The Girl From Number 22 (33 page)

‘I’ll get back over the road, love,’ Jimmy said. ‘Just in case Monica or Paul are awake and wondering where we are.’ He smiled at Annie. ‘Any problems, Annie, yer know where to knock. Any time, night or day.’

‘Thank you, Jimmy. I’m sorry we’re being such a nuisance to you and yer family. I’m not attempting to make excuses for tonight’s performance, for me and the kids are used to it. And we know that after a few repetitions of tonight, there’ll be so many complaints from the neighbours, we’ll be forced to move on once again.’

‘Don’t even think about it, sunshine,’ Ada said, her nostrils flared in temper. ‘If anyone leaves this house, it won’t be you or the kids, take my word for it. Me and Hetty, and the neighbours either side of here, have a soft spot for this house. It means a lot to us for it holds happy memories. And I’m blowed if a drunken rotter is going to be allowed to ruin those memories.’

Jimmy nodded. ‘I agree with the wife on that. But I think it’s best if we all call it a day now, for I’m sure Annie and the kids must be tired. We’ll talk about it when our heads are clear and tempers calmed down. Come home with me, love, and let Annie and the children go to bed and have a good night’s sleep.’

‘I’ll stay for a while,’ Danny said, ‘just to make sure Mr Phillips doesn’t come round. But I’ll be over before yer go to bed, Mam, so leave a cup of tea in the pot for me.’

Ada saw the dismay on Jenny’s face, and quickly said, ‘No, sunshine, yer can come with me and yer dad. Let’s leave these good people to do as they wish. I’m sure a cup of sweet tea would go down a treat, Annie, and then up the stairs to dreamland.’

Annie walked to the door with them. ‘There’s not enough words to thank you. But yer’ll be in my prayers tonight, I can promise yer that.’

Ada gave her a kiss. ‘Good night and God bless, sunshine. I’ll see yer in the morning.’

After Ada waved the children off to school the next morning, she began to clear the table. But her mind wasn’t on what she was doing, it was on the events of the night before. Pictures kept flicking into her head, of the fear and shame on the faces of Annie and her children. And of the state of Tom Phillips as he swayed, with stream after stream of obscenities leaving his mouth.

‘Fancy having to live with the likes of that,’ Ada told the kitchen window as she put the breakfast dishes in the sink. ‘He should have been drowned at birth.’ She half filled the kettle and put a light under it. ‘I’ll have a nice cup of tea, then nip over and see how Annie got on. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Tom Phillips is still on the couch, out for the count. I can’t see him being fit for work, not the state he was in last night.’

When the tea was made, Ada carried a cup through to the living room. She’d have a quiet ten minutes, then get cracking. She lifted the cup from the saucer, and it was halfway to her lips when there was a loud knock on the door. In her haste, some of the tea left the cup and landed on her knees. ‘Blast it! Is there no ruddy rest for the wicked? If it’s a canvasser, I’ll break their flaming neck.’

However, Ada’s disappointment at being robbed of her quiet spell soon disappeared when she opened the door and found Jean Bowers and Edith Benson standing on the pavement. And the look of expectation on their faces told her they were here about the kerfuffle last night. ‘Come in, girls. I’ve just made meself a cup of tea, and there’s enough in the pot for another two cups.’ Ada’s eyes closed when she heard the door of the next house being pulled shut, and she added, ‘It will have to run to three cups, ’cos here’s me mate.’

Hetty hurried forward and joined Jean and Edith on the pavement. ‘I know yer don’t like to have visitors so early in the morning, girl, but I couldn’t wait any longer. Especially when I saw these two crossing over. I wasn’t going to have them hearing the news before me. And I knew yer wouldn’t tell the three of us to get lost. Yer can be very outspoken when yer feel like it, but not even you would be that outspoken.’

‘Don’t bank on it, sunshine, ’cos I’m not in the best of tempers. I only got about an hour’s sleep last night.’ A resigned sigh left Ada’s lips as she jerked her head. ‘Come in, but don’t all speak at once ’cos me head is debating whether to have an ache or not.’

The three neighbours pulled chairs out for themselves and sat down. It was Hetty who spoke first, and she did it quietly. ‘We won’t open our mouths, girl, we’ll leave the talking to you. Just tell us, in yer own time, what the hell was going on last night?’

‘I’m not letting this cup of tea go cold, so get off yer backside, Hetty, and pour another three cups out. There should be enough in the pot to go round.’

Hetty put her hands on the table and pushed herself up. ‘I’ll go on the understanding that not one word is to be spoken before I’m back with the tea, and sitting comfortably.’

Jean Bowers nodded. ‘Honest to God, not one word, I promise.’

Ada called through to the kitchen, ‘Is it all right if I ask what the weather’s like out? Oh, and can I break the news that it’s Danny’s birthday today? Is that allowed, Mrs Watson?’

‘Don’t be sarky, girl, or yer head will ache, just for spite. Anyway, I’m on me way.’ Hetty came through with a cup and saucer in each hand. ‘It’s coming to something when yer best mate tells yer to see to her visitors and make yer own tea.’

When she was seated with her tea in front of her, Hetty said, ‘To answer yer question, girl, it is very cold out. And I hadn’t forgotten it’s Danny’s birthday. I’ve got a nice card for him in me bag.’

Jean couldn’t wait any longer, and she leaned forward. ‘Ada, what on earth went on last night? The noise was enough to wake the dead. We were watching through the window, and couldn’t believe our eyes or ears. That neighbour of ours was rotten drunk, and his language had me blushing. Gordon was all set for going out and telling him off, but when we saw you coming out of your house with Jimmy and Danny, I told him not to get involved. But what a to-do it was! I’ve never seen anything like it, in all the years I’ve lived in the street.’

Edith nodded. ‘The language out of him was disgusting, and I felt ashamed in front of Elsie and Vincent. They’re not used to that. Their dad comes out with the odd “bloody” now and again,
but that’s as far as it goes. And to think that man is living next door to us. If it happens again, I’m going to complain to the landlord. We don’t want the likes of him in the street, never mind right next door.’

‘Drink yer tea before it goes cold, girls, and then I’m going to tell yer a little story. And Hetty will tell yer whether I’m telling yer the truth or not.’ Ada picked up her cup, took a sip and pulled a face. ‘Mine’s only lukewarm, so drink up. I’ll make a fresh pot after I’ve told yer all there is to know about yer neighbours.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ Jean looked from one to the other. ‘I’m stunned.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ Edith shook her head. ‘If I’d known the full story, I’d have gone out meself and hit him where it hurt most. I’m glad you belted him, Ada, it was what he deserved. In fact he deserved a lot more.’

‘I knew yer’d both be sympathetic when yer heard the truth,’ Ada told them. ‘Annie Phillips and the two children have a dog’s life with him. They’ve lived in about a dozen houses, because his behaviour has the neighbours complaining and they have to move on. And Hetty will vouch for what I say when I tell yer there isn’t a nicer woman breathing than Annie. And the two children are lovely. They’re well brought up, and they’re very protective of their mother.’

Hetty nodded in agreement. ‘Annie’s a lovely woman, and how she puts up with him I’ll never know. She’s very shy, and doesn’t like talking about the dreadful life she has. But Ada got it out of her, and both of us were nearly in tears when she showed us some of the bruises he’d given her. It’s not often I swear, but he is one bad bugger.’

Jean tutted. ‘It just goes to show that yer shouldn’t be quick to judge anyone, unless yer know the truth. I was calling the whole family fit to burn last night. They all got the blame for the antics of the father. But we weren’t to know any better. Mrs Phillips hasn’t exchanged more than half a dozen words with me or Edith.’

Ada leaned back in the chair and folded her arms. ‘Me and Hetty have made friends with her, for she has no one to talk to. Her bully of a husband doesn’t allow her to have friends or visitors. Me mate and I have offered her a helping hand, and according to her daughter, Jenny, she’s started to stick up for herself. But she needs to have a lot more confidence in herself. She’s been under his thumb for twenty years, and it’s taken all her pride away.’

‘He must be a right sod,’ Jean said. ‘What he needs is a man to put the fear of God into him. I’ve always said that any man who hits his wife is a coward. They wouldn’t try it on with a man, they’d be frightened of getting hurt.’

‘D’yer know what really got through to me yesterday? The saddest thing of all, which I could cry over? Well, young Jenny came over last night to thank me and Hetty for helping her mam yesterday. She said she was glad her mother had found friends, ’cos she’s never had any with having to move house so often. And that young, seventeen-year-old girl had come to thank me. Me and Hetty had only been in her company three times, and we’d only shared a cup of tea and a cream slice. Not much to thank us for, yet it shows how much Annie is loved by her children. A sod of a husband, but wonderful children.’

‘It makes yer think, doesn’t it?’ Edith said. ‘We don’t know how lucky we are with our husbands. My feller will get a big
hug and kiss when he comes home tonight, just to show how much I appreciate him.’

‘If I see Mrs Phillips, I’ll make a point of speaking to her,’ Jean said. ‘After all, she can’t help it if the man she married has turned out to be a rotter.’

‘I was hoping you and Edith would be sympathetic and understanding,’ Ada said. ‘And I’d like yer to get to know her. So if I invite her over for a cup of tea this afternoon, would yer both come over? Yer would have to pretend it was just a chance call, for if she thought it was all arranged she’d be embarrassed. I would like yer to meet her, though, and yer could see for yerselves what a smashing person she is. And with a bit of luck Annie will end up with two friends opposite, and one either side of her.’

Jean’s nod was enthusiastic. ‘Yeah, I’d like that.’

‘Me too,’ Edith said. ‘I don’t like to think of any woman being badly treated. We should all help each other.’

Ada smiled. ‘That’s settled then. She’ll be coming over about two o’clock, so if yer keep watch out of yer windows, yer could time it to come ten minutes after her.’ Ada turned to her mate. ‘Isn’t it your turn to buy the cream cakes, sunshine?’

Hetty’s jaw dropped and Jean giggled. She leaned across Ada to say, ‘It’s our turn tomorrow, Hetty. Me and Edith will buy the cakes and make the sandwiches. We’ll bring them up the back entry and hand them in here. If we’re going to join your afternoon click of friends, we’ll put our names on your rota system. That means us tomorrow, then we’ll take turns as yer normally do.’

Ada sat back with a smile on her face. This was the outcome she’d been hoping for. The more friends Annie had in the street, the sooner Tom Phillips would be cut down to size.

Ada and Hetty were coming out of Irwin’s later that morning when they bumped into Jean and Edith. There was a cake bag being carried very carefully on an open palm by Edith, and Ada smiled as she pointed to it. ‘Cream slices, I hope?’

‘I’ve bought the cakes, and Jean’s got the bread and ham for sandwiches. We’ll bring them up to yours about half one, is that all right?’

‘That’s fine, sunshine. It’ll be very tempting having the cakes in the house, ’cos I have a very sweet tooth. Sometimes the craving for chocolate is so bad I have to give meself a good talking to. But seeing as this afternoon is an important occasion, then I’ll be very strict with meself.’

Hetty gave her mate a dig. ‘We’d better make a move, girl, if we want to get our dinner on the way. Otherwise it will be one mad dash, and we won’t be able to relax and enjoy the afternoon.’

‘It’s going to be a very pleasant afternoon, sunshine, with good friends.’ Ada smiled at her mate before turning to Jean and Edith. ‘Don’t say a word about what happened, just let things take their course. Otherwise Annie will run like a scared rabbit. Leave it to me and I’ll bring it up gradually, as though it’s no big deal.’

‘Yer can rely on us, we’ll be the soul of discretion,’ Jean said.
She linked her arm through Edith’s, and they began to walk away. Then she remembered something and turned back. ‘Oh, how’s Danny enjoying his birthday?’

‘He is delighted. He’s got six cards, a nice blue tie, a jar of Brylcreem and a slab of chocolate.’ Ada chuckled. ‘He’ll go out of the house tonight with a spring in his step, a perfect knot in his tie, his hair slicked back with the Brylcreem the kids bought him, and a broad grin on his face. And from next week, he’ll have an extra half a crown in his wage packet. As far as Danny is concerned, life couldn’t be better.’

‘That’s the way it should be at his age,’ Hetty said, pulling on Ada’s arm. ‘We haven’t got all day, girl, so come on. We’ll have plenty of time for small talk this afternoon.’

‘Your word is my command, sunshine. You lead and I’ll follow.’

Annie stood on the pavement looking up at Ada. ‘I didn’t know whether to come or not, Ada. I thought after last night yer might not want to have anything to do with me.’

Ada tutted. ‘Don’t be so daft, yer silly nit, of course I wanted yer to come. What happened last night wasn’t of your making. Besides, no one got killed, did they? Come in before yer catch yer death of cold. Hetty’s inside. She’ll tell yer a few jokes, and that’ll warm yer up.’

Hetty grinned when the two women walked in. ‘That’s a joke in itself, girl. I’m not exactly known for me sense of humour. Me mate’s the one with the wit, I’m not in the meg specks.’

‘Ah, don’t be putting yerself down, sunshine, ’cos yer do have yer moments.’ Ada turned her head a little to give a sly wink to Annie. ‘I’ve got a very good memory, and I can remember yer telling a cracking joke once.’ She cupped her chin with a hand, and while using the first finger to tap her
chin, she frowned in concentration. Then she muttered, ‘When was it now? It’ll come to me in a minute. Oh, yeah, I’ve got it now, I can remember it as clear as daylight.’ She dropped her hand and bent down to face her mate. ‘It was a couple of days before Christmas and we were run off our feet. Then yer came out with this belting joke, and it was so funny, we finished our shopping in a very happy frame of mind.’