Cupidity

by Lucinda Lamont

  His eyes lit up like he had taken something hallucinogenic when they appeared together downstairs.

  ‘Oh, my. Can this day get any better? I think not. With you two beauties by my side and a day of celebrations ahead. What a time to be alive.’

  They all moved around the kitchen as if they were dancing that morning. It was as if they glided past each other.

  The atmosphere was pure joy and sheer delight.

  The boys played happily together. Romance was in abundance. The birds could be heard chirping and tweeting louder than normal. Flowers were in full bloom. The melancholy and trepidation that had once consumed the house and soaked the walls was no more. It was as if the house had been decorated. It was as if the village outside was brand new. The jubilation that filled the street was something that could only be compared to a film set.

  Never before had everyone all been so happy at once, but today was a day where everyone could rejoice in triumph.

  Today the front door would be open all day. The whole street was an open house. The long table was gradually being covered with all the bakes that had been made. Jugs of juice were spread the length of it. All the food that had been saved for a long time, kept for this day, was being laid out. It was going to be a day of indulgence, which was a feeling no one had experienced in recent times.

  Martha was more excited than anyone as her sisters were visiting for the day. She hadn’t seen either of them for so long and the three of them hadn’t all been together in years.

  Susannah was on leave from work and had been staying with Jane as Jane had the space to offer. Martha couldn’t wait to be able to do the same one day. She hadn’t discussed it with David but she knew he would do anything to keep her happy, so she knew it wouldn’t be an issue. She could invite the whole village if she wanted, not that she would, she just knew he would do anything for her.

  Whilst his parents were still alive it would be difficult to have anyone to stay and she wouldn’t want them to feel like she was taking over their home in anyway but it didn’t seem likely that they would be around for too much longer, two to three years at most.

  She would probably invite Susannah to come and stay when she and David had a child. He was very much a family man and although she was scared, she realised that she would have to give him his own child soon. He would probably want one before his parents passed she thought. She wouldn’t invite Jane to stay. Jane wouldn’t want to. Jane would visit, give an expensive and thoughtless gift for the child, stay for what she thought was a reasonable length of time, and then leave again, showing no real interest in the new baby.

  No, she wouldn’t invite Jane to stay. Susannah, however, would always be welcome, be happy to come and Martha would be glad to have her. She would be great with the baby and she would be a great help to Martha. She could come and stay for a week and get to know the new addition.

  It occurred to Martha that if anyone could hear her thoughts, they would think she had it all figured out. She would tell them not really and that if anything she just loved to fantasise about marital bliss.

  ‘How is my gorgeous girl doing? Can I help with anything?’

  David had crept up on Martha and put his arms around her middle and began to kiss her neck while she was preparing food in the kitchen.

  Martha felt genuinely happy.

  She smiled at his touch and stopped what she was doing and turned to kiss him. She kissed him intensely to his surprise and he reciprocated. The two held each other and for Martha, this was the first time she had felt that she wanted David emotionally. She had got her head around things and had come to terms with her life now.

  She needed to move out of Peter and Mae’s house, and start building a life with David and Willy. She realised that she barely thought of Peter when he wasn’t there. His fascination in her caused confusion, but now that she had realised she didn’t want him, she felt empowered and in control. Now that she felt in control she found a new confidence. With her newfound confidence, she found clarity and with that clarity she found happiness.

  ‘I know we were going to wait until the end of the week but I think Willy and I should just move in with you now. First thing tomorrow morning we could start taking our things to yours.’

  She looked right into his eyes and her heart fluttered as she saw his smile grow across his face.

  ‘Why wait until then. Let’s do it today.’

  David was like an excited little boy. He picked her up, twirled her around and showered her face and neck with lots of loving little pecks.

  ‘Oh, look out. Love’s young dream are at it again.’ Peter came into the room and broke up the romance. ‘Don’t stop on my account. It’s nice. It’s nice that everyone is happy. What a great day.’

  He smiled at them and raised his mug as if to congratulate them, and it seemed sincere. He left the room and David and Martha gave each other a look of bewilderment and then giggled like teenagers before kissing again.

  ‘I can’t move today. It’s the party of the century and my sisters are coming. They should be here soon. But, tomorrow. Let’s do it tomorrow. I can’t wait to begin my life with you.’

  David pulled her close and held her head against his chest. He had never been happier than he was right now.

  Mae’s pregnancy was in full swing and she was suffering from terrible morning sickness. She had come into the kitchen and seemed fine, but within minutes she was throwing up in the sink.

  She apologised to David and Martha.

  ‘Please excuse me, I am so sorry, but I can’t help it. It comes on so quickly.’

  Martha began to pour Mae a glass of tap water.

  ‘Don’t be so ridiculous. If you need to be sick, be sick. Is there anything I can do to help? Do you want me to get you anything?’

  Martha pulled out a chair for Mae and beckoned her to sit down and handed her the water.

  ‘I think I’m having a girl this time. I wasn’t anywhere near this sick when I was carrying Charlie. Anyway, I’ll be fine. There is a street party to be had and this little madam will not keep me away.’ she said, stroking her tiny but growing bump.

  The three of them went about taking all the food they were contributing outside and laying it all out on the tables.

  As they went outside Martha saw her two sisters walking towards her.

  Jane’s driver had dropped them off around the corner as the road was in use for the street party. Jane would generally be dropped right outside wherever she needed to be and Martha felt the need to apologise that this couldn’t happen today. She ran to both of her sisters with open arms and called out their names.

  ‘Susannah. Jane. You made it. I am so happy to see you both.’

  She gave them each a tight cuddle and a peck on each cheek. Willy had noticed the commotion and was looking with confusion as to who his mother’s new friends were.

  ‘Come over here darling. It’s Aunty Jane and Aunty Susannah. Come on.’

  Willy slowly walked over to the three women and headed directly for just behind his mother. He leaned against the back of her legs, just looking out slightly so that his aunties could only see half of his face. He hid the other half in her skirt and behaved all coy.

  Straight away Susannah bent down so that she was the same height of him and started making a fuss. She told him how handsome he was and how he looked just like his Daddy. She told him she couldn’t believe how big and strong he was now and that she didn’t believe for a second that he was ‘really that shy.'

  Jane, however, seemed even more cold and distant than she normally was, which saddened Martha. She appeared stiff and continued to hold her bag in front of her with both hands. She did acknowledge Willy, but she seemed despondent somehow, and not present. Martha hoped she might find out during the day what was happening in her life, but she knew that was unlikely.

  Jane was very secretive and didn’t believe in sharing thoughts or feelings and went about her life with the stiff upper lip attitude.


  Martha led them towards Peter and Mae’s house and they talked about how the journey was and complimented each other on how well they all looked.

  Peter came out of the front door and went to light up a cigarette. When he saw the three women approaching, he put his cigarette back in its box.

  His jaw almost dropped when he saw Jane. It hadn’t occurred to Martha, knowing of his wandering eye, that he would be interested in her sister.

  Of course, he would be. When she saw his face, the penny dropped.

  Jane was extremely glamorous, immaculately dressed and gave off an air of wealth. Martha wasn’t jealous of this realisation. If anything, it had just occurred to her what she already knew. Peter was an insecure man who constantly craved and sought approval from women to make himself feel better. Perhaps it was because his wife Mae was beautiful and his friends would tell him so, regularly.

  It was as if he needed to know that other women saw him as an attractive man, not just his wife.

  Either way, Martha thought, Mae deserved better. Yes, Mae could be hard work and seem ungrateful at times; yes, Peter had provided her with a lovely lifestyle but she was the mother of his child, or at least he assumed he was, and now she was carrying their second child and all he could do was ogle other women. Martha left Peter to pander over the new female specimens that had arrived that day, whilst she went to find David.

  ‘Mae, have you seen David?’

  Mae was getting the rest of the fancies ready to take outside and trying to do far too much at once in the kitchen.

  ‘He’s in the back garden doing something.’

  Martha tiptoed out of the back door and found David cleaning up two old paint tins.

  ‘What are you up to now?’ she lovingly quizzed her beau.

  ‘Well, I am making the boys a time capsule each.’

  Martha felt her heart expand and flutter with pride for this man she had met. He was such a wonderful man and so good with children.

  ‘You see, today is going to go down in history. It’s Victory Day. They will be learning about this for the rest of time in schools across the country and the globe. So, I was going to get the boys to write a note each, I’ll help them, like, and maybe put a toy into each tin and then we will bury them. One day someone will find them and it will be like a glance back in time.’

  David was genuinely excited about his idea and Martha loved him even more for it.

  ‘I think it’s a wonderful idea. Do the boys know?’ She put her arm around him.

  ‘No, not yet, it only came to me a minute ago. I’m going to take these tins out to them once I’ve scrubbed them up. I’m trying to get them so that they are the same. I don’t want them fighting over who has got the shiniest tin.’

  Martha thought at that moment that she wanted to make a baby with David tonight. Of course, she would wait until they were married but there was nothing to stop them from practising.

  ‘Well, I think it’s a wonderful idea and I think you are a sweetheart. My sisters have arrived now, why don’t you come out and meet them and tell the boys your idea?’

  David jumped to his feet and was smiling enthusiastically, as he did with anything that involved Martha. They shared a kiss and then Martha took his hand and led him through the house.

  They went outside and Martha conducted the introductions. To her surprise, Peter was in deep conversation with Susannah, and not Jane. He seemed genuinely interested in her career in nursing and didn’t seem to be lecherous either. She expected to find him emulating Jane’s status, and showing off in general.

  As Martha introduced her sister, she could feel Peter’s eyes on her yet again. She chose to ignore it and put her arm around David and showed her sisters a display of affection for her recently discovered love.

  The afternoon slipped by, and everybody went about enjoying the day.

  They ate, the children played, they talked. It was a lovely day and the sun stayed out for all of it.

  Mae enjoyed seeing the three Henderson girls back together again and they reminisced about old times. Peter and David talked more than normal, but that was only because Peter wanted to seem like the good guy in front of his audience.

  As the day drew to a close, Jane said that they must be leaving. They had a two-hour drive back and she wanted to get back before it was too late. They all kissed and hugged goodbye, and Martha walked them to her car where her driver was patiently and dutifully waiting for her. They said goodbye once again, and Susannah got in. Jane closed the door behind Susannah but stayed outside the car.

  ‘Martha, what is going on with you and Peter?’

  Martha was somewhat taken aback.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she scowled at her sister.

  ‘Oh, come on. You two are not fooling anyone. He’s mad about you. Everyone can see it and I mean everyone. The only one who is blind to it is poor David. Tread very carefully, Martha. Very carefully.’

  With that, she pecked her sister on the cheek and got into the car saying ‘Yes, lovely to see you too.’, which was for Susannah’s benefit.

  Martha waved awkwardly and watched them drive off.

  Once again, her happiness and contentment with David that day were now short lived.

  Chapter 18

  The very next day Martha was moving in with David.

  The day was surreal to her. It seemed as if it happened in slow motion. The rumpus commotion from Victory Day seemed to have passed so quickly now that moving day was here.

  As she had waved her sisters off the night before, she had told David it would be wise for him to go home that evening and spend it with his family and prepare them for her and Willy’s arrival the next day.

  What she didn’t tell him was that she had been completely flummoxed by her sisters’ acumen with the Peter situation.

  What David didn’t know was that Martha didn’t sleep a wink that night.

  What David didn’t know was that Martha went through every possible emotion that the human body is capable of that evening.

  Firstly, she experienced surprise. She was completely shell-shocked that Jane had come to the conclusion she had. Martha thought that she hadn’t given anything away. She was sure of it. If anyone did, it was Peter but even then, she had until that moment believed it was between the two of them.

  If Jane, Jane who she rarely saw, if she could detect it then how many others could?

  Could Mae?

  The thought petrified her. She never meant to hurt Mae. That was never the plan.

  There was no plan. Martha couldn’t bear the thought of Mae thinking she had wanted all of this. Jane said that everyone knew, apart from David. She wished she had questioned her, but at the time she was speechless.

  Now that Jane had gone, she had a million questions. She had spent the early hours of that evening after her sisters had left, ruminating over who knew what.

  She busied herself with helping out with the cleaning up process. She made small talk with the neighbours. They rejoiced the whole time in what a stupendous event the day had been.

  She insisted on Mae taking some rest ‘in her condition, ’ but it was about ‘Martha’s panicked condition’ if anything. She played with the boys, Willy and Charlie. She got them to talk about the day. She wanted them to remember this day for the rest of their lives. They were only five years of age now, but she wanted them to recognise the heinousness of the time that they had lived in. She knew that in years to come people would ask them what it had been like and, she felt it her duty to not make them permeate within the experience of which they were in, but not currently aware of, but to take something positive from it and convey the message of hope.

  They were just small boys but, with no doubt, people would seek more interest in them in years to come. No one would question her or Mae or Peter or any of their peers because if they were friendly enough with them, or old enough to ask questions, then surely they would have lived through it themselves or have family that did.

  No, she
knew that they would not be asked. Willy and Charlie would be asked time and time again, ‘What was it like living through the war?’ At least that is what she had hoped. She lived in the hope that no other wars would happen, this would be the one that was asked about and she wanted to make sure her boy, and as much as suitably possible for her to influence Charlie, she wanted them to talk about it positively.

  Gosh, there would be enough families on this street who would go down the melodramatic route. She wanted her boy to tell everyone a story of success. She had learned that misery and negativity were rife, but did no good. People fed off it. The weaker were influenced by it. The strong used it as a tool of power. What she had learned from the war was more than death and the devastation it caused. She saw the power in fear and weakness. She didn’t have much to offer Willy, but she could teach him courage. She could teach him not to be afraid.

  The hypocrisy behind it all was everywhere, but she could feed him strength. She could empower him with vision and morals but the reality was, she was more knotted than a fisherman’s net.

  Once she had tucked the boys into bed, her emotions had turned from surprise into sadness. There was nothing to distract her anymore.

  She had busied herself all afternoon and now she had run out of all those routes. She was left with only her thoughts for company and right now, they weren’t helpful. Once she had tucked the boys in and kissed their warm sun blushed cheeks goodnight, she took herself downstairs.

  Peter and Mae had gone to bed. They had wanted an ‘early night’ and of course, Martha was happy to oblige. At the time, she was more than happy to agree. She was looking forward to being on her own, but now that alone time was here, she regretted it deeply. She sat herself down at the kitchen table.

  She ran her fingers over the mahogany top. She ran her fingers over every scratch. Slowly, wondering how each mark and how every engraved scratch had happened. She imagined that Charlie’s toy cars or trucks had caused much damage to a once beautiful table. She wondered if Peter had put something on the table he shouldn’t have or whether Mae had. She imagined the row that might have erupted because of such an incident.