Walking My Baby Back Home

by Joan Jonker

‘Yeah, he’s not a bad kid, even though I say it as shouldn’t. Anyway, I’ll get a clean cloth for the table and yer can start cutting the bread.’

  ‘Before you go, Dot, what is all this about Mary and a poker?’

  Dot told him what Mary had said, then added, ‘I think he’s been having another go at her, but she won’t admit it. Something drastic must have happened for her to want to protect herself; she’s not the type to go for someone with a poker unless it was serious. But for the life of me I can’t see her using it – she’s far too meek and gentle.’

  ‘Everyone has a breaking point, my dear, and perhaps Mary has reached hers.’

  ‘Aye, that may be so, but I’d rather she knocked on the wall for me or Maggie than have a go at him herself. He’s such a violent man she could end up getting herself killed.’

  ‘She could do both, actually. Knock on the wall and fend him off until help arrives.’

  ‘Blimey, it sounds like a film, the way you say it. One of those old-fashioned ones where two men meet in the park at daybreak to defend their honour. They’re asked if they want pistols or swords and when they’ve decided, they turn around and walk away from each other. Ten slow paces, then they turn and fight it out until one of them is dead.’

  John chuckled. ‘It’s easy to see where Katy and Colin get their sense of humour from.’

  Dot turned away, uneasy now they were alone in the house. ‘I don’t know whether ye’re a big boss at work, or a little one. But while ye’re in this house, I’m the big boss. Big Chief Sitting Bull, that’s me. So get cracking on that bread and cut the slices as thin as yer can.’

  John stood to attention, clicked his heels and saluted. ‘Yes, sir! Right away, sir!’

  ‘I’d have to stand on a chair to do it, but any more lip out of you, Joking John, and I’ll box yer ears for yer.’

  ‘Is that a threat or a promise, Doubting Dorothy Baker?’

  But Dot was already in the kitchen pretending she didn’t hear, so he never found out.

  ‘I’ll stay behind if yer like, Mrs Edwards, and give yer a hand to clean up,’ Katy said. ‘It would give yer more time to get ready for the pictures.’

  ‘No, love, thanks all the same. It won’t take me five minutes to make meself presentable. After all, Clark Gable won’t be able to see me, will he?’

  ‘Yer’ve really got a crush on him, haven’t yer?’

  ‘I think he’s very handsome, Katy, but I’m a bit long in the tooth to have a crush on a film star. I only keep on about him to wind my Jim up.’

  ‘One of the customers was telling me she’d seen the picture and she enjoyed it. I won’t tell yer what she told me ’cos it would spoil the story for yer. It’s called, It Happened One Night so it could be a mystery. Yer’ll have to hold yer husband’s hand if it is.’

  Out of the corner of her eye, Molly saw her husband come in from the storeroom and decided to pull his leg. ‘Fancy holding my feller’s hand and watching Clark Gable’s face on the screen. I’ve got a good imagination, but not that flamin’ good.’

  Jim winked at Katy before saying, ‘I’ve changed me mind about going to the Broadway, love. I’d rather go to the Carlton to see Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler.’

  Molly was taken in by his straight face. ‘Well, yer can just change yer mind back again, unless yer want to sit in the pictures on yer own.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think I’d be on me own for long. There’s plenty of women go to the pictures by themselves, so I might just get lucky. After all, not every woman is crazy about Clark Gable.’

  ‘Wishful thinking, my love.’ Molly gave him a look that said where he was concerned, the film star wasn’t in the running. ‘Act yer age and take the bar off the door for Katy. Young Billy has been kept waiting long enough.’

  Katy picked up the birthday cards and comics she’d bought for her brother. ‘Have a nice time and enjoy the picture. I’ll see yer on Monday.’

  Outside, Billy was none too happy. ‘I thought yer were never coming. Yer’ve been standing there gabbing for nearly half an hour.’

  ‘Don’t you bite my head off, Billy Harlow, I didn’t ask yer to wait. I can quite easy walk home on me own, yer know, I’m not helpless.’

  ‘I know that, but I met yer mam early on and she said she’d have the tea ready for a quarter past six. It’s gone half-past now.’

  ‘Shall we agree to agree, Billy, or shall we agree to disagree?’

  Billy chuckled. ‘I’m goin’ to follow me dad’s advice and agree. He’s always telling me never to argue with a woman, ’cos yer can’t win. They’ll have the last word if it kills them, that’s what he says, so I’ll agree with him and I’ll agree with you.’

  ‘Ye’re a coward, Billy Harlow.’

  ‘I know, Katy Baker, a hundred per cent one at that.’

  They were laughing when John opened the door to them. ‘You two seem very happy.’

  ‘It’s down to agreements, Mr Kershaw.’ Katy gave him a bright smile as she slipped past him. ‘We now agree that I talk too much and Billy is a coward.’

  Colin was standing by the table when they entered the room and he turned wide eyes on his sister. ‘I’ve got a birthday cake, Katy.’

  ‘Ooh er, aren’t you lucky?’ She squeezed his shoulder with one hand while handing him the comics and cards with the other. ‘There’s one each off me and me mam.’

  ‘Here’s a card from me,’ Billy said gruffly, ‘and a bar of chocolate.’

  ‘Thanks, Billy, and you, our Katy.’ Colin closed his eyes for a second. What a day this had been, his heart was beating like a tom-tom. ‘Look what me mam’s done.’ He moved away from the table so they could have a better look. There were plates of sandwiches, sausage rolls, a glass dish filled with red jelly topped with pink blancmange, a plate of iced fancy cakes and a jam swiss roll. And in the centre on a glass stand, was a Victoria sponge sandwich cake with twelve candles on it. ‘Doesn’t that look the gear? Me mouth’s watering just looking at it.’

  ‘Yer’ve done well, Colin,’ Katy said, feeling quite emotional. They’d never had a birthday cake in the house before; in fact, a birthday was just like any other day except for hugs and kisses. ‘I hope yer’ve thanked me mam for it.’

  ‘He’s thanked her at least a dozen times to my knowledge,’ John said, standing by the kitchen door. Being in this house was a joy he’d never known before. He was filled with admiration for this small family who had come through ten years of hardship without a trace of bitterness or complaint. They’d been deprived of all the material things that other families took for granted, but they had something that was worth far more than a few shillings in their pockets. They had a loving mother who was prepared to work her fingers to the bone for them, who had taught them right from wrong, respect for others, how they should never be afraid to show their love, and who had always found time to listen to their problems. And she had passed on to them her pride and her sense of humour – both qualities that had made her the fine woman she was.

  ‘Will yer move out of the way, please?’ Dot gave John a gentle dig. ‘Ye’re holding up the traffic. I’m trying to get through with a pot of tea and you’re standing there looking all gooey-eyed. Come on, shift yerself.’

  John grinned as he stepped aside. ‘Ever since I gave you a nickname you’ve been picking on me. I’ll have to re-think my tactics. Instead of Doubtful or Doubting Dorothy, I’ll rechristen you and call you Delightful Dorothy, see if that puts me in your good books.’

  Dot set the teapot on the table. ‘The only time I’m delightful, John, is in me dreams. I was going to say when I’m fast asleep, but then I’ve got me dinky curlers in and I look like Granny Grunt. Not to mention when I take me false teeth out and put them in a cup at the side of the bed.’

  ‘Oh, Mam!’ Katy looked horrified. ‘Don’t say that! Mr Kershaw will think yer’ve got false teeth, and yer haven’t, yer’ve got nice teeth.’

  ‘It’s not her false teeth I’m worried about, Katy,’ John said
, his smile wide. ‘It’s where she keeps her wooden leg. Does she prop it against the wall or leave it at the bottom of the bed?’

  ‘Any more lip from you, Mr John Kershaw,’ Dot wagged a finger at him, ‘and I’ll take it off and wrap it round your ruddy neck.’

  And so Colin’s first ever birthday party started with laughter. He’d been allowed to sit at the head of the table, while John and Billy faced Dot and Katy. ‘Be careful with the dishes,’ Dot warned. ‘They’ve got to go back to Mrs Mason’s when we’ve finished with them.’

  ‘We’ll have our own for the next party, though, won’t we, Mam?’ Katy’s deep blue eyes were bright with happiness. ‘Yer won’t need to borrow them.’

  Dot’s head went back and she roared with laughter. ‘Don’t let Betty hear yer say that, she won’t be able to keep tabs on us. She knows what we’re having to eat by the dishes we borrow off her. She wouldn’t lend me the glass dish until I told her what colour the jelly was.’

  John looked from mother to daughter. Apart from the colour of their eyes, they were the image of each other. The same thick auburn hair, well arched black eyebrows, strong white teeth, and even the same laughter lines at the side of their eyes. ‘We’re lucky, aren’t we, Billy?’ he said. ‘Having two pretty girls to look at.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Billy flicked a crumb from his sleeve. ‘Dead pretty, they are.’

  Dot raised her brows. ‘Thank you for the compliment, but I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination I can be classed as a girl.’

  ‘Excuse me, D.D., but Billy and I were having a private conversation. If we want to say you are a girl, and a pretty one at that, it really doesn’t have anything to do with you. Am I right, Billy?’

  Billy spluttered and had to put a hand over his mouth to stop crumbs from flying everywhere. He swallowed hard before looking at Katy. ‘Mr Kershaw hasn’t met me dad, has he?’

  Katy was laughing too much to speak, so John asked, ‘What’s your father got to do with this, Billy?’

  ‘It’s all to do with agreements, Mr Kershaw,’ the boy said, ‘and me being a coward.’

  Katy had calmed down by now and took over. ‘He’s been advised by his father that it’s no good arguing with a woman ’cos yer can’t win. Women will have the last word if it kills them. So Billy’s decided to become a coward and agree to everything.’

  John pursed his lips and nodded. ‘Your father is a wise man, Billy.’

  Dot groaned when a knock came on the door. ‘Oh no, who can this be?’

  ‘Shall I go, Mam?’ Katy asked. ‘It’ll only be one of the neighbours looking for change for the gas.’

  ‘No, you stay where yer are, I’ll go.’

  Silence reigned over the table as all ears were cocked. Then they heard a shriek of delight and Dot’s voice. ‘Mam, oh it’s lovely to see yer.’

  Colin’s chair nearly toppled over as he jumped up. ‘It’s me grandma.’

  Katy left her chair too, and brother and sister tried to elbow each other out of the way to be first to greet the slightly built, white-haired lady who was beaming at them. She gathered them close and hugged them. ‘Hello, me darlings, how are yer?’

  ‘It’s me birthday, Grandma.’

  ‘Yes, I know, son, that’s why I’m here.’ She handed Colin a card and bag. ‘Happy birthday, sunshine.’

  ‘Mam, this is John Kershaw – he’s the bloke I told yer about over our Colin. This is me mam, John, Mrs Baker.’ Dot laughed when she saw the puzzled expression. ‘I know, how can she have the same name as me? Well, yer see, she’s me mother-in-law, really. I was an only child and me parents were both dead, so when I married Ted I took on his whole family. His mam and dad became my mam and dad, and his sisters became my sisters. And I couldn’t have wished for a better family.’

  John took the frail hand in his. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Mrs Baker.’

  ‘Likewise, son, likewise.’ The old lady’s smile was warm as she craned her neck to look up at him. ‘Ye’re a big lad, I’ll say that for yer.’

  ‘Come on, take yer coat off, Mam.’ As Dot began to undo the buttons on the faded grey coat she said over her shoulder, ‘Don’t be taken in by the size of her, John, she’s a proper little live-wire. Still goes out to work every day, even at her age.’

  ‘It’s a case of having to, to pay me rent.’ Mrs Baker pushed Dot’s hands away and slipped her coat off. ‘It’s either that or the workhouse.’

  ‘Only because ye’re too independent.’ Dot hung her coat up. ‘Your Mary wants yer to go and live with them but, oh no, yer’d rather work yerself to death, wouldn’t yer?’

  ‘Hard work never killed no one, girl – in fact, it keeps me going. Another thing, I can please meself when I come and go, and that suits me fine. And I just hope that when me time comes I’ll be carried out of me own little house.’

  ‘It’ll be a long time before you’re pushing the daisies up, Mam, yer’ll probably outlive the lot of us.’ Dot gave her a hug. ‘Anyway, it’s a nice cheerful subject for a party, isn’t it? You sit yerself down in Colin’s chair and I’ll make a fresh cuppa. There’s still some eats left, so help yerself.’

  The old lady’s eyes swept the room. ‘I see yer’ve been busy, girl. It looks nice – yer’ve made a good job of it.’

  ‘Not me, Mam, it was John who did it. He’s got the border to put up yet and the gloss paint to put on, but when it’s finished we won’t know ourselves. We’ll be proper posh.’ Dot was at the door of the kitchen when there was a loud knock. ‘That’ll be Betty. I think when she gets in a bad temper she comes down here and takes her spite out on my door.’

  ‘I’ll go, Mam,’ Katy said, hurrying from the room.

  Dot stayed by the door until her friend came in. ‘What do you want, Betty Mason? Have yer come to check we haven’t broken any of yer dishes?’

  Betty nodded and smiled at Mrs Baker before saying, ‘No, girl, I came because yer forgot. I don’t blame yer like, ’cos I know yer’ve been busy and it must have slipped yer mind.’

  Dot looked puzzled. ‘What did I forget?’

  ‘To invite me to the party, of course! But don’t get upset over it, ’cos as I said, I know yer’ve been rushed off yer feet.’

  ‘You are one cheeky so-and-so, Betty Mason. I didn’t invite yer ’cos it’s a child’s birthday party, not adults’.’

  Betty snapped her fingers. ‘Blast, I’ve left me dummy at home.’ She stuck her thumb in her mouth and sucked loudly on it. ‘I’m only nine, Auntie Dot.’

  ‘Aye, and the thirty years yer’ve forgotten about.’ Dot flared her nostrils and glared. ‘It’s no good me telling yer to go home because I know yer won’t, and it would take a flaming crane to shift yer. So, Billy, will yer take yer plate and sit on the couch, there a good lad.’

  When Billy stood up, Betty eyed his plate. ‘If that’s one of mine, just watch where ye’re putting it. If it gets cracked, so does your head.’

  Billy grinned. ‘Me head’s already cracked, Mrs Mason, me mam dropped me when I was a baby. That’s why I’m always agreeable and a coward.’

  Katy laughed and joined Billy on the couch. He was delighted to be so close to her but his happiness was short-lived when Colin wriggled his bottom to sit between them. ‘Look what me grandma gave me, Billy – a dozen ollies. Will yer have a game with us tomorrow?’

  ‘In me long kecks? Some hope you’ve got, Colin. Me mam would kill me if I knelt in the gutter in these.’

  Billy didn’t realise everyone was listening until there was a roar of laughter.

  Mary heard the laughter coming from next door as she lay in bed, her knees pulled up to her chest to try and keep warm. How marvellous it must be to belong to a family who laughed as much as the Bakers. A family where there was love and warmth and respect. She had had all that when she was at home with her parents and brothers, but she’d thrown it away to marry a scoundrel like Tom Campbell. He made her life a nightmare, never knowing when the next punch was coming. He didn’t hit
her in the face any more, or on her neck or arms, he was too crafty for that. Now he aimed for the small of her back or her chest – places that were hidden from the eyes of neighbours. He was a rotter, a down-and-out rotter and she hated him. She also feared him, that was why she’d come to bed so early. Some Saturdays he came home rotten drunk, hardly able to stand and incapable of harming her. She welcomed those nights and was able to sleep without fear. But other times, like last Saturday, when he was only half-drunk . . . those were the nights she dreaded.

  Mary tucked the bedclothes around her and lay awake listening for the key in the door. She’d vowed to herself that never again would she allow herself to suffer the pain and degradation he’d put her through that night. She had thought about bringing the poker up with her, but he sometimes used it to liven the fire up when he came home so he could get a warm while smoking his last cigarette of the day. He’d have the house up if he couldn’t find it. But she’d get one from somewhere on Monday and hide it under her side of the bed. And if he started his tricks tonight she’d scream the house down and to hell with the consequences. He’d soon stop if he heard the neighbours banging on the door.

  She lifted her head from the pillow at the sound of a key turning and listened with her heart in her mouth. Then she heard him fall into the hall, sending the door crashing against the wall and she sighed with relief. She’d seen it so often she knew he wouldn’t be able to stand up straight, never mind climb the stairs. So tonight she had the bed to herself and tomorrow she’d find him either on the floor or flat out on the couch. And when she woke him to suggest he came to bed to sleep it off, the smell of stale beer would sicken her and his bad language would put her to shame.

  But for now, please God, she could sleep in peace and forget the drunken, wicked bully to whom she was tied.

  Chapter Ten

  Dot opened the door to John on the Sunday morning with her finger on her lips and her eyes rolling upwards. ‘Don’t make a noise, the children are still asleep. If they don’t wake up yer might get an hour’s work in before our Colin’s down and getting under yer feet.’