by Joan Jonker
Molly’s jaw dropped. ‘Well, you cheeky article! I’m a couple of months younger than you, so if old age is creeping up on me, it’s galloping towards you.’ She hid her smile by rubbing the side of her nose. ‘Just wait until I tell Jack yer said he’s an old man, married to an old woman who’s at a very difficult age, and likely to go round the bend. That should cheer him up while he’s having his dinner. That’s if he’s got the energy to lift his knife and fork.’
‘I was being sarcastic, girl, and I’ll tell Jack that if I see him. Just like you were being sarky when yer said we didn’t share our morning cup of tea. We’re sitting here drinking it, so how can we not be sharing it?’
‘Because, sunshine, I am sharing my morning tea with you, and have done every morning for about fifteen years. If it was to be a fair share, then I should have tea in yours every other morning.’ Molly knew what her mate’s response to that would be, and she was looking forward to a laugh.
Nellie’s legs swung faster as her face contorted. ‘Oh, my God, she’s going back to before the bleeding war. Fancy bringing up every cup of tea I’ve had off her. I thought I’d heard the last of that the day when tea came off rationing. At the last count it was one thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two cups. And if I’d known they were so begrudged, every one of them would have choked me.’
‘You can only choke yerself once, Nellie. And yer got the number wrong, as well. Up to the day tea came off rationing, yer’d had two thousand, seven hundred and twenty-five cups of tea. And that doesn’t include the second cups, or the lukewarm ones.’
‘I’ll make them all up to yer, girl, when we go into town. One cup of tea at Reece’s is worth more than two thousand and whatever yer said.’ Nellie’s mind went back a few years to when food was so hard to come by. ‘I know it was a struggle when the war was on, and the bleeding rations weren’t enough to feed a mouse. And we had the worry of the boys being away fighting, the ruddy air raids and blackouts. But we got through it, didn’t we, girl? We still had our laughs, even though our cupboards were empty and our tummies rumbling. We managed to make a meal of some sort for George and Jack coming home from work, and the kids.’
‘And people were nicer, too,’ Molly said. ‘Don’t yer remember, sunshine, everyone was more kind and caring, making sure the old folk were safe when there was a raid on? People pulled together then, and that’s how it always should be. But you and me have got a lot to thank God for, Nellie, which we sometimes forget. We got our lads back safe from the war.’
‘Which brings us back to why I came here so early this morning, girl. And that’s Flora. She wasn’t as lucky as us, she lost the man she loved. But we can ease her pain a bit today, by giving her back her most precious possession.’
Molly was nodding as she pushed her chair back. ‘I hadn’t finished me housework when yer knocked, but it won’t hurt to leave it for one day. We’re going to have to move if we’re to do all the jobs we’ve lined up. So you go and get yerself ready, sunshine, and I’ll do the same. Then it’s a quick call to Doreen’s, and Jill’s, before we head for Flora’s. And I’m leaving everything in your hands when we get there. You do what yer think is best.’
Nellie carried the carver chair to its special speck at the side of the sideboard. ‘I’ll make it up as I go along, girl, ’cos it’ll look more real if I do.’ She was on her way to the front door when she turned back. ‘Don’t forget to put the box in yer handbag. Whatever happens, no matter which way it goes, my adopted mother is going to have that watch in her hand today. Even if it means me being locked in a prison cell.’
Chapter Twenty Two
‘This is a nice surprise,’ Flora said, as she held the door wide. ‘Yer don’t usually call so early.’
Molly kissed her cheek as she passed. ‘We’re going into town for the birthday presents for Ruthie and Bella. So me and Nellie thought we’d make an early start.’
Flora got her second surprise when Nellie stood on tiptoe and gave her a kiss. The little woman was more noted for her jokes than kisses. ‘Go inside and make yerself comfortable while I put the kettle on.’
Working to the plan she had in mind, Nellie said. ‘You sit down, girl, and I’ll make the tea. What’s the good of having an adopted daughter if she’s going to sit on her backside and let you do the work?’
Molly winked at Flora. ‘Let her get on with it if she wants to, sunshine. Yer might wait a long time before yer get another offer as good as that.’
Nellie was already on her way to the kitchen. ‘I know you both take one sugar, and we all like it not too weak and not too strong. So all I need to find out is what the custard cream situation is?’
Flora chuckled. ‘The biscuit tin is half full, but I’d like some left in the tin because I’m partial to a couple of biscuits with me afternoon cuppa, and my night-time drink.’
‘She’ll leave yer some, don’t worry, sunshine. My mate likes her cakes and biscuits, but she’s not greedy.’
‘Take yer coat off, Molly,’ the old lady said. ‘Or yer won’t feel the benefit when yer go out. I haven’t been out meself this morning, but I know it’s cold by the draught coming under the doors.’
Molly shook her head. She was feeling uncomfortable knowing that very soon Nellie would begin carrying out the plan she had in mind. And then the lies would come. It would all be done for the sake of the lovely old lady she was facing now, but telling lies, for whatever reason, didn’t sit well on Molly’s shoulders. ‘We won’t take our coats off, sunshine, because if we make ourselves too comfortable we’ll not want to move. And with Ruthie’s birthday being next week, I want to get meself organized. She’s not having a big party, only a few of her friends. We grown-ups are going out for the night so they can enjoy themselves.’
Flora’s mind went back over the years. ‘Sixteen is a lovely age to be. Tell her I said she should make the most of the next few years, and she’ll have wonderful memories to look back on in later life.’
They heard the kettle whistling, then Nellie’s voice. ‘Tea up in a few minutes. I’ll let it stand for a while ’cos I can’t abide tea what yer can see through. If yer can see the bottom of the cup, then yer’ve got a lousy cup of tea.’
Molly called back. ‘You should know, yer drink enough to be an expert.’
Nellie’s head appeared round the door. ‘Listen, girl, if me mate tells yer that I’ve had four thousand cups of tea in her house over the years, don’t take no notice of her. She’s a fibber.’
‘Don’t exaggerate, Nellie, I never said four thousand. I can’t remember the exact figure, but I’ve got it written down at home.’ Molly could see Flora’s expression was one which said she didn’t know whether to take this seriously, or whether it was all in fun. So she put a finger to her lips, then mouthed, ‘Just listen to this, sunshine.’ Then she raised her voice. ‘I don’t have any trouble remembering the number of cups of tea I’ve had in your house, though. No need to write it down in me notebook, I can just leave the page blank.’
When Nellie put in her next appearance, she was carrying a tray set with three cups of tea, a sugar bowl, milk jug and plate with some biscuits on. She set it down carefully on the table before turning to Flora, ‘Have yer got a notebook, girl? I’ll mark the date on the top of a page, and beside it I’ll put me and me mate’s name. So you can keep tabs on both of us.’ She brushed her hands together as though ridding herself of an unpleasant smell. Or, more to the point, the crumbs from a biscuit she’d pinched while waiting for the kettle to boil. ‘Nan, I’m only kidding, girl, I know you wouldn’t begrudge yer best mates a cup of tea. And I mean, I have thought of inviting Molly into my house for a cuppa, to repay her, like. But on second thoughts I decided not to. It would mean me keeping me house tidy for four thousand days, and just the thought of it tired me out so much I had to go to bed for a lie-down.’
Molly put milk and sugar in one of the cups, stirred it, and handed it to Flora. ‘My very best mate has very kindly offered to make up for all th
ose drinks, by taking me to Reece’s while we’re in town, and treating me to a pot of tea and one of their delicious toasted teacakes.’
‘Ay, Molly Bennett, I didn’t say nothing about no toasted teacake. I’m not made of money, yer know.’
After giving Flora a very gentle nudge, Molly said, ‘Oh, I am surprised and disappointed. I could have sworn yer said tea and toasted teacake. Me mouth has been watering since I got out of bed at the thought of sinking me teeth into the teacake, and the butter oozing out and running down me chin.’
Nellie’s face was a study as she sought the correct words to answer her mate. When none came, she thought, oh, sod it, why should I be worrying about what words I use as long as she gets me drift. ‘I wish I had your imagination, girl, ’cos if I did, me teeth would be sliding through the thick cream of one of Edna Hanley’s cream slices. And it wouldn’t be running down me chin, either. I can honestly say, no cream has ever escaped from me. Me tongue is like greased lightning, nothing gets away from it.’
Molly chuckled. ‘Not even her husband gets away from her tongue, Flora. Poor George, he has to bear the brunt of it.’
That was the wrong thing to say, as Molly was to find out to her dismay. For Nellie came back fast enough to prove her tongue was indeed like greased lightning. ‘Oh, my George doesn’t mind bearing the brunt of me tongue, for he says I more than compensate for it in other ways. Like me voluptuous body, which he is quite happy to bear the weight of. Keeps him fit, he says, and healthy. Half an hour in bed with me is better exercise than a ten-mile hike.’
Molly could feel her face burning. ‘Nellie, I’m sure Flora is not interested in yer private life.’
Nellie was in a cheeky, daring mood. ‘No, well she’s lucky, ’cos she lives in the next street. It’s the neighbours next door what have no choice but to listen to George keeping fit every night. Not that they complain, like, because they don’t.’ Her laughter drowned out the creaking of the chair being tortured by her wriggling bottom. ‘At least they don’t complain to me face.’
The loud laughter was for a purpose, but the two women laughing with her didn’t know that. It was when Nellie held up a hand and said, ‘Wasn’t that a knock on the door?’ that Molly’s heartbeat quickened.
Flora shook her head. ‘I didn’t hear anything. Did you, Molly?’
Molly couldn’t meet her eyes, so she turned to Nellie. ‘It could have been, but we were laughing so loud I honestly can’t say I heard a knock.’
Nellie was bustling towards the front door. ‘No harm in making sure.’ She went through the motions of opening the door, looking up and down the street, then closing the door. ‘Not a soul in sight. I must be hearing things.’
‘Don’t sit down again, Nellie, help me clear the table.’ Molly pushed herself off the chair. ‘We’ll rinse these few dishes, Flora, then we’ll have to love yer and leave yer. I want to get Ruthie’s present today, then it’ll be off me mind. But if there’s anything yer need, we can get it for yer while we’re out.’
‘Thanks all the same, Molly, but I’ve got enough in to last me until tomorrow. And don’t worry about those cups, I can do them later. It’ll give me something to do.’
‘Are yer sure? It won’t take us a minute.’
‘I’ll do them. You and Nellie go about yer business. But what yer could do for me while ye’re in town is get a birthday card for me to send to Ruthie. Get a nice one.’
Molly gave her a hug. ‘I’ll bring it with me tomorrow. But there’s no hurry writing it out, there’s a week to go yet.’
Nellie, determined not to falter in her role as adopted daughter, stood on tiptoe to kiss Flora’s cheek. ‘I know an easier way of doing this, Flora. You could bend down for yer kiss, meet me halfway, like.’
Flora followed them to the door. ‘I’ll remember that in future, Nellie. And you take care of that voluptuous body of yours while ye’re in town. I’d hate George to lose out on his keep fit exercises.’ And the front door was closed on the two friends standing with mouths open.
‘Well, how about that, then,’ Nellie said when she found her voice. ‘I thought they were very strait-laced in the old days. Yer know what I mean, girl, all hush hush, something yer did but didn’t talk about.’
‘My ma is a bit younger than Flora, and I’ve never heard me ma ever mention such a thing as sex. And come to think about it, Nellie Mac, I’m forty years younger than them, and I never discuss what goes on behind the closed door of our bedroom. The only person I know who does is you! And I bet George would die of acute embarrassment if he heard some of the things you come out with.’
They were walking towards the main road when Nellie said, ‘No, my George isn’t going to die, he’s enjoying himself too much.’
Don’t answer, Molly told herself, yer’ll only regret it. So she turned the conversation to a totally different subject. ‘Have yer worked out what ye’re going to say when we get to the police station? Don’t rely on me because I’ll just dry up. I can’t look someone in the eye and tell them a pack of lies. So I’m afraid ye’re on yer own, sunshine. Do yer still want to go ahead with it?’
‘Don’t ask me daft questions, girl, ’cos yer’ll make me nervous. I’ve got the watch in me pocket, and I’ll be glad when it’s all over with and Flora has it back in her possession. So let’s not bugger about, let’s get it over with. And if yer can’t say the right thing, Mollie Bennett, then keep yer trap shut and a smile on yer face.’ They were only yards from the police station when she asked. ‘Oh, what were the names of the policemen?’
‘Best ask for the inspector, Nellie, rather than the bobby. So ask at the desk for Chief Inspector Willard.’
Nellie nodded. ‘All set, girl, let’s go. I haven’t rehearsed what I’m going to say, so don’t be surprised. I’ll just open me mouth and see what comes out. I might even surprise meself.’
‘Watch yer language, won’t yer, sunshine?’
‘Give over, girl, for God’s sake, and get up them steps. I’m going to be far too busy to watch me bleeding language.’
The young policeman sitting behind the desk looked up from a mound of paperwork. ‘Yes, madam, can I help you?’
‘I hope so, lad,’ Nellie said to Molly’s dismay. Fancy calling an officer lad! But Nellie didn’t change her outlook on life for anyone. They were all the same to her. If she ever met the Queen, which was most unlikely, she’d probably say, ‘Hello, girl,’ while falling over her feet in an attempt to curtsy.
Ignoring her mate’s dig, Nellie smiled at the officer. ‘We’d like to see Inspector Willard, lad, so will yer tell him Mrs McDonough and Mrs Bennett would like a word with him?’
‘Can I ask what it’s about, madam?’
Nellie shook her head. ‘No, lad, we won’t talk to anyone except Inspector Willard. He knows us, yer see.’
The chair scraped the floor as the bobby pushed it back. ‘I’ll see if he’s available. What were the names again?’
Nellie stood to attention. ‘Mrs Nellie McDonough, and Mrs Molly Bennett. And would yer tell him it’s very important.’
Trying to be funny, the policeman asked, ‘Is it a matter of life or death?’ He’d never seen or heard of Nellie before, so he wasn’t prepared for her answer. With her face as angelic as she could make it, she replied. ‘If it was, lad, it would be my life and your death.’
The bobby vanished quickly before he answered back and so started a slanging match. The inspector didn’t like raised voices, and was bound to tick the unfortunate culprit off. Nellie turned and smiled at Molly. ‘So far, so good, girl.’
‘How can yer say that when nothing has happened yet?’
‘It’s a start, girl, so don’t be so bleeding pessimistic. Yer didn’t think we would be in and out in five minutes, did yer?’
‘I was hopeful, sunshine, just hopeful. And I hope yer don’t string it out like yer usually do, ’cos don’t forget we’re going into town.’
The sound of men’s voices grew louder, and the insp
ector came through a passage, followed by the bobby. ‘These are the ladies, guv. Mrs McDonough and Mrs Bennett.’
Steve Willard dismissed the bobby with a flick of his hand. ‘I know these ladies. I’ll take them to the interview room. You get on with what you were doing.’
Nellie couldn’t have felt more important if she’d come up on the pools. ‘Yer remember us, do yer, inspector?’
Steve Willard smiled and ushered them through a door close at hand. ‘I remember you both very well. Two ladies it would be hard to forget. Now take a chair, and tell me what news you have for me.’ When they were seated, he said, ‘Before you start, can I ask how Mrs Parker is?’
‘That’s what we’ve come to see yer about.’ Nellie was getting more excited as the vital moment got nearer. ‘It’s about Flora, and me and Molly thought we’d better come and see you before we say anything to her. Yer see, we were at her house this morning; we call to see her most days since she got robbed. Anyway, we were having a cup of tea with her when I heard a knock on the door. Molly and Flora said they hadn’t heard a knock, but I said I’d go and make sure.’ Nellie wriggled her bottom on the chair until she felt comfortable, then she continued. ‘I opened the door and there was no one there. I looked up and down the street, and there wasn’t a soul to be seen, except Mrs Cosgrove’s two-year-old boy, who was sitting on their step. Anyway, I told meself I must be hearing things, and I began to close the door.’ The little women stopped, and coughed behind a hand, hoping to add to the drama. ‘I just happened to look down as the door was closing, and I noticed something on the bottom step. Being nosy, like, I picked it up, even though I thought it was just something that had been thrown away. A discarded empty ciggy packet or something. But it wasn’t, and I bet yer’ll never guess what was in the box when I opened it?’