When Wishes Come True (51 page)

Aggie pushed her friend aside and rushed into the living room before Rita could stop her. ‘For one cup of tea, with a spoonful of sugar in, I will sit here and tell yer everything yer want to know about how to make your feller a happy man.’

Rita closed the back door and faced her mate. ‘Yer know I don’t like bad language or crude words, don’t yer? So before yer get a cup of tea, I want yer to promise that what yer tell me will be really romantic, with no crude words about body parts.’

As she looked up at her neighbour, Aggie was thinking to herself that this cup of tea was going to be hard come by. How could she explain what went on in bed if she was stuck with making it romantic, and no crude words about body parts? Blimey, there was only one body part needed to give yer thrills of excitement, so if she couldn’t be crude, what could she call it? Oh, she’d think of something while the kettle was boiling. ‘All right, queen, yer’ve got yerself a deal.’

Rita was doubled up with silent laughter as she put the kettle on the stove. Many’s the night her and Reg, lying in bed, had been convulsed as they listened to the antics of their neighbours. Not so much Sam as Aggie, who didn’t know how to keep her voice down. And how she was going to tell Rita now about making love, without using crude words … well, she couldn’t wait to find out. Particularly one part of Sam’s anatomy that seemed to be Aggie’s favourite, and for which she had several names.

The kettle began to whistle and Rita reached for a cloth to cover her hand from the steam as she poured the boiling water into the teapot. Perhaps she shouldn’t encourage her friend, she might hear more than she’d bargained for. And it wouldn’t be fair to encourage her then tell her off if her language, natural to her, was objectionable to Rita. No, it wasn’t fair to do that to a good mate and neighbour.

‘Here yer are, sunshine, a cup of nice, sweet tea. And I managed to find two biscuits, so there’s one in yer saucer.’ Rita put the cups down on the table. ‘And I’ve decided not to charge yer, seeing as it’s Christmas week. And I don’t mean charge yer as in money, but as in yer telling me the story of yer love life. So drink up and enjoy yerself.’

When Aggie’s bottom hit the chair, her bosom hit the table at the same time. ‘Oh, thank God for that, queen, ’cos I’ve been racking me bleeding brain on how to tell yer something without using any bad words. And if I’d tried to describe things by using me hands instead of words, I know yer’d have clocked me one.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I can enjoy me cup of tea now, and me biscuit, even though it is two halves of a broken one. I’m not fussy, queen, I’m dead easy to please. And I’m not going to dunk the biscuit for long in case a piece drops off, like it usually does with me. I don’t want to get a stain on me good dress ’cos I won’t have time to wash it again before the big day.’

Rita watched with her heart in her mouth as Aggie picked up half a biscuit in her chubby hand and held it in the hot tea. Please God, don’t let her ruin her dress, she hasn’t got another one. I know she’s not always as pure as she should be, but she doesn’t mean no harm, she’s really got a good heart. Then came a sigh of relief as the biscuit was taken from the tea and carried to Aggie’s mouth with one hand, while her other was held below in case of an accident.

Aggie chuckled. ‘Yer can breathe now, queen, the mission was accomplished with no accidents. But I don’t think I’ll dunk the other one, it’s not worth the risk. It would break me bleeding heart if I messed me dress up before my feller sees it. It’s only once in a blue moon he sees me looking decent, and I can’t wait to see his face.’

‘I’ll bet yer a pound to a pinch of snuff he’ll grab hold of yer and hug yer so close yer’ll be gasping for breath.’

‘D’yer think so, queen?’ Aggie lowered her head a little so her friend wouldn’t see her lips twitching. ‘Ay, I don’t suppose yer’d do us a favour on Christmas morning, would yer?’

‘Oh, I don’t think so, sunshine, there’ll be too much to do here. Can’t it wait for some other time, like Boxing Day?’

‘Not really, queen, the mood would have worn off by then.’

Rita pursed her lips and wagged her head from side to side. ‘I don’t know why I always give in to yer, sunshine, but yer never fail to get round me. What is it yer want me to do for yer, and how long will it take? Don’t forget I’ve got the dinner to see to.’

‘Twenty minutes should do it, and I’d be really grateful to yer, queen.’

‘What do yer want me to do in that twenty minutes?’

‘Mind the kids for us. They wouldn’t be in the way, they’d play with your two.’

‘But where are you and Sam going? Yer didn’t tell me yer were going out.’

‘Oh, we wouldn’t be going far, queen, only up the stairs to the bedroom.’ Aggie banged the table so hard it lifted the cups out of the saucers. ‘Oh, if yer could only see yer face, yer’d die laughing. And I can tell, without yer saying, that yer won’t be minding the kids for us on Christmas morning. I’m surprised, really, ’cos I’d rather have twenty minutes with my feller, than the present yer’ve bought for me.’

‘I haven’t bought yer no present, Aggie Gordon, and well yer know it. Where would I get the money from to be buying you a present?’

Aggie spread her hands out as though asking for understanding, while inside she was having a good laugh. ‘Yer couldn’t buy me a better present than giving me twenty minutes alone with my feller. And it wouldn’t cost yer a farthing either. Won’t yer at least give it some thought? It would put me in a good mood for the rest of the day, and I’d go through me work like a dose of Andrews’ Little Liver Pills.’

Rita looked in Aggie’s cup to make sure it was empty before she spoke. Then she pushed her chair back and took her neighbour’s elbow. ‘I’ll help yer up, sunshine, then let’s see yer going through my kitchen door as fast as yer can, without the help of Andrews’ Little Liver Pills. That’ll get yer in practice for Christmas morning.’

With Rita helping her along, Aggie seemed to bounce across the living-room floor. ‘Call yerself a friend! I bet I’d get more sympathy from her in number twenty-two.’

This statement pulled Rita up sharp. ‘Mrs Finnigan? Yer can’t stand the sight of the woman, yer call her all the names under the sun!’

‘I know I don’t like her, and I know I call her fit to burn.’ Aggie was putting a fierce face on. ‘But I bet if I asked her to do that little favour for me, she’d say she would.’

‘Oh, I agree!’ Rita glared back. ‘She would say yes out of fear. The poor woman is terrified of yer.’

Aggie suddenly erupted. Her eyes receded into her cheeks, and her bosom and tummy shook with laughter. From between the folds of flesh, her eyes appeared for a second as she asked, ‘So I take it yer won’t have the kids on Christmas morning?’

Rita collapsed. Her arms went around Aggie’s neck and they clung together, laughing so loud the neighbours could hear. The sound brought a smile to many faces. ‘Aggie Gordon, what would I do without you?’

Between gasps, Aggie replied, ‘Yer’d be bleeding miserable, queen, same as I would be without you.’

Bessie hurried up the street on her way home from work. But she wasn’t on her own side, she wanted to ask a favour from Rita. When her friend opened the door, Bessie put a finger to her lips, telling Rita not to speak. If Milly heard her voice, she’d be out like a shot and that was what Bessie didn’t want. ‘I’m after a favour, Rita,’ she said softly, holding up the paper bag. ‘I’ve got the material in here for the dresses for Christmas and I don’t want Milly to see it, I want it to be a surprise on Christmas morning. So will yer keep her here for a bit longer while I hide it?’

‘Of course she can stay here, she’s in the middle of a game with our Jack. But aren’t yer cutting it a bit fine when there’s only a couple of days to Christmas?’

‘I know, but I don’t seem to have had time to breathe the last few weeks. You and Aggie have sorted the hampers out, but I’ve had to keep check on the money every night, and by the time Evelyn calls and takes Milly home, I’m too tired for anything.’ Bessie, red in the face from battling the wind, grinned. ‘I’ll not take long once I start. I can have Milly’s dress cut out in half an hour. I’ll do that tonight when she goes home. I don’t need a pattern, ’cos it’s something I do all day. I could cut a dress out with me eyes shut.’

‘I wish I was that clever,’ Rita said, ‘but I’m ruddy hopeless. Anyway, yer’d better go before Milly hears yer. I’ll keep her for half an hour, and perhaps yer can get her dress cut out in that time.’

‘Ah, ye’re a smasher, Rita, a real pal. I made a pan of stew last night, so I only have to put a match to the stove to warm it through slowly. And I can have the dress done while I’m waiting.’ Bessie, as thin as a rake, was across the cobbles in no time. Rita would have sworn her feet didn’t touch the ground, The two women waved to each other then disappeared into their own houses.

Bessie went straight through to the kitchen and lit a match under the pan. Then, still moving at the double, she went back to the tiny hall to hang up her coat. Without stopping for breath, she carried the plant from the centre of the table to the sideboard, whipped the chenille cloth off and folded it up. Then the green material was taken from the bag and spread on the table, and a pair of scissors and a box of straight pins brought out of one of the sideboard drawers. This was a job Bessie was used to and good at. She’d been doing it every day for about twenty years. With confidence and speed the scissors snipped away until the skirt was cut and folded to one side, followed by two parts of the bodice and the two short sleeves. The old saying that the hands are sometimes quicker than the eye was certainly true in Bessie’s case. When Milly knocked everything had been tidied away and the makings of her Christmas present were lying on Bessie’s bed, ready to sew when she was on her own later. As she prepared to put their dinners out, Bessie decided she would buy the small white collar, it would save her time. She’d seen one in a haberdashery shop nearby which would really set it off. It had a ticket on it saying it was sixpence, but Bessie thought it would be worth it because the white linen was edged with lace, and Milly would be over the moon with it.

There was a rush to get the table cleared and the dishes washed before Evelyn was due, and Milly giggled as the knock came when she was reaching up to put the last plate on a shelf. ‘Just in time, Auntie Bessie, we were saved by the bell.’

Bessie gave her a big hug before hurrying through the living room to open the door. ‘Come in, Evelyn, it’s bitter out there. Winter has certainly come with a vengeance, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have thick snow for Christmas.’

Evelyn shivered as she took her gloves off and went to stand near the fire. ‘I don’t mind if I’m indoors, I think snow looks so pretty seen through a window. It’s when it turns to slush I don’t like it. And I have to tell you that I don’t know what I’d do if your friend didn’t light my fire for me. It is such a pleasure to walk into a warm room. I often wonder how Amelia and I managed all those years of coming into a freezing cold house.’

Milly stood at the kitchen door, watching and listening. Her mother had changed such a lot in the last few months, and the girl was delighted that she and Bessie had become friends. But although Milly was pleased she was allowed to come to stay with Bessie so often, and her mother wasn’t so distant with her, she knew she wasn’t treated by her mother as Jack and Billy were treated by theirs. She saw there what a mother’s love was, but had never experienced it for herself. Oh, things weren’t as strict, and she didn’t get told off so often now, but the girl knew that Bessie’s love for her was genuine while her mother didn’t show any love at all.

‘Would you like me to go home and have a cup of tea ready for you, Mother? ‘Milly asked. ‘I will be very careful striking a match.’

This suited Evelyn, so she agreed. ‘Yes, that would be nice. But you must promise to be very careful.’

Milly threw her arms around Bessie and gave her a big hug and kiss. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Auntie Bessie. It won’t be long now to Christmas, will it?’

‘No, sweetheart, only a few days now. And Father Christmas will be visiting all the children who have been good, and leaving them a present.’

‘I’ve been good, haven’t I, Auntie Bessie? I haven’t been cheeky or naughty, and I always do as I’m told and say my prayers every night.’

‘Oh, you’ve been very good.’ Bessie felt uncomfortable talking to the child as though she was hers, when her own mother was sitting watching. But she couldn’t force Evelyn into doing something that didn’t come naturally to her. ‘I think she’s almost certain to get a visit from Father Christmas, don’t you, Evelyn?’

‘Oh, undoubtedly! And as you’ve been such a good girl, Amelia, I think we can safely say you will get a good present.’

Milly smiled, even though her mother still sounded distant, as though she was talking to a complete stranger. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on.’

Evelyn listened to the door closing then said, ‘I’m glad Amelia offered to make tea, I wanted to speak to you. I have bought her a new dress and coat for Christmas, but I don’t want her to see them before. How am I going to manage that?’

‘Where are they now?’

‘Still in the shop. I’ve paid for them, they just need picking up. I can do that tomorrow when I leave the office, but if I take them home she’s bound to see them.’

‘Drop them off before yer come here. Put them in yer wardrobe, and I’ll get them after work on Thursday. Don’t worry, Milly won’t see them, I’ll make sure of that.’

Evelyn got to her feet. ‘That’s a load off my mind, thank you. And now I’d better get in to her.’

‘Are yer still going to see yer father-in-law, or have yer changed yer mind?’

‘I haven’t changed my mind, no! It’s my one hope of clearing up this mess. Amelia is off school for a couple of days after Christmas, and I’ll take her on one of those days. And have no fear that I will back out, for I am determined.’

‘I thought you were leaving it until the New Year, when all the holidays are over?’

‘That was my intention, but I really can’t wait that long, I have to get it sorted after Christmas, and hopefully start the New Year with my prayers and wishes granted. I may not be lucky, it’s possible my father-in-law will not be at the office on the days before New Year, he may take an extended holiday. But as Amelia is off school then, I intend to take a chance. If I am unfortunate and my father-in-law isn’t in the office, I will have to keep her off school one day in the first week of January.’