MB09 - You Stole My Heart Away

by Joan Jonker

  Nellie pushed the door closed, then came into the living room with a beaming smile and rubbing her hands together. ‘Oh, boy, did I need that! I’d been keeping me legs crossed until I could stand it no longer.’

  ‘Yer might have asked Mrs Reagan if she minded yer using her lavatory, sunshine, because a lot of people are fussy about that. They don’t like strangers using their toilet. She would have been within her rights to refuse.’

  ‘It might well have been within her rights, girl, but it wouldn’t have done her no good. Yer see, I’d had me legs crossed for as long as I could, but in the end I couldn’t hang on any longer. I only just made it in time, so she’s been lucky. Think what would have happened if I hadn’t made it in time. It would have been red faces all round, and you and me with a mop and bucket.’

  Molly could picture the scene in her mind, and the only thing that stopped her from laughing out loud was the thought that the idea might not have gone down well with Mrs Reagan. ‘You’ll have to excuse Nellie, I’m afraid, sunshine. She’s apt to be a little outspoken at times.’

  The old lady lowered her head, but not before Molly had seen the trace of a smile on the wrinkled face. ‘That’s all right, Molly. I thought it was rather funny.’

  ‘Oh, don’t encourage her, sunshine, yer’ll only make her worse.’

  Nellie followed Molly into the kitchen. ‘Haven’t yer made a pot of tea yet, girl? Ye’re too slow to catch cold you are. Poor Rita must be gasping.’

  ‘I put the kettle on a low light, because I didn’t know how long yer’d be. Now ye’re here, yer can help get the cups ready while I see to the tea. Won’t be long now, sunshine, five minutes and yer’ll be sitting pretty with a drink in yer hand.’

  As soon as they were in the kitchen, Nellie asked a question that had been puzzling her. Keeping her voice to a whisper, she asked, ‘Ay, girl, why did yer tell Rita that Jack and George would be home for their dinner? They won’t be coming round here.’

  ‘That’s why I asked yer to come and help me out here, ’cos I don’t want Mrs Reagan to hear, in case it worries her.’

  ‘Why, what’s happened?’ Nellie looked concerned. ‘Rita is going to be all right, isn’t she? I know she’s had a terrible shock for a woman of her age, but she does seem to be a bit brighter now. I was a bit worried meself for a while, girl, but I really think she’ll get over it, and be as right as rain in a few days.’

  ‘That isn’t what’s on me mind, sunshine.’ Molly glanced through to the living room to make sure her words weren’t carrying. ‘D’yer know the bloke that offered to bring Mrs Reagan home? He was standing at the back of the crowd, then pushed his way forward?’

  ‘Oh, I know the one yer mean, girl, he had a trilby on.’ Molly nodded. ‘That’s the one. Well, he followed us. When we turned into this street, and we stopped for a while because me fingers were getting numb, I just happened to see him out of the corner of me eye. So I took a step back, just to satisfy meself, and sure enough he was pressed against the corner shop, and he’d pulled his hat down over his forehead, thinking he wouldn’t be recognized. He’d followed us, I’m sure of that, ’cos he was acting shifty.’

  ‘What d’yer think he’s up to, girl?’ Nellie’s brow was furrowed. ‘It could be coincidence.’

  ‘I’ve got a gut feeling it wasn’t coincidence, sunshine. I think he’s one of the rotters who prey on old people who live on their own. I know he was dressed well, and seemed respectable, but that could be all show. I mean, if a crook looked like one, he wouldn’t make much of a living, would he?’

  Nellie watched her mate pour the tea into a nice china cup, which Molly had found in the larder. ‘You take that in to Rita, girl, ’cos yer know how clumsy I am. Sure as eggs I’d break that cup if I got hold of it.’

  ‘I’ve made enough for three cups, sunshine, so you can pour ours out while I take this through. Then we can sit with Mrs Reagan for half an hour, to make sure it’s safe to leave her. Then we’ll do the shopping.’

  ‘What if ye’re right about the bloke?’ Nellie was thinking that she wasn’t going to save a person’s life, just to have a thief come and rob them. ‘Will we tackle him if he’s still hanging about?’

  Molly put a finger to her lips. ‘We’ll take things as they come, sunshine, but for now we’ll have a drink and a chat with Mrs Reagan. We can discuss the situation later.’

  As Molly handed the old lady her tea, she was told to keep hold of it until Rita moved to her fireside chair. ‘It’ll be more comfortable for me back, you see, ’cos the couch is a bit hard. That’s because it never gets sat on. There’s only me here, and I like me chair the best.’

  ‘I’m the same over my chair,’ Molly said, when they were all seated. ‘It’s like an old friend, fits lovely into me back.’

  After half an hour’s chatting, and a second cup of tea, Rita seemed a lot brighter, and appeared to be happy having company to talk to. Without sounding sorry for herself, she said it was a long time since she’d had a visitor. ‘Hilda next door, she comes in now and again, or I’ll pop into hers for a cuppa, but we don’t live in each other’s pocket.’

  ‘No, but ye’re here for each other if help is needed, that’s the main thing,’ Molly said. Then she had an idea, ‘Does Hilda live on her own?’

  ‘Yes.’ Rita nodded. ‘She has a son, but he married a girl from Kent, and only comes up once every six months. Which is understandable, because he’s in his late fifties now and has children and grandchildren of his own.’

  ‘I wonder if she could keep yer company tonight, sunshine?’ Molly asked. ‘It would be nice for yer to have someone to talk to, take yer mind off the fright and shock yer’ve had. If yer’re on yer own, yer’ll keep dwelling on it, and yer wouldn’t get any sleep.’

  Nellie pursed her lips, as she and her chins agreed that Molly was a very caring and clever woman, to have thought of a way of helping Rita, and kept her safety in mind.

  ‘Oh, I wouldn’t like to suggest it,’ Rita said, ‘it’s a bit much to ask of her. Actually I’m surprised she hasn’t been in, for yer know how news spreads in these little streets. It goes around like wildfire.’

  ‘I’ll tell yer what, sunshine.’ Molly was determined not to be put off. ‘I’ll give her a knock and tell her what’s happened, and perhaps she’ll come back with me. Is she an easy person to get on with?’

  The old lady had a smile on her face when she answered. ‘Oh, yes, she’s very easy-going. If Nellie won’t mind me saying so, Hilda is very much like her.’

  ‘Ay, is that a compliment, or an insult?’ Nellie pretended to get on her high horse. ‘And does she have a voluptuous body like mine, what men crave for?’

  ‘I wouldn’t know about that, Nellie, but she is full of life for a woman of her age.’

  ‘She sounds friendly enough, so I don’t think she’ll mind me giving her a knock. She might not have heard what happened, so we can fill her in with the drama.’ Molly gave a broad wink. ‘Tell yer what, sunshine, we’ll let Nellie tell her. She’ll put more heart into it seeing as she was the main one involved.’

  ‘If she’s busy, yer will tell her it’s not so important it can’t wait until later, won’t yer? I don’t want her to break off her work if she’s busy.’

  ‘Not to worry, sunshine,’ Molly said. ‘I’ll not interrupt her if she’s in the middle of doing something. And I’ll be very polite and friendly. I’ll not be long, and Nellie can keep yer company while I’m gone.’

  When Nellie heard the front door opening, she nodded her head in a knowing manner. ‘Yer don’t have to worry about my mate, Rita, ’cos Molly never swears, and she can talk proper. Yer should hear some of the long words she comes out with; she leaves me flabbergasted. I pretend to know what she’s talking about, but half the time I’m nodding me head when it should be shaking, and shaking when it should be nodding. But we can’t all be clever clogs, can we, girl? Life would be bloody miserable if we were!’

  While Nellie was singing her pra
ises, Molly was knocking on the house next door. She’d have to watch her words carefully, for she didn’t want Rita, or her neighbour, to know of her fears regarding the man in a trilby. It wouldn’t be fair to frighten two elderly people when it could turn out to be her imagination. On the other hand, it was possible her instinct was right, and then she’d never forgive herself if any harm came to them.

  When there was no answer to Molly’s first knock, she tried again, in case the woman was in the kitchen or upstairs. And when the door was opened, Molly was delighted to be greeted with a broad smile, on a round chubby face. Her first thought was that Rita’s neighbour looked as jolly as her mate Nellie. ‘I’m sorry to bother you, sunshine, I hope I haven’t brought you away from your work?’

  Again the chubby face beamed. ‘No, I was sitting down talking to meself, and I was getting fed up with the sound of me own voice.’ Folding her arms, Hilda stood on the step. ‘It’s Molly Bennett, isn’t it? I’ve often seen yer at the shops with Nellie Mac, but never had the opportunity to speak to yer. Anyway, what can I do for yer now?’

  ‘It’s about your neighbour, Mrs Reagan. Haven’t yer heard what happened to her today?’

  ‘I haven’t been out this morning, queen, and I haven’t spoken to no one. Why, what happened to Rita?’

  Molly only got as far as Nellie seeing Rita standing on the edge of the pavement when Hilda stood to one side and jerked her head. ‘Come in, queen, and yer can sit down while ye’re telling me. As me old ma used to say, it’s bad manners to keep someone standing at the door.’

  Molly glanced around the living room with approval. ‘Yer house is a credit to yer, sunshine, it’s like a little palace. You and Rita put us younger women to shame.’

  ‘The name is Hilda, queen, and I don’t believe in standing on formality, so park yer bottom and take the weight off yer feet. I do keep me place nice, but that’s only because I’ve nothing else to do. I get bored stiff sometimes, and find meself counting the leaves on the wallpaper.’ She nodded to the wall behind the sideboard. ‘There’s a hundred and twenty-seven on that wall.’ Then her next action reminded Molly of something Nellie did every day without fail. She lifted her bosom and rested it on the table before circling it with her arms.

  ‘Now, what were yer saying about Rita standing on the pavement? Yer’ll have to forgive me for interrupting yer so rudely, but that’s only because I don’t get much chance of talking to people. So go on, and I promise I’ll keep me trap shut.’

  However, while Molly was telling of Rita’s plight, although Hilda did keep her promise to be quiet, she couldn’t keep her trap shut, and her mouth remained open throughout Molly’s version of events.

  ‘There yer have it, sunshine,’ Molly said. ‘She’s had a bad shock and I’m here to ask if yer could keep an eye on her, just for today, to make sure there are no lasting effects. It would have been a bad experience for a young person, never mind someone of Mrs Reagan’s age. Would yer mind watching out for her?’

  Hilda scraped back her chair. ‘I’m surprised none of the neighbours have called to tell me. Unless the word hasn’t got around yet.’ She used the table to push herself to her feet. ‘I’ll see Rita’s all right, yer’ve no need to worry about that, Molly. We’ve been neighbours for longer than I care to remember, and there’s never been a cross word between us. I’ll come in with yer now, and see how the land lies. As yer say, it’s a nasty experience for someone in their eighties.’

  ‘Oh, that’s taken a load off me mind, sunshine. Otherwise, I’d never have got a wink of sleep tonight. I probably won’t anyway.’ Molly was keeping her fingers crossed, and hoping Nellie’s mate, St Peter, was listening, and willing to give a helping hand. ‘I’ll be thinking of her all night, hoping she doesn’t have a bad turn.’

  ‘We’ll sort something out, don’t you worry.’ As they walked towards the front door, Molly noticed that Hilda waddled like Nellie, and her hips touched the wall on each side. Yes, just like Nellie.

  Chapter Nine

  Molly had left Mrs Reagan’s door ajar, and when she pushed it open she could hear Nellie’s voice. Putting a finger to her lips, she winked at Hilda. ‘Just listen to my mate.’

  ‘What the hell is my mate doing all this time?’ Nellie was saying. ‘I bet she’s talking the ear off yer neighbour, saying she was the one what pulled you out of harm’s way and saved yer life.’

  Molly turned her head and winked again at Hilda. ‘Just listen.’

  ‘I’ll put yer neighbour wise when she comes in.’ Nellie was in full flow. ‘I’m not taking a back seat while me mate basks in the glory. Sod that for a lark!’

  Molly coughed before pushing the living room door open, and she walked in with Hilda close behind. ‘What was that yer were saying about me, sunshine? It sounded like yer were blaming me for leaving baskets in the ’allway.’

  Nellie didn’t even blush. ‘The wanderer’s returned, eh? Yer took yer bleeding time about it. And I don’t know nothing about no baskets, either, so yer must be hearing things.’ Her chubby face lit up when she spotted Hilda. ‘Ay, I’ve seen you many times at the shops, but I never knew yer were Rita’s neighbour. It’s a small world, isn’t it, girl?’

  ‘It is that, queen! And the older yer get, the smaller it gets.’ Hilda sat down on the couch next to Rita, and patted her arm. ‘What’s all this about you nearly getting run over, queen? From the sound of things, yer could have been killed.’

  ‘I would have been a goner if it hadn’t been for Nellie. She pulled me out of the way of a bus. Me thoughts must have been miles away, ’cos I didn’t see the bus coming.’

  ‘Ye’re lucky to be alive, queen, from the sound of things. It must have given yer a shock. How d’yer feel now?’

  ‘A bit shaky inside, Hilda, and I’ve got a bruise on the bottom of me back, and a lump on the back of me head.’

  Hilda chuckled. ‘That’s the top and the bottom of it, then, eh?’

  ‘Ay, that’s a good one, that, Hilda,’ Nellie said. ‘I wish I’d thought of that meself.’

  Molly looked from one chubby face to the other. ‘I’ve always said there could only be one Nellie McDonough, but you two are as alike as two peas in a pod. The names are different, but that’s about all. I’m glad yer don’t live in our street, Hilda. It’s no reflection on you, but I couldn’t do with two of yer.’

  ‘Well, that’s nice, I must say.’ Nellie’s hands went on her hips. ‘Am I the only one what thinks I’m a hero? Some people get medals for bravery, yer know. Patted on the back, and have their hands shaken.’ Then she had what she thought was a marvellous idea. ‘And what about them what are carried around the streets shoulder high, followed by a crowd of people what are clapping and cheering?’

  ‘Is that what you’d like, sunshine, to be carried through the streets on a man’s shoulder?’

  ‘Ooh, yeah, I’d love that! You could walk next to the feller carrying me, girl. Seeing as ye’re me best mate I’d make sure yer got a good speck.’

  While Rita and Hilda looked from one mate to the other, rather like spectators at a tennis match, Molly asked, ‘Have yer given any thought to this hero worship, sunshine? Such as who yer’ll ask to carry you on his shoulders? Don’t forget it would have to be a real he-man, because ye’re not exactly small and slim, yer must admit. Unless yer find Tarzan’s visiting the area, then that would be a sight to behold. Any man less than Tarzan would spoil yer parade. He’d end up on the ground, no breath left in his lungs and a few of his bones broken. It would be a real turnaround, with him the hero, and you carrying him across your shoulders.’

  ‘Just listen to misery guts.’ Nellie sighed. ‘She is me best mate, and I do love the bones of her, but, honest to God, she can be a heavy burden at times.’

  ‘Can we move on from your bravery, sunshine, and me being such a burden to yer? Mrs Reagan is our main concern now. She will want us to do some shopping for her, while we’re getting our own. So we need a piece of paper and a pen to make a list o
ut.’

  ‘I’ll get Rita’s shopping for her,’ Hilda said. ‘In fact, if she feels up to it, I’ll walk her down with me.’

  ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, sunshine,’ Molly told her. ‘She’s acting as though she’s as right as rain, but I think that’s just bravado. I bet her inside is still in a state of shock. It’ll take a damn sight longer to get over an ordeal like that than she’s making out.’

  ‘Molly is right,’ Rita admitted. ‘I’m shaking inside. Me heart is pounding so hard it’s a wonder yer can’t hear it. And me head is splitting, me tummy is upset, and I feel like being sick.’

  ‘That’s only what yer can expect, girl.’ This was Nellie’s opinion. ‘It’ll be a week at least before yer feel yer old self again.’

  ‘Hilda’s going to keep an eye on yer, sunshine, so yer won’t come to any harm. Isn’t that right, Hilda?’

  ‘I’ll do better than that,’ Rita’s neighbour said. ‘I’ll take her home with me now, and she can stay overnight. She’ll get a good night’s sleep and feel much better in the morning.’

  Rita’s head was shaking before her neighbour had finished speaking. ‘Oh, I couldn’t impose on yer like that, Hilda. I’ll be all right here, I can bed down on the couch.’

  ‘Yer’ll do no such thing!’ Hilda said. ‘The very idea! What sort of neighbour would I be to leave yer on yer own all night, after what yer’ve been through? Oh, no, Rita Reagan, yer can argue as much as yer like, but ye’re staying in my house tonight. I’ve got a bed in the back bedroom, which I keep aired off in case any of me grandchildren come. The bed is made up, so you’ve no excuse. And yer’d have yer privacy.’

  ‘Oh, ay, Rita, yer can’t refuse an offer like that,’ Molly said. ‘It’s just what the doctor ordered. A bed of yer own, and help at hand if yer need it. What more could yer ask for?’

  ‘Yer’d be daft to refuse, girl,’ Nellie said. It was slowly dawning on her that Molly had brought this about, so the old lady wouldn’t be in the house on her own tonight if the man in a trilby was a burglar and paid her a visit. ‘My old ma used to say that yer should never bite the hand that feeds yer.’