East End Jubilee

by Carol Rivers

  ‘And not only that,’ Cissy continued, ‘the coppers have been round. I saw ’em knock on her door only the other day. Two uniformed blokes that passed right by me door. She wouldn’t answer them either. And I knew she was in. I reckon she’s got plenty to hide.’

  ‘You would,’ Derek Green muttered. ‘The poor soul can’t defend herself.’

  ‘Defend herself against what?’ Fanny pushed her way angrily through the crowd. ‘We ain’t accusing her of anything.’

  ‘Is there anything we can do?’ Benny interrupted, and all heads turned towards Rose.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she shrugged. ‘We just have to wait and see.’

  ‘Fancy it being you that found her,’ Cissy muttered spitefully. ‘She wouldn’t normally give you the time of day after your old man flogged her that bent telly.’

  ‘Well, she wasn’t exactly banging your door down to be friends,’ Anita pointed out. ‘And it was lucky Rose did call or else the poor cow might’ve been lying there for weeks.’

  Dora Lovell groaned. ‘It doesn’t bear thinking about.’

  ‘Let’s all go home now,’ Benny sighed, catching his wife’s arm. ‘We’ve had enough excitement for one day.’

  As the crowd dispersed, Cissy and Fanny remained at Olga’s window peering in.

  ‘Bloody peeping Toms,’ Anita growled as she and Benny paused by Rose’s door. ‘Do you know they were the first on the scene when Dr Cox arrived? I’d just cycled up and was opening me door and there they were, racing up like athletes to the winning line.’ She shook her head exasperatedly. ‘Anyway, love, are you all right?’

  ‘Yes. A bit shook up, that’s all.’

  ‘I’m hungry.’ Marlene tugged Rose’s elbow. Matthew stirred fretfully in her arms and Em unlatched the door and shooed all the children through.

  When they had disappeared inside, Anita asked outright, ‘Do you think Olga tried to take her own life?’

  ‘Neet, let the girl be,’ Benny warned, but she ignored him.

  ‘Go in and put the kettle on. The boys’ll be home soon,’ she replied, waving her hand in his face.

  Benny gave a resigned shrug. ‘Night, Rose, love. You get some rest now.’

  ‘Night, Benny.’

  If there was a chair on the pavement, Rose thought, she might fall into it right now. The last few nights with Matthew had drained her. She felt she could fall asleep standing up. But Anita was waiting for an answer.

  ‘I saw Olga up the Gardens today,’ Rose continued. ‘She actually spoke to me.’

  ‘Blimey, put out the flags!’ Anita exclaimed. ‘What did she say?’

  ‘She told me a long and very sad story and I think we’d better keep it under our hat for now.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Olga’s not Polish. She was born a German Jew. Her husband was a doctor and they had a little boy called Siegfried and along with her mother, the Nazis took them off to a labour camp. She never saw any of them again.’

  Anita whistled through her teeth. ‘Are you sure she’s not going a bit funny upstairs?’

  ‘She seemed strange, but I believed her.’

  ‘What did she tell you for?’

  Rose shrugged. ‘She said because there was no one left to tell.’

  ‘So how did she escape from the Nazis?’

  ‘She said she was smuggled to Spain. After the war she came to England with false papers and met Leslie but she never married him. On Coronation Day, when the police took the telly they started asking her questions. She thinks if they find out who she is, they’ll deport her. You heard what Cissy said, the police have been knocking on Olga’s door. No wonder she was at the end of her tether.’

  For a few moments Anita was silent. ‘You’ve had quite a day, love. P’raps we can have a good old chat on Saturday on our way to market.’

  Rose nodded. But in three days a lot could happen.

  Thursday morning arrived and Rose cycled to the surgery. Dr Cox telephoned the hospital whilst she waited. Olga still hadn’t come round. She was in a coma.

  ‘I’ll come and tell you if there’s any change,’ Dr Cox unexpectedly offered.

  She cycled home and told Joan at the corner shop who said she would enlighten her customers. Rose knew that once Cissy and Fanny were informed, the news would travel with the speed of light.

  On Friday, Rose woke at the crack of dawn as Matthew crooned softly in his cot. He’d slept fitfully and before he disturbed Em who was asleep in the bed beside her, she lifted him from the cot and carried him downstairs.

  It was impossible to let him bawl now that her sister had moved back upstairs. Em had disliked sleeping in the front room, eager to return the chaotic household to its former, organized state. Will was resigned to sleeping in the girls’ room on the camp bed, although he had alternative plans for the summer. Alan and David had presented him with an outgrown one-man tent and his intention was to erect it in the yard.

  By seven, Matthew was fed and changed and dozing in his pram in the yard. He’d gulped his breakfast from the bottle as though he hadn’t been fed in years. Rose had added half a rusk and now he was away with the fairies.

  Rose decided she would clean the front room window before everyone woke. Em insisted on performing the major household chores but the sun was climbing into a bright blue sky and Rose was wide-awake by now. The air was fresh with the scent of the river and being Good Friday, no one else in the street was up yet. She filled a bucket with water, took the broom from the cupboard and slipped the latch on the front door. With heavy frosts at night and high winds in January, everyone had wondered if there was to be a repeat of the wet weather last year, but so far there had been only a few damp days here and there. The melting frost sparkled off the pavement like miniature pearls.

  Rose stood the bucket and broom by the wall. She wondered if there was time to polish the step as well. She was just deciding whether she should attempt the stone first when she happened to glance to her left.

  A car was parked outside the Dixons’.

  It was brown with bulky wings and a long shiny bonnet. Rose couldn’t move. Her eyes were glued to its shape. She couldn’t even look away or run inside and call for Em. She couldn’t even swallow.

  She hadn’t wanted to believe Eddie. She hadn’t wanted to believe anything about the crazy situation Eddie had got them into. One part of her was still in denial that he was even in prison!

  Now the car had appeared again. Eddie had warned her that the threats were intended for him. But whoever it was that Eddie had upset, had no qualms in terrifying innocent parties. What would it be next? A fist on the front door, a window smashed, the house violated again? What could she do to protect her family?

  Then all at once Rose suddenly felt her body coming back to life as a cold and icy calm spread over her. Slowly she lifted the broom and bucket and stepped into the road wishing she wasn’t wearing her apron and carpet slippers, rather her best dress and court shoes, decorated as brightly as the troops who marched into battle with their colours flying.

  Rose finally came to a halt. She saw nothing in the opaque window but the fluffy white clouds of the morning sky. The water splashed over the glass with a generous thud and ran in streamers along the crest of the bonnet. The pail followed, energetically dancing its way along the bonnet. For a heavy object, Rose thought, it seemed to be remarkably agile.

  ‘Go away,’ she shouted as she lifted the broom. ‘Leave us alone and don’t ever come back!’

  In her trance-like state she was aware of the broom’s echoing bang and thud and perhaps, if she really did try to recall, the peculiar sound of the surprised engine as the car growled towards her.

  ‘Rose! Rose!’

  Em was shouting her name. Rose blinked, at first feeling nothing. Then as she stirred, a pain travelled through her right arm and into her shoulder. Before she could take a breath, Benny and Anita’s faces filled her entire vision.

  ‘Stay still, love, you’re all right. Just
get your breath back.’ Benny was lifting her arm and laying it gently over her chest. ‘It’s not broken, thank God.’

  ‘What happened?’ Rose looked up at the circle of faces. Em, Len Silverman, Cissy and Fanny and the Dixons. Fred said cheerfully, ‘Blimey love, you ain’t half lucky.’

  ‘The driver aimed straight for you,’ Em cried, squeezing Rose’s left hand. ‘But Benny pulled you out of the way.’

  ‘I didn’t know you could move so quick, Dad,’ Alan said as he stood beside his father.

  ‘I ain’t over the hill yet,’ Benny growled as Rose realized she was lying against Fred and Mabel’s front door.

  ‘Benny, you great lump,’ Anita reproved as she patted Rose’s cheeks, ‘it’s a wonder you didn’t crush her.’

  ‘That car would have bloody killed her,’ Cissy pointed out as she peered into Rose’s eyes. ‘You don’t know how close you came to meeting your maker, love.’

  Rose began to shake with shock, just like on Coronation Day when they’d taken Eddie in the police car.

  ‘Bloody maniacs,’ Fanny cursed toothlessly.

  ‘We’ll try to move your arm again,’ Benny said as he lifted her elbow gently. ‘I’m going to stretch it out careful like. Tell me if it hurts.’

  ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ Anita scowled.

  ‘How’s that?’ Benny lifted gently, cupping her wrist with his big hand.

  Rose managed a tight smile. ‘All right.’

  ‘What about this?’

  ‘Ouch.’

  ‘Sorry, love.’

  ‘No, Benny, it’s me bum, not me arm. I feel like I’ve been kicked by a horse.’

  ‘That’s ’cos you fell on it,’ Benny grinned. ‘I tried to get me weight under you, but me beer gut got in the way.’

  There was a murmur of laughter from the relieved faces that hovered over her. Benny helped her to her feet. ‘How does that feel, gel?’

  She looked at him with gratitude. ‘I owe you me life, Benny.’

  ‘Think nothing of it,’ he grinned.

  ‘Nothing else broken is there?’ Anita asked worriedly.

  ‘No, I’m all right.’

  ‘It’s a bloody miracle if you are,’ she sighed. ‘What the hell was going on out here? Benny and me couldn’t believe our eyes when we looked out the window. You was screaming your head off.’

  ‘One minute I was asleep in bed,’ Em gasped breathlessly, ‘the next I thought all hell had broken loose. Why didn’t you call me?’

  ‘I didn’t have time,’ Rose replied as she tried to move her trembling legs. ‘I opened the front door and there they were.’

  ‘Who were?’ Cissy asked curiously.

  ‘No one you’d know,’ Anita dismissed, winking at Rose.

  ‘The repairs to their motor will cost a packet,’ Fred added as he pulled his plaid dressing gown round him and tied the belt.

  ‘A car is of no importance,’ Len murmured sympathetically. ‘It is Rose who matters.’

  There was a unanimous murmur of assent and Rose wondered how she was going to explain her irrational and, as it turned out, highly foolish behaviour. If Benny hadn’t rugby tackled her out of the way the girls would be minus a mother. How stupid she had been! What had come over her to challenge those people? They had no scruples and were quite prepared to run her over if they’d had the chance.

  ‘You might as well all know,’ Rose said heavily, ‘Eddie got mixed up with some unpleasant people before he went to prison. It was nothing to do with the telly, but with some bookies—’

  At this a collective groan filled the air. ‘Bookies!’ Len exclaimed with a shake of his grey head. ‘Parasites to the human race!’

  ‘Apparently so,’ Rose agreed quietly.

  ‘That car’s parked outside our house a few times,’ Mabel added darkly. ‘It just stays in one spot and no one ever gets out.’

  ‘What do they want?’ Fred asked Rose.

  ‘To frighten us,’ she said simply. ‘Eddie owes them money and don’t want him to forget it.’

  ‘So they pick on defenceless women and children,’ Len said shakily. ‘If only I was a young man again.’

  ‘Bastards,’ Benny swore under his breath. ‘But in future, Rose, don’t go charging at any cars with your broom, will you? Come and knock on me door first and give me time to get dressed.’

  Rose smiled. She had only just realized that she’d brought everyone out in their nightclothes. Anita was wearing a pair of striped pyjamas, Cissy and Fanny stood in blue and pink wincyette nightgowns, the Mendoza boys wore only underpants and Len Silverman sported an ancient pair of long johns. Benny hadn’t managed to dress, but had pulled on a shirt, which flapped over his pyjama bottoms.

  ‘I’m really sorry I disturbed you all,’ Rose apologized.

  ‘We’ll chase ’em off if we see them again, Auntie Rose,’ Alan said, puffing out his skinny chest, but Rose shook her head firmly.

  ‘No, Alan, they’re a nasty bunch. Don’t go near them.’

  ‘You’re not to get involved,’ Benny warned his sons. ‘If there’s any chasing to be done, it’ll be me that’s doing it, or the police.’

  ‘Yeah, why don’t we tell the coppers what happened?’ Cissy asked, narrowing her eyes.

  ‘No,’ Rose said a little too quickly. The last thing she wanted was the police involved in Eddie’s affairs. If they found out he had been a floater for the bookies, he’d never get out of prison. ‘I’m sure it won’t happen again,’ she assured the worried faces. ‘Not after today.’

  ‘We will all be looking out for you,’ Len assured her with a wizened smile.

  ‘I reckon we should go back to bed for half an hour,’ Em suggested, as she glanced anxiously at Rose.‘The kids are still asleep.’

  ‘I’m all for that,’ Benny nodded as he dragged his fingers through his receding black hair and scratched the dark stubble on his chin. ‘You sure you’re all right now, Rose?’

  ‘Yes, nothing that a cup of tea won’t put right.’

  Once again the crowd in Ruby Street began to disperse. Despite feeling the worse for wear, Rose wondered how Olga was. As soon as she felt more human she would call on Dr Cox and enquire.

  ‘Come on,’ Em whispered, taking hold of her good arm.

  ‘See you tomorrow if you still feel like it,’ Anita shouted as she pushed Alan and David in front of her.

  Inside the house, all was silent. As Rose sat down with a sigh on the couch she noticed her slipper was torn on the toe. It must have been when Benny pushed her out of the way of the car. She lifted the hem of her apron. Her knee was grazed and bloodied but she hadn’t even felt the injury until now.

  ‘Oh God,’ Em said in a terrified voice. ‘What will they do next?’

  Rose managed to smile. ‘Just let them try.’

  Em sucked in a breath. ‘Don’t even joke about it.’

  ‘I wasn’t joking,’ Rose assured her sister. She might be feeling a little battered and bruised and for a while she might have gone a little crazy. But inside she was still the same Rose Weaver and she refused – absolutely refused – to be frightened any more.

  Chapter Twenty

  It was eleven-thirty on Easter Sunday morning when the pale blue Morris Minor arrived. Rose saw it draw up from the front room window and her heart turned over. She thought for a moment it was the brown car but as soon as Dr Cox appeared wearing his usual dark suit and tie and those round spectacles, she relaxed. Her relief was short lived, however, as he knocked on the door and she hurried to open it.

  ‘I’m the bearer of bad news, I’m afraid,’ he said quietly.

  ‘It’s Olga.’ Rose didn’t need to be told. It was written all over his face.

  ‘I’m afraid so. She died in hospital, very peacefully, at three o’clock this morning.’ He gave a reluctant smile. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Rose nodded slowly. ‘So am I.’

  ‘Would you have seen Mr Parker?’

  Rose shook her head. ‘No. Have you kn
ocked?’

  ‘I’ll try now.’ He stepped back. ‘The police will call of course.’ He looked a little uncomfortable, then turned to frown across at Olga’s house. ‘Mrs Parker was registered with the surgery but not her husband. I hope he’ll be able to enlighten us on one or two facts.’

  Rose could have told him not to waste his time or energy and that Leslie Parker was probably the last person on earth who, according to Olga, wished to be connected with her death. But she refrained and as Dr Cox was about to leave, she asked impulsively, ‘What happens to – Olga, now?’

  ‘In view of the circumstances in which she died,’ he replied, ‘there will be an enquiry.’

  ‘What sort of an enquiry?’

  ‘An autopsy may be required,’ he answered shortly.

  ‘What about a funeral and everything?’

  ‘I’m sure Mr Parker will enlighten you on the funeral arrangements,’ he ended briskly.

  Some hope of that, Rose thought, wondering if she really ought to inform the doctor of what she knew. But before she could speak again he was crossing the road to number thirty-nine and Rose closed the front door. Just a few minutes later she heard the car start up and, with a deep sigh, Rose wondered what she should do next. The children were at St Mark’s with the Pipers and would not be home until dinner time. Em had pushed the pram out half an hour ago, venturing up to the corner shop and Amethyst Way. The Mendozas were probably at home. After going to the market with Anita yesterday, the cupboards would be full and the two boys, having a lie-in, would rise late for cooked breakfasts.

  Rose went back to the window and gazed across the street.

  ‘How can I help you, Olga, now that you’re gone?’ Rose whispered aloud as her mind flew back to Coronation Day and the poignant memory of Olga Parker looking smart and sophisticated, attempting to curry the street’s favour with her new television. How deeply she must have desired the attention of her neighbours. And how sad that she and Eddie had managed, albeit unwittingly, to thwart Olga’s unsuccessful attempt at popularity.

  Rose sat down on the couch and stared at the radiogram. ‘The money wasn’t mine to give you anyway. It wasn’t even Eddie’s.’

  From somewhere in the distance a bell pealed out across the island. The clock on the mantel struck twelve. It was Easter Sunday and the church doors would now be thrown open to disgorge the worshippers. Rose was not a church-goer herself, but the children sometimes went to St Mark’s chapel next to the school. They liked the hymn singing and the parables read aloud afterwards. Easter was special. They would all come home with an Easter card illustrated with a glowing Jesus balanced on a ray of sunshine. Even Len Silverman gave them a cube of chocolate instead of their usual boiled sweets.