by Joan Jonker
‘No.’ Jack slipped his coat off and walked out to hang it on the hall stand. He felt so happy and excited he could hardly contain himself. But he wanted to wait for just the right moment. And that moment came halfway through dinner when he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer or he’d burst. ‘I’ve got a bit of good news for yez.’
‘Oh, aye,’ Molly said, picking at a piece of meat stuck between her teeth. ‘Been made a foreman, have yer?’
Jack banged his knife on the table. Are you all listening?’
There was complete silence, except for the hissing of the coals on the fire, as all eyes turned expectantly to the head of the house. Even Tommy had a look of anticipation on his face, though he knew what his dad was going to say.
‘I told yez we’d come up on the pools, but I didn’t know how much we’d get. Well, according to this morning’s paper, an’ me mates in work, we’ll each get twenty-seven pounds, ten shillings and sixpence.’
Molly’s knife and fork clattered to her plate as her mouth gaped in surprise. ‘Go ’way! Jack Bennett, if yer havin’ me on I’ll break yer flamin’ neck, an’ I’m not jokin’.’
‘Molly, it’s you who’s got the warped sense of humour, not me!’ Jack was relishing every second. For the first time since the children had come on the scene, he was going to be able to give his wife more money than she’d ever had in one go. ‘We had five lines up, an’ altogether it comes to a hundred and ninety-odd pounds. Split between the seven of us, it works out at twenty-seven pounds, ten shillings and sixpence.’
Molly didn’t speak, she just sat white-faced and wide-eyed, staring at Jack. My God, all that money! It was a small fortune! She couldn’t think straight, but it must be nearly eight weeks’ wages!
She was brought out of her daze by the high, excited voices of the children. All she could hear was, ‘Can I have this?’ ‘Can I have that?’ ‘When will yer get it, Dad?’ and Ruthie’s plea, ‘Can I have a new doll, Dad?’
‘Ay, yez can just cut it out,’ Molly shouted. ‘Don’t be so flamin’ greedy! Yer dad’s gone without other things so he could ’ave a bet every week, so the money is all his, he can do what he likes with it.’
‘No, love, the money’s for you,’ Jack said softly. ‘I’ve never been on a good wage, never been able to give yer enough to buy something just for yerself. Yer’ve always ’ad to scrimp and save, makin’ sure me an’ the children came first, and never once ’ave yer complained that yer needed a new coat or that the shoes were fallin’ off yer feet.’
‘Don’t you be runnin’ yerself down, Jack Bennett.’ Molly’s voice was thick with unshed tears. ‘Yer the best husband in the world, bar none, an’ I love the bones of yer.’
The children sat with their eyes down, their father’s words filling them with shame. He was right, they were greedy thinking only of themselves. In their minds they were remembering how it had been when they were all young, with only their dad’s wages coming in. Their mam must have had a terrible struggle to make ends meet, but there’d always been a smile on her face and they could never remember her complaining.
‘Me dad’s right, Mam, you should have the money to do what you like with.’ Jill was the first to speak. ‘Get yourself some new clothes, or something for the house.’
‘Yeah.’ Doreen touched her mother’s arm. ‘How about a nice new couch so yer can sit in comfort?’
‘Nah,’ Tommy growled. ‘A couch would be for all of us, not just me mam. Let ’er buy somethin’ for herself.’
‘Spend all that money on meself?’ Molly laughed nervously. ‘Not on yer life I won’t!’ Her eyes roamed the room, taking in the worn, scratched sideboard, the rickety chairs and the couch with the broken springs. ‘I bet I could buy all new stuff for this room with that much money.’
‘Think about it, love,’ Jack said. ‘I probably won’t get the cash in me hand until next Monday, so there’s plenty of time to decide what yer want to do with it.’
Her dinner forgotten, Molly clapped her hands in excitement, her face aglow. ‘D’yez know, I’ve never ’ad that much money in me life! When me an’ yer dad got married, we had ten pounds and thought we were millionaires! An’ we were in those days, ’cos with that ten pounds we were able to buy everythin’ for this house. It was all second-hand stuff, mind you, but we didn’t care.’
Tommy chuckled, waving his hand in the air. ‘This is still the same furniture, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah, it’s lasted well.’ Molly was so happy she couldn’t stop laughing. ‘Except for the poor couch, that’s on its last legs. I’ve got permanent marks on me backside with the flamin’ springs stickin’ out.’ She pushed her plate away. ‘I’m too excited to eat. Just wait till I tell me ma and da, they’ll be thrilled to bits. In fact,’ she scraped her chair back, ‘I’m goin’ to leave yez to wash up while I go round there. If I don’t tell someone soon, I’ll burst.’
Molly patted Ruthie on the head as she moved to where Jack was sitting. Putting her arms around his neck she hugged him tight. ‘Yer a cracker, Jack Bennett, that’s what yer are. I’m the luckiest woman in the world, with the best husband an’ the best children. I love all of yer, an’ I thank God every day for me blessings.’
‘Will yer go out, woman, before yer’ve got us all blubbering.’ Jack turned his head to kiss her cheek. ‘Go an’ tell yer ma yer news.’
‘Yeah, you go, Mam,’ Tommy said. ‘We’ll see to the dishes.’
Molly thumped Jack on the shoulder. ‘Ay, if money does this to them, yer’d better win the pools every week.’ She reached the door and turned. ‘I’ll probably only be an hour, but just in case, put Ruthie to bed for us, will yer?’
‘You looked pleased with yerself.’ Bob Jackson closed the door and followed his daughter down the hall. ‘Had a good day, ’ave yer?’
‘Da, yer don’t know the half of it.’ Molly had run nearly all the way and was out of breath. ‘Just wait till yer hear.’
‘Oh, it’s yourself, is it?’ Bridie lowered the pillowslip she was embroidering. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.’
Molly blinked in the brightness of the electric light. What a difference from their dark, gas-lit room. Still, she’d be swanking soon, ’cos the men were due to start laying the electric cables in their street any time. She sat on the couch and waved her father to a chair. ‘Sit down, Da, till I tell yer me news.’
Bridie and Bob listened in silence, only the expressions on their faces showing their surprise. When Molly had finished, Bridie fell back in her chair. ‘Well, did yer hear that now, Bob? All that money, sure, it’s a small fortune, so it is.’
‘I’m happy for yer, lass,’ Bob said. ‘You an’ Jack deserve all the luck in the world.’
‘D’yer know, I don’t know whether I’m on me head or me heels,’ Molly laughed. ‘Or, put it another way, I don’t know whether I’m comin’ or goin’!’
‘Well ’tis glad I am for yer.’ Bridie laid her embroidery on the floor at the side of her chair. ‘An’ I hope yer spend it wisely, not be givin’ it away to every Tom, Dick an’ Harry. I know what yer like, wanting to share yer good fortune with everyone, but you’d do well to think hard before frittering Jack’s winnings away. It’ll be a long time before so much money comes your way again, so think on.’
‘Ma, I’ve no intention of frittering it away, as you put it. Every penny will be accounted for, don’t you worry. It wouldn’t be fair on Jack to just let it slip through me fingers with nothin’ to show for it. I haven’t been able to think straight since he told me, but I’m goin’ to sit down and think hard on what to buy with it. I’ll make a list out an’ see how far it’ll go.’
Bob covered his mouth to hide a smile. ‘If I can make a suggestion, a new couch wouldn’t go amiss. The springs on that old thing play a tune every time yer sit on it. It’s served yer well, but it’s time to put it out to pasture.’
‘Yeah, nearly twenty years we’ve had it, an’ it was second hand then! It certainly doesn’t owe u
s anythin’.’ Molly grinned. ‘I’d miss it, though, or at least me backside would.’
Bridie stood up. ‘I’ll put the kettle on. I’m afraid we’ve nothing stronger, so we’ll have to celebrate with tea.’
A cold chill ran through Molly’s body as she remembered the night, just a few months ago, when her mother had gone out to make a pot of tea, leaving her and Bob talking. Her father had looked fine, just as he did now, but within minutes he was doubled up with chest pains. And an hour later he was in hospital having suffered a severe heart attack.
Molly shivered. For six weeks her da had been in intensive care, on the critical list, and it had been the worst time of her life. She hoped none of them would ever have to go through that trauma again.
‘Yer look well, Da! Gettin’ used to bein’ home again, are yer?’
‘I feel fine, lass. Get tired quickly, but that’s all.’ Bob smiled. ‘Heaven knows why I get tired, ’cos yer ma won’t let me lift a finger. But it’s good to be home. Yer never realise what yer’ve got until it’s taken away from yer.’
Bridie came through with a tray. ‘Jill an’ Steve were round the other night an’ it did me heart good to see them together again. They make a fine-lookin’ couple, so they do.’
‘I’m over the moon they’re back together.’ Molly took the china cup and saucer from her mother. ‘I didn’t take to that Miles bloke one little bit. Too stuck-up for my liking.’ She sipped her tea. ‘Did I tell yer he’s leavin’ his job? Got one with the Ministry of Defence so he won’t get called up if there’s a war.’
‘I think it’s more a case of when there’s a war, not if,’ Bob said, a serious look on his still-handsome face. ‘Hitler and his strutting sidekick, Mussolini, are playing games with us. Making promises while he builds up his forces. If this Government can’t see that, then they’re fools.’
‘Ah, ray, Da, don’t be puttin’ a damper on things! Here’s me, all bright an’ happy, an’ yer have to go an’ spoil it! There’s not goin’ to be a flamin’ war, so let’s talk about somethin’ else.’ Molly put her cup down. She couldn’t talk without waving her hands about and her mother’s best china was safer out of the way. ‘I know it’s only superstition, but yer know they say good and bad things happen in threes? Well, in my case it’s come true.’
‘I’ll not be listening to superstitions.’ Bridie blessed herself. ‘I’m surprised at yer, so I am.’
‘Oh, Ma, it’s only in fun! Forget I used the word an’ listen to the three good things that ’ave happened to me over the last week or so.’ Molly rolled her eyes at Bob and he winked back. ‘First, me da gets better. Second, our Jill makes it up with Steve, and third, Jack wins all this money! Now, superstition or not, yer can’t fall out with that, can yer?’
In spite of herself, Bridie smiled. This daughter of hers, with a heart as big as a week, could talk herself out of anything. You could argue with her till you were blue in the face, but you’d always end up laughing. Bridie didn’t know how she did it, but Molly had a knack of lighting up the most miserable of faces. What Bridie did know, though, was that her daughter and her family meant the world to her and Bob. They brought love and laughter into their lives, giving them a reason to look forward to each day that dawned.
Chapter Four
Molly was daydreaming as she watched the suds bursting into little bubbles over her hands. Any other day she’d have had Ruthie’s gymslip and blouse washed and hanging on the line by now. But today wasn’t just another day, it was very special, so she allowed herself the luxury of dawdling while she contemplated what she’d do with the unexpected windfall. She’d been agonising over it all through the long night, hadn’t got one wink of sleep. Jack had dropped off as soon as his head hit the pillow and listening to his even breathing she’d been jealous. Her nerves were so wound up she just couldn’t fall asleep.
First she decided she’d rig the family out with all new clothes, and what was left she’d spend on the house. Then she discarded that idea, telling herself she could buy clothes with a Sturla’s cheque. Jack didn’t object to the few bob a week she forked out to the club woman who called, but he’d never allow her to buy anything big on the never-never. He said that once you got into that kind of debt you’d never get out of it.
Molly was so deep in thought she didn’t hear the latch on the entry door click, and when Nellie’s face peered at her through the kitchen window she started with fright. ‘Yer silly beggar, I nearly jumped out of me flamin’ skin!’
Nellie banged the door behind her. ‘I came up the yard to save yer openin’ the front door.’ She swayed over to the draining board, rubbing her hands together as she smiled into Molly’s face. ‘Our Steve told us the good news last night. I was that excited for yer, I couldn’t sleep.’
Molly pulled the plug out and shook the surplus water from her hands before reaching for the towel hanging on a nail behind the door. ‘How d’yer think I feel? I’ve tossed and turned all night while Jack slept like a baby, not a care in the world.’
‘He’s like my George, never gets excited about anythin’. I bet if my feller won a hundred pounds he wouldn’t turn a hair.’ Nellie loosened the knot in the floral scarf she’d put over her head to hide the dinky curlers. She’d tied the knot too tight and it was digging into her throat. ‘I’m that pleased, Molly, anyone would think it was me that ’ad won the blinkin’ pools.’
‘I’ve been walkin’ round in a dream all mornin’, wondering what to spend it on. Me ma knows what I’m like with money, it goes through me hands like water, an’ she gave me a good talkin’ to last night.’ Molly grinned. ‘She still treats me like a little girl, forgets I’ve got a grown-up family of me own. But what she said was right. I’ve got to be sensible and spend it on things we really need, ’cos I’ll never ’ave the chance again.’
‘That’s the idea, girl.’ Nellie nodded. ‘Yer ma’s got her head screwed on the right way.’
‘With all the excitement, and goin’ round to me ma’s, I forgot to tell Jack about Mrs Corkhill. Did you tell George?’
‘I certainly did! Of course, I got a lecture about actin’ like a fishwife, havin’ a slanging match in the middle of the street and ready to do battle with the Bradley woman. That’s the trouble with George, he’s got no sense of humour.’
‘Yer know what George is like, yer should have left that part out,’ Molly said. ‘But what did he think about that crowd scrounging off her?’
‘He was disgusted.’ Nellie’s scarf had slowly been slipping backwards, now she gave it such a tug it ended up covering her eyes. Tutting loudly, she undid the knot and pulled the scarf free. ‘Blasted nuisance! I only put it on in case I met someone.’
‘Clark Gable doesn’t come down our jigger, Nellie,’ Molly laughed.
‘Clark Gable doesn’t worry me.’ Nellie held her tummy as her laugh ricocheted around the four walls of the tiny kitchen. ‘But what if I bumped into James Cagney?’
‘Oh, go on with yer!’ Molly put the plug in the sink and turned the tap on. ‘If yer goin’ to stand there, yer’ll have to watch me work, ’cos our Ruthie needs these clothes for school tomorrow.’
‘There’s not much dry out, girl.’
‘If I get the wet out, I can put them round the fire tonight an’ iron them in the mornin’ before she gets up. She’s only got the one change an’ it’s a blinkin’ nuisance.’
‘I know, she’ll have to get some new ones out of the money.’
‘Uh, uh!’ Molly sounded determined. ‘If the others don’t get new clothes, neither does Ruthie. A Sturla’s cheque will do.’
Are we goin’ up to Mrs Corkhill’s?’ Nellie asked. ‘We said we would.’
‘If you don’t buzz off an’ let me get me work done, I won’t ’ave time to go anywhere!’ Molly plunged the clothes into the sink, a grimace on her face as her hands touched the cold water. ‘Go on, poppy off an’ I’ll call for yer in an hour.’
‘Okay, I’ll see yer later.’ Nellie reached the door,
then turned. ‘Wait till I tell George me best mate told me to bugger off!’
Molly lifted her hand out of the sink and shook it in Nellie’s face, splashing her with the ice-cold water. ‘On yer way!’
Her lips set in a straight line, Nellie marched from the kitchen, banging the door behind her. Molly saw her pass the window and waited, knowing her friend would be determined to have the last word. Sure enough, Nellie’s face was soon pressed so hard against the pane of glass her button nose and chubby cheeks were distorted. And when she spoke her lips appeared to be made of rubber. ‘That’s goin’ down in me book as well, missus! Me best mate not only tells me to bugger off, she throws a bucketful of cold water over me.’
Molly leaned on the edge of the sink, doubled up with laughter. When she looked up again, Nellie was standing with a huge grin on her face. ‘See yer later, girl!’
Molly nodded. ‘Ta-ra!’ And as she shook the clothes out ready to hang on the line, she thought how lucky she was to have a friend who was as crazy as a coot.
As soon as Molly set eyes on Mrs Corkhill she knew there was something wrong. The old lady’s face had a grey tinge to it, her eyes were blinking rapidly, and when she wasn’t wringing her hands she was twisting the corner of her pinny. ‘I’ll put the kettle on.’
When Corker’s mam left them alone, Nellie gave Molly a dig in the ribs. ‘There’s summat up.’
‘Yeah, it’s stickin’ out a mile,’ Molly said, keeping her voice low. ‘But don’t let’s rush her, she’ll tell us in her own time.’
But as Mrs Corkhill poured their tea into china cups that her son had brought from Japan, she kept firing questions at them so quickly she didn’t give them the opportunity of asking her how she was. She wanted to know about Jack, George, and then every member of their families. Molly began to get worried as the shrill voice carried on. There was definitely something wrong. This agitated, restless woman wasn’t the Mrs Corkhill they were used to. But did they have the right to interfere? If they did, would the old lady thank them for it?
