Oceans [A.Shelby]

SIX

LILLIAN SAT IN FRONT OF HER MOTHER in a plush armchair by the fire; lit with fresh wood.

"I think I know why you're really here," Dora commented.

"I wouldn't put it past you, you always seem to know everything," Lillian sighed.

"You can't just come to London everytime you have marriage troubles, darling" Dora commented.

"I'm not having marriage troubles mother, our marriage is as good as finished." Lillian replied, before immediately regretting the words that came from her lips.

"I didn't mean it like that, I don't know what I meant actually. All I know is that since the war it's just all been going to shambles and I don't have enough willpower for the both of us to fix it." Lillin admitted.

"Darling, I warned you that man would be both your happiness and your downfall" Dora told her daughter.

"Yes mother, I recall that and every other word you spoke to me before you still refused to come to your only daughter's wedding, even if it was in flipping Birmingham."

"Darling, it still remains that you haven't given him anything to stay for"

"Oh mother you're so old fashioned and I can hardly stand it," Lillian snapped.

"Lillian, I'm speaking only the truth. You married the man 6 years ago and in that time women could give their husbands 3 children, but you have given him none-"

"he was at war mother, and in his current state I hardly think it healthy enough to have a baby!"

"Does he have the flanders blues?"

"Him and every other soldier up and down the country. He's restless. He's not the man I married, I don't think I'll ever see the man I married again. But I tell myself, at least he's still alive, I still get to be with him, even if it isn't like before"

"Letter for you, Mrs May." A maid knocked the door, Lillian broke out of her gaze and glanced over to the letter placed in front of her mother.

"Oh, it's from me, I wrote it a few days ago. I just recommended that you get in touch with my old friend, Faith Henley. You remember her don't you? Mr Henley's daughter, the one who owns the restaurants and clubs where the MPs dine."

"And what do you recommend her for, darling?" Dora raised a brow.

"You're spending all your time finding a wife for Ed with a rich father, and you aren't paying attention to the fact that none of the women you have looked into so far are half decent, all they want is money and status. Ed deserves a wife, a good woman. Besides, she used to fancy Ed a little, they'll get on like a house on fire, I know they will. They could even be married by the end of next year if her father agrees."

"Thank you for that, I'll speak to your father. Now, I've accumulated many dresses for you over the months you haven't visited your poor mother and I demand you come and try them all on for me."

A smile crept up on Lillian's face, yes she no longer cared for wealth, but what she did care about was having a half decent wardrobe, and a more than half decent wardrobe was even better.

•••

Unknown to Lillian, William stood in the doorway of his only daughter's room with a small smile on his face, he couldn't deny that he liked having his daughter home with him. Where she belonged as he would say.

Lillian sat at her vanity and brushed her softly curled blonde hair gently, humming a tune as she did so, something her mother used to sing to her.

'Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.'

"You're too good, for any man. Especially your husband." William told her, making Lillian jump in her seat in surprise that he was behind her.

"Your mother told me, you're having trouble. That man has ruined you, sweetheart, you could have had everything, with a wealthy and good husband. But instead you chose him. You chose him." William told his daughter, Lillian couldn't make out his tone, it was soft but also had the smallest bit of sterness about it, as if her father was scolding her but in the softest way possible.

"Though wealth did look good on me, father, I wanted happiness. A real life, the furthest away from here as possible. He gave me that, amongst other things." Lillian replied to her father.

"Sweetheart, according to your mother, Arthur isn't making you happy." A sigh escaped Lillian's lips as she glanced to her father.

"I'm going to bed now, and I promised Arthur I'd be back home tommorow, so I'll be leaving for the 1:15pm train." She ignored her father's words and slipped from her chair, pulling back the sheets on her bed.

William pursed his lips before wishing his daughter a goodnight, shutting the door behind him.

---
a

uthors note; so sorry I haven't been updating! Life got very hectic very quickly, who knew working with 4 year olds was that exhausting haha. Hope you enjoyed the chapter x