by Joan Jonker
‘I don’t think many people will be spending their Christmas Day looking out of their windows to see what you get up to, Ma,’ Corker said. ‘We didn’t pass a soul, so chances are yer weren’t seen.’
‘Anyway, Nan, what does it matter if anyone did see yer?’ Phoebe asked, sitting on the floor at the side of the rocking chair. ‘I bet any woman in this street would be highly honoured to be carried by me dad.’
As Lizzie stroked the girl’s hair, she felt a warm glow in her heart. At one time she had given up hope of her son ever marrying and having a family of his own. And here he was with a good wife, and children who loved him enough to call him their dad. ‘Yer look very pretty in yer new dress, Phoebe, and so does Dorothy. And what about the boys, don’t they look smart? Both of them in long trousers now, proper little gentlemen.’
‘Our Peter’s only got the loan of his kecks,’ Gordon said. ‘Me mam said they’re going away after the holiday until he leaves school. I’ll be glad, too, ’cos he’s done nothing but swank all day.’
‘What about yerself?’ Peter growled. ‘You think yer own the place, just because yer’ve started work. And the tuppence pocket money yer give me is so begrudged it burns me hand.’
‘That’s enough, boys, cut it out.’ Corker didn’t raise his voice, he didn’t have to. ‘This is one time of the year ye’re supposed to be nice to each other, so d’yer think yer could pour yer mam and grandma a glass of sherry without coming to blows?’
The boys scrambled to be first in the kitchen while Phoebe asked, ‘What about me, Dad? I’m old enough for a sherry.’
‘Make that three glasses, boys, and don’t fill them too full in case the ladies spill them on their new dresses.’
‘Ay, I’m here, yer know, Dad!’ Dorothy had been lounging but she now sat up straight. ‘I can have a sherry, can’t I?’
‘Ye’re not sixteen yet, love, a bit too young for drinking.’ Corker saw the disappointment on her face and relented. ‘I’ll tell yer what, yer can have a port and lemon, how about that?’
‘Oh, yeah, that’s the gear.’ Dorothy left her seat to give her father a hug. ‘You have got to be the best dad in the whole world.’
The boys appeared at the kitchen door. ‘If she can have one, so can we,’ Gordon said. ‘That’s only fair.’
‘Yer wouldn’t want a port and lemon, lads, that’s a cissie’s drink. But I’ll make yer both a small shandy.’ Corker saw his wife’s raised brows and hastened to add, ‘They’ll only be small ones, with a drop of beer and plenty of lemonade.’ His head turned sharply when there was a knock on the door. ‘See who it is, Gordon, please. If it’s Molly, ask her in.’
‘Ah, ay, Dad, can’t one of the girls go?’
‘Open the door, Gordon, and do as ye’re told, please.’
The boy pulled a face. Why couldn’t one of his sisters open the flipping door? Whoever was outside, it wouldn’t be him they wanted. So he wasn’t too happy when he pulled the door open and saw Jeffrey Mowbray, the new lad from two doors up, standing there. ‘What are yer doing here now? Ye’re not supposed to come until half-past seven.’
Red in the face and moving from one foot to the other, the lad stammered, ‘Me mam and dad are going to a party at a friend’s house tonight, but our Joanne doesn’t want to go and asked me to see if yer’d let her come here with me?’
‘But she’s old!’
‘She’s only seventeen, that’s not much older than you. I don’t want her to come meself, but it would mean her being in the house on her own on Christmas night. She wouldn’t be in the way, honest.’
‘I’ll have to see what me mam says.’ Gordon only knew the girl by sight, he’d never spoken to her. ‘Stay there and I’ll go and ask her.’
Ellen wasn’t very happy when asked. ‘The girl’s older than you, Gordon, older than all of yer friends that are coming, so I can’t see she’d enjoy herself.’
‘She can always go home if she gets fed up. Anyway, I don’t like telling Jeff she can’t come, it doesn’t sound very friendly.’
‘Oh, let her come,’ Corker said, ‘the more the merrier.’ He saw disapproval on Ellen’s face and put a hand on her arm. ‘Yer can’t see a young girl on her own while we’re all enjoying ourselves, love, that wouldn’t be neighbourly. And we’ll only be next door, so we can pop in every so often to see if everything’s all right.’
Ellen sighed. ‘Okay, have it yer own way.’
When Gordon left the room to pass on the good news to Jeff, Corker tried a bit of persuasion on his mother. ‘Are yer sure I can’t coax yer to come to Molly’s party, Ma?’
‘No, son, I don’t feel up to it. Besides, I’ve said I’ll go and sit with Victoria for a few hours to keep her company. We’re both past going to parties now, we couldn’t stand the noise.’
Gordon came back from closing the door with a smile on his face. ‘Jeff said to thank yer, their Joanne will be really pleased.’ He rubbed his hands together and smiled at his father. ‘Come on, Dad, show me how to make shandy and I can celebrate Christmas in good style.’
Chapter 13
The Bennetts’ living room was noisy and crowded. Everyone had had enough drink to make them merry. Not drunk, just happy to be with friends and enjoying themselves. They’d sung every song they could think of, and tried on the spot dancing ’cos there was no room to move. By half-ten Molly was out of breath and her voice was hoarse. ‘Let’s have a break, eh? We’ll have something to eat and a cuppa, then when we’re refreshed and cooled down a bit we can start all over again.’
‘I’ll give yer a hand, Molly,’ Ellen said. ‘Just tell me what to do.’
‘Yer can sit down again, Auntie Ellen, and you, Mam.’ Jill linked arms with Doreen. ‘We are going to see to everything. We told yer, Mam, that you were to take it easy, so sit down if yer can find a chair and we’ll get cracking.’
Rosie moved out of Tommy’s arms. ‘Another pair of hands will make light work of it, so they will. And it’s meself that’s got a willing pair of hands.’
‘Do as ye’re told, sweetheart,’ Bridie told her daughter. ‘Sit on Jack’s knee and rest yer feet.’
‘There’s no need for that, Mrs B.’ Steve pointed to the chair he and Jill had vacated. ‘Me and Phil will sit on the stairs.’
‘And I’ll join yer, seeing as me dearly beloved intended has deserted me,’ Tommy said, a grin covering his face. ‘We’ll leave the old ones in peace to have a natter. Are yer coming, Archie?’
‘Eh, less of the old ones, sunshine, we can still dance the legs off you!’
‘That’s right, girl, you tell ’em.’ No one was dancing now except Nellie’s chins and they were doing a quickstep as she nodded her head vigorously. ‘We’ve got a damn’ sight more life in us than the young ones will ever have.’
‘I’ll agree with yer there, Nellie,’ Corker said. ‘You and Molly are as agile as yer were twenty years ago.’
Nellie’s eyes narrowed. ‘What has he just said we are, girl? Was it a compliment or a ruddy insult? If it’s an insult, you can sit on him while I clock him one.’
Lily left her seat on Archie’s knee. ‘You go and sit on the stairs with the boys and I’ll give the girls a hand. We women have to stick together.’
‘I could help, yer know,’ said Maisie from the corner shop. ‘I feel guilty sitting here and getting waited on.’
Her husband, Alec, chuckled. ‘Yer never feel guilty when I’m waiting on yer hand and foot. Yer take it as yer right, as though God made man just to wait hand and foot on women.’
‘Take no notice of him, Maisie,’ Molly said. ‘You just stay where yer are and let the girls do all the work. I’m dying for a cuppa to quench me thirst.’
Ellen nudged Corker in the ribs. ‘Will yer slip next door and see if things are all right?’
‘It’s only an hour since you went, and you said they were as good as gold and really enjoying themselves.’ Corker’s huge hand covered hers. ‘If anything had happened in that hour we�
��d have heard by now.’
But Ellen wasn’t satisfied. When she’d gone to see if the children were all right, she’d been expecting to see the Mowbray girl sitting with them, but there was no sign of her and her brother said she’d be coming later. And it was the girl that was making Ellen ill at ease. Joanne Mowbray was two years older than the other children in years, but with her thickly made-up face and her cocky manner she appeared much more. And hadn’t the girl’s own mother described her as lazy and hard-faced? ‘I’ll go, I’ll feel better in meself if I make sure everything’s all right. I’ll only be five minutes.’
Phoebe, who’d been listening, said, ‘Me and Paul will go, Mam, don’t you disturb yerself. Yer’ve worked hard enough in the shop and at home, yer deserve a break.’ She glanced at Paul. ‘I’ll go on me own if yer don’t feel like it?’
‘No, I’ll come with yer and stretch me legs. And take a few gulps of fresh air.’
As soon as Phoebe entered the house she could feel the strained atmosphere. Apart from Joanne Mowbray whose flushed face was wearing an inane grin, the kids were sitting quietly, some with their heads bowed, and they certainly didn’t look as though they were enjoying themselves.
Joanne jumped to her feet the second Paul came into the room. Ignoring Phoebe and the black looks being thrown her way by her embarrassed brother, she waved a sprig of mistletoe in the air and stumbled towards him. ‘Merry Christmas, Paul.’ She held the mistletoe over his head and stood on tip-toe to kiss him full on the mouth.
Paul moved his head back after a second but he took it in the Christmas spirit. After all that’s what people did over the festive season, they kissed each other. He laughed down at her and seemed not to sense the atmosphere or the expression of dismay on Phoebe’s face.
‘Dorothy, can I see yer a minute?’ Phoebe jerked her head to the kitchen. Closing the door, she asked, ‘What the hell is going on?’
‘That Joanne is what’s going on. We were enjoying ourselves until she came. She’s not half hard-faced, Phoebe, she doesn’t take any notice of anyone. As large as life, she came in the kitchen, found the bottle of sherry and without a please or thank you, poured herself a glass. Then when she’d drunk that, she poured herself another.’
‘This is your home, Dorothy, and apart from her ye’re the oldest one here. Yer should have asked her what she was playing at! I’m surprised yer let her get away with it. Yer could even have come next door and told me mam.’
‘We were playing cards when she came, and having a laugh, but she said playing cards was dull and we’d have more fun playing postman’s knock, or that game where one has to count to a hundred while the others find a hiding speck. She’s kissed all the boys with that flaming mistletoe, even poor Peter who didn’t know where to put himself.’
Phoebe was blazing. ‘Why didn’t her brother stop her?’
‘He tried, honest he did. I feel really sorry for him ’cos yer can see he feels terrible. He told her to sit down and shut up, but she told him to sod off. She said we were all miserable buggers what didn’t know how to enjoy ourselves. And just before you came in, she was going to help herself to another glass of sherry.’
‘Our mam and dad will go mad when they know,’ Phoebe said. ‘Me mam said she was too old to be with the others and she was right.’ She sighed. ‘I’m not telling her to leave ’cos she looks drunk to me and I wouldn’t put it past her to let fly with her fists. I think it’s best if me mam or dad come and deal with it.’
‘I hope I don’t get into trouble ’cos it’s not my fault she’s here. It was me dad what said she could come, me mam wasn’t too keen.’ Dorothy was feeling really down in the dumps. She’d been put in charge, being the eldest, and this had to happen. ‘If I do get into trouble, then I’ll batter her.’
There came a tap on the door. ‘Phoebe, what are yer doing?’ Paul called. ‘Will yer come out, there’s something I want to ask yer?’
‘I’m coming now.’ Phoebe put a finger to her lips. ‘Not a word to her, Dorothy, let me mam and dad deal with it.’ She opened the door to find Paul looking very flustered with Joanne hanging on to his arm and giggling. And this picture didn’t please Phoebe one little bit. ‘What is it yer want to ask me?’
‘Joanne wants to know if she can come to the Bennetts’ party with us. I’ve told her we can’t invite anyone, it’s not our party, but she’s quite persistent. And I think she’s had a few drinks.’
Phoebe pushed them both aside and gestured to Dorothy to pass. ‘Go and sit down, sis, I’ll sort it out.’ She faced Joanne. ‘No, you can’t come to the party. It’s not up to us to invite strangers and I think yer’ve got a cheek asking. So go and sit down, we’re leaving now.’
‘Don’t be so bloody miserable!’ Joanne hiccuped and clung to Paul’s arm. ‘One more wouldn’t be noticed. And Paul wants me to come, don’t yer, Paul?’
‘I didn’t say that, Joanne, so don’t be making things up.’ He prised his arm free from her grip. ‘If I were you I’d behave meself and not have any more to drink. Come on, Phoebe, let’s get back, they’ll wonder what’s keeping us.’
But Phoebe was too angry to let it go at that. ‘How dare yer help yerself to drink that doesn’t belong to yer? Yer’ve spoilt the kids’ party and yer should be ashamed of yerself.’
‘Party, did yer say? This is no party, it’s more like a bleedin’ wake. And you’re nothing but a stuck up cow.’
Gordon had heard and put up with enough from Jeff’s sister and was sorry he’d talked his parents into letting her come. He felt sorry for Jeff, too, the lad didn’t know where to put himself. ‘Don’t you call my sister a stuck up cow! It’s you what’s a ruddy nuisance.’
Joanne waved a hand. ‘Sit down and keep quiet, little boy, before I smack yer bottom.’
Ruthie jumped to her feet. She wasn’t going to let anyone talk to Gordon like that. ‘You and whose army? Yer think ye’re tough but ye’re all mouth. Walking round like the whole cheese when ye’re only the maggot.’
Joanne lunged forward, her teeth bared and her arms raised. But Paul moved fast and put himself between the two girls. ‘That’s enough now, just stop it. You’re old enough to know better, Joanne, so sit down and behave yerself.’ He turned his head to ask Phoebe what he should do, but there was no sign of her. ‘You deal the cards, Gordon, and start a game. Joanne is going to sit on the couch, nice and quiet.’
At that moment, Phoebe was pouring it all out to her mam and dad. ‘Yer’ll have to do something, Dad, she can’t stay there ’cos she’s giving the kids a dog’s life.’
‘Well, she’s not coming here and that’s for sure,’ Ellen said firmly, to nods from those sitting near her. ‘The cheeky begger, helping herself to sherry and her only seventeen.’
Corker stood up and stretched his huge frame. ‘I’ll go and sort it out so don’t let it spoil this party for yer, love. I should have listened to yer in the first place when yer were against her coming. But how was I to know a chit of a girl could cause so much trouble?’
‘I’ll come with yer, Dad, ’cos Paul’s still there trying to keep the peace.’ Phoebe hadn’t told them everything because she was too embarrassed, but once outside she put a hand on her father’s arm. ‘Dad, she’s not a nice person. She wouldn’t let them play cards, she wanted them to play postman’s knock and that game where everyone hides and the one who lost the toss has to find them. And she’s got a sprig of mistletoe and kissed all the boys. She had the nerve to kiss Paul in front of me. And she can’t half swear, too!’
‘A charming girl by all accounts. Anyway, while there’s still time for the kids to enjoy themselves, let’s see what we can do with her. She can’t stay in our house, that’s for sure.’
Paul had never been so glad to see anyone. ‘Apart from sitting on her, Uncle Corker, I just don’t know what to do. She’s behaving very badly.’
Corker stood in front of the couch and looked down on a young girl very much the worse for drink. Her thick make-up was smud
ged, her hair in a mess and her lips were curled in a sneer. ‘Who gave you permission to drink my sherry, might I ask?’
‘It was there so I drank it. What did yer buy it for if yer didn’t want anyone to drink it? Or was it just for show, to try and look posh?’
‘What I didn’t buy it for was for a young girl, not long out of her gymslip, to get drunk on. I have a daughter your age and I wouldn’t allow her to drink sherry neat. You’re too young to go in a pub for a drink and too young to have one in my house. So, young lady, I think it’s time you went home and left these youngsters to enjoy themselves because I think ye’re setting them a bad example.’
‘I can’t go home, I’ve got no key to get in and me mam and dad are out.’ The sneer was now covering Joanne’s whole face. She thought she was safe, knowing the man as big as a mountain wouldn’t throw a young girl out on the street at this time of night and in this cold weather. So if she played her cards right she might just get what she wanted. ‘I could come with yer to the other party, though.’
Jeff was shaking his head. Never again would he do his sister a favour, not after tonight’s fiasco. ‘Don’t tell lies, yer have got a key, it’s in yer purse.’
She pulled a face at him. ‘I haven’t got one! I left it on the sideboard. And you keep out of it anyway, nose fever.’
In Corker’s opinion, what was missing from this unruly girl’s life was discipline. Strong, and metered out in large doses. What on earth were her parents thinking of? ‘Empty yer bag and purse on the table, please, so we can see whether yer brother is right about yer being a liar.’
‘I’m not emptying me bag for anyone, and yer can’t make me. If yer do I’ll tell me mam and dad on yer.’
‘Oh, I intend having words with your parents first thing tomorrow, you can count on that. But right now I want you to empty your bag. Or I’ll do it for you.’
When his sister’s lips set in a firm line, Jeff knew no one would shift her. She’d have her own way if it killed her. Mind you, he had to admit he’d never seen her this bad before. ‘I’ll empty the bag if she won’t. She’s nothing but a blinking nuisance and she’s spoilt the party for everyone.’ Jeff sighed as he bent to pick up the black handbag which was on the floor under one of the chairs. He threw it on the couch and growled, ‘Ye’re dead selfish, our Joanne, yer think of no one but yerself. Now if you don’t open that, I will. So please yerself.’
