by Howes, Pam
‘On my way.’ Millie gave him a mock salute and dashed to help Winnie, the wife of Arnold, the steward.
The band was setting up on the stage and Alice looked around the large room to see where she could be of help. But everything looked as though Jack had it all in hand.
‘What can I do?’
‘Just stand behind the bar and look beautiful,’ Jack teased.
‘Cheeky.’ Alice flapped a tea towel at him. ‘You look very smart in your new uniform.’
He did and his black boots were so highly polished Alice would bet she’d see her face in them if she tried.
‘So do you, but more sexy than smart.’
‘Jack!’ She giggled but could feel her cheeks heating at his bold comment, and as he came closer she caught the smell of whisky on his breath. ‘Behave yourself. I’m a married woman.’
‘Yeah, more’s the pity,’ Jack said as the band started to do a sound check.
Alice sighed and swayed from side to side. She’d always loved ‘Moonlight Serenade’. She and Terry had danced to the tune a few times and she closed her eyes and imagined his arms holding her tight right now. She blinked rapidly to stop the tears that suddenly threatened.
‘You okay, Alice?’ Jack frowned. ‘Sorry if I offended you. I was only pulling your leg, chuck.’
‘I’m fine.’ She smiled. ‘I’m missing my Terry. This tune reminds me of him. I just wish this flipping war was over. It seems to be taking forever.’
Jack patted her shoulder. ‘I know. But we’re all in it together. Let’s make sure everyone has a great time tonight and give them some good memories to take home.’
Alice took a breather for a few minutes as a temporary lull hit the bar. She glanced around the crowded room; everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Jack was out on the floor collecting empty glasses and Millie was going around the concert room selling raffle tickets. People were digging deep in their pockets to be in with a chance of winning one of the wonderful prizes laid out on a table. There was even an early Christmas hamper in pride of place, centre of the table, containing tinned and packet goods that had been handed in by the American contingent as they’d arrived on the packed coach from Burtonwood. The huge basket was filled to the brim with luxuries most local people could never afford or even find in the shops at the moment. Ham, salmon, tinned veg and fruit, evaporated milk and a large round tin with a full rich fruit cake, according to the label, as well as bars of assorted chocolate and a box of Christmas crackers. Whoever won that would be able to feed their family well for the festive season. The basket was topped with red ribbon bows that would probably grace a lucky little girl’s hair in time.
Millie came back to the bar, her borrowed apron pockets full of money. She tipped it out onto a small table.
‘Can you count that, Alice? I’ve still got some more tickets to sell but my pockets were in danger of bursting at the seams. Won’t be a minute and then I’ll come and do a stint for you and you can have a dance and catch up with the Rootes crowd.’
Alice found a spare money bag under the bar where they kept the takings bags and proceeded to count up the coins Millie had tipped out. There was a good few pounds here towards the Legion’s benevolent fund that would go towards a Christmas treat for the injured soldiers.
Jack came back with the glasses and proceeded to wash them.
‘You go and get a break, gel. Take a drink with you. Millie said she’d come and give me a hand when she’s done selling the tickets. The boss and his wife are going to put the food out in a few minutes, so it’ll be chaos again as they’ll all want a drink to wash it down with.’
Alice wasted no time in helping herself to a schooner of sherry and made her way over to the Rootes table. Marlene made a space for her next to Freddie and his wife. It was good to see everyone all dressed up in their best for the occasion instead of in overalls and turbans.
‘There’s some right good prizes up for grabs in that raffle,’ Marlene shouted above the noise of the music and people all talking at once. ‘I fancy that nice ’amper. Do my lot very nicely for Christmas, that would.’
Alice smiled. ‘I think they’ve all got their eyes on it,’ she said. ‘There’s some lovely silk stockings and chocolates up there too.’
‘It’s a smashing night,’ Freddie said, looking around at the couples dancing on the floor. ‘The Yanks are enjoying themselves anyway. Plenty of spare women to choose from. That’s what they like.’ He nodded towards Maisie, who was in the arms of a uniformed airman, being waltzed around the room. ‘She ain’t wasted any time getting off with one anyway.’
Alice took a sip of her sherry, enjoying the few minutes of relaxation that was probably all she’d get tonight. The music ended and the handsome young airman brought Maisie back to the table.
‘Thank you, Brad,’ she gushed as he smiled, showing even white teeth. He thanked her politely and walked to a table occupied by several other young men. ‘Catch up with you later,’ she yelled at his back and picked up a glass, downing the contents.
‘Take it easy, Maisie,’ Freddie warned. ‘You’ll be too drunk to stand up, never mind dance, if you don’t go a bit slower.’
Maisie rolled her eyes. ‘It’s a party, Freddie. I wanna just enjoy myself for once. Let your hair down, not that you’ve got much.’ She grinned cheekily. ‘And I want to show him that he’s not the only fella on the planet who can show me a good time.’
Alice followed her gaze and saw that the him she was referring to was Jack. Oh dear. Maisie didn’t look too happy about being dropped by him. But then, he said he’d only taken her out to the pictures twice. It was hardly the romance of the century.
‘No,’ Maisie carried on, ‘he’s only got eyes for one woman, and she knows it. Some people are just plain greedy.’
‘Maisie,’ Freddie shouted. ‘Watch your mouth.’ He turned to Alice, who was looking at him questioningly. ‘Sorry, chuck.’
‘Why are you sorry, Freddie? What’s wrong?’
Freddie beckoned her to one side. ‘She’s jealous and putting rumours about that Jack Dawson dumped her because he’s seeing you on the sly,’ he whispered. ‘I’ve told her not to be so bloody ridiculous, that you’re happily married, like. But the drink is loosening her tongue, so you best know what’s in her head, and then you can deal with it if she says anything else. She said earlier that he can’t take his eyes off you and it’s obvious why he dumped her.’
Alice stared at him and shook her head. ‘But that’s just stupid. I work with Jack. He’s a mate and he walks me back to my mother-in-law’s in the blackout to be safe. There’s nothing going on with us at all. Why didn’t Millie tell me she’s spreading rumours?’
Freddie shook his head. ‘She keeps her trap shut in the canteen when Millie is around. Millie’d slap her face if she heard her, believe me. Anyway, just ignore her, chuck. I’ll try and stop her drinking too much more and hopefully she’ll dance her socks off and burn herself out.’
Alice nodded, feeling stunned. ‘I’d better go back now; the bar’s getting busy again. Buffet’s on in a minute, then the raffle and then the talent contest, so we’ll be busy. Get some food down her to soak up the drink. I’ll just ignore her, or I might be tempted to slap her one myself, the cheeky mare.’
Alice walked back to the bar, her mind working overtime. She felt really annoyed now. If Maisie was spreading rumours like that, how long before they got back to Terry’s mam and eventually reached Terry’s ears? Not that he’d believe them, she hoped, but still, it wasn’t a very nice thing to happen. Scorned women were the worst; she’d read about them in romance books from the library. They could be dangerous and cause all sorts of trouble, so she’d watch her step from now on with Jack. She took her place behind the bar and Jack smiled.
‘What’s up? You look mithered to death.’
‘Nothing.’ She smiled back and turned to the next person waiting to be served. It was the handsome Brad. ‘What can I get you?’ she asked as he
caught her eye.
‘Ten pints, Ma’am,’ he said, waving a wad of notes in her direction.
‘Ten? Right, you’ll have to bear with me while I get enough glasses together,’ she said, concentrating on the job in hand and putting Maisie, Jack and everything else to the back of her mind for now. By the time she’d finished serving Brad and he and two members of his squadron had cleared the bar counter of full glasses, Alice had a queue of impatient customers waiting.
Jack got up on stage in front of the microphone and announced the buffet was ready and for everyone to form an orderly queue and help themselves. There was a mad rush to the tables where the generous spread was laid out. The band put down their instruments and joined everyone else for a well-earned snack; the peace and quiet, apart from general chit-chat, was overwhelming as the food was consumed and enjoyed. Alice tucked into a ham sandwich and rolled her eyes. What a treat. Jack poured her and Millie a sherry each and they sat down on a couple of stools behind the bar while the steward kept his eye open for any customers that needed serving.
There wasn’t a crumb left over as Millie and Alice collected the empty plates and tidied the buffet tables away. Jack announced that the raffle was to be drawn and he and Arnold, the steward, took to the stage. Cheers went up as each lucky number was drawn. To her delight, Marlene’s ticket was the first number out and she burst into tears as Jack told her she could have the pick of the table.
‘I’ll take the ’amper, chuck,’ she choked out. ‘I can give me mam an’ dad a good Christmas this year now. Thank you, lads,’ she called out to the young airmen who clapped and cheered as she carried the basket back to her table.
‘Bless her, I’m glad she’s won that,’ Millie said. ‘She deserves it, looking after her mam and dad like she does. All her wages go on keeping the roof over their heads and they are both getting on a bit.’
Alice smiled. ‘Then it’s gone to the right person,’ she said. ‘I know she likes a gossip, but she’s got a heart of gold deep down and I’ll never forget how she delivered my Cathy in that air raid shelter.’
Millie whooped loudly as her number came up next.
‘Jack,’ she yelled from her place behind the bar, ‘I’ll have a pair of stockings, you choose them.’
She grinned as wolf-whistles from the troops were sent in her direction.
The prizes went down quickly. When Alice’s ticket came out she chose a box of chocolates to take home to her mother-in-law, who would be thrilled to bits and would no doubt take great pleasure in sharing them with Brian.
‘Haven’t we done well?’ Millie said, putting their prizes in the back room for later.
‘You two have,’ Jack said, coming behind the bar. ‘I wanted that bottle of bourbon. But it went to one of the wounded soldiers. Ah well, I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.’
‘I’m sure he will,’ Alice said as the band started to play again.
‘What time are we starting the talent contest?’ Millie asked.
Jack looked at his watch. ‘About twenty minutes,’ he said. ‘Let ’em have a few dances first. I’ve only got five names down on the list, so you’re in with a good chance, Millie, and it’ll be nice for you to sing with a full band.’
Millie smiled gleefully. ‘And now I’ve had a couple of drinks I’m feeling more relaxed.’ She looked up as a young airman came over and asked her to dance. ‘Is that okay, can you manage without me?’
‘You go and enjoy yourself,’ Arnold said. ‘You giving us a hand tonight has been a big help, chuck. But you’re here to have fun as well. Go on. And you, Jack, take Alice for a dance and me and the missus will see to things here for a few minutes.’
‘Oh, but I…’ Alice faltered as Jack grabbed her hand and limped onto the dance floor. The band was playing Glenn Miller’s ‘In the Mood’ and the couples around them were jitterbugging. Alice felt her cheeks heating as Jack smiled at her and spun her around and around the best he could with his disability. He smelled of whisky and something spicy and there was a glint of devilment in his eyes. Alice tried to keep her own eyes averted from his as they danced. She saw him glance across the room towards where Maisie was sitting on her own at the Rootes table, glaring at them. Jack smirked and inclined his head in Maisie’s direction.
‘The face on it,’ he said. ‘And she wonders why I let her go.’
Alice pulled away from him. ‘Stop it, Jack. You have no idea of what she’s been saying and the damage she could cause.’
She ran towards the ladies’ toilets and locked herself in a cubicle, leaning her back against the door, her eyes closed. She felt sick and took a couple of deep breaths. She heard the outer door opening.
‘Alice, are you in here?’ Millie called out. ‘Jack sent me to find you. What’s wrong? He thinks he’s upset you.’
Alice unlocked the door and came out of the cubicle. ‘He has – well not him so much as what Maisie is saying.’
She told Millie what Freddie had said earlier and then Jack’s reaction to Maisie’s glaring at them.
Millie shook her head. ‘Ignore Maisie and her bloody big gob. I don’t blame Jack for dumping her. She’s a tart. He’s probably had his wicked way with her and she expects a ring on her finger in return. He wouldn’t be the first. She’s making a right holy show of herself over that Brad now. He’s dancing with a lovely girl out there and Maisie’s making eyes at him and calling out to him every time he dances past. He’s trying to ignore her. She won’t dare cause trouble for you if she knows what’s good for her. She’d lose the few friends she’s got. And Jack wouldn’t jeopardise your marriage, you know that, but if you want to keep on working here you need him to walk you home to be safe.’
Alice nodded. ‘You’re right. She’s not getting the better of me. It’s nowt to do with her what I do. I’m not even doing anything wrong. One little dance is all it was, and it wouldn’t matter which man I danced with, would it? That’s what tonight is all about, to enjoy ourselves. I’m going out there now and I’m telling Jack what she’s saying about us.’
‘Wait until we’re on our way home,’ Millie advised. ‘Don’t give her any reason to kick off and spoil what’s left of the evening. Jack was getting organised for the talent contest. Let’s go and see what’s happening and just ignore her.’
Back behind the bar Alice and Millie clapped as Jack introduced the first contestant to take part in the talent contest. Joe Shaw, the elderly caretaker from Rootes, marched proudly up to the stage with his piano accordion. He began his two-tune spot with an energetic Swedish polka that had the troops on the floor, pulling any willing girl up to join them. As everyone clapped and cheered, Joe took a bow and began his final tune, ‘The Cuckoo Waltz’, with everyone joining in the ‘Cuckoo’ bit. Again the dancers were up, waltzing around this time in a two-four step. Once more the applause and whistling and cheering had Joe beaming from ear to ear with pride.
Jack jumped back up on stage and consulted his list. ‘We’ve had a few more talented folks add their names to my list tonight. And following a consultation with our band here, to make sure they are familiar with the chosen tune, I’d like you to welcome on stage one of our visiting US airmen, Mr Brad Edwards, who is giving us a rendition of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day”, Frank Sinatra style. Take it away, Brad.’
Brad took to the stage and bowed to the cheers that went up from his troop, then stood in front of the microphone and waited for the intro.
‘Hey.’ Millie nudged Alice as Brad began to sing; his voice was powerful and clear. ‘He’s good. What a fabulous voice.’
Alice nodded and turned to serve Freddie with his order of a pint of mild and two small sherries.
‘You not doing your Max Miller impersonations tonight, Freddie?’ she asked him.
‘Not with the missus in the building,’ Freddie replied and rolled his eyes. ‘She doesn’t appreciate risqué. What goes on at Rootes stays at Rootes as far as she’s concerned.’ He handed over a ten-bob note and Alice gave him his change.
>
Whistling and loud applause followed Brad’s performance as he finished his song.
Jack thanked him and consulted his list. ‘And now we have two young ladies doing us a comedy spot. Please welcome on stage Sadie Romano and Jenny Baines as Elsie and Doris Waters, otherwise known as Gert and Daisy, with a Workers’ Playtime sketch.’
Millie nudged Alice as the band launched into the signature tune ‘Daisy, Daisy’ to welcome the girls on stage. They giggled nervously as they launched into a routine about working in a munitions factory. Everybody laughed and their nervousness disappeared as they got going.
‘What?’ Alice said, frowning as Millie pointed at one of the girls.
‘That’s Sadie who was in our class at school,’ Millie said. ‘I’m sure it is. But her surname wasn’t Romano, was it? That sounds Italian.’
Alice nodded. ‘She was Sadie Wright at school. Don’t you remember though, she ran away from home, caused her mam and dad loads of trouble and went off with that boy from the travelling fair that used to pitch up on Sefton Park before the war. That was it, Romano’s fair. She must have married him. Wonder how it’s affected her now though, with him being Italian. Loads of them have been rounded up and taken as prisoners of war. The fair hasn’t been here since she went off in 1938.’
‘Blimey, I’d forgotten all about that,’ Millie said. ‘Maybe he’s back in Italy with his family. We’ll have to ask her. Call them over when they’ve finished and we’ll offer them a drink.’
As the girls finished their spot and everyone clapped, Sadie led Jenny across to the bar.
Millie grabbed her arm. ‘I’m due on stage right now, but it is you, Sadie, isn’t it? I’m Millie and that’s Alice about to serve you. From school, remember?’
Sadie’s mouth fell open. ‘Oh my God, Millie, Alice, of course I remember. How nice to see you. How are you both?’
‘We’re fine,’ Alice said as Jack called Millie up on stage. ‘Let her go and do her spot and then we’ll join you for a drink when Jack comes back behind the bar. We’ve a lot to catch up on. It’s years, in fact.’