by Joan Jonker
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‘Oh, my goodness, Auntie Nellie, just look at you!’ Doreen stared down in amazement. ‘Yer look a million dollars! Have yer got a heavy date?’
‘I would have had, only for me mate here.’ Nellie pulled herself up the step with one hand, while shoving Doreen aside with the other. ‘I had Jack in the palm of me hand when droopy drawers put her foot down. Miserable cow.’
‘Ay, that’s my mam ye’re talking about, so watch it.’ Doreen was chuckling when she held her cheek up for her mother’s kiss. ‘Would I be right in saying she’s been having a go at me poor dad?’
‘Don’t be feeling sorry for him, sunshine, for he enjoys encouraging her. And while the pair of them are laughing, I’m the one with the red face.’
Molly entered the living room to see Phil’s mother sitting back on the couch with the baby on her lap. Never a Saturday went by that Phil didn’t pick her up in a taxi on his way home from work and bring her to see her grandson. ‘Hello, Frances. I see yer’ve got the little feller laughing. He looks really happy lying there having his tummy tickled.’
Coming to see her son and grandson twice a week were the highlights of Frances’s life. But she was always afraid of being thought too possessive of baby Bobby, and said, ‘You can have him now, Molly. I’ve nursed him nearly all afternoon. Victoria doesn’t get a look in when I’m here.’
‘No, you keep him, Frances. He looks so contented it would be a shame to move him. I’ll give him a big hug and kiss before I go. Me and Nellie won’t be staying long ’cos we’re calling at Jill’s on our way round to see me ma and da. And our Tommy and Rosie. I mustn’t leave me lovely son and his wife out.’
Victoria was eyeing Nellie’s hair. ‘Yer look a treat, Nellie. I don’t know why yer don’t keep it like that, it makes such a difference.’
Nellie pulled a chair out and sat down. ‘Well, I don’t know whether yer’ve ever tried to use curling tongs, Victoria, but I’m blowed if I can get the hang of them. I’ve tried a few times, but doing it in front of a mirror, everything looks back to bleeding front and I end up burning me ruddy fingers. Besides, the curls don’t last long, so it’s not worth the bother. The least little puff of wind and me hair’s dead straight again.’
While Nellie was talking, Molly noticed Phil standing by the kitchen door. When he caught her eye, he raised his brows and jerked his head, which Molly took as a sign he wanted a quiet word with her in the kitchen. So with Nellie in full flow, holding the attention of her audience, Molly followed her son-in-law into the kitchen. In a quiet voice, she asked, ‘What is it, Phil?’
‘Nothing to worry about, Mrs B., in fact I think it’s quite funny. But yer know what Mrs Mac is like when she gets her teeth into something, and I’d hate it if anything which was told to me as a friend was repeated.’
‘Well hurry up, son, before Nellie realises I’m missing. What is it?’
‘Yer know Mr Corkhill’s friend, Derek, walked Ken and his mother and sister home last night? Well young Ken took a real liking to him. He confided in me that his mam had been out with a bloke a couple of times, and she’d brought him home last week to meet the children. According to Ken, the man was a real big-headed toff, and not good enough for his mam. So he asked me if Derek was married, or if he had a girlfriend.’
‘Ah, God love him,’ Molly said. ‘He adores his mother, and I take me hat off to him for that. I knew about the bloke, so does Nellie, and Claire said he dressed like a toff and was well spoken. And she told us yesterday that Ken didn’t like the man one little bit. So much so, she said she wasn’t going to go out with him again. Anyway, she wasn’t so keen herself. It was the male company she enjoyed, after being on her own for so long. And having a struggle with money. Now we know that ourselves from when we first met Ken last Christmas.’
Phil narrowed his eyes. ‘Is that a smile I see, Mrs B?’
‘It is, sunshine, but don’t think I’m laughing at the expense of Ken, ’cos far from it. I think he’s a smasher. I also think he’s got his head screwed on the right way. That’s why I would believe him if he says the bloke is not right for his mam. The words he used, according to Claire, were, “He’s not one of us, Mam, not like dad.” And I’d back his word any day.’
Molly folded her arms and leaned back against the sink. ‘I like Derek meself. He’s a good bloke. Lives with his mam, and as far as I know he hasn’t got a girlfriend. I think if he had he’d have brought her to meet Corker.’ Then she had an idea. ‘Jack told me to tell yer he and George are going to the pub for a pint, and he asked if yer’d like to go with them for an hour. Corker and Derek will be there, so yer could find out, in a roundabout way, of course, whether there’s any love interest in Derek’s life.’
‘Yer want me to do some detective work for yer, is that it? And if I find out, what would yer do with the information?’
‘I’ll tell yer something else that Claire said, Phil, and see if it gives yer any idea. She said, “I asked Ken if he was matchmaking, and he said he liked Derek, he was a good bloke, like our dad was.”’
‘He didn’t tell me that bit.’
‘What is your honest opinion of Derek, Phil? Did yer take to him?’
‘Yeah, I did! I thought he was a thoroughly decent, honest, down-to-earth bloke. That he is a friend of Uncle Corker is a good enough reference for me.’
Molly nodded. ‘That’s my impression, and my thoughts. So perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to do a bit of matchmaking ourselves. I don’t mean throw them together to suit us, but arrange for them to see each other now and then, so they could make their own minds up whether there’s a mutual spark of romance between them.’
‘Wouldn’t that be meddling in their affairs?’
‘I don’t think so, son. I would see it as helping two nice people to be friends. What happens after that is in the hands of the gods.’
‘What’s going on out here?’ Nellie waddled into the kitchen. ‘He’s too young for yer, girl, so put him down.’
‘Yer’ll have to wait until I pick him up before I can put him down. Anyway, sunshine, me and Phil have only been talking about his job. Oh, and how he gets on with Ken. I’ll tell yer about it on the way to Jill’s, ’cos I know how yer hate to miss anything.’
Doreen followed Nellie out. ‘Ye’re staying for a cuppa, aren’t yer, Mam?’
‘Yes, love, we’ll stay for a cuppa. Nellie would have me life if we didn’t. Besides, I haven’t had a kiss off Bobby yet, and I wouldn’t miss that for the world.’
Phil pulled his wife towards him and slipped an arm round her waist. ‘Would yer mind if I went out for an hour, sweetheart? The gang are going to the corner pub for a pint, and they asked yer mam if I’d join them.’
‘Of course yer can go, soft lad. I know ye’re not going to get into any trouble if me dad is there. But get out of me kitchen now, the lot of yer, so I can put the kettle on.’
‘I’ve got something to tell yer, sunshine,’ Molly told her mate as they walked up the street after leaving Doreen’s. ‘Yer know most of it, but Phil doesn’t know that, and I wasn’t going to tell him because it’s the Bennett and McDonough Private Detective Agency business. And it wouldn’t be very private if we told everyone, would it?’
Nellie nodded to show she understood. ‘Okay, girl, I know ye’re going to tell me to keep what yer tell me under me hat. Well I always do, yer know that. So what were yer talking about that took yer so long?’
‘We’re nearly at Jill’s now, so I’ve only got time to tell yer that Ken told Phil the same as Claire told us. And that was about him saying he didn’t like Graham Collins. Well, apparently Derek walked them home last night, and Ken told Claire he liked Derek, he was a good bloke, like his dad was.’
‘Ooh, I didn’t know Derek walked them home! How did I come to miss that, girl?’
‘Because your George dragged yer home when yer wanted to go in Corker’s for a cup of tea. I don’t know why he did, unless he wanted to go to the lavvy,
but that’s his business. And that’s as much as I can tell yer now, because we’re here.’ Molly rapped on the knocker, then said, ‘I’ll have more time to tell yer the rest on our way to me ma’s, sunshine, and I won’t forget any of it, I promise.’
Steve’s brows shot up when he opened the door. ‘Hello, Mrs B. It’s nice to see yer. Who’s the woman with yer, the one with the curly hair?’
‘Don’t be so sarky, son, ’cos although yer might be old enough to be married and have a baby, ye’re not too old to have yer backside slapped. So step aside and let your mother get in. Oh, and don’t breathe out when I pass yer, in case yer blow me curls out. After having had me scalp burnt in half a dozen places, I’d like the curls to stay in at least until I go to bed.’
Steve winked at his mother-in-law, whom he thought the world of. He, and the rest of the family, were well aware that it was Mrs Bennett who had kept Nellie in check over the years. She was a good influence on a woman who was inclined to use her fists rather than calming words. Oh, the family idolised her, and wouldn’t let an outsider say a wrong word against her. But they knew Molly was the one who kept Nellie on an even keel. And Steve had another reason for being grateful to her, for hadn’t she welcomed him as a husband for her beautiful daughter, and treated him as a son? ‘Who did me mam’s hair, Mrs B? It makes her look so different.’
‘I can’t take the credit, son, it was Lily who did it.’ Molly stroked his cheek, for to her he was like a son, and had been since the day he took his first steps. ‘Yer mam’s pretending she doesn’t care, but knowing her as I do, she’s feeling as good as she looks.’
Lizzie Corkhill started at Nellie’s feet, then worked her way up to her head. ‘My God, Nellie, it must be a hot date yer’ve got tonight. Who’s the lucky feller?’
The little woman was thinking how good life was. They’d walked all the way from Doreen’s and there hadn’t been a breath of air that could have put a stop to the compliments she was getting. ‘I could have had a date, Lizzie, but for my mate here. As sure as I’m standing here, I swear it was on the tip of Jack Bennett’s tongue to ask me out. I could tell by the way his eyes were devouring me voluptuous body, and me new hair style, that he desired me.’
Molly’s eyes went to the ceiling. ‘I’m going to get that all night now. Where’s the baby, so I can nurse her and take me mind of Nellie’s voluptuous body?’
‘I’ve just taken her to bed, Mam,’ Jill told her, ‘but she won’t be asleep yet, so I’ll take yer up and yer can hold her for a minute. I shouldn’t do it, really, not when she’s ready for sleep, but just for this once.’
‘Ay, ay, ay!’ Nellie was standing with her feet parted and a fierce expression on her chubby face. ‘I might look different with me curly hair, but not that ruddy different. Have yer forgotten that I’m the baby’s grandma as well?’
‘I hadn’t forgotten yer, Mrs Mac, I’d never do that. Come on upstairs and yer can both hold the baby for five minutes.’ Jill put her arm across her mother-in-law’s shoulder. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
‘Listen, girl, I love the bones of yer and I think yer make a very good mother, and a good wife for me son. But take yer ruddy arm away while I’ve still got a few curls left, will yer! It might be donkey’s years before yer see me like this again.’
‘I could take a photograph of yer if yer like, Mam,’ Steve said, his dimples deepening when he smiled. ‘We bought a camera the other week, so we could take snaps of Molly while she’s still a baby. We’re going to take one every six months so when she’s older she can look back and see how she’s looked at each stage of her childhood.’
‘Ooh, ay, that’s a good idea,’ Molly said. ‘Me and yer mam couldn’t do that ’cos we never had the money to buy a camera. Did we, Nellie?’
‘When we get them developed, we’re going to get four copies of the one that comes out best, so both grandmas have one, and Auntie Lizzie.’
Nellie’s actions were like a peacock preening itself, she was so proud. ‘Fancy you having a camera. We’re going up in the world, aren’t we?’ She glanced at Molly to make sure the camera was duly appreciated. ‘Well, it would be nice if yer could take a photo of me and Molly holding the baby. When little Molly grows up, she’ll think her grandma had nice curly hair.’
‘If she’s still awake, I’ll bring her down for a few minutes,’ Jill said. ‘What d’yer think Steve? Shall I bring her down and yer can take a few snaps?’
‘I think there’s four left on the roll, so we could use it up and yer can put it in to be developed on Monday. But if the baby is asleep, I don’t think it would be fair to waken her.’
Molly agreed. ‘No, don’t waken her on our account. I know ye’re getting her into a routine, so don’t spoil it just for us.’
‘Ye’re right, Mam, it wouldn’t be fair. Let Steve take a snap of you and Auntie Nellie, and another one with Auntie Lizzie with yer. Then tomorrow night, if yer come down earlier, he can take yer with the baby.’
Nellie grinned up at Molly. ‘Ay, I bet yer never thought when yer came out tonight that yer’d be getting yer photie took, did yer? It’s fate, isn’t it?’
‘Fate? What d’yer mean, it’s fate?’
‘Me having me hair curled, that’s what! Ay, I won’t know meself when I see meself in a photie.’
Steve’s chuckle drowned out the laughter. ‘Mam, yer have a lovely way with words. No one can touch yer. Who else would say they wouldn’t know themselves when they saw themselves? That’s a classic, that is.’
Nellie studied his face, then turned to Molly. ‘Shall I kiss him, girl, or clock him one?’
‘Definitely a kiss, sunshine, and he was right, it was a classic. Good enough to repeat when we get to me ma’s. And good enough for yer to repeat to George in bed tonight.’
Nellie threw her a look of disgust. ‘Do yer think I’ve got nothing better to do in bed than tell my feller I don’t know whether I’m coming or going?’
‘I won’t answer that, if yer don’t mind, sunshine. What I will do is ask Steve to take our photographs while Jill puts the kettle on.’ Then Molly was hit by a brainwave. ‘Oh, yer won’t be telling George in bed, anyway, ’cos yer won’t be going to bed tonight.’
‘How d’yer make out that, girl?’
‘It was just a thought flashed through me head, sunshine, that’s all. I mean, yer seem to be getting very fond of yer curls, and if yer went to bed, yer’d wake up with dead straight hair again.’
‘Oh, bloody hell, I never thought of that! I’ll sit up in the chair all night, and make sure I keep me head straight.’
Lizzie tried to help. ‘Yer could go to bed if yer wore a hair net, queen.’
A light came into Nellie’s eyes, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s a good idea. Lend me yours, Lizzie, ’cos I haven’t got one.’
‘I haven’t got one, queen, I’m sorry. My hair, like Corker’s, has always had a bit of curl to it, so I’ve never needed a net.’
Nellie looked glum again. ‘Me heart lifted for a minute there, Lizzie, and now I’m back to feeling miserable. I know it’s no use asking Jill, or me mate, ’cos they’ve both got long blond hair what they only have to run a comb through. They make me bleeding sick, and that’s putting it mild.’
Jill had been standing by the stove, waiting for the kettle to boil, but now she popped her head around the door. ‘Yer could put a scarf round yer head, Auntie Nellie. You know, tie it like a turban, as the women did during the war. It’ll flatten yer hair, but at least it might keep some of the curl in.’
Nellie seemed to cheer up. ‘Ooh, I never thought of that. Ay, Molly, you’ve got a nice soft voile scarf. I’ll borrow it off yer for tonight.’
‘You can just get lost, Nellie McDonough. Ye’re not having my scarf. Yer’ve got one yerself, exactly the same as mine. Doreen bought yer one for yer birthday because yer moaned about not having one.’
‘I know she did, girl, but I don’t want to get mine all creased. Lend me yours, and don’t be so ruddy tight.’
Molly shook her head. ‘This is one time I’m not giving in to yer, sunshine, ’cos I’d be daft if I did. Our scarves are exactly the same, so why on earth should I lend yer mine? Especially when I’d get it back all creased and in need of a wash. Use yer own.’
Nellie ground her teeth together. ‘I suppose I’ll have to if you’re too tight to lend me yours.’
Jill came in carrying a tray. ‘I hope there’s no skin and hair going to fly. Yer both know I hate any sort of arguments.’
Molly took the tray from her and put it down carefully on the table. ‘Yer should know by now, sunshine, that yer Auntie Nellie and me spend our day arguing over nothing. We’d think the end of the world had come if we were nice and quiet.’
Nellie chose to sit in a chair nearest the tray. Well, if there was a plate of biscuits it wouldn’t be so far for her to stretch. ‘Ay, girl, yer haven’t told them about Corker and Ellen having a party in Hanley’s.’
‘I don’t need to now, sunshine, ’cos you’ve just done it for me.’
‘What’s the party in aid of?’ Lizzie asked. ‘Paul and Phoebe are not getting married yet, are they?’
Molly shook her head. ‘No, Lizzie, it’s not for anything in particular. Your son decided it would be nice to have a party to celebrate the birthdays of all his family and friends. In fact, Lizzie, Corker wanted to give a party ’cos he’s never had one before. And as far as I can reckon, the number of guests will be thirty-two, or thereabouts.’
‘He’ll be in his applecart, Corker will.’ Lizzie could never keep the look of tenderness from her face when talking of her beloved son. ‘He’s like a big soft kid, sometimes.’
Molly wagged a finger. ‘I know he’s your son, Lizzie, but I’ll not have yer talking about one of my best friends like that. Of course he wants to make people happy, that’s the way he’s made, and I know ye’re as daft about him as I am.’
Lizzie nodded. ‘I’ve never known my son do anyone a bad turn in his life. Nor does he speak ill of anyone. He’s a big man, with a big heart, and I love every inch of him.’
