When Wishes Come True (6 page)

Bessie smiled. ‘Hello, girl, where are you off to?’

‘Nowhere, I’ve just come to keep yer company and have a natter.’ It was Rita’s turn to smile. ‘And if yer believe that, sunshine, then yer’ll believe anything! I’m here because I’m nosy. No, I’m not going to call meself nosy! Let’s say I’m curious about what was going on next door.’ She kept her voice low. ‘I saw yer going to the door, and I heard yer shouting in, but I couldn’t hear what yer said. Has Her Ladyship been up to something or were yer just being neighbourly?’

Bessie stepped back into her hall. ‘Come in, girl, before the whole street gets nosy about what ye’re doing standing on me step.’

When Rita followed her friend into the living room, she nodded. ‘Yeah, yer still keep it like a little palace. Yer should have got married, sunshine, and had a load of kids, ’cos yer’d have made a wonderful wife and mother. Still, yer know the old saying: If yer’ve none to make yer laugh, yer’ve none to make yer cry. There’s times I wish I’d never got married, even though I love the bones of my feller and the two boys.’

‘Go ’way, yer’d be lost without them.’ Bessie waved to a chair. ‘Sit down and take the weight off yer feet.’ She sat down opposite. ‘This is to go no further, girl, especially to Aggie. Not that I’ve anything against her, she’s a good mate, but yer know she can’t keep a thing to herself. And knowing how she feels about Mrs Sinclair, this would be right up her street. So, least said, soonest mended.

‘Anyway, I walked up the street this evening with young Amelia, who was really excited ’cos she’d gone to the baker’s and they’d let her have a stale loaf for a penny. God love her, she said her mother would be very pleased with her.’ Bessie shook her head sadly. ‘Her mother was pleased with her all right … so pleased she gave her a smack across the face that I could hear as I was looking in me bag for the door key. So yer can imagine it must have hurt the poor lass if it was loud enough for that. Anyway, Her Ladyship mustn’t have known the front door was open, and gave the girl down the banks for telling the neighbours their business. It went something like this.’ Bessie put on a posh accent, looking comical as her mouth did contortions. ‘“How dare you discuss our affairs with the neighbours when I have told you time out of number that you must not have anything to do with them? They are not our kind and I will not let you bring us down to their level. Now do you understand what I’m saying or do I have to knock it into you?”’

Rita gaped. ‘Well, the cheeky sod! There isn’t a woman in the street who isn’t a better person than she is. They mightn’t have much money, and their clothes might be threadbare, but by God, they love their kids. They have a happier life than poor Amelia, ’cos it’s sticking out a mile her mother has no love for her.’ She tutted. ‘The cheek of the woman to say we’re on a lower level than her! Who the hell does she think she is?’

‘I was blazing meself,’ Bessie said, ‘but because I thought she might give the girl another smack, I kept me face all innocent like when I knocked and asked if everything was all right. And yer wouldn’t have thought she was the same person, she was all smiles then. Well, what passes as a smile for
her
. I think a good belly laugh would kill her! Anyway, I felt like having a real go at her, the two-faced so-and-so, but I thought better of it because of the girl. I wouldn’t want to get her into more trouble. The queer one made an excuse, said her clumsy daughter had bumped into the table and hurt herself. Well, as I’ve told yer, I didn’t want to cause any bother because I could hear the child sobbing. I was as polished as Her Ladyship, said I hoped her daughter hadn’t hurt herself badly but no doubt I’d see her tomorrow and could ask her then meself how she was. That was by way of a threat, and I hope it sank in ’cos I’d be in there like a shot if I thought the kid was being ill treated.’

‘D’yer think she’s all right in the head?’ Rita asked. ‘I mean, what makes her think she’s better than any of us? Oh, I know she talks and acts posh, but that could all be put on! If she’s from monied people, she wouldn’t be living in a two-up-two-down, would she? I’ve always thought there was a bit of a mystery about her, ever since she moved into the street. I wouldn’t say that in front of Aggie, I always stick up for the woman when me mate’s pulling her to pieces, but I can’t help thinking there’s something weird about the airs and graces she puts on. And she wants reporting for the way she treats her daughter. The poor kid has no fun at all, she’s missing her childhood years.’ Rita let out a deep sigh. ‘God knows, they’re not children for long, they should be allowed to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts. And playing rounders or tag or going on the swings doesn’t cost nothing, so why doesn’t Mrs Sinclair let Amelia be her age and play out with the other kids?’

‘I haven’t got no answer for yer, Rita, ’cos I’ve spent hours trying to puzzle her out meself. The clothes she wears are years old, but yer can tell they were very expensive when she bought them, and she does look after them.’ Bessie gazed up at the ceiling before coming to a decision. ‘I’m going to tell yer what I know about her, but yer have to give me yer word that it isn’t repeated to anyone, not even your Reg, although I know men don’t tittle-tattle like women.’

Rita made a cross on her chest. ‘On my honour, sunshine.’ A smile crossed her face. ‘Anyway, me and my Reg don’t spend our time in bed telling tales, we’ve other things on our minds.’ The smile became a chuckle. ‘And it’s not what ye’re thinking either, Bessie Maudsley. Our conversation before turning our backs on each other usually consists of me asking him what he’d like for dinner the next day, and him telling me to blow the candle out.’

‘Yer’ve got a good man there, Rita, he’s one of the best in the street. But let’s get back to Her Ladyship next door. You won’t have noticed this because she always uses the back door but she’s forever on the cadge. It’s bread, tea or milk, things like that, and it’s usually twice a week. It’s been going on since the week she moved in, and she doesn’t come herself, she sends Amelia. I got fed up with it after a while, thought she had a bloody cheek and felt sorry for the kid who looked terrified. So when I was asked to lend them sugar one day, I wouldn’t give it to the girl, said I’d carry it for her and give it to her mother myself. I followed her up the yard and into the kitchen. That’s how I came to go in the house and found she had little in the way of furniture but what she had was pure solid mahogany, the likes of which you and I would only ever see if we walked up Bold Street and looked in the windows of the posh shops there. She’s only got a couple of pieces, mind, but enough for me to think that somewhere along the line she’s known a better life.’

Rita leaned forward, her eyes wide and her voice angry. ‘Are yer telling me that she’s been borrowing off you all these years? You, who has to work hard to keep yer own head above water? She’s got some nerve, she has. All la-di-dah, but she sends her kid out the back way to scrounge off yer?’

Bessie shook her head. ‘Not now she doesn’t, girl, ’cos the day I took the sugar to her, I told her straight that anything she borrowed must be paid back, in full, every Saturday when she’d her wages. So, while she still borrows, I make sure I get it back. If I didn’t, I’d tell her to find herself another sucker. But I’m fond of Amelia, she’s a good kid with a lovely nature.’

‘It’s a shame,’ Rita said. ‘The kids all make fun of her because of the way she speaks, and there’s nothing she can do about that now. I know it’s not her fault, but yer can’t blame the other kids because she’s different from them.’

‘Nobody is blaming them, girl, certainly not me. But before I go and put the kettle on to make us a cuppa, let’s finish off the business with next door.’ Bessie laced her fingers together. ‘Now all the information yer’ve had off me tonight came with a price attached. I’ve never told anyone before, and you know, girl, I’m not a gossip. But I told you because I want a favour off yer, and that is, will yer keep yer eye out for Amelia? I know yer can’t see right into their living room, and I know her mother won’t let her play out, but with yer living opposite yer might just see something that makes yer think the girl is being badly treated. And if yer do, I want yer to tell me. Oh, I know it’s none of my business, but the kid has nobody else with her welfare at heart so I intend being a busybody and keeping an eye on her. Obviously I can’t do it while I’m at work so that’s why I’m asking you to do it as a favour for me.’

‘Of course I will, particularly now I know that woman’s capable of hitting the child for nothing. She certainly wouldn’t get away with it if I saw her. I’m on nodding terms with her, much to the disgust of Aggie, so I might try and take it a bit further, to where we pass the time of day. I’m not saying she’ll co-operate, or that we’ll become bosom pals, but it’s worth a try. In any case, I’ll keep an eye out, sunshine, yer have my word on it. And now, if it’s not asking too much, will yer go and put that ruddy kettle on? Me tongue is hanging out!’

Next door, Evelyn was still seething. Betrayed by her own daughter! Now everyone in the street would know their business and be laughing because they were living on stale bread. She had worked hard to teach Amelia how to act like a lady, to enunciate her words and be careful not to associate with the poorer class of people who lived in the street because one day they would be back where they belonged, with people of their own class. She never told her how or when this would happen, and would never admit to herself that it was only a dream. She was so wrapped up in herself, it hadn’t occurred to Evelyn that while she could keep Amelia away from the children in the street, she had no control over her during school hours. Never once had it entered her head that, for all her teaching and dire warnings, she couldn’t control every one of her daughter’s waking moments. Nor had she sensed that her child was very confused and unhappy. She was forced to have one personality at home to please her mother, then to become someone different at school. The one she attended was for the children of working-class parents, some of them living in abject poverty, and Amelia quickly learned she must speak like them if she didn’t want to be pushed around and laughed at. At school she spoke with a working-class Liverpool accent, while at home she spoke as her mother wished her to.

Now and again, in her head, Amelia questioned her mother’s attitude towards her. She knew Evelyn wasn’t the same as the other mothers in the street, who hugged their children as they set off for school, and laughed as they played games with them. She wouldn’t say what she thought out loud because it would only bring forth a tirade from her mother, but inwardly she wondered why she was never kissed, or loved like all the other children. She did try to do everything she was told so her mother would love her, but no matter how hard she tried, she never received a word of praise or affection. Young as she was she knew this wasn’t fair, and wished she was allowed to mix freely with other children instead of having to be careful of every word that came out of her mouth.

‘Well, young lady, are you going to apologise?’ Evelyn bent to poke the girl in the chest. ‘I want you to say you are sorry over and over again until I say you may stop. Now do as I say.’

The injustice of it brought tears to the back of Amelia’s eyes. ‘But I haven’t done anything wrong, Mother, so I don’t understand. I only did as you asked, why should I be punished for it?’ She rubbed the cheek that was still tender from the smack she’d received. ‘You hurt me.’

‘Don’t you dare answer me back! If you continue to disobey me then I shall have no alternative but to smack you again. And I can assure you it will hurt you much more this time. Now, I want to hear you saying you are sorry.’

Amelia had never answered her mother back, nor questioned anything she was told to do. But a little demon in her head was telling her now that if she didn’t stick up for herself she’d never be like the other children in the street. ‘Miss Bessie thought I was very clever, and I think I was too! I told her you would be pleased, and she said she would be if someone got her a loaf for a penny.’

The mention of their neighbour’s name had a sobering effect on Evelyn. She relied on Miss Maudsley to help her out when she was desperate, without a penny in her purse. And she hadn’t forgotten the little woman’s remark about seeing Amelia herself tomorrow, and asking her daughter if she was all right. But she wasn’t going to give the child the satisfaction of seeing her weakening or she would soon become out of control. ‘I am tired – too tired to argue. So instead of the chastisement I had in mind, I will instead send you up to your room where you will stay until the morning.’

Amelia was glad to get out of the room and away from a mother she could no longer understand, and who, more and more, was beginning to frighten her. So she took the stairs two at a time. Instead of going into her own little room, which was at the back of the house, she entered her mother’s and went straight to the window to look down on the street where boys and girls were playing, shouting to each other and having a fine time. Oh, how she wished she could join them. She pulled aside the net curtain for a better view, just as one of the boys on the opposite pavement looked up. He stared at her for a while, then smiled and waved. There was no return smile or wave because Amelia had quickly dropped the curtain. She would really be in trouble if her mother knew she was looking out of the window, never mind having one of the street children smiling and waving at her. But when her mother didn’t come running up the stairs to give her another ticking off, the fear subsided and Amelia felt a warm glow. That was the first time since she’d lived in the street that one of the other children had smiled at her. Mostly, when she was going and coming home from school, a gang of girls would walk behind her and shout and make fun of her.

Stepping over the floorboards she knew would creak, Amelia made her way to her own bedroom and lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling, which was badly in need of attention. It had once been white, but now was a dirty colour, with cracks everywhere and plaster peeling off and falling like snowflakes on to her bed and the lino-covered floor. But although she was staring at the ceiling, she wasn’t seeing it. She was thinking about the boy who had waved and smiled at her. He lived opposite, next to the house where the fat woman lived. The woman her mother said was the most common, ill-bred person it had ever been her misfortune to meet. But Amelia thought the woman looked a warm and happy person, who always had a smile on her face. She did talk loudly but there was no harm in that. It didn’t matter how noisy you were, if you had a smile on your face. The boy’s mother was nice, she always let on when she saw Amelia. There were two boys. The one who had waved was the smallest, so he must be the youngest. He was a big lad, though, and Amelia guessed he’d be about nine or ten. They were lucky to have such a nice mother who was always hugging them, even in the street.