Diaries of a Lady by Gillian Cox

Author:Gillian Cox
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Self-Publishing

July 1921

How time flies, in the middle of the month, we went to Harry and Mary Ann’s for what is termed a ‘baby shower’ in Canada and America, giving of gifts for the new baby to come, clothes, bedding, a cradle, cot, feeding bottles. Harry’s mother and Father were there of course, as were Mother and Father Horan, Helen our cook/housekeeper was there too, having prepared a light tea, and with another friend served it to the guests. Mary Ann was sitting in an armchair, with her feet up at times, as she had swollen ankles, but she kept putting her feet down, and got up to walk around to talk to her guests, as she found it difficult to rest as she is quite an energetic lady, like me. I well remember my pregnancies (new phrase for me) and my ankles swelled also. Harry was very attentive, it being their first child, he is such a lovely man, and Gerard, although not with me all the time, has been very attentive to me, and although he is busy with his further studies, we have our moments of privacy, but I wish I could have another child.

Still enough of that, during the next two weeks, we visited Mary Ann as a family, with the children, but on some occasions on my own, to spend time with her, discussing the where and when she went to give birth.

One bright afternoon, the 28th actually, and the children, Riella and I were in the vegetable garden, looking at the fruit bushes, and to see how the vegetables were getting bigger, and into the greenhouse at the tomato plants, I suddenly had an urge to call Mary Ann, so excused myself as the children were engrossed in their little gardening session. I went to the hallway and picked up the tubular earpiece of the telephone and lifted up the speaker long stand part and tapped the lever at the bottom, and heard a voice on the exchange part asking me what number I required, I identified my house number and asked for Mary Ann’s telephone number, three was a click and then a burring noise, which was the ringing tone, then after a few of these tones a click and a voice said, ‘Mary Ann Manton speaking who is calling?’ I told her it was me and said, ‘I just wondered if you were all right, just to say hello.’ There was a pause on the other end then, ‘Well I have felt rather weird this morning, I just cannot relax, but I have also had a funny stomach, sort of cramps.’

I was a bit worried and thought back to my babies’ births, everyone is different; she should not be alone, maybe if I went for a little while. ‘If you like, I will come over to see you now, as soon as I can get a taxi, just me, try to relax Mary Ann dear.’

She just said, ‘Thank you’ and the line went dead.

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