Come on now, pet, mop up those tears. No sense in squandering perfectly serviceable weeping over that Martin fellow, Grandma Edith consoled her granddaughter, Grace. Didnt I tell you before you tied the knot? Martins a wrongun, but youoh, its true love, hes my soulmate, you insisted. Well, wheres that everlasting romance now?
Oh Gran, I was hoping for a bit of sympathy, not another I told you so, Grace whimpered, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
What do you expect me to say? Applaud Martin, whos about as much use as a paper umbrella in a downpour? Now youre left to pick up the pieces.
But Gran, what about love? I trusted him, and he waltzed in with Sandra from next doorshes old enough to be his babysitter, and she had the cheek to laugh at me! Six months married, and already
Grace had come home early from her job, only to hear giggles from the bedroom. She opened the door and nearly keeled over. Martin looked like a fox caught in the headlights, while Sandra beamed and declared, Whats your problem? Just giving your husband a crash course in romance! and cackled like a pantomime villain.
Grace legged it out of the house and ended up at her nans, barely knowing how she got there.
Love, she calls it What sort of love brings another woman into your home? Ditch him, get a divorce before theres a little one. Stay here with me for now, Edith insisted.
She tried to sound tough, but her heart ached for Grace. Martin, from a family famous for their blazing rows and Saturday night pub crawls. Edith had always suspected it would end in tears, but Grace wouldnt have it.
Mind you, sometimes kids from those families turn out all right, but not Martin. He was a handful from day one, and as a grown-up, he drank like a fish and picked fights he never won. Edith never wanted Grace to marry him, but Martin was craftyhe knew Grace was gentle, caring, and worked like a Trojan.
Grace, I swear on my mums life, Ill give up the booze as soon as were wed, hed promised, ring at the ready.
And she, bless her, believed every word. Shed never had a proper boyfriendjust a school crush on Tom, but that fizzled out. She fell for Martin, who was easy on the eye and four years her senior, already done with his stint in the army.
Everyone tried to talk her out of it. Her mate Lizzie was blunt as ever: I cant stand Martin. If you marry him, dont bring him round ours. My Mike cant abide him either, and he reckons youll regret it.
Lizzie, why is everyone so down on him? Ill be happy, just wait and see! Grace snapped, storming off while Lizzie watched, full of pity.
Edith did her bestbrewed a pot of mint tea, tried to distract her, but it was hopeless. She knew from experience: when things are truly dire, advice is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. You just have to muddle through.
As dusk settled, Martin turned up in Ediths front garden, three sheets to the wind and bellowing for the whole street to hear. When Edith came out with her walking stick, he roared, Grace, get out here or Ill drag you out myself!
Oh, you fancy your chances? Edith waved her stick. Come any closer and youll regret it, never mind my age!
She felt brave, seeing the neighbours gathering behind the gate, and Lizzie and Mike had already come into the garden.
Martin started hurling threats, even saying hed torch Ediths house with Grace inside. But Mike stepped forward, grabbed Martin by the collar, and shook him until he shut up.
Thats enough! We all heard you. Time for a word with the police, I reckon. Now clear off! Mike marched him to the kerb and gave him a shove. Martin landed face-first on the pavement, scrambled up, and slunk off.
The neighbours drifted away, Grace came outside, and Lizzie gave her a squeeze. Mike waved and headed home. Edith settled on the bench under the window, with Grace and Lizzie beside her.
So much for love and wedded bliss, Grace muttered. What now, Gran? You know everything about loveyou and Granddad Jack were together fifty years, always said you got on.
Oh, for goodness sake, love, enough about love. Im not sure I ever knew what it was.
Grace and Lizzie exchanged glancesif anyone should know, surely it was Edith.
Gran, tell us how you married Granddad Jack, Grace asked, hoping for a change of subject.
All right, but lets get one thing straight: there was no grand romance, no dashing looks, no flowery speeches, not even a mother-in-law to battle. But I got married all the same.
Edith paused, lost in memories of her youth.
She and Jack had been in the same class at school, though he was from the next village over. The school was in their village, so kids trekked miles to get there. After year seven, Jack disappearedEdith barely noticed, too busy at home. She finished school and stayed to help with her three younger siblings.
Her dad was often poorly after falling into an icy river one spring, so her mum worked at the dairy, leaving Edith in charge. She cooked, kept the little ones in line, did the laundry, mended clothes, and tidied up. Her mum would come home knackered, and her dad mostly stayed in bed. Edith rarely had time for the village hall dances, but her mum would say, Go on, love, youre only young once.
One evening at the village hall, Edith spotted Jack againhed come back after three years, now grown and hanging about her. Mind if I walk you home? hed ask. If she fancied it, shed let him. If not, shed just head inside. Jack was persistent, always trailing after her, but she felt indifferenthe was just another lad. They stayed friends for nearly three years.
Im off to the army next week, will you write to me? he asked.
If you write first, Ill reply, she promised.
She didnt answer every letterhe wrote like clockwork. She didnt see anyone else, though; no one caught her fancy. Jack came back from the army that winter, broader and more serious. They started seeing each other again.
When the snow melted, Jack said, How long are we going to keep this up? Marry me, will you? Im tired of traipsing from my village to yours.
All right, I will, Edith agreed.
Jack never said he loved her, and she didnt feel swept off her feet eitherit just seemed the right time. Jack wasnt much for words, just an ordinary village lad, no knight in shining armour.
Mum, Dad, Im getting married. Jacks asked me.
Her dad said nothinghe was too frail. Her mum kicked up a fuss, even Grandma came round shouting, Why marry that penniless lad? He hasnt a penny to his name! Edith thought, Well, were hardly rolling in it ourselves.
The wedding was in Jacks village, a proper knees-up with singing, dancing, and plenty of banter. The weather was glorious, everything in bloom, and the guests brought gifts: three hens, a cockerel, a couple of sacks of wheat, and a bag of flour.
They decided to live in Ediths village, but until their own house was built, they stayed with Jacks dad. Jacks mum had died young. The family built them a little house over the summer, and they moved in straight away. They added a shed, got a cow and a pig.
Edith worked at the dairy, Jack drove a tractor. They worked hard, but they were young and managed it all. A year later, their son was bornthe only child they had.
I always wanted a daughter to help out, Edith would say, but it wasnt to be.
Their son grew up, moved to the city, became an agronomist, and married a local girlcalm and easy-going. Then along came Grace, Ediths beloved granddaughter. Edith and Jack made it to retirement together.
Jack and I had it easy, really, Edith said. He was steady and kind, never once raised his voice. We kept no secrets, just enjoyed what we had. Jack loved his beeskept a whole hive, and Id help him. He could spend hours with them. Sometimes Id get stung on the cheek, and hed laugh, Lets get some cold water on that, or youll be all puffed upstill beautiful, though, even if I cant see your eye!
Jack never said sweet nothings, but hed pick wild strawberries or raspberries and feed them to her, making her giggle. He loved books, tooprobably read the whole village library, even with all the farm work. Sometimes hed read aloud to Edith.
So, girls, Edith finished, Jack and I were together fifty-one years. We never made a fuss about love, never declared it, never really thought about it. We just stuck together, looked after each other, especially when one of us was ill. But when Jack was gone, my fairy tale ended. Now its just me in this house.
Grace divorced Martin, who never bothered her again. Before long, she found happiness with a good manone Grandma Edith wholeheartedly approved of.
