The Locksmith by Linda Calvey (reading in the dark .TXT) 📕

heard the words, ‘I’m sorry, Miss Murphy, Mr Murphy, but your mother has passed away.’ She didn’t know who had spoken them. She didn’t care. Her world had shattered into a million pieces. Nothing would ever, ever be the same again, and their future, the one where they protected themselves, looked out for themselves, had already begun.

Later that night after all the rush of nurses and officials, after her brother’s tears had stopped flowing, Ruby was finally alone. She didn’t dare open Cathy’s letter until she was in bed, George sleeping peacefully in the cot beside her.

She sat in what had been Cathy’s room and tonight, it gave her comfort. The house was silent, the only noise coming from the street with the occasional cat yowling, a drunkard singing tunelessly, a group of young men laughing then shouting, their voices like pinpricks in her mind.

When she was ready, Ruby opened the letter. She almost couldn’t read it, so powerful was the sense of her departed mum as she saw her handwriting scrawled across the lines, the writing of a woman old before her time, a woman knowing she was dying and would never see her baby grow up.

Ruby took a long breath and began.

Dear Ruby,

My darling, I know I don’t have long, my doctors in the hospice are kind but I know my time is short. I can’t believe I’m writing this to you as a widow, facing the end of my days without your father with me, while my youngest child is still a baby.

I want more for you three, my gorgeous children, which is why I’m writing this down rather than telling you. You all look so frightened, though you try to hide it, every time you come in and see me, which is every day. You look so fragile but so grown up at the same time, and it breaks my heart knowing I won’t be there to comfort you, protect you and advise you as you go through life.

This letter is all I can give you. I don’t have money to leave you. I don’t have wealth to give you. All I ever wanted for you and your brothers was a quiet life, an honest life filled with as much love as me and your father could give you. I won’t be around to protect you any more. I’m breaking my promise to all of you, the promise I made every time the nurse handed me my newborn babies: ‘I’ll keep you safe. I’ll do anything to keep you from harm. You’re loved and safe, and I’ll always be here to make sure that’s true’.

And yet, I won’t be here, and by a cruel twist of fate, neither will your father. You will all be left as orphans. As I write this, the tears are starting to come and I can’t see the page too well through their blur, but I must finish this as time is so short.

I have weeks left to live, and that’s the truth. Ruby, by the time you read this, I’ll be gone, but one thing I can promise you is that my love for you and your brothers will never die. I believe I will watch over you all from heaven.

No mother should ever die with a baby to love and bring up, but that’s what will happen to us. Ruby, I’m writing this specifically to you because you will have to take over my role. It’s you who will bring up little George. It’s you who will hold our family together. Your brother Bobby is a sweetheart but he isn’t resilient in the way that you are. I’ve seen your father’s direct nature in you but I don’t know where you get your courage, your strength. You shine a light so strong that sometimes I have to shade my eyes, just like on a summer’s day. I’ve always been so proud of you, my darling. So proud of your courage, of the way you have never cared what other people think. You’ve always gone your own way, made your own decisions without being swayed by anyone else and I’ve always admired you for that.

Now, I need to ask you to step into my shoes. I need to know that when I’m gone, there will be someone to care for George, to comfort Bobby as he grieves for both me and your dad, and someone to stay strong for the family.

I know I’m asking a lot, and I wouldn’t ask it of you if I didn’t know you could rise to it. Look after your brothers, see that they don’t fall into bad ways with bad people. Keep them out of trouble, and please, please remember your father’s advice. An honest life is the best life. Stay away from bad men and dodgy fellas who promise the earth. My love for your dad was for ever. He was my first sweetheart and the man of my life. I hope you know the same joy, Ruby, the same love as I did. Lead an honest life, and remember you were brought up with love. Your grandpa Jim, your father and I might be gone, but somewhere up there, in the heavens, we’ll always be loving the three of you.

Keep my baby safe, Ruby. Keep Bobby safe too, and keep yourself safe. Remember your father’s words and know that I love you.

I love you all.

Mum x

Ruby folded up her mother’s letter carefully. The words touched her deeply, but she knew even now that she couldn’t follow her mother’s wishes. She’d keep them all safe, but the only way she could do that was in a way her mother would never approve. She’d made her choice. She was the head of the family now. Her sweet brother Bobby and little baby George needed her to be strong, just as her mum said, and that meant not looking back. How else would they survive? Ruby stared into