A Broken Family (21 page)

‘That’s good,’ Mabel said, ‘but I’d best be off.’

‘Thanks again,’ Amy called as the woman left. It was all a rush then to get ready for work, and after her parents hugged her again, Amy hurried out of the house, only to hear a voice calling her. She turned to see Carol, still in her nightclothes as she beckoned from her doorstep.

‘Happy Birthday,’ Carol said as Amy hurried up to her. ‘I’m sorry, but now that my dad has lost his job, money’s really tight and I couldn’t afford to buy you anything. Unless he finds another one soon, I’ll have to be the one who goes out to work.’

‘I don’t think we need anyone at the shop, but I could still ask the manageress if you like.’

‘Yes, all right,’ Carol agreed.

‘I’ll let you know what she says, but I’ve got to run or I’ll be late.’

‘Thanks,’ Carol called as Amy rushed off.

Though she liked Doreen, Amy still missed working with Carol, but doubted there were any vacancies. She hurried to the top of Lark Rise and then decided to hop on a bus to the Junction.

Thankfully Amy made it just in time and arrived to see the manageress opening the shop. She waited until they were inside and said, ‘Mrs Jones, my friend used to work here and she’d like to come back. Are there any jobs going?’

‘Not at the moment, I’m afraid,’ she said as the door opened and the Saturday girl arrived.

Amy was disappointed, but it was the start of what turned out to be a busy day, and as Amy had hoped, time flew as she ran to the stock room again and again to find mainly summer sandals.

Amy measured a lot of children’s feet too, sandals in demand again, but at last the working day came to an end and Amy was on her way home.

Frank Cole was in a foul mood. What he wanted was another drink, the need gnawing at him, but he’d only been able to cadge one pint at lunchtime. With no money, the regulars at the Park Tavern were fed up with buying him drinks. When there was a knock on the door he left Carol to answer it and after chatting to someone for a minute or two she closed it again.

‘Who was that?’ Frank asked.

‘It was Amy. She came to tell me that there aren’t any vacancies in the shop.’

‘Who asked her to find out?’

‘I did,’ Carol said. ‘You haven’t been looking for another job so I thought I’d go back to work to bring some money in. In the meantime I suppose we could find a few things to pawn.’

‘There’s no need for that. I’ll find a job next week.’

‘Dad, even if you do, unless you stop drinking so heavily you’ll never get up for work in the mornings.’

‘Yes I flaming well will,’ Frank said, annoyed when there was another knock on the door. ‘Whoever that is you can tell them to sod off!’

Carol opened it, but then stood aside to let Davy and Paul in. Frank calmed down instantly. Both his sons were working so he should be able to tap them for a few bob. ‘Hello boys. How about taking your dad out for a couple of pints?’

‘Sorry, Dad, we’ve got plans for tonight,’ Dave said. ‘We’ve been up the King’s Road and only popped in on our way home to see how you’re doing.’

‘If you’re after a meal, forget it,’ Carol said. ‘There’s hardly any food in the cupboards.’

‘Why’s that?’ Paul asked, frowning.

‘Dad lost his job.’

‘I haven’t managed to find another one yet, so is there any chance of a few quid to tide me over?’ Frank asked.

‘Yeah, all right,’ Paul said taking out his wallet, and Dave did the same.

Frank eagerly took the proffered notes. ‘Thanks, boys. I’ll pay this back as soon as I can.’

‘There’s no hurry,’ Paul said and Dave nodded in agreement.

Now that he had money, Frank was inwardly willing them to leave. He couldn’t go to the Park Tavern though, as after scrounging from the regulars they’d expect him to return the favour when they saw he had funds. There was a way round that though. He’d go to a different pub, and with a good few quid he’d be able to afford a few whisky chasers.

‘Have you heard anything from Mum?’ Carol asked her brothers.

‘No,’ Dave said shortly then adding that they had to leave.

‘You’ve hardly been here for five minutes,’ Carol protested.

‘Yeah, I know, but we’ve got to get ourselves togged up for tonight.’

They had no sooner left than Carol said, ‘Dad, can I have some of that money? I need to get some food in.’

‘The shops are shut now so it can wait until Monday. Now I’m off out,’ he told her, and before Carol could say another word he left, heading for a pub on Lavender Hill.

At the top of the Rise, Frank recalled Carol saying that they could pawn some stuff. He hadn’t liked the idea at first, but now realised that it could raise a good few bob. He was hardly in to watch it so he could sell the television too, ensuring that when this money ran out, he’d have plenty more.

Amy was in her bedroom, almost ready and wearing a pretty, blue flowered summer dress that flared at the waist and ended just below her knees. She was just putting on her make-up when she heard a knock on the front door, and after hurrying to apply a shade of pink lipstick, she ran downstairs to find that her mother had let Tommy in.

‘Hello,’ he said, smiling when he saw her. ‘Happy Birthday, you look nice.’

‘Thanks, but as I don’t know where you’re taking me, I wasn’t sure what to wear.’

‘That’s fine,’ Tommy said.

‘Phyllis, do you remember what you were wearing when I …’

‘Shut up, Stan.’

‘Oh yeah, right, sorry.’

Amy looked at her parents, puzzled by this exchange and her father’s shamefaced expression, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it as Tommy said urgently, ‘If you’re ready, let’s go.’

‘I’m ready,’ she smiled, saying goodbye to her parents.

Tommy opened the van door, and as she climbed in he said, ‘I wish I could take you out in a nice car, but one day I hope to own one.’

‘This is fine and far nicer than walking,’ she replied and when Tommy got in behind the wheel she asked, ‘Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?’

‘No, not yet, but you’ll soon see.’

Amy was puzzled as Tommy drove off, but it wasn’t long before she saw Battersea Park ahead of them. ‘Are we going to the funfair?’

‘Yes, and I hope that’s all right with you.’

‘It’s fine,’ Amy replied. She hadn’t known what to expect, and though she loved the funfair, it was the last place she’d thought about when Tommy said he was taking her somewhere special. He turned his head to smile at her, and she smiled back, thinking that she really didn’t mind. She was with Tommy and that was all that mattered.

Once parked, they walked along a path, the bright lights of the funfair clear in the night sky. Soon they were going through the funfair’s turnstiles and inside, where Tommy urged her towards the big wheel.

‘Let’s go on this before it’s replaced by the new one,’ he urged, saying something then to the man operating that Amy failed to hear. Moments later the wheel stopped and they climbed on, sitting side by side, with a bar put across the rocking seat which Amy thought nervously was to prevent them from falling out.

As the wheel began to turn, soon reaching the top, Tommy held her hand and Amy was enchanted by the views of the funfair stretched out below them. On the descent, Amy’s stomach did a little flip, but around they went and up to the pinnacle again. The wheel came to a stop then, Amy finding it a little frightening to be suspended so high up, and when the seat they were in swung, she was unable to stifle a little yelp.

‘Don’t worry, you’re safe,’ Tommy said, placing an arm around her.

‘I’m all right,’ she said, laying her head on his shoulder. ‘It’s wonderful up here, Tommy. It feels like the two of us are alone on the top of the world.’

‘See those stars, Amy,’ he said, pointing up to the sky. ‘I can’t bring one down to slip on your finger, but I can give you this instead. Will … will you marry me?’

Amy could barely see the box that Tommy had flipped open with one hand, but even if it had contained a plastic ring her answer would have been the same. ‘Oh, yes, Tommy. Yes please,’ she said, flinging herself into his arms.

The seat rocked, but this time Amy didn’t scream and Tommy’s lips met hers.

‘I love you, Amy,’ he husked.

‘And I love you,’ she said as they began to move on a downward descent again.

They drew apart and Tommy smiled ruefully. ‘I asked the chap who operates the wheel to stop it for a minute or two when we were at the top, but I didn’t expect it to scare you.’

‘I was only nervous for a moment. It was a wonderful place to propose, so romantic, magical, and something I’ll never forget,’ Amy said and meant it. She was eighteen, engaged to be married, and for Amy at that moment, everything was just perfect.

By the last week in August Carol was near the end of her tether. Almost everything of value had been pawned, but her dad spent most of the money on booze. With no sign of him ever getting a job she had gone back to work, and had just arrived home from the paint factory on Friday to find her dad eagerly waiting. It was payday and she knew what he wanted – but he’d have a long wait if he thought she was going to just pass over her wages again.

‘Come on, Carol,’ he urged, ‘give me your pay-packet.’

‘No, Dad,’ she argued.

‘Do as you’re told,’ he snarled in her face.

She reeled back from the stench of his breath and unwashed body, finding the father she had known almost unrecognisable. He was a hopeless drunk now, and tho
ugh she felt partly to bla
me, Carol knew that with rent to pay and food to buy, she had to hang on to her wages. ‘Dad,’ she said, hoping appeasement would work as she opened her handbag to pull out a ten bob note, ‘here, take this.’

With hands shaking in his need for alcohol, he snatched it from her, and as though unable to wait a moment longer to get to the pub, hurried out.

Carol’s shoulders slumped with relief, yet she knew that as soon as the money was spent her father would be back for more. Her stomach rumbled, and going through to the scullery she looked for something to eat, finding just a couple of slices of bread and a small piece of cheese, enough to make a sandwich. It would have to suffice, but Carol was determined to go shopping in the morning, to get more food in while her dad would still be in bed sleeping the booze off.

With no television to watch now, by seven thirty Carol was bored. There was housework to do, but after being at work all day she wasn’t in the mood, and anyway, Carol decided, she had the weekend to tackle it.

When there was a knock on the door she was actually pleased to see Amy and let her in with a smile. ‘Hello, aren’t you seeing Tommy?’

‘No, he’s swamped with work and as we’re both taking the day off tomorrow to go to Rose’s wedding, he’ll be working late tonight.’

Carol had once thought that Amy’s life was boring, but now, compared to her own it seemed interesting. ‘What will you be wearing?’

‘A yellow dress and jacket,’ Amy said.

‘Is the dress plain or patterned?’

‘It’s got a pattern of small, white flowers, but the jacket is plain. With so few people going to the wedding there won’t be a bit of a do afterwards, but we’re going for a meal in a restaurant.’

Carol felt a stab of envy. Amy had got engaged to be married last month, her life moving forward, while Carol knew that hers had stagnated. It was as though since the loss of her baby, she’d given up on life too, but now for the first time Carol felt a longing to live again. Even the quiet wedding sounded better to Carol than being stuck at home every weekend, but at least the evening passed quickly as they continued to chat. They spoke more about Rose and her marriage, Carol musing, ‘I suppose Rose is living in clover now.’

‘We haven’t seen Mr Jacobs’ house yet,’ Amy said, ‘but when Rose comes to see us she always turns up in a taxi. She wears lovely clothes now too, sort of classy.’

‘I bet that makes the curtains twitch, though the gossips are probably green with envy.’

‘I don’t envy Rose,’ Amy said. ‘He may be rich, but I couldn’t marry an old man like Mr Jacobs.’

‘I’m not sure I could either, but good luck to Rose. When he kicks the bucket she’ll inherit the lot.’

‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Amy said, then changing the subject, ‘I know you didn’t like working in the paint factory at first. Is it any better now?’

‘Some of the women are a laugh so that helps, and at least I don’t have to work Saturdays.’

‘Talking of Saturdays, I’d best be off. We’ll all have to be up early in the morning to get ready for the wedding.’

‘Have a nice time,’ Carol said, sighing when Amy left. There’d be no nice time for her tomorrow, she’d be spending the day doing housework. For now though, not wanting to be up to see her father rolling home drunk, Carol decided to go to bed.

An hour later, Carol was in the throes of a terrible nightmare and her eyes snapped open in the dark. Someone was on top of her, hands groping
–
but then she screamed in terror. This wasn’t a nightmare; she was awake, and desperately she fought to throw the man off whilst crying out, ‘Dad! Dad, help me!’

‘Shut up!’

Her mind reeling, Carol froze for a moment, unable to believe it, yet the voice was his, along with the stench. ‘No! No, Dad! It’s me, Carol!’ she cried frantically. ‘Stop it!’