“Hello, is Alex living here?”
“Yeah Whos asking?”
“Are you his mum?”
“Me?! His wife! What dyou want, love?”
“Hes in hospital, and I dont know how he isthey wont tell me anything. Only family can know.” The strangers lip trembled. “Can I come in?”
“Alright, come in then. Dunno why youre so bothered about my husbands health, though. Who even are you?” Lucy jerked her head toward the kitchen. “Go on through.”
The girl perched on the edge of a kitchen chair, fished a hankie from her pocket, and wiped sweat from her brow.
Lucy bustled by the stove, waiting for her to speak.
“Fancy some water?”
“No Actually, yeah, ta.”
“Gonna sit there mute all day? Come for a cuppa or what?”
“Alex promised hed marry me,” the girl blurted after a pause, “this autumn!”
“Oh, *did* he now?” Lucy scrubbed a saucepan. “That changes thingsshame bigamys illegal, isnt it?”
“Im not here for jokes.”
“Neither am I. Lost my sense of humour years ago.”
“You dont get ithes marrying me in autumn. Soon as he divorces you, then”
“Hmph. So whyre you here *now*? Come back in autumn. Whats your name?”
“Annie Anna.”
“Im Lucy. Annie-Anna, why not summer? Youre practically *bursting* out that dress. His doing?”
“Yeah. As you can see, Alex and I are expecting. He said hed file for divorce after your birthday.”
“Right. Got it. Bloody Alexleopard never changes his spots, does he?”
“What? I dont follow.”
“Course you dont. Where you from?”
“A village. Worked at the factory.”
“Ah, came to conquer the big city. And my Alex *hates* kids crying. Due soon?”
“Two months.”
“Oof, no wonder hes dodgingwants to spare his nerves. When *our* first was born, he bunked off to his mumssaid he couldnt sleep for work. And his jobs hardly back-breaking, is it?”
“So can you tell me how he is?”
“Why not? Stable but serious. Dont look so scaredhell live.”
“What should I do?”
“How should *I* know? You didnt ask me *what to do* when you were jumping into bed with him!”
“Im in my third year at unidistance learning. Mums got my little brothers at home. Nowhere to go. Alex said youve been like strangers for ageshes only staying for the kids.”
“*Did* he now?” Lucys patience was hanging by a thread. “Give me your number and address. Ill ring you.”
“Whwhy?”
“Once hes discharged, Ill call so you can collect him.”
“Collect him *where*?”
“Your mums. Brothers.”
“Shes got no room!”
“Well, wherere you living now?”
“Student halls.”
“Off you pop then. Dont eye up *my* flatgot it from my nan, so its not his in a divorce. What, shocked? Hes got no claim here.”
“Youre being cruel. We love each other.”
“Then love each other in a *tent*. Now scramwhile Im still nice. Remember the door? Good.” Lucy flung the pan in the sinknearly scrubbed through it during the chat.
Three days Lucy hadnt slept or eaten proper since her “darling” ended up in hospital. Docs said he might not make it, but Alex pulled through.
Exhausted, Lucy barely kept it together. Then they rangmoved him to a ward, said *shed* have to nurse him.
And now this pregnant chancer turns up, angling for his flat. Oh, shed have loved to drag Annie by her wispy hair down five flightsbut she was knackered, body and soul.
Trudging along, Lucy stewed. Like it or not, she had to go. Nurse him or give him hell? Blimey, shed have him back on his feet sharpishhe wouldnt forget *this* “nursing” in a hurry. Didnt want to ruin her birthday, did he?
Annie sat on a bench outside.
“Auntie Lucy! Auntie Lucy!”
“Persistent, arent you? Didnt I say everything?”
“You off to see Alex?”
“What if I am?”
“Take me with you.”
Lucy said nothing. They walked in silence. On the bus, Annie sat beside her. Lucy turned to the windowacted like theyd never met.
At the hospital, Lucy passed Annie off as a niece.
“Wait here. Ill go first.” Lucy marched in.
Alex was aloneno roommates yet. Leg in traction.
His wife walked in. He woke under her glare, grinnedbut Lucy wasnt smiling. Her heart was in knots.
He blinked up at her like a scolded pup. Bruised, scraped, leg in plastera right state.
“Hello, Alex.”
“Lucy! You cameIve been waiting.”
“*Waiting*, were you? Shouldve known!”
She pulled tupperware from her bag, slammed it on the table. Face burning, sweating.
“Hot mash and gravy, just how you like. Eat up before its cold,” she said, voice shaking.
“Lucy, youre all redyou ill?”
“Worse! I waited for you after *army* service, Alex. Went against my parents for you. Remember living on *pennies*? Our boys? Sleepless nights? And you forgot *all* of it?”
“How could I forget? Lucy, not here”
“Not all of it, Alex.” Her throat tightened.
“Lucy, whats got into you?”
“Didnt expect this from you. Knife in my backright to the heart.”
“Lucy, Im an idiotwasnt my fault. Swear, I drove slow like you always say”
“How *could* you?” Lucy shook her head.
“Luce, well get another car soon as Im up”
“Ugh, you think I care about the *car*?” She chucked oranges onto the table.
“Then what? Cause I nearly kicked the bucket? Look rough, do I?”
“Dont fretyoull heal by autumn. Good as new for the *wedding*.”
“Lucy, whatre you on about?”
“Not *what**who*! Annadidnt catch her surname.”
“*What* Anna?” Alex looked baffled.
“The one *carrying your baby*.”
“*What* baby? Lucy, you hit your head?”
“*Me*? You found some young thing, knocked her up, and *Im* mad?” Finally, Lucy broke down sobbing.
“Lucy, should I call a doc? Its the stress” Alex tried to sit up.
“*My* stress? I *brought* her. Lets fetch your shameless Annieplanning to move into *my* flat after you divorce me this autumn, post my *birthday*.”
Alex went sheet-white, speechless.
“Cat got your tongue?” Lucy flung the door open. “Annie*get in here*!”
Annie waddled in, hand on her back. She scanned the roomthen froze at the sight of Alex.
“Wheres *my* Alex?”
“And *whos* this?”
“Auntie Lucy, having a laugh? This bald bloke *isnt* my Alex.”
“Come again?”
“Mines young and fit. Lookgot a photo.” Annie fished out her phone.
“So wrong Alex?” Lucy grinned.
Between Alexs near-heart attack and Annies horror, Lucy *howled*. She collapsed on a spare bed, tears streaminglaughed till her sides hurt.
“Where you off to?” Lucy stopped Annie mid-escape. “Start from the top.”
Turns out, her Alex gave the *wrong address*. Whod have guessed another Alex lived there?
Lucy called in favourstracked down the *real* Alex.
He wasnt in hospital. Got a mate to lie about a crashwanted rid of Annie. Divorce? Never planned it.
Fate brought them together. Lucysoft-heartedhelped Annie settle: sorted a flat, fetched her from the hospital, even made the deadbeat dad pay up.
Useless dad doesnt see his sonbut pays on time. Knows Lucys got his number. She *remembers* who gave her address outshudders to think if shed kicked *her* Alex out.
Good thing she brought Annie that day. Annie calls her “Mum Lucymy guardian angel!”
When Annies boy grew, Lucy set her up with a decent blokeeven danced at their wedding.
So Mum Lucy kept her joyand spread it round.
