by Joan Jonker
Nellie linked her mate’s arm. ‘Why did yer say the nappies were for the baby, girl? I mean, who else could they be for? Not for you, ’cos yer grew out of them last year.’
‘Oh, very funny, sunshine. D’yer know, ye’re so sharp that one of these days yer’ll be cutting yer tongue off.’
‘Yer wouldn’t wish that on me, would yer, girl? I mean, what would yer do if I wasn’t able to torment yer? Yer’d have nothing to live for. Yer’d be lost.’
‘Lost in a world of silence, doesn’t that sound good, Nellie? What I mean is, I’d still have yer as me best mate, and we’d still go everywhere together, the only difference would be I would do all the talking and you could just nod or shake yer head. And I’d make sure yer were looked after. I wouldn’t let Tony palm yer off with chops that were all fat, or Edna Hanley give yer a stale loaf. No, sunshine, I’d make sure yer got the best of everything.’
Nellie dropped her head sideways and squinted up at her mate. ‘Has anyone ever told yer that yer talk too much, girl?’
Molly chuckled. ‘Not yet, they haven’t. But if you get any sharper and cut yer own tongue off, then they might have reason to say I talk too much, for I’d be talking for both of us.’ They reached the door of the small wool shop. ‘You stay here and hold the basket, sunshine. I’ll be in and out in two minutes.’
Molly came out of the shop, and threw a bag in the basket. ‘I told yer I’d only be two minutes. Now let’s have a look at the list.’ She whistled softly. ‘Jill wants potatoes and a cabbage, and we both want potatoes and veg. It’s going to be heavy carrying them to the cake shop, so shall we go to Hanley’s first?’
‘Good thinking, girl, good thinking.’ Nellie passed Molly’s basket back to her, then linked arms. ‘Ye’re not as daft as yer look, girl, and I’ll crown anyone what says yer are. Some folk might say ye’re cabbage-looking, but I’d soon tell them ye’re not green.’ She nodded her head for confirmation. ‘No, sir, ye’re definitely not green.’
Molly paused for a second, sensing her mate was up to something, but when she looked at Nellie’s face, it was as innocent as a newborn babe’s. So she carried on walking, little knowing that while the face was innocent, the mind was having a jolly good laugh.
Edna Hanley smiled when the two women walked into the shop. ‘Good morning, Molly, and to you, Nellie. I hope you are both healthy and happy this fine day?’
‘Yeah, it’s not a bad morning, is it, Edna?’ Molly rested the basket on the counter. ‘Spring is definitely in the air, I’m happy to say.’
‘Is it, girl?’ Nellie frowned. ‘What makes yer say that?’
‘Well, two reasons, sunshine, which yer shouldn’t need me to tell yer. We’re into April, which is the start of spring, and in case yer haven’t noticed, the weather is getting milder.’
‘Oh, yeah, now yer come to mention it, girl, the weather is milder. I’ll soon be able to leave me fleecy-lined bloomers off, and start wearing me cotton ones.’
‘That is a very useful piece of information, Nellie,’ Edna said. ‘I’ll pass the word on to anyone who comes in moaning and saying it’s cold out. And now, ladies, what can I do yer for?’
‘Three large tin loaves, Edna, please.’ Molly had her purse ready in her hand. ‘We’re shopping for Jill as well, so we’ll be weighed down.’
Edna turned to take the loaves off a rack behind her. ‘How are Jill and the baby? When she is ready to come out, ask her to call in so I can see the baby.’
Molly chuckled. ‘Edna, I think the baby will be ready for school before Jill ventures out with her. She’s still coming to terms with bathing and feeding her.’
While Molly was talking to Edna, Nellie was eyeing the cakes in the glass display cabinet. The fresh cream oozing out of them was making the little woman’s mouth water. She licked her lips, but that didn’t help; the craving was getting worse. ‘Molly, shall we take some cream slices home, to have with a cup of tea?’
‘We certainly will not take any cream cakes home with us, Nellie McDonough. I might not even have enough to pay for the things from the greengrocer’s. Take yer eyes off them and then yer mouth will stop watering.’
‘I’ve tried that, girl, honest! I’ve crossed me fingers, and me legs, but it hasn’t done no good. I want a cream slice.’
‘I haven’t the money for cream cakes, Nellie, so stop harping on it.’
‘I’ll pay for them, girl. I’ll mug yer.’
‘Oh, ay, get yer violin out, Edna, Nellie’s going to sing us a sad song. She came out without her purse and I’m having to pay for her shopping, but I draw the line at cream cakes ’cos yer won’t starve if yer don’t get one. And don’t be giving me that hard-done-by look, Nellie, because yer know damn well I’m counting the coppers.’
‘But I’ve told yer, girl, I’ll mug yer to one of those nice cream slices.’
‘How can yer mug me when yer’ve got no money on yer?’
‘I’ve just remembered I have got money on me, girl. I thought I’d left me purse on the sideboard at home, but I didn’t. It’s in the pocket of me apron.’
‘Why you little sneak, Nellie McDonough. I don’t know whether to clock yer one, or drag yer home by the scruff of the neck.’ Molly turned to the woman behind the counter, who was having trouble keeping her face straight. ‘What do yer think I should do with her, Edna? In my position, what would yer do?’
Edna scratched her head slowly, as though deep in thought. Then she said, ‘If I were in your position, Molly, I’d punish her by making her buy four cream slices so Jill and Lizzie get one. But before I did anything, I’d ask to see the colour of her money.’
Nellie huffed and undid the buttons on her coat. Then she opened it to reveal the wraparound pinny with the big pocket in front. She put her hand in the pocket, but before she took anything out, her eyes went from Molly to Edna. ‘D’yer know what, I think ye’re a right pair of miserable sods, and I feel sorry for yer husbands. You can’t take a bleeding joke, Molly Bennett, and what sort of mate are yer when yer don’t trust me to give yer the money back what I borrowed? I hope yer feel ashamed of yerself.’
‘Why should I feel ashamed of meself? It wasn’t me what told lie after lie. And it wasn’t a case of trusting yer to give me money back, ’cos I knew yer had yer purse with yer when we left the house. But if you enjoy playing silly buggers, who am I to spoil yer fun?’
‘Yer didn’t know I had me purse with me, yer big fibber.’
Molly chuckled. ‘I knew yer either had yer purse with yer, or yer were pregnant.’
A slow smile spread across Nellie’s face. She’d get her own back on her mate if it killed her. ‘I could easy be pregnant, yer know, Edna, ’cos my feller is a very passionate man. If I didn’t curb his passion, I’d be in the family way every month.’
‘Ooh, every month, eh, Nellie? Your feller is not only very passionate, he’s capable of performing miracles.’
Edna’s daughter, Emily, was serving two customers at the far end of the counter, and they were all enjoying the banter. Nellie heard them tittering, and she turned, stuck her nose in the air, and informed them: ‘Jealousy won’t get yer nowhere.’
Molly gave Edna the eye. ‘Before she starts world war three, will yer put four cream slices in a box, please? They’d get squashed to blazes in a bag ’cos I’ve got more shopping to do. Besides, if my mate wants to be generous, she can pay the extra penny for a box. And notice I said generous, Edna, where I could have said greedy.’
Nellie came out of the shop carrying the cake box in her two hands. She was so careful, anyone could be forgiven for thinking she was carrying the crown jewels. ‘Shall I take these home, girl, and then come back and help yer with the spuds?’
‘How crafty yer are, sunshine, but I’ve known yer too long to fall for that. If I was soft, and said oh, yes, what a good idea, the four cakes would be demolished by the time I got home. You stick with me, sunshine. I know where yer purse is now, so I can get the money out without you having t
o tip the box and make a mess of the cakes.’ Molly grinned down into the chubby face. ‘Cheer up, Nellie. Just keep yer mind on what it’s going to feel like when yer sink yer teeth into the icing, and then the cream.’
‘Ooh, yer make it sound like heaven, girl, so put a move on and let’s get home quick.’
‘I can’t move any quicker, sunshine, and I don’t know where the potatoes and veg are going to go. I’ll not get them all in the basket.’ Molly pulled up sharp. ‘There’s a woman on the other side of the road waving to us, Nellie, and I can’t make out who it is.’ Molly screwed up her eyes. ‘Oh, yeah, I’ve got it, it’s Tommo’s mam.’ She put the basket down and waved back, shouting, ‘Are yer coming over to say hello?’
The woman nodded, and as she was waiting for a break in the traffic, Nellie muttered, ‘Don’t be asking her in for a cuppa, ’cos we’ve only got four cakes.’
Molly shook her head. ‘D’yer ever think of anything but yer tummy, sunshine?’
‘Yer know I do, but every time I mention George and the bedroom, yer do yer nut.’
When the woman joined them, Nellie said, ‘Oh, I know yer now. It’s Claire, isn’t it?’
‘That’s it, Nellie. Yer’ve got a good memory. I was glad when I spotted yer, ’cos I often think of you and Molly.’
‘D’yer live around here, then, Claire?’ Molly asked. ‘I never thought to ask where yer lived last time I saw yer.’
‘Not far. Two tram stops or fifteen minutes’ walk.’ Claire Thompson was a woman of rare beauty. Tall and slim, with dark hair, high sculpted cheekbones, melting brown eyes and a fine set of white teeth. The two friends had met her at Christmas through her son, Ken. He’d left school that week and Billy, the greengrocer, had given him some work delivering to local customers. He was freezing when he got to Molly’s, his clothes so threadbare they couldn’t keep out the cold. Molly had made him a hot cup of tea and told him to come back when he’d finished work because she had some clothes that her children had grown out of and they might do him a turn. Molly had taken to the lad, who had told them his dad died before he was ten, and he was hoping to get a job soon so he could help his mam out with money. Of course Molly went round the whole family and had ended up with so many clothes, men’s and girls’, that she could have opened a second-hand shop. But she was well paid back when she saw the look on his face. She’d also collected some money for him, which had brought tears to his eyes, for he said he could buy his mam and his kid sister a present now. And to top it all, Doreen had told Phil, who remembered how he had no one to help him at that age, and he had offered to help the lad get a job. As he himself had that day been promoted to floor walker, he wanted to share his luck with someone less fortunate.
‘I’m glad I spotted you,’ Claire told them now. ‘I’ve often thought of calling but I didn’t want to be a nuisance. But I want yer to know that the day you helped our Ken was a turning point in our lives. The clothes gave us some pride back, and we were able to walk with our heads held high. Thanks to yer son-in-law, Ken now brings a wage home each week, and he’s really proud when he hands the packet over. And I’ve got meself a part-time job in a laundry, working four mornings a week. We’re not well off, far from it, but we are able to make ends meet now. And it’s all down to you two, and Phil. You certainly changed our lives for the better, and our Ken calls yer our guardian angels.’
Nellie pulled herself to her full four foot ten inches, ordered her bosom to stand to attention, and beamed. ‘Ooh, did yer hear that, girl? Guardian angels, young Tommo calls us.’ Nellie was so proud she almost forgot the box of cakes as she put a hand up to pat her hair. ‘We were glad to help yer, girl, weren’t we, Molly?’
‘If he hears yer calling him Tommo, sunshine, yer won’t be his guardian angel for long. He likes to be called Ken, now he’s working.’ Molly straightened the cake box in Nellie’s chubby hands before smiling at Claire. ‘We didn’t do much, sunshine, just gave yer some clothes the family had grown out of. I was made up that they were put to good use. And I’m really pleased that things are going well for yer. Phil said Ken is a good little grafter, works as hard as any of the men. It would be nice to keep in touch, so why don’t yer come round one afternoon for a cuppa and a natter? We’d like that, wouldn’t we, Nellie?’
Nellie and her chins agreed. ‘Yeah. We’ve got loads to tell yer. My daughter got married last week and yer should have seen me all dolled up. Everyone said it was the best wedding they’d ever seen.’ She suddenly felt Molly’s eyes on her, and added, ‘Mind you, it would have to have been good to beat Molly’s weddings. They were great.’ Thinking she’d got herself out of that nicely, Nellie thought of something else to brag about. ‘Oh, I’m a grandma now. Me son had a baby two weeks ago.’
Molly winked at Claire. ‘I think yer mean my daughter had the baby, sunshine. It is usually the woman that gives birth. Steve made it possible, I’ll agree with yer on that before yer raise any objections, so let’s say we both became grandmas two weeks ago. And any other news yer’ve got, would yer keep it until Claire comes to visit, ’cos I think we better get cracking, or Jill will think we’ve forgotten her. But how about coming round on Friday afternoon, Claire, when yer finish work? We’ll have a butty and a cup of tea ready for yer. And if my mate is feeling generous, we might even run to a cream slice.’
Claire grinned. ‘I’ll look forward to that. It’ll be about half one, give or take ten minutes. So, ta-ra till then.’
Chapter Five
‘I really enjoyed that, love,’ Jack said, patting his tummy. ‘Yer can’t beat steak and kidney. It was very tasty and very filling.’
‘Yeah, it was nice, Mam.’ Ruthie nodded. ‘But I could have done with a potato less, ’cos I’m bloated and I’ll be getting fat.’
Molly clicked her tongue as she gazed across at her youngest daughter. ‘Listen, sunshine, yer have to eat to be healthy. Look at yer grandma and granddad. They’ve had a good meal every day, and it hasn’t done them any harm. Both of them are slim and look younger than their age.’
‘Never mind yer grandma and granddad,’ Jack said, ‘look at yer mam! She eats everything in front of her, and she’s still got a good figure.’
Molly grinned. ‘Thank you for the compliment, sunshine. It’s bucked me up no end to know me husband still notices what I look like.’ She remembered Nellie’s antics over the cream slices and thought she’d give her husband and daughter a laugh. ‘I won’t give yer chapter and verse ’cos it would take too long, and I want to go over to Doreen’s tonight, and to me ma’s. But my mate Nellie is so funny at times, yer’d need a face made of concrete not to laugh. First, in the butcher’s she said she’d forgotten to bring her purse out with her, and would I pay for her shopping until we got back home. Now, if yer think on, she used to try this trick nearly every day until I got wise to her. And I knew she was lying today because her purse is one of those big ones that me ma used years ago, and I could see the bulge of it through her coat. Anyway, I didn’t let on, I just played the fool like I always do with her, until we got to Hanley’s, and Nellie saw the fresh cream cakes. I was busy talking to Edna, but I could see Nellie looking longingly at the slices, and she kept licking her lips. In the end she got so desperate, she had to tell me she’d just remembered she did have her purse with her after all. And I had to pretend to be mad with her, so she offered to mug me. And it ended up with her buying four cream slices ’cos I was shopping for Jill, and we could hardly walk in with a cake box and not offer one to her and Lizzie. But Nellie would have paid for ten if she’d had to, ’cos she can’t resist a fresh cream cake. Anything sweet come to that. She’s really got a sweet tooth.’
‘She’s very funny, Auntie Nellie is,’ Ruthie said. ‘Half the time I think she makes things up just to make people laugh.’
‘She fills my days with laughter,’ Molly said, collecting the dirty plates. ‘My life would be very dull without her. For instance, I don’t know anyone else who could make a half-hour drama out o
f one custard cream.’ She put the plates down and went through the shenanigans of the crumbs on the floor: the speed with which Nellie had swiped the biscuit from her hand and the speed in which it disappeared into an eager mouth. She was very good at taking her mate off, with the facial contortions and the hoisting of the bosom. The latter had to be left to the imagination of those watching, because when it came to comparing bosoms, Molly wasn’t in the meg specks. ‘And if she ever says yer have no eticit, take that as meaning yer haven’t a clue when it comes to etiquette. Nellie has changed quite a few words in the English dictionary because she can’t get her tongue round them.’
Jack and Ruthie were in stitches, and Molly herself was chuckling as she picked up the plates. ‘Honestly, yer have no idea what she’s like. And she can keep it up for hour after hour. Whether it’s in the butcher’s, the baker’s, or the greengrocer’s, she never stops talking, and she never repeats herself. I’ve never met anyone like her, and I bless the day she moved in next door.’
‘Why did she say she’d forgotten her purse, Mam, when she’d have to pay yer the money back when yer got home anyway?’ Ruthie asked. ‘I mean, she would pay yer back, wouldn’t she? She’d have to, or yer wouldn’t speak to her again.’
‘Well, she started that trick years ago, and I believed her for ages. Sometimes I’d ask her for it when we got home, but as she always comes in with me for a cuppa, she’d make the excuse she’d give it to me first thing in the morning. It was ages before it dawned on me that she was pulling me leg. And even then I let her get away with it because some of the expressions on her face when yer know she’s telling her whopping big lies, well, it’s better than going to the pictures.’ Molly pushed her chair back and stood up. ‘I meant to have the dishes washed and put away by now, ’cos I want to slip over to Doreen’s before she puts Bobby to bed. I haven’t been over there today, what with doing Jill’s shopping as well as me own, and I don’t like to let a day go by without seeing them.’ She got to the kitchen door before adding, ‘I’m going round to see me ma and da, too.’