The Shop Girls of Lark Lane

by Pam Howes

  Marlene’s face broke into a big smile. ‘You’ve no worries on that score, queen. It’d be my pleasure. My lot are all at work now, me mam and dad are in an old people’s ’ome and Stan ’ere is back working on the trams. It’ll give me summat to look forward to each day. I’ll take ’er back to mine and then we can spend some time reading and colouring and whatever else she likes to do. Then you can come and pick ’er up on your way ’ome. Saves Jack ’aving to be mithered with ’er ’ere when ’e’s busy. ’Ow does that sound?’

  Alice felt like crying with relief. Her old friend had never let her down. Marlene had even delivered Cathy in the air raid shelter at work when Alice had gone into labour in the middle of an air raid.

  ‘Thank you so much. You have no idea what a weight that is off my mind.’ She got to her feet and gave Marlene a hug.

  ‘I can start on Monday if you want,’ Marlene said. ‘Might as well, then she gets used to being with me. School ’olidays start at the end of next week, so it’ll give us a few days.’

  ‘That’s great. Thank you. Right, I’ll go back behind the bar and catch up with you later.’

  Jack greeted her with a light kiss on the lips as she joined him behind the bar. He squeezed her backside out of view of the customers.

  ‘Jack, behave yourself,’ she whispered, suppressing a grin.

  He laughed. ‘Well if a fella can’t cop a feel of his future wife it’s a poor show,’ he said. ‘And you have no idea how hard it is to keep my hands off you after the other night. I can’t wait until we get back to yours. I think a repeat performance is in order.’

  Alice rolled her eyes in amusement and turned to serve a large man who’d banged his empty pint pot down on the bar. ‘A refill, Harry?’

  ‘Aye, chuck, please.’

  A new pianist was in tonight and he was busy tinkling the ivories in the background with no one paying that much attention to him. While she pulled Harry’s pint of mild ale, Alice realised he was playing one of her current favourite songs and hummed along to ‘I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)’. She had treated herself to the gramophone record from Epstein’s in town recently and thought the singer Eddy Arnold had a lovely voice. Perhaps Millie knew the song and would sing it for them when she came in. That would have the punters paying full attention and help the new player gain a bit of recognition. As if on cue the doors flew open and Millie and Jimmy walked in. They hurried over to the bar and Alice pointed to the pianist and asked Millie if she knew the song.

  ‘Yes I do and I love it,’ Millie said. ‘Just let me have a quick drink and then we’ll ask him to play it again and I’ll accompany him.’ She looked around the large concert room, which was buzzing with life, and smiled. ‘This is what I’ve missed so much,’ she said. ‘And baby or no baby, I want to sing again at the weekends if Jack’ll let me.’

  Alice laughed. ‘That’s a definite. If Jimmy has no objections, that is.’

  Jimmy shook his head. ‘I doubt I’ll get much of a say in things. I’ll be the one left at home holding the baby.’

  ‘Oh, Mam’ll do that for you. You can come and watch your wife entertaining,’ Millie teased. ‘Then you can walk me home in the moonlight and I’ll sing just for you.’

  Alice smiled. It was lovely to see her best friend so happy. ‘Freddie’s waving at you.’ She pointed to their ex-foreman. ‘Go and tell him your good news and that you are moving back home and having my house. And then you can sing. By the way,’ Alice lowered her voice. ‘Marlene will take over with Cathy from Monday. Tomorrow I have to pluck up the courage to tell Terry’s mother when I go to collect Cathy, because she’s staying with her all night.’

  ‘That’s good. And, oh yes,’ Millie said, grinning. ‘You’ve got an empty house and company tonight, haven’t you?’

  ‘Shh,’ Alice said, although there was no one in earshot and Arnold and Winnie had taken the night off to visit Winnie’s sister, so there was only Jack and her behind the bar.

  ‘Did you talk to him the other night like I suggested?’ Millie asked.

  Alice felt her cheeks heating and looked away. ‘Er, yes, I did.’

  ‘Oh my God!’ Millie clapped a hand to her mouth. ‘You did more than talk. I can tell by the blush creeping up your face. Was everything okay?’

  ‘Very okay, thank you,’ Alice whispered, her heart skipping a beat as she thought back to Wednesday night and how Jack had made her feel like she was the best lover in the world, restoring her confidence. ‘I don’t know why I was worrying.’ She pulled Jimmy’s pint and poured a small sherry for Millie and they took their drinks across to Freddie’s table.

  ‘Is she going to sing for us?’ Jack asked, nodding his head towards Millie, who was being swept into an embrace by Freddie and then Marlene.

  ‘She is, when she’s finished her drink.’ Alice washed the dirty glasses waiting on the bar. ‘Why don’t you take a bit of a break,’ she suggested to Jack. ‘Oh, and by the way. Marlene has agreed to help out with Cathy. Picking her up from school and keeping her until I finish work.’

  Jack frowned. ‘What about Ma Lomax? Won’t she go nuts if she can’t see the kid? She’ll blame me for that as well.’

  ‘She won’t,’ Alice replied. ‘I just feel it’s best if she has a bit less control over Cathy, and then she won’t be as spoiled for us. I thought you’d think it was a good idea.’

  ‘Okay. Whatever you think is best. We’ll give it a try, see how it goes.’

  Alice picked up a tea towel and started to dry the glasses. ‘I’ll tell Granny tomorrow when I go and pick Cathy up.’

  ‘Righto, gel.’ Jack poured himself a large whisky and carried his glass over to where Millie and Jimmy were sitting.

  Alice saw him speaking to Millie, who nodded, and then he walked over to two women, whose faces lit up as he approached. One of them got up to give him a peck on the cheek and he sat down at the table with them, his back to the room. Alice wondered what the trio were talking about but couldn’t hear anything above the babble of voices and the piano man. One of the women, a thin-faced girl with ginger hair piled up on top of her head with loose curly tendrils falling onto her cheeks, was talking animatedly and nodding at whatever Jack was saying. The other woman joined in and smiled at him as he got to his feet and came back to the bar.

  ‘Just got us a barmaid and cleaner lined up for when we move in,’ he announced and slipped his arm around Alice’s waist. ‘Sheila, the red-head, she’s the new barmaid and Gloria, the chubby one, she’s going to clean for us.’

  Alice stared at him, her mouth open. ‘Aren’t you jumping the gun a bit? We haven’t even signed up yet. And shouldn’t we decide between us who we employ?’

  She looked across and caught the red-head looking over. The woman looked quickly away, but not before Alice saw the jealous look on her face. She wondered if she was one of Jack’s conquests and felt a bit uneasy. Was that the reason he wasn’t bothered about Alice keeping her job on at Lewis’s? So that he could have time alone with Sheila while Alice was at work. She mentally shook herself. What a stupid thing to think when she was about to marry the man.

  Jack shrugged in reply, seemingly unbothered by her concern. ‘They’re good workers. Sheila knows the trade well. She lost her job when her place of work was bombed out, a pub down near the docks. And Gloria is in the same boat. We don’t need to make decisions together. I’ll be running this place and I’ll choose who I’m going to work with. You’ll only be down here on the odd night to help out.’

  ‘I’ll be here at the weekend,’ Alice protested. ‘I thought that was the plan.’

  ‘But you might want to spend time with the kids. Or be too tired after working all week. I don’t want you wearing yourself out. This way I know I’ve got reliable staff coming in if you’re not feeling up to it. I want to make a success of this place, Alice. You need to back my decisions, gel.’

  She nodded. ‘And I will. Here’s Millie. Go and sort out with the pianist what sh
e’s doing.’

  ‘Just one more thing before I do,’ he said, pulling her into the kitchen area. He took her into his arms and kissed her. ‘Take your rings off,’ he whispered. ‘You’re my woman now. I don’t like you still wearing Terry’s rings. It doesn’t feel right.’

  Alice chewed her lip. Her wedding and eternity rings had not been off her finger since Terry put them there. She hadn’t had the heart to remove them since his death. But Jack was right, she supposed. She was his now after the other night, although he could have asked her away from work and given her time to consider it. She swallowed hard and did as he requested. She slipped the rings into the pocket of her coat, which was hanging from a hook on the back of the kitchen door.

  Jack took her hand and smiled. ‘Thank you. That makes me feel better. You’ll soon be wearing mine. It won’t be long now, gel. Right, I’ll go and talk with Millie. See you in a bit.’ He slapped her gently on the backside and walked away.

  Alice blinked back threatening tears, took a deep breath and went out to the bar area.

  * * *

  Millie sang her heart out and the crowd whistled for more. She took a bow and blew kisses like a real star, then she beckoned Alice to join her and the pair sang one of their favourite Andrews Sisters songs, ‘Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree’. Applause and loud wolf-whistles followed and the pair came off the stage, Millie to a proud and smiling Jimmy, who gave her a hug and covered her face with kisses, and Alice to a scowling Jack, who was looking threateningly at a young man propping up the bar and eyeing her up. Once again Jack pulled her into the kitchen.

  ‘That’s the last time you sing with Millie,’ he said. ‘I’m not having lads ogling my future wife. That lad at the bar’s tongue was hanging out the whole time you were on the stage. You’re mine now, Alice. Your flirting days are over.’

  ‘But, Jack, I wasn’t flirting,’ Alice protested. ‘I never do. I didn’t know he was looking at me.’

  Jack’s answering smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘You don’t flirt? Alice, you’ve flirted with me since the first time I set eyes on you. Anyway, there’ll be no more of it. You behave with dignity once we’re running this place. Have you ever seen Winnie giving the glad eye to a fella?’

  ‘Well, no,’ Alice faltered. Winnie was at least twice her age anyway, but even so, Alice was unaware that she’d given anyone the glad eye, as Jack put it. She could hear someone shouting ‘Bar’ from the other side of the door.

  ‘Right,’ Jack said. ‘Get out there and serve our customers and I’ll go and collect the empties. Stay behind the bar now tonight, we’ve only half an hour left anyway.’

  Alice felt embarrassed as she served the young man who’d whistled. He seemed harmless enough but she couldn’t meet his eyes as she handed him his change, in case Jack was watching her. She wished she’d not asked him to stay over now. His behaviour tonight had felt a bit controlling and it bothered her. Terry had never been like that. But if she told Jack she’d changed her mind and didn’t want him to stay, he wouldn’t be happy and she couldn’t run the risk of him changing his mind about wanting to marry her. So much depended on that happening now; Brian’s future, for one, as well as her own happiness. This feeling was just a blip. They usually had lovely times together. Maybe he was feeling a bit insecure. That would go once they were married, she was sure.

  Her mind was in a whirl as she totted up the cost of the drinks she’d just pulled for another customer and she hoped she’d added it up right. Jack came back with his hands full of glasses. People were starting to leave the club as Alice plunged her hands into soapy water, conscious of her missing rings, which nearly always worked their way up her finger as she washed up. Millie and Jimmy came over to say goodnight and she hurriedly grabbed a tea towel and dried her hands, hiding her naked ring finger under the towel. Millie would be sure to notice her lack of rings and say something; although she hadn’t commented when they sang together, Alice assumed she had been too busy singing and hadn’t noticed her ringless finger.

  ‘I really enjoyed us singing together,’ Millie enthused. ‘It was just like old times. We must do it again. Good luck tomorrow with Terry’s mam. Let us know as soon as you can about the house and where things are up to. We go back up to Blackpool tomorrow to pack our stuff and then we’ll move into Mam and Dad’s. So we’ll see you later next week most likely.’ Millie gave Alice a hug and pecked Jack on the cheek. ‘See you soon.’

  Alice waved until her friends were out the door. A few stragglers left their empties on the bar and called goodnight. Jack locked the doors and checked all the ashtrays were empty. Alice finished the glasses and took a cloth to all the tables. She felt weary as she wiped up sticky messes and rinsed the cloth in the bowl of water she’d carried with her. As she bent to pick up the bowl Jack grabbed her from behind, making her jump. He laughed and spun her around to face him.

  ‘I can’t wait to get back to yours,’ he whispered and kissed her. ‘If I wasn’t expecting Arnold and Winnie back any minute I’d take you right now, gel, I’m that desperate,’ he said, pushing her back against a table and grinding his hips against hers. As if on cue, lights shone in through the windows as the boss’s car pulled up outside. ‘Right,’ Jack said, releasing his firm hold on her, ‘take the bowl back to the kitchen and let’s get off.’

  15

  Alice sat with her back against the wooden headboard as she listened to Jack whistling while washing himself in the bathroom. It was only seven am, but as good as his word, he was leaving early before the neighbours roused, although no doubt the Sunday paper delivery boy would be out on his rounds. She was glad Jack was going now, as she needed to get her head in place to go and pick up Cathy from Granny Lomax’s. She was dreading it, but it had to be done. She was Jack’s future wife now and it was time to move on and take control.

  She smiled as he strolled back into the bedroom and pulled on his discarded clothes. She watched as he sat on the side of the bed and carefully pulled a sock over what was left of his right foot. It wasn’t a pretty sight and made her stomach roll; there were only two toes left intact, the big toe and the one next to it. All the outer foot and the rest of his toes were gone and the scarring was red and ugly. Last night had been the first time she’d seen it properly and she’d held her breath as he’d told her she might as well look and then she’d get used to it. When he’d made love to her the other night downstairs they’d both been still partially clothed and the foot hadn’t been mentioned.

  He’d told her last night that, although it wasn’t painful most of the time, the nerve endings still tingled and at times it felt like his foot was on fire when he’d been working all day. She’d done her best to look as sympathetic as she could. Rumours were still bandied around occasionally that he’d shot himself to get out of being sent abroad with the army. But Jack had always denied the rumours and Alice didn’t believe for a minute that anyone would be so stupid as to deliberately injure themselves in that way when there was a chance they’d arrive home safe and sound, like Terry and Jimmy had done.

  Jack put on his boots and jacket and leant over to kiss her goodbye. He smelled of Dentifrice toothpaste and she wondered if he’d used her brush.

  ‘Thanks for thinking, gel, and putting that blue toothbrush out for me to use,’ he said, smiling. ‘I forgot to bring me own. I’ll get on me way now and I’ll call in tonight on the way into work. See how you got on with your ma-in-law. Perhaps you can save me a bit of dinner. And thanks for a great night. I think me and you are well-suited, Alice. Stay in bed and I’ll lock the door and put the key through the letterbox. It’s really early so you might as well have another hour’s kip.’

  ‘Okay.’ Alice nodded. ‘I’ll see you later. I’m really tired.’

  He laughed, a wicked glint lighting up his blue eyes. ‘That’s because I kept you awake for most of the night. Better get used to it, gel. I’m a hot-blooded man.’

  Alice smiled wearily and lay back on her pillows as he left the room.
He wasn’t wrong there. She felt exhausted. They’d made love for most of the night. He’d been as tender as the other night at first and then quite demanding the second time and then tender again earlier this morning. He still hadn’t said he loved her though and she wondered why when his actions had been so passionate and loving. Terry had always said it when they’d made love. Her eyes filled as she thought of Terry and his gentle ways and she blinked to clear the tears. Jack excited her and she loved being in his arms, being at one with him. And, like he’d told her, she’d better get used to it. She was marrying him soon, no matter what anyone else thought. She wasn’t going to lie in bed wallowing in thoughts of what used to be. She needed a bath. She felt sticky and Jack hadn’t used any protection like he did the night before. She knew she should have said something, but she hadn’t liked to bring up the subject in case his mood changed. He’d been a bit off-hand last night at the club, and then when he’d practically dragged her back here and up the stairs to bed, she’d just kept quiet. She wasn’t frightened of him, but there was something about him, a controlling thing almost, that made her think he wouldn’t take too kindly to being questioned too much about anything. He was different to Terry, but her feelings for him were strong enough to cope with that. From what she knew of his early life, he wasn’t from a very close family; he might not have been shown much love as a child and so might be unsure how to express it. Hopefully he’d learn from her, given time. And they had plenty of that.

  But he was the one who didn’t want any kids, so she needed to sort out some form of birth control and pronto. If Jack wasn’t going to take responsibility then she would have to do it herself, or they’d soon be knee-deep in babies. She’d speak with Sadie tomorrow, see what she could advise. She was more clued up than Alice on such matters. She just hoped to God that last night hadn’t left her pregnant as she was worried that Jack would scarper if that was the case and she’d be left with no money, no future and no education for Brian, plus another mouth to feed. Then there was the shame she’d have to endure. It didn’t bear thinking about. She dragged herself out of bed, feeling a bit weary, and hurried into the bathroom.