The Free Spirit

Unconventional Love, 1967 (Part One)

"Life is a reality, you can't always run away..."

The year of peace and love started out with a flight back home to London, where Don simply helped me get the children back home, settled and off to school again before he had to kiss me goodbye to go tour and record briefly in America. While the children were at school, I was still on a brief break from recording, working out the arrangement for a recording of 'San Francisco' when I went to Nonnatus House simply for a visit. Everyone was still there, Sister Monica Joan was still as active as ever and showing no sign of slowing down, Trixie was there but now engaged to Mr. Dockerall and spending half of her time working at the Women's Clinic downtown, and so on. The district of Poplar was no more - in fact, neither were the districts of Stepney or Bethnal Green. The three districts united in 1965 to become the Borough of Tower Hamlets, but of course, old habits die hard, and the residents of the former districts of Poplar, Stepney and Bethnal Green still referred to their homes by their proper names. Unfortunately, work at Nonnatus House concluded for me, as I was too invested in my career as a recording artist and protestor, but I continued to visit Nonnatus House whenever I was in the area until their services were no longer required and they left for Birmingham in 1976. I did miss having an impact on women's health and reproductive rights, but I felt that with my experience as a midwife for over ten years, I could fight and actually push for changes in women's healthcare.

For their new album, I gave Don and Phil a very psychedelic-sounding song called 'She Never Smiles Anymore' and while I didn't tell Phil, I wrote it with Jackie in mind. I'd noticed that Jackie seemed more aloof around Phil and they weren't as lovey-dovey as they used to be, although to be honest, I didn't think that Jackie and Phil ever were considered 'lovey-dovey' compared to Don and me. Ironically, I told Don about the meaning behind the song when we were cuddling up on the couch. "Phil just ain't ever really been into cuddlin' much," Don told me. "But you're right, Jackie don't seem happy no more. I don't know if she ever did."

"You don't think she married Phil just for his fortune and fame, do you?" I asked my husband, curled up beside him with my legs over his and his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"Nah, I doubt that... I think there was somethin' there, but not enough to base a marriage off of. Remember, they got married quick," Don replied.

"Indeed they did... I worry about Ginger and Peter in the same sense, they also married relatively quickly, and she doesn't seem as happy with him as she used to be, either," I told him.

"And they just got married, too," said Don, and he let out a sigh. "Ah, well... Not everyone can share the same joy and happiness that we do. Most don't find it on the first try, so we just got lucky."

"You were actually my first and last boyfriend, if I can even say that. You took me on one date and then the next day, we were married," I said, and Don let out a laugh.

"Boyfriend by day, husband by night. Why did ya decide to stay with me anyway? You didn't even know me. Ya coulda stayed in New York, but you came on tour with me."

"Ten years ago was an entirely different time. I'd likely have been shamed out of that nursing job for not being with my husband if news got around, and it did quickly, thanks to the press. I would have had to find other accommodations, because nurses' homes aren't meant for married women. Or at least weren't back in 1957."

"And ya just couldn't resist me, either. I'll bet that was the number one reason." It was my turn to laugh and I kissed his face.

"I'll admit, I thought I had married the most physically attractive man in the world. I rather liked standing by your side and admiring your appearance. You really are very, very handsome, Don."