by Joan Jonker
‘I won’t get hurt, don’t worry. We’ll just take things as they come, it’s no good lookin’ for trouble.’
Tommy could sense the tension in Sadie’s voice and led her thoughts away from what lay ahead. ‘The market was dead busy today, wasn’t it, Sadie? We were rushed off our feet from the time we opened.’ His chuckle echoed in the dark deserted street and his breath hung in the air. ‘There’s a lot of poor buggers gettin’ a second-hand hammer for Christmas.’
‘Oh, that’s not all they’re gettin’,’ Spike said, his voice full of laughter. ‘They’re gettin’ a box of tacks to go with them! The women were buying the hammers off you, then comin’ to us for the tacks. I bet the wives have got jobs lined up for the poor sods over Christmas. I can hear them now, “Just put a tack in the lino on the stairs for us, love”, or, “Ay, light of my life, will yer put a tack in that shelf in the kitchen for us? Go on, it’ll only take yer a minute”.’
‘Aye, women are crafty articles, yer can’t be up to them,’ Tommy said. ‘They’ve got their men cornered on Christmas Day because there’s nowhere open. No pubs to have a pint, no bookies’ runners on the street corner to have a bet, and no trams to take them off somewhere out of the way.’
‘Ah, you poor things, me heart bleeds for yer.’ Sadie clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. ‘You men are all alike. Yer think yer badly done to but yer don’t know yer born compared to the worry a woman has.’
Tommy gave her a dig in the ribs. ‘Sixteen yer are, Sadie, and already I can hear a whine in yer voice. It’s funny how all women have that whine – must be born with it ’cos I’m damn sure they wouldn’t go out and buy it.’
‘I’ll have to think of an answer to that some other time,’ Sadie said, coming to a halt at the corner of Pickwick Street. ‘This is where I live.’
Tommy gazed down the street of two-up two-down terraced houses. It was much of a muchness to hundreds of other streets in Liverpool, including his own. ‘Come on, let’s get it over with, I’m starving. Me tummy thinks me throat’s been cut.’
Walking between them with her head bowed, Sadie could feel the nerves of her own tummy tighten. It was easy to use brave words when you were miles away, saying you weren’t frightened. But right now she’d give anything to turn tail and run. Her eyes slid sideways as they passed the Youngs’ house, but the curtains were drawn over and she couldn’t see inside. ‘This is it. I think our Jimmy will open the door ’cos he knows I’m coming. If he does, will yer give him the parcel and then wait under the lamp for us?’
‘If that’s what yer want, Sadie,’ Spike said. ‘Whatever you say is all right with us.’
Sadie lifted the knocker and banged hard. ‘I’ll let yer know if I need yer, don’t worry about that.’
Jimmy had been hovering by the front door for over an hour, wanting to be the first to see Sadie and warn her that their dad was in a foul mood and just waiting for someone to vent his anger on. So he had the door open even before the echo of the knock had died away. ‘Don’t come …’ His voice trailed off when he saw the two big blokes standing either side of his sister.
‘Jimmy, will yer take that parcel for us? This is Tommy and Spike, they’ve come with me in case me dad takes off.’
‘He will take off, our Sadie. He’s been in a terrible temper since he came in from work ’cos me mam didn’t have enough money to get him some drink in for tomorrow. I’ve had a few belts off him, and so has our Ellen and Les. If he sees you he’ll hit the roof.’
‘Oh, to hell with that, I’m goin’ in there.’ Tommy raised his foot to mount the step. ‘He sounds like a right bastard to me – he wants puttin’ in his place.’
Sadie put a restraining hand on his arm. ‘No, Tommy, please.’ Suddenly she wasn’t afraid any more. Knowing her father had hit the children turned her fear to anger. On Christmas Eve, when most children were excited about Father Christmas coming down the chimney to fill their stockings and leave their presents, all her brothers and sisters could expect was a clip around the ear. ‘I’ll be all right, I promise you.’
‘Don’t come in, our Sadie, he’ll go for yer.’
‘I’m going in whether he likes it or not. I’ve got a few things I want to say to the man who we are unfortunate enough to have for a father. So step into the street, Jimmy, and let me past. I’ll go in first.’
Coming from Sarah’s spotlessly clean, warm and comfortable home, the living room looked worse than Sadie remembered, and the smell was overpowering. Like the click of a camera, her mind photographed the whole scene. Her mother was sprawled on the couch next to Sally, who was banging on a battered pan lid with a spoon, while her father was slouched across the table facing Ellen and Les, eyeing them with venom in his eyes and a sneer on his lips. The two children looked petrified, as though they were too terrified to even blink for fear of feeling the back of his hand. Of her sister, Dot, there was no sign.
It was several seconds before Sadie’s presence in the room registered in George Wilson’s brain. Snarling like a wild animal, he sprang to his feet with such force he sent the chair crashing to the floor. ‘Get out of my house, yer bleedin’ bitch! Go on, out with yer, an’ take those things with yer.’ When Sadie didn’t flinch, he became more enraged. ‘If yer not out of this house in two seconds I’ll pitch yer out into the street, and yer bleedin’ parcels after yer.’
‘I’ll leave this house when I’m good and ready to leave, and not before.’ Sadie was shouting herself now, more angry because she’d seen Ellen smile when she saw her, then quickly lower her head for fear of her father’s wrath. ‘You don’t scare me one little bit.’
‘Oh, no? Well, we’ll see about that.’ George made a move towards her. ‘This is my house an’ anyone I don’t want in it, I’m entitled to throw out.’
‘I would advise yer to stay right where yer are.’ Sadie’s tone was so full of confidence it had the effect of slowing George down. ‘If you lay one finger on me I’ll bring two of me friends in to sort you out. And I don’t think yer’d like that ’cos they’re big lads and you’re only used to lashing out at children.’
‘Don’t you threaten me, yer lying little bitch.’ Like a raging bull, he lunged towards her. ‘I’m going to give yer what I should have given yer years ago, a bloody good hiding.’
Sadie bent her arm at the elbow and held it out to him. ‘Go on, touch me.’ She turned to Jimmy. ‘Yer know what to do if he does, Jimmy. Yer go and bring Tommy and Spike in.’
Jimmy was so enjoying seeing someone stand up to his father, the excitement showed on his face. And it made him bold enough to say, ‘They’re great big men, Dad, they’d make mincemeat out of you.’
George’s beady eyes narrowed. Although he was within an inch of his daughter he made no effort to touch her as his mind tried to work out what to do. Then he thought, to hell with it, he wasn’t going to let a chit of a girl make a fool of him. ‘I’ve told yer I’ll say who comes in my house an’ I don’t want you or yer bleedin’ friends in, so off yer go and take that load of shite with yer.’ He nodded at the two parcels. ‘And don’t bother sendin’ any more ’cos I’ll throw it on the fire.’
Sadie put her open hand on his chest and pushed for all she was worth. ‘Don’t you stand near me, I hate and detest yer. Call yerself a father, do yer? What a laugh that is. Anyone less like a father I’ve yet to see. I will certainly never acknowledge you as being my father, I’d be too ashamed. What you are is a dirty man, dirty in mind and body. What you are is a cruel man who likes to beat the living daylights out of the children. What you are is a mean, selfish man who spends every night in the pub supping pints while his family sit in the cold because there’s no money for coal. There’s no money for food either, or for decent clothes for them, so they go hungry and walk around like tramps.’ Sadie knew she was shouting but didn’t care. She had to get it off her chest and at the same time let him know he wasn’t going to have things his own way in future. ‘Seeing as you won’t buy the children cl
othes, I’ll keep sending them as often as I can afford to. And don’t try throwing them on the fire ’cos me friends outside wouldn’t take kindly to that. Nor would they take kindly to yer ill-treating the children, so in future keep yer hands to yerself.’
Leaving her father looking as though he’d like to kill her but was afraid of the consequences, Sadie turned to Jimmy. ‘Will yer go and tell Tommy and Spike that I’m all right and I’ll be with them in a few minutes. I’ll just give these presents out.’ She picked up the doll wrapped in coloured paper. ‘This is from Father Christmas, Sally, and yer mustn’t open it until tomorrow when yer wake up.’
The child was round-eyed. She clutched the parcel and tilted her head. ‘Sadie?’
‘Yes, darling, I’m yer sister Sadie, and I love yer very much.’ She kissed the upturned face with tears in her eyes before handing Ellen and Les their presents. ‘Don’t open them until tomorrow, d’yer hear? And there’s clothes in there for all of yer.’ After kissing the two children Sadie stood and looked down at her mother. Not one word had the woman uttered since she’d entered the house. I wonder why, she asked herself. Is it because she’s ashamed, or guilt-ridden? If she was any kind of a mother at all she’d be both.
Sadie turned at the door. ‘Have a nice Christmas, kids, and I hope yer like yer presents and clothes.’ She glared at her father and forced her lips into a sneer her face had never experienced before. ‘I have a few warnings for you. If you take any of the kids’ things off them I’ll find out and I’ll make you sorry you signed. And if you threaten any of them with sending them to an institute I’ll have you beaten to a pulp. I’ve never been vindictive in me life, but I am now where you’re concerned. Keep your filthy hands off the children or suffer the consequences.’
Jimmy was standing talking to Tommy and Spike, his arms waving and his thin face animated as he told them how his sister had stood up to their dad. ‘You didn’t half tell him where to get off, our Sadie, I couldn’t believe it!’
She hugged him and gave him a big kiss. ‘There’s a present on the table for yer but yer mustn’t open it until tomorrow. And will yer help our Ellen to sort the parcel of clothes out? There’s something there for each of yer so yer’ll all look posh on Christmas Day. Me dad won’t bother yer no more, I think he’s had his balloon burst tonight.’
Jimmy put his arms around her waist and lifted her up. ‘Yer a smasher, our Sadie, I’m real glad yer me sister.’
‘I’ve got another surprise for you and our Ellen for Boxing Day, but yer must give me yer solemn promise yer’ll keep it to yerself. Yer both invited to tea in the house where I’m living.’
‘Go ’way! D’yer really mean that, our Sadie? We’re comin’ to see where yer live?’
Sadie nodded. ‘Leave the house at half-one and tell me mam yer going to the park or somewhere. Walk towards town, then ask someone how to get to Scotland Road. When yer get there, keep walking until yer come to the Rotunda. I’ll meet yer there at two o’clock.’ She gave him another quick kiss. ‘Go in now, or the queer feller will be asking you all sorts of questions.’
‘I won’t tell him nothing, Sadie, I’ll just act daft.’ He grinned up at Tommy and Spike. ‘But I will tell him yer had two giants with yer.’
‘He’s a corker, that one,’ Tommy chuckled. ‘Accordin’ to him, yer Tom Mix, Robin Hood and King Kong all rolled into one. In another couple of years yer won’t need me an’ Spike, he’ll sort yer old feller out single-handed.’
‘Come on, let’s go.’ Sadie was eager to be away and began to walk briskly down the street leaving the two boys no option but to break into a trot to keep up with her. ‘I’ll be glad when I’m back in me grandma’s house.’
‘Hey, what’s the big hurry?’ Tommy asked. ‘I thought yer’d be feeling pleased with yerself the way things went. Mind you, we were on our way down there a few times when we heard the shouting. Ready for action, weren’t we, Spike?’
‘You certainly told him what yer thought of him, Sadie – yer were brilliant.’ In the darkness, Spike narrowed his eyes as he stared at Sadie’s bowed head. There was something not quite right here. ‘We didn’t hear everything of course, we could only hear your voice and yer old man’s.’
They were away from Pickwick Street by this time and Sadie slowed down. ‘That’s all yer would hear ’cos nobody else spoke. I’ve got a sister thirteen and a brother of nine, who didn’t even look at me for fear of gettin’ a clip around the ear. Me mam never opened her mouth or even looked at me – it was as if I wasn’t there.’ The lump in her throat was growing and tears stung the back of her eyes. ‘I’ve got a baby sister who was only eighteen months when I left home, and she didn’t recognise me. I had to tell her who I was.’
Tommy looked across Sadie’s head and shrugged his shoulders at Spike. They weren’t used to seeing a girl cry and didn’t know quite what to do. ‘I think yer looking at this the wrong way, Sadie.’ Tommy put an arm across her shoulder and Spike followed suit. Between them they began to walk her to the tram stop in Park Street. ‘All the kids are better off for yer going, aren’t they? I mean, they’d have had no presents or new clothes only for you.’
‘And yer’ve got the old man off their backs,’ Spike said. ‘I can’t see him touching them again in a hurry. If he does, yer know yer can always count on me and Tommy.’
Sadie sniffed up. ‘It was seeing the place again that’s upset me. I’d forgotten just how bad it is. And me heart breaks when I think of them having to live there.’
‘Yer can only do so much, Sadie, an’ yer’ve done more than most people would have done in the circumstances. Gettin’ all that stuff together for them, out of the wage you get, well, I think yer bloody marvellous.’
‘Yeah, me too!’ Spike nodded. ‘And yer’ve got something to look forward to on Boxing Day, with yer brother and sister coming to see yer. And it doesn’t have to be a one off. They can come and see yer often – Sarah won’t mind. That way, yer’ll be able to keep tabs on the whole family, make sure they’re being treated right.’
Spike’s words lifted Sadie’s spirits. He was right, she could see Ellen and Jimmy as often as she liked, as long as Grandma and Grandad didn’t mind. She knew she could trust the children not to give her secrets away.
Sadie put her arms around their waists and pulled them closer. ‘You two are good mates, yer know that, don’t yer? Yer’ve done a lot for me tonight and I’ll not forget.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
‘Oh, yer’ve just missed it!’ Florrie Young’s eyes were flashing and her face flushed with excitement as Harry came through the door. He was late getting home tonight because he’d gone for a Christmas pint with the blokes from work. ‘Ten minutes earlier and yer’d have heard a right performance from next door. Aren’t I right, Jack? We’ve never heard nothin’ like it before.’
‘Yer mam’s right, son – there was a real humdinger of a row.’ Jack leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. ‘We couldn’t help but hear it. They were shoutin’ so loud the whole street must have heard.’
Harry made his way to the hearth and held his hands out to feel the warmth from the glowing coals. ‘Nothing unusual about him shouting his head off, he never does anything else.’
‘Aye, well, he had someone to answer him back tonight.’ Florrie’s head nodded as her lips pursed. She wanted to be the one to tell Harry; she felt she owed it to him. ‘The daughter turned up and by golly did we know it. You know the one I mean, you used to speak to her … Sadie, isn’t it?’
Harry straightened up, his cold hands forgotten. ‘Sadie was next door?’
‘And how! The first we heard was the queer feller bawling his head off, telling her to get out and calling her a bleedin’ bitch. It was only as the row went on we were able to make out that she must have taken Christmas presents for the children and he said if she didn’t get out he’d throw her out and the parcels after her.’
Harry took a long deep breath. ‘Yer mean yer heard her bein
g threatened and not one of yer got off yer backsides to see if she needed help?’
‘Hold yer horses, son,’ Jack said. ‘Wait until yer’ve heard the full story.’
Florrie picked up the thread. ‘The next thing, we hear her voice and, oh boy, was she giving it to him. She said she’d leave when she was good and ready and not before. And she said he didn’t scare her one little bit. That set him off again, saying it was his house and anyone he didn’t want in he was entitled to throw out. He must have gone for her, ’cos she warned him that if he laid a finger on her she’d bring her two friends in to sort him out.’
Jack took over now. ‘We heard the table being pushed then, as though he’d made a grab for her, then her voice daring him to touch her. We heard her telling that young brother of hers to run and bring Tommy and Spike in if he laid a finger on her. Who the hell Tommy and Spike are, God only knows.’
Harry was shaking his head. ‘Yer heard all that through the wall?’
‘Yer haven’t heard the half of it yet,’ Florrie said. ‘We were worried when he yelled that he was goin’ to give her a good hiding, so yer dad told our Paul to go and stand by their door and knock on our window if things started to get nasty.’ She looked across at Harry’s younger brother. ‘Tell Harry what yer saw, son.’
Feeling important, seventeen-year-old Paul gazed down at his laced hands hanging between his knees. ‘I noticed these two strange blokes standing under the lamp, but I didn’t give it a thought. But when I stood outside next door listening for sign of trouble, one of the blokes came down and asked what I wanted. I was goin’ to ask him what it had to do with him, but he was such a big bloke, Harry, I decided I’m not cut out to be a hero. So I just said me mam had sent me to make sure the girl was all right, and he said him and his mate were there to make sure she was. He was nice about it, thanked me for me concern and I was to tell me mam that she needn’t worry about Sadie.’
Harry could feel his insides turning over. While he was having a pint with his mates, Sadie had been so close, just next door. He hadn’t really wanted the flaming pint, anyway – he’d only gone to be sociable. And now he’d missed the one person who was never far away from his thoughts. ‘And that was that?’