by Jonker, Joan
‘Have yer no modesty?’ Rita asked as her friend pulled her dress up by the waist. ‘I could no more get stripped in front of you than fly.’ As the dress was pulled higher, an expanse of bare leg appeared, followed by blue fleecy-lined bloomers. ‘Oh, I’m going to stand in the kitchen before I see any more of yer body.’
A muffled voice came from inside the dress. ‘No, wait, queen, ’cos I need yer to help pull me dress over me bosom. And before yer start moaning, I know I have to do it meself every day, but it’s murder getting the waist over these two bleeding big balloons I’ve got. So while you’re here, yer may as well give me a hand. Just grab hold and pull, while I breathe in.’
The state of Aggie was such that Rita couldn’t keep her laughter back. It wasn’t so much the bulging tummy, or the rolls of fat on her legs, ’cos none of that could be helped. It was the huge safety pin keeping her bloomers up that was the last straw. Laughing as the tears rolled down her cheeks, Rita said, ‘I’m sure if Laurel and Hardy could see yer, sunshine, they’d offer to make yer a partner. Laurel, Hardy and Gordon. Oh, what a scream it would be.’
‘I’ll give yer something to scream about if yer don’t hurry up and get this bleeding dress off me. Ye’re having the time of yer life while I’m suffocating. I can’t get me breath.’
Rita gave one last tug, and Aggie’s head appeared. She was bright red in the face and her chest was heaving. ‘I’d have been a bloody sight quicker doing it meself,’ she groaned. ‘If me breasts weren’t so firmly attached, yer’d have pulled the ruddy things off.’
Rita put a curled fist to the stitch in her side. ‘It’s a long time since I had such a good laugh, sunshine, but I wasn’t making fun of yer, I think too much of yer for that. I know if yer could have seen yerself, yer’d have laughed louder than me.’
‘I’ll do a deal with yer,’ Aggie said, keeping her face deadpan. ‘If this dress fits me, I’ll love yer till the day I die. If it doesn’t go near me, I’ll chase yer down the street with the stiff brush in me hand.’
Rita nodded. ‘It’s a deal, so let’s be having yer. I really hope it fits yer, sunshine, ’cos it’s a nice dress. But if it does, it’s going over to Bessie’s with the rest of the stuff. Nobody is allowed to have anything until Christmas Day. The kids have got to wait, otherwise they’ll have nothing to wake up to on Christmas morning, and the same applies to us. So I want yer to say yer agree before yer try the dress on?’
Aggie made a grab for it and held it to her bosom. ‘D’yer know what, Rita Wells, up till a minute ago I thought yer were as good as Cinderella’s fairy godmother. But I’ve changed me mind, and now yer remind me of her wicked step-sisters.’
‘That’s too bad, sunshine, I’m sure I’ll live. Now put that dress on, for heaven’s sake, or Milly will be home from school and I don’t want her to see anything. Not that there’s anything here for her, but she might just let it slip to one of the kids. So put a move on, slow coach.’
The dress slipped over Aggie’s head, over her bosom and then her tummy. She didn’t have to tug or pull, and couldn’t believe her luck. Even her chins were pleased for her when she shook her head in disbelief. ‘I take every word back, queen, and once again ye’re my fairy godmother. I’m beginning to think I’m dreaming and will wake up to a big disappointment. I’m not, am I, queen?’
‘You are not!’ Rita said, straightening the neat round collar on the navy dress. ‘Right now yer look like a very attractive lady with a face like a film star and a figure like Mae West. Yer really look a treat, sunshine, and yer’ll have your feller licking his lips when he sees yer on Christmas Day.’
Aggie’s bosom swelled with pride. It was a long time since she’d heard compliments like that. Mind you, she wasn’t daft, she knew her mate was only being kind, but she had to admit she did think she looked more than passable. And although it might be wishful thinking on her part, she’d swear it made her look thinner. Why, she could almost see her feet. She cast her eyes down again, then asked herself if she was seeing things. Was that her toes, or was it a dirty mark on the lino? Better not ask, ’cos ignorance was bliss.
When Milly came home from school she didn’t need any persuading to stay in Rita’s and play Snakes and Ladders with Jack. The girls in the street were more friendly with her now, and she could have played with them, but no, her best mate was Jack. So she was out of the house when Bessie came home from work to be greeted by a smiling Rita and Aggie.
‘What is this, a welcoming committee?’ Bessie walked straight to the fire to warm her hands. ‘Yer both look like the cat what got the cream, so I presume yer’ve had a good day?’
‘Well, we’ve a lot to tell yer, sunshine, but will have to make it quick because we’ve got our dinners on the go. Anyway, in a nutshell, we got the shoes for the boys and gave them to their mothers, who were absolutely delighted. I bet the lads are playing out in them right now.’
‘Oh, that’s grand, sweetheart, a job well done. And I bet the lads are blessing the pair of yer. Did yer manage to get them from the market, then?’
Rita nodded. ‘We got everything we wanted from there. A lovely coat for Mrs Ponsonby, and Aggie got herself one which is a real smasher. Trousers for the three boys, a dress for Kitty, and a dress each for me and Aggie. And I’ve ordered the foodstuffs from the Maypole. I left the list with the manager and am picking it up tomorrow. I’ve paid for it, as well. I told Mr Lacy you’d been given some money to help out a few poor families over Christmas, and he’s going to save as many cardboard boxes as he can. I told him there’d be another big order for him Christmas week.’ She shrugged her shoulders and added, ‘I can’t see him having enough boxes to spare, ’cos he’ll have a lot of orders to be delivered. Still, we can ask the corner shop, I’m sure Sally and Alf will help out when they know what they’re for.’
‘Yer have been busy,’ Bessie said. ‘I’d have been lost without yer.’
‘Ooh, ay, I can’t take all the credit, it was team work. Aggie did just as much as me. In fact, she did most of the carrying. We work well together, don’t we, sunshine?’
This compliment took Aggie’s chubby cheeks on an upward journey which almost had her eyes disappearing from view. She was having some really nice things said about her today. ‘Yeah, I bargained at the shoe stall, and Rita bargained at the next. We did really well, didn’t we, queen?’
Rita nodded, knowing her mate would be tickled pink and feeling very important. ‘We did that, sunshine, and next time we’ve got a few bob, we’ll take a trip down there again. But now, down to business.’ She passed two pieces of paper over to Bessie. ‘One’s the list of all the items we said we’d get – the prices are at the side. I couldn’t get a receipt for anything from the market ’cos they don’t give them. But the Maypole receipt is there, so yer can check the prices, and I’ve got the rest of the money here.’ She put a hand in her pocket and brought out a large amount of coppers and silver. ‘I think yer’ll find the money will tally with the lists, Bessie, except yer’ll have to take our tram fares into consideration.’
Bessie shook her head slowly. ‘Yer don’t really think I’m going to sit down and check, do yer, Rita? If I can’t trust you two, then I can’t trust anyone. I think yer’ve done wonders to have any money left out of five pounds. The way you two are going on, we’ll have enough to put quite a lot in the hampers.’ She suddenly remembered something. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot again. I didn’t put margarine down on the list, or bread. And if yer’d be angels could you order eighteen chickens from the butcher, and ask him to have them plucked and cleaned. It’ll save anyone having to spend Christmas Eve with their hand up the backside of a chicken.’
Rita frowned. ‘I thought it was fifteen hampers yer were making up, so why eighteen chickens?’
‘To use in sandwiches for the two parties. And ask the butcher how much a decent-sized bird will be so I’ll know where I’m working. And tell Stan not to worry, he’ll get his money. I’ll pay him a few days before the holiday. A
nd seeing as it’s a bloody good order for him, ask him to put a piece of dripping in with each one.’
‘Are yer sure yer’ve got enough money for all this, sunshine?’ Rita sounded doubtful. ‘Yer won’t get a chicken under three bob.’
‘I’ll sit and do a list tonight, and if yer find out roughly what the chickens are going to cost, I can pretty much work it out to the penny. Potatoes and veg will only be coppers, I’m almost sure I’ll have money over. Enough to put a tangerine and an apple in each hamper to make the kids happy.’ Bessie looked at the clock. ‘Don’t yer think yer’d better be on yer way, before yer husbands come in from work?’
Rita jumped to her feet. ‘Yeah, come on, Aggie, the men will want feeding. But before we go, Bessie, yer’ve had the good news, but I’m afraid there’s some bad news for yer.’
She was crafty enough to know that if it was really bad news, they’d have told her straight away. ‘Oh, aye, what is it?’
‘Well, we wanted yer to see what we’d bought, but we didn’t want anyone else to see it ’cos it would spoil things for the kids. So it’s all on your landing for yer to look through. We haven’t just dumped it there, it’s all neat and tidy. But d’yer think yer could keep it here until me and Aggie get a chance to take our stuff? The dresses and trousers will need washing and pressing, but we’ll have to do it while the kids are at school.’
‘Don’t worry yer heads about it, I’ll sort it out. I can put it in the bottom of me wardrobe until ye’re ready for it. Now get home and see to the family.’
Rita stepped down on to the pavement. ‘The only big things that will take up a lot of room are the two coats, but I can take Mrs Ponsonby’s tomorrow and that’ll be out of the way. Aggie wants to wear hers now, but she’s not getting it until Father Christmas brings it down her chimney. She’s begged, and had a little weep, but I’ve put me foot down. Christmas Day and not before.’
Bessie made sure the clothes were off the landing and in her bedroom before Milly came over for her dinner. She was afraid that if the girl saw the boys’ trousers she wouldn’t be able to keep it to herself. The temptation to tell her best friend Jack would be too great.
They were eating their meal and not a word had been spoken for a while. This was unusual as Milly was a real chatterbox, never stopped talking usually during a meal. When Bessie shot a quick glance her way, she noticed the girl seemed preoccupied, as though there was something on her mind. She was soon proved right.
‘Auntie Bessie, can I ask you something?’ Milly kept her eyes down, her hand gripping the fork which was chasing a potato around her plate. ‘You won’t get mad at me, will you?’
‘Now, Amelia Sinclair, when have I ever got mad with you? You can always talk to me, and I will always listen, yer should know that by now. Whatever it is yer want to ask, do it now and give that poor potato a rest, ’cos it’s worn out running around that ruddy plate.’
Milly giggled, put the fork down and addressed the potato. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Potato, but you can have a rest now while I talk to Auntie Bessie.’ She laid down the fork and leaned her elbows on the table. ‘Will I be here on Christmas Day, Auntie Bessie? Jack said there’s going to be a party, and I would like to be here for that.’
Bessie wiped the back of a hand across her lips. ‘I’m afraid I can’t answer you, sweetheart, because I don’t know. I would love you to be here, yer know that, but it’s not up to me. Hasn’t your mother mentioned it?’
Milly shook her head, looking downcast. ‘Mother hasn’t said anything about Christmas, and I don’t like to ask her. But she might go to her friend’s, I’m sure she’d like that better than being just the two of us.’
‘I really don’t know what to say, Milly, but yer know I’d love yer to be here. It’s up to your mother, though, there’s little I can do about it.’ But the sadness on the pretty young face was more than Bessie could bear. ‘Look, I’ll tell yer what, sweetheart, I’ll have a word with yer mother when she calls for yer. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do me best.’ And hoping to put a smile back where it belonged, she added, ‘I’ll get me guardian angel to have a word with her, too, ’cos she can be very persuasive when she’s asked nicely to help me out.’
This cheered Milly up no end, and she giggled, ‘Yer could ask the door and the fireplace as well. I bet they’d help if they could, being good friends of yours.’
‘The door won’t help, I’m afraid, ’cos it blames me for leaving it out in the cold all the time. I’m fed up telling it that every door is out in the cold, but I may as well talk to the wall.’ Bessie leaned across the table, her face one big smile. ‘Ay, I forgot about the wall, so there’s another one to get on our side. Oh, I don’t think we can lose with so many friends, it’ll be a walkover.’ She reached across for Milly’s plate. ‘Come on, sweetheart, let’s get the dishes washed, ’cos yer mother will be here any minute.’
Evelyn’s face was set when she came into Bessie’s living room. She had made a decision and wanted to get it off her chest before she weakened. When she sat down, she addressed her daughter. ‘Amelia, will you be a good girl and go home while I have a word with Miss Maudsley in private? I won’t leave you on your own for long, and as the fire will be lit the room will be nice and warm. You could take the doll for company.’
‘Yes, Mother.’ Milly draped her coat over her arm. ‘Shall I put the kettle on so you can have a cup of tea when you come in?’
Evelyn shook her head. ‘I would rather you didn’t light the gas, just in case of an accident. But I shan’t be long.’
‘Put that coat on, sweetheart, ’cos it’s bitter out,’ Bessie told her. ‘I know it’s only two or three steps, but yer could still catch cold.’
Evelyn sat nervously fingering her gloves as she waited for the door to close on her daughter. Then she wasted no time. ‘I have thought over what you said about my late husband’s family, Bessie, and intend doing what you suggested I should do. It is a drastic step for me, after eight years, and I risk being shunned. But I will not give Philip up without a fight. I love him dearly, and he returns my love. It remains to be seen if he will still feel the same when he knows I have lied to him about Amelia.’ She screwed up her eyes and shook her head. ‘No, I have not told him a deliberate lie, though I have acted one and that is as bad. But I believe there might be a way of keeping his love. After the holidays, I intend to visit Mr Lister-Sinclair with Amelia. When he sees the likeness between my daughter and his son, I don’t think he could or indeed would want to deny she is truly his granddaughter. For Amelia is so like Charles it is uncanny. And if he accepts Amelia, then the hardest part of my battle will be over.’
‘I think it is the best thing to do for everyone’s sake. Amelia’s grandfather would probably welcome yer both with open arms.’ Bessie’s heart went out to the woman she’d once thought of as a stuck-up snob, but who now looked sad and vulnerable. ‘Yer’d never forgive yerself if yer didn’t try.’
‘My hope is that this time my father-in-law will believe me. It would make it so much easier for me to be truthful with Philip. You see, Bessie, my one fear is that, like Mr Lister-Sinclair, Philip won’t believe the man I married was the father of Amelia. After all, any man could have been, in fact, I could have been a woman who bestowed her favours freely.’ Tears weren’t far away, and she was quiet for a while until she composed herself. ‘It doesn’t automatically mean Philip will gather me to him and swear undying love for me. Rather than still wanting to marry me, he may turn me away for what he sees as my deceitfulness. But I love him so much I am prepared to throw myself at his mercy. And more than that I cannot do.’
‘If he loves you as much as yer love him, then I’m sure he won’t turn away from yer. Why should he? You are a married woman who had a baby by a husband killed in the war. Is there anything so terrible in that? Of course there isn’t, and yer mustn’t let anyone think you are ashamed. Keep that in mind and yer’ll find the courage and the strength to do what yer have to do.’
Evelyn leaned forward and took both of Bessie’s hands in hers. ‘If I hadn’t been so selfish all these years, thinking myself too good for anyone in this street, then what good friends we could have been. You would probably have talked sense into me years ago, making me confront Mr Lister-Sinclair with the truth. But then I would never have met Philip. I might have lived in luxury, and Amelia and I would have wanted for nothing. However, I would have missed two very important events in my life. One is meeting the man I adore, and the other is being brought down from my ivory tower to meet the most genuine people I’m ever likely to meet. I’ve been taught well by you and your friends, Bessie, and it’s a lesson I will never forget. That money doesn’t mean a thing if you haven’t got good friends who are warm and compassionate.’
Bessie could feel a lump forming in her throat. ‘I’m sorry meself that we left it so late to become friends, and I hope that now we are, we always will be. And I’m glad yer’ve decided to take the bull by the horns, for I do believe you will come through it a very happy woman. I hope so, for Amelia’s sake. But I hope yer’ll never stop me from seeing her? I have grown to love her very much.’
‘That’s a promise I will make, and which will be easy to keep. My daughter would never forget you, or allow me to either.’ Evelyn stood up. ‘I’d better go, I don’t like leaving Amelia on her own too long. But I do thank you for making me see sense, and will keep you informed every step of the way.’
‘Tomorrow night, when yer’ve got five minutes to spare, I’ll tell yer what we’ve bought so far with the money. A lot of poor people in this street will bless you and your friend for giving them the chance to enjoy Christmas with food and warmth.’ Bessie told herself now was the time. ‘Oh, speaking of Christmas, will I be having Milly? That’s if yer want to spend the time with yer friend, of course. If you are, I’d be very happy to have her for the two days.’
