The Girl From Number 22 (48 page)

‘Oh, I will, girl! I’ll even get them to knock and thank you.’

The tray was set down on the table, the cups of tea were handed out, and the plate of cakes was put down in the centre. The cream slices were filled with lots of mouth-watering fresh cream, and Ada insisted they leave the talking until the cakes were eaten, for it was torture to sit and look at them. So it was
ten minutes later before Annie got to tell her tale. And she told it well, with actions and words. Her changing facial expressions added to the drama. She finished by saying, ‘He ate his toast this morning, drank two cups of tea, and left for work without one word leaving his mouth. No punches, no bad language, not even a sneer. Now, whether it will last or not is something I can’t be sure of. But I’ve got a feeling that Tom Phillips will be a different man from now on. Please God.’

‘Good for you, sunshine. I’m proud of yer.’ Ada was really pleased to see Annie looking relaxed and confident. ‘What a difference it’ll be for you and the children not to be looking sideways all the time.’

Hetty spoke her thoughts aloud. ‘It seems too good to be true. Can a person as bad as yer husband change so quickly? I wouldn’t have believed it possible.’

‘Ye’re as wise as me, sweetheart,’ Annie said. ‘I can only wait and hope for the best. But if he does start his bullying again, and coming home drunk, then I will do what I threatened to do. I’ll go and see his boss, then his workmates will know him for what he is. That is one thing that would put the fear of God into Tom Phillips. I could tell I’d frightened him when I said that, ’cos I could really see the fear in his eyes. He’s brave when he hits me or the kids, but he’d be terrified if his workmates gave him a hard time.’

‘What do Jenny and Ben think about it?’ Ada asked. ‘If their father has changed, it’ll make a big difference to their lives.’

‘When they came in last night and I told them Tom had gone to bed early, and how I’d had a big row with him, they shrugged their shoulders and said it was a flash in the pan. They were surprised he hadn’t gone to the pub, but I couldn’t convince them that there were going to be big changes in the future.
Jenny pulled a face and said give it a day or two and her dad would be back to his old ways.’

‘Well, for what it’s worth, sunshine, my gut feeling is that yer hit the right spot when yer told him yer would expose his wickedness to his workmates. And although I don’t think he’s ever likely to be a nice person, I’ve got a feeling yer life is going to improve from now on. In fact, if I had the money to spare, I’d buy a bottle of sherry and drink a toast to a good future for you and the kids.’

‘It would be wonderful if yer were right, sweetheart, but I haven’t got the high hopes you have. I don’t expect a miracle. I’ll settle for a quiet and peaceful life for meself, and for Jenny and Ben. I’d like to see them enjoying their teenage years.’

Hetty had been listening with interest. She had grown fond of Annie, and wanted to give her some hope. ‘My mate Ada here is not very often wrong, girl. In fact, I sometimes think she has what they call second sight. I often think she’s making things up, for a laugh, like, but more often than not the joke’s on me. I’ll bet a pound to a pinch of snuff that she’s right about your feller. Give it a week or so, and see if she’s not right.’

‘I’ll keep me fingers crossed, sweetheart, and I’ll keep yer up to date with the goings-on. And now I’ve told yer that news, I’ve got something else to tell yer.’ Annie uncrossed her legs so she could get them under the table and lean forward. Her eyes were bright with excitement and the words she’d had trouble keeping under control poured from her mouth. ‘After I left yer this morning, I nipped along to the wallpaper shop, just to have a look at the paper and find out the prices. And while I was looking at the paper on display, I saw a notice saying a part-time worker was wanted. From nine to one o’clock, six days a week.’

Ada grinned. ‘And yer got the job.’

Annie gasped. ‘How did yer know that?’

‘I could tell by the look on yer face. Like when yer were telling us about Tom Phillips, yer eyes were glistening. I am right, aren’t I?’

‘Yeah, I start on Monday!’ Annie’s face showed her surprise. ‘I’m beginning to think Hetty is right, and ye’re a mind-reader, sweetheart. Anyway, I went in the shop pretending to look at the wallpaper, and as yer know, I’m not a one for pushing meself. I’m a defeatist, really, and I was telling meself I didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the job ’cos I was too old and not the type to be able to talk to customers. But even though I thought I didn’t stand an earthly, a little voice in me head told me I was a coward. And that is what gave me the courage to ask the man behind the counter. It’s his shop, and the assistant he had left last week to go to a job what paid better. We got talking, and the man asked if I was interested. I told him I’d never worked in a shop before, but he said that wasn’t important. He asked me age, where I lived and what ties I had at home. Well, with it only being a morning job, I told him there was nothing to tie me down at home and I’d be grateful if he’d give me a chance. So I start on Monday, and I’ll be on a two-week trial. If I don’t like the job, or he thinks I’m not cut out for it, then I can leave with no hard feelings.’

Ada was sitting with a satisfied grin on her face, while Hetty’s jaw had dropped and she was shaking her head. ‘If you two are pulling me leg, then I don’t think it’s very funny.’

‘I’m not pulling yer leg, sweetheart,’ Annie told her. ‘I’m not clever enough to have made all that up. And I’m so happy, I really can’t believe me luck. It only pays sixpence a morning, but that mounts up to three shillings a week, and that’s a lot of
money to me. Wait until I tell the children, they’ll be really surprised.’

‘And what about Tom Phillips?’ Ada’s eyes were wide as she asked, ‘Will he be pleased, or will he cut yer housekeeping money down, for spite?’

‘Oh, I made up me mind first thing that I wouldn’t tell him. I know for certain he’d cut down on what little money he gives me. There’s no way he’ll know I’m working, ’cos I don’t start until nine, and I’ll be home again at one o’clock. He won’t even notice the difference. He calls into a pub on his way home every day, so he won’t notice any change.’ Annie was determined her husband wouldn’t gain by her working. ‘I just wish it had come along a few weeks ago, then I could have saved up enough money to give the children some decent presents for Christmas. As it is, I’ll only get one week’s wages before the holiday. But even that will be a blessing.’

Ada leaned across the table and patted her hand. ‘Annie, ye’re a different woman from the one that moved into number twenty-two just a short while ago. Yer’ve gradually gained in strength of character, and ye’re showing more backbone.’ She turned to her mate. ‘Hetty, am I right in saying that Annie has been changing gradually over the time we’ve known her, but the change since yesterday has been drastic?’

Her mate quickly agreed. ‘She has surprised me, girl, I can tell yer that. And I’m hoping that husband of hers doesn’t spoil it with his shenanigans.’ Hetty was usually very mild-tempered, but just the thought of the things Annie had suffered was enough to raise her blood to boiling point. ‘I’d even take the poker to him meself if he starts his messing again.’

Ada chuckled. ‘Now, that is saying something, sunshine. That’s probably the first time I’ve ever heard yer threaten to have a go
at someone. And I hope Annie realises yer must regard her very highly if ye’re prepared to go into battle on her behalf.’

‘Oh, don’t for one second think I don’t appreciate what you two have done for me. If you hadn’t come along and offered the hand of friendship, then I know only too well that I would still be terrified of opening me door to anyone, hiding behind the curtains to see who was knocking. And I’d still be cowering whenever Tom Phillips looked at me, or ordered me to do something that would humiliate and degrade me.’ Annie shook her head slowly, and there was a hint of tears in her eyes. ‘No, you two have been my salvation, and I’ll never forget that. Neither will my two children.’

Ada tried to lighten the atmosphere by changing the subject. ‘Talking of children, I believe our Danny asked Jenny if she wanted to go to the dance with him on Saturday?’

‘Your son takes after his mother for being thoughtful and kind. But unfortunately, my lovely daughter hasn’t been brought up to appreciate those qualities in people, because she’s never known them. Because of her father, she doesn’t trust people as she should. But don’t blame her, Ada, ’cos it’s not her fault.’

‘Not for one moment would I do that, Annie, for Jenny’s a lovely girl. And Danny understands because he’s very caring. We’ll just leave the kids to go their own way, eh?’ Ada scraped her chair back. ‘As I said before, if I had a bottle of sherry we could drink a toast to yer good fortune. But as we’re not members of the idle rich, we’ll have to make do with tea. I’ll put the kettle on for a fresh pot.’

Tom Phillips saw Bella standing against the side wall of the pub, and his senses reacted in anticipation. As she walked towards him, he was thinking she’d be a nice-looking woman if she
didn’t plaster the thick make-up on. Mind you, that was part of her trade. She wanted to stand out to attract the punters. He nodded his head in acknowledgement.

‘I didn’t expect to see you tonight,’ Bella drawled, a cigarette dangling from the side of her mouth. ‘Got the money, have yer?’

‘Yeah, I’ve got sixpence.’

She turned away. ‘Same as yer did yesterday. Walk behind me, turn into the entry and then into me back yard.’

As Tom turned into the back entry, he could feel his passion growing. His appetite for sex was insatiable. He only had to look at an attractive woman, and in his mind he stripped her of her clothing and let his imagination run away with him. He’d had many dark looks thrown at him by men who were parading a pretty woman on their arm, and caught him staring.

The yard door opened before his hand had reached the latch, and Bella’s low voice told him to get in sharpish. ‘They’re a nosy lot of biddies round here, and the less they know of my business the better.’ She wasted no time in shoving him into the lavatory, then squeezed in herself and closed the door. Then she held out her hand. ‘Sixpence, before I lay a finger on yer.’ Time was money, and he was only a punter to her. So she was abrupt and straight to the point. ‘Same as yesterday, undo yer trousers.’

Tom was so eager, he would have crawled if she’d told him to. But she didn’t. Instead she did the job she was good at, and had him groaning with pleasure. When his cries became louder, she put a hand over his mouth so her next-door neighbour wouldn’t hear. When his time was up, he was shaking like a leaf. His heart was thumping so hard he thought it would burst out of his chest. Bella left the lavatory while he made himself respectable, and when he came out, she asked, ‘Was this visit instead of tomorrow?’

He was quick to answer, for all he could think of, while at work or lying in bed staring up at the ceiling, was Bella attending to his needs in her house. ‘Oh, no, I’ll be here tomorrow all right. Six thirty, like we said.’ Then he couldn’t resist confirming, ‘It will be inside yer house, won’t it?’

She nodded, then made sure he remembered, ‘Yes, and it’ll be a shilling.’ She opened the yard door and peered into the entry. ‘It’s all clear, so scarper. And make sure ye’re not late tomorrow. Saturday’s a busy night for me.’

‘Don’t worry about that, I’ll be on time.’ As he walked down the entry and into the main road, Tom Phillips was a very happy, satisfied man. And he had great hopes that tomorrow would be better still. It would be warm in her house, there’d be more room, and he’d be able to watch Bella at work. It was a much better way of spending his money than going to the pub. He reached the tram stop and lit a cigarette. There’d be a tram along any minute, but as he drew on his cigarette, he let his fantasies run wild. He couldn’t afford to call in the pub tomorrow before going to Bella’s, but he’d have to try it some time. Next week, perhaps, when he drew his overtime money. Two pints of beer to increase his desire, and an hour with a woman who could fulfil his every dream.

There was silence round the breakfast table in the Phillips house on the Saturday morning. It was an uneasy silence, charged with suspense. And the ticking of the clock made the scene seem like something from a drama movie. Tom ate his breakfast and drank his two cups of tea without raising his head to look at anyone, while Jenny and Ben watched with bated breath out of the corner of their eyes. They were afraid to speak, or move, in case their words or actions broke the spell and caused their father to revert back to his bad-tempered self. They feared he was biding his time, just waiting for a sound or look that would spark off his temper. But there were no sneers, nor lashing out of fists, as Annie put the plate of toast down in front of him and poured out his tea. He didn’t even look at her. The atmosphere was so strange, the silence so eerie, she was glad when he’d finished his breakfast and scraped back his chair.

Tom could feel the tension in the room, and it made him feel good. Let them wonder why he was acting out of character, he didn’t care. He could still lash out at them any time he liked, so he’d keep them on pins. It just so happened that he hadn’t felt the need for confrontation last night, and he didn’t this morning. His life had taken a turn for the better now he’d met Bella; he didn’t need his wife in his bed any more. But he still got
satisfaction from knowing she and the kids were afraid of him, and that’s the way things would stay.

Although he could feel three pair of eyes boring into him, Tom made his way to the hall without looking back. He took his donkey jacket down from the hook and slipped his arms into the sleeves. It was as he was opening the door that he called back, ‘I’m working all day today, so I won’t be home until half eight or nine o’clock.’

Annie moved swiftly, and she caught her husband as he was stepping down on to the pavement. ‘Yer’d better bring some chips in with yer then, ’cos I can’t keep a dinner until that time of night. And me and the kids are going out.’