"It's my Birthday Party!" Clara exclaims running through the kitchen. "It's my birthday Party!"
"It is but if you don't behave, there won't be a party," Rilla warns her from the kitchen table that was set up with party foods and candy.
Rilla had forgotten what birthday parties were like, a dozen children running around, but she was glad that Clara had friends and it was early enough in the summer that everyone was still in the city.
Seven years old, and soon it would be own forty-first, Jimmy's twenty-sixth, Rowena's fifteenth, Oliver's seventeenth. They had spent Ken's forty-seventh birth up out in the country, getting away for a weekend with a rented cabin, children coming along as no one else could watch them.
"I'll be behave," Clara states as the doorbell rings.
It was show time she looked to Gloria who was sitting out with dishes and cups. The pool was clean and open, food and drinks ready to go and the first of a dozen little girls were arriving on time.
Today reminded Rilla that there had been a chance that she could have had a newborn and be relieving those long days and hours all over again. Instead, she had Willow and Fleur, coming and going, diaper deliveries and batches of evaporated milk formula being made every few days. It was nice to have a little one around, creeping about, grasping furniture and pulling herself up while only nine months old.
"What are you thinking about?" Ken comes up behind her, cigarette in his fingers ready to smoke.
"What could have been?" Rilla says honestly. "With Fleur around it makes me remember last summer even more. I know I was ill, but there was a very black-and-white choice to it for my health, but I find myself counting time, milestones of what might have been?"
"You aren't alone in that," Ken says quietly, pressing a kiss into her shoulder.
They watch the children race around and paddle in the pool before the cake is brought out and presents are opened. Small things like doll clothes, toys, and hair ribbons and bows and finally when the clock strikes four, the house is silent again. Only then did Clara open up the gifts from her family this time? A new porcelain doll for her room, new dresses and shoes, and more expensive things that other kids didn't need to see her open.
It was Ken who drives them to the cemetery, parking the car on Mount Pleasant as Rilla tries to keep her resolve. Through the rows of trees and monuments, they walk towards the small angel statue. Something that their parents had chosen when neither of them could be asked such a thing.
Rilla places her flowers on the grave, wiping away her tears. She feels the little hand slip into her. Clara, they have Clara, who is looking at the grave with a peculiar look on her face. Reaching out she touches the cool marble, despite the warmth of the day.
She sat down on the grass digging into the little purse that someone had gifted her and brought out two ponies.
"I got two of these, so I think I should leave one with you," Clara says putting it on the ledge of the marble near the ground. "It would be your birthday as well today? So I hope you would like ponies, Daddy did promise me pony lessons one day," she says innocently and Rilla looks to Ken who sheepishly shrugs.
Rilla shakes her head, listening to Clara chatter about until she stops.
Summer turns into fall with quiet contentment, there is no island vacation this year. No reunions for them, just letters and photographs. While Persis's son George turns eighteen and enlists being of age, physically fit and able to. Persis cries, sending him off, but makes sure she has photos of him in his uniform. He'll train first at Borden with a chance to leave to say another goodbye before heading to the front. Through the cooler weather, bombs reigned down on London in retaliation for the bombs on Berlin. Bombs, and more bombs, invasions of Luxembourg, Belgium, Egypt, China, and Singapore are written about over the weeks that had been the summer.
"Val Cartier is only for the East Coast boys," Ken says at her furrowed brow. Knowing that is where his brothers had trained years ago. "Borden is near Wasaga Beach, it's been built up a lot" he further explains.
"How do you know?" Rilla asks curiously.
"Because I have been invited there," Ken says quietly. "I run a company of writers and editors, and even correspondents at times after all."
"They aren't…" Rilla says sputtering. "You aren't."
"I'm forty-seven Rilla even if I wanted to I wouldn't be unless to them, but I can….I can do other things?" Ken says carefully. "I was a captain in the last war, people expect me to do certain things, even advertising depends on my support of the war."
Rilla sighs but nods her head. "Just don't go off for weeks on end."
"I won't," Ken says kissing the top of her head. "Though what are the chances of that boy of Rowena enlisting before he graduates?"
"Possible?" Rilla says after a moment. "Rowena is worried, but they don't talk about it."
"How do you know that?" Ken's ears prick up.
"Roe and I talk about things, you know to know what they are up to and what not?" Rilla grins at him. "It's a mother-daughter privilege."
"I want to know, and don't want to know at the same time," Ken groans.
"She's a good girl and he's a gentleman, Ken, don't worry so much. They kiss and nothing more given she's barely fifteen," Rilla explains to him. "I believe he accidentally grazed her chest once and apologized profusely to the point where she had to tell him that she didn't even feel it."
"Why would you even tell me that!" Ken groans even louder. "Now I want to hurt him, no boy accidentally touches a girl, not at his age."
"Accidents can happen," Rilla gives him a look.
"I thought you said Clara was an unplanned blessing?" Ken gives her a look, before dodging her hand that swung at him to swat him.
"Oh hush you," Rilla taps him lightly. "You know what I mean."
"I know, oh Marge at work wants to know if you have any recipes for the wartime cookbook she is planning?" Ken asks her. "I told her you aren't the best woman to ask for recipes."
"You did not!" Rilla exclaims.
"Of course, I said I would consult with you and get back to you, I am sure you and Gloria can come up with something," Ken reassures her.
"I'm sure, now be on your best behaviour," Rilla tells him, pulling at his collar to straighten it.
"Why does he have to come for dinner again?" Ken groans.
"Because you wanted to officially meet this boy," Rilla reminds him with a grin. "I am going to go check on Willow and Fleur," Rilla kisses his cheek and heads towards upstairs.
"All set?" Rilla asks in the doorway of the attic room.
"She just had a bottle not long ago, and I won't be long or out late, it's just a sketch session," Willow tells Rilla, kissing Fleur as she hands her over to Rilla.
"It's all good, go have fun," Rilla tells her. "You're eighteen, you should be having fun and not just working and looking after an infant all the time. Though don't feel like you need to go out, because Roe is having company."
"Oh I am not, plus you are so much more understanding than Jimmy," Willow says shaking her head.
"Well, don't have too much fun," Rilla laughs lightly. "I mean it's not my business, you are eighteen, almost nineteen. I mean, I can only make assumptions about sketch sessions…or art hours…"
"It's not like that…not here anyway," Willow says quietly blushing. "Paris could be…"
"Sexual?" Rilla finishes for her.
"At times," Willow blushes more. "Sometimes it was strictly more professional, live drawings acting out…things…sometimes it was the champagne."
"If you ever…if you ever need anything I know doctors," Rilla offers quietly. "I'll leave it to what I tell my children, and even your brother once upon a time. Be careful, and be safe until you know you can pay the consequences, but the choice has to be yours and no one else's. But Toronto is old-fashioned so be careful in general and the house is off-limits until you are married because of little ears and eyes. If you're old enough and mature enough….you should be old enough to figure out safe alternatives."
"Fair enough," Willow answers blushing slightly, grabbing her purse and looking out the window for her ride. "I think Roe and her boyfriend are here."
"I shall go make sure that Ken doesn't scare the boy off," Rilla tells her.
"I'll be home by ten at the latest," Willow tells her grabbing her purse and they both walk down the stairs. Rilla with Fleur in her arms and Willow left out the back door to avoid any introductions.
"Don't look so afraid," Rowena hisses at Robert.
"Your Dad hates me, how can I not be afraid?" Robert—Robbie whispers back. "Is my tie straight?"
"You didn't need to wear a tie," Rowena fixes it for him before heading towards the kitchen. "And he doesn't hate you, he just knows you. Plus I've met your parents over dinner, it's about time you do the same?"
"Are we not eating in the kitchen?" Rowena looks around.
"Oh no, guests always get the dining room," Ken says coming from the back door, cigarette smoke still lingering.
"Mom hates it when you smell like smoke," Roe tells him, leaving Robbie to kiss her father's cheek.
"Your mother would much rather me smoke than be drinking whiskey every hour of the day," Ken tells her gruffly.
"I prefer you to do neither, but I choose my battles," Rilla tells him coming from the dining room still holding Fleur. "Robert, welcome—dinner won't be long why don't you and Roe finish setting the table?"
"Of course, Mrs. Ford," Robbie says nodding his head. "Thank you for the invitation as well."
"It's of no consequence," Rilla waves him off as Fleur babbles. "As long as you don't mind a rather not-so-straightforward household."
"I mean it would explain Roe's always fascinating choice of topics," Robert says with a grin.
"Rowena has always been bright," Ken says simply. "So that is not so much of a surprise, she could chatter to everyone from a young age at the parties we would bring her to. I got my advertising than I needed because of her way with words."
"I can see that," Robert says nodding his head, and lets Rowena lead him into setting the table. "Mother always had the glasses put on right?" He whispers to her.
"We are not the formal," Rowena whispers to him back. "You can sit next to me, Clara and Oliver will sit on the other side. Mrs. Clarke, should I set you a place?" She calls out.
"You know young miss that I never eat with the family when company is over unless it is a holiday at least. Thank you for asking though," Mrs. Clarke calls out from her spot in the kitchen.
Soon everyone was seated and without fanfare the food was passed around and plates filled with roast chicken, potatoes and fresh summer vegetables that had already grown and sprouted.
"So beyond the obvious," Ken starts, ignoring the look his wife gives him. "What are your plans after high school Robert last year isn't it?"
"Well, I already help out at my uncle's garage and know about automobiles," Robert says looking at Rowena, then Ken. "But I am thinking a lawyer?"
"A lawyer is quite a long road of schooling, and not to mention rather competitive?"
"It is, but by the time I finish my undergraduate Roe will be in college as well. You wanted to study history did you not?" Robbie looks to Rowena who only blushes. "If that works out for her, by the time I finish law school and pass the bar, she'll be done and we can get married if she wants or we can both work for a few years?"
Ken just stares, not expecting such a response but he can feel the vein in his neck just thumping.
"And the war?" Oliver asks speaking up.
"I will do whatever they allow me to, but given I have rather severe hearing loss on my right side. I doubt I will be fit for duty?" Robert says quietly.
"Rowena has never mentioned that?" Ken looks at his daughter.
"I didn't—," Rowena flushes looking at Robbie who mainly shrugs.
"Now I'm curious what the two of you have been talking about if that subject has never come up?" Rilla says amused when her husband gives her an indigent look.
"Or we can just get married when I graduate and I can help you during law school? I can get a job at Eatons or something?" Rowena butts in blushing.
"It's not something I think about, I can hear fairly well and it's never been an issue for everyday life. It happened when I was young, hit my head and ear and next thing sound was fuzzy and while it came bit slightly it never fully came back?" Robert explains.
"How about we not talk about the M-word when Rowena is only fourteen," Ken says authoritatively.
"I'm almost fifteen!" Rowena cries out the same way her mother used to when people called her the wrong age.
"I saw Ollie kissing his classmate today in the backyard today," Clara chirps innocently.
"Clara!" Rilla exclaims, looking towards Robert as she takes her daughter out of the room to talk to her privately.
"I'm sure Clara just misinterpreted what was going on," Ken says gruffly.
"Professor Ashton is still making the whole Shakespeare thing authentic with fake kissing?" Robert looked at Rowena who was pale and biting her lip. Then Oliver who was even more pale.
"Uhh, yeah, that's it," Oliver says looking at his sister. He never considered the Allens to be a family he would have considered safe, his younger brother sure wasn't. Then again he didn't know if his sister would be supportive of his secrets.
"That's good because Majorie has a total crush on you," Rowena says shaking her head.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ollie says quietly looking down at his plate.