SCOTLAND ZEN and the art of SOCIAL WORK

CHAPTER 27

  Still Monday 2nd June

  As the disease advances, uncoordinated, jerky body movements become more apparent, along with a decline in mental abilities and behavioural and psychiatric problems.  

  It’s miserable weather, very dreary, I don’t think we will have much of a summer at all but not miserable enough to stop Kate and me going shopping for baby things. We organised yesterday for Mam to take the girls and collect John from school. She agreed to keep them and give them their tea as long as we promised not to buy any big items, not to tempt fate or mock God and all his saints or something, only to window shop and buy a few vests. Kate came to my house to walk with me to the school then to Mam’s to drop the girls. She had phoned Tommy to tell him that she and Phillip were certain that they wanted to adopt the twins, but she didn’t get to speak to him and was put through to Mr.Wang. He said he was delighted at their decision and that he would set wheels spinning, I guess he meant in motion. Tommy was out on some emergency and would get the message as soon as he was back.

  It’s hard not to be nervous for Kate as things are not final yet, but she has to make some preparations. She had no trouble getting the day off work as her boss knows the situation. Theresa and Rosie were delighted with the prospect of a day at Granny’s and packed bags of toys and books as if they going to stay for a week. John was not quite as delighted as he will want to watch television after tea and Granny has rules and regulations about that. I’m not worried, I know he’ll have a good time because Mam said she had found an old story up in the loft, that Dad told us when we were little, and she wanted to read some of it to the kids, she told me to keep it a secret, she wanted to surprise them. He made up great stories for us. Sadly, she thinks this is the only one that he wrote down. This story is about a cabin boy on a sailing ship, I can only remember some bits of it but I know John will love it.

  Kate and I end up in Mothercare in Glasgow buying two of everything blue we can find, what’s the harm? We’ll keep the receipts. Eventually we sit in Granny Black’s having a late lunch, completely exhausted, with all our parcels bundled round our feet.

  ‘Didn’t that assistant in Mothercare look puzzled when she asked when the baby was due and I said any day now.’

  ‘I know, and you’re skinny as a garden rake, she must have thought you were having a jelly baby,’ we giggle like schoolgirls, but Kate’s giggles sound a bit hysterical after a moment,

  ‘What’s wrong, Kate? Apart from the obvious nerves popping out you head, are you alright?’ I can’t believe it, she’s going to cry, she looks down at the table and her bottom lip trembles, what did I say?

  ‘Mags, what am I going to do, how will I ever be a good Mother? I haven’t a clue, except how to go shopping for baby clothes.’ Tears drip on to the table, she looks completely miserable.

  ‘Don’t be soft Kate, I can’t believe you, you’ll be a wonderful Mum, you’ve been looking forward to this for years, you’ve planned, and that’s more than I ever did.’ She managed to smile, but her tears were heartbreaking.

  ‘Don’t you think Charlie and I panicked just like you’re doing now? Do you remember the Priest at John’s christening looking at me and saying ‘when this boy is twenty-one, ninety-nine per cent of who he’ll be, you will have made him.’ He frightened the life out of me. I almost fainted with the thought of the responsibility, but we just got on with it.’

  ‘I do remember that Priest. I only hope these twins are already christened and I don’t have to go through that as well.’ Her hands flew to her mouth, ‘God forgive me, Mam would have a fit if we didn’t have a blessing of some sort.’ Her tears dried and we decided that the way to get rid of the nerves was to shop some more, outfits for the christening party of course.

  I decide I have to tell Kate about my visit to Aunty Therese and what she said.

  ‘She had a terrible time with Uncle John apparently but he had made her promise not to get anyone else involved.’ Kate was shocked but said,

  ‘I still think you’re panicking for nothing just because John had the disease, it doesn’t mean Dad had it, in fact it makes it less likely.’ I could follow her logic but I still wasn’t convinced. Hopefully some more shopping would drown out the doubts for a while.