by Joan Jonker
Ruthie giggled. ‘I don’t think yer’ll recognize us, so I’ll tell yer which glamour girl is me, and which is Bella.’
‘You might have a problem there, girl, ’cos in me new dress yer might not recognize me. So we’ll let yer mam do the introductions, ’cos she’ll know who’s who.’
Molly and Jack were ready with their coats on when there was a knock on the door. ‘I’ll go,’ Molly said. ‘It’ll be the lads for you.’
‘Ooh, don’t let them in, Mam, keep them talking until we’ve got our coats on. Me and Bella don’t want them to see our dresses until we’re in the dance hall.’ Ruthie was slipping her arms into her coat sleeves. ‘Come on, Bella, me mam and dad are waiting to go out.’
‘I’d better open the door,’ Molly said. ‘Me and yer dad will go straight out, because Nellie will be on pins waiting for us. Come on, Jack, we’ll let the lads in before they turn to blocks of ice.’
Jack smiled at the two girls, who were almost sick with excitement. ‘Enjoy the dance and the rest of yer birthday. Ta-ra for now.’
Molly opened the front door to see Gordon and Peter all spruced up, with their best suits on, nice white shirts, neatly knotted ties, and sleeked back hair. ‘Oh, if I was only thirty years younger. It would be hard to choose which one I’d fall for, ’cos yer both look so handsome.’ She glanced up the street. ‘I thought Jeff Mowbray was coming with yer?’
‘He said he’d see us there,’ Gordon said. ‘He met a girl he liked on Wednesday, and he promised to meet her there.’
‘Let the lads in, love,’ Jack said. ‘They’ll be cold, and we’re keeping Nellie and George waiting.’
Molly called over her shoulder. ‘Enjoy yerselves, girls, but remember to be home by half ten.’ She stepped down on to the pavement. ‘Go in, lads, the girls are ready, but yer know how fussy we females are. Every hair has to be in place.’
‘We’ll look after them, Mrs B,’ Gordon said. ‘We’ll make sure they’re home safe and sound by half ten.’
‘Yes,’ Peter told them, ‘they won’t come to no harm with us.’
Ruthie came into the hall. ‘Are you two coming in, or not? The night will be over before we get out.’
The two brothers had been hiding their hands, but once in the living room they held them out. Gordon passed a small parcel over to Ruthie with a card. ‘Happy birthday, Ruthie. I hope yer like the present. I’ve never bought anything for a girl before, so I’m keeping me fingers crossed.’
Peter nodded as he passed a parcel and card to Bella. ‘Me and our Gordon spent an hour looking for something. I hope yer like it.’
‘You’re supposed to wish me a happy birthday, Peter Corkhill,’ Bella told him. ‘Your Gordon’s got more manners than you.’
‘Don’t be narky, Bella,’ Ruthie said, taking the paper off the parcel. ‘You’re not allowed a sour face on yer birthday.’
‘I was only joking,’ Bella said. ‘I didn’t mean to be rude, Peter.’
‘Of course yer didn’t,’ Peter said. ‘Open yer parcel and card.’
It was fifteen minutes later when the foursome left the house, making sure the door was firmly closed behind them. The brothers didn’t mind the delay, because their presents were the cause of it. The face powder compacts had been a great success with the girls. They were filled with perfumed powder, and there was a fluffy powder puff on top. And the mirror in the lid came in handy for the delighted girls to powder their faces. It had been a wonderful day for them, going beyond their wildest expectations, and it wasn’t over yet.
Gordon and Peter Corkhill felt ten foot tall when they paid the entrance fee to the dance hall. And when Peter saw his big brother cup Ruthie’s elbow and walk her towards the cloakroom, he took Bella’s arm and followed. ‘We’ll wait outside that door for you,’ Gordon said. ‘That’s the dance hall.’
The small cloakroom had many uses. It boasted a few hooks on the wall, two toilets, a cracked washbasin and a small mirror. But the two friends didn’t even notice; they were full of nervous excitement as they hung their coats on the hooks. They could only see themselves from shoulders up in the mirror. ‘Does me dress look all right, Ruthie?’ Bella asked. ‘It’s not creased or anything?’
‘Your dress is lovely, Bella.’ Ruthie reached up to fix some of the curls in her friend’s dark hair. ‘Stand still a minute, the wind has blown yer hair about. And we can’t have that, we’ve got to look our best tonight.’ After standing back to make sure there wasn’t a hair out of place on her best friend’s head, Ruthie said, ‘Now you can tell me how I look.’ She did a little twirl. ‘Is my hair all right?’
‘Your hair is always nice, Ruthie, but yer’ve really gone to town on it tonight. I love the way yer’ve combed it right back and tied it with ribbon. I wish my hair was like yours. I hate this colour, it’s so dull.’
‘Don’t be daft, it’s not a bit dull! You’re the lucky one, with curly hair. Anyway, we’d better hurry, or the boys will wonder what’s taking us so long. Let’s change our shoes and put our working shoes in the bag we brought.’
While they were changing into their silver dancing shoes, Ruthie said, ‘Don’t forget, we’re not going to tell the boys we’ve been practising dancing in our dinner hour with Amy. It’s to be a surprise.’
Bella was getting more nervous by the minute. ‘I won’t be telling Peter anything, Ruthie, ’cos I’m shaking like a leaf, and I’ve forgotten what Amy taught us. I’ll freeze, I know I will, and I won’t be able to put one foot in front of the other.’
Ruthie could sense how nervous her friend was, but she was wise enough not to sympathize. If she did, they’d both spend the night standing in the cloakroom. ‘Yer can’t have forgotten the steps to a waltz, there’s only three! Look, put the bags down and we’ll have a little go to warm yer up.’
Bella’s eyes went to the door. ‘Oh, what if someone comes in and sees us?’
‘You don’t half look for trouble, Bella Watson,’ her friend said. ‘Put the bags on the floor and I’ll hum while we do a few steps.’ Some of her confidence rubbed off on Bella, and soon the two girls were dancing in the small space, laughing at their own antics. Then Ruthie pulled them to a halt. ‘Yer see, it’s easy when yer know how. But we’ve kept the boys waiting long enough, so let’s get cracking.’ She tutted and pulled a face. ‘I wish we didn’t have to lug that flipping bag with us.’
‘I’ll carry it,’ Bella said, feeling a little more relaxed. ‘My mam said when she used to go dancing, girls would put their shoes and handbags under a chair. So we can do that, if there’s any chairs in the dance hall.’
‘We’ll manage, Bella, so don’t be worrying. Just put a smile on yer face and act as though yer’ve been to lots of dances. That’s what I’m going to do.’
The two friends had no idea how pretty they looked, until they saw the looks of admiration on the boys’ faces as they hurried towards them. ‘Yer look lovely, Ruthie,’ Gordon said as he cupped her elbow. ‘That’s a smashing dress, and I don’t half like the way yer’ve done yer hair.’
Peter, at sixteen, was a year younger than his brother, and not so sure of himself. But he made a valiant effort. ‘You look lovely, too, Bella. I like yer hair in that style.’
‘Gordon, where can we put our bags and walking shoes?’ Ruthie asked. ‘We can’t lug them around all night.’
Gordon held out his hand. ‘I’ll put the bag under one of the chairs. It’ll be quite safe.’ And a few minutes later the bag was out of the way, and he was leading Ruthie on to the dance floor. ‘Don’t worry, it’s a waltz. I’ll lead yer, and yer’ll soon get into it. Just follow my steps.’
Ruthie met her friend’s eyes, and winked. ‘We’re game for it, aren’t we, Bella? The worst thing that can happen is we fall on our face.’
‘That won’t happen, Bella,’ Peter told her. ‘I’ll keep tight hold of yer.’
At the end of the dance, Gordon said, ‘Ay, yer both did well for beginners. Yer didn’t trip up once.’ He took Ru
thie’s elbow to lead her off the floor, and bent his head to say softly, ‘You’re the best-looking girl here, Ruthie. I could see all the lads looking at yer.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ Ruthie said, a little embarrassed, but thrilled. ‘There’s lots of pretty girls here. And yer don’t have to stay with me. I won’t mind if yer want to dance with one of the better dancers. I’ll be quite happy to watch.’
‘I came with you, and I’m staying with you.’ Gordon sounded very definite. ‘If I left your side, another bloke would claim yer in no time. I’ve waited over a year for this night, Ruthie, and I’m holding on to you tight.’ The music started for a foxtrot, and Gordon put his arm round her waist and led her on to the floor. ‘I’ll hold yer close, and yer’ll be able to follow me steps better. And don’t worry if yer tread on me toes, it won’t hurt.’
Ruthie looked for Bella, and was happy when she saw her dancing with Peter, a smile on her face. She wasn’t actually dancing, more like walking, but the main thing was she was enjoying herself, and Peter was being very attentive. It had been a wonderful day all round, but this was the best part.
In the snug room of the corner pub, it was so noisy you couldn’t hear yourself think. And who was causing the shrieks of laughter? None other than Helen Theresa McDonough, doing her impression of Two Ton Tessie O’Shea. With the hem of her dress in her hands she went round all the tables, singing at the top of her voice. That she was showing her rolled down stockings kept up with elastic garters, and both legs of her blue fleecy knickers, mattered not a scrap to the woman who loved to be the centre of attention. The laughter she attracted was like music to her ears. And it wasn’t only the people in the snug who were being entertained, either. The customers in the saloon had been drawn by the laughter, and decided to stay and enjoy the fun. And, encouraged by the shouts and clapping, Nellie went from Tessie O’Shea to her Mae West impression.
‘What would yer do with her?’ Molly whispered to Jack. ‘I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.’
‘Just look at the faces around yer, love. There isn’t one that isn’t laughing. George is laughing his head off, and she’s his wife! If he doesn’t object, why should you? Look at Corker, Mary, Maisie and the rest of our gang, they’re all in stitches. It would be dull without Nellie.’
‘Yes, I know. She’s a cracker, and I love the bones of her. If only she’d buy herself a decent pair of garters.’ Molly grinned. ‘I’ll buy her a couple of fancy ones for Christmas, then she can do the dance of the seven veils and I won’t be embarrassed. And I’ll make sure those pieces of knotted elastic go in the bin.’
Nellie passed their table just then, and even though she was out of breath she was still dancing, and showing her legs. ‘Are yer enjoying yerself, girl?’
‘Having a wonderful time, sunshine. I was just telling Jack I’ve thought of a good Christmas present for yer.’
Nellie stood still long enough to say, ‘I hope it’s not a bleeding dictionary.’
The words were out before Molly could stop them. ‘No, sunshine, it’s a pair of fancy garters.’
There was a loud burst of laughter when Nellie answered, ‘Get blue ones, girl, to go with me fleecy-lined knickers.’
Gordon never left Ruthie’s side all night. He asked her up for every dance, and when she refused to take to the floor for a rumba or tango, he sat it out with her. And Peter was the same with Bella. It was during a waltz that Gordon plucked up the courage to ask, ‘How would yer fancy coming to the pictures with me one night, Ruthie? Just to the local flicks.’
The girl’s heart was pounding. She felt she’d really grown up now, being asked for a date. And by the lad she had more than a soft spot for, and thought very handsome. ‘I’d like to, but I think yer’d better ask me mam.’
Gordon was riding on a cloud. ‘Oh, I’ll ask yer mam, Ruthie, and I don’t think she’ll object.’ He grinned. ‘If she does, I’ll get me dad to have a word with her.’
Ruthie was thoughtful as Gordon navigated a corner. ‘What about Bella? We always go everywhere together.’
‘Our Peter is going to ask her for a date, he told me. But that’s up to them, Ruthie, it’s you I want to go out with. It’s you I’ve always wanted to go out with. So if yer mam says it’s all right, will yer come?’
Ruthie nodded, her pretty face aglow. ‘Yes, okay, I’d like that.’
The music faded, and they were about to walk away when a voice said, ‘Stay on the floor for an Old Time Waltz.’
Gordon was in his element when the music started, and he twirled Ruthie round. He caught his brother’s eye and winked, before singing along to the tune of ‘I’ll Be Your Sweetheart’. Round and round they spun, laughing with sheer delight. Then Gordon held Ruthie from him, and looking into her laughing eyes he sang, ‘I’ll be your sweetheart, if you will be mine?’
She almost sang the answer. ‘Yer’ll have to ask me mam that, as well.’
Taking his courage in his hand, Gordon kissed her on the cheek. ‘Happy birthday, Ruthie.’
The blushing girl was unable to speak for a while, she was so stunned. But stunned in a nice way. Then she wagged a finger. ‘I’m going to tell me mam on you.’
‘Well, I couldn’t ask her if I could kiss yer when she’s not here, could I?’ Gordon felt as though it was his birthday as well. ‘If she’s around next time, then I’ll ask her.’
‘Better not,’ warned Ruthie. ‘Just ask about taking me to the pictures one night. Ask too much and she’ll send yer packing.’
‘No, Mrs B won’t send me packing. She knows ye’re safe with me. On the back row at the Astoria, holding hands, what harm can come to her beautiful daughter?’
‘You might just pinch the odd kiss, that’s what!’
‘Wouldn’t yer like the odd kiss?’
Ruthie chuckled. ‘I won’t tell me mam if you don’t.’
