The Girl From Number 22 (11 page)

‘Okay,’ Ada said, ‘I think we’ve exhausted the subject of cats, so can we talk about something else?’ She eyed her eldest son. ‘Aren’t yer going dancing tonight, Danny? Or are we going to have the pleasure of your company for the entire evening? If yer tell me ye’re staying in, I’ll send for the doctor, ’cos yer must be sickening for something.’

Danny looked at the clock and stood up so quickly he nearly sent his chair flying. ‘Just look at the time! It’s all your fault, our Monica, you and yer ruddy cats. By the time I get there me three favourite partners will have been snapped up.’

‘Yer don’t know, son, yer might be lucky,’ Jimmy said, feeling good inside because he had thought of something funny. ‘One of them might have turned a bloke down because his clothes were covered in cat hairs.’

Danny slapped his father on his back as he passed the back of his chair. ‘Nice one, Dad, ye’re on form tonight.’

Monica’s head gave a little shake. ‘Yer all think ye’re funny, but ye’re not. My friend said there’s something wrong with people who don’t like animals.’

Danny’s head appeared round the kitchen door. ‘Is this the same friend who has the little kitten that’s lovely and playful, and as good as gold?’

Monica glared at him. ‘Yes, it is. Why?’

‘I thought there was method in her madness. How long has she had this sweet little cat?’

‘A week.’

Danny nodded knowingly. ‘I thought as much. I bet yer any money that tomorrow she’ll ask yer if yer want a lovely cuddly
kitten. She’s probably been told to get rid of it, and she saw you as a likely sucker.’ With that his head disappeared.

Ada saw the colour rise on her daughter’s face. ‘Is our Danny right? Has this so-called friend asked yer to have the kitten?’

Monica lowered her head. ‘Yeah. Her mam won’t let her keep it.’

Danny’s head appeared again, this time with shaving foam on his chin. ‘Ay, this friend of yours will go far in life. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up being a managing director in a big factory.’

Ada winked at Monica and was glad to see a smile appear. ‘I don’t think the girl will end up in a factory, sunshine. My money would be on her working in a pet shop. With her gift of the gab, if someone came in to buy a rabbit, she’d talk them into taking a rat, saying it was a baby rabbit what hadn’t started to grow yet.’

‘I don’t know this school friend of yours, Monica,’ Jimmy said, ‘but she’s been the topic of conversation here for the last fifteen minutes. And that’s pretty clever, seeing as we’ve never set eyes on her.’

Monica quickly saw the chance of getting her own back. Not that she wanted the kitten now, for she’d been put right off it with all the talk of hairs and sharp claws. And if it made puddles on the floor, she’d be the one who had to clean it up, and she certainly didn’t fancy that! ‘Yer’ll see her tomorrow night, Dad, ’cos she’s bringing the kitten here. And she said we can have the box it sleeps in, and the blanket.’

The hot retort on Ada’s lips died when she saw the sparkle in her daughter’s eyes. ‘That’s very generous of her, sunshine, and yer can tell her I said so. But explain that we can’t take her up on her offer as there’s no room at the inn.’

When Ada opened the door to Hetty on the Monday morning, she asked, ‘Will yer give me a hand with scraping the walls today, sunshine? I’ve moved all the furniture into the middle of the room and covered it over with old sheets.’

Hetty looked up with raised brows. ‘Is that why ye’re barring me from coming in? If I say I won’t help I won’t be allowed in? Yer know I’ll help without asking, and I don’t care whether the room’s in a mess or not! So can I come in now?’

‘Well, I was going to suggest we go straight out, sunshine, so we can get our shopping over with before we get stuck in. I only need to put me coat on, so shall we be on our way?’

‘Are yer asking me or telling me, girl? Since ye’re blocking me entrance, I’d say ye’re telling me and I don’t have any choice. So I’ll stay here while yer put yer coat on, and then we’ll be off.’

Ada turned her head to take a coat from a hook behind the door. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and stepped down on to the pavement. ‘I had me coat ready for when yer knocked, and I’ve got me purse in me pocket. All ready, so I wouldn’t keep yer waiting.’

‘Aren’t yer forgetting something? What about yer basket?’

After pulling the door shut, Ada said, ‘I don’t need me basket today. I can carry what few groceries I need.’

‘Who are yer kidding, girl?’ Hetty linked her arm through her mate’s and fell into step beside her. ‘Ten to one all yer shopping will be going into my basket, and, soft girl that I am, I’ll be the one carrying the lot.’

‘Stop yer moaning, sunshine, and count yer blessings. After all, I’ve invited yer into my house to help me scrape the walls, and yer should show some gratitude. It’s not everyone I’d ask to do that.’

‘Shall I tell yer something, girl, before yer heart bursts with yer generosity? It’s not everyone who would be soft enough to help yer out. I’m the only sucker in our street.’

‘And a lovely sucker yer are, sunshine. I’m really proud to have yer for a friend.’ Ada quickened her step, causing her neighbour to do a hop and a jump to keep up with her. ‘If we make a real effort, we can have all the shopping done and be back home in half an hour.’

Hetty groaned. ‘I was really happy for yer when yer told me yer were having yer room decorated, but I’m starting to regret I ever said I’d help yer out. Little did I know it was going to disrupt my life so much.’

‘Don’t exaggerate, sunshine, yer life isn’t going to be disrupted for more than a few hours. Surely yer don’t begrudge giving me a hand for a few hours, do yer? Me, what’s supposed to be yer best mate?’

‘It’s been disrupted already, and it’s not ten minutes since I left me house and knocked on your door! First off, there’s been no morning cup of tea, and I always look forward to that, with our little natter. Second, ye’re rushing me so much I’m out of breath. And to add insult to injury, I’m going to have to carry yer shopping!’

‘No yer won’t, sunshine.’ Ada thought quickly that a bit of soft soap was needed. ‘When I was rushing to get me housework done, then move all the heavy furniture so we could get to the walls, it was you I was thinking of. I said to meself that as I didn’t need much shopping it wasn’t worth me taking my basket, I could put me stuff in yours, and I’d carry it. Never in a million years would I expect you to carry my things. Yer should know me better by now. I’m not ruddy hard-faced.’

‘Ada, how many years are in a million?’ Hetty asked, a sly
look on her face. ‘Do yer know? Would yer be able to write it down?’

‘I don’t know, sunshine.’ Ada was well aware she was having her leg pulled, but she wouldn’t have cared if her two legs had bells on and they both got pulled. Just as long as the ruddy wallpaper came off her living room walls before the men came home from work. ‘I know it’s a lot, so I suppose it’s about a hundred.’

Hetty knew her friend inside out, and she certainly wasn’t as soft as she made out. She pretended to be as thick as two short planks, but she was far from it. Most of the time she acted daft to give people a laugh, for she liked nothing better than to see people happy. But in a serious conversation she’d soon show herself to be knowledgeable in every subject. ‘Oh, I think more than a hundred, girl, but why worry! My mam used to say, “Yer die if yer worry, and yer die if yer don’t, so why worry at all?” ’

‘Then all I can say, sunshine, is that it’s a pity yer don’t take after yer mam. I know we all worry sometimes, it’s only natural. We can’t have a life that’s all milk and honey. But you’ve made a career out of it. You worry over the least little thing.’

‘No, I don’t, Ada Fenwick, where did yer get that idea from? I worry about me family, but that’s all. And don’t tell me yer don’t worry about yours, ’cos I know yer do.’

‘Ooh, ay, talking about families, I knew there was something I had to tell yer.’ And as they walked towards the Maypole, Ada told her mate the saga about Monica and the kitten. It wasn’t all word for word strictly true, for she always added her own version of events to any story to make it more interesting. And she was in fine form, having Hetty doubled up with laughter. Her mate thought it was hilarious and there were tears of
laughter running down her cheeks. In fact, it tickled her fancy so much, she was still chuckling as they walked back from the shops. It wasn’t until they reached Ada’s front door that Hetty realised why her arm was aching. She’d carried her mate’s groceries all the way home in her basket.

Ada stood back and surveyed the wall she’d finished stripping, and there was a look of satisfaction on her face. ‘That’s one wall done, sunshine, so if we carry on at this rate we’ll be finished about three o’clock.’

‘I’ve almost finished this wall,’ Hetty said, ‘and I think we should have a break now, ’cos I’m gasping for a drink. By the time the kettle’s boiled, I’ll have it all stripped and we can take a breather.’

‘Ye’re right, sunshine, we deserve it. It’s hard going getting this paper off. I think it’s been on so long it doesn’t want to be disturbed. I wonder if wallpaper has feelings, same as us?’

‘Oh, don’t be daft, yer silly nit.’ Hetty tutted. ‘Go and put the kettle on before I die of thirst.’

‘Don’t you dare die in this room before we’ve finished the job, Hetty Watson, it would be really inconsiderate of yer. Just think of the extra work yer’d put me through, with sending for a doctor, and then the undertaker. On top of that, I’d have the dinner to get ready for the family. I know Jimmy is easy-going, but he wouldn’t be too happy if he came home and there was no dinner ready for him.’

A smile came to Hetty’s lips as she said dryly, ‘I don’t think he’d worry so much about his dinner not being ready for him as he would about me being laid out cold on the floor.’

‘Ay, sunshine, we shouldn’t be talking about death, ’cos there’s many a true word spoken in jest.’

‘It’s you what’s always saying that God has a sense of humour, girl, so I bet He’s having a good laugh.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of, sunshine! He has got a sense of humour, but He’ll only get a laugh out of people who are funny. And if there’s no one in heaven at the moment who can make Him laugh, then the chances are He’ll be looking down to see if there’s any likely candidates down here. I hope to meet Him one day, when I’m old and feeble, so I can thank Him for the good life I’ve had. But I’m not ready yet. I’m far too young to want to join Him in heaven.’

‘Yer might not be ready for heaven, girl, but are yer ready to throw that ruddy scraper down and put the kettle on? I told yer ages ago I was thirsty, but yer talk too much.’

‘You cheeky article! If we counted the words we’ve used since yer asked for a drink, I bet you’ve used as many if not more than I have.’

Hetty sighed. ‘I’d be better off going home and making meself a cup of tea there.’

Ada moved quickly towards the kitchen. ‘In five minutes there’ll be two cups and saucers on the table, two biscuits and a pot of tea. And by that time yer should have the rest of the paper off that wall.’ As her friend moved out of sight, Hetty grinned when she heard her adding, ‘God knows, she’s been at it long enough.’

‘Yer’ve done very well, love,’ Jimmy said, casting his eyes over the bare walls. ‘I see yer’ve washed the paintwork down, as well.’ When he bent to kiss her cheek, there was a twinkle in his eye. ‘Not bad for someone of your age.’

‘Go ’way, yer cheeky beggar! I’m two years younger than you, don’t forget. So if I’m old, what does that make you?’ Ada
clipped his ear playfully. ‘Anyway, I can’t take all the praise for the work. Hetty was a great help. I’d only be halfway through if it wasn’t for her.’

Danny came in at that moment, and he whistled. ‘I was expecting yer to have one wall done, Mam, but yer must have put in a full day’s hard labour to have finished the whole room.’ Then he sniffed up, his dimples deepening when he smiled. ‘And if the smell is anything to go by, yer’ve managed a delicious dinner into the bargain.’

Monica and Paul stood quietly listening. Then Paul decided to air the grievance he shared with his sister. ‘Me and Monica had to do without the jam butty we get every day, and now me tummy’s rumbling ’cos I’m starving.’

‘Ah, yer poor thing.’ Danny clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. ‘Didn’t yer have yer dummy to suck on while yer were waiting?’

‘Don’t be starting any shenanigans, for heaven’s sake,’ Ada said. ‘I’m not in the mood, ’cos every bone in me body is aching. Even bones I didn’t know I had are sore.’

‘Then sit down, love. I’ll put the dinner out,’ Jimmy said, pressing his wife down gently on to the couch. ‘Me and Danny will see to it.’

Ada let out a deep sigh. ‘I’m not going to argue with yer, I’m too weary. You and Danny can do it between yer, ye’re both old and ugly enough. All yer have to do is put five plates out and whatever is in the pan on the stove, share between the plates. Not equal shares, like, ’cos me and the kids don’t eat as much as you two.’

While she was talking, Ada’s mind was working. And as soon as the two men disappeared into the kitchen, she beckoned Monica over. Keeping her voice low, so it wouldn’t be heard in
the kitchen, she said, ‘Keep quiet, sunshine, don’t say a word. I want yer to get a pencil and a piece of paper out of the drawer in the sideboard. There’s something I want Auntie Hetty to know, so I’ll write it down and yer can take the message to her.’ When the pencil and paper were in, her hand, Ada scribbled quickly. Then she folded the paper and gave it to her daughter. ‘Not a word, sunshine, just make sure yer give that to Auntie Hetty.’

‘But what if Uncle Arthur opens the door, or one of the girls? What shall I say to them?’

‘Uncle Arthur and the girls aren’t in from work yet. I’ve been watching for them passing the window. So off yer go, and remember, not a word to anyone.’

Hetty looked surprised when she opened the front door and Monica pushed a piece of paper in her hand before running back home. Filled with curiosity, she walked back to the living room and sat down before unfolding the sheet of paper. Her eyes moved quickly along the lines, and her tittering turned to laughter. For Ada had written that she was being waited on hand and foot because she’d told Jimmy her whole body was aching with working so hard. She suggested her friend did the same. Lay the agony on thick, sunshine, Ada had written, and sit back and be waited on for once in your life.