Christmas Wishes (14 page)

‘Her sister has become her eyes, which isn’t fair on either of them,’ she had exclaimed and Alex, who valued her opinion, found himself in agreement.

Gillian told Alex that she was prepared to return to the secondary school after the Easter holidays if it would make life easier for her twin, but her father shook his head. ‘It won’t make life easier for her in the long run,’ he assured her. ‘Remember, she’s accepted that you’ll be taking up your scholarship to St Hilda’s as soon as the holidays are over, so she knows she had better start thinking for herself instead of letting you do it for her, because that’s what she’s been doing, queen. Perhaps you think I’m being cruel, but those who know best don’t agree. Look at Colin, for instance. Eager to help, saying he’d pop in whenever Joy wanted, and we’ve not seen hide nor hair of him since that one visit because she simply won’t ask him to call. Instead, she clings to you like a perishin’ limpet to a rock and it’s not right nor fair for either of you.’

Gillian eyed her parent curiously. ‘You say Joy has accepted that we’ll be going to different schools in a few days, but what do you mean to do about getting her to school and back? It’s all very well to say she knows the way – she does – but she simply can’t walk to school by herself. Why, groups of schoolchildren could push her off the pavement, not meaning any harm. What’s more, she’ll need someone to tell her what the traffic is doing, where the kerbs are and so on, otherwise she’ll end up under a bus. You can’t take her, I can’t either, so what’s the answer to that, eh?’

Alex sighed at the mere thought of the trouble Joy might get into if she tried walking to school by herself, but he shook his head chidingly at Gillian. ‘Of course I’ve thought of that, silly! Do you remember Mr Williams, who is one of my Watch? He’s got a son, Edward, who goes to the Bold; he’s in his last year. I’ve asked Mr Williams if the boy can take Joy to and from school, and they’re both willing. Does that satisfy your scruples, young woman? Edward’s fifteen, and in the special class for boys and girls who are particularly bright, so he should be able to look after our Joy, no problem.’

‘Have you told Joy that a boy will be taking her to and from school?’ Gillian asked suspiciously. She chuckled. ‘Oh dear, she’s not going to like it, Daddy. Couldn’t you find a responsible girl who could give an eye to her?’

‘No,’ Alex said firmly. ‘I wanted someone I could trust, and the fact that Edward’s father is a member of Blue Watch means he’s family, as we say. So if Joy doesn’t like it I’m afraid she’ll have to lump it.’

‘When are you going to break it to her?’ Gillian asked, hefting her basket on one arm. ‘If it’s now, I’ll make myself scarce. She’ll be as cross as crabs, Daddy, and you can’t really blame her. Alone in the dark …’ She shuddered. ‘It must be dreadful. But, you know, I thought that Colin chap gave her really good advice. He told her to use any aid she could get hold of, but she never has, even though she promised to use her stick and wear her glasses so that folks would realise she was blind. Well, when I go to St Hilda’s she’ll perishin’ well have to use the stick, if not the spectacles.’

‘And she’ll have the rest of the Easter holidays to go over the route to school with you,’ Alex said, but he could hear the uneasiness in his own voice. ‘Surely with Edward’s help she’ll be able to get to and from school safely enough? It’s a great pity she didn’t make any friends before Christmas, when you and she were both at Bold Street.’

‘It’s being a twin,’ Gillian explained. ‘We tend to do everything together so other children leave us alone. But I dare say Joy will remember some of the other kids in her class once she starts at the school again.’

‘And I’ve spoken to Miss Batchelor,’ Alex said. ‘She’s going to get one of the more responsible kids to stick by Joy until she’s managed to learn the layout of the school. Folk are really good; I believe they like helping when asked to do so. Look at the young Williams boy, for instance. I don’t believe he’s ever met either of you, but his father said he would be happy to accompany Joy to school.’

‘Edward Williams,’ Gillian said thoughtfully. ‘Is he that boy who’s a bit of a swot? If it’s the one I’m thinking of, he’s gingery and wears specs.’ She giggled. ‘We used to call him Silly Willy because he’s such a dream, but he is clever, I know.’

Alex pulled a face. ‘Don’t be so sharp, young lady. And don’t you call him anything but Edward, because he’s got a kind heart and your sister mustn’t be put off walking with him; not until she’s more independent, anyway.’

‘Right,’ Gillian said as she moved towards the doorway of the greengrocer’s shop. ‘See you later, Daddy; and good luck!’

Joy was in bed lying in her own particular dark, listening to the tiny sounds which those who had sight would not even notice. The wind rustling the leaves of the tree which grew only a few yards further up the street, an errand boy breathing noisily as he passed along the pavement below their window, someone starting up a car and cursing mildly when the engine did not fire at the first attempt.

It was the first day of the summer term, the first time she would walk to school with only a strange boy for company, for in order for Gillian to get to St Hilda’s on time she would have to leave very much earlier than Joy would, as St Hilda’s was on the opposite side of the city. She would have to catch a tram to the Old Haymarket, then change to one which would take her all the way to her new school. Joy, on the other hand, would simply leave the house by the front door when the boy Edward called for her, follow the pavement along until her stick told her that she had reached the kerb, and wait there, listening for the sound of turning traffic, listening even more carefully for someone about to cross. She had been forced to agree that Edward might call for her, but told herself stoutly that she had no real need of him. She had practised the walk to school over and over with Gillian, and was sure she could now do it without a companion to warn her of approaching hazards or see her across the three side roads which lay between her home and the school. The fourth road she would turn into, walking along it for forty paces – she and Gillian had paced out all the distances which would affect her – and only then would she wave her despised white stick in an imperious fashion, cross the road and go straight through the wrought-iron gates into the school playground. The boy Edward would be with her, since Daddy had arranged it, but she was pretty sure that by the end of the week she would be able to dispense with his services.

Joy sighed and turned her head restlessly on her pillow. Nights were always the worst, long black hours which she dreaded, but this night had been longer than all the rest. She would have liked to get out of bed and climb in with her sister because to cuddle close to someone eased her dread of the dark. She knew it would not be fair, however; Gillian needed her sleep because today was her first day back at St Hilda’s, as it would be her own first day at Bold Street. There would be thirty other girls in Gillian’s class, and her sister did not know a single one of them. Unlike Joy at Bold Street, Gillian would have a different teacher for every subject and would not stay in her own classroom for the duration of each day but, with the other girls, would make her way to one teacher’s classroom for maths, another’s for geography, the library for English and so on, and so on. At least once Joy reached the haven of her own classroom she would remain there for every lesson, only leaving for break at eleven and school dinner at one. And when afternoon school finished, she would hang about until Edward called for her, whereupon they would walk back home together.

The girls had a small alarm clock, its tick comforting Joy because it proved that time was passing, but Gillian had refused to set the alarm the previous evening, saying that it would not be fair to wake Joy hours before she needed to get up. Gillian had to leave the house by twenty to eight at the latest, whereas Joy, even walking slowly, could reach her school in good time if she left the house an hour later. When she had told Gillian to ‘set the bleedin’ alarm ’cos I’d rather get up early than be responsible if you didn’t wake in time’, Gillian had assured her there was no fear of that, since it got light so early now that she’d probably wake up ages before she needed to get out of bed.

Now, Joy heard a creak as Gillian turned over, and then other little sounds which meant her sister was not only awake but getting out of bed. She sat up on her elbow. ‘What’s the time, Gillian?’ she whispered. ‘I know you’re getting up so I’m getting up as well. Are you excited? I know you laid out your uniform last night and my navy skirt and blouse and things are on my chair. You wash first.’

‘Oh, Joy, and I was trying so hard not to wake you,’ Gillian said remorsefully. ‘I meant to wash and dress ever so quietly, go down and prepare breakfast and then come back and give you a hand. I expect we’ll make a mess of things today because it’s all new to us, but we’ll grow accustomed. We’re going to have to get extremely organised though, otherwise you’ll be hanging around the house waiting to go and I’ll be scampering up the road and probably jumping aboard the wrong tram. Now be sensible; back into bed until I’m ready to help you.’

‘Shan’t!’ Joy said baldly. ‘You get washed while I brush out my hair, then I’ll wash while you do yours. Then we can go downstairs together and have our breakfast. I’ll listen to the wireless when you’re gone; they give plenty of time checks, so don’t worry that I’ll be late. Is it proper daylight already?’

‘Yes, it’s actually sunny. I wish I didn’t have to leave so early, but that boy, what’s-his-name, Edward, told Daddy he’d give our door a knock around half past eight. I know you think you’ll be able to manage without him, but if a van or lorry turned off the main road right into your path …’

‘Oh, don’t be such an old hen,’ Joy said crossly. ‘As you say, we’ve practised and practised and I haven’t been squashed flat yet. But if it makes you happier, I’ll let him walk beside me, for the first week at any rate.’

She got her reward as she was pulled into Gillian’s embrace and given a hard hug. ‘Oh, Joy, you’re a princess,’ Gillian said fervently. ‘You’ve no idea how I’ve worried about you crossing those wretched side streets. I
know
you’re sensible and will wave your white stick, I know you listen to the difference in the engine’s note when a driver changes gear to take the corner, and I know you try to cross when others are doing so. But I’ll stop worrying altogether if I know you’re going to let Edward walk alongside you. Just for a bit, you know,’ she added hastily, sensing her sister’s disapproval. She splashed water on to her face and then rubbed it briskly dry. ‘Your turn now, twin!’

‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’ Gillian asked for the hundredth time, her voice anxious, yet already a little preoccupied. Joy smiled; I’m quite useful for taking people’s minds off their own troubles, she told herself. Gillian hasn’t given a thought to her new school until this moment, when she’s all set to go, and realises that she will be leaving me here alone. She could picture her sister, in her green blazer and striped green and white cotton dress, with her straw hat on the back of her head and her big brown satchel slung over one shoulder, standing in the open doorway and gazing anxiously at Joy herself, who was sitting at the table eating bread and jam and listening to the wireless. ‘Joy? Are you sure you’ll be all right? You won’t try to make toast, or – or wash up? Daddy wanted Mrs What’s-her-name to come in early so that she’d be here by the time he left for work, only you got so cross …’

‘I’ll get cross again if you don’t shut up and go,’ Joy said sharply. ‘Don’t treat me as if I was a perishin’ baby! We’ve gone over it again and again, I’ve agreed to take me white stick even if this here boy turns up as arranged …’ She heard her sister’s gasp as the possibility of Edward’s not turning up occurred to her, and knew a fresh bogey had arisen in poor Gillian’s mind. For a moment she thought vengefully that it served her sister right, then she relented. ‘He’ll come, and if he doesn’t, I’ll be sensible, honest to God I will.’

‘How sensible?’ Gillian asked suspiciously. ‘Go on, if he doesn’t turn up what’ll you do?’

‘I suppose I’ll have to go round to the fire station and ask Mr Williams what’s happened to him,’ Joy said rather gloomily. She had no wish to frighten her father into believing this Edward to be untrustworthy.

But apparently her answer satisfied Gillian, for Joy heard a swift rush of feet, then felt her sister’s breath on her cheek and the panama hat digging into her ear as her sister gave her a hurried kiss. ‘You’re a good girl,’ Gillian said. ‘I love you as much as I love our daddy and I wish … oh, I wish …’

‘You wish you were thick, like me, so we could go to the same school together. What a liar you are, Gillian Lawrence,’ Joy said. ‘For God’s sake, bugger off before you have us both in tears. Have a wonderful day; you can tell me all about it over tea.’

‘All right. Tea shouldn’t be a problem because Daddy’s got Mrs Clarke to bake a cake, so when you come in you won’t have to wait for me before you start to eat …’

‘I know, I know, I
know
!’ Joy almost screamed. ‘Everything will go according to plan, except that you’ll ruin it all by missing your tram. See you tonight, twin. Be good.’

Chapter Six

Edward Williams brushed his lank, sandy hair, polished his spectacles, straightened his tie and shrugged himself into his worn grey jacket. He had agreed to accompany Joy Lawrence to and from school with very mixed feelings. So far as he was concerned girls were a blot on the landscape, and he considered his school life to be quite hard enough – fat boys suffer all sorts of abuse – without inviting the taunt that only a blind girl would consent to walk to school with him.

However, he had agreed to take Joy to and from school because his father was a member of Alex Lawrence’s Watch and it would have been difficult for him to refuse. Like everyone else in the area he had heard about Joy’s accident, but the true awfulness of it had not come home to him until he had seen her stumbling along clinging to her sister’s arm. Before the accident, the twins used to dart in and out of other pedestrians on the pavement, calling to each other and laughing, but now Gillian walked slowly and carefully whilst Joy clutched her arm as a drowning man clings to a spar.