Try a Little Tenderness (51 page)

‘Me mam’s just said I can go to the pictures with John and Mick on Saturday night, and I’m over the moon. Janet’s coming as well, of course – I wouldn’t go anywhere without me mate.’ Jenny bounced gently on the bed. ‘I wonder which picture-house we’ll go to?’

Laura snapped. The stupid girl was going to ask her to choose between James Cagney and Cary Grant, when she had so much trouble on her mind. She spun round to face her sister. ‘I don’t know why yer bother with those two stupid nits. It’s about time they grew up. They can’t even kiss proper.’

The smile slipped from Jenny’s face. ‘How would you know that?’

‘How d’yer think I’d know? Down the entry, of course.’ Laura grabbed her handbag and made for the door. ‘Fumbling and sloppy, both of them.’ She didn’t stay long enough to see her sister’s stricken face. With those few words, spoken without thought or truth, she’d stripped Jenny of her happiness and her belief in the two people she’d have trusted with her life.

‘Can we go up to yer bedroom to talk?’ Laura whispered anxiously when Cynthia opened the door. ‘I’ve got something terrible to tell yer.’

‘Yeah, you go on up, I’ll tell me mam.’ Cynthia poked her head around the living-room door. ‘I’m going to me bedroom with Laura, Mam.’ She winked when her father’s eyes appeared over the top of the
Echo
. ‘Girls’ talk, Dad, yer wouldn’t be interested.’

When her head disappeared from view, her father looked across the room. ‘She seems to have got over whatever was ailing her.’

Fanny lowered her eyes to the sock she was darning. ‘Yes, she’s a lot better.’

Cynthia bounded up the stairs and closed the bedroom door behind her. ‘Well, what’s this terrible thing I’m about to hear?’

‘Sit down and I’ll tell yer.’ Laura moved along and patted the eiderdown. ‘Don’t say anything until I’ve finished, Cynthia – just listen.’

Laura hesitated, wondering where to start. The incident with the underskirt was the beginning, so her tale began on the night she’d walked out of the factory gates to find Celia waiting for her. She didn’t leave anything out, as the words came tumbling from her mouth. The lies she’d told, the way she’d deceived her parents, how she’d met and fallen for Gary, and how Celia had manipulated them both. It was when she came to last night, and what she’d heard about the way her grandad was being made a fool of, that her voice faltered and tears sprang to her eyes. ‘I’m at the end of me tether, Cynthia. I just don’t know what to do for the best.’

‘Of course yer know what yer’ve got to do, otherwise yer’d take the easy way out and you and Gary would be laughing sacks. But yer know damn well that’s not what yer should do, or yer wouldn’t be here telling me. Ye’re feeling guilty, and ye’re hoping I’ll tell yer what yer want to hear. But I’m not going to.’ Cynthia put a finger under Laura’s chin and raised her face. ‘I’ve listened to you, now it’s your turn to listen to me. Yer might not like what I’m going to say, but it’s the truth. When me and you were at school, we were horrible. We bullied the younger kids, and we cheated and told lies. And we kept on like that even after we’d left school. We did exactly what we wanted to do, and it was to hell with everyone else. We didn’t care about hurting our parents, as long as we got our own way. We’ve been bitches, Laura, and there’s no other word for it. I gave my mam a dog’s life, treated her like a skivvy. But I’ve tried to make it
up to her in the last few months, and we’re getting on fine. It’s a bit late in the day for me to find out, but I know now that a mother can be yer best friend.’

‘I’ve noticed that ye’re nicer with yer mother, and she looks a lot happier.’ Laura wrung her hands. ‘What am I going to do, Cyn?’

‘Stop telling lies for a kick-off. Yer mam has the right to know about this Charlie, and she’ll know best how to handle it.’

‘But Celia will tell her everything, and more. And she’ll get Gary into trouble.’

‘Don’t give her the chance – beat her to it. Own up to everything, tell yer mam and dad the lot. And ask Gary to do the same. That way yer’ll take the wind out of her sails and she’ll be left high and dry.’

‘But you don’t know what she’s like.’ Once again Laura was finding that her friend was a much stronger person than she was. ‘And what about me grandad? She’d take it out on him and she can be really wicked.’

‘Laura Nightingale, I’m surprised at you! Fancy even thinking of letting this person, this Celia, get away with it! If I was in your shoes I’d be up there right now, giving her the bloody good hiding she deserves.’ Cynthia felt like shaking some sense into her friend. ‘This feller, Charlie, is he married?’

Laura shook her head slowly. ‘I don’t know. I was that confused last night, I never thought to ask. Why?’

‘His baby, his problem. Blow the whole thing sky-high, Laura, and get yer grandad off the hook. Yer can’t let him be lumbered with another man’s baby, not at his age. And from what I’ve heard, he’s sorry he ever married her in the first place, so yer’d be doing him a favour. If yer don’t, and yer go on letting him carry the can while you and Gary waltz off into the sunset, then I’ll never speak to yer again, Laura – and I mean it. We’ve done some lousy things in our lives, but never anything as bad as this. If yer don’t do the
right thing by yer family, then I wouldn’t want yer as a friend.’

No one could have got through to Laura as her childhood friend did. Every word struck a chord. ‘I know ye’re right, Cyn, I’ve known all along that’s what I should do. I just didn’t have the courage. But I have now – you’ve given it to me. I’ll see Gary next Thursday and I’m sure he’ll go along with what I say.’ Laura sighed. ‘I don’t know why I have to lie all the time. I even lied to our Jenny, just before I came out. She was telling me she was going to the pictures on Saturday night with Mick and John, and she looked so happy I had to spoil it. So I told her I’d been down the entry with them and they’re sloppy kissers.’

‘Oh Laura, that was wrong. She’s a nice kid, your Jenny, and she’s been mates with the two boys all her life. If you’ve spoiled that friendship, then ye’re not worth having for a sister. Yer’ve got to tell her the truth.’

‘I will, Cynthia, I promise. And I’ll tell me mam and dad everything next Thursday. I won’t go in the dance, I’ll get there early and wait outside for Gary. He might come home with me so we can tell me mam and dad together, but if he doesn’t, I’ll do it on me own.’

Jenny pushed her plate away. ‘I couldn’t eat that, Mam. I’m sorry after all the trouble yer’ve gone to, cooking it, but I don’t feel well.’

‘Yer’ve probably got a cold coming on,’ Laura said, mopping gravy up with a piece of bread. ‘Take a Beecham’s Powder.’

Mary rounded the table in a flash. Kneeling by her daughter’s chair, she felt her head to see if she was running a temperature. ‘Have yer got a headache, sunshine, or any pains?’

‘I just don’t feel well, Mam, me tummy’s upset.’

‘Yer must be sickening for something,’ Stan said. ‘I’d go and lie down for an hour if I were you.’

‘I think I will.’ Jenny pushed her chair back. ‘And I think I’ll stay in bed, ’cos I feel faint and dead tired.’

‘See how yer feel after a couple of hours,’ Mary suggested, ‘’cos ye’re supposed to be going to the pictures with Janet and the boys.’

‘It won’t matter if I don’t go, the boys will take Janet.’ Jenny looked through her sister as though she wasn’t there. ‘I’ll go up to bed.’

‘You do that, sunshine, and I’ll bring yer a hot drink up.’

Laura put her dirty plate on the draining board. ‘I’m just nipping upstairs,’ she told her mother. ‘I’ll help yer with the dishes when I come down.’

Jenny was slipping between the sheets when her sister entered the room. She didn’t even turn her head. In fact, Laura was the last person on earth she wanted to see or be near.

‘Look, our kid, what I said last night isn’t true. So if that’s got anything to do with yer not feeling well, I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I said it.’

Jenny laid her head on the pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chin. ‘Yer wouldn’t have thought of saying it, if it wasn’t true. And I’ll tell yer why yer said it, it was because yer wanted to spoil things for me. Like yer’ve always spoilt things for me.’

‘It was a lie, Jenny.’ Laura heard the stairs creak and knew her mother was on her way up. ‘Honestly, kid, it was a lie.’

‘Yer said it, and yer can’t un-say it. So go away and leave me alone.’

Laura was leaving as her mother came through the door with a cup of hot, weak tea. ‘I’ll make a start on the dishes, Mam, so take yer time.’

Mary put the saucer on top of the chest of drawers before sitting her daughter forward while she plumped the pillows. ‘Get the tea down while it’s hot, sunshine, and I’ll nip to the corner shop for a Beecham’s for yer.’

Jenny heard the knock and the sound of Janet’s voice. ‘Is Jenny ready, Mrs Nightingale?’

‘I’m sorry, kids, but Jenny’s not well, she’s in bed.’

‘Ah, isn’t she coming with us?’

‘What’s wrong with her?’ John asked. ‘It’s nothing serious, is it?’

‘No, she’ll probably be as right as rain tomorrow. But it’s not like our Jenny to take to her bed, especially as she’d been looking forward to going out with yer. So she must really be feeling under the weather.’

Mick was looking down in the mouth. ‘I don’t suppose we could see her for a minute, could we? Just to say hello, like?’

‘I don’t think so, Mick, she was asleep the last time I looked in on her. Perhaps tomorrow, eh? Anyway, she said to enjoy yerselves and make sure Janet’s well looked after.’

‘Don’t worry, Mrs Nightingale, Janet will make sure she’s well looked after.’ John chuckled. ‘It’s me and Mick that Jenny should be worrying about. Anyway, I’ll give a knock in the morning, see how she is.’

‘Yeah, me too,’ Mick said. ‘Give her my love and tell her I’ll miss her.’

Jenny pulled the bedclothes over her head so she couldn’t hear any more. She felt sick all right, but it wasn’t a sickness that could be cured by a Beecham’s Powder. It was in her heart and mind she felt sick. She’d never feel the same towards John and Mick now. Not when she knew they’d been kissing her sister down an entry. She felt betrayed by them, but knew that was stupid. They were both old enough to have been out with girls and kissed them. She could forgive them that, but not when one of the girls was a fly turn like her sister.

Mary opened the bedroom door and popped her head in. ‘They’ve gone, sunshine, and Janet looks as proud as Punch with her arms through theirs. It’s a pity yer couldn’t
go, yer’d have enjoyed it. The boys were disappointed, especially Mick. He looked as though he’d lost his wage-packet down a grid.’

‘He’ll get over it.’

‘Of course he will. Anyway, if ye’re feeling better, yer’ll all meet up tomorrow night at yer Auntie Lizzie’s.’

When her mother had gone, Jenny lay on her back. She knew she’d have to see the boys again, it couldn’t be avoided. But she didn’t want to go out with them ever again, and didn’t want them to touch her. They’d been part of her life for as long as she could remember – good mates who had looked out for her since she was able to toddle. But the thought of them kissing her sister was more than she could stomach. She wouldn’t tell Janet, that wouldn’t be fair, but she wouldn’t be so friendly with them in future. And losing them from her life was all down to Laura. At that moment Jenny wished she’d never had a sister.

Sighing, Jenny curled up and tried to sleep. But although she could close her eyes and shut out anything she didn’t want to see, she couldn’t close her mind or her heart. And pictures of a boy with raven-black hair, the deepest of blue eyes and dimples in his cheeks, kept popping up in her head. She could hear him speaking as clearly as if he was standing next to her. ‘As I haven’t got a girlfriend, I thought yer might like to team up with me.’

And with the words and the pictures came the tears.

Mary opened the door on Monday morning to Lizzie Marshall. ‘Well, this is a surprise. It’s not often we get honoured with your company. Come on in, Lizzie, me mate’s here for her usual cuppa and natter.’

Lizzie didn’t look too sure. ‘Perhaps I’d be better coming back when yer haven’t got any visitors. I don’t like to intrude.’

‘Visitors, did yer say, Lizzie?’ Mary leaned forward and pulled on the old lady’s arm. ‘Come on in and don’t be daft.
I haven’t got no visitor, but me lodger’s here.’

‘Ay, I heard that, buggerlugs,’ Amy grinned. ‘But I ain’t no lodger, ’cos lodgers have to pay for what they get. I get mine for nowt.’

‘Ye’re telling me.’ Mary pulled a chair out for her visitor and saw her settled before going on. ‘Proper skinflint you are, if there ever was one.’

Amy combined an expression of surprise and hurt. ‘How can yer say that, girl? Have yer forgotten those cream slices already?’

‘Oh my God, am I going to get that thrown up at me for the rest of me life?’ Mary winked at Lizzie. ‘She mugs me to a cake once – just the once, mind yer – and never a day goes by that she doesn’t remind me of it.’

‘Only ’cos ye’re getting absent-minded, girl.’ Amy shuffled to the edge of her chair, cupped a hand around her mouth and wagged a podgy finger at Lizzie to move nearer. ‘She’s going a bit senile. Terrible thing to happen to a woman of her age, but there yer go, that’s life for yer. So I remind her of me generosity every day, just to keep her mind active.’

‘Lizzie, sorry to change the subject, sunshine, but would yer like a cuppa?’

‘No, thanks, Mary, I’ve not long had one. I just came over to see how Jenny was. I didn’t think she was herself last night at all. Usually she’s always laughing and joking, but last night she was very quiet.’

‘Oh yeah, our John mentioned something like that before he went to work this morning,’ Amy said. ‘In fact, he said every time Mick spoke to her, she nearly bit his head off.’

‘That’s not like our Jenny, I’ve never known her be in a temper with anyone. She was quiet this morning before she went out, but that’s all. I’ll have a good talk to her tonight, make sure she’s telling me the truth. I wouldn’t like the girl to go to work if she’s sick, just because she doesn’t want to worry me.’

‘I’m going on without yer, Dad,’ Mick said as they came out of work. ‘I want to catch Jenny on her way home, and I can run faster on me own.’