by Joan Jonker
‘On this day of all days, I’ll have no arguments or clouts in this house. So both of yer set to and tidy this place up while me and yer dad get dressed. Surely yer don’t begrudge me half an hour on me own after the week I’ve had?’
‘I don’t begrudge yer nothing, Mam, ’cos I know how busy yer’ve been. And I bet yer’ve gone without things yerself to give us our Christmas presents.’ Ginny picked up one of the squashed cushions from the couch and began to plump it up. ‘And there’ll be no fights because I don’t care what our Joey says, I’ll just ignore him.’
‘Yer can’t take a joke, you can’t.’ The boy could feel tears smarting at the back of his eyes, and so no one would see them, he bent down and began to pick up some of the paper from the floor. ‘I was only pulling her leg, Mam, I didn’t mean nothing by it. There was no need for her to act like a big soft baby.’
‘Not everyone has the same sense of humour, sunshine! What you think is a joke might not be funny to someone else. Just think before yer speak in future.’ Beth winked at Andy. ‘I’ll let you have the sink first, love, while I get me clothes ready. Give me a shout when the coast is clear.’
When both parents had left the room, Joey sidled over to Ginny. ‘There was no need to take the huff, yer’ve upset me mam now.’
‘Well, you shouldn’t tell fibs.’
‘I’ve told yer, it was just a joke. If Joan Flynn had been here, I’d have said the same to her, ’cos she was giving Bobby cow eyes too.’
Ginny giggled. ‘She wasn’t, was she?’
‘Yeah, she was worse than you! She even offered to try and get him a job!’
Upstairs, Beth cocked an ear before moving to the bedroom door. In the kitchen Andy raised his head from the sink. And a smile crossed both faces when they heard the laughter of their children coming from the living room.
Andy undid the top button of his trousers and let out a sigh of relief. ‘My old ma, God rest her soul, used to say me eyes were bigger than me belly, and she was right. I’ve eaten far too much and I am absolutely stored. But it was a really good meal, love, and there was certainly plenty of it.’
‘There sure was, Mam, I’m full to the brim.’ Joey rubbed his tummy and rolled his eyes. ‘One more mouthful and I’d have burst.’
‘Me too!’ Ginny gazed at the two roast potatoes left on her plate. ‘I couldn’t eat them, Mam, even though I love roasties and these are nice and crisp, just the way I like them.’
‘Well, leave them, sunshine, it’s no use making yerself sick.’ Beth was feeling full to bursting herself. ‘I won’t do so many tomorrow, ’cos I hate waste. There’s lots of carrot and turnip over as well, but I can do a fry-up with that tomorrow.’
‘That’s some turkey, love,’ Andy said, eyeing what was left of the bird on a meat plate in the middle of the table. ‘It’s the biggest we’ve ever had. How much did yer say it weighed?’
‘I didn’t say, sunshine, because I don’t know meself. I ordered one about four pound, which I always do, and I nearly died when I saw Bill the butcher wrapping it up without bothering to put it on the scales. He gave me the wire to take it and say nowt, and just charged me for a four-pound bird. But as me and Flo were leaving the shop, he whispered that some woman had ordered it, then changed her mind and said she wanted a goose instead.’
‘Ay, yer hopped in lucky there, love. I’d say that bird was at least seven pound if it was an ounce.’
‘Oh, I know how lucky I was, ’cos it’ll do us three days at least.’ Beth put her hands on her tummy and pressed gently. ‘There’s something else I haven’t told yer about the bird, but I couldn’t tell yer without laughing, and if I laugh I’ll be sick.’
‘I’ll get yer a drink of cold water, Mam, then yer won’t be.’ Joey was off his chair like a shot. He loved it when his mam had a funny tale to tell them. He came through with a cup full of water. ‘There yer are, Mam, if yer drink that yer’ll be able to laugh.’
Beth took a few deep breaths to compose herself. ‘I told yer Flo was with me in the butcher’s? Well, she didn’t say a dickie bird when she saw me getting this turkey which was twice the size of hers but only cost the same. It was when we got outside the shop that she started, and it was so comical I don’t know how I kept me face straight. Yer all know that when Flo has anything of importance to say, she always folds her arms, straightens her back and gives a sharp shake of her head. Unfortunately, she couldn’t fold her arms because she had her turkey in them, and she was floundering, couldn’t get herself comfortable to take me on. In desperation, she put the turkey on the ground and went through the usual arms, shoulders and head routine. Then she felt better and eyed me up and down.
‘ “I hope yer know Bill didn’t mean yer to keep all that turkey to yerself,” she said. “He gave me the wink as if to say, she’s yer mate, she’ll see yer all right.” I told her Bill certainly hadn’t intended me to share the bird with anyone, and anyway, how could I? And d’yer know what she said? “One leg of that bleedin’ bird will feed my family for a whole day. So I’ll pick it up on Boxing Day, and it had better have plenty of meat on it. If I see teeth marks, I’ll know yer’ve been having a nibble, and that would be cheating.” ’
Andy looked from the bird to his wife’s face. ‘D’yer mean to tell me that’s why yer said yer didn’t feel like a leg, yer’d have some breast instead?’
Beth nodded. ‘Yer know what Flo’s like, she won’t think for one minute that I’ll keep a leg for her. But I’m going to, just to see the look on her face. We won’t go short, there’s enough meat left on that bird to last us a few days.’
‘Mam, can I take it round with yer in the morning?’ Ginny asked. ‘I’d love to see her face.’
Beth held up her hands. ‘The part about the butcher, the bird and Flo is all true. Every word, I swear. But Flo makes a joke of everything – she was just being herself, having a laugh. Not for one second would she think I’d take her seriously about expecting me to give her one of the legs. She made a joke about it, so now I’m doing the same. When she sees that bird with one leg still on it, and I tell her I had some of the breast, she’ll think I’ve lost the run of me senses. But it’ll give her something to laugh about.’
‘So yer won’t be taking it to her, then?’ Ginny said, looking disappointed.
‘I won’t need to, will I, sunshine? Her and Uncle Dennis always call on Christmas Day to wish us the compliments of the season, so I can show it to her then. And we can all have a laugh together.’
‘Have yer got enough sherry left for the ladies?’ Andy asked. ‘Don’t forget, Dot and Bill always call, and so do Lizzie and Paddy. I’ve got enough beer for the men, but what about the women?’
‘There’s nearly a full bottle of sherry! We’ve only had the two glasses out of it so we’ve enough to keep the ladies going. Besides, they usually bring a bottle of something with them, even if it’s only milk stout, so we won’t go short. When I feel able to stand up, I’ll get these dishes out of the way and then get cracking on making a couple of dozen fairy cakes. They should be enough with a plate of biscuits, ’cos no one will be hungry. Or they shouldn’t be if they’ve eaten as much as we have. If they are, then they must be gannets, and I can’t be expected to feed gannets.’
The dishes were washed and put away, and the smell of fairy cakes just taken from the oven filled the air. ‘Now to sit down and put me feet up for an hour,’ Beth said, stretching out on the couch. ‘I might even close me eyes and have forty winks.’
‘That’s a very good idea,’ Andy said. ‘But why can’t we go to bed for an hour? It would be much more comfortable.’
‘Yeah, and we wouldn’t have to listen to your snores.’ Joey lifted his head from his comic long enough to give his views. ‘Me mam’s not so bad, but I’m sure they must be able to hear you at the bottom of the street.’
‘I don’t snore,’ Andy said, chuckling because his snoring was so bad he sometimes woke himself up. ‘I just breathe heavily.’
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sp; ‘If yer breathed any heavier, sunshine, yer’d bring the ceiling down.’ Beth wriggled her toes and her blue eyes became alive with laughter as her vivid imagination took over. ‘Yer woke me up one night in the summer, and it was light in the room. I looked up, and for a minute I thought it was snowing in the bedroom because flakes of plaster were falling softly from the ceiling and they looked just like flakes of snow.’
‘I’d say that was more than a slight exaggeration, love. I admit to snoring but . . .’ Andy’s voice faded as a knock came on the door.
Beth quickly swung her legs off the couch and slipped her feet into her shoes. ‘Just when I was beginning to relax. Who the heck can this be? It’s not Flo because her knocking nearly brings the door down. And it’s too early for them, anyway.’
‘I’ll go, Mam,’ Ginny said, on her way to the door. ‘You stay where yer are.’
Beth rolled her eyes at her husband when she heard her daughter’s warm welcome and invitation to the visitors to come in. ‘Oh, lord, she’s asking them in.’ She smoothed down the front of her dress while hissing to her husband, ‘Fasten that top button on yer trousers.’
‘Go on in, they won’t eat yer.’ Ginny pushed Amelia and Bobby ahead of her. ‘Look who’s here, Mam!’
The youngsters looked so shy, Beth’s heart went out to them. The poor kids had gone through so much in the last two weeks, their whole lives had been turned upside down. ‘Come and get near the fire, yer must be freezing.’
‘We’re not cold, Mrs Porter, it’s only a stone’s throw from Grandma’s to here.’ Bobby nodded to his sister who was holding a parcel in her gloved hands. ‘Amelia has a present for yer, from me mam and grandma.’
‘It’s just a little thank you for all yer’ve done.’ The girl handed the parcel over. ‘Me grandma said to tell yer it wasn’t much, just a token to let yer know how much she appreciates all yer’ve done and how kind yer were to her.’
‘Oh, she shouldn’t have bothered! I only did what anyone else would have done in the circumstances.’ Beth smiled at the two youngsters who were obviously hoping she’d be thrilled with what they’d brought. ‘I’m not going to say I’m not pleased, though, ’cos everyone likes to get a surprise, don’t they? But I’m not going to open it until yer’ve taken yer coats off and are settled down comfortably.’
‘I’ll take their coats,’ Ginny said, ‘and hang them up.’
As she passed her brother on her way to the tiny hallway where the hooks were, Ginny noticed he was wearing a cheeky grin. ‘One word out of you, our Joey,’ she warned, ‘and yer can forget pocket money.’
He shrugged his shoulders and held out his hands. ‘I haven’t even opened me mouth!’
‘Yer’d better keep it that way if yer know what’s good for yer,’ Ginny hissed. ‘Make a fool out of me and I’ll never speak to yer again.’
As Joey’s eyes followed his sister, he told himself that girls weren’t half two-faced. Just look at the way Ginny was smiling now at their visitors when less than a minute ago she’d nearly bitten his head off. The best thing he could do when he grew up was to ask his dad’s advice. He’d been lucky finding Mam, who never lost her temper over silly things and was never childish. There must be others like her, so he’d bide his time until one came along. Mind you, there was something to be said for never getting married, so he might even try that.
Beth held the present in her hands until they were all seated, and because Hannah’s grandchildren had a look of expectancy on their faces, she acted as though she was very eager and excited. ‘It feels heavy, I wonder what it can be?’ Then as she was tearing the paper she giggled and said, ‘Ooh, isn’t this lovely? I don’t half love surprises.’
They all sat forward in their chairs as the paper fell to the floor. And when Beth looked down and saw what was in her hands, she didn’t have to pretend to be pleased. It was a vase shaped like a jug with a beautifully curved handle. It had been hand-painted, its background a very pale green, with the rim and base painted in gold and a flower pattern in delicate shades of blue, lilac, pink and yellow on the rest of it. It was so pretty, Beth was lost for words. She’d never owned anything as delicate as this in her life. ‘I don’t know what to say, it’s wonderful!’ She was feeling quite emotional. ‘I didn’t expect anything as lovely as this, it really is beautiful and I adore it. But it must have cost a lot of money and your grandma and mam shouldn’t have spent so much on me.’ She passed the vase to Andy. ‘Isn’t it beautiful, love?’
‘It’s a lovely present, no doubt about that.’
Ginny asked, ‘Can I hold it, Mam, so I can see it properly?’ She handled the vase with great care. ‘Where will yer put it? On the sideboard or mantelpiece?’
‘I’ll have to give that some thought,’ Beth told her. ‘I’d like it on the sideboard where it would show up better, but I’d be frightened of it getting broken. But we’ll put it there now until I make up me mind, so no one is to throw things on to the sideboard, like yer usually do.’
When his mother was pleased, Joey too was pleased. And because it was Mrs Bailey’s grandchildren who had put that look of pleasure on her face, he was going to be extra nice to them. To Bobby anyway, though he’d have to think about Amelia seeing as he’d just reviewed his feelings on girls and would have to decide which group she came under. ‘When are yer going to be looking for a job, Bobby?’
‘Me and me mam are going to the Labour Exchange the day after tomorrow to see if there’s anything going. We went last week, but there was nothing doing, too near Christmas. Amelia’s a lucky blighter, though. You know David from next door told her about Hartley’s Jam Works, well she mentioned it to the bloke at the Exchange. He must have liked the look of her ’cos she came away with a card, and instructions to take it to the Personnel Office at Hartley’s.’
‘That sounds hopeful, sunshine!’ Beth was happy for the girl. They needed some good fortune after what they’d been through. Only once had they mentioned their father, Ginny had told her, and that was when Bobby had said he was now man of the house. She wasn’t going to bring the subject up and upset them. ‘We’ll keep our fingers crossed for yer.’
Amelia lifted her hands to show she had fingers on both of them crossed. ‘I won’t be able to sleep for the next two nights, so I’ll have time to say plenty of prayers.’
‘I believe yer’ve put two years in as an apprentice gas fitter, Bobby?’ Andy said. ‘Is that the trade yer want to stay in?’
‘Well, yeah! I’m too old now to be taken on as anything else. Anyway, I enjoy the job and am quite experienced after two years.’ He grinned. ‘I stopped being the can lad last year when a new boy started.’
‘There’s one place yer could try, it’s on Stanley Road. Yer probably remember Parr’s Aunt Sally from when yer lived in Liverpool? Everyone uses it. But George Parr owns a lot of property around Stanley Road and he employs builders, plumbers and gas fitters. Not on a big scale, like, so I’m not saying there’ll definitely be a job going, but it’s worth a try.’
‘I’ll remember that, Mr Porter, thanks. My boss gave me a very good reference, so that should help me when I go for an interview.’
Beth was only half listening as she placed the vase in the middle of the sideboard and stood back to admire it. Satisfied, she asked, ‘Would anyone like a drink of lemonade?’
‘That would be nice.’ Amelia seemed less shy and more relaxed now. ‘I suppose yer noticed the scarf and gloves our Bobby was wearing? Grandma said you were the brains behind buying them. And my nice underwear.’
‘Well, it’s not easy buying for someone yer don’t know.’ Beth smiled at them before making for the kitchen. ‘I’ll pour yer a drink.’
Andy followed her out. ‘Why don’t we go next door to Dot’s and let her kids come here?’ He jerked his head towards the living room. ‘They’d be far better off with kids their own age. Yer can tell they’re putting on a brave face, which isn’t natural. But if they were with other young people, they would pr
obably come out more. Besides, Dot’s always saying David hasn’t got many mates, so it wouldn’t hurt for him and Bobby to team up.’ He slipped his arms around her waist. ‘As for the girls, well, they make friends more easily, don’t they? They’d talk to anyone about any subject under the sun.’
‘Hey! What are you insinuating? That everyone of my sex is brainless and talks too much?’
‘Those are your words not mine, sweetheart.’ He squeezed her tight. ‘What I should have said is that you women have got us men beat by a mile. Yer could take us to the cleaners and we wouldn’t even notice.’
‘Aye, well, as long as yer know yer place.’ Beth pressed her cheek against his and they rocked together gently. ‘Ye’re right about Bobby and Amelia, they are putting on a brave face. It’s only when they drop their guard yer can see in their eyes that the shock and heartache has taken a heavy toll. And they would be better in the company of young people, where they don’t have to pretend. So we’ll do as yer say and slip next door for an hour while David and Joan come here.’ Beth picked up two glasses of lemonade and carried them through. ‘Here yer are, kids, the other two glasses are following.’ When Bobby and Amelia smiled their thanks, she told them, ‘Me and Mr Porter are going next door for an hour to wish them the compliments of the season, like. So we’ll send David and Joan here, to keep yer company.’
Joey let out a long wail. ‘Oh, not Joan! Anyone but Joan! She’s the only girl I know who never stops talking yet doesn’t say anything.’
‘Ay, you, she’s my friend!’ Ginny reminded him forcefully with a dig in the ribs. ‘And she doesn’t talk as much as you.’
‘That’s enough now.’ Beth handed her husband his coat. ‘And there’ll be no arguments while we’re next door. Don’t forget, yer can hear everything through these walls.’
‘We’ll be good, Mam, I promise.’ Ginny glared at her brother. ‘If he starts any of his shenanigans I’ll send him next door, to you.’
Beth grinned when she saw the look of rebellion on her son’s face. She knew it was all show because he and Ginny never fell out for longer than five minutes. ‘Be careful with the glasses because we haven’t got many. Oh, and don’t knock the sideboard, for heaven’s sake, or yer’ll tip the vase over and break it.’