A Family's Heartbreak

by Kitty Neale

  ‘Oh no, what are they going to say? They know I wasn’t married … Oh, Gloria, this is terrible … I don’t think I can go in there.’

  ‘Don’t be daft. They’re all really upset for you. None of them think badly of you. They know you was going to marry Craig and honest, Jen, you’ll get nothing but sympathy.’

  ‘I can’t do this … I don’t want their sympathy …’ Jenny said as she turned to walk in the opposite direction.

  ‘Wait … Jen …’ Gloria called, and caught up with her sister. ‘Please, Jenny, I swear it’ll be all right. You’ve been through so much … you can do this.’

  Jenny slowed, nodded her head and turned towards the factory again. ‘Do they know that Dad caused my miscarriage?’

  ‘No, love. As far as they’re concerned, you fell down the stairs … again.’

  Once Gloria and Jenny had clocked in, they walked onto the factory floor. The room fell silent, but Gloria didn’t notice. She was too busy trying to spot Brian. He appeared from behind some ducting and flashed her a flirty smile. She quickly glanced around before smiling back at him and then sat down two seats along from Jenny.

  ‘Good to have you back, Jenny, and we’re all really sorry for your loss,’ Joan said.

  The other women offered quiet condolences, and then Miss Aston summoned Jenny to her office. In her sister’s absence, Gloria listened as the women speculated about what was going on. Some thought Jenny could be getting the sack, others suggested Miss Aston was giving Jenny a warning. After ten minutes, Jenny returned, and Gloria noticed her sister’s face was bright red.

  ‘All right?’ she mouthed.

  Jenny nodded and sat next to Joan.

  ‘What was all that about?’ the large woman asked.

  ‘Nothing … she just wanted to make sure I was all right,’ Jenny answered, her cheeks flaming again.

  ‘She’s a good egg, that woman. We could’ve had worse. The supervisor at Mackson’s was a right bleedin’ witch. You couldn’t even spend a penny without her timing you,’ Joan told them.

  As the hours dragged, Gloria kept glancing across at her sister and was pleased to see that she seemed to be getting on all right. A new woman, Tina, sat between them. She’d started the day before Gloria. She was talkative, and told them that she was married with three teenage girls and her husband worked on the railways. Gloria thought she seemed nice enough – not really her cup of tea, but she noticed Jenny seemed to be getting on well with her.

  Brian walked across the factory floor and Gloria’s eyes followed him. She admired his broad shoulders and long legs, and the way he swaggered. His black hair had a teddy-boy quiff at the front, and she wondered how he dressed when he wasn’t wearing overalls.

  ‘Oi, Brian, sing us a bit of Elvis,’ Joan shouted.

  ‘Not today, ladies, but if you come down the Grove on Friday, I’m doing a turn.’

  ‘Ooaa, I’ll see if my old man fancies that,’ Joan answered, then said to Tina, ‘He does a great Elvis impression, swings his hips like him and everything. Smashing voice, you should come.’

  ‘Thanks, Joan, but my husband ain’t really a fan of Elvis.’

  ‘How about you, Gloria? Fancy a night out on Friday?’

  Gloria jumped at the chance. She liked Elvis Presley but the thought of seeing Brian outside the factory gates was even more appealing.

  Henry felt exhausted, but he’d forced himself out of the door and was just walking into the depot as his colleagues filed out of the works building, ready to jump on the dustcarts.

  ‘Ray, me old mucker,’ Henry called, and all heads turned.

  As he ambled towards the men, he noticed a strange look on their faces. A few of the blokes shook their heads and ignored him before they sloped off. Big Al’s face was like thunder and he looked as if he was ready to take a swing at him, but Ernie pulled him back.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Henry asked.

  Willie looked Henry up and down, then spat on the floor. ‘If I was a younger man, I’d put you on your arse,’ he growled.

  ‘I’ll fucking do it …’ Big Al shouted, but again Ernie grabbed the man.

  ‘Does someone wanna tell me what I’m supposed to have done?’ Henry asked, directing his question at Ray.

  Ray stepped forwards and led Henry to the rear of the dustcart. ‘We’ve heard what you done to your daughter. It don’t sit well with any of us, Henry. We’re all family men and what you did … well, it’s disgusting.’

  ‘Is that right? And what is it you’ve heard?’ Henry demanded, his bravado covering the fact that his heart was hammering in his chest, and he prayed they didn’t know the full story.

  ‘Your Pamela is friends with Ernie’s girl. Pamela was in a state and told Linda everything. How could you, Henry? After what Jenny’s been through, how could you beat her up like that? She’s your daughter, man, you’re supposed to protect her, not half kill her.’

  Henry hung his head in shame. He felt awful about it and didn’t need Ray reminding him, but what the man said next left him reeling.

  ‘You need to clear your locker and leave. The blokes refuse to work with you, and I can’t say I blame them.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Ray …’

  ‘It’s not me you should be apologising to. We’ve known each other a long time, and I never expected you to stoop so low. I’ve watched Jenny grow up and if she was mine, I’d be proud of her. I certainly would never have kicked a kid out of her,’ Ray said, shaking his head in disgust.

  Ray’s words struck Henry like physical blows. He turned to walk away, sick with shame, and Ray called, ‘A word of warning, Henry. Keep your head down and watch your back.’

  Chapter 34

  ‘I wish you wouldn’t do that in here, it stinks,’ Edith said to Gloria as she painted her nails.

  ‘Sorry, Gran, but I need to be sitting at a table.’

  ‘Why don’t you go out with your sister tonight? I’m happy to watch the boys,’ said Edith, addressing Jenny.

  ‘No, thanks, Gran,’ she answered. She’d got through the week at work but the last thing she felt like doing was watching Brian Cuddy prance around on stage imitating Elvis.

  ‘It’d do you good. Most of the women are going, even Tina, and you get on well with her,’ Gloria urged.

  Jenny did like Tina, but she still didn’t feel like going out.

  ‘Go on, girl, get your glad rags on,’ her gran said.

  Jenny was beginning to feel ganged up on. ‘What glad rags?’ she said, once again reminded that she needed to collect their belongings from their father’s house, but the thought of it terrified her.

  ‘You can wear my blue jacket and long dress. It’s too small for me now and it’s real silk,’ her gran offered.

  ‘Leave it out, Gran, she can’t wear that! Blimey, that fashion went down with the Titanic,’ Gloria said with a laugh.

  ‘All right, well what about your mother’s red skirt with the jacket and black trim? It’s brand new. I think Lizzie got it from a charity shop, but I don’t think she ever wore it. She left it in my wardrobe. Try it on, it’d look lovely on you, Jenny.’

  ‘Gran, how can it be brand new if it came from the charity shop?’ Gloria asked, laughing again.

  ‘Oh, shut up, you know what I mean. At least it’s fashionable, all the girls are wearing it, like that Kennedy woman.’

  ‘She’s got a point,’ Gloria said.

  ‘It’d be a bit dressy for the pub,’ Jenny protested, still not convinced she wanted to go.

  Gloria blew on her nails. ‘It’s better than your drab work clothes!’

  ‘Go and try it on,’ her gran urged.

  Jenny knew they wouldn’t shut up until she did as she was asked and heaved herself up from the sofa. She went into the bedroom, flicked through her gran’s wardrobe and then pulled out the suit to hold it against her. It would probably fit, but it wasn’t something she’d have chosen to wear.

  Gloria came into the bedroom and looked at the outfit. ‘Per
fect. It’ll look lovely on you.’

  Jenny reluctantly slipped into the skirt and jacket, then Gloria told her to do a twirl. She felt silly, and uncomfortable in the smart jacket.

  ‘You look ever so classy. Go on, say you’ll come with me tonight?’

  Jenny knew that her sister would keep pushing and reluctantly answered, ‘All right, but I’m not going out until Pamela comes back with the boys. I’ll need to put them to bed.’

  Her gran limped into the room and said, ‘Don’t be daft, love. Pamela’s old enough to see to them now. She can settle them down, so borrow your sister’s lippy and get yourself orf out.’

  Forty-five minutes later, Jenny and Gloria walked into the smoky pub, where she spotted the crowd of women from work, sitting around tables in front of the small makeshift stage. It sounded like spirits were high and even Thelma looked to be enjoying herself.

  ‘Here they are,’ Joan shouted above the noise. ‘Grab a seat, girls. Brian will be on in a minute.

  ‘We’ll get a couple of drinks first,’ Gloria called as she pulled Jenny towards the bar.

  Jenny nodded, but already she was regretting coming. With a glass of lemonade, they threaded their way back through the small crowd, and sat at tables the women had pushed together.

  ‘Good to see you, Jenny,’ said Tina, as Jenny took a seat next to her. ‘I left my husband at home with the girls. I didn’t think he’d let me come, but he told me to enjoy meself. Brian’s already been out and told a few jokes. He’s ever so funny, but I can’t wait to see him doing Elvis. Is he good?’

  ‘I don’t know, I’ve never seen him, but I’ve heard he is,’ Jenny answered.

  ‘You look smart. Look at me in me only going-out dress. I’ve had it for at least five years. I tell you, you need deep pockets with three kids. I can’t remember the last time I had a new outfit.’

  ‘You look lovely,’ Jenny said, feeling self-conscious.

  ‘Your sister’s done up nice too, but then she always is. I couldn’t be bothered to put me face on to go to work. She must get up at the crack of dawn.’

  ‘That’s Gloria for you.’

  ‘You two seem very different,’ Tina said, but before Jenny could say anything, Brian jumped on stage and the women cheered.

  He began to coo ‘Love Me Tender’ and Jenny thought he really did sound like Elvis. She noticed that he seemed to be looking at her sister a lot, and Gloria appeared to be enjoying the attention. Surely Brian couldn’t be the man her sister had her eye on?

  Tina must have seen it too and said pointedly, ‘Isn’t Brian married?’

  ‘Yes, to Sarah. I heard she used to work at the factory but left a while back to have a baby. They’ve got another one on the way now.’

  ‘It ain’t my place to say, but I think you ought to have a word with Gloria, ’cos there’s clearly something going on with them two.’

  Jenny sipped her drink and watched the way Gloria and Brian were looking at each other. If Tina could see what was going on, then so would the other women, and it wouldn’t go down well with them.

  Gloria came out of the toilet to see her sister waiting for her with a stern look on her face.

  ‘What are you playing at?’ Jenny asked.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘Don’t give me that. What’s going on between you and Brian?’

  ‘Nothing … just a bit of fun.’

  ‘You know he’s a married man?’

  ‘So?’ Gloria answered with a shrug.

  ‘Back off, Gloria. His wife used to work in the factory and is friends with most of the women. She’s having their second child and they won’t take kindly to you flirting with him.’

  ‘Don’t start telling me what to do again, Jenny. You don’t know the full story so keep your nose out,’ Gloria hissed.

  ‘I don’t need to know the full story, all I need to know is that Brian has a wife. You’re playing with fire so just stay away from him.’

  ‘No, I won’t,’ Gloria answered, ‘I like him, and he likes me.’

  ‘Have you been seeing him?’

  ‘So what if I have? He ain’t happy with his wife and wants to leave her.’

  ‘For Christ’s sake, Gloria, you’ve only been working at the factory for two weeks and already you’re starting trouble! Joan and the rest of them will rip shreds off you if they get wind of this.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I don’t care what they think.’

  ‘You should! Do you really want to be that woman who breaks up a family?’

  ‘I knew you’d be like this … but just remember, you ain’t Little Miss Perfect!’ Gloria snapped.

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Work it out,’ she answered briskly and stomped off, pulling open the door to march from the room.

  Gloria was fuming. Jenny was quick to spout off about her behaviour, but her sister had been the one who’d been pregnant without a husband. It infuriated her that Jenny continued to act as if she was untarnished and had never done anything wrong. Not that she thought seeing Brian was wrong. He’d told her he’d married Sarah when he was seventeen and hadn’t really loved her. Now, at twenty-five, he was miserable because Sarah had grown into a fat old nag. He’d said he’d leave her, but not until after she’d had the baby. Gloria had told him she’d wait for him, and in the meantime, she planned on finding a bedsit. A love nest where she could be alone with Brian and where he could join her once he’d left his wife.

  Jenny wouldn’t like it, Gloria knew that, and it would scupper their plans of pooling their wages to rent a flat once they’d saved a deposit. Gloria scowled. She didn’t see why she should be responsible for her siblings, and despite agreeing to it, she now didn’t want to pool her wages. The sooner she found a bedsit the better, and Jenny could like it or lump it.

  Chapter 35

  The atmosphere between Gloria and Jenny was tense, and Edith had picked up on it. As Jenny peeled potatoes for Sunday lunch, Edith cornered her granddaughter.

  ‘What’s going on with you and Gloria? You’ve hardly spoken since you came home on Friday night and I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at each other.’

  ‘Gran, you don’t want to know, trust me.’

  ‘If I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t be asking, so come on, out with it.’

  Jenny placed the knife on the kitchen side, took a deep breath and turned to look at her. ‘She’s seeing a bloke from work … he’s married.’

  Edith rolled her eyes and shook her head. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree, she thought, and Gloria was just like her mother, with the morals of an alley cat. ‘I take it you’ve had a word with her?’

  ‘I did, but it didn’t go down well and now I don’t know what to do. His wife used to work at the factory, so everyone knows her, and to make matters worse she’s got a baby on the way.’

  ‘This is going from bad to worse,’ Edith said as she rubbed her hip.

  ‘See, I told you that you wouldn’t want to know.’

  ‘I’m glad you told me. I’ll have a word with her.’

  ‘I don’t think she’ll listen, Gran, you know what she’s like.’

  ‘Yes, as I was thinking, she’s just like her mother.’

  Their conversation was interrupted when they heard Peter’s high-pitched voice shout excitedly, ‘Mummy’s here!’

  ‘Talk of the devil,’ Edith said. ‘I wonder what she wants this time.’

  Edith walked through to the front room and was surprised to find Lizzie standing next to a man. He was very smart in his expensive-looking suit but appeared to be old enough to be her father.

  ‘Mum, this is Owen, my very good friend. Kids, say hello to your uncle Owen,’ Lizzie told them.

  While the boys just stared at the man, Edith thought, uncle, my arse. She couldn’t bring herself to greet a man who was seeing a woman young enough to be his daughter.

  ‘Put the kettle on, Jen, there’s a good girl,’ Lizzie urged.

&n
bsp; Edith raised her eyebrows at Jenny as she walked back into the kitchen. Pamela hadn’t said a word and Gloria was standing with her hands on her hips looking Owen up and down.

  ‘Can we go for a ride in your car, Uncle Owen?’ Timmy asked.

  ‘Well … er …’

  ‘Maybe later,’ Lizzie said, interrupting him.

  ‘Are you living with him?’ Gloria asked.

  ‘Yes, dear. We live in Du Cane Court, on the third floor. You know, when I was your age I always wanted to see inside those flats. The grand art deco style sticks out like a sore thumb on Balham High Road … well, I wasn’t disappointed. Owen has three bedrooms and there’s even a radio built into the wall. When we get back from our holiday, perhaps you’d like to come and visit?’

  Peter and Timmy jumped up and down, both yelping, ‘Us too. Can we come?’

  ‘Of course, my darlings.’

  ‘Huh, three bedrooms,’ Gloria said with a huff, ‘and there’s us lot crammed in here.’

  ‘What do you mean? I thought you were back with your father?’

  Edith noticed the boys suddenly become very subdued and Pamela was staring out of the window. She was about to explain, but Gloria beat her to it.

  ‘Yeah, we were, until you showed up with a boot full of presents and ruined everything,’ Gloria snapped.

  ‘How did that ruin everything?’

  ‘You have no idea what that man did to—’

  Jenny walked back into the room carrying a tray and said hurriedly, ‘Leave it, Gloria.’

  ‘No, I won’t! Why should I?’

  Edith quickly stepped in and said, ‘Because you’re upsetting the boys.’

  ‘Did I hear you say that you’re going on holiday?’ Jenny asked.

  Edith thought it was clever of her granddaughter to change the subject so smoothly.

  ‘Yes,’ Lizzie answered, ‘that’s why I’m here. Owen is taking me away until the spring, so I wanted to say I won’t be around for a while. I’ll send postcards though and bring you back some wonderful presents.’

  ‘Huh, we hardly see you anyway, so going away won’t affect us,’ Gloria said scathingly.

  ‘There’s no need for that,’ Lizzie snapped, ‘and you still haven’t told me why you’re all living here.’