I am writing this as I wanted to create a different character in Tommy's life. Someone from his past that may bring out the old Tommy.
I could smell the fumes radiating from the factories in Small Heath the minute we entered Birmingham. The smell pushed memories to the forefront of my mind. I could picture running along the streets while the factories burned day and night. A smile graced my face as I exited the car and grabbed ahold of my luggage.
My feet knew the way. That had been a fact I noticed immediately. I didn't need to think about which turn to make or how farther I would need to walk. My muscles remembered. With all the space to think I could feel my mind take in the surroundings that I had been without for years. Nothing had changed except the people. I turned onto the street that I had lived for twenty years. A place that I never imagined revisiting again.
"Eve!" My heart perked at the familiar sound of my sister. She stood in the middle of the doorway with a smile on her face and my baby nephew in her arms.
"Tally!" I replied in the same tone as she opened her free arm to wrap around me. "She is going to be so happy to see you!"
"How has she been feeling?" I question as I step over the threshold with her following me. The entrance way had not changed since my departure. A cross still hung on the wall next to the door and small cabinet and knick knacks decorated the room.
"She is sleepy. The medicine the doctor put her on makes her drowsy. It does help alleviate the pain though so she endures." I nod at her in understanding while slowly unpinning my hat from my hair.
"At least she isn't in pain." I smile at her as I place my bag on first step of the stairwell. "Now let me see my beautiful nephew."
"Of course." She gives me a kind smile and places the newborn into my arms. His dark blue eyes were a bit hazy from sleep but I could tell that he would inherit his father's brown eyes instead of our dark blue. "He looks just like William."
"I know. I would never guess that he had been mine if I hadn't of given to birth to him and felt all the pain." I gave her a smile before falling back into the initial game of staring at the baby. "But William is happy to have Junior to show off. He keeps bragging that he got a boy on the first try."
"How is William doing? Are there still strikes happening at the factory?" I ask as she lead me into the kitchen.
"Yes, his superiors are starting to get the discuss laying everyone off but he is trying to stop that from happening. Doesn't help that Freddie Thorne is stirring the pot." I scoffed for a moment remembering the days of listening as the boys spoke of a revolution to create an equal world.
"He always knew how to charm a shoe off a beggar. He is a dangerous one to have preaching." I state before watching as Tally prepared both of us a cup of tea.
"Forget Freddie, I want to hear everything. How did your employer take you leaving?" She asked as she started the stove. "Did they understand?"
"They took it well enough. Gave me an extra week of pay and let me know that if I ever move back that there would be space for me to work with them again. I am just happy to be here with her. I never thought she would agree to let me return. Especially now that everyone has made it home." I state before listening for any noise emulating from the floor above.
"She is excited that you are home. I caught her cleaning this morning. She kept stating that the house had to be perfect for your return." Tally explained as she pulled her dark brown hair off her shoulder. "Hand him over. I need to feed him before he cries the house down."
"I wish she wouldn't have faffed about it. She would of had a right old fit at the state of my room. I could never keep the floor clear no matter how hard I tried." I couldn't help but match her smile as we fell into a comfortable conversation.
Tally and I had never really gotten along in our childhood. She being older gave me nothing but shit through it. Our brothers did nothing but encourage her to be absolutely cruel to each of us. It didn't help that we looked similar. The matching hair and eyes allowed us to always be sandwich together. We had never been friend but always sisters, yet now our relationships had changed. She had married and I moved away. It gave us time to grow on our own without being sandwiched together.
She had continued to tell me everything about Small Heath in our weekly letter exchange but lately we had been cut off from each other. She had given birth to William Jr. and I had been busy training my replacement. Today would be a catch up day.
Hours passed before the church ring told us that the work day would soon be done. Tally had to head home to prepare dinner for William and I needed to settle in. I could feel the sickness before I even gone half way up the stairs. I left my bag in my old bedroom and moved over towards my mother's. I could hear a light snore and knew for a moment she is at peace. Opening the door, I could see the gray skin and thin body laying under the blanket.
I walked over towards the side of the bed and let myself take a seat. It felt weird sitting down in the very place I use to run to when I was scared as a child. Mother would always allow me to sneak into the bed and lie with her until I fell into a soft night sleep. This bed held a security that no other one could bring. Now, however, it held a life barely holding on. A sickness raging inside the body of a woman who never faltered. She had always been strong. Today, that woman is dying. She is the reason I came home but she would not be the reason the stay. No, that reason would have to come in the form of someone else, yet he might not appear. Tally had warned me that the war had changed him. I knew the truth though. It hadn't been the war that started the change. It had been me.