Coming home from the bakeries one day, she opened the door and knew he was home, without even seeing him. She rushed into the kitchen, and had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself screaming. She thought he was an intruder and it wasn’t until he turned to face her that she knew it was Freedom. His hair had been cut short, shaved round his ears, and he was thin, almost gaunt. ‘Dear God, man, what happened?’
The two boys were sitting watching their parents, wide-eyed, and Evelyne told them to go up to their room. She closed the door behind them, then opened it again to give. Edward his marching orders, as he was listening at the door.
‘They tell me the rabbit’s gone. I’ll get ‘em another.’
Evelyne was trying to control her anger. ‘Bugger the rabbit, where have you been all these months?’
The haircut told her all, of course, but she wanted him to say it, and she stood with arms folded, looking at him as if he were a child.
Freedom had served six months in Durham gaol for handling stolen property. Evelyne threw up her hands in despair. How could he do something like that, how could he be so stupid? ‘Jesse got you into this, didn’t he? You might as well tell me, did he get you involved in this?’
Freedom gazed into the fire and shrugged. He wore that mask-like expression, and he didn’t even have to tell her, she knew.
‘Jesse go to prison with you, did he? Don’t even tell me, I can see by the look of you. He left you to take the rap just like he did all those years ago! My God, Freedom, sometimes you behave like a child. Had you no thought for us, for the boys? What do you think they’ll say at their school if they find out about this?’
Freedom wanted her to hold him, give him comfort, he felt so ashamed, but he could do nothing because she was so strong, so far out of his reach. He felt helpless, and he sat with his head in his hands. She put her arms around him as if he were just as she’d said, a child. She told him everything would be all right, at least he was home for Christmas.
‘We’ll make it the best Christmas since that time you came back with your Championship belt — remember all those years ago, Freedom, the way you came home with a cartful of furniture? Well, it’ll be just like that again.’
He held her and kissed her neck, and the smell of soap and her clean, scrubbed hands moved him so that he couldn’t speak. They went up the stairs together, arm in arm, to their bedroom, to the big bed they had bought all those years ago.
Edward sat up in bed, listening, wondering what Freedom was doing to his Ma, she moaned so. He wanted to hit his father. It was better when he was away. Edward put his head under the covers to block out the sound of his mother’s moaning.
Alex slept like an angel, a wooden carving Freedom had made for him clasped in his hand. He was happy now, his Dad was back. Christmas fever was all around, and in number twelve they looked forward to it with as much happiness as the two Meadows’ households. They were all out of debt because of velyne, and they were closer and more like a family than ever before.
Evelyne had told them all that they were never to let on to Freedom about how she had covered their rent, or that they were working for her. It was bad enough for him to lose his job at the docks and serve a prison sentence, let alone to have his manhood taken away from him in his own home. But Evelyne underestimated Freedom’s intelligence. He knew she was the provider and at first he was distraught, then deeply ashamed. He could still get no legitimate work, but he bought and sold odd pieces of furniture, among them the cradle he had bought all those Christmases ago. Evelyne wasn’t sad to see it go, she was glad of the space. She prepared the food for Christmas Day and went shopping in the markets with Freedom to choose the boys’ presents.
On Christmas Eve Freedom was very cheerful. He had a fistful of pound notes, and told Evelyne that he had done well on a couple of pieces of furniture. He was going out to buy Evelyne’s gift and a surprise for the boys. Evelyne was thrilled that he had accomplished something, but when she went to her wardrobe she saw that her hatbox had been disturbed. Something was missing. She searched the chest of drawers, but she knew what Freedom had done. He had taken her pearl and gold necklace — that was where his new-found wealth had come from. She sat on the bed, wondering what to do, and decided to say nothing, at least until Christmas was over.
When the boys were asleep, she filled their stockings with oranges, apples, sweets — and a volume of Dickens and a book of poetry for Alex. Freedom had bought some cheap, bright toys from the market and she slipped them in as well. Hearing him come into the house, she crept down to the kitchen. He was grinning from ear to ear, and gestured for her to come into the yard to see the present he’d got for the boys.
Tethered to the gate was a bull terrier, white, snipe-nosed with pink eyes. At first she thought it was a pig, but on closer inspection she was so angry that she swore. ‘Just take that bugger back where you got it from. I’ll not have it in the house. Is it not enough with four mouths to feed, and you go and get another? Go on, take it back where you found it.’
Freedom’s fists curled and he felt like hitting her. He’d chosen the dog so carefully, he’d even given him a name. Standing his ground, he said the dog would stay — he couldn’t even take it back if he wanted to, the kennels were closed for Christmas. She knew she’d been hard on him, but the last thing she wanted was a dog. He would go back after Christmas she said, and walked into the house.
Edward was up at the crack of dawn, delving into his stocking, and when he had eaten everything he started on Alex’s presents. Evelyne woke to hear them fighting and yelled for quiet. Freedom had not slept with her, he was in the kitchen. From the back window she saw Alex run into his father’s arms and kiss him, and the joy on the boy’s face as he saw the dog made her regret what’ she had said the night before. By the time she was dressed and in the kitchen, Rex was sitting eating sausages by the blazing fire.
‘Ma, he’s mine, Dad give him to me! He’s mine an’ we’re calling ‘im Rex — ain’t he just lovely, will you look at his face, and watch, Ma, he’s as clever as anything … Sit!’
Rex promptly sat, and he even held out his paw on command. Freedom looked at Evelyne over the ecstatic Alex’s head, and said that he thought a moneylender ought to have some protection, especially if there was cash in the house.
Christmas went by without any further arguments, and Rex became part of the household. He guarded the front door with a vengeance, and no one could get in or out unless he allowed them to. Alex adored Rex and made it his job to feed him. The dog slept curled up on the end of his bed. But Edward was not interested, he was more studious than ever and, as he was taking exams, the house revolved around his hours of study.
Edward came to his mother’s side and slipped a note into her hand. The school prizegiving and sports day was coming up, and Edward whispered in her ear, ‘Don’t let him come, Ma, please, I don’t want him there.’
Evelyne slapped him, and told him he was not to talk about his father like that.
‘He’s done time, Ma, I know it, everyone in the street knows it, and he’s always in the pub. You earn our keep, not him, he’s no use to us.’
Edward got another box on his ear, and was sent out. He hadn’t noticed his father standing at the kitchen door.
‘His report all right then, is it?’
It was more than all right, he was top of his class in every subject, and the headmaster had requested a meeting with Edward’s parents on the prizegiving day. They were invited for tea in the headmaster’s study.
‘I’ll not go with you, I’ve business to do.’
Evelyne put down the report and took his hand, held him close. She said that he was their father, and by God they were going to be proud of him, he was going at her side no matter what. ‘Besides, your hair’s grown now, you look like everyone else, so you’re coming.’