Try a Little Tenderness (54 page)

Relief flooded Mick’s body. He wasn’t going to lose his best mate after all. ‘Well, it’s like this, yer see, pal. Knowing what a lazy begger yer are, I knew yer wouldn’t travel all that way just to kill me.’

‘So after years of rivalry, it’s you who’s won the fair maiden’s hand? Well, I don’t think ye’re good enough for her, she deserves better.’ John put his arms around Jenny and held her close. ‘I’m cut to the quick, I really am. Me poor heart is bleeding.’

‘I’ll bet it is,’ Jenny laughed, hugging him back. ‘But we’ll always be mates, won’t we, John? Nothing will change that.’

‘We’ll always be that, Jenny, and I’ll always be there for yer.’ His arms dropped to his side. ‘At least, I will when me bleeding heart is mended.’

‘Ah, yer poor thing.’ Janet sidled up to him, and in her childish voice, asked, ‘Shall I kiss it better for yer?’

‘Not as long as yer mam’s got a rolling pin and you talk like a parrot. I like the shape of me head as it is, thank you.’

Janet patted his head as she would a child, then moved close to her friend. ‘So is it all settled, Jenny? Mick is officially yer boyfriend?’

‘Yeah, I think so.’

‘Yer think so! Hasn’t he asked yer yet?’

‘No, I asked him, Janet.’

‘Ooh, er!’ Janet pursed her lips. ‘You asked him, eh?’

John bent his elbow and gave Mick such a hard dig in the ribs, he caught his breath. ‘Just watch this, Mick. Can yer hear her head ticking over? Let’s see what gem she comes
up with this time. Honest to God, she comes out with some corkers.’

While this was going on, Lizzie was drinking it all in. She needed to go down the yard but she didn’t want to miss a single word. Mind you, she might have to if they didn’t hurry up. At her age, she’d die of humiliation if she disgraced herself.

Janet wanted a bit more information before she decided. ‘What did yer say to him, Jenny? Did yer come right out with it, or did yer go all round the world?’

Jenny giggled. ‘There wasn’t much point in going around the world, Jan, so I just said, “Will yer be me boyfriend?”’

Janet tapped her lips with a finger. Then, her mind made up, she walked over to John, stood in front of him and looked him straight in the eyes. ‘Will yer be me boyfriend, John Hanley?’

‘Ooh, I’d have to think about that, Janet. After all, it’s not only you I’d be taking on, but yer mother and her rolling pin.’

‘Me mam doesn’t hit members of the family, she only hits people who do things she doesn’t like. And she wouldn’t like it if you turned me down, so there. It would be in yer own interest to say I can be yer girlfriend.’

‘Oh dear.’ John couldn’t look at her because he knew he’d burst out laughing. ‘Are yer listening to this, Auntie Lizzie? I’ve got a choice between a duel to the death with Mick, or Mrs Porter’s rolling pin. And I’m not a strong lad, as yer know, so for either one I’d have to get a stuntman to stand in for me.’

‘Ye’re not palming me off with any stuntman, John Hanley. If yer won’t be me boyfriend, I’ll have to pinch Mick off Jenny.’

‘I can’t let yer do that, curly top, ’cos they’re me two best mates. It looks as though yer’ve got me over a barrel and I’ll have to give in to yer.’

Lizzie could no longer resist the call of nature. She
struggled to her feet, and on her way to the door, she said, ‘I’ll be gone a couple of minutes, that’s plenty of time to seal yer relationship with a kiss. But for heaven’s sake don’t tell yer mam I suggested that, Janet. I’ve never been partial to rolling pins.’

As she hastened down the yard, Lizzie could hear the laughter, and she knew that John and Mick would be doubled up, while the girls waited for their kiss.

‘Yer are sure this is Charlie’s address, aren’t yer, Gary?’ Stan asked as he made notes on a notepad. ‘And that his mother’s name is Hettie?’

‘That’s definitely his address, and he calls his mam by her first name. I’ve heard it hundreds of times. Their surname is Owens.’

‘What do yer intend doing with all this information, now yer’ve got it?’ Mary asked. ‘I’m not going to call on the woman, if that’s what yer’ve got in mind.’

‘We’re all in this, love, so I don’t expect any one person to do what needs to be done. We mustn’t forget that Charlie’s mother is not to blame for what he does. It could come as a terrible shock to her.’

‘She’s quite a nice lady, actually,’ Gary said, ‘keeps her house like a little palace. And she dotes on Charlie, waits on him hand and foot. But unless she’s blind, she must know what he’s like for the ladies. Everyone else does, he’s got quite a reputation.’

‘I’d go with yer to see her, Mam,’ Laura said, ‘if yer wanted.’

Stan brushed the offer aside. ‘This will take some working out, so yer grandad doesn’t know anything about it until it’s over.’ He glanced at Mary. ‘Yer did say that none of the women in the street liked Celia, didn’t yer?’

Mary nodded. ‘They can’t stand the sight of her. Especially the near neighbours, who were me mam’s friends. I know they wouldn’t need asking twice if we wanted them
to help. But what they could do, I don’t know.’

‘I do,’ said her husband, ‘but we need to work from two sides. Someone, who they won’t know from Adam, has to go and see Charlie’s mother with the news that she’s to become a grandmother. And at the same time – and this is the tricky part – we need to get Celia out of that house for good. That’s where I think yer mam’s old neighbours would come in – they could drive her out.’ He saw the look on Mary’s face and reached for her hand. ‘Strong measures are needed, love, to keep her away from yer dad. Otherwise she’ll be pestering him for money and we don’t want that. It has to be a clean break. And if she knows the neighbours are gunning for her, and that they mean business, she’ll think twice about setting foot in the street again.’

There was a look of concern on Laura’s face. ‘Dad, she’ll know something’s up with me and Gary not being at the dance. Whatever ye’re thinking of doing, it’ll have to be soon.’

Mary conjured up her father’s face to give her the strength she needed. ‘We’ll do it tomorrow and get it over with. Laura, you take a day off work and come with me. If she sees us together, she’ll know her little game hasn’t worked.’

Stan raised his brows. ‘Who’s going to see to Charlie and his mother?’

‘Just leave it to me, Stan. I’ll get Amy and Molly over first thing and I’ll enlist their help. They’re me best mates, and I know they’ll get stuck in and help because they think the world of me dad. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it properly, with our own army.’ Mary jerked her head and rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll never hear the last of it off Amy, ’cos she didn’t believe it was me dad’s baby from the start.’

All eyes turned to the door when Jenny walked in with Mick. And Mary was quick to note that for the second time that night, one of her daughters had come in holding the hand of a boy.

Jenny was all smiles. ‘We’ve made it up, Mam, and Mick’s
come to ask if he can start taking me out. And me dad, of course, he’ll have to ask me dad. I’m going to be his girlfriend and I’m very happy about that.’

For the first time that night, there was laughter in the room. But the tears that rolled down Mary’s face weren’t all from laughter. They were emotional and sentimental. ‘Oh sunshine, that’s the second surprise we’ve had tonight.’ She smiled across at Gary. ‘And both pleasant surprises.’

Mick’s grin couldn’t be wider. ‘Is it all right then, Mr and Mrs Nightingale, if I come courting yer daughter? I know I’m older than her, but that doesn’t matter, because I’m young for me age and Jenny’s old for hers. And yer know I’ll always look after her and she’ll not come to any harm from me.’

‘I know that, sunshine, and I couldn’t be happier.’ Mary turned to her husband. ‘They’ve got my permission, have they got yours?’

‘If I don’t give it, I won’t get invited to any parties over there. And the Moynihans give the best parties in Liverpool. So, permission granted.’ Stan suddenly remembered his manners. ‘Oh, this is Gary, a friend of Laura’s. I’m afraid I don’t know yer second name, son.’

‘It’s Stevens, Mr Nightingale.’ Gary stood up to shake Mick’s hand. ‘It’s nice to meet yer, Mick, and I think yer’ve got a very pretty girlfriend.’

The two boys liked each other on sight. ‘Ay, keep yer eyes off her, Gary, I’ve only just got her – she’s brand new. If I ever get tired of her, I’ll give yer a shout.’

‘You won’t ever get tired of me, I won’t let yer.’ Jenny leaned against him as she grinned at her mother. ‘And guess what, Mam? Janet’s going to be John’s girlfriend. She’s absolutely over the moon. Mind you, I’m not quite sure that John knows it yet.’

‘Oh, he knows it all right,’ Mick said. ‘It started to dawn on him a few weeks back. He wouldn’t have it though, when I told him.’

Mary’s heart felt lighter than it had done in days. ‘So the four mates have become two two’s eh? I’m delighted for yer.’ Her attention was caught by Laura pulling on Gary’s arm. And she saw her daughter mouth the words, ‘Go on!’

Gary cleared his throat. ‘I’m the new boy in the camp and I’m embarrassed and blushing like mad. But have I your permission, Mr and Mrs Nightingale, to call for Laura tomorrow night? And the next night, and every other night after that?’

Mary saw the way her daughter was looking up at this handsome blond boy, and knew he was the one for her. She also knew he’d keep her on the straight and narrow. ‘As long as yer promise to look after Laura, like Mick did over Jenny. Yer see, me and Stan, we love both our daughters dearly.’

‘Don’t get yerself involved in any fighting, d’yer hear?’ Stan looked up at his wife as he pulled his cap lower on his forehead. ‘Any sign of trouble and you get out of there quick.’

‘Don’t worry, love, I won’t be on me own. Anyway, last night was such a lovely night I’m convinced everything is going to go fine for us from now on. I’m made up over Mick, I really am, he’s a smashing lad. And although it was the first time I’d clapped eyes on Gary, I can feel it in me bones that he’s going to be good for Laura.’ Mary unfolded her arms and shooed him away. ‘If yer don’t hurry, yer’ll be late clocking in.’

‘Will yer be here when I get home?’

‘I don’t know, love, we’ll have to take things as they come. I’m hoping for big things, all in one day, and perhaps I’m hoping for too much. If all me dreaming and scheming comes true, I’ll be the happiest woman in Liverpool and I’ll greet yer with a smile on me face. But anyway, if I’m a bit late, Jenny will do yer beans on toast or something – it won’t kill yer to do without a cooked dinner for one day.’ Once again she shooed him away. ‘Get going, love, ’cos I can’t afford to stand gossiping, I’ve got a busy day ahead of me.’

Mary closed the door and paused in the hallway for a while when she heard her daughters talking. It was a sound seldom heard and was like music to her ears. It was with hope in her heart she entered the room. ‘Laura, will you see
to the beds while I tidy up in here? I don’t want it looking like a muck-midden when Amy and Molly come. As soon as I think Seamus and Ben have gone to work I’m going to give them a knock.’

Amy opened the door rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. ‘Christ, girl, fancy calling on anyone at this ungodly hour! The bleedin’ streets haven’t been aired off yet.’

‘It’s an emergency, sunshine – I need yer help.’

The hour was early, but not too early for Amy’s brain to look for humour in any situation. ‘Ay, girl, ye’re not going into labour, are yer?’

Mary tutted. What would you do with her? ‘Me dad’s in trouble and I want yer in our house in half an hour – fully awake.’

Amy’s face showed concern. ‘Serious, is it, girl?’

Mary nodded. ‘Very.’

‘Right, half an hour it is.’

When Molly opened her door, she agreed without question. Except to ask, ‘D’yer need me to bring anything, me darlin’?’

‘Only yerself, Molly, thanks.’ Mary hurried across the cobbles to make sure the house was tidy. She didn’t worry about Amy because her best mate didn’t give a continental what her place looked like. But Molly was a different kettle of fish. As soon as her husband and Mick left for work, she got stuck in and the whole house was spick and span by nine o’clock. That’s unless it was the day for changing bedclothes, then she finished a little later.

‘Laura, yer’ve got five minutes to get yerself washed, then I can get to the sink.’ Mary caught her daughter’s arm as she passed. ‘There’s no need to come out with the whole story. Yer just went to a dance and Celia happened to be there. Yer met Gary, fell for him and started going to the dance every week. From that point, we tell the truth. Okay, sunshine?’

Laura felt choked. Her mam and dad had been great,
and she knew it was more than she deserved. She gave Mary a big hug. ‘Thanks, Mam, for everything.’

Jenny popped the last piece of toast in her mouth and stood up to take her plate out. ‘I was saying to Laura, Mam, that she’s got a good-looking boyfriend. And he seems to be nice inside as well as out.’ Her body still feeling the effects of the excitement of last night, and her heart singing with happiness, she laughed. ‘Mind yer, he’s not as handsome as my Mick – no one is.’ Then she added, ‘Except for me grandad – he’s the most handsome man in the whole wide world.’

After Jenny had left for work, mother and daughter rushed around like mad to get everything done before Amy and Molly arrived. And Laura had just finished the last job of wiping the hearth over when the knock came.

‘This emergency had better be good, girl.’ Amy waddled in, followed closely by Molly. ‘Every bleedin’ bone in me body is complaining about the way it’s been rushed this morning. Me face doesn’t even know it’s been washed yet.’ Her brow rose when Laura walked in from the kitchen. ‘What are you doing at home this time of the day? Did yer sleep in?’

‘No, she didn’t, I kept her off work.’ Mary pulled the chairs from under the table. ‘Thanks for coming over this time of the morning, both of yer. Sit yerselves down and when yer’ve heard what I’ve got to say, I’m hoping yer’ll help me out. It’s about me dad.’

‘I’ll make meself scarce, Mam,’ Laura said, knowing she’d be embarrassed to listen to them talking about someone having a baby, especially her grandad. ‘I’ll go upstairs and dust the bedrooms, shall I?’