by Joan Jonker
‘Pour the tea, Nellie, and try not to spill it in the saucers, like yer usually do.’
Nellie’s chubby fingers wouldn’t fit through the handle of the teapot, so she had to use both hands to take the weight. ‘Ah, ay, girl, this is bleeding hot! I can’t hold on to it. I’ll have to let it fall.’
Molly was round the table like a shot. ‘You break that teapot, Nellie McDonough, and I’ll do more than have yer guts for garters. I’ll pulverise yer.’
Nellie placed the teapot carefully on the tray, gave Claire a huge wink, then wiped her hands together as she sat down. ‘Why the hell didn’t yer buy a decent teapot while yer were at it, girl? Our Lily was about six when I bought her a doll’s tea set for Christmas, and it was a damn sight easier to manage than that one.’
‘Shut up, Nellie, and be thankful ye’re getting a cup of tea,’ Molly said. ‘I was rooting in the sideboard drawer this morning for something, and I happened to come across the little book I keep notes in. And with the second cup of tea ye’re getting now, it brings the grand total of cups yer’ve had off me over the years to two thousand, five hundred and twenty-six. And that’s not counting high days and holidays.’ She passed the cups over. ‘Don’t look so surprised, Claire. We’ll tell yer about that another day. Right now we’d be more interested to hear if there’s been any progress in the romance department.’
‘Ay, don’t be getting ideas about the man I told yer about. It was only said in fun, ’cos I hardly know the bloke. For all I know he might just be a friendly person who makes conversation with everyone out of politeness. He came in on Monday morning, at eleven o’clock, on the dot as usual, with three collars and three shirts. Then on Tuesday, again as usual, he came at eleven o’clock to collect them. He’s quite a toff: well spoken and always immaculately turned out.’
Nellie was getting impatient, wanting to go straight to the nitty-gritty. ‘Is he getting more friendly with yer, chatting yer up, like?’
‘Don’t read anything into it, Nellie, ’cos as I say he’s probably just being polite. I would imagine he’s a boss of some description. He certainly has the air of someone in authority, very sure of himself. And he’s become more friendly, stays a little longer after he’s been served, and seems interested in my life. He knows I’m a widow with two children, although I didn’t volunteer the information. It came out in the questions he was asking. Only out of interest, of course, ’cos he’s not forward or anything like that. He’s nice to talk to, and doesn’t look down on me, even though I’m only serving behind the counter.’
Nellie was so agog with interest, she didn’t even feel the pain when she pressed her bosom too hard against the table. ‘Is he married, d’yer think? If not, perhaps he’s got his eye on yer.’
Claire shook her head. ‘He’s out of my league, Nellie, and I certainly wouldn’t have the nerve to ask the man if he was married.’
‘Ay, girl, yer could ask, casual like if he’s married.’ This was Nellie’s advice. ‘And if not, yer want to start giving him the glad eye. If he’s got money, then don’t let him get away because ye’re too shy. Get in there, girl, while yer can. If you don’t snap him up yer want yer bumps feeling.’
‘I wouldn’t put it so bluntly, Claire, but for all yer know he might be a lonely bachelor,’ Molly said. ‘He could turn out to be your knight in shining armour.’
‘Yeah, that’s what I mean.’ Nellie’s legs were swinging under the chair. ‘He could give yer a life what the rich people have. And yer could invite me and Molly to visit yer, so we can see how the other half live.’
Claire shook her head. ‘He’s a real gentleman, very pleasant and quite attractive. But I’m only the woman who takes his laundry in, and that’s as far as it will ever go.’
‘I suppose ye’re right,’ Molly said, ‘but just out of curiosity, if he did ask yer to go out with him one night, would yer go?’
‘Well, I’d want to know a bit more about him. There’s a big difference between standing behind a counter serving a customer, and sitting on the back row of a cinema or theatre with a man. I would never go out with anyone just because they were paying to take me to somewhere I couldn’t afford to go to meself, ’cos that would give him the impression I was out for what I could get.’ Claire started to giggle. ‘Yer know, if the poor man heard this conversation, he’d find another laundry to take his cleaning to. All I do is serve him, and here’s you two talking about marrying me off to him.’
‘In all seriousness, Claire, yer must look in the mirror to comb yer hair now and again, so yer know ye’re not an ugly duckling. Many a man would jump at the chance of marrying yer. And there’s no shame in serving behind a counter, either, so don’t put yerself down. Young and beautiful, yer should be enjoying life. If yer get the chance, then don’t turn it down, but grab it with both hands, for your sake and the kids’. But only if ye’re quite sure the man is one you would be happy to spend yer life with, and who yer think will make a good father for Ken and Amy.’
Claire nodded. ‘I would consider meself very lucky if the right man came along. As long as he was good to the kids. They come first in my life.’
‘Come again next week, sunshine, and yer can tell us if there’s been any further advance with this man and his three shirts and three collars. I’m not pushing yer ’cos I’m nosy, I’m just interested. And apart from that it’ll be nice to see yer. Unless yer’ve got other things to do, of course. We can’t expect yer to be free every Friday afternoon.’
‘I’ve got nothing else on, Molly, and I look forward to seeing you and Nellie. So I’ll be here next week, same time.’
Nellie was gazing at Molly with admiration. ‘I’m not half lucky to have a mate as clever as you, girl. You always know what to say, and the right words to use.’
Molly smiled. ‘I might know more words than you, sunshine, but I don’t know about clever. When it comes to getting yer own way, yer beat me by a mile.’
Nellie stopped swinging her legs while she folded her arms and hoisted her bosom. She was feeling well pleased with herself.
Chapter Twelve
‘I’m doing me rounds of visiting tonight, love,’ Molly said, her hands on the arms each side of her husband’s chair. ‘Yer don’t mind, do yer?’
Jack lowered his paper and smiled up into her face. ‘I know, love. I heard yer telling Tommy yer would be going round to see them. Yer know I don’t mind, and I’d go with yer if I wasn’t feeling so tired. Now the weather’s getting warmer it’s like an oven in the workshop, and sweating all day tires yer out. Give my love to Jill, and yer ma and da. Tell them I’ll see them at the weekend.’
‘Nellie’s coming with me, so we’re calling to see Lily and Archie as well. I’ll try not to be too late, but yer know what me mate’s like – when she starts talking she forgets to stop.’ Molly bent down and kissed his forehead. ‘Not that I’d want her to stop, because the family love her coming. She always has something to say to make them laugh. Heaven knows what little gem she’ll make up tonight.’ She slipped her arms into a beige knitted cardigan. ‘I won’t bother with me coat, it’s not cold out.’
Jack watched her picking the door keys out of the glass dish on the sideboard. ‘Don’t be too late. I get lonely once I’ve read the Echo.’
‘I’ve told Ruthie she’s to be home by ten at the latest, and if I can manage to shut me mate up, I’ll get home for the same time.’ She waved from the door. ‘See yer later. Ta-ra.’
When Molly opened the front door, there was Nellie standing waiting for her. ‘What are yer standing there for? I would have knocked for yer.’
‘I don’t trust yer, girl, ’cos many’s the time yer’ve bent down when yer were passing our window so I wouldn’t see yer. Once bitten, twice shy, that’s my motto, girl.’
Molly tutted as she bent her arm. ‘Stick yer leg in, sunshine, and put a smile on yer face. Anyone looking at yer would think we were on our way to a wake.’
Nellie’s body shook. ‘Ay, that’s a goo
d one, girl! Yer know, yer can be funny sometimes. Not very often, but sometimes.’ She tilted her head to gaze up into her mate’s face. ‘I’ve never been to a wake, have you, girl?’
‘I haven’t, sunshine, and I don’t fancy going to one. Why, do you?’
Nellie shook her head, and her chins quivered at the thought. ‘No, girl, I don’t. I don’t know what they do there, or why they have them. I mean, like, what’s the point of a wake if the person is dead? They can’t suddenly wake up and join in the fun, can they?’ Her warped sense of humour got the better of her. And even though she knew Molly would disapprove she couldn’t keep her thoughts to herself. They were too funny. ‘If I went in a house where someone had died, and took some flowers with me to put on the coffin, I’d jump out of me skin if the corpse sat up and thanked me for them.’
Molly stopped in her tracks. ‘Nellie, may God forgive yer, for that’s a terrible thing to say. Yer should never make fun of someone dying.’
As she was expecting this reaction, Nellie was ready for it. ‘Well, I thought it was funny, anyhow. And it’s their own fault for calling it a wake.’
Molly looked down at her. ‘I shouldn’t say it, ’cos it makes me as bad as you, but the way yer said it, well, it was funny.’ They carried on walking, but hadn’t gone very far when Molly stopped again. ‘Yer won’t mention it in front of me ma and da, will yer? I don’t think they’d appreciate yer humour, and it might upset them. Yer might not know it, but they always hold a wake in Ireland when anyone dies.’
‘I’ll be as good as gold, girl, so don’t be worrying.’ They had reached the top end of the street by this time, and Nellie asked, ‘Who are we going to first, our Lily or your Jill?’
‘I’d like to go to Jill first, so I can see the baby before she’s put down for the night. Not that she sleeps all night – she’ll need feeding three times before morning. But Jill wants to get her used to going to bed at a certain time. I agree with her, too, ’cos even when they’re only weeks old, they get used to a pattern.’
‘Right, that suits me, girl. I’ve got all the time in the world, so I’ll fit in with anything yer want to do.’
Steve opened the door and his face lit up when he saw their visitors. ‘Hello, Mam, and you, Mrs B. This is a nice surprise, come on in.’
‘I hope the baby’s not in bed yet,’ Molly said, as she passed him on her way in. ‘I like to see her every day so she gets to know me voice.’
Nellie pulled on the back of her cardigan. ‘Ay, don’t forget this is one house where we are both equal. I’m a grandma and ye’re a grandma. Yer rub it in when we’re in Doreen’s about me being an adopted grandma, but yer can’t do it here. This is neutral territory.’
‘What’s neutral territory?’ Jill asked. ‘Are you and me mam having an argument over my baby?’
‘Now just as if!’ Nellie put on a pained expression. ‘When have yer ever heard me and me best mate argue?’
Jill had always been a beautiful girl, with her blond hair, bright blue eyes, lovely complexion and a slim figure. But motherhood had added to her beauty. She looked so happy and contented with her own little family. Her and her beloved Steve, the baby, and Lizzie Corkhill, their adopted grannie. ‘Auntie Nellie, I have heard you and my mam arguing at least once every day of my life. I’ve never seen yer come to blows, but argue, yes, very often.’
‘What yer’ve heard isn’t real arguments, sunshine,’ Molly said. ‘We’re only messing. If we ever did have a real argument, the whole street would know about it.’ She bent to kiss Lizzie Corkhill on the cheek. ‘While me and Nellie are having a fight to see who gets to the baby first, her third grandma is sitting here as proud as Punch, nursing her.’
Lizzie grinned. ‘I was going to say I’d hand her over to yer, Molly, but with Nellie giving me daggers, I think Jill can take the baby and sort the pair of yer out.’
Molly shook her head. ‘No, let me mate have her, or she’ll have a cob on all night and I couldn’t stand that. We’re calling to see Lily and Archie when we leave here, then we’re off to me ma’s, and I’d have to put up with her having a face like a wet week. Let her have little Molly for ten minutes, and then I’ll take over.’
Nellie pushed her out of the way and bent to take the baby. ‘Come to yer grandma, sweetheart, and let me have a little cuddle.’ With her chubby hands she pressed the baby to the softness of her bosom, and the tiny face smiled up at her. ‘Ay, she knows me, Molly. She’s smiling at me.’
‘Let’s see,’ Molly said, her head over Nellie’s shoulder. ‘Oh, yeah, she really does know yer, sunshine. She must recognise yer voice.’
Steve was leaning on the sideboard, pride written all over his face. He loved everyone in this room in a different kind of way. He loved his mother dearly, for she had always been there for him and the other kids. And she had made their home happy with her warmth and humour. And Mrs B., now his mother-in-law, had always been like a second mother to him and he loved her very much because through her he was married to the girl he’d adored since he could toddle. And Corker’s mam had been so good to him and Jill, giving them a home when they first got married. He loved her like a grandma. Then there was the baby who had come along to make his life complete. He couldn’t find enough words to say how proud he was of that small bundle of humanity, or the right words to say how much he loved her.
‘Steve, will yer put the kettle on and make a pot of tea, please?’ Jill saw him shake his head and laughed. ‘Yer were miles away then. What were yer thinking of?’
His dimples appeared. ‘Yer’d say I was soppy if I told yer. I’ll put the kettle on.’
Jill grabbed him round the waist. ‘Oh, no, yer don’t, my love. Tell us what yer were thinking and we won’t think ye’re soppy.’
‘All right, if yer must know. I was thinking how lucky I am. A beautiful wife, a lovely mother and mother-in-law, a new granny, and a wonderful daughter. I love everyone in this room, and I don’t care if yer do think I’m a sissy. If I am, then I’m a very happy and contented sissy.’ He cupped his wife’s face and kissed her. ‘And now I’ll put the kettle on.’
Molly whispered in Nellie’s ear. ‘Yer did a good job bringing up a son like Steve. Not many men would say what he’s just said. They might think it, but wouldn’t be able to put it into words. He’s a credit to yer, sunshine, and I take my hat off to yer.’
Lizzie couldn’t help but hear, and she nodded her head as she brought her rocking chair to a halt. ‘Yer’ll never speak any truer words than that, Molly. He’s a wonderful husband; they don’t come any better. It’s a pleasure having him and Jill here. They’ve brought a lot of joy into my life. And I’ll tell yer something else: that baby will never go short on love.’
With tears stinging the back of her eyes, Nellie sniffed. ‘I did my best with all the children. It was probably the one thing I was ever good at.’
Molly put an arm across her shoulders. ‘I think yer were a marvellous mother, sunshine. All your children love the bones of yer.’
‘Will yer stop being so nice to me, Molly Bennett? I’m not used to it, and yer’ll have me bawling me eyes out.’
Jill peered down into her face. ‘Can yer take just one more compliment from yer daughter-in-law? I have always wanted to tell yer, but was too shy. I’ve plucked up the courage now because the compliments are flying, and I’d like to thank yer for making my husband into the man he is. Kind, thoughtful, and loving. I reckon I’m the luckiest girl in the world.’
Steve called from the kitchen. ‘The kettle’s boiled and I’ve filled the teapot. But yer better come and do the rest, love, ’cos yer know I usually spill tea into the saucer. And I’ve looked in the biscuit tin and it seems to be pretty bare. So you’d better be the one to tell me mam there’s no custard creams, ’cos she won’t hit you.’
‘What, no custard creams?’ Nellie narrowed her eyes and tried to look fierce. ‘What sort of daughter-in-law are yer what doesn’t have custard creams in the house?’
&n
bsp; Lizzie chuckled. ‘He’s only pulling yer leg. There’s always a packet of them in the larder for when yer come. If we’re getting low, I run to the corner shop for more, just to make sure. It’s a standing joke in the house.’
Nellie, who was swaying with the baby held close to her bosom, smiled down into the face that already showed signs of blond hair and blue eyes. ‘Did yer hear that, sweetheart? Well, I don’t think it’s a joke having no custard creams in the house.’ She gave the baby one last kiss, then handed her over to Molly. ‘I think my time is up, girl, so you can have her until it’s time to go. Otherwise yer’ll moan all the way round to yer ma’s, and I couldn’t stand that, not after all the praise I’ve been getting. Not that I’ve let it go to me head, like, but I’d like to savour it for a bit longer. And if you’ve got a face on yer like a wet week, well, it’ll take all the pleasure away.’
‘I’ll go and give Steve a hand,’ Jill said, knowing her mother wouldn’t let a remark like that pass without a quick reply. ‘The tea won’t be long.’ In the kitchen, she walked into Steve’s waiting arms. ‘Not a word, love, just listen.’
‘Nellie McDonough, yer were crafty enough to pass the baby over before pulling me to pieces. Yer knew I couldn’t raise me voice ’cos it would frighten her. Well, I can be just as crafty as you, and I’ll smile at little Molly while I’m talking to yer so she’ll think I’m telling her a joke.’ She tickled the baby’s tummy and when she gurfled Molly said sweetly, ‘Anyone listening to my mate would think I was a long string of misery, sweetheart, but I’m not. At least I don’t talk about taking flowers to a wake, and the corpse sitting up in the coffin and thanking me for them.’
Lizzie’s chair stopped rocking and she spluttered, ‘Yer didn’t say that, did yer, Nellie?’
Nellie’s face was contorted into every shape imaginable. ‘Ye’re not half two-faced, girl, have I ever told yer that before? Yer tell me to keep me mouth shut about the wake, and then yer go and bring it up yerself! And if that’s not being two-faced, well I don’t know what is.’