road outside. That was when Charlie Wilson’s health started to go downhill, the shock of losing his employment brought his illness to the fore.
Around two o’ clock on Saturday afternoon, when Eddie had made sure that there was nothing more he could do for the bereaved women, he caught the bus to Whaley Lane, which was just around the corner from his parent’s home.
Gladys was sitting in the morning room, which looked over a patio and a small pond in the large back garden. She was reading a fashion magazine wondering what style of outfit she was going to wear at Caitlin’s wedding and whether she should wear pale blue, which was her favourite colour, or lilac, which was quite a modern shade.
Ellen, the maid of all work, met Eddie in the hallway.
“I’ve just put the kettle on, Eddie, shall I bring yer in a cup of tea?”
Her tone was as if he hadn’t been away for more than an hour or so. She nodded in the direction of the morning room and then pointed up to the ceiling with an exaggerated sigh.
“Himself ’s poorly, have yer come to see him then?”
“That will be all, Ellen,” said Gladys, after she heard her maid talking to someone and had walked into the hallway to see who had come to call. She looked delighted when she saw her eldest son.
“Darling, you’ve come back home again. Isn’t it strange that I told Ellen only yesterday to make up your bed again? Come into the morning room and let me have a proper look at you. Where have you been, you silly boy?”
“It’s only a flying visit, Mum, sorry. I’ve got to get back to Wallasey, Irene’s father died the other day.”
“You mean you’re living at this young woman’s house?” said his mother aghast, ignoring the mention of Irene’s father having passed on. “Such impropriety, Eddie, I never thought it of one of my sons.”
“We’re not living together, Mother,” he answered sharply. “Irene stays at her aunt’s in Seaview Lane, I’ve been living with her Mum and Dad.”
“Oh, well never mind, you’ll be coming back to live here soon, won’t you, Eddie? Now that your father’s ill you must come back and see that the business is running properly.”
“I’m only coming back if I get permission to marry Irene, otherwise one of my brothers will have to do the overseeing. Terry or Mickey will have to do.”
“No, no Eddie. Your brothers are far too young to have such responsibility. No, it must be you and I’m sure your father will agree with me.”
“Here’s your tea, Eddie,” said Ellen, her ears flapping as she brought in a silver tray with a china cup and saucer. “Coming back to stay are yer? Missed yer while you’ve been away.”
“Seeing as the kettle has boiled you can make me a cup of coffee, Ellen, then get back to whatever you were doing before Eddie came.”
His mother raised her eyebrows upwards and shrugged her shoulders.
“What can you do? Are you going to see your father now that you’re here?”
“I suppose I’d better. Shall I go up on my own or will you come too?”
“No, you go darling, it’s probably better that way.”
Eddie drank his tea, then bounded up the stairs two at a time. His father sat in his bed hunched up on a pile of pillows, his breathing sounded harsh and his face was red and blotchy.
“So you’re back then?” he growled, as Eddie put his head around the door. “Come to say you’re sorry now your daddy’s at death’s door?”
“That bad is it?” said Eddie lightheartedly. “I thought you might be skiving, taken to your bed for a few days.”
“Always the joker. Anyway it’s yer mother that wants yer back. She misses you, it’s not me.”
“Oh, so you’re quite happy to let the business fall around your ears, while you sit in bed letting it happen?”
“I agree Terry and Mickey have no experience in dealing with the men, but seeing as you’ve made the effort, it looks to me as if yer want to come back again. If yer do, though, it’s on my terms.
Around two o’ clock on Saturday afternoon, when Eddie had made sure that there was nothing more he could do for the bereaved women, he caught the bus to Whaley Lane, which was just around the corner from his parent’s home.
Gladys was sitting in the morning room, which looked over a patio and a small pond in the large back garden. She was reading a fashion magazine wondering what style of outfit she was going to wear at Caitlin’s wedding and whether she should wear pale blue, which was her favourite colour, or lilac, which was quite a modern shade.
Ellen, the maid of all work, met Eddie in the hallway.
“I’ve just put the kettle on, Eddie, shall I bring yer in a cup of tea?”
Her tone was as if he hadn’t been away for more than an hour or so. She nodded in the direction of the morning room and then pointed up to the ceiling with an exaggerated sigh.
“Himself ’s poorly, have yer come to see him then?”
“That will be all, Ellen,” said Gladys, after she heard her maid talking to someone and had walked into the hallway to see who had come to call. She looked delighted when she saw her eldest son.
“Darling, you’ve come back home again. Isn’t it strange that I told Ellen only yesterday to make up your bed again? Come into the morning room and let me have a proper look at you. Where have you been, you silly boy?”
“It’s only a flying visit, Mum, sorry. I’ve got to get back to Wallasey, Irene’s father died the other day.”
“You mean you’re living at this young woman’s house?” said his mother aghast, ignoring the mention of Irene’s father having passed on. “Such impropriety, Eddie, I never thought it of one of my sons.”
“We’re not living together, Mother,” he answered sharply. “Irene stays at her aunt’s in Seaview Lane, I’ve been living with her Mum and Dad.”
“Oh, well never mind, you’ll be coming back to live here soon, won’t you, Eddie? Now that your father’s ill you must come back and see that the business is running properly.”
“I’m only coming back if I get permission to marry Irene, otherwise one of my brothers will have to do the overseeing. Terry or Mickey will have to do.”
“No, no Eddie. Your brothers are far too young to have such responsibility. No, it must be you and I’m sure your father will agree with me.”
“Here’s your tea, Eddie,” said Ellen, her ears flapping as she brought in a silver tray with a china cup and saucer. “Coming back to stay are yer? Missed yer while you’ve been away.”
“Seeing as the kettle has boiled you can make me a cup of coffee, Ellen, then get back to whatever you were doing before Eddie came.”
His mother raised her eyebrows upwards and shrugged her shoulders.
“What can you do? Are you going to see your father now that you’re here?”
“I suppose I’d better. Shall I go up on my own or will you come too?”
“No, you go darling, it’s probably better that way.”
Eddie drank his tea, then bounded up the stairs two at a time. His father sat in his bed hunched up on a pile of pillows, his breathing sounded harsh and his face was red and blotchy.
“So you’re back then?” he growled, as Eddie put his head around the door. “Come to say you’re sorry now your daddy’s at death’s door?”
“That bad is it?” said Eddie lightheartedly. “I thought you might be skiving, taken to your bed for a few days.”
“Always the joker. Anyway it’s yer mother that wants yer back. She misses you, it’s not me.”
“Oh, so you’re quite happy to let the business fall around your ears, while you sit in bed letting it happen?”
“I agree Terry and Mickey have no experience in dealing with the men, but seeing as you’ve made the effort, it looks to me as if yer want to come back again. If yer do, though, it’s on my terms.
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