by Joan Jonker
But Tess already had the bag in her arms. And although it was indeed very heavy, she managed to say, ‘I’m stronger than I look, you know. I can carry this easy.’
Nellie thought she’d gone far enough and had no intention of talking to the girl. So when Tess asked if she was looking forward to Christmas, did she have a tree and were her sons getting any presents, every question was answered with a grunt. But it didn’t put the girl off, she just chattered away until they’d passed her house and stopped at the one next door.
‘Knock on the window, girl, I can’t get to me keys. But don’t put the bleedin’ thing in or we’ll be in a right state over the holiday.’
It was Jack who answered the door, and his jaw dropped at the sight. He just stood there, thinking he was seeing things, until his mam spoke. ‘Don’t stand there looking gormless, let me get in. And take that shopping off the girl.’ Nellie disappeared from sight, but her voice stayed as loud as ever. ‘And don’t be all bleedin’ night about it, ’cos the draught’s just blown yer dad off his chair.’
Jack reached for the bag of potatoes. ‘How come ye’re carrying me mam’s shopping?’
‘Well, I only had this little packet to carry and your mother was overloaded. So I offered to help, and here I am.’
The bag of potatoes on the floor, the boy held out his hand for the loaf. ‘Blimey, that’s in a bad way, isn’t it? It looks as though it’s had a battering.’
‘Your mam had it tucked under her arm, that’s how it came to be squashed. Anyway, Jack, are you looking forward to tomorrow?’
‘Not particularly, it’s just another day.’ This wasn’t quite true, but Jack thought it was time he began acting like a grown-up. After all, he’d left school now and was starting work next week. Then he had another thought. If he acted too grown up, Tess might not talk to him any more, and he wouldn’t want that because she was the only one in the street who acknowledged he even existed. ‘I’m looking forward to me presents, of course, and me dinner. But there’s not much doing after that, is there? It’s not worth going out ’cos there’s nowhere open.’
‘We’re having a party,’ Tess said, showing off. ‘My mam’s got a bottle of sherry for the grown-ups, and lemonade for us youngsters.’
Nellie’s voice thundered, ‘Jack! Will yer shut that door at the same time as yer shut yer bleedin’ gob! We’re freezing in here.’
Jack could feel the colour rising upwards from his neck, and he said a silent prayer the girl would leave before his mother said anything more to embarrass him. But he was surprised to see Tess giggling behind her hand. ‘She’s really funny is your mam. You must have loads of laughs with her.’
‘She won’t be laughing if I don’t shut this door,’ Jack said. ‘Thanks for helping her. I’ll see yer.’
‘Tell your mam I said a happy Christmas.’
‘Yeah, and you too. Ta-ra.’
Ken stepped back with a look of pretend amazement on his face. ‘Well I never! Will yer look at these two, Milly, they look like princesses.’
Her face a glowing pink with all the excitement, Tess did a twirl to show off the new pale green dress. ‘Aren’t I proper posh?’
Not to be outdone, Maddy pushed her sister aside. ‘And how about me in my blue creation? Am I not a picture of elegance?’
‘As I said, yer look like two princesses. All yer need now is Prince Charming to come along and whisk yer off yer feet.’ Ken noticed his daughter watching him with raised brows. ‘Perhaps three knights in shining armour would be the thing, then yer’d have one each.’
‘How come yer didn’t tell me I looked like a princess?’ Joyce asked.
‘There was no point in me telling you that yer looked like a princess when ye’re a real one, now was there?’ Ken spread out his hands. ‘I mean, after all, I am the King. So it stands to sense me daughter would be a princess.’
Billy decided to get in on the act. ‘That makes me a prince, then, does it? I always knew I was different from the other boys in our class.’
‘How did you know that, Billy?’ Tess asked. ‘Was it because of the crown you had on your head?’
‘When you’ve all finished flattering each other, can I take the visitors’ coats?’ Ann asked. ‘Then we can sit down and relax.’
‘Give them to me,’ Maddy said. ‘I’ll take them upstairs and put them on the bed.’
‘Hang on a minute, I’ve got something in me pockets.’ Ken put a hand in each of his deep pockets and brought out two bottles. One was a half-bottle of whisky, the other a pint bottle of bitter beer. ‘These are for me and me kid brother to help us get drunk.’
‘Ay, we run a respectable house here, Ken Richardson.’ Ann put on her schoolteacher’s stern expression. ‘No rowdiness or drunkenness. When you leave here you will be stone-cold sober, with all your wits about you.’
Ken chuckled. ‘Over my dead body! It’s Christmas, a time for celebration, and me and our kid are going to celebrate.’
‘Take no notice of him, Ann, he’s having yer on,’ Milly said. ‘If he gets drunk he can crawl home on his own. I’ll walk on with the kids and pretend we don’t know him.’
‘You’re heartless, woman!’ Ken settled himself on the couch, next to his brother’s chair. ‘What d’yer think of that, our kid? Me own wife would leave me in the gutter and walk away.’
‘If that was where yer fell down, then I’d leave yer there.’ Milly sat beside him and linked his arm. ‘But I’d come for yer in the middle of the night when there was no one around to see what a drunk I was married to.’
While the four children sat at the table exchanging details of the presents they’d received, Ann made herself comfortable in the fireside chair facing her husband across the grate. ‘I don’t know about anyone else, but I couldn’t eat anything yet. I’m still bloated after the big dinner we had.’
‘None of us can be hungry, so relax, Ann.’ Milly kicked off her shoes and stretched her legs. ‘Let’s sit and talk, give ourselves a chance to wind down after the hectic morning we’ve had. I was hoping with the kids being older they wouldn’t have us up at some unearthly hour, but it wasn’t to be. Six o’clock Joyce was shaking me shoulder asking me what time it was. And no amount of coaxing would get her to go back to bed for another hour.’
‘Why don’t we all have a drink? George, would you do the honours, please?’
Ann’s words brought silence to the room. Even the children were stunned. And George thought his ears were deceiving him. Then he decided his wife must mean their guests, because never in their whole married life had Ann ever taken an alcoholic drink. ‘Er, yes, I’ll do that, my dear.’ He pushed himself out of the chair. ‘Would you like a glass of your own whisky, Ken?’
‘Yeah, if you have one with me. Put a drop of water in mine, but not enough to drown the taste.’
‘Milly, will you have a sherry?’
‘I don’t mind if I do, George, thank you.’
‘Right!’ Rubbing his hands, he made for the kitchen. ‘And lemonade for the children.’
Then Ann dropped her bombshell. ‘I’ll have a sherry, please, George.’
Ann had sipped on the first glass of sherry, pulling a face as the taste was not to her liking. But she enjoyed the warm glow it brought to her body. She was happy and talkative as she later set the table with the help of Milly, laughing freely at Ken’s many jokes and surprising everyone when she added some of her own. They weren’t particularly funny jokes, certainly not thigh-slapping, side-splitting like Ken’s, but everyone laughed because this behaviour was so unlike her. Gone was the stiff and starchy manner which was all anyone outside her family had ever known. When she laughed her head went back and the sound that came was of genuine enjoyment. Milly was pleasantly surprised, but Ken was flabbergasted. He’d always felt a bit sorry for his brother, being married to someone so prim and proper who acted and looked years older than she really was. But he was getting his eye wiped today and quickly changing his opinion of her. He could n
ow see how George had fallen for her all those years ago. And as for George himself, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
‘That was a very good spread, Ann, I really enjoyed it.’ Milly looked at the table, which an hour ago had been filled with a variety of sandwiches, cakes, jellies and biscuits, but which was now practically bare. ‘I’m afraid yer haven’t got much over for tomorrow.’
‘I’m glad there’s nothing left, it shows you all enjoyed it. Besides, I’ve bought enough in for tomorrow because Lizzie and her husband are coming. And Dolly and Bridie will be calling in with their husbands for a drink. They’re not coming until about eight, though, ’cos I haven’t enough food to feed the five thousand.’
‘Why didn’t yer ask Lizzie today?’ Ken looked really put out. ‘We’d have had a ruddy good laugh with her.’
‘She’s got her family today, otherwise she’d be here.’
‘Then invite us tomorrow night,’ Ken said. ‘I love winding Lizzie up, and she wouldn’t half liven the place up.’
His wife gave him a dig. ‘Yer hard-faced thing! Don’t yer think Ann’s got enough on her plate without seeing your ugly mug again?’
Ann had done a quick calculation. ‘That would mean ten adults and four children. This room isn’t big enough for that number. And besides, we wouldn’t have enough drink in.’
‘Those problems are easily solved.’ Ken waved a hand in the air as if it were of no importance. ‘The four children can go to ours and play cards, or ludo, whatever. They won’t come to any harm. And as for the drink, I can always get me hand on that. Me and the landlord are like this.’ He crossed two fingers. ‘All I have to do is knock on the side door and he’ll give me what we want.’
But Tess wasn’t well pleased with those arrangements. ‘But I want to see Mrs Lizzie, to show her my new dress.’
‘She’s coming in the afternoon, so she’ll see your dress then. You wouldn’t have to go to Auntie Milly’s until after tea.’ Ann still wasn’t sure. ‘It’s going to be a crush, though, we can’t seat ten in comfort. And as for drinks, I know Lizzie, Dolly and Bridie only drink milk stout. We got a dozen bottles in, but I don’t know whether that’ll be enough.’
‘Don’t look for trouble, love,’ George said. ‘If it comes to the push you can sit on my knee. In fact I’d rather like that.’
Ken could see his sister-in-law was weakening. ‘It’ll be a good night, Ann, I promise.’
‘Oh, I have no doubt,’ Ann said. ‘By the way, d’you or Milly know Dolly Flannery and Bridie Hanrahan?’
Ken looked at his wife, and when she shook her head he said, ‘We might know them by sight, but their names don’t ring a bell. Why?’
‘I was just curious.’ In her mind’s eye Ann could see Bridie and Dolly. Two women who were the funniest she’d ever known. Ken would be hard put to get the better of either of them. ‘You’ll like them, they’re nice, quiet, respectable people.’
Maddy and Tess stared at their mother in amazement. Mrs Flannery and Mrs Hanrahan were indeed very nice ladies, and very friendly. But by no stretch of the imagination could you say they were quiet. Especially Mrs Flannery, who spoke and laughed loudly, and could out-swear Mrs Lizzie.
Ken wasn’t particularly keen on the words ‘quiet’ and ‘respectable’. It probably meant they were miserable and dull. ‘Still, Lizzie will be here and she’ll have the party going in no time. We’ll have a smashing night.’
Ann could feel her husband’s eyes on her, but she avoided them because she didn’t want to give the game away. Let Ken find out for himself that she hadn’t been exactly truthful about her friends. ‘Yes, you’re right. I think we can safely say it will be a smashing night.’
Chapter Twenty-one
Billy and Joyce were walking between their mam and dad when they turned into Willard Street. They were on their way to pick up their cousins to take them back to their house so the grown-ups would have more room for the party. And Billy and Joyce didn’t mind being left out, because they were going to have a little party of their own. Their mam had left enough set out in the kitchen to keep them going for a few hours. There were crackers to pull, so they’d all have paper hats, as well as food, fruit and sweets. And lemonade, of course, because you couldn’t have a party without that.
They were three doors away from their destination when Ken brought them to a halt. ‘Listen! That’s Lizzie’s laugh, I’d know it anywhere.’
‘I thought we were early,’ Milly said. ‘But they must have started without us.’
‘No, Lizzie doesn’t need a party to enjoy herself.’ Ken began walking. ‘I hope the other neighbours don’t sit like corpses all night and spoil it for everyone else.’
His wife tutted as she lifted the knocker. ‘Don’t start crying until ye’re hurt, Ken, look on the bright side, for heaven’s sake.’
Tess opened the door and was so excited she kept them standing outside while she showed off the bangle she had on her wrist. ‘Look what Mrs Lizzie bought me, isn’t it lovely? Mine’s green to match my dress, and Maddy has a blue one to match hers.’
Ann came up behind her. ‘For goodness’ sake, Theresa, couldn’t you wait until they were inside to show them? They must be freezing.’
Lizzie was sitting like a queen on a throne in Ann’s fireside chair. ‘Well, look what the cat dragged in! I don’t mean you, Milly, or the kids, I wouldn’t insult yer. It’s your feller I’m talking to. The one what doesn’t know his arse from his elbow, or a nut from a screw.’
Ken looked to where Norman was sitting on the couch. ‘How d’yer put up with her, Ginger? It’s a wonder yer hair’s not white having her bossing yer around.’
‘Ay, just watch it!’ Lizzie said. ‘And if yer don’t mind, seeing as it’s Christmas and we’re having a party, would yer mind calling him by the name he was christened?’
With a straight face, Ken extended his hand. ‘Compliments of the season, Norman, and all the best. Now I can’t promise I won’t forget after I’ve had a few drinks and go back to calling yer Ginger, but I’ll do me best.’
Tess was reluctant to put her coat on, she wanted to stay with Mrs Lizzie. But when Billy told her they had the makings of a party at his house, she cheered up and was chatting away happily when she left with Maddy and her two cousins. That was after Maddy had shown off her new blue bangle, which made her feel very grown up. After all, she’d be fourteen and leaving school in the summer, and that wasn’t far off.
The kids had only been gone a few minutes when there was a ran-tan on the knocker. ‘I’ll go,’ Ann said, ‘it’ll be the neighbours.’
Ken’s eyebrows shot up when he heard a voice booming, ‘All the best, girl, and may yer have many more years so I can write the date of yer party in me diary. That’s if we enjoy ourselves, like, ’cos as I said to Frank, if we don’t I wouldn’t be arsed coming again.’
Dolly seemed to burst into the room. ‘Merry Christmas, everyone.’ She spotted Lizzie ensconced in the best chair in the room, and shook her head. ‘Trust Lizzie to bag the best seat. I bet yer’ve been camped outside all night to make sure yer were here first.’
‘Seasons greetings, me darlings.’ When Bridie came in followed by her husband, Ken’s brows nearly touched his hairline. For at six foot four, and built like a battleship, Patrick Hanrahan was as fine a figure of a man as you’d ever see. And his handshake had Ken grimacing and thanking God he’d only need to shake hands with this giant once every year.
Dolly’s husband, Frank, was completely different to his wife, being quietly spoken and mild-mannered. He was the same height as her, five foot seven, but standing next to the Irishman made him appear a lot smaller. He was carrying six bottles of milk stout, which he handed to George. ‘They’re for the ladies. My wife doesn’t get going until she’s had a few bottles of that.’ He gave a shy grin. ‘As yer know, she’s usually very quiet, but she’ll liven up when she’s had a few.’
George chuckled. ‘I noticed she was the quiet type, but she won’t b
e shy when she gets used to everyone.’ He pointed to the bottles he’d been handed. ‘Thank you for these, but you shouldn’t have bothered, because we’ve already got a dozen bottles.’
‘Yer’ll not have a bottle left by the end of the night, I promise,’ Norman called. ‘Lizzie’s like Dolly, very partial to a bottle of milk stout . . . or two or three.’
‘Put them in the kitchen, George, and now everyone is acquainted let’s all make ourselves comfortable,’ Ann said. ‘It’s going to be a tight squeeze for seats, I’m afraid. Some of us will have to sit on the wooden chairs.’
‘If yer take my advice, me darlin’, I’d not be putting Paddy on one of those. If yer did, yer could be using it for firewood in the morning ’cos it would be smashed to smithereens.’
‘I say let the women sit at the table.’ Lizzie used the arms of the chair to push herself up. ‘We can pull the neighbours to pieces while the men get themselves drunk. I know enough about men to know they won’t begin to enjoy themselves until they’ve had a few pints down them and on the way to being tiddly.’
‘I’ll pour the drinks.’ George waited until the five ladies were seated, then asked what they would like. They all said milk stout, except Ann, who chose sherry. She couldn’t imagine drinking a full bottle of stout, and anyway she’d taken a liking to sherry.
With the men settled in the fireside chairs and on the couch, with pint glasses in their hands, they began to get to know each other. Their first subject was the merits of Everton and Liverpool football teams. The second pint took them to discussing their jobs. They would stop now and again when there were roars of laughter from the table, and smile at each other as much as to say, it doesn’t take much to amuse the womenfolk. But when the laughter turned to shrieks, they all cocked their ears.
Dolly was in full flow, recounting bygone days when she was a schoolgirl. ‘There was this man that lived in our street who had a wooden leg. All the kids used to make fun of him and shout “Peg Leg Pete!” after him. Many’s the bleedin’ hiding I had off me mam when she heard me calling after him. Told me I’d be laughing the other side of me face when I grew up and had a wooden leg of me own.’ Nodding her head and hoisting her bosom, Dolly took off her mother. ‘“Don’t forget, God sees and hears everything what goes on. And it would be the price of yer if He heard yer mocking the poor man. He might decide to give you a wooden leg so yer can see what it feels like to be made fun of.”’
