Grace and Maryanne were sitting by the fire when they entered. Maryanne stood up and held out her arms to her grandson. ‘Eddie, I’ve waited a long time to see you,’ she said as she gave him a hug. Not wanting to upset his granny, he smiled at her and said he was pleased to see her as well. Meanwhile Sadie glared at Grace who took the hint and stood up.

  ‘I must be going, Maryanne, but I’ll see you later.’ She touched Eddie on his shoulder. ‘Cheerio young Eddie.’

  After she left, Maryanne asked him where they had been. Before he had time to answer, Sadie said, ‘We’ve been to Rosebank School and Eddie is going there tomorrow.’

  Maryanne looked at Eddie. ‘Is that what you want?’

  Eddie burst out, ‘No, I don’t want to go, Granny. I want to go back home to my old school and see my dad.’

  Maryanne said gently, ‘Eddie, Grace has made a super jam sponge and she has bought some lemonade. Do you want to go and see her as she has made the cake especially for you?’

  He left the room without looking at his mother and after he had gone Maryanne looked furiously at her daughter. ‘I’ve always known you were selfish, Sadie, but to make your son’s life a misery is the final straw. I think you better plan to go back to your husband right away. After all, you couldn’t wait to marry him if I remember rightly.’

  Sadie gave her mother a withering glance. ‘Yes I did and now I don’t want to stay with him. He’s boring and I’m sick of my life out there so no matter what you think or want it’s not going to happen. I’m looking for a job and when I’ve got enough money saved up I’ll be looking for my own house and we’ll be happy.’

  Maryanne stayed silent throughout this statement and she made her way out of the house to go and see Grace and Eddie. Her homecoming had been spoiled by Sadie and she didn’t want to be in the same house as her. She was still sitting drinking tea with Grace when Evie and Tommy came in from school. Eddie had just left and the girls were full of the scene that morning. ‘Eddie is going to be in our class,’ said Evie while Tommy added, ‘All the girls are jealous of us because we know him.’

  Grace smiled at their eager faces. ‘Well tomorrow you can all go to school together and your pals will be more envious.’ Maryanne nodded but said nothing.

  21

  There was an argument going on the next morning between Sadie and Eddie. He was adamant that he wasn’t going to school. This argument was witnessed by Grace, Evie and Tommy but fortunately Maryanne had gone back to work so she missed the drama.

  Sadie tried to placate her son but he wasn’t in the mood for her pleading words. ‘You’ll enjoy your new school, Eddie.’ She turned towards the girls. ‘That’s true, isn’t it?’

  Tommy opened her mouth but Evie gave her a nudge so she stayed silent.

  Eddie was dressed in his cream trousers and windcheater but his face was red and angry. ‘I’m not going because I’m going back to live with Dad soon so I’ll be back in my old school. Dad and Esther will look after me if you don’t want to go back.’

  Sadie lost her temper. ‘Well you’re not back in America, Eddie, so you’ll just have to make the best of it. I’ll be looking for a job and we’ll be happy here.’

  Grace sat down beside him. ‘Just go today, Eddie, and see if you like it.’

  Evie smiled at him and Tommy gave him her wide- eyed gaze and by now his anger had begun to subside so he picked up his bag and walked out of the room. ‘If I don’t want to go back tomorrow then I’m not going.’

  With that threat hanging in the air, the two girls followed him onto the lane and walked on each side of Eddie as if he was a prisoner on his way to the gallows.

  As usual, Tommy was chattering on while Evie stayed quiet. ‘I hear your name is Edwayne Joel. That’s a funny name.’

  Eddie glared at her. ‘Well, you are a girl and you’ve got a boy’s name so that’s funny also.’

  Tommy didn’t take offence. ‘My real name is Thomasina but I’m the same as you. I like to be called Tommy while you like Eddie.’

  ‘I’m called after my dad Ed and also after my grandad, Joel.’

  With these explanations taken care of they made their way to
school. It was a mild spring morning and when they reached the playground it was full of children running around without their coats. Eddie made to follow the girls into the playground but Evie explained, ‘I’ll take you round to the boy’s entrance as it is on Rose Street. We have different playgrounds but there is just the small wall dividing us and we’ll see you in the class.’

  Eddie looked apprehensive when faced by a new gate but Evie said he better hurry up as the school bell was due to ring and she had to hurry back to wait with Tommy in the girls’ queue.

  Once inside the playground, Eddie was faced by a noisy group of boys who seemed intent on pushing and shoving each other. He surveyed the large grey walls of the school and the concreted playground with dismay. It was all so different from his school back in Nebraska. Lutton School was a modern building with a large green playing field surrounded by trees, and nothing like this hemmed-in dismal building which was surrounded by tenement houses.

  He felt so unhappy that he could cry but he knew boys didn’t shed tears so he made his way to the main door just as the school bell sounded. A score of young faces turned in his direction but it was a thin-faced boy who wore wire-framed glasses who told him which queue to stand in.

  ‘You’re in my class so if you want you can stand beside me and we can go in together.’

  Eddie gave the lad a grateful look and stood quietly as the pupils all filed in slowly through the main door. They made their way to a large classroom and as the children all took their seats he once again was overcome with insecurity. Evie and Tommy were sitting together and he was aware that most of the girls were gazing at him with undisguised attention. A few even twisted their heads to get a better view.