Pocketful of Life

By Mandy Byrne

We continue following Birdie as she grows from a young girl into a beautiful woman. Tradegy strikes again and Birdie is left with her nephew Jamie to raise as her own. She struggles to make a living from her art and finds a job as an illistrator. Love comes like a blessing but she finds she can't accept it because of Jamie, his love did not include the child. Birdie meets up with an old friend and she hopes their love is for real this time.
May also marries and dreams of having a child of her own. She adopts a little girl Sally but she fears she has cancer and wonders if she will live to rear her.
Life has many twists and turns for Birdie she wonders at times if she will ever know peace and happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mandy Byrne
• Release date: May 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458175694

Book preview

Pocketful of Life

BY

MANDY BYRNE

.

COPYRIGHT © MANDY BYRNE 2011

PUBLISHED AT SMASHWORDS

CHAPTER ONE

Munching on an apple, lying full length on the floor on her belly Birdie waved a leg in the air as she read out aloud to May.

‘Entries must be in by the 5th of May. That’s only four weeks away Miss May, I can’t get it done in such a short time. Not painting it.’ Birdie poured over the newspaper as she read aloud.

‘Do it in charcoal Birdie, you’re good in charcoal.’ May leaned over to scan the page.

It was two years since Birdie had come to live with the Rushmore’s. She was nearly fifteen. At five foot four inches she had stopped growing. Her long black curly hair was shoulder length and framed an interesting face. Birdie’s eyes didn’t look quite as startling now her face had filled out, but their vivid colour would always get her noticed. Her short nose was small and rather cute looking, at least her friends thought so. Her perfect, thick, creamy skin, with its blush of pink on her cheeks was the envy of many older ladies and her full natural red lips gave her a rather sensuous look, some would have said sexy. If others were aware of her good looks Birdie just took them for granted and didn’t feel she was any more beautiful than her friends.

May’s obvious love and pride in Birdie bonded the two very close. It was her desire to see Birdie excel in art as she was very talented. May was urging her to enter a county competition in the hope she might get placed and boost the girl’s confidence.

It worried May that Birdie never pushed herself forward or tried to show how clever and talented she was when it came to drawing. If she could get a place in something like the Annual Schools Art festival she hoped it would make her realise she did indeed have talent.

‘Oh Miss May I don’t think I am that good. I do like charcoal but there will be loads of people better than me. How about I make you a nice cup of tea?’ Birdie scrambled to her feet hoping to change the subject.

May sighed as she watched the slender figure skip across the landing and disappear down the stairs.

The old nursery room was Birdie’s favourite room and whenever May wondered where she might be she usually found her here. It was hardly surprising as May herself loved the old furniture and cosy atmosphere the room emanated. It was one room in the house that never changed since she was a child.

I should bring a kettle and tea making things up here, she thought, it would save going down two flights of stairs each time. Birdie is old enough she could trust her with a kettle.

May remembered her mother refusing when she had asked for such items. How old fashioned they had been. Making a mental note not be stuffy like her mother May decided a kettle was the next thing she would buy.

Opening Birdie’s large art folder May looked at the many drawings. All were dated and signed, something Birdie was now doing automatically. Pulling one out dated two months earlier May could see it was a portrait of Birdie’s sister Bernadette.

Bernadette had sent a photo of herself done in a studio in Dublin. The photo was clipped to the top of the drawing. It showed a snub nosed girl with straight hair that hung down her back and was gathered at the neck with black tape. She had the same creamy skin as Birdie but it was marred by the curse of most young people, teenage spots.

Her eyes were not as large as Birdie’s and May wondered what colour they were. The photo was to celebrate her sixteenth birthday and Bernadette was obviously proud of it. Birdie told her it was the first photo Bernadette had taken.

Birdie had copied it making it was much larger than the photograph. She managed to capture the vulnerability the softness of young age and May was fascinated how she'd caught the girls expression, shy yet defiant. Bernadette's chin was more square than Birdie's and it gave her. a more determined look. May got the feeling she was more assertive than Birdie.

The rattle of cups on saucers brought May back from her wondering. She might wish Birdie was less shy and more out going but she loved her dearly all the same.

Birdie poured the tea out and leaned up against May’s legs. Both felt relaxed and comfortable.

‘You know Miss May,’ Birdie stuck to the prefix despite May urging her to drop the Miss but she didn't seem able to change the way she addressed the Rushmore’s. May tried to get her to call them Aunt and Uncle but the Miss May still slipped out Birdie didn’t feel right addressing them any other way, and she liked calling them Miss and Sir, it felt natural to her. After trying to correct her they gave up and hardly noticed it now.

‘I think you should get married,’ Birdie finished.

‘Oh! What makes you feel I suddenly need a husband?’ May teased her back.

‘Well, you are so good with all the children we have to stay here and I think you should have some of your own. Wouldn’t you like a baby?’ Birdie looked up into May’s face and noticed the fleeting look of hope pass across the still young features.

'Of course I would like a baby. I guess most women do, but I just haven’t found the right man yet. I don’t suppose I will now either, I’m thirty five darling. Who wants an old woman like me?’ May laughed to hide how she really felt. Thirty five was old to marry for the first time she felt.

‘You’re not old. You would make a lovely mother. All you need is to get out and meet more people. Bernadette says she goes dancing every Saturday night and she meets lots of boys.’

‘Well thank you for telling me Birdie, but I think boys are a bit young for me.’ May felt the conversation was becoming too personal and tried to change the subject. ‘How about we go to the cinema, Gone with the Wind is showing still,’ she coaxed.

‘How about the tennis club dances? You used to go to them. You said how much you enjoyed them. It’s important to get out and meet fella’s you know.’ Birdie said ignoring Mays attempts to change the conversation.

‘Well maybe. Come on lets go out somewhere. I feel restless.’ May pulled Birdie to her feet and reluctantly Birdie let the subject drop.

Bernadette read Birdie’s letter. It was another world she thought. She wondered what it was like to live in London; to be able to go to the cinema whenever you liked. Even the expression going out for a cup of coffee sounded so like the movies. The only time Bernadette had drunk coffee in a café was when she had gone to Dublin for her birthday with Aunty Maureen. They had eaten their midday meal in a café and finished off with instant coffee .Bernadette sighed and started putting the sheet she'd just washed through the mangle. Turning the handle and watching the water ooze out, she wished she could go to London and see her sister.

Why can’t you? Bernadette paused for a moment in her work, the thought seemed to shout in her head. Could she go? She thought of the seven pounds in her savings tin. It was for a new winter coat and shoes. No, she chided her thoughts, she needed the coat. Logic and longing warred with each other as she finished off the washing.

‘Mrs Mac would you mind if I had a couple of weeks away, on a holiday like?’ Bernadette asked as she helped clear away the midday dishes. She decided to test out her thoughts. If Mrs Mac said no then she would buy the coat.

‘Where were you thinking of go’in?’ Kate asked.

‘Well. To be honest I was thinking of going to London to see Birdie. Do you think I could?’

‘Aye ya can. It is not hard to do. You catch the bus then the boat then a train. Get Birdie to meet you in London. Do ya think ya could manage that on ya own?’ Kate gave Bernadette a speculative look.

‘I think so. I’ve been to Dublin so I guess I can go to London.’ Bernadette was trying to convince herself she could do it, but just the thought of it made her feel scared inside, and what about her coat?.

‘Well if ya want to go, the best time would be before the summer starts. I need ya help more in the summer than any other time. Sheelagh can do some of your chores in the dairy now. In fact it might be a good way to get her interested.’ Kate said thoughtfully. ‘Yes darlin’ you go off and I will train that lazy girl of mine to be more help. At nearly ten she should be helping out more.’

Bernadette half expected Kate to say no, she couldn’t go. Now here she was actually encouraging her. With a tremulous smile Bernadette nodded her head.

Licking her lips Bernadette sat holding her pen, she was composing a letter to Birdie.

Dear Birdie, I am coming on holiday to see you. Mrs Mac has given me two weeks off and I thought I would come to London and see you. Can I stay with you at Miss May’s house? If I can it would be great. Would you be able to have time off school? I thought I would come on the lst of May. Write and tell me if it is alright and if you can meet me at the station.

Write soon and let me know.

Your loving sister, Bernadette .xxx

‘She wants to come! Miss May Bernadette wants to come and see me. Oh! Please say yes, please, please!’ Birdie felt a huge ball of excitement fill her whole being.

It was nearly four years since she had seen Bernadette. It never occurred to Birdie her sister could come and visit her, till she received her letter. .Ireland and her family had become a dream in her mind and suddenly it wasn't. Why hadn't she thought of inviting her before? For so long she had written to her that now she just felt that was how it would always be until now.

‘She wants to come next month.’

‘How is she coming?’ May caught some of Birdies excitement ‘Of course she can stay here and what a lovely surprise for you.’

‘She hasn’t said how she is coming but probably the same way I did. Can I have time off school do you think?’

‘Oh I am sure something can be arranged. Hurry up and write back. And Birdie don’t forget to give her our phone number in case she gets lost.’ May called out as Birdie ran up the stairs two at a time.

CHAPTER TWO

Smoke obscured Bernadette’s vision and for a moment she felt panic rise inside. What if no one came to meet her? She pulled the crumpled sheet of paper from her pocket and read the telephone number and address Birdie sent her.

Feeling somewhat reassured she dragged her battered suitcase, thoughtfully provided by Kate and stepped out onto the platform.

All through the long journey Bernadette was constantly amazed at how many people there were travelling. Dublin was very busy but everywhere seemed full of bodies and people going places, it filled her with awe.

On the boat she felt overwhelmed as the crowds surged onto the boat. The crossing was calm and a bit boring. Bernadette didn’t want to spend money on food and had long since finished her packed sandwiches. By the time she arrived in London she was feeling sick with hunger.

Standing on the platform she looked exactly what she was, a young girl in London for the first time.

‘Bernadette!’ a voice rang out and made the girl look around.

Birdie recognized her sister as soon as the smoke cleared and people moved towards the ticket barrier. Running hard she flung herself at Bernadette and nearly knocked the girl over.

‘Goodness Birdie, yer bigger than me!’ Bernadette gasped as she steadied herself.

The two girls looked into each others faces. Birdie was nearly four inches taller than her sister and she suddenly felt strange. Bernadette had always been the big sister, now she felt she was.

‘Oh Bernadette! I am so happy. I’ve been waiting ages, I was so scared I would miss you.’

‘Well here I am. Yer so tall Birdie. I would never have recognized ya. Will you help me with this case? The feckin handle has broken.’

Birdie smiled at the well remembered voice. Her own accent was only a lilt now and she rarely was asked if she was Irish these days.‘Well you made it Bernadette. I’m May and delighted to meet you.’ May held out a hand then stepped forward and hugged the suddenly shy Bernadette.

It was one of those warm May days and Benny brought a tray of tea and cakes out into the garden for them all. Bernadette was over awed by