Free Children in Her Shadow by Keith Pearson

will always be questioned. You will live long but yours will be a barren journey through life. You will sing, and laughter will come to you eventually but you will also weep many tears.” These words disturbed Mary who knew instantly what the gypsy was saying but she simply giggled and looked towards Ruth whose eyes were wide open with anticipation of what the gypsy would say to her.
    The gypsy turned slowly to Ruth, but this time with a troubled face. “The gypsy speaks to many people but you are different” she said. “In your life you will have the blessing of many children but you will endure lifelong sadness.” In hushed tones and with a great sense of foreboding she said, “Your name is Ruth … and I can see the life you have yet to live. I warn you now that you will go through life seeing children in your shadow.” She rose and gently touched Ruth’s face with the back of her fingers before she said, “Ruth, you will walk many paths in your life but before the sun sets every day, you will see those children in your shadow.”
    Trembling, Ruth and Mary left the booth and ran nervously giggling out onto the sea front. But Ruth stopped abruptly asking Mary, “What did she mean by saying to me you will walk many paths in your life but before the sun sets every day you will see those children in your shadow?”
    As Ruth asked the question so she could see that Mary was deeply upset. “It’s only a bit of fun” Ruth said but Mary clearly saw it differently. They walked over to the seaward side of the promenade and down onto the beach where they dropped onto the soft dry sand. Mary turned to Ruth and said, “The gypsy said that I should share my secret and I want to share it with you. You are my best friend and the only person I can share this with.”
    Mary began slowly to tell Ruth that from the age of about twelve she knew that she was different from other girls and by the time she had reached the age of about sixteen she knew that she could not have any sort of physical relationship with boys. She said that she had managed to fool most people into believing that she had boyfriends but asked Ruth to consider how often she had seen her with a boy.
    Mary went on to say that on occasions she would be in the company of girls when one of them would look at her in a certain way that made her tingle inside. At this point, Ruth began to fidget uncomfortably and picking up on this Mary said, “Ruth I’m not trying to tell you that I fancy you. You are my best friend, but there are occasions when I meet other girls that, well yes, I do fancy them.”
    Mary continued by explaining that Ruth was the only person in the world to know her secret with the exception of someone she met some months ago. She excitedly described a slightly older woman who shared common interests with her and someone that she felt an emotional attachment to and that this was a shared feeling.
    Ruth felt out of her depth but offered Mary the assurance she needed that she neither shunned her because of her emerging sexuality and neither did it have any bearing on their relationship. Ruth could see that for Mary this was an important step in her life particularly as she regarded Ruth as her dearest friend. They rose to their feet and resumed their journey back to the guest house, arm in arm as usual.
    Meanwhile, Mrs Morgan spent more time away from their guest house than in it. It transpired that on their first night, Mrs Morgan had spent the whole evening in the company of a rather dashing American officer who, though careful not to say too much was part of an advanced group who were setting up facilities for for American airmen who would transition through Blackpool for flight training. Mrs Morgan was smitten and spent the whole of her time in Blackpool being ‘entertained’ by her mystery man
    Neither Mary or Ruth met the man but on the few occasions when their paths crossed at the guest house, Mrs Morgan spoke only of ‘Colonel Arthur