He had a good life with his wife and three beautiful daughters, but still something was missing and he knew what it was

On Billy’s third visit to the hospital, John Adams was on duty. “He’s the young doctor whose been looking after wee Billy,” Nancy told her father, as they approached the window that looked into the child’s isolation room. “Is he now,” said Billy, seeing for the second time his daughter’s ‘friend.’ “Maybe I should thank him for all his help.”

Nancy nodded. “I think he’d like that,” she said, turning her attention back to her husband and to the small window.

John Adams felt a shimmer of fear in his stomach at the sight of Billy Dawson approaching him, but Billy reached out his hand in friendship. The two men shook hands. “I just wanted to say thanks,” Billy said, “for looking after the little one so well.” His eyes took in the man’s looks and manner. Sarah had taste, he thought. This young man was everything a father could wish for in a son-in-law. “Are you a relative then?” John asked. Billy nodded towards Nancy. “She’s my daughter,” he said, “and wee Billy’s my grandson.”

Less threatening

John relaxed. Sarah’s dad seemed less threatening than the last time they’d met.

“Hopefully, he’ll be discharged by the end of the week,” John said, putting on his doctor’s hat again, “but we were a bit worried for a while, him being just a baby.”

Billy was warming more and more to John Adams. He would make a wonderful doctor, he realised, and Josie was all wrong about him. He would speak to her again about Sarah being allowed to befriend the man while he was in Scotland. He could see no harm in that and Sarah would still go to university and become a teacher, like Josie wanted.

“I’ll tell Sarah we’ve spoken again,” he said before turning to join Nancy and Billy, “I’m sure something can be worked out, if you still want her friendship, that is?” he queried.

John couldn’t believe his ears. “Of course,” he said smiling, “that would be just fine.”

They shook hands again. Did he imagine it? But Billy felt he’d known John Adams before. He shook his head free from the silliness and joined his daughter.

“Doctor says he’ll be home by the end of the week,” he told her.

“Really!” she exclaimed, hugging her husband, before turning back to Billy. “Thanks Dad,” she said, “for being there again.” “It’s what dads do,” he said back, “isn’t that right Billy?”

Exaggerated

Billy Donnelly acknowledged the remark as an indication that he’d been forgiven. Now, he just had to forgive himself.

Once Billy and Nancy had collected Mary Anne and headed off back to Victoria Road, Billy sat down beside Josie. “How’s Sarah?” he asked. Josie huffed. “Oh, she’s still moping over that daft lad,” she said. “I’ve never seen such a carry on.”

“He was on duty at the Infirmary tonight,” Billy said, “when we were visiting wee Billy.”

Josie turned to her husband. “And,” she said, “what of it?”

Billy hesitated. He was going to have to phrase things very carefully if he was going to get past Josie’s armour plating.

“He saved wee Billy’s life,” he exaggerated, “I believe if it wasn’t for his doctoring skills, things might have turned out differently.” Josie frowned. Why was Billy defending the man? “Well, that’s as maybe,” she said, “but there’s still no place for him in our Sarah’s life.”

This was going to be harder than Billy had counted on.

“And, anyway, if Annie Melville has anything to do with him, you can be sure it will lead to trouble.”

There it was again. Josie always managed to bring Annie Melville’s name into everything, Billy thought.

And what was John Adams to Annie anyway. What had Sarah said?

He tried to remember the words, ‘that she’d seen him kissing Annie goodbye in the street?’

Billy gave up. He needed more information before he tried again to break Josie’s resolve and the only one who had any answers was Annie Pepper. His mind drifted back to his first meeting with her and how he’d loved her and left her. How he wished he’d had the courage to marry her then. It could all have been so different. Josie’s voice broke into his thoughts. “I’m for bed,” she said, getting up from her chair and straightening the front of her dress. “Coming?”

“In a while,” Billy said. “I’ll just have another cigarette, then I’ll be up.”

Excitement building

But Billy fell asleep in his chair and it was gone midnight before he finally climbed into bed beside Josie.

He had a good life with his wife and three beautiful daughters, but still something was missing and he knew what it was.

He made up his mind, that if Sarah really wanted to see John Adams again, he was going to make sure it happened, despite what Josie said. No daughter of his was going to suffer the loveless existence that he now lived.

Tomorrow he would go and see Annie Pepper and enlist her help.

He was on a late shift at the mill, he told Josie, when she asked him about going to work the next day.

She kissed him goodbye and gathered her books together. “See you tonight then,” she said, “pupils to teach.”

The house finally was empty, his two youngest daughters off to school and Sarah to the university library to read up on Shakespeare.

Keeping his fingers crossed and feeling strangely alive, he went to the phone box at the end of the road and dialled Bell Street Police Station. “Sergeant MacPherson, please,” he said to the voice.

“I’ll just get him,” came the reply. Billy replaced the receiver.

Good, Euan was at the station and Annie would be in on her own.

He made his way down Albert Street and into the close where she lived. He could feel excitement building in his heart. He was doing something against Josie’s wishes and the intrigue intensified his emotions.