MB04 - Down Our Street

by Joan Jonker

  ‘That’s passion, light of my life.’ Nellie preened. ‘I know he doesn’t look it, Archie, but my husband is a very passionate man.’

  ‘See what I mean, lad?’ George spread out his hands. ‘That’s what gives me a shiver. I never know what she’s going to come out with next!’

  ‘At least yer marriage will never go stale, Mr McDonough, not like some do.’

  Once again Nellie preened. ‘D’yer know what, Archie, the minute I clapped eyes on yer I knew yer were a man after me own heart.’

  Lily was ready within fifteen minutes, much to Archie’s surprise. ‘That didn’t take yer long!’

  ‘I put me skates on.’ Lily wasn’t going to let on that she already had the dress and shoes ready, hoping things would turn out as they had. ‘I don’t spend half-an-hour plastering me face with make-up, like some girls do.’

  ‘Yer don’t need to,’ Archie told her. ‘I think some girls use a trowel to put it on and they look like painted dolls.’

  ‘Well, come on, don’t just sit there after me rushing round like mad.’ Lily reached behind the couch for the bag with her dancing shoes in. ‘I’ve got a key, Mam, if yer want to go to bed before I get home.’

  ‘I’ll come to the door with yer.’ Nellie was delighted with the turn of events. She’d be able to tell Molly that tonight had been one step forward. ‘Enjoy yerselves.’

  ‘We will, Mrs Mac.’ Archie gave her a cheeky grin. ‘And you be careful yer don’t put too much strain on yer husband’s back.’

  ‘Chance would be a fine thing, lad!’ Nellie closed the door thinking she didn’t half like him. If she was able to pick a husband for her daughter, Archie would definitely be first in line. ‘Well, what d’yer say, love?’ she asked when she was back in the living room. ‘D’yer think there’s romance in the air?’

  ‘I’d like to think so, ’cos Lily couldn’t do any better for herself.’ There was tenderness in George’s eyes when he looked at his wife. He knew she’d been unhappy about Lily’s friendship with Len; he had been himself. But as a mother, it had been harder for Nellie. She wanted the best for her only daughter. ‘But it isn’t up to us, is it, love? It’s up to Lily. All we can do is wait, watch and hope.’

  ‘And keep me fingers crossed!’ The mischief shining in his wife’s eyes told George she was going to come out with something that would send a shiver down his spine if they had company. But seeing as they were alone, he waited with anticipation. ‘I was going to say I’d cross me legs as well, for good measure, like, but I wouldn’t do that to yer, love.’

  George’s head fell back and he roared with laughter. He must be one of the luckiest men in the world to have a wife who kept their marriage alive with her humour, warmth and passion.

  The band struck up with a tango, and Archie held out his hand. ‘Are yer going to try it?’

  ‘Ye’re a sucker for punishment, Archie, ’cos yer know I’m hopeless at a tango! Why don’t yer ask another girl, ’cos I know it’s one of yer favourites? I don’t mind sitting it out.’

  ‘I don’t want to ask another girl, I want to dance with you! Anyway, ye’re not that bad at it. Just take a look at some of them on the floor, they haven’t got a clue!’

  Lily took his hand and allowed him to lead her on to the dance floor. ‘On your own head be it, Archie, if I make a mistake.’

  ‘No, Lily, if yer make a mistake it’ll be me feet that get it, not me head.’

  ‘Unless I trip yer up and yer fall backwards. Then, if I carry on dancing on me own, it will be yer head that gets it.’

  Archie was eight inches taller than Lily, so he had to hold her away from him to look down into her face. ‘Yer sounded just like yer mam then.’

  ‘Ooh, I’ve got a long way to go to catch up with me mam. She’s so quick-witted she leaves me spellbound at times. I wish I was more like her though, ’cos she’s a smasher.’

  ‘She is that! And you’re more like her than yer realise.’ Archie dared a quick squeeze of her waist before dancing on.

  Lily flatly refused to try the rumba, saying she wanted to master the other dances first. But she was secretly pleased that she’d come on so well over the last few weeks; she was able now to follow Archie without looking down at her feet or feeling nervous. He was a good dancer and it hadn’t escaped her that he was receiving admiring glances from some of the girls standing on the fringe of the dance floor. She could understand that because he really was tall, dark and handsome, and he stood out in the crowd. And he was good company, with his quick wit and ready smile. An ideal companion for an enjoyable night out.

  On the way home, Lily took his arm. ‘Thanks for taking me, Archie, I really enjoyed meself. I’ve learned a lot from yer, too, and am more confident on the floor. In another couple of weeks I’ll be trying out all those intricate steps and spins.’

  ‘Wouldn’t yer prefer to go to the pictures one night, just for a change?’

  Lily didn’t answer straight away. It was one thing going to a dance, but sitting in the intimacy of a darkened cinema was something entirely different. She and Len used to go to the pictures nearly every night, and in the darkness he would hold her hand, or steal a kiss as sweethearts do. She didn’t pine for Len any more, he’d hurt her so much it had killed any feelings she had for him. Even if he came crawling for forgiveness, she would never take him back. But she still thought of him. After all, you can’t put two years out of your mind as though they’d never been.

  Archie squeezed her arm. ‘Yer haven’t gone asleep on me, have yer?’

  ‘No, I was miles away,’ Lily lied. ‘I was seeing meself waltzing around that dance floor like a real professional, and everyone else leaving the floor to gaze in admiration at me grace and nimble footwork.’

  ‘Well, do yer mind coming down to earth again and telling me whether yer’d like to go to the pictures one night? We could see if Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are on anywhere, and yer could watch their twinkle toes.’

  ‘I don’t think so, Archie, if yer don’t mind. Yer see, me and Len went to the pictures nearly every night ’cos there was nowhere else to go. He would never spend more than five minutes in our house, I never went to his, so it was Hobson’s choice, I’m afraid. And I really did get a bit fed-up with it.’ Lily’s eyes slid sideways. Whenever they went out, Archie and Paul paid for her ticket between them, even though she’d wanted to pay for herself. But tonight the cost had fallen on Archie’s shoulders and there’d almost been an argument when she’d tried to buy her own ticket. But she couldn’t keep imposing on him, it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t as though they were courting or anything. ‘I hope yer don’t mind, Archie – about going to the pictures, I mean?’

  ‘No, of course I don’t mind.’ He kept his voice light, even though he was bitterly disappointed. And hearing her talking of her ex-boyfriend hadn’t helped. ‘I enjoy dancing, so it suits me.’

  ‘Well, the next time we go I’m paying for meself. I can’t expect you to be forking out for me all the time.’

  ‘That’ll be the day, when I take a girl out and she pays for herself! I’ve never done it before and I’m not about to start now. I’d feel a right heel.’

  I’ve insulted him now, Lily thought, and I didn’t mean to. So she tried to put things right. ‘Why don’t we stay in tomorrow night and have a game of cards with me mam and dad? It’ll be a change and we’d have a good laugh.’

  That lifted Archie’s spirits. Perhaps he was expecting too much, too soon. She needed time to get to know him, and what better place to do that than in her own home? ‘That sounds good to me. But will you tell Paul in the morning in case he’s expecting to come dancing with us?’

  ‘Yeah, I’ll do that.’

  ‘Where was he off to tonight, by the way? I didn’t see him with anyone special last night, did you?’

  Lily shook her head. ‘Not that I noticed. But nothing our Paul did would surprise me.’

  Where Paul had taken himself off to that night would have certainly sur
prised his sister. The boy who was a wizard on the dance floor and didn’t need any dancing lessons, had gone to Connie Millington’s dancing school. And if anyone had asked him why, he would have had a problem trying to tell them something he couldn’t understand himself.

  Phoebe Corkhill was dancing with a new beginner and trying to keep her feet from getting under his, when she saw Paul walk through the door. The sight of him threw her into a state of confusion and she lost control of her feet. The lad she was dancing with, Danny, thought it was his fault and began to apologise. ‘I’m sorry, I missed me footing. The way I’m shaping, yer feet will be black and blue tomorrow.’

  ‘It was my fault, not yours.’ Phoebe glared over to where Paul was grinning and waving to her. What the heck was he doing here? She wasn’t going to be able to dance properly with him watching, he’d put her off completely. ‘Don’t worry, we’ve all got to learn. I was worse than you when I first started.’

  At the end of the dance she walked over to join her friend, cursing the blushes that she knew would be colouring her face. She didn’t even have time to sit down before Paul was upon them.

  ‘Hiya! I thought I’d come and see for meself what is so good about this place that yer come a few times a week. Yer never know, I might learn something.’

  Phoebe was tight-lipped. ‘What are yer doing here, Paul McDonough?’

  ‘The same as you, Phoebe Corkhill, to learn something. I could do with brushing up on me foxtrot. And now, why don’t yer introduce me to yer friend?’

  ‘Nancy, this is Paul.’ The introduction was begrudged by Phoebe but welcomed by her workmate, who nearly swooned and thought she’d never seen anyone as gorgeous as the boy grinning down at her with a merry twinkle in his eye.

  ‘So, are yer both going to take pity on me, seeing as it’s me first time here? I’ll have the next dance with Phoebe and the one after with you, eh, Nancy?’

  Nancy looked so pleased it was as if someone had given her an unexpected birthday present. ‘Oh yeah, I’d like that.’

  ‘I’ve promised to have the next dance with Danny, ’cos he’s just learning and is very shy. And the dance after I’m having with the boy I dance with every week. But Nancy will be happy to have yer for a partner, Paul, so yer won’t feel left out.’ Phoebe had set herself a target and she wasn’t going to be thrown off-course. She’d dreamed of having her first dance with Paul at the wedding, when she was all dressed up in her beautiful bridesmaid’s dress, and she wasn’t about to let him spoil her dreams. So all night she found an excuse not to dance with him, and he was kept at arm’s length. And when the night was over, she refused to let him walk her and Nancy home, much to her friend’s dismay and Paul’s bewilderment. He couldn’t understand it; no girl had ever turned him down before.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  ‘I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night,’ Molly said as she and Nellie walked to the shops. It was the Tuesday before the wedding and the excitement was mounting for both women. ‘If it keeps up like that I’m going to look like a wet rag come Saturday.’

  ‘I know, girl, I didn’t get much sleep meself. And my feller gets on me flaming nerves ’cos he sleeps like a log, without a care in the world. Snores his ruddy head off, he does.’

  ‘Jack’s the same, sleeps like a baby. But it’s just as well the men do sleep because they’ve got to go out to work.’ Molly gave her friend a dig. ‘Ay, don’t men have an easy life, sunshine? I’ve got that many things to think about for this wedding, I don’t know whether I’m on me head or me heels.’

  ‘Yer must be on yer heels, girl, ’cos if yer were on yer head I’d be talking to yer knickers right now. And people would think I’d gone doolally.’

  ‘Before I forget, Nellie, I’ve got something to tell yer that ye’re not going to like. But before I tell yer, I want yer to remember that your family are part of this wedding, too! So are yer ready to hear the news without biting me head off?’

  ‘Go on, girl, me shoulders are strong, I can take it.’

  Molly pulled her arm from her mate’s and put a space between them. ‘Ye’re going to have to have our table in your house on Saturday.’

  ‘What! Holy suffering ducks, girl, not again! I’ve got that ruddy table more than you have! In fact, it spends so much time in our house, it takes its shoes off and makes itself at home!’

  ‘I think yer’ve had that table four times in twenty-five years, sunshine, so don’t you be exaggerating. And why have yer had it anyway? Have yer never thought of that? Well, I’ll tell yer, shall I? I’ve asked yer to mind the table every time we’ve had a party and wanted more room. And why, pray, was I having parties? Because you, sunshine, were too ruddy mean, that’s why.’

  ‘All right, girl, there’s no need to tell the whole ruddy street! I’ll have the flaming table to stop yer moaning, but I’ll be black and blue with bumping into it.’

  ‘There’s no need for it to go in yer living room, it can go in the yard. With the weather the way it is, it won’t come to no harm.’

  Nellie thought about that, then narrowed her eyes. ‘Why can’t it go in your yard?’

  ‘Because when the reception is over, a few people might be coming back to the house. And I don’t want the table in the yard in case someone who’s had one too many decides to go to the lavvy and bumps into it. Now, does that satisfy yer?’

  ‘I thought we were staying in the hall after the reception, and having a party there. So why d’yer say a few people might come back to yours? I hope yer not thinking of sloping off on the quiet without letting on to yer best mate?’

  ‘Now, as if I’d do that to you! No, we’ve got the hall until eleven o’clock and most people will have had enough by then. Jack’s brother and his wife have written to say they’ll have to leave about eight ’cos it’s a long drive back. And Lizzie Corkhill and Miss Clegg won’t last much after that ’cos they’ll be worn out. So I’m just thinking of asking our close family and friends if they want to come back for a cuppa, to finish the day off, like.’

  ‘That’s nice of yer, girl, and I accept yer invitation on behalf of me family and Mr Archibald Higgins.’

  ‘I hadn’t forgotten Archie, sunshine, not for a second. He’s one of me favourite people. And I’m hoping romance will bloom between him and Lily so we can keep him in the family. D’yer think he’s in with a chance?’

  ‘If I told yer what I thought, yer’d say I’d gone stark, staring bonkers. She’s in a world of her own, that’s what yer’d say. Or, as my George tells me, it’s wishful thinking.’

  ‘Go on, tell us, I’m all ears.’

  ‘If I do, will yer promise not to say a dickie-bird to anyone? I don’t want to be a laughing stock if I’m proved wrong.’

  ‘Me lips are sealed, sunshine, cross my heart and hope to die.’

  ‘I’ve got a feeling that on Saturday, all me three children’s lives will be mapped out for them. And if it turns out that way, I’m going to get blind drunk with happiness, even though my George can’t stand drunken women. Common as muck, he calls them.’

  ‘Will yer get straight to the point, Nellie, instead of going all around the houses? What does this feeling that yer have tell yer?’

  ‘Well, we know our Steve’s sorted out, don’t we? He’s got the girl he always wanted and, please God, they’ll both live happy ever after. And as far as our Lily’s concerned, I think I know what’s going on inside of her better than she does herself. I can see her getting closer to Archie, liking him more every day, but she’s either as thick as two short planks or as stubborn as a ruddy mule ’cos she can’t see what I can. Anyway, whether she’s thick or just stubborn, I’m pinning me hopes on her coming to her senses on Saturday.’

  ‘I’ve told yer, ye’re expecting too much of her. She’s neither thick nor stubborn, Nellie, she’s just a girl who’s been badly let down and needs time to get over it. And now tell us who yer’ve got yer eyes on for your Paul? This I can’t wait to hear, ’cos your Paul definitely has
a mind of his own and if he thought yer were matchmaking for him, he’d tell yer in no uncertain terms to get lost.’

  ‘I’m not telling yer nothing about him ’cos yer’d say I had a screw loose. Perhaps I am imagining things – it wouldn’t be the first time. But if I get legless on Saturday, yer’ll know it’s because I’m in me seventh heaven and not as daft as yer think.’

  ‘But your Paul hasn’t even got a steady girlfriend! I’ve never even seen him with a girl, and he’s never brought one to the house, has he?’

  ‘I’m saying nowt.’ Nellie’s shake of the head meant that was an end to the matter. ‘Ay, girl, are we going to the butcher’s?’

  ‘No, we got today’s dinner in yesterday. Why, what made yer ask?’

  ‘Because Ellen is waving her hand off to attract our attention. I think she wants us to go over there.’

  Molly grabbed hold of her mate’s arm as Nellie stepped off the pavement and almost into the path of an on-coming bus. ‘In the name of God, Nellie, are yer trying to get us both killed! How many times do I have to tell yer to look both ways before crossing? Even a five-year-old’s got more road sense than you.’

  ‘Keep yer hair on, girl, ye’re still in one piece, aren’t yer? And if yer must know, I saw the ruddy bus coming before you did, so there was no need to pull me arm out of its socket.’

  ‘You fibber! Now tell the truth, Nellie McDonough, yer never saw the bus, did yer?’

  ‘Yes, I did, so there!’ Nellie’s eyes twinkled as her body shook with laughter. ‘I saw it as it went past, didn’t I?’

  Molly tutted as she looked both ways, saw it was clear and took hold of her friend’s arm before stepping into the road. ‘What am I going to do with yer? Yer’ll have me in an early grave, you will.’

  Tony and Ellen had been watching the palaver through the shop window, and they were both grinning when the women entered the shop. ‘Worse than a child, isn’t she, Molly?’

  ‘You ain’t kidding, Tony! Our Ruthie had more road sense at five than Tilly Mint here’s got. She’d have walked straight into that bus if I hadn’t pulled her back.’