her and made a point of staying north of the border on their few trips west. But it was better now.
There had been more than a decade between their daughtersâ weddings. Pearl had married Tom Mayï¬eld of Banff in January 1941, in Montreal, where he was finishing his internship. Forsome reason Pearl had not wanted to wait until summer, or even spring, when travelling would have been easier for both the Mayï¬elds and the Macaulays. But maybe that was why. Pearl used some vague excuse about the war, and then everyone was expected to dance to her tune. Even Mrs. Clive Mayfield, Tomâs mother, who struck Opal as a woman who would prefer to be playing the ï¬ddle. It would be interesting to see how those two would get along in the years ahead. They started their married life in Banff, but then Tom had joined the RCAF and they moved to Regina for his training. It was there that the first grandchild for both families, Ruby, was born.
When Tom heard that he would be going overseas to Topcliffe, England, Pearl got the idea in her head that she and little Ruby would move in with Opal and Mac until his return, and Pearl pushed and pushed against all objections until she got her way. They had room: May was still away at university in Edmonton. Didnât they want her, their ï¬rst-born, there? Didnât they miss her, after all her years away? How could they pass up the opportunity to spend virtually unlimited time with their ï¬rst and perhaps only grandchild? Opal and Mac had succumbed.
Well, that had been a disaster, hadnât it? While Opal tended to little Ruby, Pearl had stayed in bed every day until the postman came, and if he didnât have a letter from Tom to deliver, there was h-e-l-l to pay for everyone else, little Ruby included, for the rest of the day. Pearl spent hours every evening writing Tom letters, which were often accompanied by angry tears. Opal, who had had misgivings about the plan from the word go, finally told Pearl that she had already done her child-rearing years in spades, helping her own mother with her siblings in Winnipeg and thenraising her own two. Pearl called her selï¬sh and she called Pearl selfish and things deteriorated from there. The arrangement hadnât lasted six months.
Pearl had packed up Ruby and caught the train to Quebec, where mother and child stayed in rental accommodations until Tomâs return. Relatives on both sides lost out. And Pearl hadnât even said thank-youânot for the months of help and support, not for the ride to the train station and the money with which she paid for her ticket, for heavenâs sake! In fact, Pearl had barely said goodbye, though she did kiss her father on the cheek. Opal heaved a great sigh. Somehow she had managed to get on with him , while it was she, Opal, who had done all the work. Life, life was unfair. Unjust. At least little Ruby seemed sad to say goodbye to them, her sweet little face framed with white fur crumpling with tears, her small hands in their little white gloves, holding Opalâs own.
Now Pearl and Tom were living on the west coast, and had bought a house and property of their ownâwith help from them for the down payment, of course.
And then there was that whole mess May got herself into. May had ï¬nished university and was back living at home and working at the public library downtown, and Opal had thought they were in for some calm waters. But that summer Fred, a Scot from Dundee, had been hired as the church organist and choir leader. He was immediately a great hit with everyone, the Macaulays included. He was affable, and gifted as a musician and teacher.The Macaulays had him over for dinner often, and Mac, Opal and May had all enjoyed his company. But when it became apparent that he was turning his attentions speciï¬cally towards May, that was a different kettle of ï¬sh. How dare he, a man twenty years her senior? He had no business courting a young girl
There had been more than a decade between their daughtersâ weddings. Pearl had married Tom Mayï¬eld of Banff in January 1941, in Montreal, where he was finishing his internship. Forsome reason Pearl had not wanted to wait until summer, or even spring, when travelling would have been easier for both the Mayï¬elds and the Macaulays. But maybe that was why. Pearl used some vague excuse about the war, and then everyone was expected to dance to her tune. Even Mrs. Clive Mayfield, Tomâs mother, who struck Opal as a woman who would prefer to be playing the ï¬ddle. It would be interesting to see how those two would get along in the years ahead. They started their married life in Banff, but then Tom had joined the RCAF and they moved to Regina for his training. It was there that the first grandchild for both families, Ruby, was born.
When Tom heard that he would be going overseas to Topcliffe, England, Pearl got the idea in her head that she and little Ruby would move in with Opal and Mac until his return, and Pearl pushed and pushed against all objections until she got her way. They had room: May was still away at university in Edmonton. Didnât they want her, their ï¬rst-born, there? Didnât they miss her, after all her years away? How could they pass up the opportunity to spend virtually unlimited time with their ï¬rst and perhaps only grandchild? Opal and Mac had succumbed.
Well, that had been a disaster, hadnât it? While Opal tended to little Ruby, Pearl had stayed in bed every day until the postman came, and if he didnât have a letter from Tom to deliver, there was h-e-l-l to pay for everyone else, little Ruby included, for the rest of the day. Pearl spent hours every evening writing Tom letters, which were often accompanied by angry tears. Opal, who had had misgivings about the plan from the word go, finally told Pearl that she had already done her child-rearing years in spades, helping her own mother with her siblings in Winnipeg and thenraising her own two. Pearl called her selï¬sh and she called Pearl selfish and things deteriorated from there. The arrangement hadnât lasted six months.
Pearl had packed up Ruby and caught the train to Quebec, where mother and child stayed in rental accommodations until Tomâs return. Relatives on both sides lost out. And Pearl hadnât even said thank-youânot for the months of help and support, not for the ride to the train station and the money with which she paid for her ticket, for heavenâs sake! In fact, Pearl had barely said goodbye, though she did kiss her father on the cheek. Opal heaved a great sigh. Somehow she had managed to get on with him , while it was she, Opal, who had done all the work. Life, life was unfair. Unjust. At least little Ruby seemed sad to say goodbye to them, her sweet little face framed with white fur crumpling with tears, her small hands in their little white gloves, holding Opalâs own.
Now Pearl and Tom were living on the west coast, and had bought a house and property of their ownâwith help from them for the down payment, of course.
And then there was that whole mess May got herself into. May had ï¬nished university and was back living at home and working at the public library downtown, and Opal had thought they were in for some calm waters. But that summer Fred, a Scot from Dundee, had been hired as the church organist and choir leader. He was immediately a great hit with everyone, the Macaulays included. He was affable, and gifted as a musician and teacher.The Macaulays had him over for dinner often, and Mac, Opal and May had all enjoyed his company. But when it became apparent that he was turning his attentions speciï¬cally towards May, that was a different kettle of ï¬sh. How dare he, a man twenty years her senior? He had no business courting a young girl
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