by Joan Jonker
Ignoring Nellie’s nodding head and happy face, Molly put a hand on Flora’s chair. ‘Let me tell yer our news first, Flora, because I’ve been holding it in since we knocked on the door. And I can’t wait any longer to see your face when we tell yer what we’ve done. So sit back an’ listen. I’ll let Nellie tell yer if she wants to.’
But Nellie didn’t want to, for she couldn’t understand how Corker had worked the trick. She’d tried to make sense of it, but couldn’t. ‘No, girl, I’ll let you tell her. It was your idea, after all. Besides, I know yer won’t forget to say it was me what gave yer the insperoton.’
Molly caught Flora’s eye and winked. ‘It was Nellie we can thank, sunshine, for it was her who had the inspiration! That’s what yer meant, wasn’t it, sunshine?’
‘That’s it, girl, yer know me inside out. I bet when I’m in me own house yer know when I go to the lavvy.’
‘I’m not that clever, sunshine. I may hear the chain being pulled occasionally, but I can honestly say I’ve never heard yer spending a penny.’
‘I don’t go very often, girl, ’cos it’s too much bother. The seat is too high. I can’t sit in comfort with me knickers round me ankles.’ Nellie squinted through narrowed lids. ‘I don’t think it’s worth a penny. I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to.’
‘None of us would if we didn’t have to, Nellie, but when nature calls one has to obey. And now we’ve agreed on that, can I go ahead and tell Flora about our good fortune?’
Nellie waggled her bottom on the poor suffering chair. ‘I’m all ears, girl. I don’t half like tales about good fortune.’
Molly had prepared a tale which she thought sounded believable. ‘D’yer know when me and Nellie told yer about how we put money away every pay day, in case of a rainy day? Well, after we’d lent you some money for yer rent and other things, we had four shillings left in the tin box. And yesterday dinnertime, we were standing talking outside our house, waiting for the family to come home, when Corker came up the street. We usually have a good laugh and a natter with Corker, but he didn’t have much time to chat because he’d gone to work without his wallet, and he had no money to go to the bookies. He likes his bet, does Corker. Anyway, he wasn’t going to stop and talk because there was a horse running in one of the races which he said was a cert. He’d been keeping his eye on this horse for weeks and said it was in good form.’
Flora shook her head. ‘I’m surprised at Corker. I thought he had more sense. Gambling is a mug’s game.’
‘I’ve always thought the same, sunshine, and Jack doesn’t gamble at all. But I’m very glad we threw caution to the wind yesterday. While Corker went home to get his money, me and Nellie decided that because he was so sure of this horse winning, we’d kick ourselves if we didn’t back it and it won. So I nipped in the house, took two shillings out of the tin, and gave it to Corker to put on the horse for us. A shilling each from Nellie and me, and we put it to win. I didn’t tell Jack, ’cos he’d have called me all the silly things going for throwing money away. Yer can imagine me and me mate were on pins all afternoon. We had to wait until Corker came back from the bookies at half five, to find out if we’d won.’
Flora was a bag of nerves by now. ‘Well, hurry up, Molly, and put me out of me misery. Did the horse fall, or come in last?’
Molly and Nellie burst out laughing. But Nellie couldn’t resist a bit of fun. ‘The bleeding horse is tied up outside yer house, girl. Yer know how the cowboys tie up their horses outside a saloon? Well, as we haven’t got no saloons or cowboys round here, we’ve left Silver tied up to a lamp post and being watched over by half the kids in the neighbourhood. All we need is John Wayne and a feeding bag, and it would be like the Wild West.’
The old lady’s head was moving from one to the other. The couple were noted for bringing laughter with them wherever they went, but surely losing money on a horse was nothing to laugh about. She’d always been of the opinion that gamblers had more money than sense. ‘When you two can calm yerselves down, would yer mind telling me what is so funny about throwing hard-earned money away?’
Molly wiped her eyes. ‘There’s nothing funny about losing money on a horse, sunshine, I agree. But there’s every reason to laugh and be happy when the horse romps home the winner at six to one!’
Flora’s mouth opened and closed several times, and she wet her lips before croaking, ‘Ye’re pulling me leg.’
Nellie was in her applecart. Sunday afternoons were usually dull, with Paul out with Phoebe, and George sat with his head in the News of the World, giving an occasional grunt when she spoke to him. But today was more to her taste and she was enjoying it. ‘We’re not pulling yer leg, girl, it’s true. And the only one more surprised than me and Molly was the horse! Corker didn’t half gloat, partly because he was right, and more so because he’d had a good win. He wouldn’t tell us how much he had on, like, but as he had a smile a mile wide, I’d say he’d had a good day.’
‘Oh, I am pleased for both of yer,’ Flora said. ‘Yer deserve it ’cos yer’ve both been very good. I know I’d have been in Queer Street without yer. There was no one I could turn to, so you saved me life.’
‘I wouldn’t go as far as to say that, sunshine, for the neighbours would have rallied round. They wouldn’t have let yer starve, or go without coal.’
‘I know they’ve got hearts of gold, Molly, and I appreciate the way they’ve looked after me. But most of them are living hand to mouth, robbing Peter to pay Paul every week. I’d starve rather than take off them, knowing they were going without to give to me.’
‘Yer don’t have that worry now, do yer, sunshine?’ The laughter gone from Molly’s face, she reminded herself that it would be a long time before Flora got over the shock she’d had. That a stranger had been in her home, rummaging through her personal belongings, was bad enough, but the one thing she would never get over was the loss of her dead husband’s fob watch. And no amount of kindness could put that right.
Molly stood up to put a hand in her pocket. ‘I’ve got something to show yer, sunshine.’ She opened the betting slip and passed it over. ‘Have yer got a pair of glasses, or can yer see without?’
Flora took the piece of paper, saying, ‘I’ve got a pair of glasses, I think they’re in the drawer. I don’t need them now, but I do if I’m reading for long. Then me eyes get tired.’ She looked down at the piece of paper, stared for a while, then lifted it to her eyes. ‘This has got my name on it. Why is that?’
Nellie saw Molly fidget with the button on her coat, and knew her mate was worried about how the old lady would react to what she had to say. Nellie knew she herself couldn’t help, for she didn’t have the right words, or the gentle voice, and she’d put her foot in it. But her best mate was good at saying the right thing at the right time. ‘Go on, girl, tell Flora. She can’t eat yer.’
Molly sat back in the couch. ‘Relax, Flora, ’cos I can tell by the way ye’re sitting on the edge of yer seat that yer nerves are all strung up. I don’t know why, ’cos there’s only me and Nellie here. And as we’ve lived near yer for around twenty years, yer should know us well enough by now. We act daft a lot, but we do have our serious side.’
‘I know that, queen, and so does everyone around here. I’ve never heard anyone say a wrong word about yer.’
Nellie couldn’t keep back the thought that had crossed her mind. ‘Not even Elsie Flanaghan?’
Much to the surprise of both friends, a hearty chuckle came from Flora. ‘I’m not going to make any comment on Elsie Flanaghan. My mother had a saying, “Least said, soonest mended”, and I’m sticking to that.’
This seemed a good opening, and Molly took advantage. ‘Nellie’s mam was very young when she died, and we often talk about her and wish she was here. We were only talking about it yesterday morning, as we walked to the shops. Nellie was saying she’d spoil her, and look after her like I try and look after my mam and dad. So, me and me mate decided that if yer would let her, Nellie will adopt yer.’
When Flora sat forward, words ready on her lips, Molly held up a hand. ‘Let me finish, sunshine, then yer can have your say.’
Nellie was amazed at what her mate was saying, for it was the first time she’d heard it. So, like Flora, she sat back to listen.
‘That piece of paper in yer hand has your name on it because Nellie wanted to do something for yer … like I would do if what happened to you happened to my mam. If the horse was an old nag and came in last, well, that couldn’t be helped and yer would never be told. However, thanks to our good friend Corker, the horse did as he said it would, and it romped in ahead of the field.’ Molly chuckled to lighten the tension. ‘My Jack went mad when he heard, said he would have put a tanner on himself if he’d known the horse was so good.’
‘But surely yer’ll share yer winnings with him, Molly?’
Now for it, thought Molly, and rushed in before she could change her mind and chicken out. ‘But it’s not our winnings, sunshine. Me and Nellie put the bet on for you. And before yer tell us yer don’t want our charity, let me finish the whole story.’
Flora wasn’t the only one to sit back and listen, because Nellie felt as though she was sitting in the stalls at the Carlton picture house, watching Bette Davis. In fact her best mate beat Bette Davis hands down.
Molly cleared her throat before speaking. ‘The twelve shillings the horse won for yer, that will clear the money we lent to yer. So yer don’t have to worry about giving us money every week. And we’re doing this with a good heart, sunshine, we really want to help. Yer wouldn’t be mean enough to throw it back in our faces, would yer?’
Flora was torn. She’d always prided herself on paying her way in life, and been beholden to no one. But it had been a lonely life, with no family or close friends. And there’d been times when she wasn’t feeling well, but was too proud to ask anyone to run to the shops for her. Pride was one thing, pigheadedness was another. ‘I don’t know what to say to yer, Molly, or you, Nellie. I’ve never known such kindness in me life. I’ve been too proud, too stubborn and too bloody-minded since my Wally died, and been lonely because of it. But I’m not stupid enough to throw your kindness back in yer faces. I thank yer from the bottom of my heart for the money you gave me. Without it I wouldn’t have known where to turn.’ She cast her eyes down for a few seconds, then said shyly, ‘I think I’d love being your adopted mother, Nellie. Thank you for the privilege.’
Nellie thought her heart would burst. She’d gone along with her mate’s do-gooding, and had enjoyed the praise showered on them. She wasn’t blind to the fact she wasn’t as good-hearted as Molly, never had been and never would be. But she had learned to be more tolerant of people’s faults, and to care for people like Flora. She didn’t show it, but inside she knew she wasn’t as rough or tough as she used to be. ‘It’s not all milk and honey, yer know, Flora. Being an adopted mother has ties attached to it.’ Having used all the big words she could think of, she wanted to pass the rest over to Molly. ‘You tell her what she’s letting herself in for, girl, then she can’t blame us afterwards.’
‘If Flora is agreeable, sunshine, yer could make a pot of tea while I finish off.’
Flora nodded. ‘Yer’ll find the tea and sugar easy, queen, ’cos yer’ve been in the kitchen before. The milk is in a jug in the larder.’
Nellie’s head popped back into the room. ‘Are the biscuits in the larder, too, girl?’
Molly gasped. ‘You cheeky article, Nellie McDonough. Don’t be so forward.’
The grin on Nellie’s face stretched from ear to ear and her cheeks nearly covered her eyes. ‘Well, I did warn her that being an adopted mother had ties attached. Start as yer mean to go on, that’s what I say.’
‘The biscuits are in a tin, Nellie, so help yerself. And I’ll try to remember to have a few in all the time, in case yer call.’
‘Don’t be spoiling her, Flora, ’cos she’s a real guzzle guts. She’d eat yer out of house and home. But she got one thing right about being an adopted mother. It does come with ties. Taking Nellie on board means taking on both of our families, because we are one big happy family. And that is a lot of people, believe me. Not that yer’ll see so much of them that they’ll make yer life a misery. Me and Nellie will bring our grandchildren to see yer, and yer’ll be sick of hearing us brag about them. Then there’s the old friends who would be delighted if yer would visit them, or they came to you, I can promise yer that. Yer know Victoria Clegg of old, and Lizzie Corkhill. And of course yer know my mam, Bridie.’
Nellie came in then with a tray set with cups, saucers and a plate of biscuits. ‘That’s all the biscuits yer’ve got, Flora, and it only runs to three each.’
‘There’s many poor people who would think it was their birthday if they had half a biscuit, Nellie,’ Flora said, winking at Molly. ‘So count yerself lucky.’
Nellie put her hands on her wide hips and planted her feet a foot apart. ‘Blimey, she’s giving orders and she’s only been me mother for ten minutes!’
Chapter Nine
‘I warned yer years ago about your Ruthie having a liking for the boys, didn’t I, girl?’ Nellie’s swaying hips pushed Molly nearer to the edge of the pavement. ‘Fifteen years of age and she’s a real flirt. If she carries on the way she is, she’ll get a name like a bad penny. Always hanging round with lads.’
Molly pulled them to a halt. ‘You be careful with that tongue of yours, Nellie McDonough, or yer’ll find yerself at the end of mine, and yer’ll be sorry yer signed. I know it’s only a joke with yer, but if anyone happened to overhear, it would be round the neighbourhood in no time and set tongues wagging.’
The mates were on their way home from Flora’s and had just turned into their street. ‘Our Ruthie will be sixteen in a couple of weeks, and she’s no different to what I was like at that age. And heaven only knows what you were like. I bet yer were more of a flirt than me and Ruthie put together.’
Nellie was having a good laugh to herself. It was so easy to wind her mate up. ‘Yeah, I was, girl. I had me first boyfriend the day I started school; we were both five. But I chucked him the next day, ’cos the boy next to me in class gave me a jelly baby. I gave him a kiss for it, and after that I never went short of boyfriends or sweets.’
‘And yer have the nerve to make jokes about Ruthie, saying she hangs around the street with boys?’
‘Yer don’t need to take my word for it, girl, yer can see it for yerself.’ Nellie pointed a chubby finger. ‘There she is, outside the Watsons’ house, and she’s making eyes at Gordon and Peter Corkhill, and that Johnny Stewart from the next street. They’re all over her, like bees round a honey pot.’
Molly pulled her arm from Nellie’s, and stood on tiptoe to crane her neck. After a few seconds she turned on Nellie with sparks coming from her eyes.
‘You only see what yer want to see, Nellie McDonough. It didn’t serve yer purpose to see Bella was there as well. Or that the Watsons’ door was wide open and Mary was standing on the top step, arms folded and talking and laughing with the youngsters. Too tame for yer, a scene as innocent as that, isn’t it?’
Nellie and her chins agreed. ‘Yeah, I hate to say it, but that little scene is too tame for me. I’d rather have this little scene, it’s more to my liking. Your face is the funniest sight I’ve seen since Laurel and Hardy joined the Foreign Legion.’
Molly saw the glint in her mate’s eyes and a little voice in her head told her that the little woman might be her best mate, but right now she was having the time of her life. At my expense, too, Molly answered that little voice, adding that two could play at that game. So as they were nearing her house, which was almost facing the Watsons’, Molly called over, ‘Yer should hear what my mate’s saying about yer, Mary. She said yer should be ashamed of yerself, running after young lads at your age.’
The young boys and Ruthie and Bella looked across to where the friends were standing, smiles on their faces. But it was Molly and Nellie who got their eye wiped, and the surprise of
their life. For the usually quiet and strait-laced Mary shouted back, ‘Nellie’s only jealous. She’s too late though, tell her, ’cos we’ve all paired off now. Gordon and Peter are going to court Ruthie and Bella, and I’m paired off with Johnny. Sorry, Nellie, but better luck next time.’
The little woman was flummoxed. ‘Well, I never! She’s coming out of her shell, isn’t she? She’ll be swearing next, and walking down the street with a ciggy dangling out of the side of her mouth.’
‘Well, how does it feel to get a dose of yer own medicine, sunshine? Yer expected Mary to go all red-faced and embarrassed, but she turned the tables on yer, and it’s not before time.’
Nellie wasn’t given time to think up a smart retort, as all the youngsters said goodnight to Mary before crossing the cobbled street. ‘Mam, can we ask a favour of yer?’ Ruthie put her arm round her mother and her voice was coaxing, ‘Wait until yer hear it all before yer give us yer answer.’
The boys were standing behind Ruthie and Bella, and Molly could see they were eager to hear what she had to say. ‘I’m outnumbered five to one, so the odds are weighted against me.’
Nellie moved nearer and put her arm through her mate’s. ‘No ye’re not, girl, ’cos I’m here and that makes it two and a half to one. I’ll stick by yer through thick and thin.’
Ruthie, the spitting image of her mother, chuckled. ‘We’re not going to war, Auntie Nellie, only to a church dance. And that’s not even certain yet. It all depends upon me mam. I just hope she takes into account that I’ll be sixteen years old very soon.’
Bella, very shy compared to her friend, plucked up the courage to say, ‘And me, Auntie Molly. I’ll be sixteen as well.’
‘I was going to say that perhaps yer mother should be here in case I say something she wouldn’t agree with. But as she’s gone in and closed the door, perhaps it would be best if we all went inside so yer dad can hear what this vital favour is.’ She looked down at her mate. ‘Yer may as well go home, Nellie, and see to George. He’ll be wondering where yer’ve got to.’
