by Joan Jonker
Steve had turned the corner of the street a minute after the girls and he’d seen Andrew stop them. They seemed to be chatting and he thought nothing of it, until he heard Rhoda shouting as she attacked the boy with both fists flying. Then Steve took to his heels and covered the ground between them in no time. Andrew was bent down and had his arms across his face for protection against the blows that were raining down on him.
‘Stop it, Rhoda.’ Steve put his arms around her waist and pulled her away. ‘What’s all this in aid of?’
Andrew straightened up and growled, ‘She’s mad! Crazy! If she wasn’t a girl I’d knock the stuffing out of her.’
‘Yer haven’t got the guts,’ Rhoda said, struggling to get free. Her face red with anger, she twisted her head around. ‘Let me go! I’ll kill him for what he said to Lucy. No one talks to my friend like that and gets away with it.’
Steve then noticed that Lucy was standing with her back to them, as still as a statue. ‘What did yer say to Lucy, Andrew?’
‘Nothing! Take no notice of her, she’s crazy.’ Andrew didn’t fancy getting on the wrong side of Steve, he was a big bloke. ‘She can’t take a joke, that’s her trouble.’
‘Shall I tell yer his idea of a joke, Steve?’ Rhoda said, nearly in tears. ‘Because Lucy said she didn’t want to go to the pictures with him, he asked her where she got her airs and graces from. She had nothing to be stuck up about because her dad had left home and her mother was a common prostitute.’
Steve stared so hard at Andrew that the boy lowered his head. ‘I’ll see you later, and what yer said to Lucy yer can repeat to me.’
‘You come near me and I’ll tell my mother.’
‘You won’t need to. I intend to have yer mother present when yer repeat what yer said to Lucy. Your mam might be a snob, Andrew, but she’s not wicked.’ Steve carried Rhoda to where Lucy stood and lowered her to the ground. ‘Come on, girls, he’s not worth bothering about.’ Then he noticed Lucy’s silent tears. ‘Come on, love, don’t let him see he’s got to yer.’ He gave Rhoda a nod and they placed themselves either side of the girl who was trying hard to stem the tears. And they walked her to Irene’s, where they knew there would be two loving arms waiting to hold her.
‘I think he should be pulled up over it,’ Irene said. ‘And his mother should be told. Otherwise, who’s to stop him from shouting his mouth off to everyone?’
‘I’ll have a word with his mother, if yer like, love,’ George said. ‘The boy needs a ticking off, no doubt about it. They weren’t the sort of things yer’d expect to hear from the lips of one so young.’
‘I told Andrew I would be calling to see his mam.’ Steve was sat on the floor next to the chair Aggie was sitting on. When Lucy hadn’t knocked as usual on her way home from work, the old lady had come down to see if there was anything wrong. And she was hopping mad when she heard what had transpired.
‘I’d like to take him over me knee and smack his backside so hard he wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.’ Aggie looked at Lucy’s red, tear-stained face and thought the boy deserved to be hurt as much as he’d hurt her young friend. Still, she didn’t agree with what she’d heard. ‘But, much as I’d like to give him a hiding, I think it would be far better to just let the matter drop. The whole street would know about it in no time, and yer’d only be filling their mouths. Someone would be bound to mention it to Bob, thinking he’d know, and he’d be very hurt and upset.’
‘Mrs Aggie’s right. I wouldn’t want me dad to know.’ Lucy sniffed up. ‘Anyway, I should have given him a go-along meself, instead of standing there crying like a baby. I shouldn’t have left it to Rhoda to stick up for me. The trouble is, I’ve been too soft. All me life I’ve been too soft. But not any more. I’m going to start sticking up for meself – be hard instead of soft. Then the likes of Andrew Bentley, and me mam, won’t be able to hurt me.’
Jack and Greg had listened in silence, each thinking that if they ever met Andrew in an entry, he’d come out with two black eyes for the unhappiness he’d brought to the girl who was like a sister to them.
‘Oh, don’t say that, sunshine!’ Irene said. ‘We all love yer and don’t want yer to change. We wouldn’t want the kind, sweet Lucy we know to become hard and bitter.’
‘No, we wouldn’t.’ Jack dared to speak out. ‘You just stay as sweet as yer are, Lucy Mellor, or me and our Greg won’t play cards with yer no more.’
‘There yer have it, sweetheart,’ Aggie said. ‘Yer’ve been outvoted.’
‘Yer can’t change now, love,’ George said. ‘Not even yer hairstyle.’
‘Lucy will never change,’ Steve said. ‘It isn’t in her nature.’
Looking around at the faces who were so dear to her, Lucy asked herself why she should let a little twerp like Andrew Bentley upset her. She had more than he would ever have.
Steve knocked on the Flemings’ door on his way home. And when Jessie answered, he looked shy. ‘I’m sorry to knock so late, Mrs Fleming. I hope yer don’t mind?’
‘Not at all, lad, it’s only just turned ten.’
‘D’yer think I could have a word with Rhoda? That’s if she’s in.’
‘Oh, she’s in all right. And calmed down a bit. She was in a right state when she got home, crying and calling that lad from the top of the street fit to burn. Mind you, he was way out of order, saying what he did.’
‘Your daughter sorted him out, Mrs Fleming. I think he’ll have a few bruises to show for it tomorrow.’
‘D’yer want to come in, lad?’
‘No, I won’t if yer don’t mind. Yer see, me mam’s on her own.’
‘Okay, I’ll get her for yer.’
Rhoda looked surprised but pleased. ‘If I’d known yer were coming I’d have combed me hair and put some lipstick on. Just my luck to be caught on the hop.’
‘I just want to say I think yer were great for sticking up for Lucy the way yer did. Ye’re a good friend to her, Rhoda, and I’m glad yer were there when she needed yer.’
‘I’ll always be there when she needs me, Steve. We’ve been mates for twelve years now, and we’ll carry on being mates all our lives. I know I’m outspoken, even rude at times, but not where Lucy’s concerned. I love her to bits.’
‘You proved that tonight. She’ll tell yer tomorrow how proud she was of yer. And I was proud of yer, too. Anyway, I just wanted to thank yer. I’ll be on me way now ’cos me mam will be wondering where I’ve got to.’
As he turned away, Rhoda stepped down on the pavement and caught his arm. ‘I’ve been wanting to bring this up for years now, but never had the nerve. Remember the time I said I didn’t want yer to help me and Lucy because yer were dirty? Well, that wasn’t the case at all. I was jealous because it was her yer offered to help and not me. Childish, wasn’t it? I’ve had many a nightmare over it, I can tell yer. But I’ve got it off me chest now and can face yer with a clear conscience.’ She turned and walked back into the house. ‘Goodnight, Steve.’
‘Goodnight, Rhoda, and thanks again.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Aggie came in from the yard with a shovelful of coal and was about to carry it through to the living room when she sensed a movement in the hall. ‘Oh, my God, someone’s broken in.’ She put the shovel down on the tiled floor and quickly glanced around for something to use as a weapon. Her eyes lit on the flat iron on the stove and she made a grab for it. ‘No one’s going to rob from this house if I’ve got anything to do with it. I’ll kill the bugger.’
With the iron held high, she marched into the living room to face Titch coming through the door leading from the hall. ‘In the name of God, son, yer frightened the life out of me. I thought yer were a burglar.’ She sighed with relief as she placed the iron on the table before giving him a hug and kiss. ‘Why didn’t yer let me know yer were coming home?’
‘’Cos I didn’t know meself until half an hour before I left the ship. We’re only in port for two days, just long enough to unload and load up
again. I asked the skipper if I could have the two days off to make all the arrangements for the wedding and he told me to scarper but be back before the ship sails.’ Titch pulled a chair out and sat down. ‘The banns have to be called for three weeks, so there wouldn’t be time if it’s left until I come home again.’ His grin was that of a young boy. ‘This wedding lark isn’t as easy as yer think, is it, Ma?’
‘It’ll all work out, sweetheart, so don’t be worrying. It’s not going to be a big wedding, not with Olive having been married before, so once yer’ve seen the priest about having the banns called, there’s nothing else for you to do except get yerself a new suit.’
‘There’s the flowers to think of, and we’ll have to have some sort of reception afterwards. I’m not getting hitched without having a bit of a do for me friends.’
‘Me and Olive will sort everything out while you’re sailing the high seas. When yer get home everything will be organised. Women are much better at this than men. We can have things done while the bleedin’ men are still scratching their heads and thinking about it.’
‘I’ve just called into Olive’s, and when I said we were going to see the priest tomorrow I could see her nerves go. But when she realised her son would be walking her down the aisle, she was soon happy and smiling. And Steve looked so proud, his face was a joy to behold.’
‘Ah, God bless them,’ Aggie said, trying not to let him see she was filling up. ‘I’m going to have to take half a dozen hankies to this wedding of yours.’
‘I’ve got a problem over me best man, though, Ma. Me two mates are Bob and George. How to ask one without hurting the other?’
Aggie frowned as she pinched on her bottom lip. Then her face lit up. ‘I’ve got it! Yer could put it to them that yer’ve been agonising over it, not wanting to upset either of them. But with Lucy being a bridesmaid, yer thought it only fair the Pollards should be represented, and you’d be honoured if George would be yer best man. Bob certainly won’t get upset ’cos he’s so delighted over Lucy. It’ll be a big day in the girl’s life.’
‘Sounds good to me, Ma. That way I don’t upset anyone.’
‘If yer want to go away with an easy mind, son, why don’t yer get it sorted out right away? Bob’s in the Pollards’ now, so go and get it over and done with.’
‘I’ll do that, Ma.’ Titch left his seat to cup her face in his two hands. ‘Yer could make all the arrangements for this wedding standing on yer head, couldn’t yer, Agnes McBride?’
‘I’ll certainly see it all goes off without a hitch, son.’ Aggie smiled, and her eyes were full of the love she felt for him. ‘It’ll be the third happiest day of me life. The first was when I married your dad, the man I adored heart, body and soul. The second was the day you were born. I loved yer from the minute yer were put into my arms, and I’ve loved yer ever since. Now my life is going to be enriched with a new daughter-in-law and a grandson. There’s nothing more I could ask for.’
‘Hey, Ma! Yer’d better bring an extra six hankies to the wedding, I think I’m going to need them. I can see me standing at the altar blubbering like a baby.’
‘You do, and I’ll have yer life! Yer wedding day is one yer’ll look back on in later years with fond memories. And one of those memories won’t be of you standing there blowing yer nose all through the ceremony.’
‘I’d be the talk of the washhouse, would I, Ma?’
‘What! The washhouse, the poorhouse and every bleedin’ alehouse from here to the Pier Head. Yer’d never be able to show yer face in the street again. And me – well, I’d be that ashamed I’d have to move house.’
Titch chuckled. He’d been a nervous wreck for weeks, thinking of all the things he had to do in a few days. But now he’d calmed down, thanks to his mother. Nothing would go wrong on his wedding day, she’d make sure of that. ‘I’d better go and see Bob and the Pollards. That’ll be one worry off me mind.’
‘Yer’d better put a move on then, son, because Bob sometimes goes for a pint with George.’
Titch was whistling a sea shanty when Irene answered his loud rat-tat on the door. ‘Well, I’ll be blowed! Aggie never mentioned yer were coming home.’
‘She didn’t know.’ A couple passing on the opposite side of the street turned when Titch let out a roar of laughter. ‘She thought there was a burglar in the house and nearly crowned me with the flat iron.’
‘Come on in and tell us what we owe this pleasure to.’ In the hall, Irene lifted her cheek and said in a loud voice, ‘Kiss me out here, so my feller doesn’t go all jealous and get a cob on. Yer know what he’s like.’
‘As long as it’s a secret and me intended doesn’t find out.’
‘I won’t tell Olive if you don’t tell George.’
‘Get in here, woman!’ George yelled. ‘If there’s any kissing to be done, I want to see it’s all above board.’
Lucy flung herself at Titch as soon as he entered the room. ‘This is a nice surprise, it’s lovely to see yer.’ She moved back to grin up at him. ‘It won’t be long now, will it, Mr Titch?’
‘No, sweetheart, only about seven weeks.’ He smiled a greeting at the eager faces who were waiting for his news. ‘The ship’s only in port for two days, it’s a quick turnaround, and the skipper said I could have the time off to start making arrangements for the wedding. So me and Olive are going to see the priest tomorrow about having the banns read.’
‘Ooh, it’s all happening now, isn’t it?’ Irene beamed. ‘Is it still at St Anthony’s on Scotland Road?’
Titch nodded. ‘That’s what Olive wants. And Steve is going to give her away.’
‘That’s just how it should be,’ George said. ‘I bet the lad’s over the moon.’
‘I’d say that was the understatement of the year, George. I think he’s got seven weeks of sleepless nights in front of him.’ Titch told himself to make a start and get it over with. ‘I was thinking about me best man, and with you and Bob both being me mates, I didn’t know what to do. But I figured that if Lucy was to be bridesmaid, it would be fair to ask George to do me the honour of being me best man.’
‘Of course it would!’ Bob said. ‘And a fine handsome best man he’ll be too.’
Titch put a hand to his mouth and gave a slight cough. ‘He hasn’t said he would be, yet, Bob. But I can see he’s thinking about it.’
George was a big man, but right now he looked twice his size. And the smile on his face was so bright it would have lit up a dark room. ‘Yer didn’t think for a second I’d refuse, did yer? I’ll be highly delighted, and honoured. It’s not often I get the chance to show off in me best bib and tucker.’
‘Will I be getting a new shirt?’ Greg asked, looking pleadingly at his mother.
Irene tutted. ‘Yer’d get anyone hanged, you would! Yer haven’t been invited to the wedding and it’s manners to wait until ye’re asked.’
‘Ye’re all invited, every one of yer,’ Titch said. ‘As though I’d get married without all of me friends around me.’
Jack was beginning to feel a stir of excitement. He’d never been to a wedding. ‘Does that include me, Mr Titch?’
‘Most definitely!’ Then Titch remembered what Steve had told him about the Andrew Bentley incident, and how Rhoda had rushed to her friend’s defence. ‘And Lucy can ask her mate if she’d like to come.’
‘Oh, I’ve no need to ask her, Mr Titch, she’s always going on about how lucky I am. I’ll go over after and ask her.’
‘I’m very happy for yer, Titch,’ Bob said. ‘Yer couldn’t have chosen a better woman for yer wife than Olive. She’s a lovely lady.’
‘I know how lucky I am, Bob.’ Bearing in mind Bob’s unhappy circumstances, Titch left it at that. ‘Anyway, I’m off now. Me and Olive have got a lot of planning to do. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, then it’s back to the ship for me the morning after. I’ll let yer know the date and time before I go back, though, because of yer jobs.’
‘We’ll all fit in with your
arrangements, mate,’ George said. ‘If necessary we’ll take the day off. What do you say, Bob?’
‘I’d have no problem with that. I can’t remember the last time I took a day off, so the boss could hardly complain.’
‘What about me and our Greg, Mam?’ Jack asked. ‘Would we be able to stay off?’
‘We’ve got seven weeks, yet.’ Irene kept her face straight. ‘That’s plenty of time to think of what illness yer can have that’ll keep yer off work for a day. Perhaps you can have the measles and Greg the chickenpox.’
‘Ah, ay, Mam!’ Greg looked disgusted. ‘Only little kids have the chickenpox!’
‘So they do.’ Irene was laughing inside at the expression on his face. ‘It’ll have to be something a grown up gets, then. I know, you can have a sore throat and Jack can have an upset tummy.’
‘Neither of those are as bad as a broken neck,’ Titch said. ‘And that’s what I’ll be getting off Olive if I don’t put in an appearance pronto.’
‘I’ll see yer out, mate.’ George pushed himself out of the chair. ‘Then me and Bob are going for a pint.’
Titch winked at Irene before asking, ‘Ay, George, when we’re married, d’yer think Olive will let me off the leash now and again to go for a pint with yer?’
‘If yer train her properly from the very start.’ George nudged his friend towards the door. ‘Like I did, with my missus.’
The cushion Irene threw fell well short of the mark. ‘Never mind, I’ll get him later,’ she told Bob. ‘He’s not getting away with that.’
‘Me mam said she’d buy me a new dress.’ Rhoda didn’t have her mind on the game and she’d already thrown the four of diamonds away before she realised she’d played right into Greg’s hands. She watched him snaffle up the card with the look of a victor on his face and shrugged her shoulders. ‘If you win this game, Greg Pollard, it won’t be because ye’re clever, but because I let yer.’
‘Because yer talk too much, yer mean?’ Greg laid three fours down with great aplomb. ‘You and yer flippin’ new dress, it’s all yer can think about.’
