going to marry Milt and you won’t stop me!’ She walked out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
Olive sat at the table, outraged at her daughter’s outburst and suddenly swiped the cups and saucers off the table, sending them crashing to the floor.
Trying to calm down, Hildy walked with her feelings in turmoil, oblivious to her surroundings, until she came to the pier. She entered and strolled along the walkway, looking out at the horizon wishing she could get away, to escape from the woman who for years had bled her emotionally dry. She sat down, lit a cigarette and admitted to herself that she hated the woman who’d given birth to her and was then filled with guilt. No one was supposed to hate their mother – it wasn’t natural. Tears of frustration brimmed in her eyes. She had been so happy yesterday and now her mother had spoilt it for her yet again, as she had done consistently over the years whenever Hildy had a boyfriend. Her mother had so cleverly found something about them to criticise. A mention here, a word there, until the relationship would fail. But not this time.
This time, Hildy told herself, this time she’d met the man with whom she wanted to share the rest of her life and no miserable, self-centred woman was going to come between them. She’d move out if she had to. The more she thought of it, the better that idea became. She should have done it years ago. It would be good for Olive, make her stand on her own two feet for once. After all, she could afford the rent on their two-up two-down with the wages from her job. She could take a lodger, too, with the room that would become spare.
Thus inspired, Hildy went to an estate agent to enquire about a small furnished flat for herself and spent the afternoon looking at a couple that were available. The second one in the Polygon area was just what she needed, at a rent she could afford so she went to the bank to drawout some money for the deposit and was given the keys.
She walked home filled with determination. She let herself in and went straight upstairs to start packing her clothes. She could hear her mother banging about in the kitchen below, making her presence known, but Hildy ignored the noise and filled two suitcases. Then she carried them downstairs and put them by the door just as Olive stepped out of the kitchen. She looked at the suitcases and then at her daughter.
Taking a deep breath, Hildy said, ‘I’m moving out, Mum. Under the circumstances I think it’s the best thing.’
At that moment there was a knock on the door. It was a taxi Hildy had ordered earlier. She handed the cases to the driver, then a piece of paper and a key to her mother.
‘Here is my address. I’ve got my ration book. I’m sorry it’s come to this, but it’s for the best,’ and she walked out of the door towards the cab. It was only then that Olive found her voice.
‘You selfish little bitch!’ she screamed. ‘Walking out on your own mother just for the sake of sex with some strange man. You’ll live to regret it; see if you don’t!’
Hildy closed the cab door, gave the driver the address and leant back in the seat trying to shut her ears to the abuse that was still being hurled at her.
‘Bad day, love?’ asked the taxi driver.
‘Something like that,’ she said and made him stop at a telephone box so she could call the base and leave a message for Milt with her new address.
That evening, Milt Miller arrived at her flat carrying a bunch of flowers. He gave her a hug and kissed her.
‘Well, when I got your message I was surprised,’ he said. Then looking round the rooms, he added, ‘Nice place, just what you need. Is the rent expensive?’
When she told him, he said, ‘That’s great,’ then taking a bundle of notes out of his pocket he gave them to her saying, ‘this will help you along for a while.’
She looked at them with some surprise and started to decline his offer.
‘Don’t say any more, honey,’ he
Olive sat at the table, outraged at her daughter’s outburst and suddenly swiped the cups and saucers off the table, sending them crashing to the floor.
Trying to calm down, Hildy walked with her feelings in turmoil, oblivious to her surroundings, until she came to the pier. She entered and strolled along the walkway, looking out at the horizon wishing she could get away, to escape from the woman who for years had bled her emotionally dry. She sat down, lit a cigarette and admitted to herself that she hated the woman who’d given birth to her and was then filled with guilt. No one was supposed to hate their mother – it wasn’t natural. Tears of frustration brimmed in her eyes. She had been so happy yesterday and now her mother had spoilt it for her yet again, as she had done consistently over the years whenever Hildy had a boyfriend. Her mother had so cleverly found something about them to criticise. A mention here, a word there, until the relationship would fail. But not this time.
This time, Hildy told herself, this time she’d met the man with whom she wanted to share the rest of her life and no miserable, self-centred woman was going to come between them. She’d move out if she had to. The more she thought of it, the better that idea became. She should have done it years ago. It would be good for Olive, make her stand on her own two feet for once. After all, she could afford the rent on their two-up two-down with the wages from her job. She could take a lodger, too, with the room that would become spare.
Thus inspired, Hildy went to an estate agent to enquire about a small furnished flat for herself and spent the afternoon looking at a couple that were available. The second one in the Polygon area was just what she needed, at a rent she could afford so she went to the bank to drawout some money for the deposit and was given the keys.
She walked home filled with determination. She let herself in and went straight upstairs to start packing her clothes. She could hear her mother banging about in the kitchen below, making her presence known, but Hildy ignored the noise and filled two suitcases. Then she carried them downstairs and put them by the door just as Olive stepped out of the kitchen. She looked at the suitcases and then at her daughter.
Taking a deep breath, Hildy said, ‘I’m moving out, Mum. Under the circumstances I think it’s the best thing.’
At that moment there was a knock on the door. It was a taxi Hildy had ordered earlier. She handed the cases to the driver, then a piece of paper and a key to her mother.
‘Here is my address. I’ve got my ration book. I’m sorry it’s come to this, but it’s for the best,’ and she walked out of the door towards the cab. It was only then that Olive found her voice.
‘You selfish little bitch!’ she screamed. ‘Walking out on your own mother just for the sake of sex with some strange man. You’ll live to regret it; see if you don’t!’
Hildy closed the cab door, gave the driver the address and leant back in the seat trying to shut her ears to the abuse that was still being hurled at her.
‘Bad day, love?’ asked the taxi driver.
‘Something like that,’ she said and made him stop at a telephone box so she could call the base and leave a message for Milt with her new address.
That evening, Milt Miller arrived at her flat carrying a bunch of flowers. He gave her a hug and kissed her.
‘Well, when I got your message I was surprised,’ he said. Then looking round the rooms, he added, ‘Nice place, just what you need. Is the rent expensive?’
When she told him, he said, ‘That’s great,’ then taking a bundle of notes out of his pocket he gave them to her saying, ‘this will help you along for a while.’
She looked at them with some surprise and started to decline his offer.
‘Don’t say any more, honey,’ he
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