by Joan Jonker
Ellen was going out of the front door when she said, ‘If yer come to the shop, I’ll give yer the makings of a pan of stew, and yer can put it on for me. Yer may as well get yer hand in, ready for when ye’re married with a husband to feed.’
Phoebe ran to the door to call after her, ‘I can cook, yer know, Mam! Not as good as you, but I wouldn’t poison Paul.’
Ellen turned, a huge grin on her face. ‘If Paul was content to have stew every day, then yer’d be laughing sacks, sweetheart, but the day he decided he’d like roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, then that’s the day yer’d be up the creek without a paddle.’
‘I’m a quick learner, Mam, you’ll see!’
Ellen waved a hand and quickened her pace. She had a smile on her face when a vision entered her mind, of Nellie in the kitchen with Phoebe, and her daughter asking her new mother-in-law how to make a Yorkshire pudding. Ellen could see Nellie’s face, and imagined what her answer would be. ‘How the hell do I know how to make a bleeding Yorkshire pudding? Yer better ask Molly, she’s the clever bugger.’
‘What have yer been doing with yerself all day, pet?’ Paul asked when he put an arm round Phoebe’s shoulders as they walked towards the park. ‘A lady of leisure for a day. But I bet yer were bored stiff after a while.’
Phoebe looked up at him. ‘I went out with yer mam and Auntie Molly, didn’t yer mam tell yer?’
‘Yeah, she said yer’d been to the butcher’s with them, that’s all. But that wouldn’t have filled yer day, surely?’
Phoebe giggled. ‘Going shopping with your mam is a real experience. She had the shop up, with Tony and the customers in stitches. Mrs B. had asked for three lean pork chops, and yer mam said she’d have the same. Now, yer’d think that would be easy, wouldn’t yer? In and out of the shop in no time. But we were in there twenty minutes because yer mam would have it that Auntie Molly’s chops had more meat on than hers, and they were a better colour. As yer mam put it, they looked younger and must have come from a healthier pig.’
Paul was chortling. ‘That’s my mam for yer. What happened then, did she throw the chops at Tony?’
‘Well, Auntie Molly told Tony that yer mam could have the ones he’d weighed for her, and she’d have the other three. But yer mam wasn’t having that! “You keep yer hands off them chops if yer know what’s good for yer, Molly Bennett, until I make up me mind. Yer don’t expect me to buy three pork chops without making sure they’re what I want. The price they charge, I’m entitled to take me time.”’ Phoebe was doubling up with laughter. ‘I’ve never known anyone like her in me life. And d’yer know how it ended up? Well, Auntie Molly is as funny as yer mam, I found out today. She winked at Tony, and said, “Let me mate have whichever of those chops she wants, save any bother, and I’ll have three lamb chops out of that tray in the window.” And the change in yer mam was nothing short of miraculous. Her face beamed, and she said in a very quiet voice, “I’ll have the same as me mate, please, Tony, ’cos I always have what she has, and I don’t want to upset her.” No wonder my mam likes going to work. She enjoys the laughter, and the goings-on of the customers.’
‘Laughter keeps yer young, pet,’ Paul said. ‘It’s better than going through life with a long, miserable face. Take your dad for instance. Uncle Corker is a fine figure of a man, and he has the heartiest laugh I’ve ever heard.’
‘If yer’d been shopping today with yer mam, Auntie Molly and me, you would have had a pain in yer side with laughing. We went from the butcher’s to the greengrocer’s, and my future mother-in-law told Billy his carrots looked anaemic and his cabbages looked as though they were on their last legs. What’s more she wasn’t paying tuppence a pound for potatoes what were sprouting, and had so many eyes in that by the time they were cut out there’d be no potato left. And anyway, her feller didn’t like spuds what had eyes in.’
The couple had reached the park gates by this time, and Paul said, ‘Can we forget me mam and Auntie Molly for a while, so I can hold yer close and kiss yer?’
‘I’ve nearly finished, anyway,’ Phoebe told him. ‘All there is to tell is when we went into Hanley’s cake shop, and yer mam made Mrs Hanley take the tray of cream slices out of the case so she could see them proper, like. And she insisted on having the cake with the most cream in, while all the customers in the shop looked on. Then she . . .’
Paul’s lips cut off her words, and his kiss took Phoebe away from the antics of Nellie and Molly to a place where she found perfect happiness in the arms of the man who, in twenty hours, would be her husband.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ruthie shook her mother’s shoulder gently, and spoke in a whisper so as not to wake her sleeping father. ‘Mam, it’s time to get up.’
Molly stirred, grunted, and pulled the bedclothes over her shoulder. But her senses had been alerted, and she turned her head to where her daughter was standing at the side of the bed. She blinked rapidly for a few seconds, then brought a hand out from under the cover to rub her eyes and clear her vision. Then, seeing her daughter, her voice croaky, she asked, ‘What’s wrong, Ruthie, have we overslept?’
‘No, Mam, but have yer forgotten it’s the wedding day?’ Molly struggled to sit up without disturbing her husband. ‘What time is it, sunshine?’
‘Eight o’clock, Mam, time to get up.’
‘Go down and put the kettle on, sunshine, I’ll be down in a minute. I don’t want to wake yer dad yet, we’ll give him an extra hour. He’s taken the day off work for the wedding, and he may as well make the most of it. So don’t make a noise going down the stairs. I’ll be right behind you.’
Ten minutes later mother and daughter faced each other across the table, a cup of tea in front of them. ‘Couldn’t yer sleep, sunshine?’ Molly asked. ‘Nerves get to yer, did they?’
Ruthie nodded. ‘I tossed and turned all night. I tried counting sheep but it wasn’t a ha’p’orth of good, me mind was too active. I know I’ve been a bridesmaid four times, but I can’t help being nervous.’
Molly grinned. ‘That’s because yer’ve got a steady boyfriend now, and it’s Gordon’s sister who is marrying yer Auntie Nellie’s son. And yer want to look nice for Gordon, it’s only natural.’ Molly put her cup down and pushed her chair back. ‘I’ll make us a round of toast, to keep the hunger at bay for a few hours, then you can have the sink to wash yer hair.’
‘This will be the first wedding that me and Bella won’t be doing each other’s hair. When Bella won’t be a bridesmaid with me.’
‘Ruthie, the time has to come when you and Bella don’t do everything together. Yer couldn’t expect Phoebe to ask her to be a bridesmaid, she hardly knows the girl. And she’s got six bridesmaids as it is! Besides, Peter will be there for her, so she’s not being left out.’
Ruthie had a thought which brought a bout of giggling. ‘If we’re still going out with Gordon and Peter when we’re old enough to get married, what’s the betting Bella will want a double wedding?’
‘That’s a long way off, sunshine,’ Molly told her. ‘Yer’ve got five years before ye’re twenty-one, which is the time to start thinking of settling down with the man you love, and who loves you in return. So make the most of those years, and enjoy them while ye’re waiting for Mr Right to come along.’
‘Okay, Mam, I’ll do as yer say and enjoy meself. I didn’t need telling that, really, because I’ve been enjoying meself since I left school. And I’m going to enjoy meself today, if I can stop me tummy turning over and me hands shaking.’
‘Yer’ll be with Doreen and Jill, so yer won’t be nervous. The three Bennett sisters.’ Molly stood by the kitchen door feeling quite sentimental. ‘I’ll be really proud to see my three pretty daughters together.’
‘What time are they coming here, Mam? I hope they don’t leave it late, ’cos it’ll take us ages to put our dresses on, do our hair and put some make-up on.’
‘They’ll be here in plenty of time, don’t worry. And remember, Rosie is coming here to get dresse
d too, to give Lily and Dorothy more space to help Phoebe into her wedding dress. It’ll be a tight squeeze, but we’ll manage. We’ll be the late ones if we don’t put a move on. You run up and wake yer dad, while I make him some toast. While he’s having his breakfast, you can have the kitchen to yerself, but don’t hog it for too long because we’ve got loads to do.’
When Jack came down his eyes were blurred with sleep, and his hair was standing on end. ‘Yer could have left me another half-hour, love, ’cos it won’t take me very long to get ready.’
‘You’re the least of me worries, Jack, because men don’t have to do much to be ready. Not like us women.’ Molly poured out two cups of tea and sat next to her husband. ‘It’ll be crowded in here after twelve o’clock, yer won’t be able to move. So if I were you, I’d make sure I was ready before then because yer won’t be allowed in the bedrooms. It will all turn out fine, it always does, but it’s the getting there that’s the worst part.’
‘We know the drill by now, love, or we should do. After all, three of our children are married. I won’t get in the way, I’ll make meself scarce. When Doreen comes over here, I’ll go across and help Victoria with the baby. That’ll be one less for yer to worry about.’
‘Doreen will be giving Bobby a bottle at half eleven, and he should then sleep for at least two hours. Jill is doing the same with little Moll, so that takes care of the babies until it’s time for everyone to leave for the church, and then Mary Watson promised to sit with Victoria and keep an eye on them.’
Jack coughed when a piece of toast went down the wrong way, and Molly slapped him on the back to clear his throat. He took a few sips of tea, then grinned at his wife. ‘I picked a fine day to choke meself, didn’t I? I shouldn’t try to talk with me mouth full. What I was going to say was, our families, the Bennetts, McDonoughs and Corkhills, are growing so big we’ll soon have to move to six-roomed houses.’
‘We only notice how small these houses are when there’s a wedding or a birthday party. Otherwise we manage fine, and I wouldn’t want to move from this house anyway, because it holds so many memories. All the children were born here and we’ve had a good life, thank God. Apart from having a cold or a toothache, there’s never been any serious illness, and there’s always a feeling of warmth and love. I feel it every time I open the front door. We’d lose all that if we moved to another house. No, I wouldn’t swap this for a palace, never mind a six-roomed house. And I bet the McDonoughs and Corkhills would feel the same. We’d never get neighbours and friends like them, we are very lucky.’
The kitchen door opened and Ruthie came through with a towel wrapped round her head. ‘Well, that’s me done, Mam, so you and Dad can fight over who bags the kitchen next. I’ll go up and put an old dress on until it’s time for our Jill and Doreen to come. One of them can do me hair for me.’
‘I’ll get ready when I’ve cleared the table.’ Molly said, pushing herself to her feet. ‘I’ll take the kitchen over, Jack, so don’t be coming out for anything because I’m getting stripped to have a good wash, and do my hair. I’m not the bride, but I’m going to make the best of meself. I can’t let the side down. Me and Nellie only get the chance to doll ourselves up when there’s a wedding, so we’re going to make the most of it.’
‘When ye’re finished, yer can put the kettle on for me, love,’ Jack said. ‘I’ll take your advice and get ready before the girls arrive, while there’s still room to breathe.’
Molly hesitated at the kitchen door. ‘I think we should have something to eat about twelve, because it’s going to be a few hours before the reception. More than a few, probably more like four or five. We couldn’t last out all that time, so I’ll make enough sandwiches for us three and the girls. I’d hate to hear tummies rumbling in the church, because they’d echo.’ She came back into the room. ‘Would yer do us a big favour, love, and go to the corner shop for a loaf, a quarter pound of boiled ham and a piece of red cheese? I know yer hate going into a shop, but Maisie and Alec are our mates, so yer won’t feel awkward. It would be a worry off me mind.’
Jack’s eyes rolled to the ceiling. ‘Yer know how I hate shopping, love, but I’ll do it this once because it’s a special day.’ A grin crossed his face. ‘And because I don’t want my tummy to be one of the rumblers. What was it again? Bread, boiled ham and cheese, is that right?’
‘Ye’re learning, sunshine. Take six bob out of me purse, that should cover it. Shut the front door after yerself so no one can walk in, ’cos I’d die of shame if someone caught me in me birthday suit.’
Jack nodded. ‘I’ll take the key and make sure the door is securely shut. Now you get cracking, so I can have the kitchen when I get back.’
It was twelve thirty, and the Bennett house was bursting at the seams, and as noisy as Paddy’s Market. The four bridesmaids were having a cup of tea and a sandwich standing up, and they were all talking at once, leaving Jack to say he’d go for a walk out of the way ’cos his head was splitting. ‘Don’t stay out too long,’ Molly warned, ‘I don’t want to be walking the streets looking for yer.’
‘Half an hour, love, and I’ll be back. I’ll only go as far as yer ma’s. The girls will be sorted by then.’
Molly, wearing her new dress under a wraparound pinny, went to the door with him. ‘I’ll have to chase the girls upstairs ’cos they’ve got just under an hour to be ready. Me nerves are on edge, but I’ll calm down when everything is under control.’ She gave him a kiss before pushing him down the steps. ‘Next time yer see me, I hope to look like a glamour model.’
From the pavement, Jack told her, ‘Yer always do to me.’ He waited until the door was closed before moving away. And as he passed the Corkhills’ house next door, he grinned, for the noise he could hear coming from inside was even worse than the noise he’d left.
However, Jack didn’t know how wrong he was, for it was quite orderly in his neighbours’ house. The noise he heard was Corker singing along to Harry Roy’s band on the wireless. And the big man didn’t sing softly, either. His rendition of ‘Somebody Stole My Girl’ had the rafters ringing.
‘It’s all right for some,’ Ellen told her giant of a husband. ‘You are the only person in the house who isn’t nervous. Yer daughter is being helped on with her wedding dress by Lily and Dorothy who are talking fifteen to the dozen to try and keep her nerves from going haywire. I’m nervous, the two boys are combing their hair every five minutes because of nerves, and here’s you, as happy as flaming Larry! I don’t know how yer can be so relaxed, yer mustn’t have a single nerve in yer body!’
‘Ellen, will yer just calm down! What good does it do to be dashing around like a headless chicken, when everything is going according to plan? Take my word for it, me darlin’, and be cool, calm and collected. Much better then having a heart attack.’
Ellen sighed and walked into his arms, where she always felt safe. ‘We can’t all have nerves of steel, love. I know I give meself more trouble by fussing, but Phoebe is the first of my children to marry, and I want everything to be perfect for her, and for you as well. You took my children on, and yer’ve been a fantastic father to them. They all idolize yer, and like me, they want yer to be proud of them today. It’s Phoebe’s greatest wish, that when yer walk her down the aisle, yer’ll be a proud man.’
‘Oh, I’ll be that, me darlin’, yer can rest assured. There’s not a prouder man in Liverpool than meself. And that’s how I’ve felt since the day yer said yer’d be my wife.’ Corker held her at arm’s length and gazed into her eyes. ‘Now go and make yerself pretty for yer daughter’s wedding. Time is passing quickly, and before yer know it, the car will be here to take Gordon and Peter to the church.’
Ellen ran the back of a hand across her eyes and managed a trembling smile. Oh, how she loved this gentle giant. Someone up there was looking after her on the day he sent Corker into her life.
Upstairs, Lily had put the finishing touches to Phoebe’s headdress, which was like a silver crown holding the veil in
place. When Phoebe arrived at the church the veil would be brought down to cover her face. ‘Yer look lovely, Phoebe,’ Lily told her. ‘Absolutely perfect.’
Dorothy was near to tears as she gazed at the sister who had always tried to protect her and the two boys from the kicks and blows aimed at them by their drunken father. Filled with emotion, she wanted to hug her sister, but was afraid of crushing her dress. ‘Yer look beautiful, Phoebe, like a fairy princess. I can’t find the right words, sis, but Paul is going to love yer even more when he sees yer. And he’ll know how lucky he is.’
Phoebe smiled. ‘I’m the lucky one, Dorothy. It’s not every girl who gets the man of her dreams.’
‘Seeing as he’s my brother,’ Lily said, ‘I agree he’s really a handsome hunk. Witty with it as well.’
‘I don’t know about me looking good, you two look terrific. I wonder how the others are getting on?’
‘They’ll be looking just as lovely as me and Dorothy,’ Lily said, laughing. ‘Yer dad was certainly good at organizing. The flowers arrived on time and were given out to the two houses, our posies are in the kitchen ready to pick up, and red carnation buttonholes are also in the kitchen for the guests, complete with pins. Uncle Corker left nothing to chance.’ She patted Phoebe’s hand. ‘Don’t look so terrified, Phoebe, for I can tell yer from experience that this will be the happiest day of your life. And when yer get to the church, make sure there’s a smile on that pretty face.’
‘Hadn’t we better go next door?’ Dorothy asked. ‘We don’t want Paul to see us, and the car will be coming for him soon.’
‘Ye’re going out the back way, aren’t yer?’ Phoebe asked. ‘Me mam said no one would see yer if yer went down the yard and into Mrs B.’s. I don’t want the neighbours to see yer until ye’re getting in the cars.’
‘No one will see us, don’t worry. Auntie Molly has left her entry door unlocked. So if you don’t mind being up here on yer own, me and Dorothy will leave yer in peace.’ Lily followed Dorothy to the bedroom door. ‘Don’t touch yer veil, Phoebe, I’ll see to it at the church. And good luck.’