MB03 - Sweet Rosie O’Grady

by Joan Jonker

  ‘I won’t be long, love,’ Molly said, slipping her arms into her coat. ‘I’ll be back before yer’ve finished reading the Echo.’ She stooped to plant a kiss on Jack’s forehead before jerking her head at Tommy. ‘Come along, sunshine, it’s a long time since I had a male escort.’

  When Rosie answered the door to their knock her face lit up. ‘Hello, Auntie Molly! Sure it’s glad I am to see yer.’ She gave Molly a hug and a kiss, then glanced briefly at Tommy. ‘And good evening to you.’

  Ho, ho, thought Molly, rubbing her nose to hide a smile. It would appear that Tommy wasn’t the only one having a change of heart. Rosie’s greeting had been far from welcoming and held none of the usual enthusiasm she displayed when she set eyes on Tommy. In fact it would be fair to say his appearance had been met with a very cool reception to say the least!

  Bridie switched the wireless off when she saw who the visitors were. ‘Well now, this is a pleasant surprise, so it is.’

  Molly dropped a kiss on to the silver-grey head. ‘I felt like a breath of fresh air.’ She turned to her da and put a hand on each of the wooden arms of his fireside chair before bending down to kiss him. ‘Tommy was comin’ round, so I thought I’d give him the pleasure of my company.’ She managed to keep the smile on her face when their eyes met, even though she was saddened by the weariness on his lined face. ‘It’s not often me big son walks out with me, he thinks he’s too big now to be seen with his mother.’

  ‘Oh, he’s big all right, I’ll grant yer that!’ Rosie said loftily, her nose pointing to the ceiling. ‘But he’s not too big to take his mother’s coat and hang it up for her.’

  ‘Oh, God,’ Tommy groaned, blushing furiously. ‘I bet she’s goin’ to come out with one of her mammy’s sayings now.’

  ‘Oh, I could be doin’ that all right, Tommy Bennett! Sure hasn’t me mammy got more sayings than she knows what to do with?’ Rosie tapped a finger on her chin. ‘Let’s see now. How about a nice short one? Like “Manners maketh the man”?’

  ‘One of these days I’ll throttle you, Rosie O’Grady, just you wait and see.’

  ‘Tut, tut, what a temper yer have, Tommy Bennett!’ Rosie became all efficient. ‘You take Auntie Molly’s coat while I put the kettle on.’

  Molly slipped off her coat and handed it to Tommy. ‘I’ll give yer a hand, sunshine!’ She followed Rosie into the kitchen and turned on the tap to drown out their conversation. ‘Did yer manage to have a word with me ma, Rosie?’

  ‘Sure I have that, Auntie Molly! I’ve mentioned it a few times, but whether it’s sunk in is another matter. I can’t get a yea or nay out of her. Uncle Bob showed more interest, so perhaps it’s him we should be working on.’

  ‘I’ll bring it up while we’re having our tea.’ Molly folded her arms and leaned against the sink. ‘Have you and our Tommy had a falling-out? Yer didn’t seem that happy to see him.’

  Rosie glanced towards the door then put a finger to her lips before saying in a low voice, ‘I’m changing me tactics, Auntie Molly. Now I wouldn’t want yer to be telling him, even if he is your son.’

  ‘I won’t breathe a word, sunshine.’ Molly was dying to laugh at the serious expression on the pretty face. ‘I cross my heart and hope to die.’

  ‘It was Auntie Bridget’s idea, so it was. She said if a girl chases after a boy he doesn’t think anything of her for it. Pretend ye’re not interested and play hard to get, she told me, and if he thinks anythin’ of yer, he’ll come running.’

  ‘She’s right, sunshine!’ Molly grinned. ‘Me ma is always right.’

  ‘So that’s what I’m doing … playing hard to get. If there’s any running to be done, it won’t be done by me.’

  ‘Quite right, too! But I’ll just ask yer to bear in mind that our Tommy is only sixteen an’ knows nothing about girls. He’s never had a girlfriend, so make allowances for him.’

  ‘Sure, haven’t I been doing that, Auntie Molly? But I’m only sixteen meself, yet the minute I clapped eyes on Tommy I knew he was the boy for me.’

  ‘Well I hope it works out for yer, sunshine, ’cos I think ye’re a little smasher.’

  ‘I thank yer kindly, Auntie Molly.’ Rosie beamed. ‘But it’s not you I want to marry, it’s yer son.’

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Molly gave a cry of surprise when she opened the door to see Ellen and Corker standing on her step. ‘Corker! Well, you dark horse, Ellen Clarke! Fancy, never a dickie bird out of yer when yer called in on yer way home from work!’

  ‘I didn’t know he was home!’ Ellen said. ‘I got the shock of me life when he turned up as bold as brass an hour ago.’

  ‘Well don’t stand there, come on in!’ Molly waited until they passed, closed the front door and hurried ahead of them, apologizing. ‘Yer’ll have to excuse the place, Jack and Tommy have not long got in from work and they’re having their dinner.’

  Jack’s pleasure at seeing his friend was evident on his smiling face. His knife and fork clattered to the plate as he jumped to his feet. ‘Corker! It’s good to see yer.’ He shook the big man’s hand up and down. ‘Yer’ve been on me mind the last day or two, ’cos I know yer boat calls at Rotterdam sometimes and I’ve been worrying in case yer were in port there when the Germans bombed the city.’

  ‘We were lucky, Jack, we got away just in time.’ Corker took Ellen’s arm and led her to the couch. He waited until she was seated, then sat beside her. ‘We finished unloading, turned around and were about half an hour out at sea when it started. We could hear the planes, the sky seemed to be full of them, and we heard the explosions. And I don’t mind admitting that I stood at the rails and I prayed like I’d never prayed before, in thanks to God. If we’d still been in dock when the raid started I wouldn’t be here now.’ He felt Ellen shiver beside him and placed a hand over hers. ‘Don’t be gettin’ yerself all upset, love, ’cos I’m here, and all in one piece.’

  ‘And could yer see the explosions from where yer were?’ Tommy asked, his eyes wide. ‘I’d have thought yer were too far away.’

  ‘We could hear and see the planes, we could hear the explosions and we could see the fires start and grow until the flames reached the sky. The whole of Rotterdam seemed to be on fire, and I felt like crying for the people who had been given no warning. Innocent civilians, men, women and children, who had never asked for a war and had never done anyone any harm. If only they’d been given an hour’s notice, so they could get themselves to places of safety … but Hitler doesn’t show any mercy. He doesn’t care who or how many he kills, young or old. Just bomb them into submission so they can’t fight back.’

  ‘The bastards!’ Jack glanced at Molly. ‘I’m sorry, love, but I can’t think of another word to describe Hitler.’

  ‘What about evil, cruel, murderer?’ It was Ellen who spoke. She was beside herself with an anger she’d never known before. An anger brought out by the realization that she’d very nearly lost the gentle giant she’d grown to love so much. And the knowledge that she’d never know a moment’s peace every time he put out to sea. ‘He wants lockin’ up and the key throwing away.’

  ‘What d’yer think about the situation in Holland, Corker?’ Jack asked. ‘Can they hold out against Hitler?’

  ‘I doubt it.’ Corker’s eyes sent a message across to Jack. He didn’t want to say too much in front of the women. ‘Anyway, the pub will be closing in half an hour and I’m dying for a good old English pint of bitter. How about you, Jack, d’yer fancy a pint?’

  ‘Of course he does!’ Molly said quickly. ‘His life is all bed and work, so it’ll do him good to get out for a bit. Ellen can sit an’ keep me company.’

  Corker glanced sideways. ‘Is that all right with you, love?’

  ‘Need you ask?’ Ellen said. ‘Me an’ Molly can have a good old natter. She can fill me in on all the gossip.’

  Molly grinned. ‘I’ll go and get her, shall I?’

  Ellen looked puzzled. ‘Get who?’

  ‘Nellie of cou
rse! She is all the gossip! In fact, I don’t know why Jack bothers to buy the Echo every night when Nellie only lives a few doors away.’

  Corker’s chuckle was hearty. ‘The whole world is in a helluva state, all topsy-turvy. But one thing never changes, thank God, and that’s Molly’s and Nellie’s fine sense of humour. It borders on the ridiculous sometimes, and yer have to be mad to understand it, but it’ll keep us going if nothing else will.’

  ‘If Nellie was here, she’d be asking yer if that was a compliment or an insult.’

  Corker set his cap at a jaunty angle and his white teeth gleamed through the mass of hair on his face. ‘It’s a compliment, Molly, me darlin’.’

  ‘Oh, well, I’ll let yer off the hook.’ Molly watched Jack struggle into his coat. ‘Have yer got enough money on yer, love?’

  ‘Yeah, I won’t need much. We’ll only have time to buy a round each.’

  Corker winked at Tommy, who was standing beside Jack. ‘Ye’re as tall as yer old man, son! Another year, an’ yer’ll be catching up with me.’

  Tommy’s chest swelled with pride. ‘Another year an’ ten months an’ I’ll be comin to the pub with yer.’

  ‘Oh, God, he’s puttin’ years on me!’ Jack laughed. ‘Come on, Corker, before the towels go up.’

  ‘I’ll walk out with yer,’ Tommy said. ‘I may as well go up and knock on Ginger’s door.’

  ‘Take a key with yer,’ Molly said, ‘in case yer dad and I want to go to bed.’

  ‘No, I don’t need to. I’ll be back well before our Jill and Doreen are in.’

  Tommy leant against the wall of Ginger’s house. It was a warm evening, too nice to be inside. And anyway, unless they sat on the stairs, there was nowhere they could talk in private. ‘Which pictures are we goin’ to on Saturday?’

  ‘I dunno! Abbott and Costello are on at the Astoria, Cary Grant at the Atlas and James Cagney at the Carlton in Orrell Park. I don’t mind which one we go to.’

  ‘It’s your turn to pick,’ Tommy said, ‘I had my go last week.’

  ‘We’ll go to the Carlton then.’ Ginger scraped his shoe on the pavement, trying to pluck up the courage to say what he’d been rehearsing all day. ‘If I ask yer somethin’, yer won’t bite me head off, will yer?’

  ‘I don’t think I’d fancy bitin’ your head off, no matter what yer asked me. What is it, anyway?’

  ‘Er … do … er … do you like Rosie?’

  Tommy straightened up. ‘How d’yer mean, do I like Rosie? She’s all right I suppose. The only thing wrong with her is she’s a girl! What are yer askin’ me such a daft question for?’

  ‘I just wanted to know if yer liked her. I mean, you know, have yer got yer eye on her?’

  ‘What!’ Tommy exploded. ‘Got me eye on Rosie O’Grady! Yer wouldn’t be havin’ me on by any chance, would yer?’

  Ginger was glad it was dusk; he’d never have had the nerve in broad daylight. ‘I was only wonderin’. I mean, if yer liked her, I’d leave the coast clear for yer.’

  ‘Yer’ve lost me, Ginger, I don’t know what ye’re on about! What d’yer want to leave the coast clear for me for?’

  ‘That’s only if yer had yer eye on her!’ Ginger was finding this far harder than he’d thought it would be. ‘But seein’ as yer haven’t, then I don’t need to bother.’

  ‘D’yer know what?’ Tommy said. ‘Yer sound just like me auntie Nellie! But when she goes all around the houses to tell yer somethin’ it’s always funny, an’ at least yer get a laugh. Why don’t yer just come right out and say what’s on yer mind?’

  Ginger began to kick the front step, his nerves shot to pieces. But he’d come this far: he might as well carry on. ‘I was thinkin’ of askin’ Rosie if she’d come to the pictures one night.’

  ‘Yer what! Yer mean – with you an’ me? Not on your life, mate!’

  The speed of Ginger’s kicks increased. His big toe was beginning to throb, and if he wasn’t careful he’d have no toecap left on his shoe. But in for a penny, in for a pound. ‘I didn’t mean with you, I meant just her and me.’

  Tommy was flabbergasted. He and Ginger had been best mates since the day they’d started school, and he never thought the day would come when a girl came between them. And trust that girl to be Rosie O’Grady! He was momentarily lost for words. Then he blurted out the first thing that came into his head. ‘Me nan would never let her go out with yer, not just the two of yer.’

  The kicking stopped as Ginger got his dander up. ‘Why not with me? What’s wrong with me? I’m as good as anybody else!’

  ‘I never said there was anythin’ wrong with yer! I just think me nan will say she’s too young to be goin’ out with a boy, that’s all!’

  ‘I’ll never know if I don’t ask, will I?’ Ginger said with spirit. ‘I can’t see how yer nan can object to me takin’ Rosie to the pictures, we could go to first house an’ be home early.’

  ‘Oh, please yerself, but don’t say I didn’t warn yer.’ Tommy was experiencing a feeling of jealousy, but he couldn’t make out who he was jealous of. ‘It would serve yer right if she said yes, ’cos she’d talk the ears off yer.’

  ‘Yer don’t mind me askin’ her, then?’ Ginger had taken a shine to Rosie, but he didn’t want to fall out with his friend over her. ‘It wouldn’t make any difference to us – we could still go out together on a Saturday night, like we always do.’

  ‘Suit yerself,’ said Tommy, feeling very piqued. ‘But don’t say I didn’t tell yer. An hour with her an’ yer’d have a headache for a week.’

  ‘Yer haven’t got a cob on, have yer?’ Ginger asked. ‘I mean, we’re not goin’ to fall out over it?’

  ‘No, why should we?’ Tommy stretched to his full height. ‘I think yer need yer brains testing, but there’s no accounting for taste. Anyway, I’m off home. I told me mam I’d only be an hour. I’ll see yer, Ginger, ta-ra for now.’

  ‘Ta-ra, Tommy.’ Ginger was feeling sick as he watched his friend walk away. He only hoped Rosie didn’t turn him down, ’cos he’d look a right nit if she did.

  ‘Have the boys been all right?’ Ellen asked when she came back from Molly’s with Corker. ‘They haven’t been givin’ yer a hard time, have they?’

  ‘No, there hasn’t been a peep out of them.’ Phoebe was thirteen and blossoming into a nice-looking girl. She was very sensible for her age and could be relied on to do her share of the housework and looking after the other three children when Ellen was at work. ‘They’ve been good, haven’t they, our Dorothy?’

  ‘Yeah!’ Dorothy had her arms around Corker’s waist, smiling up into his face. She was two years younger than her sister, a happy child with a sunny disposition. She was usually in bed by eight o’clock, but when Corker was home she was allowed to stay up late to keep Phoebe company. ‘Will yer come down early tomorrow night, Uncle Corker, before Peter an’ Gordon go to bed, an’ read us a story?’

  ‘I’ll do that with pleasure, me darlin’.’ Corker stroked her short, straight, mousy-coloured hair. ‘I’ll tell yer one yer haven’t heard before, about three men stranded on a desert island.’

  Dorothy turned shining hazel eyes on her mother. ‘Did yer hear that, Mam? Ooh, I can’t wait!’

  Ellen smiled. What a difference Corker had made to the lives of her children. He’d given them the love and safety that their own father never had. ‘Up to bed now, and when you’re asleep the time will go quicker. Kiss Uncle Corker goodnight, then poppy off.’

  The girls were happy as they went up the stairs. They couldn’t wait for tomorrow night.

  ‘D’yer want a cup of tea?’ Ellen asked. ‘Or have yer had enough liquid for one night?’

  ‘I’ve had enough, love.’ Corker patted the space beside him on the couch. ‘Come and sit down. This is the first time we’ve been on our own for ages.’

  Ellen sat down and rested her head on his shoulder. ‘It’s good to have yer home.’

  He slipped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her to him. ‘I�
��ve been thinking while I’ve been away, love, and I think it’s time we brought everything out in the open.’

  ‘But we said we’d leave it for a year or two, until the children were older.’

  ‘I know what we said, love, but things have changed drastically since then. Time is too precious to waste. We don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next, so let’s make the most of the time we’ve got together. I need you, Ellen, and I want you to marry me. Every time I go away I want to know you’ll be here waiting for me when I get back – as my wife. And I want to hear the kids calling me Dad, not Uncle Corker.’

  ‘There’s nothing they’d like better,’ Ellen said, reaching up to touch the hand on her shoulder. ‘An’ I suppose I don’t mind telling them, or the neighbours for that matter, that Nobby’s dead. But have yer thought about your mother? You can’t leave her in that house on her own, not at her age. An’ we couldn’t have her here because with only the two bedrooms, we’re crowded as it is.’

  ‘I know there’s problems, love, I’ve gone over them dozens of times in me head. But if you’ll help me, we can overcome them.’ Corker gave a deep sigh. ‘I wouldn’t leave me ma, I love her too much for that. She’s been a good mother, the best there is, and I’m all she’s got in the world.’ He gripped Ellen’s shoulders and turned her to face him. ‘I know it’s a lot to ask, but until the war’s over and we can look for a bigger house, will yer let me share me time between here an’ me ma’s house when I’m home on leave?’

  Ellen drank in every feature of the beloved, weather-worn face. ‘I love you, Corker, an’ I’ll be content with the time yer can spend with me an’ the kids. I’ll take you on any terms.’

  Corker breathed out a sigh of relief. ‘When I come down tomorrow night we’ll tell the kids, eh? Then we’ll tell Molly, an’ she’ll pass the news on to the neighbours, save you gettin’ embarrassed.’ He pulled her towards him and held her tight. ‘Yer don’t know how happy yer’ve made me, I feel like a young lad again.’

  ‘I’m only worried about how yer ma will take it,’ Ellen said, her head pressed close to his chest. ‘I hope she won’t be upset, you takin’ on a ready-made family.’