by Kitty Neale
‘Yes, but I’m trying not to focus on it too much,’ Jenny answered, hoping Tina would take the hint and change the subject.
‘Good for you. There’s a bit of a do on in the Bedford tomorrow night, and a comedian is doing a turn. Why don’t you come along with me and my old man? It’ll do you good to get out.’
‘No, but thanks for asking. Pamela has got plans for this weekend and I don’t think my gran is up to looking after the boys by herself. To be honest, I’m not really in the mood for laughing, and I wouldn’t want to bump into Jack.’
‘I thought you was well and truly over my brother?’
‘I am, sort of. I know we’ll never be together, but now I’m not so angry and I’ve found myself missing his company.’
‘It’s a shame, but if it’s not meant to be …’ Tina said.
Jenny nodded, but her mind was already drifting back to images of Craig. She told herself to get a grip and tried to think about Christmas instead. She thought about what gifts she could buy for Timmy and Peter, and she wanted to get her gran something special. It was only six weeks away and she was grateful to have something other than Craig to focus on.
Gloria had finished work and walked quickly towards home with Jack by her side. ‘It’s bloody freezing,’ she moaned.
‘It ain’t too bad. I suppose I’m used to it ’cos the butcher’s counter is always cold. Are you doing anything nice this weekend?’
‘Nothing special and Gail is away until Sunday night. I don’t know why she bothers renting that flat with me, lately she’s hardly ever in and away a lot of weekends.’
‘I thought you didn’t like being there alone.’
‘I don’t, but it’s not like there’s any room for me at my gran’s.’
‘Do you want me to come home with you? I ain’t got anything planned, so I don’t mind.’
‘Oh, Jack, that would be nice. Thanks,’ Gloria answered.
A short while later, as Gloria opened her front door, Rose popped her head around the corner and asked, ‘Hello, who’s this then?’
‘Hi, Rose. It’s all right. This is Jack, a mate from work. Jack, meet Rose, my neighbour.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ Jack said.
‘Are you hungry?’ Rose asked.
‘I am, but I doubt Gloria will feed me.’
‘You don’t know that, you cheeky bugger,’ Gloria quipped. ‘Mind you, as it happens, I ain’t got anything in.’
‘You’re in luck then ’cos my Charlie’s got the trots and has turned his nose up at my hot pot. We’re away to his brother’s tomorrow and won’t be back ’til Tuesday. It won’t keep, so hang on a mo and I’ll pass it over.’
Rose disappeared indoors leaving Gloria and Jack stifling giggles.
‘Here it is,’ Rose said and passed a large pan over the small wall between them. ‘Mind out, it’s very warm.’
Jack grabbed the saucepan and Gloria thanked Rose.
‘You’re welcome, hope you enjoy it,’ the woman said, then at Charlie’s urgent call, she grimaced and dashed back indoors.
As Jack followed Gloria inside, he lifted the lid of the pan. ‘This smells bloody lovely,’ he said, and smacked his lips.
‘She makes a smashing stew, but I think it’s the only meal she can cook.’
‘Let’s get stuck in. Have you got any beer?’ Jack asked.
Gloria kicked her shoes off and hung her coat on a hook in the hallway. ‘As it happens, I have. Gail bought it, but we’ve never got around to drinking it – probably ’cos she’s never here.’
Once they’d eaten, Gloria sat next to Jack on the sofa and they shared the last bottle of beer.
‘This has been nice,’ Jack said.
Gloria noticed his face looked unusually serious. ‘Yes, it has,’ she answered, and locked eyes with him.
Jack slowly leaned in towards her and Gloria’s heart began to race as she realised he was about to kiss her. She knew she should resist, but instead closed her eyes and felt his soft lips on hers. As his tongue explored her mouth, Gloria felt his hands in her hair and then he pulled her closer. Lust stirred. It had been a long time since she’d slept with a man and it felt so natural – so good. Jack was her friend, her sister’s ex, and she felt a passing feeling of guilt as his hand slipped along her thigh. But she knew then, with tingling excitement, that Jack was going to turn from her friend into her lover.
Chapter 47
It was two weeks before Christmas. Pamela was at her Saturday job in the hairdresser’s, and Timmy and Peter were playing skittles in the hallway.
‘Are you doing any Christmas shopping today?’ Edith asked Jenny.
‘Yes, Gran, I am. Pamela’s friend Linda said she’ll have the boys for a few hours, so that means I can get round the shops in peace.’
‘Do me a favour, get my tin from out of my drawer. I’ve been putting a bit of money away and a few weeks ago I got the coalman to change up all my coins into notes. You’ll be surprised at how much I’ve squirrelled away. Anyway, it’s for you, love. There should be plenty for a good Christmas and some left over to treat yourself.’
‘Oh, Gran, that’s lovely, thank you.’
‘Go on then, go and get it.’
Jenny went into the bedroom and returned with the tin. ‘Open it and count it,’ Edith instructed.
Jenny flicked through the money, then said, ‘Ah, Gran, thank you.’
‘I didn’t do too badly, did I? Twenty pounds in all.’
Jenny didn’t answer but Edith thought her granddaughter was counting the money again. ‘Is something wrong?’ she asked.
‘Erm … I’m not sure, Gran, but there isn’t twenty pounds here.’
‘Yes, there is, I’m sure of it. There was twenty-three, but I lent your mother three quid.’
‘Sorry, Gran, but there’s only eight pounds.’
‘Are you sure?’ Edith asked, confused.
‘Yes, look, here’s a fiver and here’s three one-pound notes. There’s nothing else in here.’
Edith couldn’t clearly see the notes that Jenny was showing her, but she trusted her granddaughter. ‘The thieving bitch,’ she cried. ‘She’s gone and robbed me again.’
‘Who? Mum?’
‘Yes, who else? Of course it was your mother. It’s my own fault, I should have known better.’ That was it, Lizzie’s last chance as far as Edith was concerned. From now on she didn’t have a daughter, and she’d never allow her under her roof again.
Jenny felt exhausted after the Christmas shopping and wanted nothing more than to put her feet up and relax.
‘Shall I do your hair for you now?’ Pamela asked.
‘No, I don’t think I’ll bother going, but thanks.’
‘Going where?’ Edith asked.
‘To the works do. All the women are having a night out. Even Miss Aston is going.’
‘So why ain’t you?’
‘I can’t be bothered, Gran, I’m too tired.’
‘Nonsense. Go and have a bath, it’ll perk you up, and then you can get dressed to go out.’
‘But, Gran …’
‘No buts, just do it.’
Jenny knew she was fighting a losing battle against her gran and heaved herself up from the sofa. Twenty minutes later, she was sitting on a chair in her dressing gown while Pamela worked wonders with her hair.
‘Where are you all going for this works do?’ Edith asked.
‘To an Indian restaurant on the way to Tooting.’
‘Oh, my Lord, you’d never get me eating that sort of muck. You don’t know what meat they’re using. It’ll be so spiced up it could be anything, or it could be off!’
‘Tina said she’s tried it loads of times and it’s really nice.’
‘Good for Tina, but she’s married to a foreigner, she’s used to that sort of stuff.’
‘Gran, Tina’s husband is from Greece and that’s nowhere near India.’
‘It’s all bleedin’ foreign! I don’t know … you youngsters nowadays �
�� you’ve got some funny ideas.’
Jenny chose to refrain from getting any further into the conversation and could see Pamela was trying not to laugh as she said, ‘There, Jenny, all done.’
‘Thanks,’ Jenny answered and went through to the bedroom to get dressed. It was only then that she noticed what a wonderful job her sister had done on her hair. The girl certainly had talent. She hooked up her stockings and slipped on a smart dress, yet she still wasn’t in the mood for going out and wasn’t bothered about how she looked. She pushed her feet into her shoes and clipped on a pair of earrings.
‘You look nice,’ Pamela said when Jenny returned to the front room.
‘Don’t you think you should have something to eat before you go?’ her gran asked.
‘Erm, no … I told you. We’re going to a restaurant.’
‘All right, but I don’t want to hear you moaning when you get a dodgy tummy.’
Jenny and Pamela exchanged a wry smile. ‘I won’t, thanks, Gran. See you later.’
It took Jenny nearly half an hour to walk to the restaurant and by the time she arrived, her eyes were streaming from the cold.
‘Look at you, Jenny, you look frozen through!’ Tina said when she walked in. ‘I told you my old man would have picked you up.’
‘I’m fine,’ Jenny said, though her teeth chattered.
‘No, you’re not, but one of these spicy curries will soon warm you up.’
Jenny sat next to Tina but didn’t take her coat off.
‘Your hair looks fabulous. Did your Pamela do it for you?’
‘Yes, she’s got a real flair for it.’
‘Are you talking about Pamela?’ Joan asked.
‘Yes, just saying how good she is with hair.’
‘She’s bloody marvellous. I was down at Sally’s Salon last week and your sister was doing a practice run on a bride-to-be. Well, she knocked everyone’s socks off.’
‘Ah, that’s nice,’ Jenny said and smiled warmly. ‘She’s a good girl.’
‘Yes, she is – not like your other sister!’ Joan said and looked directly at Tina. ‘Have you told her?’
Jenny saw Tina looked daggers at Joan and then shake her head.
‘Told me what?’ she asked.
‘Go on, Tina, tell her what you told me. The girl has a right to know.’
Jenny looked at Tina for an explanation.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to find out this way,’ Tina said and glared at Joan again. ‘It’s Gloria … and Jack. They’re seeing each other.’
Jenny swallowed hard as she took in the information, but she wasn’t sure how she should react. So Gloria and Jack had been dating behind her back. She wondered how long it had been going on. It felt like a betrayal, but as it was over between her and Jack, Gloria hadn’t really done anything wrong.
‘Are you all right, Jen?’ Tina asked.
‘Yes, I think so,’ she finally replied.
‘It’s not nice, is it?’ Tina said.
‘No, it isn’t. Part of me feels let down by Gloria, but then I have to ask myself why anything she does would surprise me. I understand she’s desperate for someone to love her, but she could have her pick of men. Why choose my ex?’
‘I told them what I thought, and I don’t think they liked it. They came round last night, and I gave Gloria a piece of my mind. Mind you, I think it was water off a duck’s back.’
‘It wouldn’t have worried her. She’s too thick-skinned, but thanks for speaking up.’
‘Well, you’re my mate and it ain’t on. Family should stick together, not stab each other in the back.’
Yes, they should stick together, thought Jenny, but Gloria was her mother’s daughter. There were the odd occasions when Gloria could be kind and show sympathy, as she had when Jenny had lost both Craig and her baby. She’d been sympathetic when Jenny had broken up with Jack too, but it seemed it hadn’t stopped her dating him. ‘Sorry, Tina, but I’ve lost my appetite. I’ll see you at work on Monday,’ Jenny whispered. She managed to smile grimly at Joan, but then hurried out of the restaurant, too angry to cry as she made her way home again.
Chapter 48
Edith had a large tray on her lap covered in small pieces of jigsaw. She couldn’t see what pieces went together, but hoped she’d be able to feel her way to solving the puzzle. Timmy had squashed himself beside her on the armchair and was sorting the straight-edge pieces. ‘Find the four corners, that’ll be a start,’ Edith told him.
Pamela was at the table in the window reading a magazine, Peter played on the floor with a toy fire engine and Jenny was eating a slice of apple pie. The loud claps of thunder outside were the only disturbance of an otherwise peaceful late Sunday afternoon.
‘When you’ve finished that, can you get me a piece of pie, please?’ Edith asked Jenny.
‘It was only half an hour ago when you said you were stuffed!’ Jenny said with a laugh.
‘I know, but it’s my favourite and I can smell it from here. Any chance you’ll make one for Christmas?’
‘I wasn’t planning to as I thought we’d be having Christmas pudding as always,’ Jenny answered.
‘I’m not keen on pudding. I’ve tolerated it every year for the past seventy-odd, but I’d much prefer an apple pie.’
‘Me too,’ Timmy joined in.
‘And me … Christmas pudding is yuk,’ Peter said and pulled a disgusted face.
‘What about you, Pamela?’ Jenny asked.
‘I don’t mind, but I know Gloria will be looking for a piece of Christmas pudding. She always finds the sixpence!’
‘Oh, Gawd, I hope she doesn’t turn up here for Christmas with him,’ Jenny said quietly to her gran.
‘She wouldn’t do that … would she?’
‘Who knows? But if she does it’ll make it very uncomfortable for me.’
‘I could go and see her at work and ask her not to,’ Pamela offered.
‘No, but thanks, Pam.’
Pamela peered through the net curtains and said, ‘I thought I heard a car and it looks like Mum getting out of it. There’s a big, tall fella with her.’
‘I hope she’s come to pay me back,’ Edith said. ‘If she ain’t, she can bugger off again.’
‘What’s she got to pay you back for?’ Timmy asked.
‘Never you mind,’ Edith told him.
A moment later, the door opened, and Lizzie flounced in followed by the tall man and said as she brushed rain water off of her coat, ‘Hello, you lot, it’s raining cats and dogs out there!’
‘Mummy,’ Peter shouted, and Timmy wriggled down from the armchair.
‘That’s our peace and quiet ruined,’ Edith hissed to Jenny as she eyed the man standing next to her daughter. ‘I hope you’ve come with the money you borrowed from me. You know, the cash in my tin.’
‘Oh, that, yes,’ Lizzie said and opened her handbag to pull out three pounds. ‘Here you are, Mum.’
Edith took the money and held it close to her eyes, then said, ‘And the rest.’
‘What rest? You lent me three quid, don’t you remember?’
‘Yes, of course I do, but I know you helped yourself to a bit more.’
‘I didn’t. Oh, Mum, I think you’re confused, but at your age it isn’t surprising.’
‘You cheeky mare, I’m not bloody senile! There was twenty-three quid in that tin, then after I lent you three pounds, there was only eight quid left. You swapped the one-pound notes for fivers.’
‘I didn’t, I swear! It’s your eyes, Mum, you’re as blind as a bat.’
‘You’re a liar, Lizzie, and a bloody thief!’
Peter began to cry and wrapped himself around his mum’s leg. Timmy’s face paled, and he looked wide-eyed from his mum to Edith. She realised her grandsons were getting upset, so she dropped the subject of the stolen money. ‘For the kids’ sake we’ll leave it for now, but I ain’t finished with you, my girl. Now who’s this?’ She pointed at the man, who towered over everyone in the room
.
‘This is Brian, and, boys, he’s very good friends with Father Christmas. He has it on good authority that Santa will be personally visiting here at teatime on Christmas Eve.’
Peter stopped crying and peered up at the giant of a man. ‘Really? Father Christmas is coming here to see us?’
‘Yes, that’s what he told me,’ Brian answered in a deep, booming voice.
‘Is he going to bring us presents?’ Timmy asked.
‘I expect so, but only if you’re very good.’
‘Wow, wait ’til I tell all my friends at school!’ Peter said.
‘If I was you, I’d keep it a secret,’ Brian whispered, ‘’cos otherwise, all your friends will want Santa to visit them too, and then he won’t have much time to spend with you.’
‘Boys, why don’t you go into the bedroom and write Santa a letter,’ Lizzie urged. ‘Tell him what you’d like for Christmas and then Brian will pass it to Santa.’
‘Come on, I’ll help you write them,’ Pamela offered.
Once they’d left the room, Edith asked, ‘What are you up to?’
‘Nothing. Brian dresses as Santa for Smith Brothers in Tooting, so we thought it would be fun for the boys if he wears his costume and calls in on them.’
‘Bloody stupid if you ask me,’ Edith commented in a huff.
‘Well, no one’s asking you, Mother.’
‘You won’t let them down, will you?’ Jenny asked.
‘No, we won’t. I said we’d be here, and we will. You just make sure you’ve got Santa some mince pies. Brian enjoys his treats as Father Christmas, don’t you, love?’
‘Yeah, one of the benefits of the job,’ Brian said and patted his large stomach.
‘Brian’s got a room over Alfie the grocer’s, but there’s not a lot of space, so how about we join you for lunch on Christmas Day?’
Edith wasn’t keen on the idea, but Jenny, kind as always, answered, ‘Yes, Peter and Timmy would like that.’
‘Great, right, they should have finished writing their letters by now. I’ll go and collect them and then we’ll be off,’ Lizzie said.
Ten minutes later, once Peter had stopped crying for his mum, Edith was pleased when her peace and quiet resumed. She was still seething with Lizzie for implying that she was losing her marbles and had made a mistake about the missing money. There was no doubt in Edith’s mind where that cash had gone, but unfortunately she couldn’t prove it. From now on, though, she’d make sure to keep an eye on Lizzie, and, come to think of it, Gloria too.
