Part 2 Cassie’s Married Life

Part 2 Cassie’s Married Life

internet credit

They went over the bridge and through the village, past Russell’s general shop that sold everything from fancy tea sets to farm implements and past Mulrine’s bottling store. Now, they were nearly at the railway station. The weak sun had retreated behind the darkening clouds and light spits of rain were beginning to dot the hood of the pram. It was further than Cassie had intended to push the children in the pram and they still hadn’t met Tom.

Breathing heavily now, Cassie passed the pink and white wild roses trying to outrun the banks of spiky nettles on the overgrown hedges. Their scent carried on the breeze, filled her nostrils.  “Thank God, we’re nearly there,” she puffed, relieved when she saw the stone arch that housed the railway track rise up in front of her.

She went through it just as the train rattled over it.She pulled the pram into a gateway of a field and rested; sure Tom would come around the bend any minute. Cows lifted their head and looked at them moon-faced and then began to amble over to the iron barred gate. “Don’t put your hand on the bars. You’ll get ringworm,” she said sharper than she intended, jerking Anna Margaret back.

As the clickity click sound of the train faded into the distance the road fell silent except for the twittering of the birds in the trees that bordered the cow field. There was still no sign of Tom.  She wondered had he been late back and missed the train at Strabane Railway Station. “It wouldn’t be like him. He is usually on time,” she mused, visualising him checking his silver pocket watch – his most treasured possession.

Cassie stood, uncertain what to do. It had seemed a good idea to come and meet her husband. Now she wished she was back beside the black range in the kitchen. She looked down at her three year old daughter who, tired now, had sat down on the side of the gravelled road and was sucking a blade of grass. “Stand beside the pram and don’t move until I come back,” she ordered her. “I’m going to speak to the man that minds the station.”

When she reached the short platform it was empty except for a porter loading goods and parcels onto a handcart. . “You’ve just missed her,” he said jerking his head in the direction of the empty rail tracks. “She was a bit early the day. She made good time crossin’ the Camel’s Hump into  Lifford….”

“Did my husband get off the train,” Cassie asked, interrupting him as she felt another pain wash over her.

“Never saw him, missus,” the porter replied, brusquely, going back to loading the handcart.

“Tom, my husband…he wasn’t on the train?”

The porter finished piling the smaller parcels on top and bending forward took a firm grip on the handles of the cart. Carefully balancing it he straightened and began to trundle it along the platform past the ‘waiting room’ as he made to go out the gate and down the sloping ground that led to the road.

“Never saw him, Missus – unless that’s him walking the line?”

 

Cassie’s relief was short lived when she saw the mutinous look on her husband’s face. Tom didn’t look at all pleased to see her.

“What are you doing out of the house – the state of you. The coat doesn’t even cover you,” Tom hissed, brushing past her. “C’mon before anybody else sees you, “he muttered glancing in the direction of the station porter who was pretending not to notice her husband’s angry demeanour and Cassie’s face pink with embarrassment.

Without breaking his stride, Tom walked in front of her. Reaching, the pram, he made as if to walk past.

“Anna Margaret’s legs are tired,” Cassie stuttered out.” And my pains have started…”

Glancing at her stomach ballooning out from beneath the button she’d struggled to close, over her bump, Tom pick up Anna Margaret and strode ahead.

“It’ll be another girl. That’s all you’re fit to produce,” he said through tight lips. “A houseful of women, that’s what I’m goin’ to end up with,” he ground out.

Cassie struggled after him. Despite the light weight of the children the big pram was heavy to push now. She daren’t asked why he was walking the line instead of taking the rail bus like he always did.

He was angry with her. It was her fault .She should have waited for him at home. She knew how odd he was about anybody knowing his business. Now, the station porter would be talking about her and her brood coming looking for him and her ready to drop another one.

Trying to remember how much Tom loved her, she trailed after him thinking, the children won’t always be so dependent on me.  When they are older, we will have more time together like we used to. And things will get better when he starts the new job as a gaffer with the railway.

Gemma Hill January 2022 ©

Part 3 next week