Norma Rogers Ch. 03

At 10 am, we were all present at the Registry Office where Sid and Maisie gave their vows in a short ceremony and Jim and I signed as witnesses, then we were off to a luncheon hosted by Sid's family in the Dog and Duck. After the luncheon, the five of us were off on the train to Bromley as Maisie had declared, "Honeymoon or no Honeymoon, we are going to be at your wedding." Then they were going to stay at a small hotel at Brighton for a few days, and while it wouldn't be much, at least it would be away from the bombing.

Mum had booked rooms at the Clarendon Hotel in Bromley for Maisie and Sid, Jim, and Andrew, so that was where we headed first. Dan, who was sharing with Jim, had made it there before us, as did Andrew and his best man, Flight Lieutenant Ted Baines. Once we got the baggage into the rooms, we all met up in the bar to have a drink together. Jim's mum and dad joined us; they were at the same hotel. Mhairi and John hugged us, and Mhairi pulled me to one side whispering, "I was right wasn't I?"

I smiled at her and whispered back, "Yes, the doctor confirmed it Wednesday."

"Does he know yet?"

"No, I'll tell him tomorrow; it's my wedding present for him."

"I won't tell anyone. I think I can keep it a secret that long. Are you going to keep working, or are you stopping?'

"I'll keep working as long as I can. My job is important to me and to the city at the present. I'll make sure that I stop in lots of time before the birth."

"Are you staying here for the birth, or coming to Ireland?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet. Ireland is tempting, but Bromley has a nice maternity hospital and my doctor is here, so really it will depend on how the bombing is by then. You never know, maybe some miracle will happen and the bombing will have stopped by then."

After arranging to meet everybody at the church at 6 that night for a rehearsal, Nancy and I left for my family home. Nancy was rooming with me, and Ruth and her bridesmaid would use Andrew's room, as both rooms had double beds. I didn't know where Ruth's parents would be sleeping - that was up to Mum, and if she could cram us all in, she would somehow. What was most important was that Ruth and I, and our bridesmaids and fathers got to the church at the same time.

After the rehearsal, we all went back to the Clarendon for supper. As was standard fare in a lot of hotels, it was Shepherd's Pie, the real one made with lamb not beef, and after supper we women went back to Mom's for a little get together while the men had a party at the hotel. At least they had some beer and, as Jim told me later, they had Spam sandwiches and Potato Crisps to follow.

The wedding was timed for 2 pm and after getting all bathed and doing our own hair (Nancy's previous career in a beauty salon helped here) we all dressed. Ruth had been lucky to find some light gray material that had a silky look and I of course wore my mother's white dress. I needed that little expansion in the front of the dress and the look that I got from Ruth told me that she had been following my advice. The little hand movement she made across her tummy indicated a bulge was coming. Our mothers carefully inspected us, then pronouncing themselves satisfied, they departed for the church in the first car along with the bridesmaids.

Dad and Ruth's father asked if we were ready, then escorted us to the second car, getting in with us and making sure they didn't crush our dresses. We had bouquets of white carnations, and our dads had white carnations on their lapels. Obviously some greenhouses were still in operation to produce carnations in February, as they were not exactly part of the war effort. Just before getting into the car, Ruth and I hugged and wished each other good luck as we were starting out on this new stage in our lives.

We arrived at the church and prepared for our walk down the aisle. Ruth, with her father and Irene were to go first, then Nancy with my father and I were to follow, and eventually we would make a half circle around the priest and the altar. The strains of Wagner's familiar Bridal 'March' began, and Ruth began her walk. After a moment we followed, and as we cleared the screening wall and entered the body of the church, I was amazed to see a number of RAF and Army officers occupying the back pews. Then I looked down the aisle to Jim and Andrew and was again surprised to see that Jim, Andrew, Dan and Ted were in full dress uniform complete with swords. It was quite a study in contrasts with Andrew and Ted in the light blue of the RAF while Jim and Dan were dressed in the dark blue of the Royal Engineers.

The ceremony passed in a blur. Ruth and I were given away by our fathers, we made our vows and our wedding rings were blessed and then placed on our fingers by our grooms. Jim was so tender as he took off my engagement ring, slid the wedding ring on my finger and then replaced the engagement ring. Then we all signed the register and the priest gave us our wedding certificates. When we came out from the room where we signed, I noticed that the back of the church was empty. All the members of the forces had gone, along with many of the friends that had been in the church.

Jim and I walked up the aisle first, and as we arrived at the door of the church he held me back slightly while he put his cap on, as did Andrew. I heard someone outside shout "Honour Guard, Attention, Draw Swords, Salute, then Jim let me move forward out of the door. I was amazed to see 12 officers, 6 RAF and 6 Royal Engineers making an archway of swords for us to walk under. Jim whispered, "I told you I would contribute, didn't I? Andrew and I thought this was a great idea! We had to rent the swords though, so Dan will have to take them back tomorrow."

We walked through the escort, and I don't know where the friends got it from, but there was lots of paper confetti thrown as well. It completely threw me, as it was the last thing I would have thought of. The Mums had really surpassed themselves in their organization. I whispered to Jim, "I hope the hotel has better than Spam sandwiches for the reception." He just looked down at me and smiled.

"Your mother in law looked after that." We walked out from under the archway and he pulled me to one side. "Welcome to the family Mrs. Rogers." Then he kissed me deeply and my face turned a little crimson at being kissed in front of the entire crowd.

After the photographs were taken, we all went back to the Clarendon where the reception was being held. We had kept it to the three families and close friends. Mhairi had done a great job bringing food over from Ireland. She provided ham, chicken and the fruit and materials necessary to make the two cakes. The hotel kitchen had done a marvelous job of providing the fillers; I don't think anyone left hungry, and certainly not thirsty. I didn't drink much, just a glass of champagne during the toasts. Dan and Ted had done a good job of collecting some gramophone records, and they kept the music going for a dance until the party shut down at about 9 pm so people could make their way home in the blackout before much danger of any raids.

Jim and I were staying in the hotel that night; the staff had transferred his bags to a room for both of us, along with a suitcase of clothes for me that had been in the car when we left the house. When we got into the room, he held out a small parcel to me. In it was a box and inside the box was a silver brooch in the shape of an Irish harp. "Norma, when you wear it or look at it, think of me, and no matter where I am in this world, I'll be thinking of you."

I gave Jim my first gift to him, a pocket watch with a picture of me inserted in the lid so he would think of me when he looked at the time. He put his arms around me, and told me, "You know that the only gift I need is you." He slipped his arms around me and began unfastening my dress. It wasn't long before the dress was in a pile around my feet, quickly followed by my petticoat. Then he picked me up in his arms and carried me the short distance to the bed before laying me down, and then began to remove his uniform. I don't know how he had been able to stand the high neck all day, but then I realized that he had undone it earlier. Andrew had been so lucky that his uniform had an open collar. Jim took his jacket off and I almost laughed, he didn't have a shirt on underneath the jacket, just a vest, and with his braces over his vest, he looked just like Dad did when he was working in the garden. I had to smile at that happy memory, and his face broke into a smile as well. "Now, my sweetheart, what is going on in that devious mind of yours?" he asked.

"Just thinking that, except for the red stripe in the trousers, you look like an old married man about to go out and dig the garden."

As he slipped the braces down and pulled his trousers down, he grinned. "An old married man, is it? Well, any garden I'm about to dig tonight isn't going to be outside this room, that is going to be for sure."

Soon he was as naked as the day he was born and he stretched out on the bed beside me. He nuzzled my breast over my satin bra, and then slipped the straps down my arms. I rolled toward him and his hand went around my back and unclipped the bra so he could remove it. He licked my nipples as they hardened, and then began to suck on one. The feeling was incredible, as if the nerves had suddenly become so much more sensitive than ever, and I began panting with desire for him. Then he slipped his hand down to the cami knickers that Nancy had bought for me to wear on my wedding day. His hand slid over my stomach, so I grabbed it and held it there.

"There is another present for you, one that I won't be giving you for some time, can you feel anything?"

"Other than my wife's nicely rounded stomach, I can't feel anything."

"Doesn't a rounded stomach make you think of anything?"

"Well, yes it does, but we have been safe, haven't we?"

"Well, let me put it this way; it was good that you made an honest woman of me today."

"You're telling me you're pregnant, we are going to have a baby?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you."

He sat up, stroking my stomach. "I'm going to be a father! When will it be?"

"In about another five and a half months. He or she is a little small to feel yet but, I'm getting fluttery feelings, and if I suddenly rush off to the bathroom, you will know why. So far there have just been queasy feelings, but it may get worse."

"Are you going to give up your work?"

"Not for a little while yet. I believe in what I'm doing, but I won't take any chances with the baby."

"I should go tell my parents, they will be thrilled"

"Number one, you aren't really dressed to be going anywhere; number two, your mother and father are likely having some alone time while they get the chance; and number three, your mother told me I was pregnant before I really knew myself."

"She is pretty accurate that way; did she say whether it is a boy or girl?"

"No she hasn't said anything; I don't see how she can tell anyway."

"I think she is what the Irish and Scot's call fey; she has a sixth sense about things."

"Well, I hate to break up a good conversation, but before we got into this you were about to claim me for your wife. Do I have to pinch you to remind you?"

"No, it's just that I can't really get my mind round the idea that I'm going to be a father! I was all set to wait until the war is over, but now you have told me, I couldn't be more pleased."

"Jim, I'm sorry that I decided without telling you. But married or not, I wasn't going to see you go off to war without leaving something of yourself behind."

He bent over me, put his lips on mine and kissed me hungrily. His hands finished the job they had started doing on my clothes, then he began kissing me all over my body. I wanted him so much! Then he moved over me, entering me so slowly that I wanted to push up against him. He held his weight off me as we moved together, as if he were afraid that he would crush the baby. He made such tender love to me that I was left in no doubt, this wasn't just lust, and Jim loved me as much as I loved him. He was now my man, and would stay that way as long as we both lived. As we drifted off to sleep, I wondered what the future held for the three of us - Jim, myself and the little one that I was carrying in my womb.

End of Part 3