by Jonker, Joan
This statement pulled Rita up sharp. ‘Mrs Finnigan? Yer can’t stand the sight of the woman, yer call her all the names under the sun!’
‘I know I don’t like her, and I know I call her fit to burn.’ Aggie was putting a fierce face on. ‘But I bet if I asked her to do that little favour for me, she’d say she would.’
‘Oh, I agree!’ Rita glared back. ‘She would say yes out of fear. The poor woman is terrified of yer.’
Aggie suddenly erupted. Her eyes receded into her cheeks, and her bosom and tummy shook with laughter. From between the folds of flesh, her eyes appeared for a second as she asked, ‘So I take it yer won’t have the kids on Christmas morning?’
Rita collapsed. Her arms went around Aggie’s neck and they clung together, laughing so loud the neighbours could hear. The sound brought a smile to many faces. ‘Aggie Gordon, what would I do without you?’
Between gasps, Aggie replied, ‘Yer’d be bleeding miserable, queen, same as I would be without you.’
Bessie hurried up the street on her way home from work. But she wasn’t on her own side, she wanted to ask a favour from Rita. When her friend opened the door, Bessie put a finger to her lips, telling Rita not to speak. If Milly heard her voice, she’d be out like a shot and that was what Bessie didn’t want. ‘I’m after a favour, Rita,’ she said softly, holding up the paper bag. ‘I’ve got the material in here for the dresses for Christmas and I don’t want Milly to see it, I want it to be a surprise on Christmas morning. So will yer keep her here for a bit longer while I hide it?’
‘Of course she can stay here, she’s in the middle of a game with our Jack. But aren’t yer cutting it a bit fine when there’s only a couple of days to Christmas?’
‘I know, but I don’t seem to have had time to breathe the last few weeks. You and Aggie have sorted the hampers out, but I’ve had to keep check on the money every night, and by the time Evelyn calls and takes Milly home, I’m too tired for anything.’ Bessie, red in the face from battling the wind, grinned. ‘I’ll not take long once I start. I can have Milly’s dress cut out in half an hour. I’ll do that tonight when she goes home. I don’t need a pattern, ’cos it’s something I do all day. I could cut a dress out with me eyes shut.’
‘I wish I was that clever,’ Rita said, ‘but I’m ruddy hopeless. Anyway, yer’d better go before Milly hears yer. I’ll keep her for half an hour, and perhaps yer can get her dress cut out in that time.’
‘Ah, ye’re a smasher, Rita, a real pal. I made a pan of stew last night, so I only have to put a match to the stove to warm it through slowly. And I can have the dress done while I’m waiting.’ Bessie, as thin as a rake, was across the cobbles in no time. Rita would have sworn her feet didn’t touch the ground, The two women waved to each other then disappeared into their own houses.
Bessie went straight through to the kitchen and lit a match under the pan. Then, still moving at the double, she went back to the tiny hall to hang up her coat. Without stopping for breath, she carried the plant from the centre of the table to the sideboard, whipped the chenille cloth off and folded it up. Then the green material was taken from the bag and spread on the table, and a pair of scissors and a box of straight pins brought out of one of the sideboard drawers. This was a job Bessie was used to and good at. She’d been doing it every day for about twenty years. With confidence and speed the scissors snipped away until the skirt was cut and folded to one side, followed by two parts of the bodice and the two short sleeves. The old saying that the hands are sometimes quicker than the eye was certainly true in Bessie’s case. When Milly knocked everything had been tidied away and the makings of her Christmas present were lying on Bessie’s bed, ready to sew when she was on her own later. As she prepared to put their dinners out, Bessie decided she would buy the small white collar, it would save her time. She’d seen one in a haberdashery shop nearby which would really set it off. It had a ticket on it saying it was sixpence, but Bessie thought it would be worth it because the white linen was edged with lace, and Milly would be over the moon with it.
There was a rush to get the table cleared and the dishes washed before Evelyn was due, and Milly giggled as the knock came when she was reaching up to put the last plate on a shelf. ‘Just in time, Auntie Bessie, we were saved by the bell.’
Bessie gave her a big hug before hurrying through the living room to open the door. ‘Come in, Evelyn, it’s bitter out there. Winter has certainly come with a vengeance, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have thick snow for Christmas.’
Evelyn shivered as she took her gloves off and went to stand near the fire. ‘I don’t mind if I’m indoors, I think snow looks so pretty seen through a window. It’s when it turns to slush I don’t like it. And I have to tell you that I don’t know what I’d do if your friend didn’t light my fire for me. It is such a pleasure to walk into a warm room. I often wonder how Amelia and I managed all those years of coming into a freezing cold house.’
Milly stood at the kitchen door, watching and listening. Her mother had changed such a lot in the last few months, and the girl was delighted that she and Bessie had become friends. But although Milly was pleased she was allowed to come to stay with Bessie so often, and her mother wasn’t so distant with her, she knew she wasn’t treated by her mother as Jack and Billy were treated by theirs. She saw there what a mother’s love was, but had never experienced it for herself. Oh, things weren’t as strict, and she didn’t get told off so often now, but the girl knew that Bessie’s love for her was genuine while her mother didn’t show any love at all.
‘Would you like me to go home and have a cup of tea ready for you, Mother? ‘Milly asked. ‘I will be very careful striking a match.’
This suited Evelyn, so she agreed. ‘Yes, that would be nice. But you must promise to be very careful.’
Milly threw her arms around Bessie and gave her a big hug and kiss. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Auntie Bessie. It won’t be long now to Christmas, will it?’
‘No, sweetheart, only a few days now. And Father Christmas will be visiting all the children who have been good, and leaving them a present.’
‘I’ve been good, haven’t I, Auntie Bessie? I haven’t been cheeky or naughty, and I always do as I’m told and say my prayers every night.’
‘Oh, you’ve been very good.’ Bessie felt uncomfortable talking to the child as though she was hers, when her own mother was sitting watching. But she couldn’t force Evelyn into doing something that didn’t come naturally to her. ‘I think she’s almost certain to get a visit from Father Christmas, don’t you, Evelyn?’
‘Oh, undoubtedly! And as you’ve been such a good girl, Amelia, I think we can safely say you will get a good present.’
Milly smiled, even though her mother still sounded distant, as though she was talking to a complete stranger. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on.’
Evelyn listened to the door closing then said, ‘I’m glad Amelia offered to make tea, I wanted to speak to you. I have bought her a new dress and coat for Christmas, but I don’t want her to see them before. How am I going to manage that?’
‘Where are they now?’
‘Still in the shop. I’ve paid for them, they just need picking up. I can do that tomorrow when I leave the office, but if I take them home she’s bound to see them.’
‘Drop them off before yer come here. Put them in yer wardrobe, and I’ll get them after work on Thursday. Don’t worry, Milly won’t see them, I’ll make sure of that.’
Evelyn got to her feet. ‘That’s a load off my mind, thank you. And now I’d better get in to her.’
‘Are yer still going to see yer father-in-law, or have yer changed yer mind?’
‘I haven’t changed my mind, no! It’s my one hope of clearing up this mess. Amelia is off school for a couple of days after Christmas, and I’ll take her on one of those days. And have no fear that I will back out, for I am determined.’
‘I thought you were leaving it until the New Year, when all the holidays are ove
r?’
‘That was my intention, but I really can’t wait that long, I have to get it sorted after Christmas, and hopefully start the New Year with my prayers and wishes granted. I may not be lucky, it’s possible my father-in-law will not be at the office on the days before New Year, he may take an extended holiday. But as Amelia is off school then, I intend to take a chance. If I am unfortunate and my father-in-law isn’t in the office, I will have to keep her off school one day in the first week of January.’
‘I wish you all the luck in the world, Evelyn, I really do.’
Bessie closed the door on her neighbour and sighed as she leaned back against it. She meant what she’d said to her neighbour, she did wish her well. But was the time drawing near when she would no longer be able to see the young girl she’d grown to love? She sniffed up and pulled herself away from the door. Crying wouldn’t get her anywhere, she should have known from the beginning that one day Amelia would be lost to her. And it was no good being miserable with Christmas on top of them. She wanted to give the girl the best Christmas she’d ever had, so she’d never forget her Auntie Bessie.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bessie’s kitchen was as busy as a market on Christmas Eve morning with all the neighbours coming at five-minute intervals to pick up their precious hampers. Rita and Aggie were there to help, and there were many tears of happiness shed that morning as the women gazed down at the packets of tea, sugar, margarine, fruit, potatoes, veg, bread, biscuits and chicken, complete with dripping. Oh, and a couple of colourful crackers for the kids to pull. Bessie had put a piece of paper on the top of each box with a name on, so there were no mistakes made and every person on the list got their hamper.
Next door, in her kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil so she could get washed, Evelyn could hear the commotion in the yard next door, and being curious hurried up to Amelia’s bedroom to look down from the back window, with her daughter following close behind.
‘What is it, Mother?’ Milly asked as she watched a woman walking down her Auntie Bessie’s yard carrying a box and looking very happy. ‘Look, there’s another lady coming into her yard. I wonder what’s going on?’
‘Let’s be quiet for a while, Amelia, and we might see the reason for these women visiting Miss Maudsley.’ It was after she’d seen four of them arrive empty-handed and five minutes later leave carrying a box that Evelyn realised what was happening. It was easy to see the chicken on the top of each one. The sight made Evelyn feel very humble. She wanted so much out of life, always had done, and these people asked for so little. ‘Your Auntie Bessie is a very kind person, Amelia, and so are Mrs Wells and Mrs Gordon. They’re giving food to those women to help them give their families some festive cheer.’
‘It must be costing them a lot of money ’cos, look, there’s another lady coming in from the entry.’
‘I did hear Miss Maudsley say that a very kind gentleman had given her a certain amount of money to help families who were very poor. I’m sure his heart would be warmed if he could see what was happening next door, and his own Christmas would feel extra special knowing he’d made so many people happy.’
‘Won’t Auntie Bessie tell him how happy the people were? I bet she will, ’cos I’m sure she’d like him to know.’
‘Oh, she’s bound to tell him,’ Evelyn said, promising herself that as soon as she got to the apartment she would tell Philip of the scene she was now witnessing. And she would also tell him of the barefoot boys now wearing serviceable shoes that would see them through the winter. He would be so pleased. In her mind she could already see his smiling face.
‘You can tell Miss Maudsley we saw the women and their hampers of food, and how much we both admire her, but you must not question her about where the money came from. Do you understand that, Amelia? You would be asking her to break a confidence, as the benefactor wishes to remain anonymous.’
Milly nodded. ‘I won’t ask her, Mother, but even if I did she wouldn’t tell me. Auntie Bessie would never break a promise or tell a secret.’ The girl was on pins, the time wasn’t going fast enough for her. ‘When am I going next door, Mother?’
‘I said I would be leaving to go to my friend’s at twelve o’clock and would call with you then so I could wish her the compliments of the season. I only have to get washed, I have my clothes all ready, so be patient for a little while longer.’ A pang of guilt caused her to add, ‘I have left Christmas presents for you, Amelia, I haven’t forgotten you, but I’m not telling you any more, it would spoil the surprise.’
‘Thank you, Mother.’ Milly turned to leave the room. ‘I’ll get Daisy ready, she needs her hair combing.’
‘Ta-ra, Sally, mind how yer go!’ Rita closed the kitchen door and let out a long sigh. ‘Thank God, that was the last one. Me feet are killing me, and I’m dying for a cuppa.’
‘It’s yer own bleeding fault, yer would insist on walking some of them down the yard in case they slipped.’ Aggie turned the gas higher under the kettle. ‘They would have made it under their own steam but, oh, no, yer had to do the job proper.’
‘Stop moaning, the pair of yer,’ Bessie said. ‘Anyone would think yer’d done a day’s hard work down a coal mine. Go and sit at the table and I’ll bring yer a cup of tea through when the water’s boiled. I’ll have to put more water on, ’cos I’ve got thirty-six jelly creams to make.’
‘Thirty-six!’ Aggie put a hand to her cheek. ‘What the bleeding hell d’yer want thirty-six jelly creams for?’
Bessie raised her brows. ‘Don’t yer like jelly creams, sweetheart?’
‘Yeah, ’course I like jelly creams, queen, but not thirty bleeding six of them.’
‘Have yer forgotten there’s a kids’ party here tomorrow afternoon, for eighteen kids what have probably never been to one in their lives? Surely yer don’t expect to have a party without jelly creams, or trifle come to that.’
Aggie wasn’t very good at adding up in her head, so she used her fingers. And when she found she ran out of fingers, she turned to Rita. ‘Ay, queen, if the kids have one each, how many does that leave of the thirty-six?’
Rita gave Bessie a sly wink. ‘Well, if they have one each there’ll be eighteen over, sunshine, but they’ll more than likely want two each. Which comes to thirty-six.’
‘Well, the greedy little buggers! D’yer mean they’ll eat ’em all, and there’ll be none left over for us?’
‘I thought yer weren’t that fussy, sunshine,’ Rita said. ‘After all, yer seemed surprised when Bessie said how many she was making. And yer aren’t wicked enough to pinch a jelly cream out of a kid’s mouth, are yer?’
Aggie was going to nod her head, but her chins were disgusted with her and refused point blank to move upwards. Instead they swayed from side to side, which meant she meant one thing but was forced to say another. ‘I wouldn’t pinch one, no, but I’d ask in a nice way if they’d take their bleeding hands off and give someone else a chance.’
‘I’ll pour the tea out,’ Bessie said, grinning at the hurt expression on Aggie’s chubby face. ‘Before you two come to blows.’ She reached the kitchen, stopped, then turned around. ‘Don’t fall out, for God’s sake, ’cos ye’re supposed to be doing me shopping while I see to the jellies, trifles, make thirty-six fairy cakes, and on top of that get me veg done for tomorrow. I don’t want to be running round like a scalded cat on Christmas morning getting the dinner on, when I’ve got eighteen kids coming at two-thirty.’
‘Me and Aggie will be over to give yer a hand, sunshine, we won’t leave yer swinging on yer lonesome. And while we’re having a cup of tea now, yer can be making yer shopping list out. It won’t take me and Aggie long to get round the shops.’
Aggie clicked her teeth. ‘I bet she’ll give us a list as long as me arm, and we’ll be running round the shops like blue-arsed flies.’
Rita threw daggers at her mate. ‘Yer know, sunshine, if ye’re not that fussy on coming to help at the kids’ party, and ye’re also not fussy on the par
ty for the grown-ups at night, then just say the word, and Bessie’s shopping list will be a lot shorter.’
Aggie wagged a forefinger, inviting Rita to come closer. ‘Why don’t yer keep yer ruddy nose out of my business? And if yer insist on meddling, then make sure yer get it right. I didn’t say I wouldn’t help at the kids’ party, and I didn’t say I didn’t want to come to the one for the grown-ups, either. I am dying to help with the party, ’cos yer know I love kids, especially eighteen of the little sods. And I’m looking forward to the company of grown-ups, too, and even more the company of six bottles of milk stout.’ She tapped the side of her nose. ‘So keep this out of it in future, queen, ’cos a black eye wouldn’t go with the colour of yer new dress.’
While they were enjoying their well-earned cup of tea, Bessie had her notepad in front of her and the stub of pencil between her fingers. ‘I think I’d better get three large tin loaves, to be on the safe side. It should be ample ’cos everyone will have had a big Christmas dinner.’ She wrote that down at the top of the sheet of paper. ‘I’ve already got the margarine in, and tea, sugar and connie-onnie. The milkman is filling me big jug, and that will well see me through.’ She put the pencil between her teeth and rolled her eyes. ‘If yer get twenty-four sausage rolls, Rita, that should be enough ’cos I’m going to cut them in two. But what to put in the sandwiches, though … have yer got any ideas?’
‘Jars of paste are always handy, sunshine,’ Rita said. ‘There’s salmon, chicken and meat. A jar of each would go a long way. Don’t forget there’ll be the jelly creams, the big trifle and fairy cakes. I don’t think yer need much more.’
Bessie was busy writing. ‘I’ve put down two jars of each of the pastes, ’cos I’ve got to think of feeding you and the men in the evening. I think I’ll push the boat out and get a quarter of boiled ham too, it won’t hurt to go mad and spoil ourselves for a change.’