Stay as Sweet as You Are (49 page)

‘Ooh, er, how am I going to sleep with these in? I’ll have to sit up all night.’

‘Don’t be daft! Put a scarf on yer head before yer go to bed and it’ll keep the pipe cleaners in place. Anyway, yer’ve got to put up with some discomfort if yer want to be glamorous.’

‘Okay, kid, don’t be getting obstreperous.’

Lucy’s jaw dropped. ‘Don’t be getting what?’

‘I ain’t repeating that! It took me all me time to get it out the once.’

‘Well, what does it mean?’

‘How the heck do I know? I was in TJ’s one day and some kid was screaming his head off. His mam dragged him out of the shop telling him not to be what I’ve just told yer.’

‘I’m going to ask our teacher tomorrow what it means,’ Lucy said. ‘And if it means something bad I’ll clock yer one.’

‘What are yer going to ask her?’

‘What that word means.’

‘What word?’

‘The one yer’ve just used.’

‘Can yer say it, then?’

Lucy sent her curls swinging as she shook her head. ‘Of course I can’t say it. But you can.’

‘I’m staying out of it,’ Rhoda said, picking up her bag. ‘And another thing, I’m staying away from T.J. Hughes’ and screaming kids. If I’d known the miserable little blighter was going to cause me this much bother I’d have hit him meself.’

Bob couldn’t help laughing aloud. He knew these two had been mates for years, but had no idea how close they were. He was sorry when Rhoda said it was time to go. ‘Thank you for a very entertaining hour, Miss Fleming. I sincerely hope yer head is one mass of curls in the morning.’

‘Oh, it will be, Mr Mellor. Yer see, Lucy’s coming over to ours early in the morning to take the pipe cleaners out and roll me curls for me.’

Lucy gasped. ‘I never said I’d do that.’

‘No, you didn’t say it, I did.’ Rhoda pushed her friend into
the hallway. ‘And don’t yer start getting obstreperous with me, Lucy Mellor, or I’ll give yer a thick lip.’

Ruby huffed when she walked into the living room at eleven o’clock that night. Why did he have to lower the gas every time she went out? It made the room look miserable, and all for the sake of saving a copper. She pulled the chain at the side of the gas-light to brighten the room, while calling her husband all the tight-fisted buggers she could think of. It was when she was taking her coat off that she saw the blanket and pillow on the couch. ‘Oh no,’ she said aloud. ‘If he thinks I’m sleeping on there again he’s got another think coming.’

Wally’s lovemaking and flattery had filled her with confidence, and the belief that she was far too good for her husband. And the drink he’d plied her with clouded her judgement. She hung her coat on a hook in the hall, then picked up the blanket and pillow. Without making any effort to be quiet, she climbed the stairs, threw the bedding on the bed and waited for Bob to stir. ‘If yer think yer can get away with that, ye’re dafter than I thought yer were.’

Bob lay still for several seconds to collect his thoughts. Then, with a deep sigh, he pushed the clothes back. Gathering the blanket and pillow in his arms, he said quietly, ‘You will not sleep in my bed.’ He started to walk out of the room, intending to throw the clothes down the stairs, but Ruby barred his path. Her two hands pushing him backwards, she yelled at the top of her voice, ‘Who the bleedin’ hell d’yer think yer are? Yer can’t be right in the head if yer think yer can make yer wife sleep on the couch.’ All the time she was pushing and beating Bob’s chest with her fists. And when he didn’t reply, her language became that of the gutter.

Lucy woke with a start and shot up in bed. She heard her mother screaming like a wild woman and was sickened by the swearwords. Then she heard her father speaking in a low
voice. ‘Will yer move out of my way?’ His words sent Ruby into a rage and her screaming intensified.

Lucy scrambled from her bed and flew into the next room. She saw her mother lashing out at her father with both hands and was horrified. ‘You leave my dad alone.’ She stood behind her mother and began to pummel her back with clenched fists. ‘Ye’re wicked, you are. Now leave him alone.’

Ruby turned around, pulled her arm back and delivered a stinging slap to the side of Lucy’s face. ‘Get back to bed, yer little faggot.’

Bob closed his eyes. To think it had come down to this. His daughter trying to protect him from a wife who was clearly not in her right mind. And the neighbours both sides must be able to hear the row. He laid the clothes down on the bed, put his arms around Ruby’s waist and lifted her from the floor. ‘You either sleep on the couch or walk the streets all night. The choice is yours.’

Lucy stepped away from the thrashing arms and legs as her mother was carried screaming from the room. Holding a hand to her cheek which was smarting from the slap, she watched as her mother clung to the bannister like grim death, screaming like a wild woman as her father tried to carry her downstairs. And, sick at heart, the girl knew that what was happening now had put paid to any thought of her dad staying. It wouldn’t be fair to expect him to, either.

‘Go back to bed, Lucy,’ Bob said. ‘I’ll handle this.’

‘Will yer be all right, Dad?’

‘Yes, I’ll be all right. You go back to bed, there’s a good girl.’

Bob waited for a few seconds, then took an arm from around his wife’s waist. He let it fall before bringing it up sharply under her arms and wrenching her away from the bannister. He managed to get her down the stairs and into the living room, where he dropped her on to the couch. She was still shouting and blaspheming as she tried to push
herself up, and it was then that Bob saw red. With the sound of Lucy’s face being slapped still ringing in his ears, he had come to the end of his tether. ‘Shut up, woman, before I make you.’

‘That’ll be the day,’ Ruby sneered. ‘Yer haven’t got the bleedin’ guts. Ye’re not man enough.’

Bob had always sworn never to raise a hand to a woman, but he had taken enough humiliation from this loudmouthed, so-called wife of his. He didn’t put his weight behind the slap he gave her, but it was hard enough to bring a startled cry from Ruby. ‘You bleedin’ sod! I’ll get yer back for this.’

‘That slap was for Lucy. And if yer don’t keep that filthy mouth of yours shut, I’ll be happy to give yer one from me. And I won’t pull me punch next time. So it’s up to you. Yer can go upstairs, very quietly, and bring down the blanket and pillow for yerself, or yer can take a chance on me belting yer one before throwing yer out on the street.’

Ruby had sobered up quickly. She had never seen her husband like this, but she could tell by the anger in his voice that he was more than capable of carrying out his threat. However, habit wouldn’t let her give in to him. ‘I’ll be quiet if you sleep on the couch.’

‘My terms are not up for discussion, Ruby. Take it or leave it.’

She still wasn’t ready to give in. ‘And how long is this lark going to go on for – me sleeping on the couch?’

‘Oh, not long, Ruby. Not long at all.’

‘How d’yer mean, not long? What’s going on?’

‘I don’t have to tell you anything about my private life. You don’t tell me anything, never have done. I don’t know where yer go or who yer see. I was going to say I don’t know what yer get up to, but I know that now.’ Bob’s sigh came from deep within him. ‘I have an eight-hour shift in front of me, I’d like to get some sleep. So go and fetch the bedding if yer don’t fancy a night walking the streets.’

Ruby left the room without a word. And when she came down, Bob climbed the stairs hoping to get a few hours’ much-needed sleep. Tomorrow was another day. A day in which he had to sort his life out once and for all.

‘What in the name of God went on last night?’ Irene asked as Bob walked into Aggie’s living room the next day. ‘The whole street must have heard yer.’

‘They wouldn’t have heard me, Irene, or Lucy. I was fast asleep when Ruby came home at eleven o’clock. She must have been with her fancy-man and was the worse for drink. I’d left a blanket and pillow on the couch for her because I’d told her I’ll never sleep in the same bed as her. If she hadn’t gone out, or was home at a reasonable time, I might have slept downstairs meself. But I can’t sit up until she decides to roll home, I’ve got a job to think of.’

‘She is one bitch,’ Irene said with feeling. ‘Shouting her head off, and the language out of her was terrible! What was it all in aid of?’

‘She came upstairs with the blanket and pillow and said she was getting into bed whether I liked it or not. Well, I didn’t like it. And that started the whole thing off. The noise woke Lucy and she came dashing in to see her mother beating me with her fists. Of course the girl was upset and began to hit her on the back, telling her to leave me alone. The next thing, Ruby turns around and gave Lucy such a belt across the face it must have really hurt. Anyway, it brought me to me senses and I told Lucy to go back to bed while I somehow managed to drag Ruby down the stairs.’

Aggie had been shaking her head and tutting. The more her temper rose, the quicker the chair was rocked. ‘Has the woman no shame? A married woman coming home drunk at eleven o’clock at night! And after being told that yer know what she’s up to! If yer ask me, she wants horsewhipping.’

‘I don’t know about horse-whipping, Aggie, and I’m not exactly proud of meself, but I did give her a slap. She just wouldn’t shut up when I finally got her downstairs, saying I wasn’t a man and I didn’t have the guts to do the things I was threatening to do. Like giving her a good hiding and throwing her out into the street. Anyway, I finally lost me rag and slapped her face. I told her that one was for Lucy, but if she didn’t shut up I’d give her one for meself and I wouldn’t be as gentle.’

‘About bleedin’ time,’ Aggie said. ‘Yer should have done it years ago.’

‘It must have done the trick, Bob, because all went quiet about half-eleven.’ Irene’s pretty face was wearing a troubled expression. Last night, through the bedroom wall, she and George had heard a little of what Bob had had to put up with all these years. And it had given her plenty to think about. He was a nice, decent, hardworking bloke who wouldn’t do anyone a bad turn. He deserved a good life and she for one wouldn’t blame him for walking away from a living hell. ‘What happens now?’

‘I’m getting out, Irene. Kate and her mam have been looking round for digs for me and Lucy, but haven’t come up with anything yet. Her mam’s got a spare room, but she couldn’t take both of us. I’m just hoping a place turns up quick, or I’ll end up doing something I don’t want to, and that’s doing Ruby an injury.’

‘If it helps, I’ll have Lucy until something turns up,’ Aggie said. ‘Then yer could take the room that this Kate’s mother’s got. It probably wouldn’t be for long, so I’m sure Lucy wouldn’t mind. I mean, yer could see her nearly every day. There’s nothing to stop yer coming home whenever yer’ve got the time, it’s still your house.’

‘I couldn’t do that to Lucy. Besides, Ruby would give yer a dog’s life. You have no idea just how bad she can be. She’d torment the life out of yer.’

‘Oh no, she wouldn’t, lad! I’m more than a match for that
little madam. If she knocked on me door once, she’d never do it again unless she wanted me boot up her backside.’

‘Yer wouldn’t have to worry on that score, Bob,’ Irene said. ‘I don’t think Ruby would fancy a set-to with me. I’d skin her alive for what she’s done to you and Lucy.’

‘I couldn’t leave Lucy, it would break my heart. She’s never had a mother to speak of, and if I walked out on her it would scar her for life.’

‘Don’t be daft, it would only be for a few weeks. We get on fine together and it would be like a little holiday for her.’ Aggie had it all worked out in her head. ‘Besides, instead of looking for digs for the two of yer, why don’t yer try and get a little house around here? That would mean we wouldn’t lose our friends, and neither would you or Lucy.’

‘And how would I furnish this house, Aggie? I’ll have to pay the rent on the house I’ve got now, and pay me digs. I won’t have much over, and it takes a lot of money to furnish a house.’

‘Not if yer take yer furniture with yer. It’s you what owns the bleedin’ stuff! Just leave the queer one a bed, table and chair. Let her fend for herself.’

‘Why don’t yer let Lucy decide?’ Irene said. ‘At least wait until yer ask her thoughts on the matter.’

‘Ooh, aye, she’ll be home any minute.’ Aggie pressed her hands on the wooden arms of her chair and pushed herself up. ‘I’d better stand at the door and watch out for her.’

‘No need, Aggie,’ Bob said. ‘Yer can bet yer sweet life she won’t go straight home, not after last night. She’ll call here first.’

And Bob was proved right ten minutes later when Aggie opened the door to Lucy. ‘Come on in, sweetheart, we’ve been waiting for yer.’

Lucy made straight for her father. ‘Are yer all right, Dad? She didn’t scratch yer or hurt yer, did she?’

‘No, pet, I’m fine.’ Bob reached for her two hands and held them in his. ‘A bit tired, perhaps, but that’s about all.’

‘Yer should have seen me mam last night,’ Lucy looked over at the two women, ‘it was awful. She was screaming and shouting her head off, using bad words. And she was punching me dad with her two fists, saying terrible things to him. She had no right to do that because he never did nothing.’ The girl’s emotions were running high. Concern for her father was uppermost in her mind, but anger wasn’t far behind. ‘I want yer to leave, Dad, ’cos I’m afraid she might do something really bad to yer when ye’re asleep or something. She’s wicked is me mam, and when she’s had too much to drink yer never know what she’ll do. I want yer to go ’cos I’m frightened for yer.’

‘It’s not that easy, pet. We have nowhere to go.’

Irene decided to step in. She too was afraid that one day Ruby might go too far. After hearing her last night it was easy to believe she was capable of anything. ‘Yer dad knows someone who’s got one bedroom, but it wouldn’t be enough for both of yer. Aggie has suggested that yer dad takes that room, and you could stay here with her until something comes up where yer can be together.’

There was determination in the shaking of Lucy’s head. ‘No, I’ll stay at home. You take that room, Dad, but I’m not moving. I’m not frightened of me mam, so I’ll stay there until yer come back again.’