A Wartime Christmas by Carol Rivers Page B

Dad still haven’t recovered from finding out that Kay, a respectable young widow right up until the time she met you, was in the family way. It caused
them a great deal of embarrassment.’
    Alan looked at his brother-in-law and guessed that he was never going to be best buddies with this man, or indeed with Lil and Bob Briggs. But in the scale of things, that wasn’t what
mattered to him. What was paramount was Kay and Alfie’s happiness. ‘Look Len,’ he began carefully, ‘I didn’t intend to upset you or Kay’s parents. I fell in love
with your sister and yes, we did get a bit carried away before we were married—’
    ‘Carried away?’ Len repeated in a hoarse whisper. ‘My sister’s unfortunate predicament was the talk of the neighbourhood.’
    Alan paused before he replied, attempting to keep the mounting anger from his tone. ‘Len, you weren’t even in the neighbourhood in thirty-eight. You’d moved to Hertfordshire by
then.’
    Len did another jerk with his jacket. ‘I’m speaking on behalf of my parents,’ he crowed pompously.
    ‘They spoke well enough for themselves,’ Alan responded quietly. ‘Bob has never been one to reserve judgement in my case and Lil always made it plain that I’ll never come
up to the standard of their first son-in-law.’ Alan took in a careful breath. ‘They’re entitled to their opinion, as are you, but I feel that to continue this conversation is just
going round in circles. It was because me and Kay fell in love and wanted to make a future together that Alfie came about. Yes, the wedding was a bit late, but in the long run it didn’t make
no difference.’
    ‘There wasn’t even an invite to this so-called wedding!’ Len persisted. ‘We were all very upset.’
    ‘I’m sorry about that, but marrying by licence was what Kay wanted. Her dad wouldn’t give us his blessing, you know that.’
    ‘He believed Kay was on the rebound,’ Len argued. ‘And so did I.’
    ‘Norman had been gone well over three years when I met Kay,’ answered Alan patiently. ‘Enough time for a woman of twenty-four to know her own mind.’
    ‘You don’t understand how hard Norman’s death hit her,’ Len insisted. ‘She gave in her perfectly good job with prospects and went to work in a factory. Well, I mean
to say, what was that all about? And when Mum and Dad tried to get her to see sense, she’d just say something daft, like she wanted to make new friends.’ Len gave a stifled cough.
‘Now, if that’s not being on the rebound I don’t know what is.’
    Alan just couldn’t button his lip any longer. ‘What was wrong in changing her job? It was Kay’s way of making a fresh start. She was bored in the office and did something to
change her life. There was no question of her being on the rebound. Now, can we stop bickering about the past and talk reasonably?’
    For a moment Len looked as though he was about to round angrily on him, but then a cry from Alfie drifted down from upstairs. Alan glanced round and stood at the same time as Len, but before he
did so he caught the look of genuine concern in his brother-in-law’s eyes. That look hit home to Alan and he immediately forgot about their differences, feeling as bad for Doris and Len as he
did for himself and Kay.
    Alan stepped beside Len and lightly placed his hand on his arm. ‘Look, Len, I really am sorry – for everything. I should have given more consideration to yours and Doris’s
feelings, but Kay’s my priority and she just ain’t herself without Alfie. Try to imagine how it’s been for her. He wasn’t even two when she had to part from him. Then night
after night in the Blitz she was down the dugout, never knowing what disaster she’d find in the morning, or even if she’d see me walking through the door again. Losing her friends and
neighbours and having this big empty space inside her that no one, including me, could fill. Honest, Len, I’m not making excuses, but your sister’s