Chapter 7

The problem now facing Bill and Wendy was how to look after Theresa when she was discharged from hospital. Doubtless there would be carers and nurses visiting but she would need someone there twenty-four hours a day. They consulted with the hospital and were told that this could last anything up to six months although it would probably be less.

Bill's mother volunteered for the job. She reckoned she could do Monday to Friday and that Bill's father could stay with him in the town house. Bill, Wendy and indeed Theresa were deeply touched by her offer but turned it down. She and her husband were in their late sixties and it would be too much for them. She would be exhausted by the time she got home each weekend. They turned down a similar offer from Theresa's parents who were in their seventies.

They then considered hiring someone to come in every weekday. The problem was to find someone with the both the energy and the qualifications.

Wendy scoffed at the need for qualifications. "I could do it with a bit of advice from the doctor and the district nurse. All we need is someone gentle, compassionate and fit."

They asked around the village. Poppy offered to organise a roster but admitted that she might find it difficult to guarantee full coverage. Bill was all for it. Wendy was less so but agreed to let Poppy see what she could do. She came up with a plan but it meant her doing three days out of five with no reserves. Reluctantly they gave that one up.

"What about Hilda Watkins?" suggested Wendy. "Did you ask her, Poppy?"

"No, I didn't. After that bigamy thing I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with her."

Bill chuckled. "At the time I'd have willingly rung her neck," he said, "but she did apologise. We've heard nothing more about it and I don't bear her a grudge."

"There you are," cried Wendy. "It would give her the chance to make amends."

"Possibly but I'm not sure I want her sniffing round my house not that she'd find anything for tittle-tattle but I suspect she might be one of those sort of people who like things done her way and be critical of anyone else's."

"I reckon you're probably right, Bill," said Poppy. "She's permanently critical of the way the Women's Institute and the parochial church council do things."

"Oh well," said Wendy mournfully. "Another bright idea gone for a ball of chalk."

Bill smiled sympathetically. "Keep 'em coming, my sweet."

She wrinkled her nose at him and Poppy laughed.

"I must go," she said, "but I'll keep thinking and an ear to the ground." She pecked Bill on the cheek, gave Wendy a hug and left.

"I think there's only one thing for it," said Bill. "I'll have to take six months off."

"No!" exclaimed Wendy. "Mum's still going to need care after the six months even though it won't be so intensive. Someone will need to be here full time during the school holidays. You're due to take over as senior partner in the next two or three years. It's not a question of just six months. If you stop for six months you'll stop for ever. If anyone is going to give up work it's going to be me."

"No! You've made a flying start and are the youngest APM in your set-up. You've got a brilliant career ahead of you. You mustn't even consider giving up."

"Well, it's going to have to be one of us and the one traditionally responsible for looking after the family is the wife."

"Blow tradition and you're not my wife."

Wendy's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh darling, I'm sorry. I never meant it like that. Of course I look on you as my wife but I still don't think you should be burdened with such a responsibility."

"Are you suggesting I'm not capable?"

"Of course not but I don't want to see you with such a promising career saddled with such a burden. Theresa is my wife and I should be prepared to drop everything for her sake if it's necessary."

"It's NOT necessary."

"It certainly is."

"But not you. She happens to be my mother and I love her dearly. You hear of countless daughters who give up their careers to look after sick or elderly parents so why shouldn't I? It's not as though I'm sentenced to bitter spinsterhood."

"What if you'd been engaged to Peter?"

"Bill! Stop it at once! That was a very hurtful thing to say. You know damned well that I chose you."

"I'm sorry, Wendy darling. It's just that I love you so much that I don't want your life spoilt." He held out his arms to her beseechingly. She ignored the gesture.

"It won't be. I'll be looking after my beloved mother and I will be looking after MY children who I love too. I will also be with and looking after our chief breadwinner and the man I love. I will be doing the job I was designed for and I will be happy."

"What about your father's ambition for you?"

"It wasn't his ambition. It was mine for him. You have taken his place in my heart and to look after the four of you is my new ambition and it's a better one too. It's for four people that I love more than anything in the world. Please, Bill darling. You know I'm right. Don't you?"

Bill sighed. "Yes, darling, and you'll do it a great deal better than I ever would."

She smiled at him and came to him at last. She slid her arms round his waist and laid her head on his chest.

"Thank you, my darling man. I can't think why I love you so much when you can be so pig-headed but I do. I really, really do."

His arms tightened round her and he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I said so many mean things, my sweet."

She looked up at him and smiled gently and lovingly. "But you had to, didn't you?" Her smile broadened. "Dealing with a hostile witness. Well done. We now both know we've made the right decision."

"I'm not sure you don't know me better than I know myself."

She giggled happily. "Yes, darling. It's the problem with being the male of the species."

"You little monkey! I ought to spank your bottom."

"Yes. There we go again, I'm afraid: another trait of the male of the species. If they can't win a reasoned argument they resort to violence and when," her eyes sparkled with mischief, "they're 'dull old solicitors' they're pompous about it too."