One Rainy Day (22 page)

‘All he would have got for his trouble was about a shilling. That’s all I had on me. I’m skint until I get my wages tomorrow.’

‘Life isn’t all misery for you, my lovely sister,’ David said, smiling into her face. ‘Only one day to go before Saturday, then you’ll feel on top of the world. Or as the saying goes, the world is your oyster.’

‘What’s got into you, soft lad?’ Poppy thought her brother had picked a bad time to pull her leg. ‘What have I got to look forward to?’

Eva left her daughter’s side and sat down. There was a smile on her face, for she knew David was about to cheer Poppy up. And he’d chosen the perfect way to do it.

‘Have you forgotten about Saturday?’ David asked. ‘Here’s me getting all excited for you, and you don’t even remember.’

‘What are you on about, David? This is hardly the time for practical jokes. I’ve got a splitting headache.’

‘I’m sure you won’t have a splitting headache on Saturday, when you and our mam go into town with eight pound between you to buy two nice warm winter coats.’

Poppy’s face became animated. She knew her brother wouldn’t be pulling her leg over this. He wouldn’t be so
cruel. ‘Where did the eight pound come from? It’ll only be six pound when me and mam add our ten shilling this week, and I thought we were waiting till next Saturday to buy the coats.’

Eva leaned over to pat her hand. ‘David’s put two pound to our money for the last two weeks, so we’ll have four pound each. We should get a decent coat for that.’

Poppy put a hand on each of her brother’s cheeks. ‘Ooh, you little love. You are the best brother in the world. That has really bucked me up – something good to look forward to. But I hope yer haven’t been leaving yerself skint just to please us?’

‘Ay, don’t forget I come out of my time at the end of next week,’ he told her, ‘so you’re not the only one with something to look forward to. I did cut down on spending, but it didn’t do me any harm. And after next week I go on full pay, so I’ll be three pound a week better off.’

Poppy was more relaxed now; the knots in her tummy had eased off. She smiled at her mother. ‘So, life isn’t all bad, Mam! Me and you will be swanking on Saturday in our new coats. Have you thought about what colour you’d like?’

‘It won’t be a bright colour, that’s all I know at the moment, sweetheart. Probably navy or black. As long as it’s warm I’m not fussy. What about you? Do you have a colour in mind?’

‘I’d like a colour that’ll look good in summer as well as winter. I’ll need to get good wear out of it until I’m earning a better wage. But if money was no problem, I’d go for a rich deep red, or a medium blue.’

‘You’ll be able to wear it on Saturday if you’re going out with Peter,’ Eva said. ‘Yer can doll yerself up to the nines.’

‘I’m seeing Peter tomorrow night, Mam. We’re going to the pictures, I think. But I’m determined to get an hour done on my homework first.’

‘You should let him call for yer, sweetheart, after what happened tonight. I’ll not rest when I know you’re out on your own.’

‘Where are you meeting him tomorrow night, Poppy?’ David asked. ‘Outside the picture house?’

‘No, only a five-minute walk from here. He would call for me, but I don’t want to get too serious with him ’cos I haven’t known him long.’

‘I’ll walk with you tomorrow night,’ David said. ‘I’m going out myself, but I’ll take you to meet Peter first.’

Poppy sighed. ‘Whoever the bloke was who attacked me, he’s got a lot to answer for. He’s disrupted this whole household. And what did he gain? Not a ruddy thing! In fact he was the loser ’cos he’s got no hat now.’

‘If he’s a married man, he’ll have a problem explaining to his wife how he came to lose his trilby,’ Eva said. ‘I know there’s a wind out, but I don’t think it’s strong enough to blow a hat off.’

‘Just wishful thinking on my part,’ Poppy said, pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes, ‘but I hope he tripped up after he got away from Ally, and broke his leg. I know it’s a wicked thing to say, but he’s more wicked for trying to steal from someone. There’s all sorts going through my head of what might have been. Say it was a Friday, I had me wages on me, and he managed to steal my bag? I know I wouldn’t starve because I’ve got you two. But what if I was older and had no one to help? The more I think about what happened, the more I hate him. I don’t know how he can live with himself.’

‘I know it’s easy for me to talk because it didn’t happen to me,’ David said. ‘But I’d try to put it out of my mind as quick as I could. He’s not worth losing sleep over, because he’s a no-hoper. He won’t have many friends, not like we have, because
his mind doesn’t work like ours. There is a saying that thieves never prosper, and it’s true. Whoever he is, I bet he doesn’t lay his head on a pillow at night and have a peaceful sleep, because he’s a sad loser. And yer’re not going to waste your time thinking about a sad loser, are yer, Poppy?’

Their eyes locked for a few seconds, then Poppy answered her brother in a very determined voice. ‘No, I am not going to waste my time thinking about a sad loser. I’m going to get on with my life. And I’m starting right now by having a look at the homework I’ve got to do. I’m not going to attempt to make a start on it, I’m too tired. But if I have a look at it, I’ll know what to ask Jean tomorrow. So, another cup of tea, fifteen minutes trying to figure out what Mr Jones has written, then I’ll be ready to climb those stairs to my bed.’

Eva shot up from her chair. ‘Kettle’s been on a low light, so tea will be ready before you’ve got yer pencil out. And we can stretch to a custard cream each.’

When Eva was in the kitchen, David moved his chair nearer to his sister. ‘Neither of us are doing very well in the good grammar department. If we both intend to seek good jobs, we need to look and speak the part. I know it’s not the best time to bring it up after what you’ve been through, but you could bear it in mind.’ He glanced towards the kitchen and lowered his voice. ‘I haven’t mentioned it before in case it doesn’t come off, but my boss has told me he has plans to open another warehouse and will need a supervisor and someone to deal with customers. It will be almost six months before it is up and running, but he hinted he would be looking for someone who dressed smartly and could converse with important clients. It would be an office job, no manual work involved, and if I can prove I’m up to it, the position is mine.’

Poppy’s mouth opened wide. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful! Your boss must think a lot of you, and you’ve never said a word!’

‘I’ve always been one of Mr Rankin’s blue-eyed boys. Since the day I started, he’s said I’m the best apprentice the firm has ever had. And I have worked hard, Poppy, and always kept my nose clean, for I knew I had to keep the job because of our mam. And it looks as though it’s paid off.’

This made Poppy more determined than ever. ‘If you can do it, then so can I. We’ll make our mam so proud of us.’

David put a finger to his lips. ‘Not a word to her yet, until it happens. I don’t want to disappoint her.’

‘Who knows, David, I may land a better job before you. I guess mine, as a secretary, wouldn’t be as grand as yours, but I’ll be very happy. And while I’m learning shorthand, I’ll watch me grammar at the same time.’

David grinned. ‘It’s not “me” grammar, Poppy, it’s “my” grammar.’

They were both chortling when Eva bustled in carrying a tray. ‘Tea up.’

On Friday morning, sitting on the bus taking her into the city centre, Poppy made up her mind that she would not tell anyone about the ordeal of the night before. Not even Jean. Because it only needed a whisper of gossip, and it would be round every office in the building. And she didn’t want people asking questions and talking behind her back. Or adding their own version of what happened until it grew out of all proportion. She wanted to put the experience behind her and get on with her life.

So after hanging her coat up, Poppy took the cover off her typewriter, flexed her fingers, and started working on the correspondence lying on her desk. And she kept her head down, and her fingers busy, until Jean came out of Mr John’s office after taking dictation.

‘You’ve been very quiet since you came in, Poppy,’ Jean said. ‘You appear to be preoccupied, as though you have something on your mind.’

‘I’m fine, Jean, but you’re right, I do have something on my mind. I’ve been dreaming of the new coat I’m going to buy meself tomorrow. I can’t make up my mind what colour or style to look for.’

‘Oh, if you’re anything like me, you’ll know which coat you want as soon as you set eyes on it. It’s not often I can
afford to buy a new coat, mind, but when I have, I’ve always found that the first one that took my eye was the one I bought in the end. It’s just like choosing a boyfriend. I know it sounds soppy, but a look, or even just a touch, can tell you a certain lad is the one for you.’

Poppy was amazed. She had never expected anything like that from Jean. ‘I was under the impression you never bothered with members of the opposite sex. You surprise me.’

‘Oh, I had my moments when I was younger. I used to go dancing, went on a few dates, and met a lad that I really fell for. Went out with him nearly every night for a year, then my father became ill. Nobody thought what he was suffering from was life-threatening – we had no idea. But he died two days after he was taken into hospital. My mother was absolutely devastated. Out of her mind. I couldn’t go out and leave her on her own, so it was a choice between my boyfriend and my mother. I chose my mother. I’ve never regretted it, for I love her dearly. But there have been times when I’ve thought of the boyfriend, and wondered what my life might have been like with him.’

‘You did the right thing, though, Jean,’ Poppy said. ‘My dad died when I was about nine, and my mother had to go out to work to keep me and my brother. We both idolize her. We’re lucky because there’s two of us, so she’ll never be left on her own. Besides, she’s only in her early forties, and she still goes out to work. She keeps herself young that way, mixing with other women every day.’ Poppy suddenly remembered she had to deliver the day’s correspondence, and she pulled a face. ‘I’ll have to get cracking or I’ll be late with the mail. We can talk at dinnertime.’

‘How did you get on at night school?’

‘Not bad. I was quite pleased with meself.’ She pulled a face. ‘I mean “myself”, not “meself”.’

Jean was chuckling when she walked to her desk. Her colleague really was determined to get on in the world. And as she put a piece of paper in her typewriter, she muttered, ‘And good luck to her.’

‘You don’t mind if I bring this with me, do you, Jean?’ Poppy held up her notebook. ‘I’m going to be cheeky and ask you to look at the homework I’ve been given, to see if you can give me any advice.’

‘I don’t mind,’ Jean told her. ‘I’ll be glad to help.’

‘You’ll be glad when it’s over and you can see the back of me. But I can’t promise how soon that will be. Perhaps I’m too stupid to ever get the hang of it, and I’ll still be in the same job this time next year.’

‘I won’t be glad to see the back of you, Poppy. In fact I’ll be sorry when you leave. I’ll miss you.’

Poppy felt a bit sad herself, for Jean was a good friend. ‘Oh, you won’t get rid of me easily. If and when I get another job, it’s bound to be near here, so we can still meet for lunch every day, and swap gossip. I don’t like Mr John, but I’ll like to hear any news about him. Like if he loses a good client because he’s too big for his boots. Or if he comes into work one day with a black eye, given to him by his wife because she finds out he’s got himself a mistress.’

‘Oh, what a lovely thought.’ Jean entered the café and unwrapped her scarf before sitting down. It was warm inside, and she’d feel the benefit of the scarf more when she went out into the cold if she took it off now. ‘I think everyone, in every office in the building, would give a cheer if that happened, for no one likes him. If he wasn’t his father’s son,
he’d have been out long ago. I often wonder if his father doesn’t see him as everyone else does, or if he doesn’t want to see.’

‘A bit of both, I should think,’ Poppy said. ‘The old man is a real gent, one of the old school type. But it would be very hard for any father to sack his son. Impossible, really, what with the wife and grandchildren. Anyway, let’s not dwell on work. Give ourselves a break. Is it soup again today?’

Jean nodded. ‘May as well finish the week on it. I was thinking Charlotte might have been down today. I’d like to see her again.’

‘Perhaps one day next week. But don’t be surprised if we don’t see her again. She probably has other things in her life to keep her busy.’

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. Anyway, Poppy, leave the notebook with me while you put our order in. I’ll glance through it and see how best to help you. Then when we’ve eaten we can talk it through.’

Poppy pushed her chair back, oblivious of the looks of admiration from the male customers. But Jean noticed them, and told herself that one of the things she liked about Poppy was her lack of vanity. She had no idea how beautiful she was. There were a few good-looking girls in the building, but they couldn’t hold a candle to Poppy, even though they wore a lot of make-up and more fashionable clothes.

‘You’ll be happy to know it’s tomato soup today: your favourite.’ Poppy put the plate down in front of her friend. ‘And the bread is lovely and fresh. I’ll go back for mine, because the staff are busy. The girl said she’d bring it over, but I said I’d save her the trouble.’ She was turning away when she noticed the open notebook on Jean’s knee. ‘Leave that until after you’ve had your lunch. It’s bad enough me asking you to
help, without spoiling your meal. Put it away and enjoy the soup, which smells delicious.’

The friends were quiet as they ate their meal, but Jean’s mind wasn’t idle. She had Poppy’s notebook propped up in front of her, and held steady by a salt cellar. It didn’t interfere with her enjoyment of the delicious soup and fresh homemade bread, though, for which Poppy was grateful. She felt guilty, as though she was taking advantage of her friend’s good nature, but when she’d voiced her unease Jean had told her not to be soft and gone back to her reading.