Stay as Sweet as You Are (29 page)

Aggie stood on the small landing and watched her son heaving the wooden ladder up the stairs. ‘I dunno,’ Titch grumbled, ‘fancy getting me up at this ungodly hour on a Sunday morning.’

‘Ah, yer poor thing. The bleedin’ streets were aired off hours ago.’

Titch stood the ladder against the wall. ‘Where d’yer want me to put it? And I don’t want a rude answer, ’cos it wouldn’t fit, anyway.’

Aggie chuckled. ‘Ye’re wide enough awake to give me yer old buck.’ She nodded her head towards the front bedroom. ‘By me wardrobe.’

Titch opened the ladder in front of the large wardrobe. ‘Now what?’

‘I want yer to get up there and pass some of the parcels down to me. I want to see what’s in them.’

‘Ah, ay, Ma! Did yer get me out of bed just so yer could do some spring-cleaning?’

‘No, I didn’t, so stop yer moaning. I think there’s some things up there that would brighten Olive’s house up. They’re not doing me any good sitting up there, so she may as well have the use of them. So get cracking, son, ’cos I’ve got a dinner to get ready.’

Titch climbed on to the third rung. ‘Is there anything in particular ye’re looking for?’

‘I don’t know until I see it, do I? Just give me the first thing yer put yer hand on.’ Aggie reached up to take the small, newspaper-wrapped parcel. While her son looked on, she opened it up to find a pretty, blue glass vase. ‘That’s nice, she’ll like that. Another one now, son.’

The next parcel revealed a statue of a Japanese lady in a bright kimono with a fan hiding the bottom half of her face. Then came another statue. This time it was an old man with a walking stick, bent over with the weight of the pack on his back. The fourth parcel contained a framed picture, and
Aggie studied it with a smile on her face. It was a pretty scene, with children playing in a field of buttercups and daisies. ‘That’s enough for now, son, otherwise Olive will send yer packing with them.’

Titch nearly fell off the ladder. ‘Send
me
packing! I’m not taking them up to her, yer can do it yerself.’

Aggie looked all innocent. ‘I’d be happy to do that, son, if you’ll see to the dinner. I’ll put the meat in the oven for yer, so all yer’d have to do is peel the carrots and turnip, and the spuds. Then when the meat’s nearly done, yer can put the potatoes around it to roast. Oh, and yer’d have to make the gravy, as well.’

‘Ye’re a crafty so-and-so, Ma. Why can’t yer put the meat in the oven now? Then yer’d have time to go to Olive’s and be back in time to see to the rest of the meal.’

‘That sounds all very well, son, but yer see, I can’t knock a nail in the wall. If you go, yer can take a hammer and a nail with yer and put the picture up for her.’

Titch shook his head. ‘Yer’ve got it all figured out, haven’t yer, Ma? When did yer plan this little manoeuvre?’

‘In bed last night. Yer can blame Ruby for it if yer must blame someone. I couldn’t sleep thinking about the brazen hussy, so to take me mind off her, I got thinking of Olive. And I came up with this idea. Mind you, it never entered me head that you’d be so bleedin’ contrary.’

‘I’m not being contrary, Ma, it’s just that yer don’t tell a person what’s on yer mind. And when they refuse, yer blackmail them. Yer know darn well I’d rather go to Olive’s for half an hour than eat a dinner I’d made meself.’ Titch put his arms around the ladder and lifted it from the floor. ‘Are yer sure that’s all, before I lug this thing downstairs?’

‘Yes, light of my life, that’s all. Except I’ve just remembered I told Olive all this stuff was in the loft, so don’t you go making a liar out of me.’

The ladder was lowered to the floor as Titch shook with laughter. ‘But yer are a liar, Ma!’

‘Yes, I know that. And you know it, too. But yer’ve no need to let the whole bleedin’ street know.’ Aggie spread her hands out. ‘It’s not meself I’m thinking of, it’s you. How would yer like to be walking down the street and hear a woman saying to her neighbour, “His mother’s not half a liar. Yer can’t believe a word what comes out of her mouth.”’

‘Ma, I’ll do a deal with yer. I’ll tell lies for yer, if you make a rice pudding for after our dinner. How does that sound?’

‘Yer drive a hard bargain, son. But, yeah, it’s a deal.’

Titch was on the landing preparing to lift the ladder down the top stair. Then over the rustling of the paper as the parcels were rewrapped, he heard his mother talking to herself. ‘If he had eyes in his bleedin’ head he’d have seen the rice in steep on the draining board. Still, he wanted a deal and he got one.’

‘I heard that, Ma.’

‘Oh, did yer now! Well, now yer know it’s true what they say about listeners never hearing good about themselves. It’s coming to something when an old woman can’t have a decent conversation with herself without some nosy bugger butting in.’

‘Well, this nosy bugger is on his way downstairs now to make a cup of tea for an old woman. She doesn’t deserve it, like, ’cos she tells lies and all sorts of things. But I’ll be lenient and make allowances for her age.’

‘Sod off, Titch McBride.’

Steve opened the door and his face stretched in a smile. ‘Hello, Mr Titch, it’s nice to see yer. Come on in.’

‘Is yer mam respectable?’

‘Keep yer voice down, Titch McBride,’ Olive called. ‘Yer’ll have the neighbours thinking there’s times when I’m not respectable.’

‘Only the bad-minded ones, Olive, only the bad-minded ones.’

Steve put a hand on his arm. ‘I want to thank yer for
yesterday, Mr Titch, we all had a smashing time. And me new clothes went down a treat.’

‘Think nothing of it, lad, it was my pleasure.’

Olive eyed the bag with suspicion. ‘What’s Aggie sent yer down with now?’

‘Don’t you start on me, Olive, ’cos me ma’s had me up since the crack of dawn. The last Sunday of me leave and she drags me out of bed at ten o’clock.’

‘And that’s the crack of dawn, is it?’

‘It is when yer’ve had a few drinks the night before.’ Titch put the bag on the table. ‘Me ma said yer know about these. They’re things she’s had for years and has no use for.’

‘Don’t tell me she’s had yer in the loft this morning?’

‘I haven’t been in the loft, Olive.’ Titch thought half a lie wasn’t so bad. ‘I just stood on the ladder and pulled out the first things that came to hand.’

‘Can I have a look, Mam?’ Steve’s hand was already on the bag. ‘We’re not half getting a lot of surprises these days. Everyone’s been very kind.’

‘We shouldn’t really take them.’ But Olive’s words were half-hearted. She was dying to see what Aggie had sent. ‘I feel as though I’m scrounging.’

‘Scrounging! Olive, me ma’s got enough stuff at home to open a shop. Yer’d be doing her a favour by taking them off her hands.’

‘I’ll believe yer, Titch, because I want to.’ Olive smiled into the weatherbeaten face. ‘I feel like a little girl when she finds out Father Christmas has been.’

That was good enough for Steve, and his hand went into the bag. And as he and his mam showed their pleasure as each piece of paper was opened, Titch stood by and watched in silence. How little it took to make these two happy.

‘There’s a hammer in the bottom of the bag, Mr Titch.’ Steve looked puzzled. ‘Fancy carrying that around with yer, ’cos it’s heavy.’

‘I’ve got a nail in me pocket to go with it, lad. And strict
instructions from me ma that I wasn’t to go home until that picture was on yer wall. She said if I didn’t do it, she’d come down and have a go herself. I didn’t fancy letting her do that because I think she’d knock yer wall down in the process.’

Olive stood with a finger in her mouth, looking first at the sideboard and then the mantelpiece. ‘I think the vase in the middle of the sideboard, and an ornament each end. What do you think, Titch?’

‘Move them around until yer get them where yer think they look best. And while ye’re doing that, I’ll put the picture up. Which wall would yer like it on?’

There was no hesitation. ‘On that wall, so everyone can see it when they walk in.’

Steve watched the pleasure on his mother’s face and thought of how much they owed to the McBrides. Yesterday he’d felt equal to the other children because he was dressed as well as any of them. And he’d never forget the two people who’d made that possible.

Olive stood behind the table and looked across at the sideboard. Only a couple of weeks ago it had been falling to pieces, only fit for the scrapheap. Now, with the lovely runner, the ornaments and vase, it looked a treat. And the picture hanging over it was just the right finishing touch. The trouble was, the wallpaper didn’t do them justice. Dark with age, and torn in so many places, it took the shine off the nice things. She didn’t say anything, though, because it might sound as if she was dropping hints. ‘Thank yer mam for me and tell her I’m thrilled to bits.’ She pointed to a chair. ‘Yer can sit down, yer know, we don’t charge. Not even for the spring that’ll stick in yer bottom and leave a mark.’

When Titch sat down he felt the truth of her words and grinned. ‘No one will see it. I’ve been changing me own nappies for nearly forty years now.’

Steve was in his element having a man to talk to. ‘How did yer party go, Mr Titch? I bet it wasn’t as good as ours.’

‘Well, the first couple of hours were interesting, and quite
lively at times. But they were nothing to write home about. It was nearly ten o’clock when it really got going, after we were all well-oiled.’ He lifted a finger and corrected himself. ‘I should say when the men were well-oiled. Irene and me ma don’t need drink to make a party go, and they had us in stitches.’

‘How was Ruby?’ Olive asked. ‘Did she enjoy herself?’

‘Least said, soonest mended, Olive.’

‘Oh.’ She had gathered from snippets of conversation with Aggie and Irene that Bob’s wife wasn’t very popular. Whenever she mentioned her name they changed the subject. So she now followed their example. ‘When do yer sail, Titch?’

‘I’m reporting on Tuesday, so we’ll probably sail the day after. I was told it would only be a short trip, but yer can’t rely on them. I didn’t expect to be away four months on the last one. But when I get home, I’ll be taking the Pollard boys and Lucy to the flicks one night. And yer’d be very welcome to join us, Steve, if yer want to.’

Steve was agog. If someone had given him a pound note he couldn’t have looked any happier. ‘Ooh, yeah! That would be the gear, Mr Titch, thanks very much.’

‘Just look at the face on him,’ Olive said, feeling so pleased for her son. ‘That’s all I’ll be able to get out of him now, so yer’d better not be away for four months, Titch McBride, or he’ll drive me round the bend.’

‘I was going to suggest that yer come with us. That’s if ye’re feeling better, like. It would do yer good to get out.’

‘Oh, please, Mam,’ Steve said. ‘That would be brilliant.’

Olive was flabbergasted. Her hand to her throat, she croaked, ‘I couldn’t go with yer, Titch, I haven’t been over the door for nearly two years. Anyway, what would the neighbours say? They’d have a field day!’

‘Don’t be acting daft, Olive, I’ll have four kids with me. And if it makes yer feel better, I’ll get me ma to come along.’ Titch leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. ‘Anyway, what the hell’s it got to do with the neighbours?
They don’t pay yer rent for yer, or put bread on yer table, so why care what they say? I took Irene into town the other week, while her husband was at work, but there’s been no gossip about us having an affair.’ He grinned. ‘Mind you, if George wasn’t such a big feller, I might have tried me luck.’

‘Let me think about it, Titch.’ Olive didn’t need to think about it, she’d already decided she wouldn’t go. ‘It’s such a long time since I’ve been out, just the thought frightens me.’

‘It’s coming up summer, Olive. Hot, sunny days. Yer can’t spend them in the house, it wouldn’t be healthy.’ Titch looked at his watch. ‘I’d better get back, me ma will have the dinner ready. But will yer promise to give it some thought?’

‘I will, I promise. Now don’t forget to thank Aggie for me. And if I don’t see yer before yer set sail, have a good trip and take care of yerself.’

‘So Olive was pleased with the things, was she?’ Aggie sat facing her son across the table as they tucked into a roast dinner. She’d already asked Titch half a dozen times since he came home. ‘And the picture looked nice on the wall, did it?’

‘Ma, the picture was a joy to behold. And Olive was so delighted she jumped up and down for joy.’

‘There’s no need for sarcasm, Titch. And as it’s Sunday, keep a civil tongue in yer head if yer don’t mind. Yer never hear me being sarcastic, or swearing, on the Sabbath.’ She wiped a trickle of gravy from her chin before adding, ‘Well, only in extreme circumstances, of which this will be one if yer give me any more lip.’

‘A paragon of virtue, yer are, Ma, and no mistake.’ Titch bit on the inside of his mouth to stop himself from smiling as he told her, ‘By the way, I’ve asked Olive for a date.’

Aggie nearly choked on a piece of crispy roast potato. Swallowing hard, she gasped, ‘What did yer say?’

‘I’ve asked Olive to come to the pictures with me one night on me next leave.’

Aggie searched his face for a while then burst out laughing. ‘Pull the other one, it’s got bells on.’ She laid down her knife and fork and sat back in the wooden chair. ‘Oh, that was a good try, son, but yer didn’t really think I’d fall for it, did yer?’

‘If yer don’t believe me, ask her yerself. Yer’ll be seeing her tomorrow ’cos it’s your turn to make them a dinner. Just ask her, casual like, and see what she says.’

‘Will I heckerslike! The woman would think I’ve gone off me rocker. She’d die of embarrassment.’

His face still straight, Titch said, ‘Well, she was alive and kicking when I left. She wasn’t the least embarrassed when I asked her.’

‘Titch, the joke’s gone far enough.’

‘Yeah, ye’re right, Ma. What happened was, I told Steve I’d be taking the kids to the pictures one night next time I’m home, and I asked if he’d like to come with us. He was absolutely over the moon. Then it struck me that it might be one way of getting Olive out of that house, and I asked if she’d like to come with us. She said she’d think about it, but I know she won’t come. Which is a pity, ’cos she needs fresh air. She needs to get out, even if it’s only to the shops. Wouldn’t you or Irene have a go at asking her?’