Life, its like that
Tommy, sniffing from the cold, dragged a dry pine log on his big wooden sledge. The tree had fallen right at the edge of the villagenormally, you werent supposed to take it, but old Ted, the local woodsman, had whispered to him, When it gets dark, go fetch it.
The boy strained against the weight, pulling with all his might.
Tommy, Tommy! someone called out. Of courseit was sharp-eyed Lucy, his classmate.
What dyou want?
Let me help.
What a chatterbox! Whered a girl get such strength? Still, it was easier with two. Together, they hauled the log towards home.
Whos looking after the little ones, Tommy?
Gran, who else? Mums at work.
Oh. I came to help with your homework, but your place was dark, and the door was locked.
Billy told me through the door youd gone towards the woods. You told em to stay put, didnt you?
Had to lock it
Still running off?
Aye, keeps making for the fields, wants to go back to her mum.
Poor thing. Suffering herself, making you all suffer too.
Aye.
They got the log to Tommys house.
Thanks, Lucy.
Dont mention it. Fetch the sawwell cut it quick.
Ill manage, youve done enough.
Oh, sure. Youll be hacking at it all night, or we can do it proper now.
They took up the saw together, and soon neat, dry logs lay stacked on the ground.
In the window, tiny faces pressed against the glasssix-year-old Billy and two-year-old Annie.
Tommy grabbed the axe, drove it clean into a log, splitting it with a crack. Another strike, then anothersoon, the wood fell into halves.
Lucy gathered the splinters while Tommy chopped.
Once theyd stacked the firewood inside, the boy lit the stove. Golden flickers danced across the ceiling, and warmth crept into the room.
Ill make you some stew. Aunt Maggiell be back from worksave her the trouble.
Nah, were alright, Tommy muttered, flushing. Granll cook.
No, no, Tommy! Billy whined. Let Lucy do it, eh? Remember last time Gran made that awful slop? Threw in cabbage, peas, even some of Mums dill seedsfit for pigs, that was.
Ill cook, Billy. You help.
Whose girl are you? A hunched old woman shuffled in, wrapped in a shawl, her boots scuffing the floor.
Gran, get changedits warm now.
Cold, Danny
Whos Danny? Im Tommy, your grandson.
Oh? Wheres Danny, then?
Gone. Hell be back.
She mean Uncle Dan?
Aye. She doesnt understand. Got worse after he left.
Why didnt he take her? His own mother!
Tommy shrugged. He hated talking about it.
DanTommys father, Maggies husbandhad run off to his fancy woman. Left Gran with them, sneaked off just before winter. Took the pigs for meat, the cow, even Daisy the heifer. Mum begged himjust leave the heifer, shed raise it for milk.
Hed laughed. What kind of man comes to his bride empty-handed?
Tommy had hated him ever since. Cleared out half the pantry, took sacks of potatoes, even divided the cutlerycounted every spoon.
Mum came home to find the kids huddled by the oil lamp. Tommy read Billy a story. Gran dozed by the stove, Annie asleep behind her, thumb in mouth.
Mum, Billy whispered, its warm. Tommy got wood, him and Lucy sawed it. Lucy made stewproper nice. Annies asleep. Gran tried to run off twice, but we caught her.
Maggie hung her coat, smiled faintly, ruffled Billys tousled hair.
Tommy youve too much on you.
Salright, Mum. Eatstews good.
After supper, Maggie mended clothes. A knock rattled the window.
Whos that, Tommy?
The door swung open, icy air rushing in. A bundled-up woman stomped inside.
Blimey, freezing out there! Reckon itll drop below zero tonightMarch my foot! Here, Maggiesome crackling and a bit of lard.
Ta, Val, but you shouldnt
Nonsense! Flour left?
Some.
Right. Two pints of milkfroze it last winterand eggs. Bake something. Well manage till spring, then plant the garden, thingsll ease. Dont fret seed potatoesJohn said well spare some. Use what youve got.
She leaned in, whispering.
Oh, Val, what if they find out?
Who? Youve no visitors. One of our sows is duewell manage, Maggie. Itll be alright.
Two nights later, Val smuggled in a piglet no bigger than a mitten.
Scared, Val. What if they find out?
Wont. Weakest of the litterthirteen born. This oned have died.
Next day, Maggie was called to the farm office. She hugged the kids.
Mum, Tommy choked, maybe itll be alright?
Dunno, love. Look after the little ones
The foremanDans old matewouldnt meet her eyes.
Go to the farm.
Why, Mr. Harris?
Just go. Got a chit for milktake a piglet. Valll pick a good one. Take two, if you like.
Whatll I feed em?
Got milk, didnt I? Come April, take a heiferfarms gift.
Aye. Her lips felt dry. Can I go?
Aye Maggie
Yes?
Sorry.
What for?
For Dan. Never thought hed turn out such a rotter. A flings one thing, but leaving kids, his mum cleaning you out. Only just heard.
Aye.
Speak up if you need aught. Firewood too.
So Maggie carried onkids, Gran losing her mind. Tommy helped. Lucyforemans girlpitched in, watching the little ones, chopping wood. Billy too. They scraped by.
The piglet thrived. Two more soon joined it, tails curled, snouts rooting.
One evening, a neighbour called out.
Maggie! Let Tommy fix my roof. Ill paygot crackling stored.
No, Mrs. Clark. Lads not working for scraps. Were managing.
Heard summat, Maggie. Saw Dan with that hussylaughing on his sled, her clinging on. Kids near starving, and him?
Who says were starving?
Oh, aye. Youre plum as peaches.
Maggie hurried home, hid in the shed, and wept.
A scrape at the door.
Mum? You in here?
Maggie Im a burden. When my mind clears, I see itworn you out.
Gran! She snatched the rope from the old womans hands. How could you?
They cried together, tears tracing the old face, wind-whipped and worn.
Come inside. Well make pasties tonight.
Aye, love.
By spring, Gran took to her bed, calling for her son.
Val, she wants Dan. I cant fetch him.
Ill tell John.
Dan never came. Sent money, grunted, For the funeral.
The village judged, but what did he care? Hadnt they gossiped when he left for that barmaid?
Maggie was dullLiz was fire. Married Maggie on a whimorphan girl, no fight in her.
Kids came. Then Liz, all curves and sly smiles.
Hed thought it a fling. But she coiled round him, tighter.
Left. Stepped off the edge.
Kids? Theyd manage. He had. Lizd bear her own.
Tommy turned away in the streetknife to the heart. The little ones barely remembered him.
What could he do? Hed fallen.
They called him a monster. Left his mum to die.
Couldnt face Maggies quiet eyes.
That day, high on spite, hed taken everything.
Now?
Let them judge. Whod seen inside his soul?
Black, they called it. Maybe so.
Dan knelt by the fresh mound, the cross hung with white linen.
Forgive me, Mum
She did, Dan. Came to her senses at the end.
Maggie stood behind him.
Whatre you doing here?
Brought food. Christian custom.
Silence.
Ill go. You talk to her.
Will she hear?
Aye. Mothers heart does. Lifes like that, Dan. Twists you up. You carry the weight, but it dont mean youre alone. Grans gone quiet now. The kids grow. Lucy still comes by. Billys strong. Annie sings. And me? I keep the stove lit, the door open. Nobody gets left behind. Not while Im here.
