They condemned Vera in our village the very day her belly started to show beneath her cardigan. And she was forty-two! A widow! Such a disgrace.
Her husband, Simon, had been laid to rest in the village graveyard a decade ago, and now here she wasturning up with a bun in the oven.
Whos the father, then? the women hissed at the water pump.
Who knows! others joined in. Quiet, modest but you see whats become of her! Got herself knocked up.
The girls are at marrying age, and the mothers carrying on! Scandalous!
Vera avoided everyones gaze. As she trudged home from the post office, the heavy bag digging into her shoulder, she kept her eyes glued to the pavement. Her lips pressed in a thin line.
Had she known how all this would turn out, perhaps shed have made different choices. Still, could she really stand by and do nothing when her own flesh and blood was sobbing her heart out?
Truth is, none of this started with Vera, but with her daughter, Mary
Mary wasnt just a pretty girl; she was picture perfect. The image of her late father, Simon, who had been the handsomest man in the villagefair haired and blue eyed. Mary inherited both his looks and his charm.
Everyone in the village took notice of her. Her younger sister, Kate, though, took after Vera: dark haired, serious, with deep brown eyeseasily overlooked, a quiet shadow.
Vera adored her two girls; she doted on them, single-handedly raising them. Day after day she juggled two jobs: postwoman by day, cleaning the local dairy barn by night. Everything she did, she did for them.
You girls must get yourselves an education! shed urge. I dont want you stuck in mucky jobs, lugging heavy bags your whole lives. You need to head to the city, make something of yourselves!
So Mary left for London in a heartbeat, breezing her way through exam results and into business college. She took to city life with ease, soon sending home photos: in posh restaurants, in the latest dresses. And there was a fiancé tooa real catch, son of some manager. Mum, hes promised me a fur coat! she wrote.
Vera was elated, but Kate scowled. After school, Kate stayed in the village and started as a nursing assistant at the local hospital. She hoped to train properly, but money was tight.
Every penny from Simons widows pension, along with Veras wages, went straight to Mary and her London life.
***
That summer, Mary turned up at homenot as usual, full of cheer, dolled up, bearing gifts, but quiet, drawn. She barely left her room for two days before Vera found her weeping into her pillow on the third.
Mum Mum, Ive ruined everything
Then she confessed. The brilliant fiancé had his fun and dumped her. Now she was nearly five months gone.
Its too late for you know, Mum! What am I going to do? He wants nothing to do with me! He even said if I went through with it, he wouldnt give me a penny! Ill be thrown out of college! My life is finished!
Vera sat as if struck by lightning.
You mean you you didnt
What does it matter now! Mary wailed. What am I meant to do thensend it off to an orphanage? Leave it on someones doorstep?
Veras heart nearly failed her. An orphanage? Her grandchild?
That night, Vera paced the house like a spectre. At dawn, she sat on Marys bed.
Its alright, Vera said firmly. Well go through with it.
Mum! How? Everyone will find out! Itll be a scandal!
No one will know, Vera interrupted. Well say… its mine.
Mary stared in disbelief.
Yours? Mum, you know how old you are? Forty-two!
Mine, Vera repeated. Ill go stay with our Maggie in Sussex, as if Im helping out. Ill have the baby there, and stay a while. You go back to London. Keep studying.
On the other side of the thin wall, Kate heard everything. She bit into her pillow, tears streaming down her face. She pitied Mum, and felt sick with resentment towards her sister.
***
A month later, Vera left. The gossip flared, then faded away. Six months passed, and she returned. She wasnt alone: nestled in a pram was a bundle in a blue blanket.
Here, Katie, Vera said softly to her pale daughter, meet your little brother Michael.
The village gasped. Trust Vera, the quiet one, to turn up like this! The widow, of all people!
Whos the father, then? the women hissed anew. Could it be the vicar?
No, hes far too old. Must be the farm manager! Hes a good-looking man, still on his own!
Vera, stoic, bore their judgement. Life from then on was tough. Michael was a restless, screaming baby. Vera was run raggedpostbag by day, dairy at night, now sleepless evenings too. Katie helped as much as she could: she silently washed nappies, rocked her brother, but inside she boiled with anger.
Mary wrote now and then from London. Mum, how are you? I miss you! Im broke at the moment, but Ill send money soon!
When the money arrived, a year later, it was only a thousand pounds and a pair of jeans for Katietwo sizes too small.
Vera barely coped. Katie stuck by her, but life wasnt kind to her either. Boys lost interest when they learned about the baggagea racy mother, a brother born out of wedlock
Mum, Katie said when she turned twenty-five, shouldnt we just tell the truth?
No, love! Vera panicked. We cant! It would ruin Marys chances. Shes married now. To a good man.
Mary really had sorted herself outfinished college, married a businessman, moved to the capital. She sent photos from Egypt, Turkeycapital glamour on show.
She never asked after her brother. Vera would write anyway: Mikes started year one at school. Top of his class.
Mary replied with expensive, but utterly useless gifts for village life.
So the years flew by. Michael turned eighteena tall, blue-eyed lad, cheerful and hardworking. He worshipped his mum (Vera), and his sister Katie.
By then, Katie had completely adapted; she was now senior nurse at the district hospital. A spinster, people whispered behind her back. She herself seemed resigneda life lived for her mother and for Michael.
Michael finished school with top marks.
Mum! Im off to London! Ill go to university! he announced.
Veras heart clenched. London Thats where Mary was.
Are you sure you dont want to stay closer? Perhaps attend the local uni? she tentatively suggested.
Oh Mum, I have to make my mark! Just wait and seeIll have you and Kate living like queens in no time!
The day Michael finished his last exam, a gleaming black car pulled up at the gate.
Out stepped Mary. Vera gasped. Katie, whod just opened the door to shake out a duster, froze mid-motion.
Mary, nearly forty, looked as if shed walked off a magazine cover: slim, chic, dripping in gold.
Mum! Kate! Hello! she sang, kissing a stunned Vera on the cheek. Wheres
She caught sight of Michael, who emerged from the shed wiping his hands.
She locked eyes with him and seemed to freeze; her eyes brimmed with tears.
Hello, Michael said politely. Are you Mary? My sister?
Sister Mary echoed faintly. Mum, we need to talk.
They went inside.
Mum Ive got everything: house, money, a husband But I cant have children.
She broke down, expensive mascara running.
Weve tried IVF dozens of specialists. Nothing works. My husband is angry. I I cant take it anymore.
Why are you here, Mary? Kate asked quietly.
Mary lifted tear-stained eyes. Ive come for my son.
Are you mad? Your son?!
Mum, stop shouting! Mary snapped. Hes mine! I gave birth to him! I can give him a futureconnections! Hell get into any college! A flat in the city! My husbands agreedIve told him everything!
You told him? Vera breathed. But what of us? Did you explain the shame I carried? How Kate
Oh, what about Kate! Mary sniffed. Sat in this village and will carry on doing so! But Michaelhe has a chance! Mum, give him to me! You saved my life then, thank youbut now, give me my son!
Hes not a thing to pass around! Vera shouted. Hes mine! I raised him, sat up nights with him! I taught him
Right then, Michael walked in. Hed heard it all. He stood in the doorway, pale as a sheet.
Mum? Kate? Whats she on about? What son?
Mike! Son! Im your mother! Your real mother!
Michael stared at her as if she were a ghost, then turned to Vera.
Mum is it true?
Vera covered her face and sobbed. Suddenly, Katie, usually so quiet, exploded. She stormed over and slapped Mary, sending her reeling back against the wall.
You selfish cow! Katie screamed, years of fury, humiliation, and ruined chances bursting out. Mother?! What kind of mother are you?
You abandoned himabandoned us! Did you care that Mum could barely walk down the street for all the pointing and gossip? Did you care Ive spent my life alone because of your mistakes? No husband, no family of my ownand now you waltz back to take him?!
Dont, Katie Vera murmured.
I must, Mum! Weve suffered enough! Katie turned to Michael. Yes! Thats your mothershe left you with my mum so she could live it up in the city! And this, she jabbed a finger at Vera, is your grandmother, who ruined her own life for you two!
Michael was silent for a long time. Then, he went to Vera, knelt down, and hugged her.
Mum, he whispered. Mummy.
He looked up at Mary, who was sinking down the wall, clutching her face.
I havent got a mother in London, he said quietly but firmly. I have one motherright here. As well as a sister.
He stood and took Katies hand.
As for you Aunty youd better leave.
Mike! Son! Mary wailed. I can give you everything!
Ive got all I need, Michael said, calm and cold. I have a wonderful family. You have nothing.
***
Mary left that very evening. Her husband, whod watched the entire drama from their car, didnt even come in.
They say he left her a year later, finding another woman who gave him what he wanted. Mary, with all her money and her looks, was left alone.
Michael never went to Londoninstead, he attended university nearby, studying engineering.
Mum, Im needed here. Weve got a house to build.
And Katie? That night, all those years of pressure finally burst. It was as if shed been uncorkedshe blossomed at thirty-eight. The farm manager, the very one gossiped about in the past, started calling around. A handsome widower.
Vera watched it all and weptat last, with happiness. Yes, there had been sin, but a mothers heart can endure even shame, for the sake of love.
Reflecting now, I see just how deep a mothers sacrifice runsand that family isnt made perfect by secrets, but by loyalty and love forged in stormier days. Our true worth, Ive learned, lies not in appearances or town gossip, but by those who hold us close on the hardest days.
