When Wishes Come True

by Jonker, Joan

  Rita lowered her eyes to hide her anger and shock. There was no self-pity in the girl’s voice, no whingeing, so it was obvious she believed all children were treated the same way by their mothers. It wasn’t Rita’s place to tell her different. She wasn’t going to set daughter against mother. But, oh, dear, wouldn’t she like to give Mrs Sinclair a piece of her mind? A lovely daughter like this, and to treat her so badly, it just wasn’t right.

  The flames were licking the coals now, it wouldn’t be long before there was a fire roaring up the chimney. ‘I’ll put the fireguard in front of it now the coals have caught, just in case any sparks fly.’ Rita used her curled fists to push herself up. ‘I want Bessie to come home to a nice, warm welcoming fire in her grate, but not her house on fire. D’yer know where she keeps the fireguard, sunshine?’

  Milly nodded and made for the kitchen. ‘I’ll get it, Auntie Rita, it’s in the larder.’

  The guard safe in front of the fire, Rita looked around to make sure everything was as they’d found it, then held out her hand. ‘Come on, sunshine, I’m dying for a cuppa, me mouth feels as though it’s full of feathers.’

  Aggie was standing at her door when the two crossed the cobbles. She smiled at Milly. ‘Are yer all right, queen?’

  The world was opening up for Milly who had never known such happiness. ‘I’m fine, thank you, Auntie Aggie. We’ve lit the fire for Auntie Bessie, so won’t she have a lovely surprise when she gets home?’

  ‘She will that, queen, she will that. And tomorrow it will be my turn to light it, so will yer give me a hand? Help me out, like?’

  ‘Oh, I’d like that, Auntie Aggie! I’ll get the fireguard for you, just in case some sparks fly out and set fire to the place. Auntie Bessie wouldn’t be a bit happy if she came up the street and found her house on fire.’

  Aggie kept her face straight and told her chins to stay put. ‘Oh, yer think she’d be upset, do yer, queen?’

  ‘Oh, yes, Auntie Aggie, she would be very upset. In fact I believe she would be so upset she would cry.’ Then the girl had a horrible thought. ‘Oh, and Daisy would get caught in the fire! She’s upstairs and there would be no one rescue her.’

  Rita gave her neighbour a look that said she should knock it off, she was frightening the girl. ‘There won’t be no fire, sunshine, we’ve put the fireguard in front to keep it safe. So Daisy won’t come to any harm, today or tomorrow.’ She glared at her neighbour, daring her to say different. ‘Isn’t that right, Aggie?’

  If Aggie hadn’t nodded of her own free will, her chins would have done it for her. They didn’t want to see a young girl frightened. But Aggie came up trumps. ‘I’ll tell yer something, queen, I’ve lived in this street for nigh on eighteen years, and there’s never, ever been a fire in any of the houses. Not in any of the streets around either, so yer’ve no need to worry, the odds are stacked against it.’

  Milly looked confused and turned to Rita. ‘What does Auntie Aggie mean, about the odds being stacked against it? I don’t understand.’

  Rita put an arm across her shoulders. ‘That’s nothing, sunshine, ’cos I’ve lived next to Aggie for eighteen years and I still don’t understand her. But I’ll have a guess at this one. I think that, roughly translated, she was telling yer there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of there being a fire in Miss Maudsley’s house, or any other in the street. Am I right, Aggie?’

  ‘As near as damn it, queen, as near as damn it.’ Aggie folded her arms and hitched her mountainous bosom. ‘Now go and make the girl a cup of tea before I come out with another of my gems that yer’d have to explain.’ She gave a broad wink to Milly. ‘I’ll see yer tomorrow afternoon, queen.’

  Milly nodded and took Rita’s hand, just as her two sons put in an appearance. The eldest, ten-year-old Billy, jerked his head and let out a sigh when he saw Milly. Why did his mam have to mind her for an hour every night? Girls were nothing but trouble, always crying before they were hurt. They talked too much, and most of the time it was a load of rubbish. ‘Did I hear yer were making a cup of tea, Mam? I’ll have one with yer before Tommo calls for me. We’re having a competition tonight, to see who’s the best at playing marbles.’

  Milly shook her head and tutted, just like she’d seen Bessie doing a few times. ‘That means you’re going to get your knees all dirty, and your socks. Why don’t you play a game where you don’t have to kneel in the gutter?’

  Billy glared. ‘And why don’t you mind yer own business? I can get dirty if I want to, it’s got nowt to do with you.’

  ‘That’s enough now, in the house all of yer.’ Rita thought it time to intervene. ‘And while Milly is with us, we’ll have none of yer cheek or sarcasm. Get inside and wash yer hands if yer want a cup of tea.’

  Nine-year-old Jack was looking on with a grin on his face. He waited until his brother went into the house then winked at Milly. ‘Take no notice of our kid, he’s like that with all girls. If yer ignore him, he’ll soon get fed up of being sarky.’

  Milly followed him up the steps. ‘Why doesn’t he like girls? And how can he be sure whether he likes them or not if he doesn’t know any?’ They were in the living room when she said, ‘I know why your brother doesn’t like girls, it’s because we are more clever than boys.’

  Billy was at the kitchen sink, about to put his hands under the running tap when he heard Milly’s words and flew into the living room. Once again he glared at her. ‘What makes yer think ye’re more cleverer than boys? The only thing girls are good at is whingeing. They run crying to their mother at the least thing. And if the boys won’t let them play footie with them, they tell fibs and say we hit them.’

  Rita was standing in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil, and wondered whether she should put a stop to her son’s protests. Then she decided to wait and see whether Milly was capable of sticking up for herself. When the girl started to speak, Rita moved to peep through the gap at the side of the door. The sight she saw had her clamping her lips together to keep the laughter back.

  Milly’s head was jutting forward and there were sparks coming from her green eyes. ‘That shows how wrong you are, Billy Wells. I do not tell fibs, and I don’t go running to my mother every time I don’t get my own way. And I’m certainly not stupid enough to kneel in the gutter and play with little glass balls.’

  Billy was so taken aback he just stared. He’d never for one moment thought this girl, who lived opposite and never came out to play, would answer him back. He was so dumbstruck, he was lost for words. All he could think of, which even to his own ears sounded daft, was, ‘I’ve left the tap running, ye’re not worth bothering about.’

  Rita would have loved to take the mickey out of her son. He was rude to all the girls in the street, and it was about time he got his comeuppance. But if she said too much, it would be like pouring oil on troubled waters. And she thought Milly had done a good job of cutting him down to size. Still she couldn’t resist a little taunt when she looked at him with raised brows. ‘I think yer’ve just met yer match, sunshine. But do us a favour and don’t keep picking on her while she’s here. She’s a nice kid if yer’d give yerself time to get to know her.’

  ‘She’s still a girl, isn’t she?’ he grunted as he turned the tap on. ‘But if she doesn’t come out with any more of her wisecracks, I’ll keep out of her way.’

  Rita ruffled his hair. ‘That’s my lad! It shows ye’re growing up.’ These few words worked wonders, and while he sat across the table from Milly as they drank their tea, he didn’t speak to her. But he couldn’t help noticing those green eyes. He’d never seen eyes that colour before. And her jet black hair, heart-shaped face and winning smile brought him to the conclusion she was all right as far as girls went. Then he became disgusted with himself for finding things to like about her, and starting looking for faults. He found one. It wasn’t really true, but it was the only one he could think of. She was not as pretty as Doreen, who lived at the top of the street. He’d bet she wouldn’t like it if h
e told her that! But he wasn’t going to say anything to her, and when she came over every night, he’d keep out of her way so his mam wouldn’t be at him all the time. Oh, and so she wouldn’t have anything to criticise him for, he’d wash his hands as soon as he came home from school.

  Billy looked across the table to where Jack was sitting next to Milly, laughing and joking with her. He was even laughing at things that weren’t funny. Billy was disgusted. He’d have a word with his brother later and tell him he’d looked a right cissy. When they were in bed tonight, he would tell him not to be making such a fuss of the girl ’cos it looked daft. If she was made so welcome, she’d never be away from their house. And that would mean them getting washed so often they’d have no skin left.

  When Bessie got in from work her face lit up when she saw the fire roaring up the chimney, a pot of tea made and Milly sitting on the couch playing with her doll. ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting yer to do this, Rita, it wasn’t part of the deal. But, by golly, I’m glad yer did. I’m perished right through to me marrow, and me fingers are like ice.’

  Milly rushed over to put her arms around her waist. ‘Why didn’t you put gloves on, Auntie Bessie, then your fingers wouldn’t be cold? And your face must be cold too, it’s bright red.’

  ‘Let me take me coat off, sweetheart, so I can feel the heat from the fire.’ Bessie slipped her arms out of her coat and handed it Milly. ‘Hang it up for me, there’s a good girl.’

  Rita came through from the kitchen. ‘Sit down, sunshine, and I’ll hand yer this cup of tea. We’ll have yer as warm as toast in no time.’

  ‘Ooh, it’s not often I get spoilt, so I’m going to make the most of it.’ Bessie took a sip of the hot tea and could feel it going right through her body. ‘The best cup I ever tasted, Rita, ye’re an angel. It’s murder working in that factory in winter. The sewing room is freezing. The only heating we’ve got is a small black stove in the middle of the huge room, with a pipe going up through the ceiling to let the smoke out. And the boss is so tight with his flaming money, he goes mad if one of the women puts more than a small shovel of coal in every few hours. He watches from his office window, and I’ll swear he counts the pieces of coal that go in. The miserable bugger doesn’t even buy the decent sort, there’s more slate in the bags than there is coal.’ Bessie was warming up now, and stretched her legs towards the fire. ‘He’s not so mean with himself though, he’s got an electric fire in his office.’

  Milly was kneeling down at the side of her chair, Daisy tucked under one of her arms. ‘He’s a very naughty man, Auntie Bessie, sitting in a nice warm office while the workers are freezing cold. Why don’t you ask him to let you put more coal on?’

  Bessie chuckled at the child’s innocence. ‘Anyone who was brave enough to do that, sweetheart, would find themselves without a job. Yer see, a lot of the women there are sole breadwinners with their husbands out of work. Their wages just barely keep the wolf from the door. Same with me, I couldn’t do without me wages coming in, I’d really be in Queer Street then.’ She pulled herself to her feet. ‘I’ll see to our meal, it won’t take long ’cos I peeled the spuds last night. And you, Rita, you poppy off home and see to the family’s dinner. And thanks a million for lighting me fire and looking after Milly, I really appreciate it.’

  Rita reached for her coat off the hook behind the door. ‘It’s Aggie’s turn tomorrow. She’ll have the fire lit for yer, and she’ll see Milly has a warm drink when she comes home from school. So, yer see, sunshine, we’ve got yer whole life planned out for yer.’

  Bessie walked to the door with her. ‘I’m lucky to have friends like you and Aggie, I’d be in a right fix without yer. Not a soul to call me own.’ She pretended to be playing on a violin. ‘Is this music sad enough for the occasion, d’yer think?’

  Rita grinned as she stepped down on to the pavement. ‘Oh, yeah, sunshine, it certainly adds to the melodrama.’ She hurried across the cobbles. ‘See yer tomorrow some time, but until then, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’

  ‘I’ll try, sweetheart,’ Bessie chortled, ‘but it’s going to be hard with all the men beating their way to me front door.’

  ‘Split them into groups, sunshine, and divide them between yerself, me and Aggie. I think the three of us could manage them between us.’ Rita was shouting by now from the opposite side of the street. ‘Mind you, they’d probably take one look at our faces and run like hell for cover.’

  ‘You speak for yerself, Rita Wells, there’s a bloke at work thinks I’m a cracker. He said he would ask me to marry him but his wife might object.’ Bessie gave a last wave before closing the door. ‘Now I’ll get cracking with something to eat, sweetheart, or yer mother will be here before we’ve had our meal.’

  Milly followed her in to the kitchen. ‘Why are these men beating a way to your front door, Auntie Bessie? And why does the man in work say he’ll marry you, when he knows he’s already got a wife?’

  Bessie put a light under the pan of potatoes, then blew out the match before grinning at Milly. ‘Not a word of truth in any of it, sweetheart, it’s all wishful thinking on my part.’ She could see the puzzlement on the girl’s face and cupped it between her hands. ‘What I mean is, it was all said in fun. Grown-up fun, what young girls wouldn’t understand.’

  Milly hugged her tight. ‘I’m going to have a word with the front door, just to be on the safe side. I’ll tell it that if any men come along and start hitting it with sticks, it must tell them to go away, you don’t want to see them. And if I’m here when they come, I’ll chase them with the yard brush.’

  Bessie pictured it in her mind. ‘The stiff brush or the soft one, sweetheart?’

  Milly pursed her lips and drew her brows down in thought. Now that was a poser, she didn’t know there were two brushes. ‘Which one do you think, Auntie Bessie?’

  ‘Oh, the stiff brush would cause more damage, sweetheart, without a doubt. And now you go and play with Daisy while I get a move on.’

  Bessie had just finished washing up when Evelyn passed the kitchen window. She hadn’t been told about the new arrangement with Rita and Aggie because Bessie was of the opinion she would definitely disapprove. Although she hadn’t told Milly not to mention it to her mother, she was confident the child would know without being told. So, no one was actually telling lies, and what the eye didn’t see, the heart didn’t grieve over.

  ‘Come in, Evelyn, I’m just drying me hands.’

  She came in, shivering and bringing the cold air with her. ‘If today is anything to go by, we’re in for a long, hard winter. I’m sure it couldn’t be colder living in Iceland than it is sitting on our trams with the wind blowing right through.’

  Bessie steered her to the living room. ‘It’s not too bad if yer get one of the new trams where they’ve filled in the staircase, but with the old ones, open to all the elements, yer get blown off yer feet.’

  ‘Oh, what a lovely fire! I feel warmer just looking at it.’ Evelyn held her hands out to the flames. ‘If I had three wishes right now, one of them would be that when Amelia and I open the living-room door, there would be a fire like that in our grate. And the second wish would be to find a tray with a pot of hot tea on it, and several rounds of toast.’

  Bessie waited for a few seconds than asked, ‘And the third wish?’

  ‘Oh, I’d have to think carefully about the third and last wish. I wouldn’t want to waste it on something so trivial as a fire and a pot of tea. It would have to be something important, something that would change my life so I could live happily ever after.’

  ‘That’s a miracle ye’re looking for, Evelyn, and miracles don’t happen in Walton. At least not to my knowledge they don’t.’ Bessie held out a hand. ‘Give me yer coat and sit near the fire. I’ll make a fresh pot of tea, then yer’ll be warm enough to face the icebox next door.’ On her way to hang the coat up, she tilted her head at Milly. ‘Have yer said hello to yer mother, Amelia?’

  ‘Not yet, Auntie Bessie, I was waiting
for her to be settled.’ The girl walked to the side of the couch. ‘Hello, Mother.’

  And to the surprise of Bessie and her daughter, Evelyn patted the seat beside her. ‘Sit here and tell me what you’ve done in school today.’

  There was suspicion on the girl’s face, and it was obvious to Bessie that her mother being so friendly was something new to Milly. It was a while before she answered. ‘I’ve got my exercise book, Mother, you can look in that and see how I’m getting on in class.’

  ‘The kettle’s boiling now,’ Bessie said, in a bid to avert embarrassment, ‘so let yer mother have a hot cup of tea and she can look through the book later, when ye’re in the comfort of yer own home. After the fire’s lit, of course, ’cos there won’t be much comfort while ye’re sitting there like blocks of ice.’

  She poured a cup of tea out and carried it through to Evelyn. ‘I got a nice surprise when I got home from work today, I was over the moon. Rita had been in and lit the fire for me so the room was lovely and warm to walk into. And a pot of tea into the bargain. I was so pleased, I felt like kissing her. She’s always had a key to the door, ever since I moved in and we became friends. It’s so she can let the coalman into the yard, otherwise there’s many a time I’d be without coal. I thanked my lucky stars for her today, there’s nothing worse than working all day then coming home to a cold, cheerless house.’

  There was a little bit of snobbery back in Evelyn’s voice when she asked, ‘Do you not mind letting strangers loose in your house?’

  Her tone got Bessie’s back up, but she did her best not to ruffle any feathers. ‘Good grief, no! I’ve known Rita for fifteen years, she’s as honest as the day is long. Besides, what harm could she do?’ Bessie shook her head vigorously. ‘I would trust Rita Wells with me life, and Aggie Gordon, too! Like meself, they’re ordinary working-class people, struggling to make ends meet. There’s no shame in that.’

  ‘Of course not!’ Evelyn’s brain had been at work when she’d heard Rita had lit the fire for Bessie. Now she was worried she may have spoiled her own chances. ‘What I said was out of curiosity, not a reflection on the honesty of your friends, Bessie, please believe me. You are indeed very lucky to have such thoughtful neighbours. I only wish I was so lucky. It must have been a wonderful surprise, and relief, to come home to such a warm welcome.’