Try a Little Tenderness (30 page)

The girls didn’t get off scot-free, either. While Jenny was reciting
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
, the boys were doing all the actions in such an exaggerated way everyone was reduced to fits of laughter. But Janet’s contribution,
Jack and Jill
, had John shaking his head vigorously. ‘You can get the pail of water, Mick. I’m not lifting that ruddy bucket again for no one, never mind running up a hill with it.’

Mary had her hand on the knocker when she heard shrieks of laughter. ‘In the name of God,’ she muttered, ‘what’s our Jenny thinking about! Lizzie is supposed to be resting, not having a flaming party!’ When there was no response to her knock, she rapped on the window and had a sharp rebuke on her tongue when the door opened.

‘Mick Moynihan, what the hell’s going on here? Just wait until I see our Jenny, she should have more sense.’ She brushed the startled boy aside and entered the room, ready to do battle. But when she saw Lizzie wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, and looking happier than she’d ever seen her, Mary had the rug pulled from under her feet. ‘Well, I declare!’

‘Oh Mary, yer should have been here, yer don’t know what yer’ve missed.’

‘Aren’t you supposed to be sick, Lizzie Marshall, with pains everywhere?’

‘Oh, I’ve still got the pains, worse than ever.’ The faded blue eyes twinkled back at Mary. ‘But how can yer lie still when ye’re doubled up with laughter? I’ve got pains now where I didn’t have them before. But isn’t it better to be in agony when ye’re happy, than be in agony when ye’re on yer own and feeling miserable? I’ve had the time of me life tonight, Mary, thanks to these four young people.’ She grinned as she added, ‘Oh, and a bucket of coal.’

‘I’ve been keeping me eye on her, Mam,’ Jenny said. ‘I made sure she wasn’t doing anything to hurt herself.’

‘I’ve been keeping watch, too!’ Mick said.

‘I made her a cup of tea, Mrs Nightingale,’ came from John.

Mary was beginning to see the funny side of it. She looked at Janet and asked, ‘What about you, Janet, what have you got to say for yerself?’

Janet was surprised by the question. ‘Er … I enjoyed meself, Mrs Nightingale.’ And she was even more surprised by the burst of laughter. She didn’t think she’d said anything funny, but joined in, anyway.

Mary looked at the clock. ‘Right, time yer were on yer way so I can get Miss Marshall settled for the night. Jenny, you and Janet tidy up while John sees to the fire.’

Wanting to curry favour with the woman he hoped would one day be his mother-in-law, Mick asked, ‘Have yer got a job for me, Mrs Nightingale?’

Before Mary could answer, John said, ‘I have, mate. Yer can get that bucket of ruddy coal. And if yer can manage it, bang it against yer leg a few times so yer kecks are as black as mine.’

When they were leaving, Jenny was the first to kiss Lizzie. The other three looked uncertain, until Mick bent and kissed her cheek, then they all followed suit. The smile on the old lady’s face couldn’t have been wider. ‘Thank you for
giving me a lot of pleasure. And seeing as the girls can’t get boyfriends because they’re too young, and the boys can’t get girlfriends because they’re too ugly, there’ll always be a welcome here if ye’re ever at a loose end.’

Mick got in just before John. ‘How about tomorrow night?’

‘Ay, two nights on the trot is too much, Mick Moynihan.’ Mary herded them towards the front door. ‘She seems to have enjoyed herself, and I thank yer for that, but let’s wait and see how she is tomorrow. It might prove to have been too much for her.’ She was about to close the door, when she remembered. ‘Oh, and make sure Janet gets home safely.’

‘We’ll make sure the two girls get home safe and sound, Mrs Nightingale,’ Mick said, ‘so don’t be worrying.’

John thought his mate was getting all the action, so he added his twopennyworth. ‘Yer can rely on us.’

Jenny and her friend linked arms and started walking back to Janet’s house, unaware of the jostling for position that was going on behind them. Apart from splitting the girls, there was no way they could both walk beside Jenny. So John said, through gritted teeth, ‘You go first, but we swop over halfway, d’yer hear?’

‘Anything yer say, pal.’ Mick’s mind was elsewhere. Could he talk his mam into making another custard tomorrow?

And as John fell into step beside Janet, he was telling himself to keep his working trousers on tomorrow night when he took the coal over.

Laura gave a quick glance at her friend’s house as she passed it on the next Thursday evening, wondering if Cynthia was getting ready for one of her twice-weekly visits to the Scotland Road area. Laura never thought for one minute that she’d keep it up, but this was the fourth week and her friend was more bitter and determined than ever. Every Tuesday and Thursday she left the house in flat-heeled shoes, wearing her working coat and with a scarf in her pocket to wrap around her head as soon as she neared her destination. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Jeff or Larry, but she insisted she’d keep on looking until she spotted them, even if it took her a lifetime.

Laura hopped on to the platform of the tram and made her way to a seat. She missed going out with her mate on a Tuesday night, but not on Thursday, her night for the dance at Spellow Lane. Her dancing had come on in leaps and bounds, thanks to Gary. He partnered her for every dance, was attentive to her, and really seemed to like her. Yet he’d never asked her for a date, and she couldn’t understand this. Unless it was because Celia insisted on leaving with her at half-ten – this was enough to put any boy off. He probably thought she wasn’t capable of looking after herself. There were times when Laura regretted ever getting involved with her grandad’s wife, then she’d remind herself that if she hadn’t, she’d never have met Gary.

Her heart beating with anticipation, Laura ran up the flight of stone steps and pushed open the door to the foyer
of the dance hall. The first person she saw was Celia, leaning with her back to the wall and deep in conversation with Charlie. But as soon as she saw Laura, she hurried towards her and made a big show of greeting her with a hug and kiss. ‘Hi-ya, kid, it’s good to see yer.’

This fussing every week was beginning to grate on Laura. There was no need for it; girls didn’t kiss each other, it was soppy. She’d known Cynthia all her life, but never once had they kissed each other. Bringing her friend to mind gave Laura an idea: she’d coax Cynthia to come with her next week, then there would be no reason for Celia to stick to her like glue.

‘I’ll just put me coat in the cloakroom.’ Some of the girls folded their coats and put them under chairs, but not Laura. She’d only had this coat two weeks and didn’t want it to get creased or dirty. ‘You go in, I’ll see yer inside.’

Gary claimed her as soon as she walked in the dance hall. ‘Just in time for a slow fox, babe, come on.’

Laura scanned the faces around them. ‘Where’s Celia? She can mind me bag.’

‘Hang it over yer arm for now, the dance will be ended soon.’ As they were twirling past the stage, Gary took the bag from her and placed it near the pianist. ‘Keep yer eye on that for us, Tommy.’

When the dance came to an end, he kept hold of her hand and walked her to the edge of the dance floor. ‘There’s no point in sitting down, we may as well stay up for the next dance. It should be a waltz or a rumba.’

With a handsome boy holding her hand, Laura was flushed with pleasure. He must like me, she thought, or he wouldn’t want to be with me all the time. There’s plenty of unattached girls he could take his pick from, but he’s only interested in me. Perhaps tonight was the night he’d ask her for a date. They laughed and joked their way through three more dances, then Laura called a halt. ‘I’ll have to look for Celia, I haven’t seen her since I came in. She’ll
think I’m terrible, not going near her.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about that,’ Gary said. ‘Celia is more than capable of looking after herself, believe me.’

Laura thought there was a funny look in his eyes, but it was soon gone and she put it down to her imagination. ‘Still, I think I should put in an appearance.’

‘Suit yerself. I’ll have the next dance with Dorothy then. I’ve been neglecting her since you came on the scene.’

Laura pulled him back. ‘Oh no, yer won’t have the next dance with Dorothy, whoever she is. I’ll find Celia in the interval. Mind you, I’ve been keeping an eye out for her and haven’t seen sight nor light of her since I came in.’

‘She’s probably sitting down somewhere, talking to Charlie.’

This gave Laura the opportunity of asking something that had been puzzling her for the last four weeks. ‘Is Charlie a very good friend of hers?’

Gary averted his eyes as he shrugged his shoulders. ‘Charlie’s a friend to everyone, especially if they happen to be female. He’s got an eye for the girls.’

It was on the tip of Laura’s tongue to ask if that included married women, but she thought better of it. After all, Gary was a friend of Celia and Charlie; he might repeat anything she said. ‘Yeah, I gathered he was fond of women.’

‘I think there’s only one more dance before the interval, and she’ll probably come looking for you then.’

Gary was right. But then he would be, because he knew full well where Celia was. He’d been given his instructions to keep Laura occupied for at least half an hour. They were walking off the dance floor, hand in hand, when Celia came through the door, followed by Charlie who was straightening his tie. She spotted them right away and made directly for them, leaving Charlie to stand just inside the door where all the men congregated during the interval. ‘There’s a couple of empty chairs over there, kid, let’s grab them quick.’

‘You go ahead,’ Laura said, ‘I want to get me handbag off
the stage.’ On her way back, skirting the people standing around in groups, her eyes lighted on Gary. He stood out in the crowd because of his light-blond hair. Then she saw him bend towards Celia and the expression on the woman’s face halted Laura in her tracks. There was no smile now on the heavily made-up face, and the words pouring from her mouth appeared to be angry ones. I wonder what she’s on about, Laura thought. She’s giving the pay-out about something.

Laura approached them from the side, hoping to hear something that would give her an inkling about what was going on. But Gary saw her coming and straightened up. ‘Yer didn’t have to worry about yer bag, babe, Tommy would have kept his eye on it.’

‘He’d have a job, seeing as the band have left the stage. All me worldly goods are in this bag. I wouldn’t even have the fare home if it got pinched.’

‘I wouldn’t see yer without, love, yer know that.’ Celia patted the seat of the empty chair next to her. ‘Come on, park yer carcass.’ Smiling sweetly, she took a cigarette out of the packet on her knee. After lighting it, she asked, ‘Don’t yer smoke, Laura?’

‘No, I’m too young,’ Laura said, ‘and anyway, me mam would kill me.’

‘Yer mean yer work in the tobacco works, and yer don’t smoke! I thought everyone got an allowance of free ciggies there. What d’yer do with them?’

‘I give a packet to me dad and the rest to me mate, Cynthia.’ Laura was lying. She sold her free cigarettes to a woman in work whose husband smoked like a chimney. ‘Me mate’s parents don’t mind, but mine would.’

‘Well, yer parents are not here, kid, and what the eye don’t see, the heart don’t grieve.’ Celia held the open packet towards her. ‘I was younger than you when I started smoking, it’s the fashion these days. Go on, be daring.’

Laura could feel Gary’s eyes on her, but she didn’t look
up. If she had, she would have seen the slight shake of his head and acted differently, knowing he was on her side. She didn’t want to smoke, but was afraid of being thought old-fashioned. She hesitated, then reached out to take one of the cigarettes and held it awkwardly between her fingers.

There was a gloating expression on Celia’s face as she struck a match. But as she was about to hold the flame to the cigarette now dangling between Laura’s lips, Gary bent down and stayed her hand. ‘Don’t breathe in deeply, Laura, or yer’ll feel sick and go dizzy. Just take a little puff, and if yer don’t like it then don’t smoke it.’

‘Don’t be a misery guts, Gary.’ There was a warning in Celia’s eyes as she blew out the match which was threatening to burn her fingers. If she could hook Laura on to smoking, it was another thing to add to her list. ‘Leave the girl alone and go and amuse yerself elsewhere.’

Gary nodded curtly. ‘I’ll go to the gents, but I’ll be back for the first dance, babe.’

Celia struck another match. ‘Gary’s right, just a little puff to begin with.’

Laura coughed when the smoke hit the back of her throat and wafted into her eyes, making them water. ‘Ooh, I don’t like it.’

‘Yer haven’t given it a chance, kid! Leave it for a minute and then have another go,’ Celia coaxed. ‘The first cigarette always makes yer feel like that. I remember going down an entry to have my first, with one of me mates. We were only fourteen and we’d bought a packet of five Woodies between us. We had to smoke the five because neither of us would take them home with us in case our mothers found them. I remember we both staggered out of that entry and our faces were green. But next time we tried, it was all right. I don’t know about me mate, Sally Greenfield, but I’ve been smoking ever since. I think a girl looks sophisticated with a cigarette in her hand, particularly if it’s in a holder. I’ve got a long ebony holder and I feel like the pig’s ear when I use
it.’ A sneer crossed her face. ‘Mind you, if I used it here they wouldn’t know what it was. They haven’t a clue about fashion, or how to look glamorous.’

Laura held the cigarette upright between finger and thumb and watched the smoke spiralling upwards. What harm would it do? Most of the women in work smoked, and her dad did too! And after all, she didn’t need to have another one after this, not if she didn’t want to. So she lifted the cigarette to her lips, but was careful this time not to inhale the smoke. ‘I’ve been thinking, Celia, it’s daft you leaving early every week because of me. I’ll get Cynthia to come with me next week and we can go home together.’