The Girl From Number 22 (37 page)

Jenny heard a tram in the distance. ‘Don’t miss this tram, Danny, please. I’m going to start walking towards the picture house, to meet me mam. Yer don’t need to worry about me, I’m fine. I admit I was upset by me father, and I admit I can’t stand the sight of him. But that is not your problem. So please get on the tram that’s coming towards us.’

Danny nodded. ‘Okay, you win. But tell me one thing first. Did your father hit you tonight? Is that why yer were upset?’

It was easier to lie than tell the truth. ‘We got into an argument over me mam not being there to give him his dinner. He thinks she shouldn’t have any life of her own. So when I was putting his dinner in front of him, I told him what I thought of him. It ended up with us shouting at one another, and as he doesn’t like being answered back, he lifted his hand to hit me. But I got out of his way quick. Hence the coat, with no scarf or gloves. He was in a fighting mood and I wasn’t going to stick around. There you have it, so, now yer curiosity has been satisfied, run and catch that tram.’

For a while Danny had been under the impression that, for one reason or another, Jenny didn’t want her mother to see them together. And as he didn’t want to upset her again, he pretended to believe her version of what had happened in number twenty-two. ‘Okay, I’ll make a dash for it.’ He looked down into her face and grinned. ‘Yer’ve got a lousy dad. But yer mam more than makes up for him. I’ll see yer.’ As he sprinted away, he waved his hand. The last Jenny saw of him, he was swinging on to the tram platform.

Annie’s eyes flew open when she saw her daughter standing outside the picture house. Her heartbeat quickened, and she was sure something terrible had happened. For wasn’t Jenny supposed to be meeting friends to go dancing? ‘What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are yer standing here? I thought yer were going out with friends.’ Without giving Jenny time to answer, she went on, ‘It’s yer dad, isn’t it? He’s been up to his tricks again. I knew I should never have come out.’

‘Mam, will yer give me a chance to get a word in?’ Jenny felt even worse now, seeing the worry on her mother’s face. She just hoped she could lie convincingly. ‘There’s nothing wrong. Except for me dad, of course, but yer should be used to his shenanigans.’

Annie sighed wearily. She’d enjoyed the Robert Donat film, but she should have known her husband would do something to take the pleasure out of it. ‘What’s he been up to now? Making a show of us again, in front of the neighbours?’

Jenny shook her head. ‘No, nothing to do with the neighbours, so don’t look so upset. It was me and me dad, we had a slanging match. He was in a terrible temper because you weren’t there to put his dinner down in front of him. He thinks you’re his slave. Put on this earth for the sole purpose of waiting on him. He had
nothing to moan about, because I took his dinner out of the oven and put it on the table. But then he started to rant and rave, yer know how he does. And I got fed up and began to answer him back. He got in a right rage, and his language would have turned the air blue. So I thought me best bet was to get out of the way, and I grabbed me bag and coat and scarpered.’

‘Oh, sweetheart, yer missed meeting yer friends and going to the dance. I am so sorry, I should never have come out. He’s determined to spoil my life. I’m not allowed any happiness or freedom. But I shouldn’t let him spoil yours, or Ben’s. I won’t go out again, sweetheart, I’ll make sure ye’re never left alone with him.’

Jenny had to lower her eyes, she couldn’t face her mother. For if she was to tell the truth, her real reason for fleeing the house, her mother wouldn’t be able to cope with the knowledge. She’d go out of her mind. ‘It comes to something, Mam, when three people are having their lives ruined for the sake of just one, pathetic man. When three people have to dance to his tune. It can’t carry on. We have to do something about it.’

‘What can we do, sweetheart?’

‘I don’t know, but I’m not prepared to let him ruin my life, as he has yours. I should have been meeting me friends tonight, Mam, but instead I had to get out of the house to escape a man who is neither a good husband nor a real father. He uses you as a doormat, and I’m fed up seeing you being put down by a man who isn’t fit to be in the same room as yer. And I’m fed up with me and Ben being used as punch bags.’ Jenny took hold of her mother’s hand. ‘Come on, we can talk as we walk. But I don’t want yer to say anything to our Ben, ’cos I feel more sorry for him than I do for you or meself. He’s a fifteen-year-old boy, just got his first job and bringing a wage packet home. He should be
walking tall, and be able to have his mates calling for him. But what sort of man is he going to grow up to be, when the only example he’s got is me dad! When I was in the Fenwicks’ house last night, the difference in the atmosphere hit me in the face. Yer can actually feel the warmth, and the love they have for one another. We have never known that, and I hate me dad for not loving us as he should. I can’t remember ever having been kissed or hugged by him, or even being smiled at. All the love, hugs and kisses me and Ben ever had came from you. And we both love the bones of yer. We’d do anything to make yer happy, but we’re not allowed to. By order of our father, there is to be no love, laughter, kisses or hugs in our house. Or should I say houses, seeing as we’ve lived in so many?’

‘I’ve let you and Ben down badly, haven’t I, sweetheart? May God forgive me for being so weak, but I can’t even promise yer that life will get better in the future. You and Ben are going to have to forge a life for yerselves. At your age yer should have a boyfriend, sweetheart, and be out enjoying yerself. Ye’re very pretty, yer could have half a dozen boyfriends if yer went to the right places to meet them. They’d be fighting each other for yer. Like tonight, if yer father hadn’t spoilt things, as usual, yer could be on the dance floor now, with a handsome partner.’

There was no humour in Jenny’s voice when she spoke. ‘I don’t doubt I could find a boyfriend, Mam, ’cos there’s a couple of lads at work who are always asking me out. And I’d very much like to go out with them. But what would happen if they insisted on walking me home? Would me dad behave himself and welcome them with open arms? No, we both know he wouldn’t even pass them the time of day. Chances are, he’d be too drunk to even stand up.’

At that moment, Annie felt so bitter against her husband, she
was wishing he would meet with an accident that would cost him his life. She’d even be grateful to any woman who would take him off her hands. It would be good riddance to bad rubbish. ‘I hope the neighbours didn’t hear him bawling tonight.’

‘No, they wouldn’t have heard him, Mam.’

‘Thanks goodness for that! I was beginning to think I’d made two friends today and lost them tonight.’

Jenny shook her head while gathering her thoughts together. ‘No, the neighbours wouldn’t have heard anything. But Danny Fenwick saw me. He came out of his door at the same time as me. I’d been having a cry, ’cos I was mad at me father for taking his temper out on me, and also ’cos I’d let me mates down.’

Annie pulled her to a halt. ‘Yer were crying, sweetheart? That’s not like you. Yer father didn’t hit yer, did he?’

‘No, mam, me dad didn’t hit me. But he did manage to spoil everything I was looking forward to. And I suppose I was feeling sorry for meself. Anyway, Danny could see I’d been crying, and I had to tell him it was because I was fed up with being bawled at. He was very nice, was Danny, and wanted to stay with me until you came. But I wouldn’t let him, ’cos he was on his way to a dance. In the end he hopped on a tram, and by this time he’ll be waltzing a girl around the dance floor.’

‘Perhaps yer can go with him one night. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. He’s a nice lad, and yer’d have someone to bring yer home.’

‘Mam, with his looks, he’s probably got girls falling at his feet. And he most likely takes a different one home each night. He’s lucky. Good home and family, and out dancing every night. Yer can’t beat it. I don’t begrudge him having a good time, I envy him.’

‘What happened to you last night?’ Dorothy asked as Danny twirled her expertly out of the way of another dancing couple. ‘It’s not like you to miss a night.’

‘Some friends arrived unexpectedly, and me mam said it would be very rude of me to go out. Yer see, it isn’t very often we see these old friends of hers, and I had to agree it would be very bad manners to say I preferred a slow foxtrot to their company.’

‘Well, don’t let it happen again, Danny, ’cos Betsy and Janet missed yer as well. We spent the night watching the door every time it was pushed open.’

‘Me heart would bleed for the three of yer if I thought yer were telling the truth. But I bet yer never missed a dance.’ Danny’s eyes were smiling down at Dorothy, but it was from habit. In his mind he was seeing the red-rimmed eyes of the girl from number twenty-two. He should have brushed aside her objections and stayed with her. The more he thought about it, the more odd it seemed. If her father was shouting at her, and was about to hit her, then yes, she was right to walk out. But was it bad enough to make her cry?

The music came to an end, and after leading his partner back to her friends, Danny joined the group of boys standing near the door. He never stayed with the girls he danced with, for that
would give them the wrong impression. He liked them, they were smashing girls and good dancers. But at just nineteen, he had no intention of settling down for a good few years yet. Twenty-three was a good age to get married, he thought, and at the moment that seemed ages away. And that was only if he’d met a girl he wanted to spend his life with.

Danny’s thoughts were interrupted when a bloke standing next to him said, ‘I had a good night last night ’cos you weren’t here, mate. I had every dance with yer three girlfriends. Usually no one gets a look in with Dorothy or Betsy when ye’re here.’

Danny grinned. ‘Yer danced every dance with me three girlfriends, did yer, Spike? That must have been uncomfortable for them. And I bet yer got a few dirty looks for taking up the whole of the dance floor.’

Spike had gained his nickname because his hair refused to stay flat, and stood up like spikes on a railing. He now looked very puzzled. ‘What are yer talking about? I’m as good a dancer as you, mate, any day.’

‘Oh, I don’t doubt that. In fact yer must be better, ’cos I don’t think I could manage to dance with three partners at the same time.’

Spike looked blank for a second, then squared his shoulders. ‘Are you being funny? Who said I danced with three girls at the same time?’

‘You did, mate! And I think Tommy will back me up on this, ’cos I know he was listening.’ Danny turned his head to wink at a bloke standing beside him. ‘Didn’t Spike say he had every dance with me three girlfriends?’

Tommy nodded. ‘That’s what he said. I heard him with me own ears.’

Spike was getting mad now. ‘Well, yer’d have had a job to hear
me with someone else’s ruddy ears, wouldn’t yer? And I’m blowed if I know what the pair of yer are getting at. Unless yer don’t understand plain English? Shall I say it slowly, then perhaps it’ll sink in?’

‘Instead of telling us, why don’t yer show us? Then we’d all be happy.’

Once again Spike squared his shoulders. They were making fun of him, but he’d show them. He’d have the last laugh. ‘Okay, smart lad, which one shall I ask first?’

‘The three of them.’ Danny was chuckling inside. ‘It was you what said yer danced with the three of them, so go on, I can’t wait! I’ve never seen a bloke dancing with three girls at the same time. Yer must be good, Spike, so go on.’

‘Yer think ye’re funny, don’t yer?’ He curled his fist and held it up. ‘For two pins I’d let yer have this.’

‘That’s very kind of yer, Spike, but I’ve got two of me own. I appreciate the offer, though, and I may take yer up on it some time.’ The three-piece band struck up with a slow foxtrot and Danny said, ‘I’m asking Janet, if it’s all right with you.’

Spike rubbed his hands. He still didn’t understand what all that had been about, but whatever it was, it looked as though he’d won. ‘I’ll ask Dorothy. And I’d better hurry up, ’cos I can see another bloke making his way towards her.’

Danny looked at Tommy. ‘He still doesn’t get it, does he? I bet he has a sleepless night, tossing and turning, trying to figure out what it was he said wrong. Or whether we’ve just been pulling his leg.’

Tommy raised his hand to a blonde girl who was watching him with expectation in her eyes. ‘His mam will put him right. Anyway, I’ve got more to do right now than worry me head over Spike. He’s a nice enough lad, but I wish someone would
tell him about Brylcreem. His ruddy hair gets on me nerves.’

Janet was tapping her foot impatiently when Danny approached. ‘About time, Danny Fenwick. Are yer playing hard to get or something?’

‘Yeah, something like that,’ Danny said, leading her on to the dance floor. ‘Just ’cos I miss one night, I get the rounds of the kitchen off you and Dorothy. It’s worse than being flipping well married.’

‘Oh, no, it’s not worse than being married, Danny, take it from me.’ Janet’s dancing was smooth and seamless. ‘If yer heard the way my mam and dad argue, yer’d wonder why they ever bothered. They must have been in love once upon a time, but the novelty seems to have worn off quickly for them.’

‘No marriage is perfect,’ Danny said. ‘Although I’ve got to say the marriage of my mam and dad must have been made in heaven. They get on brilliantly together, and there’s no such thing as sulking. My mam says she doesn’t have time to sulk, she’s too busy looking after her three children and her husband. But she’s only kidding, ’cos she has a better social life than I do. It’s only having mates in for a cuppa, but they don’t half know how to enjoy themselves.’

‘I was only joking before, yer know,’ Janet told him. ‘My mam and dad get on really well. They act like a courting couple sometimes.’

‘Then you and me are lucky, ’cos it’s not all milk and honey behind every closed front door. I used to think every family was as happy as ours, but that’s not the case. Some kids have a dog’s life.’

‘Ye’re getting very serious all of a sudden, Danny.’ Janet leaned back in his arms to look into his face. ‘What brought this on? Where is the sparkle, and the jokes? Taking last night off didn’t do you any good. Did yer miss us that much?’