Try a Little Tenderness

by Joan Jonker

  ‘Cheaper than taking them to the cobbler’s, love. These will keep me going for a few months.’ He brought the hammer down one more time before laying it on the floor. ‘I bet Janet was glad to see yer.’

  ‘Not half as glad as I was to see her. We’re going to the pictures on Saturday night, I’m looking forward to that.’ Jenny glanced at the clock. She didn’t want to be here when Laura came in, didn’t want to listen to her telling lies about where she’d been. ‘I think I’ll hit the hay, the long walk has tired me out.’

  ‘Yer can sit down for five minutes, sunshine, and tell us about Janet’s job and what she’s been up to. It’s only ten past ten.’

  With her eyes keeping watch on the hands of the clock, Jenny gave them a much shortened version of the night’s events. She ended with a giggle. ‘I think Bill was sorry he signed ’cos he was bored rigid. He couldn’t understand how me and Jan got a kick out of window shopping. I bet he never asks to come with us again.’

  ‘He’s no different to any other man, sunshine, they all hate shopping.’

  ‘Too true!’ Stan laughed. ‘I tried it once, but never again. Yer wouldn’t get me going to the shops with yer mam for a big clock.’

  ‘I love it. I know I’ll never be able to buy half the things, but I still like looking.’ Jenny got to her feet. ‘Anyway, I’m off to bed, I really am tired.’ It was half past ten when she kissed her parents and she was praying her sister wouldn’t come in before she got up the stairs. ‘I’ll see yer in the morning, Mam and Dad. Good night and God bless.’

  ‘What time is it?’ Laura had her back to the entry wall and she wasn’t very happy with the way Jeff was mauling her. She wished she’d insisted on staying with Cynthia now, but the two lads had worked it so they were split up before the girls realised what was happening.

  ‘Don’t be worrying about the time, it’s only early.’ Jeff pressed his body closer and ran his hand down her back and over her buttocks. ‘The night is young, yet.’

  ‘It’s not for me,’ Laura said, trying to push him away. ‘I told me mam I’d be in by half past ten. Yer’ve got a watch on, tell me what the time is.’

  ‘It’s too dark to see.’ He had made sure they were at the very bottom of the entry, away from the gas-lamp and prying eyes. ‘Anyway, why does a girl of eighteen have to be in at that ungodly hour?’

  ‘Because I told me mam I was only going for a walk with me mate and I’d be in by then. She doesn’t mind what time I come in as long as she knows not to wait up for me, but I didn’t know I was going to meet you, did I?’ Laura’s worries were increasing by this time. This bloke was a lot older than her and far more worldly. She could handle young lads, they never wanted anything more than a kiss and a cuddle. And she was always in total control. She had the power to manipulate them, and this pleased and excited her. But Jeff, if that was his real name, was a different kettle of fish. He’d been around and wasn’t going to settle for a kiss and a cuddle. ‘Come on, Jeff, let go of me. Me mam will be worried stiff, not knowing where I am.’

  ‘Yer weren’t worrying about her when we picked yer up, were yer? Or when we took yer to the pub for a drink.’ Jeff’s mood was turning ugly. ‘Me and Larry picked you and yer mate up because yer looked like good-time girls. And good-time girls don’t have to go running to mammy at half past ten. Don’t take me for a sucker, or I’ll get angry, and I’m not nice when I’m angry. I didn’t spend money on yer just to hold yer hand … understand?’

  Laura had never been so frightened in her life. Her heart was thumping like mad, and a voice in her head was screaming that he could beat her up and no one would know. She could shout for help, but what if someone called a policeman? they’d ask questions and her mam and dad would find out. She could only try and talk her way out of it. ‘Jeff, I know yer spent yer money on me, and I’ve really enjoyed meself. I do like yer, Jeff, honest. I could meet yer tomorrow night and make up for it. It wouldn’t matter what time I got in, ’cos I can tell me parents I’m going to a dance. I could stay out until midnight, then. But if I’m late home tonight me dad will have the police out looking for me.’

  It was the final sentence that had Jeff moving back. The last thing he wanted was to have the police after him. His wife wouldn’t take kindly to that, and she was tough enough to beat the living daylights out of him. But if there was a chance of getting something back for his money, he was going to take it. ‘Yer’ll meet me tomorrow night? Is that a promise, or an excuse to get away?’

  ‘No, I want to meet yer! How does eight o’clock outside the Rotunda suit yer?’

  ‘Make it nine, it’s nearly dark then. I’ve no money to be sitting in a pub for an hour.’

  ‘Nine o’clock it is.’ It was the last thing she wanted to do, but Laura kissed his cheek. ‘I’ll have to fly now.’

  And fly she did. She couldn’t even feel her feet touching the ground. She wondered briefly where Cynthia was, and if she was suffering the same fate, but her own troubles pushed all thoughts of her friend from her mind. Her chest was paining and she was gasping for breath as she neared her street. She paused by the chip-shop window to look at the time on the large round clock on the wall, and sighed with relief. Thank God, she was only going to be ten minutes late.

  Before knocking on the front door, Laura ran her fingers through her untidy hair and straightened her rumpled clothing. She’d get upstairs as quickly as she could, her mother had very sharp eyes. And she’d have to watch her parents didn’t get near enough to smell her breath.

  ‘Buy yerself a watch, Laura,’ Stan said when he opened the door. ‘Then yer’ll have no excuse for being late.’

  Laura passed him with her lips clamped tight. She didn’t speak until she was putting her handbag on the sideboard. ‘I’ve been standing outside Cynthia’s, nattering. I’m not that late, anyway.’

  The red face and the smudged lipstick didn’t go unnoticed by Mary. But she didn’t want to upset Stan, so she kept her thoughts to herself. She’d have words with Laura tomorrow, and they’d be harsh words. And she’d keep on having harsh words with her until she got it through her daughter’s head that her behaviour wasn’t acceptable. ‘Jenny’s not long gone to bed, so if yer go up now it’ll save yer disturbing her later.’

  ‘Yeah, okay.’ Laura turned her back on them and pretended to be searching in her handbag until the smile of relief left her face. It had been a close one, but she’d got away with it. And next time Cynthia gave the glad-eye to two passing men, she’d make sure they were young enough to be manipulated. ‘I’ll see yer in the morning. Good night.’

  Stan waited until he heard her footsteps on the stairs, then asked, ‘Can we believe a word she says? Or am I being bad-minded?’

  ‘I don’t know, love, I really don’t. All we can do, as we’ve said before, is to hope she meets a nice boy and settles down. When she does that, you and I can settle down and enjoy a happy old age.’

  Stan grinned. ‘Blimey, love, I’m only thirty-nine – not ready for the scrap-heap yet. I’ve still got a lot of life left in me, and if yer want me to, I’ll prove it to yer.’

  ‘Yer’ll prove it to me! How soft you are! If you want to make love to me, Stan Nightingale, yer’ll do it because yer want to, not to prove ye’re capable of it.’

  ‘Playing hard to get, eh?’ Stan patted his knee and opened his arms wide. ‘Come here and I’ll show yer how much I want to.’

  Upstairs, Jenny turned her head on the pillow and sniffed up. ‘You’ve been drinking!’

  ‘Go to sleep like the good little girl yer are, and mind yer own business.’

  Jenny turned her body over, dug her fists into the mattress and pushed herself up. She couldn’t see her sister, but she could smell her. ‘Anything that upsets me mam and dad is my business. How did yer get in a pub at your age?’

  ‘Don’t be stupid, I haven’t been in a pub. I don’t know why I’m bothering telling yer, ’cos ye’re just a snotty-nosed kid, but I had a glass of sherry at Cynthia�
�s. Now, if yer satisfied, can I go to sleep?’

  ‘Have yer been in Cynthia’s all night?’

  ‘Why ye’re so interested in what I do, is beyond me. But if it’ll shut yer up, yes, I’ve been in Cynthia’s all night. We had a game of cards.’

  ‘Ye’re a liar, our Laura, a bare-faced liar. And if I didn’t know how much it would upset me mam and dad, I’d go right down and tell them.’

  ‘Don’t yer dare call me a liar, or I’ll belt yer one. When I say I’ve been in Cynthia’s all night, then that’s where I’ve been. Now shut yer face and let’s get some sleep.’

  ‘I saw yer down County Road, Laura, so don’t come that with me. You and yer dear friend Cynthia, linking arms with two men who looked old enough to be yer fathers. And I wasn’t the only one who saw yer, either.’

  There was silence for a while, then Laura said in a low voice, ‘I suppose ye’re going to snitch on me, are yer? Ye’re a miserable little squirt, d’yer know that? Yer think because yer work in an office ye’re better than anyone else.’

  ‘I don’t care what yer think or say about me, Laura. Yer can call me all the names under the sun if yer like, it won’t bother me; it never has done.’ Jenny wrapped her arms around her legs. ‘I used to feel ashamed to say yer were me sister when yer were telling lies in school, or bullying the younger children into giving yer their sweets or pennies. But then I told meself it wasn’t my fault if you were a bad ’un, and I kept away from yer. I don’t care what yer do, yer can get yerself a bad name if that’s what yer want. Why should I worry, yer’ve never been a proper sister to me. The only person yer think about is yerself. Yer don’t even care about our mam and dad, and they’re the best mam and dad in the whole world. But I care about them, and I’ll do everything I can to stop yer from hurting them. I won’t snitch on yer this time, but if I smell drink on yer again, or see yer picking up strange men, then I will tell them. Because they have every right to know what their daughter is up to.’

  Jenny slid down under the clothes, turned on her side, and moved as far away from her sister as the bed would allow. But sleep was a long time in coming. Her mam and dad should know what Laura got up to, but she didn’t want to be the one to tell them because she knew how hurt they’d be. What should she do for the best? If only she had someone she could confide in, someone who could advise her on what to do.

  She heard Laura’s gentle breathing and sighed. Here she was, too troubled to sleep, and the cause of the trouble didn’t give a damn.

  After seeing Stan out, Mary hovered near the kitchen door waiting for Laura to make a move. She was sitting at the table next to Jenny, and the silence between the sisters hung heavy. Breakfast was never the happiest of meals, but today there seemed more tension than usual. The two girls were acting as though they’d had a row and fallen out, but it couldn’t be that because Jenny never rowed with anyone. But where was her smile this morning? What had happened to take it away?

  Laura pushed back her chair and stood up. Without a word, she picked up her bag and made for the door. But Mary was quick and caught her as she was stepping into the street. ‘Just hang on a minute, I want a word with yer.’

  Laura’s eyes rolled and she pulled a face. ‘Not again! Won’t it keep until tonight? I’ve got a job to go to, or had yer forgot?’

  ‘The job will still be there in five minutes’ time.’ Mary couldn’t believe she’d reared a child who would answer her back with such a brazen look on her face. And it was no use boxing her ears, she was too old for that and it would only make her harder. ‘Where were you last night?’

  ‘I told yer, I was at Cynthia’s! If yer don’t believe me, ask her.’

  ‘Oh, and you and yer friend kiss each other, do yer?’

  Laura looked at her mother as though she’d gone mad. ‘Of course not! What d’yer think we are!’

  ‘Then how did yer face come to be covered in lipstick?’

  Laura was startled, caught offguard. But she quickly regained her composure. ‘Oh, that! Well, Cynthia had bought three new lipsticks in different colours, and we were trying them out. We wiped our lips with a piece of rag and it must have gone all over the place. Cynthia didn’t mention it, and she would have if she’d seen it. But then she wasn’t looking for something to pick on me for, was she?’

  ‘The one thing ye’re good at Laura, is telling lies. If yer expect me to believe that load of garbage, yer must be crazy. But yer’ll come a cropper one of these days, because liars always trip themselves up.’

  Jenny came out and stood next to her mother. ‘I poured yer a cup of tea out, Mam, and it’ll be stiff if yer leave it much longer. Come in and sit down for five minutes, rest yer legs.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s right,’ Laura sneered. ‘Go and sit down and pull me to pieces.’

  Jenny gently turned her mother around and pushed her into the living room. Then she looked down on her sister. ‘I’ve got more to do with me time than pull you to pieces. Besides, I wouldn’t waste me breath, ye’re not worth it.’ With her brows raised, she closed the door.

  ‘How did yer get on last night?’ Laura asked, when Cynthia opened the door. ‘I had one hell of a time.’

  Cynthia put a finger to her lips. ‘Not a word,’ she whispered, her eyes sending warning signals. ‘I’ll get me coat and we’ll go for a walk.’

  Arms linked, they walked down the street. When they reached the corner, Cynthia turned to the right, but Laura pulled her back. ‘Let’s go this way. I’m keeping clear of County Road, and Scotland Road. I promised to meet that bloke tonight by the Rotunda, but there’s no fear of that, not after last night.’

  Cynthia laughed. ‘Got fresh with yer, did he?’

  ‘He was all over me! I’ve never been so frightened in me life! I honestly thought he’d kill me if I didn’t let him do what he wanted. How I talked me way out of it I’ll never know.’

  ‘Oh, I quite liked my feller. His hands were all over me, like yer said, but I don’t mind that. I get a kick out of seeing them getting themselves all worked up, and their moaning and groaning excites me.’ Cynthia’s eyes swivelled sideways. ‘I’d rather have an older man than the kids we’ve been going with, they’re more experienced.’

  ‘That’s the trouble, they’re too experienced. They want more off yer, and yer could end up in trouble.’

  ‘No, Larry said there’s no chance of that. He’s been around, knows all the tricks.’

  Laura gasped. ‘Yer didn’t let him go all the way, did yer?’

  Cynthia laughed. ‘I might have done, but some drunken man came down the entry and put Larry off his stroke. But I’ve promised to meet him tomorrow night.’

  ‘Oh Cyn, he’s too old for yer! Yer don’t know him from Adam, he could be married with a gang of kids for all you know. Once he got what he wanted off yer, yer’d never see him again, and you could end up in the family way.’

  ‘He said I won’t come to no harm, he knows what he’s doing.’

  ‘Of course he knows what he’s doing, every man knows what to do! He’s having yer on, playing yer for a fool. I’m surprised at yer, Cyn, I thought yer had more sense.’

  ‘Ooh, ay, listen who’s talking! You’ve been down every entry in the neighbourhood with every boy in the neighbourhood! Now yer’ve suddenly gone all straitlaced because I’ve got meself a man.’

  ‘I won’t get meself into trouble with the boys I go with. A kiss, a cuddle, and a bit of groping, that’s all. And yer can’t get a baby doing that.’

  ‘And yer think those boys are going to be satisfied with that? D’yer think they’re not going to want more as they grow older?’ Cynthia gave a snort of derision. ‘One of these days someone will tire of yer leading them on, getting them all worked up and then leaving them swinging. They’ll have yer knickers down before yer know what’s happening.’

  Laura shrugged her shoulders. ‘I can look after meself with the lads we know. But I couldn’t have looked after meself with that bloke last night. He made no bones abo
ut what he wanted and said he’d get angry if he didn’t get it. That’s why I had to promise to meet him tonight, but he can go and whistle. I wouldn’t go through that again for a big clock.’

  ‘Suit yerself, but I’m seeing Larry tomorrow night. So ye’re on yer own, kid.’

  ‘I won’t be on me own long, don’t worry. I can get plenty of fellers.’

  ‘It’s only for tomorrow night, I’ll see yer on Thursday. I can’t see Larry wanting to take me out every night, he won’t have the money.’ Cynthia sounded cocky. ‘And if he doesn’t take me for a few drinks first, there’s no way he’s getting me down a dark entry. What he wants he’ll pay for in advance.’

  Laura felt a flicker of envy for her friend’s bravado. Cynthia was tough, she was afraid of no one. But with the memory of last night still fresh in her mind, Laura wasn’t inclined to put herself in that position again. ‘I just hope yer know what ye’re doing, that’s all. If he’s anything like his mate, watch out.’

  Chapter Nine

  ‘Me mam said I can come here after the pictures on Saturday.’ Janet was seated at the table and as she leaned forward the rich auburn shades in her hair were highlighted in the glow from the overhanging gas-light. ‘Our Bill’s going to pick me up at ten o’clock.’

  ‘That’s nice, sunshine, I’ll look forward to it.’ Mary smiled, remembering the days when this girl used to hold Jenny’s hand as they walked to school. She was glad she was back in her daughter’s life, she was a good friend to have. ‘We’re not playing cards for money, though, we’re not gambling. So bring some matchsticks with yer.’

  ‘I’ll pinch some off me mam.’ Janet’s cute, pixie-like face was eager. ‘She asked why don’t yer come round to ours tonight, Jenny? Her and me dad like a game of cards, although I don’t know why me dad does ’cos he never wins.’ With her eyes twinkling, she rested her chin on her curled fist. ‘I think he cheats, so me mam wins. He’ll do anything for a quiet life, will my dad. It must be that, nobody could be as unlucky as he makes out.’