Sweet Wrappers
Oh, you are a right sweet wrapper, George! Someone shouldve given you a good telling off, but theres no one now, and its far too late! All these years, and youve still not got a lick of sense!
Granny Sybil spat at the pavement in front of her neighbour and, favouring her bad leg, hobbled off home. Shed said her piece, and now it was up to his conscience to tell him how he ought to live. If folk couldnt teach him, perhaps fate might intervene.
Just fancy! Thinking he could put his own mother into a care home! Where have you ever heard such a thing? True, Claudia is bedridden now, but is he her son or some distant uncle? It beggars belief! Were Sybil herself stronger, she wouldnt have hesitated for a second. Shed have taken her friend in herself. As it is
She felt for Tessa. A good lass, always has been, but shes not a workhorse, nor can she do it all alone. She stayed in the village, didnt go off to study when her mum fell ill. Or rather, she went at first, but when Claudia became poorly, she came back. She couldnt leave her mother and grandmother behind. She knew Sybil couldnt keep up, what with her own poor health. After that broken leg two years ago, Sybil had never been the same. Shed barely shuffled about before, now even that was a struggle.
Her younger daughter had offered for Sybil to move into the city with her, but she had to refuse. Where would she fit? The flat was cramped as it was, the son-in-law a decent chap but hardly enterprising. Working all hours, but never seeming to get ahead. Two children to raise, and Sybil was hardly a help now. In the old days shed run a bustling household, helped the children, but now? She was falling apart Tessa got cross when Sybil called herself that, but what was there to be angry about if it was the truth? Her health had abandoned her; her strength was vanishing. Just getting out of bed in the morning felt like gathering scattered coals into a shovelheaping herself together, up and moving at last.
At least Tessas daughter, Alice, was quick on her feet as a spring lamb. While Sybil would be wrestling herself up, Alice would already be running the household, tending to her mum, and then rushing off to work. Lively as shed always been, ever since she was a girl.
Sybil had her first daughter, Tessas mum, late in life, when shed long since given up hope of being a mother herself. Her first husband never forgave her for being unable to have children. He left her. Sybil was sad, sure, but she saw hed never truly cared for her anyway. She burned with love, but he well.
In her youth, Sybil was lovely as the sunrise. The prettiest girl in the whole county, and naturally the boys were always after her, even from school days. But she kept herself proper, waiting for love. She thought it would one day turn up, but it never did. Time passed, and Sybil stopped hoping, bowing lower under her mothers reproaches.
Why are you so picky? Mark my words, youll remain a spinster at this rate!
But what could she say? Looking at a man she couldnt bear was pointless.
Then, a lad came back from the army in a neighbouring village. Sybil had never known him before. Hed lived with his parents elsewhere, but upon returning, he came to his gran and grandads. No one really knew why at the timenot even Sybil.
But she lost her heart to Alex the moment she saw him.
He didnt waste any time, either. As soon as hed set eyes on her, he sent word through the proper channels. Sybils mother was over the moon. What was there to think about? Her daughter was long past marrying age, after all!
The wedding was a grand affair, and Sybil was so happy she didnt notice the whisper around the tables at first. Only when her mother-in-law took her hand aside did she sense something was amiss.
Sybil had seen the woman in the dark scarf standing in the yard when she first arrived. When her mother-in-law nudged her gently towards a pram next to the woman, Sybils heart tripped in her chest. The truth was plain as day.
Alex explained laterhed left for the army with a sweetheart, but didnt believe it was his son when she had a baby after he left. His whole family insisted the timing was off. Only later, under pressure from the neighbours, did his mother visit the would-be bride. There, a little boy slept in the cot, looking exactly like Alex.
The girl whod had Alexs son refused to take him back, unable to forgive his betrayal. She never even knew her mother had taken the child to her exs wedding, telling her she was off to her sisters instead.
Why? Sybil asked quietly, touching the pram and looking into the tired face of the woman.
So you know who you married.
What good it did her to know that, she never worked out. She loved her husband, and whatever came before her Well, who on earth is saintly? People make mistakes.
She never stopped her husband seeing his son. He simply wasnt interested. Sybil saw quickly enough that Alex only ever truly loved himself; others were there only to set off his portrait.
He was impeccable, a fine provider. The house lacked nothingexcept warmth. Fifteen years: a good home, but no joy.
She convinced herself it was just a phase, that when they had children it would change. When he told her, in passing, that she wasnt a woman at all if she couldnt bear children, Sybil saw how empty her years with him had been. Nothing would ever change.
They separated quickly, so quietly that few in the village even noticed the Kruglovs were no longer a family. Sybil stayed, alone.
Alex left as soon as the paperwork was done, leaving Sybil the house, apologising at the end.
No hard feelings. Were both to blame, but its on me to answer to it.
Sybil never quite forgave him, but her heart eased a little. What could she do? God had given her beauty in abundance, but happiness perhaps not so much.
She lived alone for two years, working, walking the village with her head held high, ignoring the whispers. So her husband left herwhat of it?
But her heart ached. She wanted to come home to a living voice.
She didnt fall for Nick straight away. She watched for a long timeneither of them were young anymore. Plus, he was a newcomer. Who knew what baggage he carried? Hed fixed up the old cottage his granddad left, started a smallholding, would help anyone but never asked in return.
He was calm, polite, kindly. He would never call unannounced, and always arrived with something or would fix or help with a job. Sybil decided things couldnt be worse than before. If people talked, let them. She couldnt bear loneliness any more. At least she wouldnt face old age alone.
She expected nothing from this new marriage. But fate danced a surprising jig: suddenly, Sybil was handed a new life.
She hadnt even realised she was pregnant with her first daughter, not for five months, putting any changes down to her usual irregular cycle. It was Claudia, her neighbour, who noticed something was different.
You look heavy, Sybil! Claudia blurted, seeing Sybil totter in the afternoon sun.
Dont talk daft! Theres nothing thereI cant have children!
My gran always said, its not always the womans fault. Doctors say the same. Maybe you werent meant to have children with Alex? Whos to say? Get checked at the hospital; perhaps happiness isnt too late for you.
Sybil came back from London a new woman. She walked home through the village, her face shining. It was clear to all: things were welland set to get even better.
One daughter, then the other, Sybil straightened her back; she had nothing to feel ashamed of now. Shed finally become a mother.
Sybil doted on her girls, surprising everyone with her affection. Even the steadier days were celebrations; her daughters were always in their best dresses and hair bows. Clean and tidy, but no strangers to trees, puddles and summer river swims either. Sybil never scolded or spanked; shed simply hand them water and soap to learn how to wash their socks, or a needle to mend what they tore. If they didnt know how, shed teach them.
Nick passed not long after the younger daughter married. He went to visit her in the city and never came homekilled in a car crash on the way back.
Sybil was devastated, but for her children she endured. A year later, her eldest gave birth to Alice, and Sybil felt life return. The world brightened.
She lived for her grandchildren. Her younger daughter lived far away and visited only in holidays. But Alice was there, close by.
As Alice grew upshe was the spit of Sybil, beautiful and proud, but more determined. Headstrong. If she set her mind to something, nothing would shift her.
Sybil was pleased while her ambitions ran to education. But when she came of age, things turned bittersweet.
Because Alice fell headlong in love with the boy next doorGeorge. He was five years older, already a young man, and Alice had only just turned sixteen. What did she know about love? But she was adamant she adored him, and nothing would shake her.
George never looked twice at Alice. She was just the neighbour’s daughter, a mere schoolgirl. He was grown, with his own sweetheart, Lucy.
Lucy was the belle of the villagemaybe not a classic beauty, but striking, always dressed better than any other girl. Her father spoiled her, his only child.
But it didnt do her much good. Lucy was quite the madamunless everything revolved around her, her day was ruined.
She didnt let George into her life too easily; she sussed him out first. Then something strange happened.
Lucy had a fellow from the next village, another pampered, bored boy. He flirted with her for lack of anything better. Lucy seemed delighted; she never missed a chance to go dancing with him. One day, they took his motorbike to see friends, and vanished for hours. No one knows what happened, but Lucy arrived home near dawn, bruised and with her dress torn.
No one knew, save Sybil, whod been up in her garden before sunrise and seen Lucy sneaking along the edge of the village.
Lucy didnt glance at her; she just trampled through the veg patch, as if Sybil didnt exist.
A week later, the village buzzed: Lucys parents announced a hasty wedding.
George was over the moon; Claudia less so.
Theres more to this than meets the eye, she confided in Sybil. And how am I to tell my son? Hes besotted. He wont listen. This isnt my businessbut it pains me for Georges sake.
Sybil listened, nodded, but said nothing. No one ever knew shed seen Lucy that night. A family drama was unfolding at home, anyway: not the time for gossip.
Alice was beside herself. Shed sit, weeping for hours, staring at the neighbours busy garden as they prepared for the wedding. Or shed lie in bed facing the wall, howling as if for the dead.
Sybil tried everything to get her to leave for the city and stay with her aunt. It was the only hope: that Alice would move on, make a new life, find a husband, never again to see George, who never noticed her at all. Sybil knew telling the truth about Lucy made no difference. George was in love…
But Alice paid no heed to Sybil or her mother. Her own father was long gone; no one had any authority over her.
What was she waiting for? Did she hope things would change? Who knows?
Alice hung on until the day of the wedding, coming with Sybil and her mother, surprising them for the first time in ages by not crying. She stood aside, refused to join the celebrations, then quietly went home.
Her mother noticed Alice was missing almost at once and hurried after her, afraid of what a heartbroken girl might do.
But Alice surprised them againshed packed her bag and, after hugging her mother and granny goodbye, she caught the first train to London. They cried but wished her well, hoping time would heal.
Perhaps time might have, but Alice had no chance to find out. Shed barely settled in when disaster struckher mother took ill and was admitted to hospital, never to walk out again.
And so Alice packed up again; what else could she do? Granny Sybil was alone and couldnt possibly care for a bedridden patient by herself.
Alice worried most about living next door to George and his new wife. But as luck would have it, they were gonemoved away right after the wedding.
Alice unpacked, cleaned the house, made her mother comfortable, and decided to work at the farm. What else? She had no qualifications, and jobs were scarce. Farm was all there was.
Thankfully, Alice never shied from work, especially not with animals she loved. Knowing she couldnt live on one wage, she started a little smallholding. There was simply no other way.
And so they lived, Alice and Claudia helping each other as best they could. Claudia had lost her mind a bit after her husband died. Her son was far away, seldom writing, never sharing much of his life. Only a money order now and then, a how-are-you note. Claudia was half mad with worry, only knowing Lucy had given him a son and daughter. Shed never met her grandchildren; Lucy refused to return, or perhaps George was just struggling. He worked as a lorry driver, gone for weeks, eking out a living. Claudia could see between the lines of his letters how hard things were for him, even if he never said so directlya mother always knows.
Maybe it was this anxiety that did Claudia in. She took to her bed, and Alice quickly arranged for her to go into the county hospital, visiting her often, returning home in tears. The doctors gave no hope.
Sybil wrote to George the day Claudia was admitted. But the letter went astray, or something or otherhe didnt show up or even send word. Sybil wrote again, but finally turned to Alice:
Hes abandoned his own mother, hasnt he? A rolling stone And I thought he was a decent man.
Gran, wait! You always told me, never judge someone until youre certain. Even then, you said, no need to paint everyone with tar. Leave it and your soulll stay lighter. Let him be; perhaps he has his reasons.
I dont know, love. I never thought he could treat his mother like this. Always so gentle, and he doted on Claudia Where does it all go?
Why do you call him sweet wrapper? Alice asked.
Oh, thats an old story. Part of why I never thought George would come to such a thing.
Tell me!
Not much to tell. He was just a lad then, six or seven. Everyone collected sweet wrappers in those days. It wasnt as easy to get them, not with money tightsweets only came at Christmas, and even then, nothing fancy. If you had a rare wrapper, you treasured it, swapped it for something really special
At the time, Claudia kept two prize chickensbeautiful things! White as snow, crests like crowns. She doted on them. Then one day, Georges mate brought his new pedigree dog visitinga real tearaway, this hound. Barked the place down. You could never let him near animals. Next thing, the dogs after the chickens, feathers everywhere.
Not the chickens!
Im afraid so, Alice. He killed both. Claudia was heartbroken, silent for days. Georgedo you know what he did?
What?
He gave all his precious sweet wrappers to another mate, whose dad often went to London. George begged him to take him next time so they could visit a poultry farm. Emptied his piggybanksaving for a new bicycleand bought his mum a new fancy chicken.
Well done!
It meant the world to Claudianot so much because the dream lived again, but because her son showed such character. And now, wheres the boy who did that? Where does it vanish to, I ask you?
Sybil was fuming, and Alice wisely let her be.
Is that what it means to be a son, to ignore your mother when shes sick? Is that how it should be?
But Sybil was left speechless a week after Claudia returned from hospital. Alice, with the help of the district nurse, had arranged everything.
There was George, standing on Claudias doorstep, two kids in tow.
Alice was tidying up when the door flew open, and a little boy trotted in, leaving muddy footprints everywhere. Are you my mummy? he asked, peering up with wide eyes.
The innocence of it! Alice nearly dropped her mop.
Neighbour George said gently, ruffling his daughter’s hair as he greeted Alice. Sorry Ive come so late. Max was in hospital, and I couldnt leave. And Milliewell, she had nowhere else to go.
And Lucy? Alice blurted out, immediately regretting it.
Lucys gone. Left us for someone else. Im on my own now.
Not aloneyou have the children. Alice felt her awkwardness fade; this was no longer the dashing boy whod pulled her pigtails over the garden fence.
True, cant forget that. Is Mum asleep? George knelt to help his daughter off with her muddy boots.
Asleep. She needs itrest does her good. The doctors say so. But I wish she could get up and about; Claudia never sat still a second in her life. Now, told to do nothing but lie there
My sides are sore from all this lying about! Claudia protested, making Alice hurry to say goodbye. She set out bowls of fresh noodles and milk for the children, then slipped out before she could think what more to say to George.
Shed thought, after all that time away from George, her heart would be settled. Not so. Now he was a proper man, and she herselfshe was no longer the blushing girl who could barely meet his eyes. They were both changed.
A day later, Claudia told Sybil, when she limped in to visit, that she wanted to ask her son to take her to a care home.
Sybil was so scandalised she hadnt the strength to listen further. She hobbled to the porch, summoned George, spat on the ground, and huffed off. She wouldnt see or speak to him. Nor would she allow Alice to interject.
Stop defending him! Hes not a baby! What sort of man puts his mother outlike common rubbish And Sybils words dissolved into tears.
Alice, still in her housecoat, dashed across to the neighbours.
George! Where are you? she burst in, wild and beautiful as the first day of spring. What do you think youre doing? Im not letting you send Aunt Claudia away! Forget it! Go back to wherever you came from! Well managetheres no difference between looking after one and two! Another bed by my mums, problem solved! I cant believe I ever
But she fell silent, seeing Claudia wiping tears of laughter and George grinning.
Calm yourself, Alice! I never meant to send me away! I told Sybil, thinking Id be a burden. She didnt let me finish and stormed off.
Im staying here, Alice. Ill not leave Mum.
Really? Alice paused, scowling at Georges packed bag. Then whats this?
I do need to go sort things at homesort work, collect my stuff. Im not sure how long itll take; the kids will stay here. The nurse has agreed to look in on Mum.
And Alice showed her true spirit.
She faced George, looking him in the eye. No dragging the children about! Let them stay here. Ill look after them. And Ill be waiting for you. Understood?
I do now George gazed at her as if hed never really seen her before. How did I ever miss you, Alice?
Sort yourself out with some glasses in London, George. Who knows what else youve overlooked? Come on, love, lets go see Granny Sybilshes baking buns. Do you two like buns? Good!
A few years later, George would wheel Claudia and his mother-in-law out onto the porch.
Alright, mums! Nice and steady. Look, I got you proper deckchairs from town! Sit or stretch out in the sunlovely, isnt it?
Carefully, he would settle his mum, then listen.
The little ones are up! But Alice isnt back yet. Ill go see whats the matter.
Shell be home soon, wont she?
Todays her last examshell be one of the first out. Shell be back any minute.
A car screeches to a halt at the gate, and the children, perched on the big old cherry tree, filling buckets with fruit for Sybils preserves, tumble down shouting,
Mum! Mums home!
And Alice, no longer the shy girl of old, unfolds her arms to catch her ruffled brood and winks at her husband.
Top marks!
No surprise there! George grins, heading inside.
The twinsconscientious like their mother, impatient like their father.
Some sweet wrappers, those two.
And so the lesson runs, through generations: Life will deal you hardship and change, but whatever happenskindness, duty, and understanding make a family, no matter what wrappers the world gives you.
