blankets over them. ‘Now, as I said, did you lock up?’
‘Of course I did.’
‘Good,’ she said, her lips curling with distaste, ‘and if you don’t mind, keep the noise down. Some of us are trying to sleep.’
Kevin felt sick as memories of his childhood rose to haunt him. As a little boy, if he so much as touched his penis, his mother reacted with disgust, the same look he was seeing on her face now. She would tell him that he was a dirty little boy, filthy, and if he touched himself again, she wouldn’t love him.
She turned on her heels, leaving the room, and Kevin now felt Pearl trembling beside him. He forced the memories away, turning on his side to gather her in his arms. Softly he began to caress her.
‘No, please, we can’t,’ she said, her body becoming rigid. ‘Your … your mother might hear us.’
‘Not if we’re quiet,’ he whispered. Yet as he made to mount her again, he thought he heard a noise outside their room, and tensed. Once again his erection died and he threw himself away with disgust.
‘I … I’m sorry,’ Pearl whispered.
Kevin clutched at her apology. Yes, it was her fault, her bloody nerves putting him off. He turned on his side, whispered a curt good night, and then closed his eyes, the drink affecting him more than he realised as he almost immediately went to sleep.
Over a week passed, and Pearl’s dream of a happy marriage was already fading. They still hadn’t made love and she could sense Kevin’s growing impatience. It was her fault, she knew that, but with her mother-in-law just across the landing she was unable to relax. Kevin would climb into bed now, immediately turning his back, whilst Pearl remained awake, just wishing that at least he would hold her in his arms.
Kevin went out most evenings and though Bernie tried to make Pearl feel at home when she joined them in the living room, Dolly kept her eyes glued to their small television and hardly spoke.
Now, as they closed the café on Saturday and she went upstairs, Pearl swallowed deeply, trying to pluck up the courage to speak to her mother-in-law about her wages.
She made them all a drink, wondering if she should wait until Kevin came home to offer his support. Yet surely it was just an oversight, Dolly forgetting to pay her along with the others. As she handed her mother-in-law a cup of tea, it rattled in the saucer.
‘Er … Dolly, I think you’ve forgotten my wages.’
‘Wages! Leave it out, girl. You’re married to my son and whether I like it or not, you’re part of this family now.’
‘But—’
Dolly held up her hand, forestalling any argument. ‘And, may I add, I don’t take a penny for your keep. Pay indeed.’
‘But I need to buy—’
‘I can’t see that you need anything,’ Dolly interrupted. ‘You live rent free, and all your meals are provided. I hope you don’t think I’m providing money for you to waste on fripperies.’
‘No, of course not, but my skirts won’t fasten around my waist and I need a couple of maternity smocks.’
‘Well, that’s soon sorted. Gertie’s good with a needle and she’ll be able to add a bit to your skirts. She’ll run you up a couple of maternity smocks too.’ Dolly rose to her feet. ‘I’ve got a length of material somewhere and I’ll dig it out.’
Pearl watched her leave, her heart sinking. It wasn’t just smocks she needed, there was underwear too. Bernie looked up from his newspaper, eyes sympathetic, and his voice barely above a whisper. ‘I ain’t got much, love, but I can give you five bob.’
‘Oh, Bernie,’ Pearl whispered gratefully, only to turn sharply as Dolly returned.
‘There,’ she said, holding up a piece of cream material, garishly patterned with bright pink chrysanthemums. ‘It’s been stuck in the cupboard for years, but I knew it would come in handy one day. I reckon there’s enough here for at least two smocks.’
‘Blimey, it looks like curtaining,’ Bernie said.
‘What does that matter? She’ll only be wearing smocks for a few months and there’s no sense in wasting money.’
‘Well, if you say so,’ Bernie said doubtfully, ‘but I don’t know what people are going to think if they see Pearl dressed in that. They’ll think we can’t afford anything better.’
Dolly frowned. ‘Yeah, you may be right. I’ll put this back in the cupboard and buy a new bit of material.’
Pearl could have hugged him. He’d obviously hit on the one thing that could make her mother-in-law change her mind: people’s opinions.
As Dolly marched out of the room again, Bernie winked. ‘You have to know how to handle her,’ he whispered.
‘Thanks,’ Pearl mouthed, grateful that he was an ally in this strange household.
When Dolly returned, Bernie retreated into his newspaper again, and with a sigh Pearl found her fingers itching to paint, to bury her worries in art. Her supplies had run out, not only of paint, but sketching paper too, and with no money of her own, she’d be unable to buy any more. Art classes were a thing of the past now, her dream for the time being ending with her pregnancy. She missed the lessons, wishing she could still afford them, dreading the thought of another evening stuck indoors with her in-laws.
Kevin walked in at six o’clock, and for a moment Pearl brightened. It was Saturday night – perhaps he’d take her out. But her hopes were dashed when he spoke.
‘I’ve got to go out again. Have you ironed my white shirt, Pearl?’
‘Out again?’ Bernie said, and, as though sensing how she felt, he added, ‘Are you taking Pearl with you?’
‘No. I’ve got a bit of business to sort out.’
‘What – on a Saturday night?’ Bernie asked, eyes narrowed as he gazed at his son.
‘That’s what I said, didn’t I? Where’s Mum?’
‘She’s having a bath.’
‘Sod it. I need to talk to her. How long has she been in there?’
‘A while. What do you want to talk to her about?’
‘That’s my business.’
‘No doubt you’re after money again. It’s about time you found yourself a job.’
‘I’m doing my best.’
Bernie shook his head in disgust. ‘You’re a married man now and should think about your wife and coming child.’
‘He is looking, Bernie, really he is.’
‘Oh yeah? Well, work ain’t that hard to find.’
As Dolly walked into the room wrapped in a copious blue candlewick dressing gown, her eyes narrowed. ‘Bernie, did I hear you having a go at Kevin?’
‘I was just saying that he should get a job.’
‘Keep your nose out of it, Bernie. I think I know what’s best for my son and I don’t want him working in some dead-end job without prospects. He has good qualifications and deserves a decent salary, not the pittances he’s been offered so far.’
‘Oh, so he’s applied for some jobs then?’
‘Of course he has,’ Dolly snapped. ‘Ain’t that right, Kevin?’
Kevin blinked rapidly, his eyes avoiding his father’s. ‘Yes, but Mum, can I have a word with