To Be or Not to Be…..That is the Question
"Hello?" Margaret James called out as she turned the key in the lock, pausing on the threshold to take in the silence of the darkened house. Her ears perked up as she heard shuffling sounds coming from the living room. Coming to a stop in the doorway, Margaret raised an eyebrow as her eyes followed her daughter in law's sluggish movements around the sitting room. Clicking her tongue in exasperation, Margaret watched as first, Molly absentmindedly flicked through the pages of the memory album that had been a wedding gift from Sam, then she moved on to rearranging the coasters until they were sat perfectly aligned on the edge of the table; paying no mind to the throw that dangled haphazardly from her petite frame. To anybody else, it might look like a mild form of OCD but Margaret knew better. Molly was stubborn to a fault and no more so then when trying to prove others wrong. Molly had been adamant that she wasn't ill and didn't need anybody to babysit her despite being sent home from barracks with what she dismissed as a mild stomach bug. With Charles away on a training exercise and Molly's symptoms persisting longer than the expected 48 hours, Margaret had stepped in help take care of both Molly and Sam. What was it they said about medics making the worst patience?
"Molly, sweetheart will you please sit down. You look like you're about to fall over," Margaret muttered soothingly as she eyed Molly's pale face with concern. "S'alright Margaret. Honestly I'm…." Molly's voice trailed off and Margaret watched as her face turned ashen. "Molly are you?..." Before Margaret could finish her sentence Molly sprinted through the door. Moments later, Margaret winced in sympathy as she heard the sounds of Molly retching in the downstairs toilet. When Molly eventually shuffled back into the room and slumped onto the sofa in defeat, Margaret handed her a glass of water as her shrewd eyes scrutinised Molly from head to toe. This was the fifth time in as many days that Molly had been sick. Surely her body should be fighting off the effects of the virus by now unless…. She couldn't be, could she? Margaret shook herself as she took a seat opposite Molly.
The two women sat in silence for several minutes eying each other boldly. Both women clearly wanted to broach the big purple elephant in the room but neither knowing quite how to go about it. Molly tapped a restless rhythm with a finger in an attempt to hide her nervousness as she skilfully refused to meet her mother in laws penetrative gaze. Margaret couldn't hide the smirk that danced at the corner of her mouth as she watched Molly's twitching fingers- a nervous habit she'd obviously subconsciously picked up from her son. She looked like a skittish animal caught in the headlights. "Molly?" Margaret questioned carefully as she met the fierce challenge blazing in Molly's eyes head on. "Margaret?" She shot back, a hint of the Cockney steel seeping into Molly's tone as she finally lifted her eyes. Margaret didn't say anything, merely raised an eyebrow and watched in amusement as a gentle blush stained Molly's cheeks. "Sweetheart are you…..?" Molly gave a hesitant nod.
"I think so yeah." she whispered so softly that Margaret barely heard her. Molly's voice cracked and her face crumbled. "I weren't positive at first. I've been all over the shop the last few months what with me promotion and planning the wedding an' that. I just put it down to nerves and stress like." Molly took a shaky breath as she continued. "It weren't till I overheard one of the girls moaning about her cramps that something clicked in me nut and I realised I was late. I took a test and it were positive. The doc did a blood test this morning. Looks like we'll be hearing the pitter patter of a little bleeder soon enough." Molly smiled uncertainly as Margaret beamed. "Oh sweetheart! This is brilliant news." Seeing Molly's hesitancy Margaret frowned. "Isn't it?"
"I dunno do I! I mean we haven't talked much about kids. With me being away a lot an' the new job, talk of kids sort of got put on the back burner like. Don't get me wrong I like kids- didn't have much of a choice really did I? It's just….. What if I'm not cut out to be a mum? What if we're not ready? We've only been married a few months. We were so bleedin' careful. How am I gunna tell the Bossman? What if we can't handle it?" Margaret watched quietly as Molly's voice rose frantically in sheer panic. Reaching out carefully she gripped Molly's hands firmly in one of her own as Molly whispered quietly, "I just don't want this baby to grow up like I did." Margaret sighed as she saw the fear and uncertainty swirling in Molly's bright green orbs as she fought yet again to overcome her insecurities of her past.
"Now them you listen to me carefully my girl. Are you listening?" Molly startled slightly but her back straightened and her chin rose instinctively when she detected the authoritative edge to Margaret's tone. "I don't want to hear anymore nonsense about you not being a good mother. You will be wonderful. So you didn't have a perfect childhood. Who does? Your parents may have made a lot of mistakes when you were growing up but you know as well as I do that your parents loved you all, even if they didn't show it." Molly swiped her hand under her eyes as she nodded her head.
"Look at all you've done for your siblings, not to mention the relationship you have with Sam and those boys. You've been keeping them in line since day one. They'd be lost without you. As for Sam, he adores you and counts himself lucky you're a part of his life. You didn't have to take him on, many others wouldn't have. But you've loved him and looked after him as if he were your own. You are a strong, loyal and fiercely independent woman who hasn't let anything stand in her way. Why should this? As for Charles he worships the ground you walk on. Whether or not this was planned he will support you and be by your side every step of the way no matter what because he loves you. What was it he said in his vows? Never again will you have to weather uncertain storms alone. He'll be your anchor, your sanctuary, your home. Charles will be there to stick his boot up your arse to guide you just like he always has. He'll be thrilled love. I guarantee it. Besides you're going to need to lean on each other. You better batten down the hatched because this storm is set to cause devastation and upheaval for the next eighteen years of your life at least. If this baby is anything like its parents, you're in for an interesting ride," Margaret joked, smiling in relief when Molly have a watery laugh at her joke.
"There's my girl," She muttered as she dried Molly's tears before giving her shoulder a squeeze. "No matter what happens, you have everyone behind you. Not to mention, if the baby is a girl, she'll have a line of overprotective big brothers to keep an eye on her until she's in her thirties at least. No matter what, you'll never run out of babysitters." Margaret chuckled at the look of horror on Molly's face.
"Can you imagine them Cockwombles bein' in charge of a little un? Me thinks 3 men an' a baby ain't seen nothing yet. Them numpties can barely look after themselves never mind another tiny little human." Molly grumbled as she gave a mock shiver in horror. As much a she loved her boys she didn't dare imagine the trouble they'd get into if they threw a baby into the mix.
"You see? Your mother bear instincts are kicking in already. You'll be fine." Molly let out a shuddering breath and Margaret could almost see the weight lift from her shoulders in relief. "So how are you going to tell Charles?" Molly grinned cheekily as her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Oh don't worry. I have a few ideas up my sleeve."
Several days later Margaret's phone pinged. Grumbling as she tried to unearth her reading glasses from beneath the sofa cushions, Margaret opened the message frowning when she saw the name of the sender. What has that blasted son of hers gone and done now? The last time she'd had an unexpected message he'd ended up spending a night in a police cell. Surely he wouldn't be so foolish to repeat the experience. Would he? Staring in confusion at the screen, Margaret twisted the phone in different directions trying to make out the image in front of her. It took her several minutes before she could decipher the dark lines etched on her son's arm in the grainy photo. Shaking her head Margaret could do nothing but marvel at the ingenious of her daughter in law for she had seen fit to employ their little family tradition once again. Scrawled across the inside of Charles' wrist Molly had written two words. I'm pregnant. Underneath Charles had written one single sentence. You'd better get the knitting needles out Grandma. Cheeky Sod! Knitting needles indeed. Doesn't he know her at all? She'd been secretly doing so for days.