by Kitty Neale
Her mum held out her hand and Gloria gasped as the sunlight caught a large stone on her mother’s middle finger.
‘See, a diamond ring. I’ve never had diamonds in my life. I had that crappy topaz ring your father palmed me off with as an engagement ring, but Dwight buys me expensive gifts.’
‘Let me look at that,’ Gloria said and dropped her heavy bag to grab her mum’s hand.
She peered at the ring. It was the biggest diamond Gloria had ever seen, which made her doubt it was real. In fact, she was sure she’d seen dress jewellery very similar in Tooting indoor market. She looked at her mother’s beaming face and couldn’t believe her mum would be deceived by a bit of glass. ‘It’s smashing, but are you sure it’s a real diamond?’
‘Of course. Dwight told me it is.’
‘And you’ve known him for how long?’
‘Pack it in, Gloria, you’re just peeved because Dennis didn’t buy you anything nice. Don’t worry, you’ll find yourself a man soon enough, only this time make sure it’s a bloke with plenty of money.’
Gloria picked up her bag and resumed walking with her mother in silence. If the woman wanted to believe Dwight was buying her diamonds, then she wasn’t going to be the one to burst her bubble. After all, she didn’t want her mum to be leaving him, not now, when she was just about to move in.
When they reached Dwight’s flat, her mother showed her around. Much to Gloria’s disappointment, she immediately noticed there was only the one bedroom.
‘Don’t worry, Dwight has bought you this,’ her mum said, indicating a funny-looking sort of cabinet. ‘It opens up into a bed. Clever, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but this must mean I’ve got to sleep in the front room. Bloody hell, Mum, I moved out of Craig’s place because it was so cramped, and this ain’t much better.’
‘Jenny’s boyfriend? You’ve been living with Jenny’s boyfriend?’
‘Yes, we all have, in a one-bedroom flat above Gran’s. It was why I was so keen to move in with Dennis.’
‘Jenny’s a sly one. There’s me thinking she’s a good girl, but all this time she’s been shacked up with her fella.’
‘It’s not like that, Mum. I had to share a room with her and Pam. Craig slept in the front room with the boys.’
‘Blimey, that’s ridiculous.’
‘I know, but Jenny couldn’t take another beating from Dad and she was worried it would be one of us next.’
‘Come off it, Gloria, your dad ain’t that bad.’
Gloria looked at her mother in disbelief. She’d been fooled by the ring and now seemed unable to accept the truth about her husband. ‘Mum, he nearly killed Jenny,’ she said seriously. ‘She ended up in hospital.’
‘Yeah, well, he used to belt me at times, but he never went that far.’
Gloria looked at her mum in disbelief again. She hadn’t asked about Jenny’s injuries or shown any sympathy. It made her question if she really knew her own mother at all. They heard the front door close and Gloria noticed her mother’s demeanour completely change. She preened and seemed to become very giggly, which gave Gloria the impression that her mum was nervous.
‘What a treat for a gentleman to walk into his home and find two mighty pretty ladies before him. I’m Dwight, but I’m sure you already know that, and you must be Gloria. It’s a real pleasure to meet you.’
Gloria’s suspicions had been correct. Dwight was indeed the man she’d met in Queenie’s though he didn’t seem to recognise her.
‘I’m so happy that your momma has brought you here to live with us in my very humble abode. You are very welcome. Lizzie darlin’, have you offered this young lady some iced tea or lemonade?’
‘No, not yet. Would you like a drink, Gloria?’ her mum asked.
‘Yes, lemonade if you’ve got some, please.’
‘You sit yourself down and let your momma spoil you for a bit. Fetch us both a glass, Lizzie.’
Her mum left the room as Gloria sat on the edge of a worn brown sofa and Dwight sat opposite her in a rickety rocking chair.
‘I love this old chair,’ he mused, running his hands over the smooth wooden arms. ‘It reminds me of home, relaxing on my momma and papa’s porch. I used to spend many hours rocking back and forward, gazing out at the corn fields and watching the little black girls. Their dark skin would glisten in the blazing Alabama sun, just like black pearls. You ever seen a black pearl, Gloria?’
Gloria tried to smile at him, but his gaze became intense and she didn’t like the way he was licking his lips. She felt uneasy and was pleased when her mum came back with two glasses of lemonade.
‘I was just telling Gloria about my momma’s porch. You know, we were so poor that my momma used to make my clothes from fertiliser sacks, but then my grandpappy struck gold and we were the richest farmers in the state.’
‘Gold? I thought you said your granddad found oil on his ranch?’
Gloria saw an instant look of panic on Dwight’s face which was quickly replaced with a smile as fake as the diamond he’d bought her mum. ‘Yeah, darlin’, black gold. That’s what we call oil.’
It might sound plausible, but Gloria knew that Dwight wasn’t telling the truth, though her mother seemed happy with his answer. She’d only been in his presence for ten minutes but already knew he was a liar and was surprised that her mother hadn’t seen it too.
Gloria already deeply regretted agreeing to live with them. She was too proud to go back to Dennis and couldn’t stand the thought of living in the cramped conditions at Craig’s. This, it seemed, was the best option out of a bad lot – for now.
Chapter 15
Henry held on to the back of the dustcart as it headed towards the depot. He was almost finished for the day, but he wasn’t looking forward to going home. Audrey had been living with him for over two months now, and he’d become very bored with her. She was so predictable, a creature of routine. She did the washing on Monday, ironed on a Tuesday, and every day he knew what to expect for his dinner. After a Sunday roast, Monday would be shepherd’s pie, Tuesday a stew, Wednesday chops, Thursday stuffed hearts, Friday fish and Saturday sausages. He was even bored with Audrey’s meekness now, and her lack of conversation. She rarely laughed either and just lay there during sex. Henry didn’t like to admit it, but he missed Lizzie challenging him and her passion between the sheets.
It was coming up to the end of August and this weekend was a bank holiday. There was a long-standing tradition of all the men on the dustcart taking their families to Margate for the day. Henry tutted at the thought of dragging Audrey along with him, then unexpectedly felt sad as he realised this would be the first year he hadn’t taken his children. He remembered the previous year. Early on Sunday morning they had all set off in Dodgy Donnie’s old pick-up to meet the rest of the families. His kids always enjoyed riding in the back of the open-top truck. It had been a sunny day and the girls had taken the boys into the sea. He’d bought them all ice-creams and a fish and chips lunch, and the boys had ridden the donkeys on the beach. There’d also been on rides in Dreamland, the funfair, and even Timmy throwing up hadn’t ruined the day. It had been a laugh, and after several pints he’d slept for most of the journey home. This year’s trip would be very different without his children and Henry realised that at times like this he missed them.
The dustcart came to a stop and Henry jumped off.
‘See you Sunday, mate,’ Ray, the driver, called.
‘I dunno. I might give it a miss this year.’
‘Why would you do that?’ Ray asked, and now the rest of the dustmen were waiting for his answer too.
‘It’s a family day, and you all know my situation. It ain’t like I’ve got kids to bring.’
‘That don’t matter,’ Ray said. ‘Look at Willie, he comes by himself every year, ain’t that right, Will?’
‘Yes, it’s better than sitting on me tod at home.’
‘There’s only the wife and me,’ one of the other men said.
‘I never thought of it like that,’ Henry said, thinking that a few beers with the blokes would be better than staring at Audrey’s plain face all day.
‘Right, we’ll see ya Sunday then,’ Ray said, and waved as Henry trudged off.
‘Yeah, see ya,’ Henry called. He’d be aware that his children were absent, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy himself. Although the only way he’d be able to do that was to leave Audrey at home and go alone.
‘Do you really think we can afford it?’ Jenny asked Craig.
They were standing in the back garden of a modern three-bedroomed house that had recently been vacated and was being offered for rent by one of Craig’s customers.
‘Yes, just about. We’ve got enough saved for the deposit and rent in advance. As long as we don’t go spending like we’ve won the football pools, I think we can manage the weekly rent.’
Jenny impulsively threw her arms around Craig’s neck, then leaned back so he could read her lips. ‘It’s wonderful,’ she gushed. ‘The boys can have the small room, I’ll share with Pamela and once we’re married—’ She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly embarrassed at mentioning the marital bedroom.
‘I’d better hurry up and make a decent woman of you,’ Craig said, then gently kissed her. With his arms around her waist, he pulled his face back and said, ‘I’ll tell Mr Cockerill that we’ll take the house.’
‘Oh, Craig, it’s perfect, I can’t wait to move in. You don’t show it, but you must be fed up with us all being squeezed into your flat.’
‘No, not at all, Jenny. It’s funny really, but Pamela and the boys feel like my own family. I missed out on having any brothers and sisters, and my parents have been dead for a long time. When you’re deaf, people shy away, so I haven’t found it easy to make friends. I work by myself all day, and it can be lonely sometimes, but having you all living with me has made me the happiest I’ve been in a long time. I love having a full home, and I want ours to be filled with lots of our children too.’
Jenny stood on tiptoes to reach up and kiss him. She didn’t like to think of him being lonely and was glad he no longer felt that way. It was a blessing they’d fallen in love, and now she couldn’t imagine a life without Craig.
*
Gloria stuffed two packets of cigarettes in her handbag before finishing work for the afternoon. She’d remained working at Queenie’s and thankfully had seen very little of Dennis. On the couple of occasions she had bumped into him, he’d barely acknowledged her, not that she was bothered. She’d held her head high and ignored him too.
‘See you tomorrow, Queenie,’ Gloria said as she left the shop with her stolen goods. Then as the door closed behind her, she muttered, ‘You stupid old cow.’
Queenie was really getting past it and had now given over the stocktaking duties to Gloria. It made it so much easier for her to pinch things, and though she didn’t pay Dwight any rent, he was happy to accept the cigarettes and cigars she brought him.
When she arrived home, Gloria was pleased to find the flat empty. It was rare to have the place to herself so she planned to have a long soak in the bath. After gathering her nightdress from a small space her mum had made for her in a chest of drawers, she went into the bathroom to turn on the taps. It was only as she closed the door that Gloria noticed a hole had been drilled through it, about halfway down. Frowning, she went to the other side and bent down to peer through. She was shocked to see that she was looking directly at the bath. Bile rose. Dwight must have drilled the hole. How long had it been there? How many times had he spied on her when she was having a bath?’
Gloria’s anger mounted. She’d put up with Dwight staring at her whenever he thought she wasn’t looking, and knew he sometimes sneaked into the front room at night to gawp at her when he thought she was sleeping. She’d managed to rebuff the unwanted attention that he lavished on her when her mother wasn’t around, but this – this was the final straw.
Gloria stomped back into her mother’s bedroom and pulled down her large bag from the top of the wardrobe. She had no choice but to ask Jenny if she could move back in with them, but as she hurriedly threw clothes into the bag, her mother arrived home.
‘What are you doing, Gloria?’ she asked, looking perplexed as she stood in the doorway.
‘What does it look like? I’m leaving. I can’t live under the same roof as your boyfriend any longer.’
‘Why? What has Dwight done?’
‘He’s a pervert! He’s always looking at me, pestering me, and now he’s drilled a hole in the bathroom door so he can watch me when I’m having a bath.’
‘Oh, love, don’t be daft. Dwight’s not like that. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for the hole. This is an old building and it’s probably woodworm.’
Gloria wasn’t surprised that her mother was defending the man. She was totally smitten with Dwight and refused to see he was anything but perfect. Also, as long as the so-called expensive gifts kept coming, Gloria knew her mother would never accept what she’d told her. She said angrily, ‘It’s not woodworm. It’s man-made, I’m sure of it, and I’m getting out of here.’
‘Fine, suit yourself, run off back to Dennis or your sister. After everything Dwight’s done for you, this is how you repay him.’
‘What! What’s he done for me?’
‘He’s housed you and has never asked for a penny!’
‘Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure I know how Dwight wants me to show my gratitude.’
‘You dirty cow! You’ve got a disgusting mind to think something like that! When we found out you were living with Dennis, it was Dwight’s idea that you come to stay with us. He hadn’t even met you yet he wanted to protect you.’
Gloria fumed and couldn’t keep her mouth shut. ‘That’s rubbish. He had met me. He came into the shop before you turned up. He flirted with me and asked my name. When I told him he must have realised that I’m your daughter and hatched a plan to get me to live with you. He was probably looking to replace you for a younger version, the dirty bastard!’
‘Shut up, Gloria! Not only is your language disgusting, you’re telling lies. Dwight likes a real woman, not a bit of a kid.’
‘You’re blind, Mum. It’s Dwight who tells lies, but you refuse to see it. Why is that, though? Is it that you’re more interested in his money than hearing the truth?’
Gloria saw her mother’s eyes narrow and then she said, ‘Do you know what I think, Gloria – I think you’re trying to turn me against Dwight because you want him for yourself.’
‘What! Are you listening to yourself? Do you really think I would want your pervert of a boyfriend? Bloody hell, you’re off your head! The pair of you deserve each other.’
Gloria didn’t care that she hadn’t packed all her belongings. She had to get out and pushed past her mother. As she steamed along the small hallway, she heard her mum shout, ‘I’ll be glad to see the back of you.’
Gloria clenched her teeth. She was sickened that her mother hadn’t believed her – that she hadn’t see the way Dwight ogled her. At least Craig only had eyes for Jenny, so she’d be safe there, albeit overcrowded.
Chapter 16
It was a balmy Saturday morning in September, two weeks since Jenny and Craig had viewed and accepted the house. Today was moving-in day.
‘Gran’s going to have the boys today and give them their dinner. That’ll give us a chance to unpack without them causing havoc,’ Jenny said to Craig as he wrote ‘KITCHEN’ on a packed box. ‘I was worried it would be too much for her, but she insisted that she can manage.’
‘It shouldn’t take us long to get sorted, not with all hands on deck.’
‘Actually, it’s only going to be us. Pam couldn’t get the time off from her Saturday job, and Gloria, well, you know what she’s like. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she’s back with us, but I wish she’d do more to help.’
‘She probably doesn’t want to break her nails,’ Craig said, though without rancour. ‘Never mi
nd. I’m sure we’ll manage. Talking of Gloria, where is she?’
‘Still in bed. I’ll give her a shout.’
Jenny went into the bedroom and pulled the curtains open as she said, ‘Time to wake up, sleepy head.’
‘Argh,’ Gloria moaned, and rolled over to face the wall.
‘Come on, Gloria, up you get. We’ve got a busy day and I need to get the rest of this room packed before the removals van arrives.’
‘What’s the time?’
‘Gone eight and time to get out of bed,’ Jenny said firmly.
‘The van ain’t due yet so bugger off, will ya, and close the curtains. Blimey, can’t a girl get a lie-in?’
‘Not when we’re moving into a new house.’
‘What’s the big deal? I’m still not going to have my own bedroom.’
‘Once I marry Craig, you’ll only be sharing with Pam. By the way, we’ve been talking about that and have decided to set the date for the beginning of November. It’s only going to be a small do in a register office, but I’d like you to be a witness.’
Gloria pushed herself up in the bed, smiling with delight now. ‘Really? Oh, Jen, I’d love that. Who’s going to be the other witness?’
‘Craig is going to ask his uncle.’
‘Are you going to invite Mum and Dad?’
‘Dad, no. Craig wouldn’t want him there, not after what he put me through. I’m not sure I want him there either. I haven’t made up my mind about Mum.’
‘She won’t come without Dwight, and he’s the last person I want to see. I’m not sure I want to see Mum either. I told her what Dwight was up to, but she wouldn’t believe me.’
‘I know, you poured it out when you came back to live with us, and I don’t know why I even considered inviting her. I’m sorry. I’ll strike her off my list, but come on, get up now and I’ll make you a cuppa.’
Jenny closed the door behind her, thinking it was a good job that she and Craig had opted for a register office. At least she wouldn’t have the dilemma of who would walk her down the aisle, though a part of her longed for a loving father – one who would stand proudly beside her to give her away. It was a pipe dream of course. Neither of her parents gave a damn about her, or any of their children. All they both seemed to care about was themselves.
