by Joan Jonker
Lily had never been invited to Len’s house to meet his parents. This was because he had told her he was afraid she wouldn’t be made welcome and didn’t want to see her embarrassed. But there was a nagging doubt in her mind that this didn’t seem normal. If he loved her, which he said he did, then surely the day would come when he’d ask her to marry him? And it would be a fine state of affairs if she hadn’t met his parents before then and he wasn’t familiar with her family.
Len stepped from a shop doorway when Lily appeared. There was no smile or happy greeting, just a surly, ‘I thought yer weren’t coming, I’ve been here for about twenty minutes.’
‘Me brother Paul came home from the army today, and we sat talking. I hadn’t seen him for eighteen months and I had to spend some time with him and our Steve.’
‘I’ve been away for eighteen months, don’t forget!’
‘I know that! But I saw yer last night and knew I was seeing yer again tonight. And yer don’t seem to be very happy to see me, either.’
‘I don’t like hanging around waiting for someone.’ Len was tall and well-built, with mousy-coloured hair and blue eyes. He wouldn’t be bad-looking if his thin lips weren’t drooping in a permanent scowl. ‘We’ve probably missed the start of the big picture now.’
‘Can we skip the pictures tonight and go for a drink? I want to have a talk to yer.’
‘What about?’
‘For heaven’s sake, Len, there’s stacks of things I want to talk about! There’s a pub over the road, let’s go in there for a drink.’ Lily didn’t give him time to argue. She linked his arm and pulled him over to the kerb. As soon as the road was clear, she hurried him across.
The pub was quite busy, with many of the men still in army or navy uniforms. Lily spotted an empty table tucked away in a corner, and as she turned to tell Len, she noticed his eyes darting around the room as though afraid of seeing someone he didn’t want to see. But as usual, she put it down to his nerves and told herself his parents had a lot to answer for. ‘Come on, there’s a speck over in the corner.’
‘I’ll get the drinks in now, save pushing me way through this lot again. What would yer like to drink?’
‘A glass of port wine, please.’
While Lily waited on her own, she studied the noisy crowd. Everyone was laughing and joking, and she wished Len could be like that. Then she mentally scolded herself. He couldn’t help the way he was, he’d had a lousy childhood. She’d have to be patient and try to coax him around slowly. The trouble was he seemed to be scared of people. The look on his face when they’d come in the pub showed how much he disliked being amongst strangers. Still, they loved each other and together they’d work things out.
Lily smiled when Len put the drinks on the table and sat down. He was wearing his army uniform and she thought how well it suited him. ‘It’s busy in here tonight,’ she remarked. ‘People still seem to be celebrating.’
‘It’s too crowded for my liking. I’d rather have gone to the flicks.’
‘Yer can’t talk in the pictures and we haven’t had a really good conversation since before yer went away. Are yer parents happy to have yer home?’
‘My parents are never happy. All they’re interested in now is when I’m going to start work so I can hand most of me wages over.’
‘They’re not that bad, surely? I mean, ye’re twenty-two now, they can’t expect yer to hand most of yer wages over like a teenager. Pay for yer keep like I do, yes, but I only give my mam a pound a week.’ Lily took a sip of her wine. ‘Perhaps if yer took me home with yer, and they saw we were courting serious, they might be more understanding.’
Len shook his head. ‘Out of the question, I’ve told yer before.’
‘It’s ridiculous! Yer won’t take me to your house and yer won’t come to mine! Yer’d get on well with my family, they’re friendly and good fun. But yer won’t give it a try, will yer?’
‘I will! Just don’t push me! I’ll call for yer one night, when I’m more settled.’
‘Yer’ll meet them all on Saturday night.’ Lily decided not to ask him to come, but tell him. ‘There’s a Welcome Home party for me two brothers and one of the neighbour’s lads. Yer’ve been invited.’
‘Some hope you’ve got, Lily, and I don’t think! I’m not coming to no party and that’s the end of it.’ Len saw her face become set and quickly altered the tone of his voice. ‘I’m sorry, love, but yer know how I hate strangers. I never know what to say to them.’
Lily remembered Steve’s words and repeated them. ‘These are not strangers, Len, they’re my family. And I want yer to get to know them because if we stay together yer’ll be seeing a lot of them.’
Len pursed his thin lips and shook his head. ‘I’ll call for yer one night, if that’s what yer want. But I’m not coming to no party where there’ll be gangs of people.’
‘I want to go, Len, and I want yer to come with me. As me boyfriend.’
‘Nah! We’ll go to the flicks on Saturday night and sit on the back row holding hands.’ His tone was wheedling. ‘And I’ll be able to steal kisses off yer in the dark, like I used to.’
‘Yer wouldn’t have to steal kisses in the back row of the pictures, or down an entry for that matter, if yer weren’t so ruddy stubborn! I bet our Steve’s never had to kiss his girlfriend down an entry. No, they were able to get all their kissing done in the comfort of Jill’s own home. Either in the hallway, or on the couch if the family had gone to bed.’ Lily conjured up a vision of her brother hugging and kissing Jill yesterday, openly, in front of everyone. That’s how it should be when two people were in love. They shouldn’t have to hide it! It was the feeling of injustice that brought the words to Lily’s lips. ‘I’m going to the party, Len, whether you go or not. It’s for me two brothers whom I love dearly, and I’m not letting them down. If you would prefer to go to the flicks, then yer’ll have to go on yer own.’
This was the first time Lily had gone against him, and from the expression on her face Len knew it was no use playing on her sympathy, like he’d been doing for the last two years. ‘If yer feel that strong about it, I’ll come, then. As long as yer don’t expect me to be the life and soul of the party.’
Signs that his surrender was begrudged could be seen in his eyes and heard in his voice. But Lily was so happy she didn’t notice anything amiss. All she could think of was that she wasn’t going to have to make excuses for his absence. And once he got to know everyone he was bound to feel more relaxed and have no objection to calling for her every night. Then her mam and dad would find that under his shyness, he was really a nice bloke. ‘Oh, I’m made up, Len! Yer’ll get on well with me brothers, I know yer will. They both take after me mam, always laughing and full of fun. And there’ll be plenty of pretty girls there, except yer better keep yer eyes off them or I’ll clock yer one.’
Len picked up his glass and drank deeply of the bitter beer. He had his own views on Lily’s mother but he’d be best keeping them to himself. She was certainly no barrel of laughs as far as he was concerned. And if he married her daughter, she wouldn’t be visiting their house very often if he had anything to do with it. Not that she’d want to, ’cos for reasons of his own, he intended to move well away from Liverpool. That was something else he’d best keep to himself until he was more sure of Lily.
‘D’yer want to sit down?’ Jack asked. ‘There’s a few empty tables.’
Steve shook his head. ‘No, I want to be standing at the bar for me first pint in this pub, like I’ve always imagined. And the first drink’s on me.’
‘No, son, put yer money away,’ George said. ‘Ye’re not the only one that’s had dreams over the last few years, yer know. I’ve been longing for the day when I could take me two sons out for a drink. So let me be the first one to do the honours.’
‘I’ll let yer get away with it, George, ’cos you’ve got two sons,’ Jack said, with a smile and feeling ten feet tall. ‘It’s you three against me and our Tommy. But the next ro
und is most definitely on me.’
‘Right, ye’re on.’ George turned to lean on the bar. ‘Five pints of bitter, Les, and seeing as it’s a celebration, have one yerself.’
‘Thanks, George.’ The barman grinned as he pulled the handle of the pump. ‘It’s good to see all the lads back, isn’t it? My trade should go up because they’re all old enough to take a drink now.’
The chattering stopped and all heads turned when the door was pushed open with some force and in walked Jimmy Corkhill, a giant of a man. With his white moustache and beard, and his weatherbeaten complexion, he would stand out in any crowd. And the greetings that were called out, told of his popularity in the neighbourhood. He waved to the people he knew as he made his way to the bar, and the five men who had a place in his heart. ‘I got home about five minutes ago and Ellen told me yer were here. She practically threw me out.’ Each one was slapped on the back and shaken by the hand. And with hands like ham shanks, his handshake could bring tears to the eyes of grown men.
Corker’s sudden appearance was the icing on the cake for Steve. This was how he’d always imagined it when the fighting in Germany got tough. Thinking of home kept him going. Jill was always uppermost in his thoughts, and his parents. But because he refused to think of anything bad happening to Paul, Tommy or Corker, he kept in his mind the night they would all be together in this pub. And now it was happening.
‘I can’t believe ye’re here, Uncle Corker. The one missing link, and now yer’ve turned up. I wanted yer to be here when I had me first pint.’
Corker let out a loud guffaw. ‘I pulled yer leg about it often enough, didn’t I, lad? And have I missed yer first pint?’
‘No, the glasses are all lined up on the bar.’ Steve felt like throwing his arms around the gentle giant, who always brought out the best in people.
George called to the barman who had moved down the counter. ‘Another one when ye’re ready, Les!’
‘Shall we find a seat?’ Corker cast his eyes around the room. ‘There’s two tables over there we can pull together so we’re not crowded.’
‘Can we have the first pint standing here?’ Steve asked. ‘Yer see, Uncle Corker, I had this dream. And in the dream, the six of us were standing at this bar, just as we are now, with pint glasses in our hands. It was so real, I could even see the froth from the beer on yer moustache. So humour me, and let me live me dream out.’
Paul tapped Corker on the arm. ‘Our kid’s gone sentimental all of a sudden. I think it’s best if we just go along with him.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with having dreams, lad,’ the big man said. ‘All the time I’m at sea, I have dreams. And if yer told me you didn’t, I wouldn’t believe yer.’
Paul grinned. ‘Yer’d be right not to believe me. Never a day went by that I didn’t dream of me mam’s suet dumplings. And some days I got so hungry for them, me mouth used to water.’
‘Same here!’ Tommy said. ‘But it wasn’t dumplings I dreamed of. It was a toss-up between Rosie’s deep blue eyes or me mam’s apple pie.’
Corker’s pint arrived and the six men lifted their glasses to each other. ‘I don’t know whether God approves of beer, but I think the first toast should be a thank you to Him for bringing us safely home.’
‘Hear, hear!’ Chorused George and Jack. Two men who would rather have been fighting by their sons’ side on the battlefield, than wondering every day if they were still alive.
‘I’ll order the next round.’ Corker waved away the protests. ‘It’s a drop of the hard stuff for me, George and Jack, and bitter for the lads, eh?’
‘Me mam said if we go home drunk she’ll take the rolling pin to us,’ Paul said, with a twinkle in his eye. ‘So me and Steve have decided to let me dad go in first.’
Corker’s head dropped back and his loud guffaw rang out. ‘I can just see Nellie, and the size of her, chasing you three down the street. Ooh, I can’t wait to hear what her and Molly have been up to while I’ve been away.’
‘How long have yer got, Corker?’ Jack asked. ‘Me and George live with them, but we can’t keep up with their tricks.’
‘I’ve got two weeks’ leave. I’m owed a lot more, but there’s so many countries crying out for food and materials I couldn’t be spared for any longer.’
‘Me and George will give yer a hand with the drinks, Corker, while the boys sort the tables out,’ Jack said. ‘We may as well take the weight off our feet.’
When they were settled with their drinks in front of them, Corker said, ‘They’re not boys any more, Jack. I can’t get over how they’ve grown! Your Tommy will be catching me up before long if he keeps on at this rate.’
‘No I won’t, Uncle Corker,’ Tommy said. ‘Rosie’s got that in hand. Every night when I go round there, she’s going to hit me on the head with the frying pan. So what I gain during the day, I’ll be losing at night.’
Corker’s smile took them all in. ‘Yer’ve no idea how glad I am to see yer all again. And I’m dying to see all the girls.’
‘Yer’ll be seeing the whole gang together on Saturday night, ’cos me mam and Auntie Nellie are throwing a party. And we were hoping yer’d be home for it.’ Tommy was feeling all grown-up, sitting in a pub with a pint in front of him. ‘Me mam said it wouldn’t be like a party without you.’
‘I’ll look forward to that! Tell yer mam I’ll help her out with a bit of food, and I’ll see to the drinks.’
‘We’ll share the cost of the drinks, Corker,’ George said. ‘Me and Jack have been working a lot of overtime, so we’re better off than in the old days.’
‘Me dad saw the boss about me getting me job back, Uncle Corker, and I’m going to see him tomorrow.’ Steve’s smile was one of pride. ‘I’ll probably be starting on Monday.’
‘I’m lucky too,’ Tommy put in. ‘I’ve got me old job back, thanks to me dad.’
‘And I’m keeping me fingers crossed,’ Paul laughed. ‘If I don’t get it, all won’t be lost ’cos I can borrow off me big brother.’
‘Some hope you’ve got, our Paul! Your big brother is going to be saving like mad to get married.’
‘How is my princess?’ Corker asked. ‘Still as lovely as ever?’
Steve nodded. ‘If it’s possible, she’s even more lovely.’
‘And sweet Rosie O’Grady? Is she more lovely than ever?’
‘I think she is,’ Tommy chuckled. ‘But then I’m biased.’
Corker raised his bushy eyebrows at Paul. ‘And what about your fair young lady?’
‘I don’t know her name yet, ’cos I haven’t met her. But I’m going to be working very hard on it, Uncle Corker. A pretty girlfriend is top of me list.’
The three older men exchanged glances which said that whatever happened in the lives of these young ones would fill their lives with interest and happiness. But although the older men were wiser, even they couldn’t foresee the surprises in store for them.
Chapter Seven
‘How many is that altogether?’ Molly met her friend’s eyes across the table. ‘I get to so many, then I lose count.’
‘Why don’t yer write the names down, girl – then yer won’t miss anyone out?’ Nellie spread out one of her chubby hands and reeled off names as she pressed each of her fingers back. ‘It’s no good, I’d need four hands. And while I’m well endowed in some departments, I wasn’t blessed with four hands.’
‘I’ll get a pencil and a piece of paper,’ Molly said, getting to her feet. ‘Otherwise we’ll be here all day.’ She rooted through one of the sideboard drawers and came up with a stub of pencil and an old envelope. ‘This’ll have to do, I’ve got no proper writing paper. We’ll start with your lot first. There’s five of you, and your Lily’s boyfriend. Are you sure he’s coming?’
‘So she said, and she seemed quite definite.’
Molly wrote the names down. ‘That’s six from your house, and six from here. Then there’s Phil, and Tommy’s army friend, Hooter.’ She looked up and grinned. ‘Or
should I say Archibald Higgins?’
‘That’s some name, that is! I don’t think he’d like us calling him Hooter, ’cos that’s making fun of him, really.’ Nellie looked thoughtful as she tapped a finger on her cheek. ‘I couldn’t call him Archibald without laughing, so he’ll have to make do with Archie.’
Molly counted the number of names she’d written down. ‘That comes to fourteen and we haven’t started yet. God knows where I’m going to put them all.’
‘You’ll manage, girl, yer always do.’
‘You are bloody hilarious, Nellie McDonough! We’re supposed to be having this party between us, but as usual I’m getting lumbered with having it in my house.’
‘Now yer know I’d be more than happy to have it in my house if it wasn’t for me having a bad heart. And don’t you laugh, ’cos yer should never mock the afflicted.’
‘Bad heart? You’ve never got a bad heart!’
When the table began to wobble, Molly knew Nellie was going to come out with something funny. So, with the end of the pencil between her teeth, she waited to see what gem of information was on its way.
‘I must have a bad heart, girl. If I had a good heart, I’d be having the party in my house to give yer a break.’
‘Nellie, if the day ever came when yer invited me to a party in your house, I’d never make it because I’d die of ruddy shock!’
‘There’s no need to be sarcastic, girl, it doesn’t become yer. Now get cracking on that list or the shops will be closed for dinner before we get out.’ Nellie’s chins did a tango when she shook her head and muttered, ‘I dunno, I’ve never met anyone who could talk as much as this one. She’d talk till the cows came home if yer let her.’
‘I’m not listening to yer any more, sunshine, I’m concentrating on me list.’ Molly licked the end of the pencil and began to write. ‘There’s me ma, da and Rosie, and Maisie and Alec. That brings it up to nineteen.’
