by Joan Jonker
‘Grandad’s going to be all right, Mam,’ Jill said, ‘I just know he is.’
‘Of course he is!’ Doreen was licking jam off her fingers as she pushed her chair back. ‘I bet when yer get to the ’ospital yer’ll get a nice surprise.’
‘Please God.’
They didn’t see Da yesterday, Molly thought, didn’t know how bad he was. But there was no point in worrying them now, better wait and see how things were first. ‘It’s time you were on yer way, Doreen, or yer’ll be late.’
‘I’ll rinse me hands first, they’re all sticky.’ She flinched as the cold water trickled over her fingers and wished they had hot running water, like Maureen did. She was lucky, was Maureen, their house had a bathroom, too.
When Doreen turned the tap off, the sound of Jill’s voice drifted through to the kitchen and she cocked her head to listen.
‘Mam, why did Steve walk away last night when he saw me?’
‘I couldn’t tell yer, sunshine, he was there one minute and gone the next!’ Molly was talking through a mouthful of toast and her voice was muffled. ‘I can’t make ’im out, and neither can Nellie!’
‘But I’ve never done anything bad enough for him to snub me like that!’ It was unusual for Jill to raise her voice, but she did now. ‘If he doesn’t want to be my boyfriend any more, why doesn’t he just say so? If he’d come right out with it, I would understand and we could still be friends.’
‘Sunshine, if I knew what was wrong with ’im, I’d tell yer, but your guess is as good as mine. It’ll all come out in the wash one day, but until then I’ve got other things on me mind.’ Turning her head, she bawled, ‘Doreen, what the blazes are yer doin’?’
‘Coming, Mam!’ Doreen moved like a streak of greased lightning. In sixty seconds flat she had her coat on, a scarf wrapped around her head, and was pulling on a pair of woollen gloves as she fled down the hall. ‘Ta-ra, see yez tonight.’
‘It’ll take a good one to get the better of that little madam.’ Molly closed her eyes and sighed. ‘I’d better wake Ma or she’ll ’ave me life. But I’ll tell yer this for nothin’, sunshine, I’m worried stiff.’
‘Mam, not long ago I remember you saying to someone, “Never trouble trouble, till trouble troubles you”.’ Jill leaned forward and stared into her mother’s face. ‘Why don’t you follow your own advice?’
‘Easier said than done, that’s why.’ Molly pushed herself up, every bone in her body aching. ‘Are you goin’ in to work today?’
Jill nodded. ‘I’ll go in today, but if you need me, I’ll stay off tomorrow.’ She wouldn’t have thought twice about staying off, but didn’t want Miles calling around in his lunch break, like he’d said he would. Her mam had enough on her mind without worrying about what the place looked like.
‘Are yer goin’ out with Miles, steady like?’
‘No, we’re just friends! He’s very nice, and I like him, but that’s all there is to it.’
‘Just the way it should be at your age.’ Molly pushed the chair back under the table. ‘Now I’d better wake me ma, she wants to be at the ’ospital for nine. An’ Nellie will be here soon to pick Ruthie up.’
‘I can only allow one in, I’m afraid.’ The matron stood in the corridor, her voice and manner abrupt but not unkind. ‘Mr Jackson is very poorly and we can’t have him getting excited.’
‘You go in, Ma, and I’ll wait out here,’ Molly said. ‘And don’t let ’im see yer worried.’
‘Only a few minutes, Mrs Jackson, no longer, because the doctor is due on his rounds.’ The matron turned to Molly, her manner unbending a little. ‘If there’s any improvement in your father’s condition, perhaps you can see him for a few minutes this evening.’
Bob was in a side ward on his own, and Bridie hesitated outside the door to compose herself. She was in turmoil, but was determined to put a brave face on for her husband’s sake. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.
‘Hello, me darling.’ Bridie took hold of the hand lying outside the bed covers. Bob looked so ill, his face the colour of the white sheets, she felt like taking him in her arms and loving him back to health. Bob’s eyes fluttered open and a weak smile crossed his face. ‘Hello, sweetheart, it’s so good to see you.’
‘It won’t be long before yer home again.’ Bridie bent to kiss his cheek. ‘Matron said you’re doing fine, so she did.’
‘I miss you.’ A lone tear trickled from Bob’s eye, down his cheek and on to the pillow. ‘I love you so much, sweetheart, I’m nothing when I’m not with you.’
Please God, don’t let me cry, Bridie prayed silently. Make me brave enough to carry this off. ‘I miss you too, Bob Jackson, so you’d better hurry up and get well again. I slept at Molly’s last night, but I miss me own bed and you lying next to me.’
He squeezed her hand. ‘Molly’s good, she’ll look after you.’
‘Molly and her family are the best in the world and I love them all dearly. But they’re not you, me darling, you are my whole life.’ Bridie was fighting hard to keep the tears back. Time enough to cry later. ‘So bear that in mind an’ get yerself better.’
‘I’ll try, sweetheart, I promise.’ Bob felt so weak it was an effort to keep his eyes open. But he wanted to feast them as long as possible on the face of the woman he loved so much it hurt. ‘You look after yourself, and stay with Molly until I come home.’
Bridie didn’t hear the door open and jumped when she heard the voice of the matron beside her. ‘Time’s up for today, Mrs Jackson, we don’t want to tire your husband.’
‘I can come in again tonight, can’t I?’ Bridie asked, her eyes flitting nervously from the matron to Bob. ‘At visiting time?’
‘You can come in any time.’ The matron had been warned in no uncertain terms by Molly not to mention that Mr Jackson was on an urgent note.
‘When your husband is transferred to the big ward you’ll have to stick to visiting times, but while he’s here, you can come any time. However, I would suggest you leave it until this evening. The doctor will have seen him twice by then.’
Bridie bent to kiss Bob on the lips. Because of the presence of the matron, it was a fleeting kiss, but it conveyed all she felt in her heart. ‘I love you,’ she said softly, ‘and I need you.’
Bob lifted a hand to stroke her cheek. ‘I love you too, my beautiful Irish colleen.’
Nellie, Bridie and Ellen sat around Molly’s table, cups of tea in front of them. ‘What time d’yer want to go, Ma?’ Molly asked. ‘D’yer want me to come with yer, or will yer wait for Jack?’
‘I’ll go on me own, so I will,’ Bridie said. ‘You’ve had a busy day and Jack’s been working. It’s too much for either of you.’
‘Don’t act so daft!’ Molly banged her cup down. ‘Yer don’t think we’d let yer go on yer own, do yer?’
‘Well, I would like some company,’ Bridie admitted, running her finger around the rim of the cup. ‘I don’t relish the thought of goin’ on me own, not just yet. When he’s on the mend, I won’t mind.’
‘Yer won’t ’ave to go on yer own, ever!’ Nellie said. ‘If they’d let us in, the whole street would love to see Bob.’
Bridie smiled at the big woman. Big in body, she thought, and big in heart. ‘I know yer would, Nellie, an’ I’m grateful to all of yez.’
‘Corker’s home, he came in the shop to see me.’ Ellen could say Corker’s name without blushing now, especially in front of these people who were her friends. ‘He got a shock when I told ’im about Mr Jackson. Wanted me to ask when he could go in to see ’im.’
‘Corker will probably call here, so I’ll explain things to ’im,’ Molly said. ‘Da might be well enough to see ’im before he sails again.’ She screwed up her eyes. ‘I’ve just thought on! How come yer home so early?’
‘Tony knew I was worried about yer dad, so he let me go. Said he’d do the cleaning up himself.’
‘That was nice of him,’ Bridie said. ‘Everyone’s so good.’
&n
bsp; ‘That husband of yours is a popular man,’ Nellie said, her chubby face creasing, ‘as well as a handsome one.’
All heads turned when they heard the key turning in the lock. Jill came running in, her face flushed. ‘I got off early and Miles ran me home. He’s outside, Mam, can he come in?’
There was a mad scramble. ‘Oh, dear God, just look at the place,’ Molly said, collecting the crockery off the table while Nellie, without being asked, pushed papers under cushions before grabbing the brush from the companion set and sweeping the hearth.
‘Mam, there’s no need for all that!’ Jill said. ‘He only wants to know how me grandad is.’
Molly’s eyes swept the room. It would have to do, he could like it or lump it. ‘Ask him in.’
Doreen jumped from the tram and wrapped the scarf tightly around her neck. I wonder how me grandad is? she thought as she walked briskly towards home. She crossed her two fingers, muttering, ‘Please let him be all right.’
Then, through eyes watering from the cold, Doreen saw a familiar figure walking ahead of her. ‘Steve!’
He turned, lifted his hand in greeting, then waited for her to catch up. ‘How’s things?’ he asked.
‘I wouldn’t know.’ She laughed. ‘Me mind’s frozen.’
‘Yeah, it’s not half cold, isn’t it?’
Thoughts were whirling around in Doreen’s head. Should she bring the subject up, or not? She knew their Jill was upset and hurt because of Steve, and it wasn’t fair. He’d just dropped her like a hot potato, no reason or excuse. And her sister deserved better than that.
‘What happened to you last night, Steve? Yer just walked away without even a by-your-leave.’
‘There was something on the wireless I wanted to listen to.’ He stared straight ahead.
‘Don’t give us that, Steve McDonough! D’yer think I came over on the banana boat! It was our Jill, wasn’t it?’
Steve glanced sideways for a second. ‘Just leave it, Doreen.’
‘Will I heck-as-like! One minute yer’ve only got eyes for each other, all lovey-dovey, then yez can’t even bear the sight of one another! What went wrong?’
‘It’s a long story, kid, so forget it.’
They’d reached the end of their street, and Doreen pulled him to a halt. ‘If yer talk quick, it won’t take long. An’ I promise I won’t say a word to anyone . . . not even our Jill.’ With a gloved finger, she made a cross over her heart. ‘Scout’s honour.’
Steve leaned against the wall, pulling the collar of his donkey jacket over his chin. ‘As long as yer don’t tell anyone.’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
‘Hello, Molly, me darlin!’ Corker’s massive arms encircled Molly’s waist and lifted her off her feet. ‘Pack yer bags and let’s run away, yer know we belong together.’
‘Put me down, yer big daft ha’porth.’ Molly didn’t think she had a smile in her, but who could resist this giant of a man with his ruddy face creased in a grin and his blue eyes twinkling? ‘You can come in, but yer’ll ’ave to excuse the place, it’s a tip. I’ve only just got back from the ’ospital.’
‘So I believe, I’ve just been talkin’ to Nellie.’ Corker went to stand in front of the couch, his seaman’s cap in his hand. Screwing his eyes up, he tossed the cap, sending it sailing across the room to land neatly over the vase on the sideboard. ‘How is the old man?’
‘Ay, you, less of the old man!’ Molly gave him a none too gentle push and the springs of the couch pinged as it took his weight. ‘My da’s not old, he’s . . . he’s . . . just not young any more.’
‘How is he?’
‘Just the same.’ Molly pulled a chair round to face him. ‘They let me in to see ’im this morning, just for a few minutes. I think he looks terrible, but the sister said his condition was stable, whatever that’s supposed to mean.’
‘It means exactly what it says.’ Corker brought a packet of Capstan Full Strength out of his pocket and lit up before continuing, ‘If he keeps that up for the next few days, he’ll pull through. The same thing happened to a mate of mine, and we all thought he was a goner. But he’s still alive an’ kicking, an’ that was five years ago. Surprised us all, he did.’
‘Ooh, I hope so, Corker.’ His words were like music to Molly’s ears. ‘I don’t know what me ma would do if anythin’ happened to him. She’s been staying here, but this mornin’ she said she wanted to go home. I tried to put her off, but she wasn’t havin’ any. All her memories are in that little house, all Da’s things, an’ she said she wanted to be near them.’
‘D’yer know, Molly, your parents ’ave got the happiest marriage I’ve ever known.’ Corker blew a circle of smoke in the air and scratched his beard as he followed its progress towards the ceiling. ‘They’re like a couple of youngsters, in love and don’t care who knows it.’
‘Don’t start me off, Corker, or yer’ll have me bawlin’ me eyes out.’ But Molly was glad he’d come, he was like a tonic, just what she needed. ‘Anyway, how long are yer home for?’
‘Just a week. I’m hoping to get Ellen’s livin’ room decorated before I go back, brighten the place up a bit. Right now I’m off into town to meet a couple of me ship-mates. I promised to have a few jars with them in the White Star . . . that’s a little pub off Mathew Street. It’s a sailors’ pub an’ yer hear some yarns down there, believe me! Not for a lady’s ears, they’d make yer hair curl and bring a blush to yer cheeks. But I’ll not stay long, I want to make a start on the room. If I can get it stripped today, I can start papering tomorrow.’
‘Ellen’s a changed woman, isn’t she?’ Molly picked a hair off her cardigan and leaned forward to throw it in the fire. ‘I can see now what yer meant when yer told us how she was years ago. She takes an interest in her appearance now, got more confidence.’
‘It was Nobby made her what she was, treatin’ her like a skivvy and knocking her around. And the poor kids suffered, too. Little mites had a dog’s life with him.’ There was anger in Corker’s voice. ‘But all that’s changed now, and they’re startin’ a new life. They’re warm, well fed and they’ve decent clothes on their backs. Ellen does wonders with the money she has coming in, but there’s no man to do the things a man ought to do. That’s why I thought I’d decorate the house, brighten the place up a bit.’
‘Any word of Nobby?’ Molly asked. She never mentioned him to Ellen for fear of upsetting her.
‘Not since I went with Ellen to see him at Christmas. It’s a terrible place, bars on the windows and all the doors locked.’ Corker threw his cigarette stub in the grate. ‘Mind you, all the patients in there are tuppence short of a shilling, and some of them are very violent. Like Nobby, they ’ave to be locked up. He didn’t even know us so I’ve told Ellen not to go again.’
‘We’ve got no money but we do see life, eh, Corker?’ Molly sighed. ‘I can’t help feelin’ sorry for the poor man, but I’m glad Ellen’s shut of him. He’d have put her in an early grave.’ She put a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn. ‘Excuse me, but I’m dead beat. Hardly any sleep, hospital twice a day with me ma and me mind full of worry. Not the best ingredients for a happy life, eh?’
‘Give it a week, Molly, an’ I bet yer’ll be feeling different. A lot can happen in a week.’ Corker stood up. ‘I’d better be on me way. But I’ll knock later tonight to see how things are.’
‘How’s your mother, Corker? I haven’t seen much of her this last few days?’
‘Oh, she’s fair to middling, thanks, Molly. I think havin’ me home more often makes her feel better. But the way things are goin’, I’ll be back on the long hauls before long. There’s a war brewing, and if it hasn’t started before the year’s out, I’ll eat my hat.’
Molly groaned. ‘Oh, don’t say that, Corker!’
‘Yer got to face facts, Molly, no good burying yer head in the sand. Hitler’s made a fool of Chamberlain an’ everyone else who wanted to believe in his “peace in our time”. Peace be blowed! Hitler and his fat, strutting sid
e-kick Mussolini are all geared up for war. Those small countries don’t stand an earthly, and if we don’t buck our ideas up, we’ll be fightin’ with broom handles.’
‘Well, they’re not gettin’ any of my family,’ Molly said as she followed him to the door. ‘Not bloody likely, they’re not!’
Corker turned, his bushy eyebrows touching his hairline. ‘Molly, me darlin’, if a war starts, d’yer think anyone will have a choice?’
‘You’re early!’ Molly nodded at the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘That thing hasn’t gone haywire, ’as it?’
‘No, that’s the right time.’ Jack smiled. ‘I got off half an hour early ’cos you looked like a wet rag this morning. It’s too much for yer, going to the hospital twice a day, what with Ruthie and the housework to see to. So I thought I’d give yer a break and go with Ma tonight.’
Molly moved quickly to hug him. ‘Yer a little love, Jack Bennett, that’s what yer are. An’ I’ll take yer up on it, ’cos I don’t only look like a wet rag, I feel like one.’
‘Can I go to see Granda?’ Ruthie was sitting at the table in her night clothes, ready for bed. ‘Let me go, Mam, please?’
‘Not tonight, sunshine, yer can go when Granda’s a bit better. Next week, perhaps.’
‘Is the dinner ready?’ Jack asked, struggling with the stud in the back of his collar. ‘I don’t want to keep Ma waiting.’
‘I’ve got it on a low light ready for the girls, they’re due in any minute.’ Molly pinched his cheek between finger and thumb. ‘You get yerself washed and changed while I dish yer dinner out.’
Jack was sitting down to his meal when Doreen came in, her face glowing from the cold wind. ‘Yer early, Dad!’
‘I got fed up, so I clocked off,’ Jack said, hiding a smile as he cut into a piece of liver. ‘Thought I’d go to the pub for a few pints.’
‘Take no notice . . .’ Molly broke off as Jill appeared in the doorway. ‘Well, everyone arriving together, that makes a change.’