When Wishes Come True (47 page)

‘That’s right, lad, but I don’t want to plead poverty. It’s my feller’s fault we’ve got so many kids, but he doesn’t have the flaming worry of trying to feed and clothe them.’ When Aggie sighed her bosom almost touched her chin. ‘Still, that’s not your worry, lad, so we’ll try another stall. There’s one not far from here.’

‘Hang on a minute, don’t let’s be too hasty.’ The man was thinking if she bought eight pairs of shoes he’d still make a good profit even if he let them go for eighteen pence a pair. ‘Perhaps we can reach a mutual agreement. If yer buy eight pair of shoes, then I’ll let yer have them for the one and six a pair. Now I can’t be fairer than that, can I? I’m robbing meself at that price, but I’m all heart when it comes to children, I’ve got four meself.’

Aggie could afford to grin now. ‘Not as active as my feller, then? Mind you, ye’re on yer feet all day, while my feller thinks the only reason we were born with backsides was to sit on them.’

The stallholder managed a smile. If he’d been a brave man, he’d have said she probably thought we were born with mouths so we could talk all bleeding day. But he wasn’t a brave man, so he said, ‘Have a look around and see if yer can find what yer want, but they must be children’s shoes, not adults’.’

‘God bless yer, lad, there’ll be a place in heaven for you, that’s for sure.’

Rita smiled at the man while pulling her mate away from the stall. If she hadn’t, she’d have burst out laughing. When they were out of the man’s hearing, she chuckled, ‘What a two-faced cow I’ve got for a mate! Yer were on the point of clocking him one five minutes ago, now yer’ve promised him a place in heaven.’ She doubled up with laughter. ‘What a pity you won’t be there to see him.’

‘Ay, I wouldn’t be too sure about that if I were you, queen, ’cos I think I’ll have the last laugh when the time comes. God has a sense of humour, yer know, and He might think I’ll brighten the place up.’ Aggie had just had a thought that pleased her. ‘Anyway, ye’re always saying I tell lies. Well, what about yerself? It was you what told that man I had eight kids, queen, not me.’

Rita had a joker up her sleeve, which she now brought into play. ‘I bet your feller will get a laugh when he hears that yer told the stallholder he was very active in bed.’

‘Oh, I won’t tell him that, queen, I’m not daft. He’d do his nut if he thought I’d been speaking to a man about … er … about … well, you know, personal things.’

‘You might not tell him, but that doesn’t mean no one else will.’ Rita saw a mound of shoes on one of the trestle tables, and was making her way towards it when she was pulled up sharp. She’d been expecting it, and quickly dropped the smile from her face. ‘What was that for, sunshine? Yer frightened the life out of me.’

‘A fine mate you’d be if yer snitched to my feller! Yer know he’s got no sense of humour, particularly when if comes to what happens behind bedroom doors.’

‘I was pulling yer leg, sunshine, I’d never tell Sam anything like that! And if anyone else told him in front of me, I wouldn’t know where to put me face, I’d be wishing the floor would open and swallow me up.’

Aggie’s smile was wide. ‘Ye’re not the only one who can pull legs, yer know, queen, so don’t be getting those fleecy bloomers in a twist.’ Her eyes lighted on the piled-up shoes. ‘Ooh, eh, queen, let’s get stuck into that lot. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to have a lucky day today.’

Rita agreed. ‘I was just thinking the same thing. If we get the eight pair of shoes, which I’m sure we will out of that lot, then fate is on our side and we’ll find what we want for our kids, and ourselves. I’d like to get meself a nice dress to wear on Christmas Day, just to remind Reg what I used to look like when we were courting. It’s years since I’ve had anything nice to wear.’

‘Oh, yer’ll have no trouble finding a dress to suit you. You’re so lucky, if yer fell down the lavvy yer’d come up smelling of roses.’ Aggie had a pair of boy’s shoes in her hand, joined together by one of the laces. ‘Whereas I’m so bleeding fat I need a tent to fit me. And there’s not much chance of finding a tent with sleeves in.’ Then she saw the funny side, and grinned. ‘Not in a colour that would suit me, anyway.’

Rita didn’t like to hear her mate making fun of herself, for she knew that deep down Aggie would give anything to be thinner. ‘We’ll find you a dress, don’t worry. There’s lots of big-made women around, ye’re not on yer own.’ She changed the subject, but made up her mind that they would look for a dress for her mate first, then she’d try for one for herself. ‘Let’s get the shoes, and that’ll be one job off our mind.’

Rita had brought a big, well-worn canvas bag with her, thinking it would be large enough to hold everything they’d be buying in the market. It took the shoes with room to spare. The two friends left the stall in a happy frame of mind. They’d got what they wanted at the price they wanted. The next priority was trousers for the boys. They were in luck at that stall as well, for they walked away with three pair of decent trousers for the grand sum of two shillings and threepence. The trousers were all in good nick and had plenty of wear left in them. A good pressing with a hot iron and a wet cloth, and they’d come up like new. The boys would consider themselves very lucky.

‘I was going to say there’s only our dresses to get now, but I’ve remembered we said we’d get a coat for Mrs Ponsonby.’ Rita changed the heavy bag over to her other hand. ‘She’s about my size, near enough, so what fits me should fit her.’

‘We’ve passed a few stalls with coats on so yer should find something suitable.’ Aggie put her hand on the handle of the bag. ‘Give it to me, it’s heavy and we’ll take turns carrying it.’

Rita was glad to pass it over for the canvas handles were digging into the flesh of her palms. ‘Anything would be better than the coat she’s wearing now. It’s nearly falling to pieces, and it’s always so crumpled I’m sure she sleeps in it.’ She sighed. ‘We’re not exactly well off ourselves, but yer can always find someone worse off than yerself.’

They reached a stall with coats spread out on top of each other, and Aggie stood the bag between her legs. ‘You have a root, queen, and I’ll keep me eye on the bag, If yer see anything exciting, give us a shout.’

It took Rita five minutes to find a really nice coat for Mrs Ponsonby. It was a heavy tweed with a trim fur collar, and although the cuffs were slightly frayed, they could easily be turned up a little. She tried it on to show Aggie, and they both agreed it was a bargain at two shillings. But it wasn’t the only coat Rita spotted. There was a navy blue heavy winter coat which seemed in good condition from what she could see of it. So she handed the first coat to Aggie, and pulled the navy blue one from under the pile to hold up against her.

‘That’s no good, queen,’ Aggie shouted, ‘yer’d get two of Mrs Ponsonby in that, it’s miles too big.’

‘The coat yer’ve got over yer arm is for Mrs Ponsonby, sunshine, I was thinking this one would fit you.’

Aggie pulled a face. ‘Nah, it wouldn’t.’ She was so used to not being able to buy anything to fit her, she shook her head. ‘Yer need glasses, queen, if yer think that’ll go anywhere near me.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with my eyesight, Aggie Gordon, and I’ll bet yer a penny that this coat will go on yer.’

‘Away with yer, and don’t be acting the goat.’

Rita huffed and she puffed. Grabbing the tweed coat off her mate’s arm, she pushed the navy blue one at her. ‘I’m not asking yer to try it on, sunshine, I’m telling yer to. Now do as ye’re told and don’t be so ruddy stubborn.’

And didn’t the coat fit Aggie like a glove, and didn’t the smile on her face show how pleased and proud she was? ‘Ay, queen, it feels as though it’s been made for me. Do I look posh in it?’

‘Only like a million dollars, sunshine, or else Mae West.’

‘Ooh, I wonder how much it is?’ Aggie asked the question, but in her mind was already telling herself that no one was going to separate her from that coat. She loved the colour, it was a thick, warm material, and she felt at home in it. ‘You go and ask how much it is, queen, ’cos yer seem to have more luck than me.’

The stallholder was an elderly woman with white hair plaited into a bun at the nape of her neck. A thick black knitted shawl covered her shoulders, and her heavy black skirt reached down to her sturdy buttoned boots. She had been watching the two women, and when Rita approached, said, ‘That coat fits yer friend like a glove. Good quality, too, and never been worn much.’

Oh, dear, thought Rita, it sounds as though she’s after a good price for it. It was probably worth it, too, but could Aggie afford it? ‘She loves it, and with her being so big it’s unusual for her to get anything that fits her. She’s conscious of her size, too, so I had to talk her into trying it on.’ There was no way Rita could tell even little white lies to this stallholder who was no doubt having to work hard to keep body and soul together. ‘It depends how much yer want for the coat, ’cos my mate doesn’t have much money.’

Faded blue eyes moved from Rita to where Aggie was standing. ‘I couldn’t let it go for less than three shillings. It’s worth a lot more than that, it hasn’t been worn much. Came from a house where the people can afford to throw clothes out after wearing them only a few times. My son goes out with his cart to the rich areas in the city, and sometimes gets a real bargain like the coat yer friend has taken a fancy to. I hope she can manage the three bob. She looks good in it, and looking at her I’d say she was a warm-hearted woman.’

Rita couldn’t believe her luck. She wanted to run to Aggie, but made herself walk as she normally did. But with her back to the stallholder now, she was able to let her wide smile show. ‘Three bob, sunshine, and a real bargain if ever I saw one. But don’t look too pleased or the price might be put up. In all honesty, though, Aggie, it’s the bargain of a lifetime, and yer’d be crazy not to jump at it.’

‘And I would bleeding well jump if I didn’t have this ruddy bag between me legs.’ She thrust Mrs Ponsonby’s coat at Rita and waved like mad to where the stallholder was standing. ‘Go and pay her for me, queen, and tell her I’m really happy. Go on, I’ll settle up with yer when we get home and are sitting down with a nice hot cuppa.’ She grabbed Rita’s arm as her friend went to walk away. ‘I’ll tell yer what, queen, you are definitely my lucky mascot, and I ain’t going nowhere without yer in future.’

The stallholder took the three silver shillings. ‘Is yer friend keeping the coat on?’

Rita grinned. ‘It would take a very strong, brave person to separate my mate from that coat. Tomorrow she’ll be walking up and down our street, swaggering like Mae West, until she’s sure every neighbour has seen it. She’ll be like a child with a new toy. But I’m made up for her, it’s not often nice things happen to people like us. So thank you, and we both hope yer have a very happy Christmas.’

The little woman smiled. ‘And the same to you, girl, the same to you.’

‘I’m not going home without something for meself,’ Rita said, a determined expression on her face. ‘How soft you are! Yer get the bargain of a lifetime, now yer want to go home! It’s a case of I’m all right, so sod you! Well, we’re not leaving this market until I get meself a dress to wear on Christmas Day. And seeing as I’m the one with the purse what has the money in for the tram fare home, then it’s just too bad on you, isn’t it? Unless yer feel in the mood to walk home, like.’

‘There’s no need to be sarky, queen, I only said me feet were killing me and me corns were giving me gyp. That’s all I said, and yer jump down me throat.’ And Aggie was only telling the truth, for her feet had a very heavy weight to carry around. ‘I’ll stay with yer till the bitter end, queen, so march on and I’ll follow.’

Rita felt sorry for her, but didn’t fancy going home with everything they had on their list except something for herself. ‘There’s only one more stall what sells decent dresses, so can yer hang on for a bit longer?’

Aggie knew how to bring a smile to her mate’s face. ‘When yer’ve got yer dress, will yer give me a piggyback to the tram stop?’

Rita grinned. ‘Oh, yeah, ’course I will! And all the shopping as well!’ She spotted a trestle table with dresses, blouses and jumpers all jumbled up together. ‘Ay, keep yer fingers crossed, sunshine, there’s a good girl. And while ye’re standing there like a miserable wet week, say a little prayer I’ll find something for meself.’

Aggie rolled her eyes towards the dull sky. ‘Of course I’ll say a prayer for yer, it’ll pass the time away. Now get a ruddy move on before my feet take off on their own.’

Fifteen minutes later Aggie saw Rita walking towards her with a smile on her face and a scruffy paper bag in her hand. ‘Got one then, did yer, queen?’

Rita nodded. ‘Yeah, I got what I wanted, and the woman even put it in a bag for me. So we’ve had a very successful day all round, sunshine, don’t yer think?’

‘Well, let’s see the ruddy dress, queen, unless ye’re keeping it a secret?’

‘No, there’s nothing hush-hush about a sixpenny dress. I’m pleased with it though, and that’s the main thing. I’ll show it to yer when we get home, and you’ve got yer feet up on the couch.’ Rita lifted the heavy bag from between her friend’s feet. ‘I’ll carry this, sunshine, and those two coats, it’ll take the weight off yer. If we’re lucky with catching a tram, we’ll be home in twenty minutes.’

Aggie held her arm out so Rita could take the coats. ‘Did yer hear that, queen?’

‘Hear what, sunshine?’

‘Yer must be going deaf, queen, if yer didn’t hear nothing. When yer said we’d be home in twenty minutes, me corns said, “Thank God,” and me feet said, “It’s the last time we come to this bleeding market with yer.”’

‘Oh, I see, yer’ve got yer feet swearing now,’ Rita said. ‘It’s a good job ye’re the only one what can hear them.’

Their luck stayed with them, for a tram came along just as they got to the stop. And the conductor was standing on the platform, which was a godsend. ‘Will yer be a pal and take this bag off me, please?’ Rita asked, holding out the heavy canvas bag containing all their shopping except the two coats. ‘Then I can give me mate a hand getting on.’

The conductor put the bag down in the well under the stairs, then looked from Rita to a very downcast Aggie. My God, he thought, she’s carrying some weight. ‘Hang on a tick. If you get on first, missus, I’ll get off and give yer mate a hand from the back.’