Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

Their room was lovely and overlooked a garden at the back and it had a bathroom attached. They had never seen anything so luxurious as this. The receptionist had told them that dinner was at seven o’clock which puzzled them as dinner was usually served in the middle of the day in Dundee. Thomas said they should give this a miss as it was probably very expensive and he was about to tell the young receptionist this when she smiled. ‘A table has been booked for you at seven-thirty.’ Anna asked what this would cost but the girl said it had already been paid for, and they couldn’t believe it.

  ‘Just think, this has all come about because I went into that pub in Belfast and met Pete.’

  Anna shuddered when she thought how strange life could turn out. Thomas might have gone somewhere else or maybe missed his old boss by minutes but by good fortune they were now in the position of having a good job and a wonderful house. She could hardly wait to get back and tell everyone in the lane.

  Tommy noticed a rack of postcards that showed the picture of the hotel. ‘I want to give one to Evie and get one for myself.’

  They decided to go and see some more shops but the wind was very strong and litter was rolling across the pavements. ‘I’m glad we came back yesterday as it will be bad at sea,’ Anna said.

  After a delicious meal served by a waiter in a white shirt and black trousers and waistcoat, they went into the lounge for a drink. There was a television in the corner and the news was on. There were scenes of trees blown over and the announcer said that ferries were cancelled because of the high winds. He said the gales would travel eastwards through the night and Thomas said he was glad they were all safe in this hotel. ‘No doubt we’ll get it tomorrow when we get back.’ He was also pleased that they had left when they did as it meant they would have been stuck in Ireland if the news was right and the ferries had indeed been cancelled.

  44

  Sadie got home to find a letter waiting for her. She was opening it when her mother came in from her work. It was from Ed and when she read it she began to scream loudly and cry. Maryanne got the shock of her life. ‘What’s the matter, Sadie, don’t tell me it’s bad news?’

  ‘Ed says he’s filing for a divorce,’ she shouted. ‘He can’t do this to me.’

  Maryanne took the letter. Ed had written that as she hadn’t considered coming back to him, the best thing was that they get divorced. He had seen a lawyer and she would hear more in due course but as she was the one who had caused the separation, the divorce would go through.

  ‘I feel Eddie needs a mother to look after him and Esther is doing her best to make his life easier,’ he wrote.

  ‘Esther,’ she shouted. ‘She’s the one behind all this, sucking up to him with her sly ways. No wonder I left as I couldn’t stand her. She was always in the house, baking and trying to make me look a fool just because she was rejected by him when he married me.’ She began to cry loudly and Maryanne was at a loss how to deal with her. She hurried out to get Albert and Bella, who came back with her. Albert tried to get Sadie to sit down and be calm.

  ‘We’ll do our best to help you, Sadie, but you have to help yourself. Shouting and screaming won’t do you any good.’

  She sat down but she wanted to know why they were here, poking their noses into her affairs. Maryanne told her she had confided in them as she couldn’t cope with her on her own.

  Sadie went totally ballistic. ‘How can two old fogeys help me when my husband and son are thousands of miles away and Ed’s divorcing me?’

  Albert sat beside her. ‘It’s because we’ve known you since you were small and we all care for you.’

  Sadie still had a mutinous look on her face, which was red and puffy-looking with all the crying and her mascara had run, making her look like a panda.

  ‘Now the best way to deal with this shock is to write back to Ed and tell him you are coming back to him.’

  Sadie began shouting again. ‘I’m not in a million years going back to him, I keep telling him that and I keep telling you all the same thing. I want my son back here with me and Ed better do as I say.’

  Bella said quietly, ‘What can you do, Sadie? Ed holds all the cards and Eddie left of his own free will as he wasn’t happy here and you know that. Please reconsider going back to your husband as you’ve no choice if you want to see your son again.’

  ‘How do I manage to pay to go back, tell me that.’

  Maryanne almost said Ed had sent her a money order for her passage to America but she stayed silent as she didn’t want to let it become common knowledge. Bella said to write and tell him she was coming home and could he send the money.

  Sadie had calmed down so Albert and Bella left. They were hoping they had talked some sense into her as Maryanne couldn’t do a thing with her daughter. ‘That’s the problem, she’s given in to her all her life and now it’s gone beyond help,’ Albert said while Bella agreed with every word.

  ‘Well, we’ve tried our best to help so it’s now up to Sadie to grow up and act like a wife and mother.’

  After they left, Sadie began to argue with her mother. ‘I don’t understand you sometimes, why do you bring in people to pry into my business? I lost my job today and now this.’

  Maryanne was shocked. ‘Why did you lose your job, what did you do?’

  Sadie was exasperated by all this questioning. ‘I just did. Hal says he doesn’t need me now that his wife is better and she will do my job.’ She didn’t add anything about the drink money.

  Maryanne said she was sorry to hear that but it didn’t matter now that she was planning to leave.

  ‘I’m not planning to leave as I’ve spent the money he sent me and I can’t afford to pay for a ticket.’

  Maryanne thought she couldn’t take many more shocks. ‘How could you have spent the money?’ She stopped and glared at Sadie. ‘I hope you haven’t spent it on drink.’

  Sadie was furious. ‘It’s got nothing to do with you what I spend my money on. I’ll get another job and I’m writing to Ed tomorrow to tell him to send Eddie back as I’m not having that woman, Esther, looking after my son.’

  Maryanne went out as she couldn’t bear any more arguments. She would get her tea at Dorothy’s house and Sadie could do whatever she wanted, as she was sick and tired of her.

  Sadie looked at the job column in the paper but there didn’t seem to be any postings that took her attention. She threw the paper down and marched out.

  Martha had been sitting at the window when Albert had passed and she saw him coming back with Bella. ‘Something’s up along the lane. I bet it’s to do with Sadie.’

  Eliza said not to assume anything although she had heard the shouting as she passed earlier after picking up her mother’s evening paper. For the first time in her life she was grateful she hadn’t married if it brought all this strife and heartbreak.

  Sadie decided to bypass the Windmill Bar and go into town, thinking she would maybe go to the pictures, but when she passed the lounge bar where she had gone with Peter, she went in and ordered a double gin and tonic. She would just have the one before going to the cinema.

  Maryanne came home at ten o’clock to a silent and empty house. She peeped into the bedroom but there was no sign of Sadie. She felt drained by all the arguments so she looked out the small bottle of pills the doctor had given her after her operation. They were to make her get a good sleep so she swallowed a couple and went to bed.

  45

  Maryanne woke up on Saturday morning with a terrible headache and as she tried to stand up, she felt sick. She stumbled over to the sink to get a drink of water and the memory from yesterday came flooding back. She went to call out Sadie’s name but there was no answer and when she opened her bedroom door the unmade bed was empty.

  She sat down and looked at the clock and was amazed to see it was ten o’clock. She had never in her entire life slept this late. Then she remembered the sleeping pills. There was a knock on the door and when she answered it she saw Albert.

  ‘I was worried about yo
u,’ he said. ‘I saw your curtains were still closed and I thought something had happened.’ He went to put the kettle on as she sat in the chair with her head in her hands, trying to make her brain wake up.

  Albert asked where Sadie was and she told him she had gone. ‘I’ve no idea where she is and it’s just a nightmare.’

  Bella and Grace appeared and Grace said she had seen Sadie go along the lane at nine o’clock. ‘She looked terrible.’

  Bella asked if Sadie had made up her mind to return to America. Maryanne had to say she didn’t know. She knew it was a lie but maybe Sadie would change her mind and she didn’t want her to know she was gossiping about her.

  ‘She’s maybe gone to ask about a passage home,’ said Albert and Maryanne nodded although she knew that was the last thing Sadie would do, unless she had changed her mind and decided to follow some good advice from Bella and Albert.

  Grace had overheard the shouting and screaming last night but she didn’t want to say anything about it. Instead, she said, ‘I’ve got breakfast left over, Maryanne, come along and get some food inside you.’

  Maryanne knew that if she ate anything she would be sick so she said she would just have some tea and toast in her own house. ‘Sadie will want her breakfast when she comes back.’

  Grace said the weather forecast wasn’t good. ‘We’re heading for strong gales later and I hope the weather doesn’t affect the sea crossing for Anna and Thomas.’

  Bella asked if they had had a good holiday and Grace said Evie got a postcard from Tommy that said they had, although she did say she would be glad to be home.

  Maryanne listened to all this as if in a dream. She felt she could go back to sleep and wished they would all leave and let her go back to bed.

  After they did leave, that was what she did. She was amazed when she awoke to see it was late evening. She checked the bedroom again but there was no sight of Sadie. By now the wind was so strong it was rattling the windows and she wondered if she should go and ask Albert what she should do about Sadie’s absence. She knew Sadie was deliberately avoiding her and had probably gone to the pictures as she was a lover of the cinema, so she made up her mind to do no more worrying over her. After a cup of tea, she took one pill and hoped she would get a good sleep without the drowsy side effects like today. The wind seemed to get worse as it whistled down the narrow lane and she hoped Sadie wouldn’t be too long in coming home.

  As it turned out, Maryanne was correct in her assumption that Sadie was avoiding her. She had spent most of the day in the town then went to the first showing at the Plaza picture house. Then when that was finished she made her way to the Odeon. On her way she went into the off-licence in Strathmartine Road and bought a bottle of whisky which she put in her bag.

  She was glad she had put her coat on this morning as the wind was strong but once inside the cinema, she settled down to watch the film. When the film was over, everyone poured out into the street and she couldn’t believe how bad the weather had turned out. The wind whipped debris across the road and she had a difficult journey getting back to the lane.

  She opened the door quietly but there was no sound from her mother. Making her way to the bedroom, she gathered up a glass and a candle which was in a holder on the mantelpiece. Sometimes, if you needed to use the outside toilet during the night, it was handy to light the candle.

  She lay down on her bed and filled a large glass with whisky. She was pleased to be home as it meant she could have her drink without the worry of trying to walk home. Last night had been a nightmare as she almost fell over a few times and she was still unsteady this morning when she got up. At the time she had been puzzled that there was no sign of her mother when she left as she was normally an early riser.

  She was tired of all the arguments and the quicker she got another job and her own house, the happier she would be. Then she could employ a solicitor to get Ed to return her son. She was bitter about the divorce but although Esther was welcome to Ed she wasn’t going to get Eddie. She couldn’t understand why a mother couldn’t have her son with her.

  She refilled the glass and enjoyed the taste and although she didn’t feel sleepy, she lay back on her pillows. What a life she had endured. She should have been a film star with her good looks, just like the ones in the films she had seen. This was going to be her last drink, she thought as she refilled her glass, and from tomorrow it was going to be all work and success in life.

  She lit the candle as she liked the soft light at night but she should put it out. As she tried to get up she stumbled and the candle fell on the floor. She couldn’t see it so assumed it had gone out. She poured another drink but before it was half finished she fell asleep.

  Grace couldn’t sleep because of the wind and she got up to make a cup of tea. The windows were rattling and she heard the gusts as they blew down the lane. As she filled the kettle she thought she smelled smoke. She hadn’t put the fire on today so it wasn’t coming from the fireplace. She pulled the curtains aside and saw the lane was lit up. She was puzzled by this as the lamps were at each end and not near her window so she went outside. The wind caught her nightdress and whipped it around her legs. She was appalled when she saw Maryanne’s roof alight. She rushed back in and quickly woke up Bill.

  ‘Bill, get up, Maryanne’s house is on fire.’ Bill had been sound asleep and he didn’t take in what his wife was saying but she shouted it out again. ‘Maryanne’s house is on fire.’

  He quickly jumped to his feet and went outside with Grace. ‘Run to the telephone box and dial 999 but get Evie out of the house first and take her with you.’

  Grace ran inside while he tried to get into Maryanne’s house. The door was unlocked but the smoke was thick and the fire seemed to be coming from the back bedroom. He knew he needed help so he ran along the lane, banging on all the doors.

  It took a few minutes before Albert came out and Bill told him to get everyone out before he ran back to the seat of the fire. The wind was whipping the flames along the backs of the houses and he tried to find Maryanne and Sadie. It was the coughing that alerted him to the front bedroom and he found Maryanne slumped on the floor. Picking her up wasn’t a problem as she was so slim and he laid her out on the piece of ground in the front garden.

  Albert had done a good job and Bella, Rory and Morag were hurrying out of the houses. Morag was pushing Catriona in her pram and her baby clothes were piled on the blanket. By now Grace and Evie were back. Albert said Eliza was finding it difficult to get Martha out and Morag and Grace went to help her.

  Bill said that Sadie was still inside and the three men tried to get into the bedroom but it was full of thick black smoke that made them cough like their lungs were on fire so they had to retreat. Rory suggested going to the back of the houses to try and get in that way but by now the fire engine had arrived and the firemen unrolled the hoses. They had to park on the Hilltown as the lane was too narrow for the vehicle.

  Bill said there was someone still in one of the houses and three firemen with masks went in. It seemed ages until they came out carrying the limp body of Sadie. Maryanne tried to sit up and when she saw her daughter she gave a loud roar of pain before dissolving into tears.

  A doctor arrived as well as the police and he tried to resuscitate Sadie. An ambulance with a flashing blue light drew up on the Hilltown behind the fire engine and Sadie was given oxygen as she was carried away along with her mother.

  Grace watched as the flames quickly consumed the roofs of the houses and it seemed that her house and the Cassidys were the only ones spared, but the gale quickly gusted back towards her and the roofs of all the houses were now burning.

  People from around the area had heard the sirens and they stood at each end of the lane while the occupants huddled together in their nightwear and watched as their houses burnt. No one had time to get a coat or any warm clothing and Rory said he was taking Morag and the baby to his brother’s house. Bill told the police that there were elderly people and was it poss
ible to get them some shelter? He was told they were trying to get a hall on the Hilltown open to let them get under cover. ‘The trouble is, we are trying to find the hall keeper to get the key but we will do our best.’

  Mrs Bell had been awakened by the noise and she came to see if Bella was all right. ‘You can come and stay with me until we find out what is going to happen.’ Bella said she was concerned for Albert, and Mrs Bell said he could come as well. That just left Martha, Eliza and the Gows. Grace said they could go to her mother in Ann Street but there was hardly enough room for them so they couldn’t take the Potters. Then old Mrs Donaldson from Caldrum Street said she had a spare room and she would take the Potters. Fortunately she lived on the ground floor so the policeman took them away to spend the night there.

  Evie stood white-faced as all this carnage was going on. Grace said, ‘Thank goodness Thomas, Anna and Tommy are not here.’ Evie asked where they would live now but her parents had no idea so Bill said, ‘Let’s get you to your granny’s house and we’ll find out more tomorrow.’

  Before they left, the chief of the fire brigade told him they could try to retrieve any belongings later that day. ‘Someone will have to be with you as the houses are in a dangerous state. The fronts haven’t had much damage except from water but the rears of all the properties are demolished.’

  Grace’s mother Evelyn hadn’t heard any of the commotion so she was surprised when they knocked on her door at four o’clock.

  ‘Who’s there?’ she asked in a frightened voice.

  ‘It’s us, Mum. Just open the door.’

  Evelyn unlocked two locks and she almost fainted when she saw her family standing in their nightwear with black faces. Before she could speak, Grace told her the whole story and soon she was helping her mum pull the spare mattress from under the bed for them. They got washed and Evelyn provided some old-fashioned winceyette nightgowns for Grace and Evie but she couldn’t help Bill who replied he was all right.