waters broke, I told him to get you, his nana and locate his father, in that order and, before I knew it, this little one was here. Within fifteen minutes of my waters going, she was out. It was so quick. Poor Davey saw it all, he was in a right two and eight. But he was a trooper, Ria, he looked after me.’
Lena would never forget the shock on his face as his sister slid into the world. It was a mixture of wonderment and disgust. He was only fifteen and the mystery of birth was as alien to him as knitting himself a crash helmet. But, in fairness, he had been good, he had done everything he was asked to do and with the minimum of fuss.
Holding his new little sister in his arms Lena had seen the look of pure love in his eyes, and she had also seen the naturalway he had held the child to him. He had grown up in that moment. Her Daniel, after four children, had never once held any of them with such confidence. Davey had looked at her with tears in his eyes and said huskily, ‘It’s a miracle, Mum.’ He seemed utterly overwhelmed.
Lena was glad to know that one of her boys had a heart in there. She worried that her sons might only have inherited their father’s worst characteristics: the tendency towards the dramatic, the anger that was never far from the surface, the aggression that emanated from him at times. But she knew now, and she blessed herself unconsciously as she said thanks be to God and his Holy Mother, that Davey, at least, had the same capacity for loving as his father did.
It was a revelation to her, and she felt a calmness come over her because of it. She knew that the boys were Daniel’s, were his from the day they could follow him around. She had only had her sons to herself until that point. Oh, they loved her, she knew that, but they all idolised their father. Danny Junior was a good lad but, like his father, capable of great violence, and already strong as an ox to boot. Her Davey had proved today that he was capable of great emotion but she was well aware that that could translate into hatred and anger as well as love. Noel and Jamsie were still only boys, and they would follow where the elder ones led. They already had the makings of hard men – it was in their genes. Oh, yes, all four of her sons would be men of substance – her husband would make sure of that. And there was nothing she could do about it.
But now Lena had a daughter, and she would be all
hers
. She would see to it that she didn’t become a part of that world, and Daniel would not have any sway over her little girl’s life at all.
Ria watched as her sister-in-law gazed down at her daughter, and she knew exactly what she was thinking, because she hadbeen there herself. True, daughters belonged wholly to their mothers in their world, but she had found out, as the years went on that, unlike the boys, girls grew up faster. They were harder to rein in and, one day, they fell in love and, if this little one was anything like her Imelda, she would want a man who was her father and brothers personified.
That
was when the real worry started. But Ria kept her own counsel; after all, Lena had plenty of time to find that out for herself.
‘You thought of a name yet, Lena?’
Lena nodded. ‘Tania. I think this little one looks like a Tania.’
Ria grinned. ‘With that hair and those Irish eyes, she’ll be a beauty, our Tania. She looks like her nana, don’t you think?’
They smiled as Theresa Bailey bowled into the room; she was excited and worried all at the same time. ‘I can’t believe it, Lena! I was in the pub when they came and got me. Let me have a look at her then.’
Lena passed the child to her mother-in-law, and watched happily as the woman expertly snuggled the little child into the crook of her arm.
Theresa stared down at the child for long moments then, nodding as if answering a question, she said softly, ‘She’s a Bailey all right, from the eyes to the hands. She has my mother’s hands – long fingers.
Lena would never forget the shock on his face as his sister slid into the world. It was a mixture of wonderment and disgust. He was only fifteen and the mystery of birth was as alien to him as knitting himself a crash helmet. But, in fairness, he had been good, he had done everything he was asked to do and with the minimum of fuss.
Holding his new little sister in his arms Lena had seen the look of pure love in his eyes, and she had also seen the naturalway he had held the child to him. He had grown up in that moment. Her Daniel, after four children, had never once held any of them with such confidence. Davey had looked at her with tears in his eyes and said huskily, ‘It’s a miracle, Mum.’ He seemed utterly overwhelmed.
Lena was glad to know that one of her boys had a heart in there. She worried that her sons might only have inherited their father’s worst characteristics: the tendency towards the dramatic, the anger that was never far from the surface, the aggression that emanated from him at times. But she knew now, and she blessed herself unconsciously as she said thanks be to God and his Holy Mother, that Davey, at least, had the same capacity for loving as his father did.
It was a revelation to her, and she felt a calmness come over her because of it. She knew that the boys were Daniel’s, were his from the day they could follow him around. She had only had her sons to herself until that point. Oh, they loved her, she knew that, but they all idolised their father. Danny Junior was a good lad but, like his father, capable of great violence, and already strong as an ox to boot. Her Davey had proved today that he was capable of great emotion but she was well aware that that could translate into hatred and anger as well as love. Noel and Jamsie were still only boys, and they would follow where the elder ones led. They already had the makings of hard men – it was in their genes. Oh, yes, all four of her sons would be men of substance – her husband would make sure of that. And there was nothing she could do about it.
But now Lena had a daughter, and she would be all
hers
. She would see to it that she didn’t become a part of that world, and Daniel would not have any sway over her little girl’s life at all.
Ria watched as her sister-in-law gazed down at her daughter, and she knew exactly what she was thinking, because she hadbeen there herself. True, daughters belonged wholly to their mothers in their world, but she had found out, as the years went on that, unlike the boys, girls grew up faster. They were harder to rein in and, one day, they fell in love and, if this little one was anything like her Imelda, she would want a man who was her father and brothers personified.
That
was when the real worry started. But Ria kept her own counsel; after all, Lena had plenty of time to find that out for herself.
‘You thought of a name yet, Lena?’
Lena nodded. ‘Tania. I think this little one looks like a Tania.’
Ria grinned. ‘With that hair and those Irish eyes, she’ll be a beauty, our Tania. She looks like her nana, don’t you think?’
They smiled as Theresa Bailey bowled into the room; she was excited and worried all at the same time. ‘I can’t believe it, Lena! I was in the pub when they came and got me. Let me have a look at her then.’
Lena passed the child to her mother-in-law, and watched happily as the woman expertly snuggled the little child into the crook of her arm.
Theresa stared down at the child for long moments then, nodding as if answering a question, she said softly, ‘She’s a Bailey all right, from the eyes to the hands. She has my mother’s hands – long fingers.
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