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Lucille
It seemed that no matter how good their day in London was, Lucille and Tommy were destined to return to the muck and problems of small Heath as if nothing had happened. As they sat in the car on the way home, Lucille felt worse than she had when they went. They were leaving Dawson behind, just as they had in France, with the same promise that they'll see each other again. The only comfort that she could find, was in the fact that this time there was no war keeping them apart. Instead, she knew it would be Tommy's business of whatever sorts, and she could tell that Dawson was more interested in it that he ought to be.
When they returned to Small Heath, it wasn't late enough to be dark, but they had been gone long enough for Lucille to miss Adds. The day had been the longest she had spent away from her daughter. But she knew it would do them both good.
"There she is, Adds. Your mum."
Polly rocked the little girl in her arms as she left the house on Watery Lane, hearing the spluttering of the car. Lucille stepped over, opening her arms to take Adds in for herself as Tommy left to drop the car at Charlie's yard.
"Come quick." Polly muttered, shuffling them both into the house and through to the kitchen.
She seemed tired. Her under eyes were darker and more crinkled than they usually were, as if the obvious fatigue was weighing hem down. Polly lit herself a cigarette, having a smoke and immediately letting her eyes shut and shoulders drop before she was tensing up again and glancing toward Lucille.
"I need to tell you. Before he gets home." The words tumbled out of her bitten lips, the trace of smoke still under her nose.
"Before Tommy- has something happened Pol?"
"Yes, and I need your help telling him. He'll go mad." Polly's eyes were flirting around as she thought about how she would tell him.
"Is it Ada?"
A pit formed in the bottom of her stomach. Lucille watched as Polly nodded slowly, her eyes moving to rest on her and Adds. She looked conflicted- wanting to feel happy but not being able to from stress and worry.
"She was married this morning. To Freddie Thorne." Pol breathed out, as if it was a relief just to tell someone.
"But that's wonderful! Isn't it? Her child will have a father."
Polly shook her head, smiling slightly. If only that were the case. She'd give anything for it to be true. Lucille didn't know about the small outbreak of civil war in their family, which Polly knew would soon be hers too, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. Aunt Pol wanted to preserve her ignorance of the reality, but at the same time knew she had to find out the truth. Later rather than sooner.
"It's not the chain of events that Tommy was pushing for." Polly settled on saying.
"But why not? This is the best version of things that could happen for Ada." Lucille exclaimed, feeling Adds begin to squirm in her arms.
