When Wishes Come True

by Jonker, Joan

  However, part of her problem was solved by young Jack Wells, who was standing outside his house, opposite, learning against the wall. He waved to Milly, and called, ‘Can yer come over for a game of Snakes and Ladders, Mill—er, Amelia?’

  Evelyn shook her head and was about to push Milly up the step when Bessie barred her path. ‘Let her go over to Mrs Wells’ for half an hour. I want to have a few words with you and I’m sure Amelia would be bored stiff.’ The look in her eyes told her neighbour it was a matter of importance.

  ‘You may go over, Amelia,’ Evelyn told her daughter. ‘But you must come back here when Miss Maudsley tells you to. And mind you don’t lose the key or I shall be very annoyed.’

  Milly was off like a shot. Last night, for the first time, Jack had beaten her at the game, and she intended to get her own back. ‘Yes, Mother,’ she called over her shoulder, ‘I won’t forget to do as I’m told.’

  Bessie waved to the couch. ‘I won’t keep you long, I know yer’ll be eager to be off to yer friend’s, but I’ve been thinking things over very carefully, and although I’m more than delighted with the money given so generously by your man friend, I don’t feel easy in my mind that you and me are the only ones who know about it. No matter which way I look at it, I can’t give food and clothes out like Lady Bountiful without it looking suspicious. Mrs Wells and Mrs Gordon aren’t stupid, they’ll know I’m not paying for everything out of me own pocket. And being me mates, they’re bound to ask where the money is coming from. If it was only a few bob then it would be fine, but it’s twenty pounds and that’s a fortune to anyone living in this street.’

  ‘But I was under the impression you were really pleased, and knew who you could best help with the money,’ Evelyn said. ‘Why have you changed your mind?’

  ‘Oh, I haven’t changed me mind, Evelyn, or me gratitude, but to do it alone would be impossible. I’ve made a list of all those I would love to help, and I can show it to yer if yer like. The kids going round barefoot would get shoes, and the poor families would get boxes of food to see them over Christmas. I know you and your generous friend would be more than satisfied that the money was being used to help those most in need. But I can’t go round giving boxes of food out without someone asking where the hell I got the money from. Besides all that, it would be physically impossible for me to do it all on me own. So I’m going to ask yer to let Mrs Wells and Mrs Gordon in on the secret. I promise that they will not be told any more than they need to know, and I swear on my life that yer can trust them. Like meself, they may be rough and ready, but they’re as honest as the day is long. With their help, it would be so much easier. Any shoes and clothes we get from the market, we can say their children have grown out of or we got them off a relative. And boxes of food I can explain away by saying I’d heard a Good Samaritan was helping the poor, and I’d been to see him. People will be so happy to have food for the table over Christmas, they’re not going to ask too many questions. Not when there’ll be three of us giving the hampers out.’

  Evelyn heard her out, then nodded. ‘Of course it would be too much for you to do on your own, I should have realised that. Please ask your friends for help, but I beg you to protect my privacy.’

  Bessie nodded her head vigorously. ‘I would never discuss your affairs, you need have no fear of that.’ She put her hand under the cushion of her chair and brought out the notebook. ‘I know you are eager to be on yer way, but just cast yer eyes over the list and yer’ll see how many I have down as being in desperate straits. Every family on that list is worthy of help, but a few more so than others. There are women in this street walking round with hardly any flesh on their bones, ’cos whatever money they get they spend on food for their kids. I promise you they will be blessing you and your friend when they sit down to a proper meal on Christmas Day.’

  Evelyn studied the list. She’d been shaken by Bessie’s words, and would repeat them to Philip. There were no addresses in the notebook, so she wouldn’t be giving herself away by showing him the list. ‘Would you let me take this to show to my friend? I’m sure he would be very touched by what you intend doing with the money.’

  ‘Ah, not today, Evelyn, it took me ages to go through this street from top to bottom, both sides, and write the names down. I could write it out again tonight, and give it to yer tomorrow, would that do?’

  ‘Yes, it would.’ Evelyn got to her feet. ‘Thank you for showing it to me, Bessie, I’m sure you and your friends will do a good job. I would give you a donation myself if I was able, but unfortunately I am not in a position to do so.’

  Bessie went to the door with her. ‘Yer’ve done enough, Evelyn! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have this money. It’s me what should be thanking you, not the other way round.’

  She watched her neighbour walk up the street, her back ramrod straight. What a difference there was in her over the last month or so. Just went to show what love can do.

  Bessie shivered with the cold, rubbed her arms briskly, then went inside and closed the front door. When she’d had a warm through, she’d nip over and ask Rita to come over for an hour tonight, and bring Aggie with her. Oh, and because little pigs have big ears, it would have to be an early night in bed for Milly. Not that the girl would mind, she was quite happy to go to bed at half-eight as long as Daisy went with her.

  Milly had something on her mind and lost the game because she wasn’t concentrating. This made Jack whoop for joy. ‘That’s two games I’m up on yer. D’yer want another game, yer might get lucky next time?’

  ‘No, I’d better go over to Auntie Bessie’s, she’ll be lonely without me.’ Milly pushed the chair back under the table then went out to the kitchen where Rita was rinsing some clothes through. ‘I’m going in my house for a minute, Auntie Rita, before I go to Auntie Bessie’s. Is that all right?’

  ‘Of course, sunshine, yer don’t have to ask me. Yer mam’s let yer have a key, so she must think ye’re old enough to look after yerself.’

  ‘I only want to fetch something, then I’ll go to Auntie Bessie’s.’

  ‘I’ll come with yer, if yer like?’ Jack offered. ‘In case yer might get frightened being in the house on yer own.’

  Rita walked through from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a small piece of towelling. ‘No, yer can’t go with her! Anyway, why should she be frightened in her own house? Let Milly do what she wants, and you go and play with the lads.’

  As Milly skipped across the cobbles, in her mind’s eye she could see the trunk. She couldn’t wait to have a proper look inside. It wasn’t dark yet so she would be able to see instead of feeling. Once inside the house, she made sure the door was firmly closed before tripping up the stairs and turning into her mother’s room.

  Minutes ticked by as Milly gazed at the trunk, willing herself to open it. But she was nervous after letting her imagination run away with itself. It was very old, perhaps a hundred years or more, and there might be nasty things inside, like mice or creepy-crawlies. Then she began to tell herself off for being stupid. Of course there wouldn’t be nasty things inside, her mother wouldn’t allow that. And besides, the hat and the feathers she’d felt the other day were real enough, and it was the feathers in particular she wanted to see. So with her lips clamped together and a look of determination on her pretty young face, she lifted the lid before she lost her nerve. She let it fall back against the wall, and this gave her the freedom to use both hands in her search for the feathers. She found the hat which was right on top. Looking mischievous she placed it on her head. It was a very grand hat, in dark blue, with a wide brim trimmed with a lighter shade of blue lace. But as it was too large for her, it came down over her forehead and her eyes rolled upwards, filled with laughter. Afraid to make a sound in case Auntie Bessie would hear her, she covered her mouth with one hand. She’d bet her auntie would love to see her, but best not to let her in case it got back to her mother.

  The next item Milly picked out was the feather boa, and she was filled with
delight when she put it around her neck and felt the soft feathers next to her skin. The girl began to think how lovely her mother must have looked in this finery. Milly had only come to the house with the intention of looking for the feathers, wanting to know what they were. Now the temptation to look further was so great she couldn’t ignore it. So with the hat falling over her eyes, and the feather boa hanging over her thin shoulders, she began to explore the contents of the trunk. But she was very careful to remember exactly where each item was when she’d first opened it. A satin dress caught her eye and she took it out for a better look. She knew it wasn’t an everyday dress, for it was in blue satin, had no sleeves and was cut very low at the back and front. Milly rubbed the satin against her cheek and thought how lovely it would be to wear a dress like this one. With the feather boa and the hat, of course. And the shoes she’d seen pushed down the side of the clothes. They were in silver, with narrow straps and heels higher than she’d ever seen before.

  More curious than ever now, Milly hung the dress over the side of the trunk and delved down the side of the clothes to find the shoes she’d spotted. When I’m older, I’ll wear shoes like this, she told herself. And satin dresses, hats like this one, and a scarf made of feathers. Then a mischievous little voice in her head asked why she didn’t try them on? No one would see her, and she could put everything back the way it was. So she quickly took all her school clothes off except her vest, it was too cold to take that off. Five minutes later, with the dress trailing on the floor, the feathers on the boa tickling her nose, and wobbling on the high heels, she stumbled her way over to look in the wardrobe mirror, and smiled at what she saw. Why had her mother never shown her the contents of this trunk, and why had she never worn them? To a child’s mind, it seemed a shame to have such beautiful clothes and never put them on. She wasn’t to know there were many reasons why the clothes had been locked away for the last eight years.

  ‘I’ll go and show Auntie Bessie before I take them off,’ Milly told her reflection in the mirror. ‘I bet she’ll get a surprise. It’s only next door and no one will see me.’ Then she remembered something else she’d seen in the trunk, next to the shoes. It was a silver evening bag, although the girl wasn’t to know that. To her it was just a pretty handbag which matched the shoes.

  Lifting the dress, Milly turned away from the mirror, forgetting the shoes were miles too big for her. As she turned, the high heels gave way and she would have fallen if the bed hadn’t been there. ‘Oh, dear,’ she said aloud, ‘I’ll never get down the stairs in them, I’ll fall and break my neck. I’ll carry them until I get to the front door, then I’ll put them on.’ She was carrying the shoes by the straps, with the silver handle of the bag over her wrist and her other hand holding the dress off the floor. She got on to the landing when she suddenly remembered the front door key. She thanked her lucky stars for if she locked herself out she wouldn’t be able to get back in until her mother came home, and then there’d be ructions.

  Jack had been waiting for Milly to come out. When he saw her hanging on to the door for support, with this large hat on her head, a dress that was now trailing on the ground and a feather thing around her neck, his jaw dropped open while his eyes couldn’t believe what he was seeing. ‘Eh, Billy, look at the state of Milly.’

  Billy and his mate thought they were seeing things. Then when they realised there was nothing wrong with their eyes, they started to point at the girl and laugh. This upset Jack who gave his brother a shove. ‘Don’t you be laughing at Milly, she looks lovely.’

  ‘Ay, who d’yer think ye’re pushing!’ Billy gave his brother such a push, Jack ended up on his backside. He scrambled to his feet, with fists flying, and landed a couple of blows on his brother’s back before Billy knew what hit him. Then a couple of boys from up the street came to see what was going on, and those who laughed and poked fun at Milly were set upon by a very irate Jack. Now Billy didn’t like being hit by his brother, but he wasn’t going to stand by and watch Jack being thumped by two bigger boys. So he gave his mate Tommo the eye, and they both got stuck in.

  While all this was going on, Milly was standing with her eyes popping at the scene before her. Boys fighting, and girls laughing and making fun of her. But not all the girls were laughing. A couple came over to her and stood admiring the dress, the feather boa, the shoes and handbag. ‘Are these yer mam’s clothes?’ One girl was fingering the satin. Neither she nor any of her friends had ever seen such a dress, although it was miles too big for Milly and they didn’t think you were supposed to wear a vest with it. Still, it must have cost a lot of money. And the feather boa was given the thumbs up by all the girls. They swore they’d have one when they grew up and started work. Milly was wishing they would go away, in case they left fingermarks on the dress. But this was the first time any of them had spoken to her and she wanted to be friends with them. Her biggest worry was the boys fighting, though. She knew it was all her fault, but couldn’t really understand why. She hadn’t done anything wrong, hadn’t said anything to start a fight. She hoped Auntie Bessie wouldn’t be upset by it all.

  Rita was in the kitchen and could hear a racket going on in the street, but Reg was sitting in the living room and she was sure he’d have said if anything untoward was going on. After a few minutes, she put the potato knife down and walked through. She had to make sure her two boys were all right. ‘Are yer deaf?’ she asked her husband, half-asleep in the chair by the fire. ‘Can’t yer hear the rumpus?’ She didn’t wait for an answer, it would be a waste of time. Reg had been working all morning and had probably dropped off in the warmth from the fire. Men didn’t half have an easy life.

  When Rita opened the front door the first thing she saw was a gang of lads beating hell out of each other. And two of them were her sons! ‘Ay, come on, break it up now.’ She collared Billy, who was the nearest. ‘What started this off, yer stupid nit? Yer should have more sense at your age.’

  Rubbing his chin, he growled, ‘It all started because of the soft girl across the street. Just look at the state of her, she’s barmy!’

  Rita glanced across to the group of girls on the opposite pavement. One of them moved, and she saw Milly in all her glory. ‘Oh, dear God in heaven, what does she think she’s doing!’ The girls heard Rita and scarpered quick, in case they got the blame for the boys fighting. By the time she’d crossed the cobbles, they were hot-footing it home. ‘Milly, sunshine, where did yer get those clothes?’

  ‘None of this is my fault, Auntie Rita, I didn’t say anything. In fact, I never opened my mouth to anyone. The first I saw was Jack and Billy fighting. That wouldn’t be Jack’s fault, it would have been Billy that started it. And it wasn’t anything I said, for I haven’t said a word to either of them. I was just going to Auntie Bessie’s to let her see me dressed up, and then some boys and girls were laughing at me, and the fighting started.’

  ‘I thought yer were in Bessie’s,’ Rita said. ‘Have you been in yer own house since yer left ours?’

  Milly was feeling guilty now. But she wasn’t going to lie, her teacher was always telling the class that it was a sin to tell lies. ‘Yes, I have, Auntie Rita. I didn’t mean to stay so long, but I was looking at some of my mother’s clothes and thought I would put some of them on and show Auntie Bessie how I looked. I thought she would enjoy seeing me all dressed up. But I didn’t get the chance to get as far as her house before the boys started fighting. I don’t mind being laughed at because I know I look funny in my mother’s clothes, but why the boys started to fight, I don’t know. Boys are silly, aren’t they?’

  Rita felt like hugging her. In fact she wished they owned one of those camera things what took photographs. It would be lovely to have a photograph of Milly as she was now, with a satin dress trailing the ground, heels so high she was swaying to balance herself, a hat that must have been bought for a wedding, and a feather boa. She looked funny, but at the same time vulnerable and lovable. ‘I’m surprised Bessie hasn’t been out, unless she’
s in the kitchen and didn’t hear the commotion. But I’ll tell yer what we’ll do, if yer want to surprise her. You stand behind me while I knock on the door, and when she opens it, I’ll step aside. Just imagine the surprise on her face. Would you like that, sunshine?’

  ‘She won’t be upset with me, will she?’

  ‘Bessie Maudsley be up upset with you? Never in a million years, sunshine, ’cos she loves the bones of yer.’

  ‘Will you let me link you, Auntie Rita, because I can’t walk in these shoes. I’ll topple over if I try.’

  Rita held out her arm. ‘Stick yer arm in, sunshine, and I’ll help yer on yer way.’

  Bessie smiled when she saw Rita. ‘Ooh, yer’ve saved me a journey, I was coming over to your house later.’

  Rita stepped aside. ‘I’ve brought someone to see yer.’

  Thinking it was all a joke that Rita was part of, and that she would be expected to show surprise, Bessie lifted her hands and cried, ‘Oh, my, who is this little lady?’

  Milly’s green eyes shone. ‘It’s me, Auntie Bessie, can’t you tell?’

  Bessie pretended to fall back in astonishment. ‘Well, I never! I’d have passed yer in the street and not known it was my little sweetheart.’ She looked over the girl’s head to Rita. ‘Where did yer get the clothes from?’

  ‘Ah, well, I think Milly will have to explain that. And I’ll come in with her ’cos we’ll both catch pneumonia if we stand out in this cold much longer.’ Rita winked. ‘Will yer give Milly a hand, ’cos she’s not very safe on her feet?’

  As soon as she was in the living room, Milly kicked the shoes off and made straight for the warmth of the fire. She wasn’t looking forward to telling her Auntie Bessie what she’d been up to. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the boys hadn’t seen her and started fighting, then nobody would have known. She could have had a laugh with the woman she had grown to love, then put the clothes back and no one would have been any the wiser.