The Girl From Number 22 (59 page)

The time passed quickly after that. The men came home from work and had their dinner, then men and women alike put on their best bib and tucker. And still Eliza made no move to leave. ‘Mam,’ John said, ‘we’d better be going. Vera will wonder what’s keeping us.’

‘I don’t want to upset yer, son, or have yer think I don’t appreciate all that yer’ve done for me. You and Vera, and the grandchildren, are marvellous, and I love yer dearly. But, for the last time in me life, I would love to be the one to let the New Year in, in this house. That’s if you and Vera wouldn’t be upset, and Annie would let me.’

‘We’d love to have yer, sweetheart,’ Annie told her. ‘But it’s up to yer son.’

‘I’ll go home now and tell Vera.’ John set his hat on his head. ‘I’ll order a taxi for half past twelve and come and pick you up. So try and stay awake, Mam, and have a good time with all yer old mates. I’ll see yer later.’

So it was that when the bells rang out on the stroke of twelve, and the ships and barges on the River Mersey hooted their horns to welcome in the New Year, Eliza felt like a young woman again as she knocked on the door of number twenty-two.
Surrounded by all her old friends, the Fenwicks, Watsons, Bowerses and Bensons, and welcomed as a first footer by a smiling Annie, she was as happy as could be, and her heart was at peace.

Danny felt quite emotional as he watched Eliza from the back of the crowd. ‘I’ve loved that old lady all me life.’ Then, through the crowds of neighbours who were hugging, kissing and singing, he pulled Jenny towards the street lamp. ‘I want to see what I’m doing. So, can I have my New Year’s kiss, please? And pecks are not on the menu. I want a proper kiss.’

And when Jenny lifted her face, and Danny’s lips met hers, Cupid worked his magic. They saw stars twinkling, heard fireworks going off, and their heartbeats felt like the beating of a drum. When Danny finally lifted his head, he said, ‘I feel dizzy. Me head is going round.’

Jenny said softly, ‘I feel faint.’

‘Don’t you dare faint on me, Jenny Phillips. Not until yer’ve given me another kiss, and an answer to me question.’

‘What question is that, Danny?’

‘Will yer be my girl?’

‘That’s a daft question, Danny Fenwick. Of course I’ll be your girl. I might not have known it at the time, but I think I’d made up me mind on that the first time I set eyes on yer.’

His dimples deep, Danny put a finger under her chin and lifted her face. ‘That’s all right then. And now it’s official, will yer stop talking so much and give us a kiss to seal our bargain?’