There’s Always Tomorrow Read Online Free PDF Page B

hadn’t meant to say that and she hoped no one would draw attention to her remark in front of Elsie. She poured Peaches some more tea.
    ‘I think Freda will make Michael a lovely wife,’ said Dottie.
    ‘Oh!’ cried Peaches. ‘This little blighter is going to be another Stanley Matthews.’
    ‘Pretty lively, isn’t he?’ said Mary.
    ‘Can I feel?’ asked Elsie.
    Peaches took her hand and laid it over her bump.
    ‘What’s it like, having a baby?’ Elsie wondered.
    ‘I tell you what,’ laughed Peaches. ‘I won’t be doing this again.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘That’s enough, Elsie,’ her aunt scolded.
    Elsie pouted and took her hand away.
    ‘Who did you say was looking after your Gary, hen?’ asked Mary.
    ‘My mother,’ said Peaches. ‘She can’t get enough of him.’
    ‘Tom’s got all mine,’ grinned Mary. ‘That’ll keep him out of mischief. At least you don’t have to worry about who’s going to look after the kids, Dottie.’
    Dottie bit her lip. Oh, Mary … if only you knew how much that hurt …
    ‘Did I tell you?’ she said, deliberately changing the subject. ‘I had a letter from Sylvie yesterday.’ She took it out of her apron pocket and handed it to Peaches. ‘She’s coming to Michael’s wedding.’
    Peaches clapped her hands. ‘Sylvie! Oh how lovely. She’s so glamorous. I really didn’t think she’d come, did you? We’ll have a grand time going over old times. Remember that time we put Sylvie’s fox fur stole at the bottom of Charlie’s bed?’
    Dottie roared with laughter. ‘And he thought it was a rat!’
    ‘Jumped out of bed so fast he knocked the blinking jerry over,’ Peaches shrieked.
    ‘Good job it wasn’t full,’ laughed Dottie.
    ‘Which one was Charlie?’ asked Mary.
    ‘You remember Charlie,’ said Dottie. ‘One of those boys billeted with Aunt Bessie and me. The one that went down with The Hood.’
    ‘Dear God, yes,’ murmured Mary.
    ‘And is your Reg all right with her staying at yours?’ Mary wanted to know.
    ‘Haven’t asked him yet,’ said Dottie. In truth she wasn’t looking forward to broaching the subject.
    Mary glanced over at Peaches and then at Dottie. ‘Why doesn’t he ever bring you over to the Jolly Farmer, hen?’
    Dottie felt her face colour. She never went with Reg because he said a woman’s place was in the home. Mary’s pointed remark had flustered her. She brushed some crumbs away from the table in an effort to hide how she was feeling. ‘I’ve never been one for the drink.’
    ‘But we have some grand sing-songs and a good natter,’ Mary insisted.
    Dottie took a bite of coffee cake and wiped the corner of her mouth with her finger. They’d obviously been talking about it. ‘I usually have something to do in the evenings,’ she said. ‘You know how it is.’
    ‘You should come, Dottie,’ said Peaches. ‘You don’t have to be a boozer. I only ever drink lemonade.’
    ‘I can’t think what you get up to at home,’ Mary remarked to Dottie. ‘There’s only you and him, and that house of yours is like a shiny pin.’
    ‘She does some lovely sewing, don’t you, Dot,’ said Peaches. ‘You ought to sell some of it.’
    ‘I do sometimes,’ said Dottie.
    ‘Do you?’
    Yes I do, thought Dottie. She was careful not to let Peaches see her secret smile. And one day she’d show them just what she could do. One day she’d surprise them all.
    Mary leaned over and picked up the teapot again. ‘What are you doing next Saturday?’ she asked, pouring herself a second cup.
    ‘Having a rest!’ Dottie laughed. What were they up to? This sounded a bit like a kind-hearted conspiracy …
    ‘Tell you what,’ cried Peaches. ‘Jack is taking Gary and me to the Littlehampton Carnival in the lorry. It’s lovely there. Sandy beach for one thing. Nicer for the kids. Worthing and Brighton are all pebbles. Why don’t we all go and make a day of it? You and Reg and your Tom, Mary. There’s plenty of room. We can get all the