Free Daughter of Mine by Anne Bennett

don’t know, Tressa.’
    ‘Please.’
    ‘It could be ages.’
    ‘No, it won’t,’ Tressa said, and added, ‘Look, Lizzie, Mike has planned a big night for our next Saturday off, because it’s the day before Valentine’s Day. We’re meeting you two for a few drinks early and then Mike’s taking me to the theatre to see Gracie Fields and afterwards we’re going to dinner. Once the ring is on my finger you can say what you like to Steve.’
    ‘I don’t see what difference having the ring will make. You’re committed anyway.’
    ‘Just do this one thing for me,’ Tressa said. ‘Steve is going to be upset when you tell him—and I know that’s not your fault, I’m not blaming you. But, what if Mike decides to postpone the engagement to comfort his mate and try and get him to forget and all that, and you know he could do just that.’
    Lizzie knew he could. ‘Somehow, I don’t think he’ll feel the same if his ring is on my finger,’ Tressa went on. ‘He’s made his choice publicly then and that choice is me. Please, Lizzie, don’t mess it up for me. If I don’thave Mike, I will die. I might as well, for never as long as I live will I love someone as I do him. It’s less than a fortnight I’m asking for.’
    Lizzie looked at her cousin and knew if she was to do anything to jeopardise this romance Tressa would never forgive her, and she’d not forgive herself for Tressa’s heart would be broken. ‘What if you don’t hear from Ireland before then?’
    ‘We’re going ahead anyway. With or without their permission or blessing, we are getting engaged on the thirteenth of February, come hell or high water.’
    Steve knew all about the engagement plans and he was filled with envy.
    ‘Amazing, the powers of a ring,’ Mike said to Steve one night as they returned from a date with the girls.
    ‘Have you gone all the way yet?’ Steve asked.
    ‘Nearly, but not quite,’ Mike said. ‘The ring will clinch it. I’ll give Tressa a good time, and bingo! Christ, I can hardly wait.’
    Steve was silent, trying to cope with the frustration eating at him, and Mike said, ‘Aren’t you thinking that way yourself—engagement, I mean?’
    ‘Lizzie’s not ready yet,’ Steve answered shortly. Mike had no idea how little he and Lizzie did together and Steve had no intention of telling him. Tressa had said nothing either, because until she was securely engaged it was in her interest to pretend things between Steve and Lizzie were hunky-dory.
    ‘Maybe when she sees the ring she’ll change her mind,’ Mike commented. ‘You know how women are about rings.’
    God! Steve thought, it would need more than a ring to alter Lizzie, for she was worse if anything. And she was worse, because for all her promise to Tressa to say nothing to Steve until the fateful engagement day, she felt as if she was leading him on by still going out with him. She tried not to let this affect her, but of course it did, and that evening, Steve, remembering how unsatisfactory things had been of late, said to Mike, ‘I’m not going home yet, Mike. Be seeing you.’
    Mike knew where Steve was heading. In his pre-Tressa days he’d have probably been alongside him, but now he said, ‘Why d’you have to go to those places when you have a lovely girl you’ve just spent the evening with?’
    ‘Mind your own business, Mike,’ Steve spat out angrily. ‘I don’t have to answer to you.’
    ‘I was just saying.’
    ‘Well stop just saying,’ Steve said, ‘because I’ve stopped listening.’
    Mike shrugged as Steve turned away from the streets and headed back to one of his favoured haunts in Varna Road.
    The good news approving the engagement came after a week. Tressa read it out:
It is obvious you are smitten with each other and as this Mike Malone gives a good account of himself, you have our blessing so far. However, you are young and there is to be no marriage until we have met your intended. We suggest you come home in the summer