Sadie Was A Lady (22 page)

They were walking towards Lizzie, who was having high jinks with the customers and enjoying every minute of it, when Sadie said, ‘Oh, there’s old Sarah. Can I go and say hello to her first?’

Mary Ann grabbed her arm just in time. ‘I’ll come with yer, I haven’t seen the old girl for a few weeks.’

Sarah’s face was wreathed in smiles when she set eyes on Sadie. ‘Hello, girl.’

Sadie put her arms around her and kissed the wrinkled face. ‘Where’ve yer been hiding yerself? I’ve missed yer.’

Mary Ann prodded her on the shoulder. ‘D’yer mind if I get a look in? After all, she is my customer.’

‘Oh, no, she’s not.’ Sadie winked at Sarah. ‘She’s
my
customer.’

‘An’ I’m the boss an’ I say she’s not your customer.’ Oh, how Mary Ann was going to enjoy saying these words. ‘She’s yer ruddy landlady!’

The look of shocked surprise on Sadie’s face had Sarah worried. Perhaps the girl didn’t like the idea of coming to live with her. She’d be very disappointed if that was the case because she and her husband were looking forward to having a youngster in the house. She rubbed a coarse workworn finger down Sadie’s cheek. ‘That’s only if yer want me to be yer landlady, girl, no harm done if yer don’t.’

There was a sob in Sadie’s voice. ‘Want yer, Sarah? I couldn’t wish for anyone better. If I had a million people to choose from, it’s you I’d pick. Oh, I’m that happy I feel like singin’ at the top of me voice and doin’ a jig.’ She turned to her friend who was watching with a wide grin on her face. ‘Mary Ann, I’ll love yer for the rest of me life.’

‘There’s still a long way to go yet, girl, so don’t be jumpin’ the gun. But as long as you and Sarah are happy with each other, then that’s the main thing and we can take it from there. I’ll leave you two to talk things through but don’t plan on moving in too quick because Sarah’s worrying herself sick because she hasn’t got a bed in her spare room. There’s a wardrobe and chest of drawers, but no bed and no money to buy one. So that’s got to be sorted out. But at least yer know yer on yer way, girl, and yer couldn’t be going to a nicer home.’ Mary Ann had moved back a few steps, intending to set to and help Lizzie, when she thought of something she thought was important. ‘By the way, girl, yer can’t call Sarah by her first name when yer go to live with her, it wouldn’t be
respectful.
So that’s another thing yer’ve got to sort out.’ With that the stall-holder made her way to where Lizzie was trying to serve three customers at the same time.

‘Ooh, yer don’t know how happy I feel, Sarah … Oh heck, I can’t call yer that any more.’ Sadie was so excited she didn’t know whether she was on her head or her heels. A home with this lovely old lady was beyond her wildest dreams. ‘Yer won’t be annoyed if I ask yer something, will yer? Yer can always say no and I won’t mind, honest.’

‘You ask away, girl, an’ if I don’t like what yer askin’ I’ll tell yer to sod off.’ But the smile on the lined face belied her words. ‘Go ’ed, out with it.’

‘Would yer let me call yer Grandma?’ Sadie got the words out quickly before she lost her nerve. This was turning out to be the very best day of her life, and if she could adopt a grandma and grandad, be a member of a real family, she’d be in her seventh heaven. ‘Yer see, I haven’t got any grandparents and I’ve always felt sad about that.’ The old lady’s silence made Sadie think she’d overstepped the mark. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. It was cheeky of me when yer don’t really know anything about me. And I suppose yer’ve got a lot of grandchildren of yer own without me trying to worm me way in.’

There was a trace of sadness in the tired grey eyes. ‘No, girl, there’s only me and my old man. We did have two children, both boys, but we lost them when they were very young. Joey was only six when he died and Johnny was eight. They were both born with a heart defect and as I said they both died very young. Broke our hearts it did and we’ve never really got over it. But life must go on, girl, whether we like it or not. We often talk about them, and how different our lives would have been if they’d lived. They’d have been in their late fifties now, so if God had spared them we’d have great-grandchildren.’

Sadie was at a loss. She felt like kicking herself for being so stupid and so childishly selfish. She’d been offered so much in the last hour, more than she’d hoped for – why hadn’t she been satisfied with that? ‘I am so sorry, I didn’t
know.
If I had I wouldn’t have been so thoughtless.’

‘It wasn’t your fault, girl, how were yer to know? And I’d be tickled pink if yer’d call me Grandma; it would do me old heart a power of good. And as for my feller, Joe, he’d be dead chuffed to have a pretty thing like you call him Grandad.’ Sarah grinned. ‘I can’t wait to see his face when he claps eyes on yer. And God help his cronies in the pub when he goes for his nightly glass of bitter ’cos there’ll be no stoppin’ him; he’ll talk the bleedin’ legs off them. Yer see, girl, it’s a long time since he had anything to brag about.’

‘Ooh, I hope he likes me, Sarah.’ Sadie clapped a hand over her mouth. ‘If Mary Ann had heard that I’d have got a clip around the ears for not being respectful to yer. But I feel a lot more for yer than respect, and I’m not just saying it to get in yer good books. I fell in love with yer the first time I served yer. D’yer remember?’

‘Yes, girl, I remember. But I remember the second time best, when yer gave me a kiss and a cuddle. That was when my feller first got to hear about yer. He asked if he’d get the same if he came down, but I told him yer wouldn’t want to kiss a face that’s as rough as an emery board. And he’s already been warned that if yer do come to us, he’s got to keep his false teeth in his mouth and not in a flamin’ cup.’

‘Oh, Grandma!’ Sadie closed her eyes to relish that one word that made her feel part of a family. ‘Yer shouldn’t have said that to him – he’ll hate the sight of me before he’s even set eyes on me.’

‘No he won’t, sweetheart. He’s looking forward to yer comin’. He’ll be sittin’ at home now, in his rocking chair, puffing away at his old pipe and waitin’ for me to come back and tell him it’s all fixed up.’

‘I can’t wait to meet him.’ Sadie felt delirious with excitement and happiness. ‘I hope it won’t be too long before I can come to yer.’

‘Mary Ann said yer’ve got things to sort out first, girl, so have a little patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day, yer know.’

‘I don’t want to live in Rome, Grandma.’ There it was again, that feeling of belonging. ‘I want to live with you and Grandad.’

‘Yer’ve got a good friend in Mary Ann – she’ll help yer get yer affairs in order. And see if she’ll bring yer to the house one night, so yer can see it for yerself before yer make the break. Me home’s nothing posh, but it’s comfortable. And the spare bedroom’s not a bad size, except that it’s short of a bed at the moment.’

‘Grandma, I’ll sleep on the clothes-line if it comes to the push.’

‘It’ll never come to that, girl, not when I’ve got me old horse-hair couch.’ Sarah giggled. ‘Many’s the night I’ve slept on it to get away from my feller’s snores. Honest to God, he makes enough noise to wake the dead.’

‘I bet he’s lovely, just like you are, and I can’t wait to meet him.’ Sadie turned to see Mary Ann coping with several customers, all wanting to be served first. ‘I’d better give Mary Ann a hand, she’s rushed off her feet. I’ll see yer next week an’ let yer know how I’m getting on, but I am definitely coming to live with yer, so don’t you dare let the room to anyone else.’

‘No chance of that, girl. I’ve never had a lodger in me life, and I wouldn’t be havin’ one now if Mary Ann hadn’t told me you were lookin’ for somewhere.’

‘I’ll see yer next week, Grandma.’ Sadie leaned across and kissed her on each cheek. ‘That’s two for good luck. One for you and the other for your feller … me brand new grandad.’

It was five o’clock before Mary Ann had any time to spare for serious talking. Sadie was meeting Geoff at seven but she’d have to go straight from the market if it came to the push, because she’d never make that long walk home and then the longer walk to Everton Valley. And decisions about her future life were more important than worrying about what she looked like to go to the flicks or a dance.

Mary Ann kicked her shoe off and rubbed the sole of her foot. ‘Me feet are killing me and me bleedin’ corn’s
giving
me gyp. I’ll be glad to get home and steep them in a bucket of water.’

Sadie was busy gathering clothes together ready for closing the stall for the night. She turned and grinned at the pained expression on her friend’s face. ‘Yer not leaving here tonight, Mary Ann, until yer’ve sorted my life out! After all, I’m more important than your feet.’

‘Don’t start gettin’ cocky with me, girl, or I’ll throw this bleedin’ shoe at yer.’ But Mary Ann’s thoughts were kinder than her words. She’d never have got through the last couple of hours without Sadie’s help; it had been one of the busiest days she’d ever known. It was either that or she was getting older and couldn’t take the pace like she used to. Then she pulled a face and shook her head. No, I’m not admitting to getting older so it’s simply been a very busy day.

Mary Ann slipped her foot into her shoe and groaned at the pain from the corn on her little toe. ‘Now, girl, while we’re clearing this lot, let’s get you sorted at the same time. Now I understand how urgent it is that yer get out of that home of yours, and I’m happy in me mind about you and old Sarah, ’cos yer can tell by just lookin’ at the pair of yer that yer get on like a house on fire, I’ll get me thinkin’ cap on.’ She shook out a large sheet and laid it flat on the ground, and as she was talking she was throwing clothes onto the sheet. ‘D’yer have to give one week’s notice in, or two?’

‘I’m not sure. We work a week in hand, so I suppose it’s a week.’

‘Well, don’t give yer notice in until we work out how yer going to get a bed. Yer’ll have to buy it yerself ’cos old Sarah certainly can’t afford to.’

‘How much will it cost? The Saturday I leave, I’ll have me week in hand money as well as me wages, so I’ll be picking up sixteen and six. I’ll have all that money to meself because I won’t be goin’ home that day, I’ll be going straight to me Grandma’s.’

Mary Ann grinned. ‘That sounds nice, girl, and yer had a smile on yer face when yer said it.’ She stood at one
end
of the sheet and pointed to the other. ‘Pass that corner over to me, there’s a good girl, and when I knot these two corners yer can pass me the other.’ When the four corners were tied, the stall-holder heaved the heavy bundle to one side. ‘That’s one lot out of the way, now for another.’

Sadie had never before stayed late enough to see how Mary Ann cleared away and she was amazed that all the clothes were bundled up together. ‘Don’t yer keep the tuppenny with a hole separate from the thruppenny without a hole?’

‘Nah! I couldn’t be arsed with all that messing – I’d be here until bleedin’ midnight.’

Sadie thought Mary Ann was making more work for herself by doing that, but it was none of her business. ‘Back to the bed. I’ll have sixteen and six wages to come, and I’ve got five bob saved up now. That should be enough, shouldn’t it?’

‘Yer’ll not get a decent second-hand bed under thirty bob, girl, unless yer don’t mind the mattress bein’ full of stains.’

Sadie shivered. ‘Ugh, I couldn’t sleep on a dirty bed. The one I sleep on now is only a canvas camp bed, but at least no one’s ever slept in it but me so I know it’s clean. In fact, it’s probably the cleanest thing in our house. Me mam got it off the club woman that used to call every week and I remember the poor woman had a terrible time getting the money for it.’

‘This isn’t solving the problem of where yer gettin’ the money from for a bed, does it?’ Mary Ann had cleared one table and moved to another. ‘Another thing yer don’t seem to have taken into consideration is that yer’ll have to pay Sarah out of that money. She’ll need the money in advance to buy food for yer, and yer’ll need to have some in hand in case yer don’t get a job right away.’ Mary Ann knew she was dashing the girl’s hopes but it was best she knew what was ahead of her. ‘Even if yer did get one, and started the Monday after yer left this job, yer’d still have to work a week in hand.’

Sadie’s sigh was deep. ‘I’m not goin’ to make it, am I?
I
must be stupid not to have thought of all these things. I want me head testing, thinking it was going to be so easy, all plain sailing.’

‘Oh, come on, girl, don’t be bleedin’ lookin’ on the black side. Make up yer mind yer’ll do it and yer will do, even if it does take a bit longer. A few more weeks isn’t going to kill yer.’

‘I
will
do it, Mary Ann – I’m determined. I get sixpence a week off Harry, the boy next door, and sixpence a week off Geoff. That only brings me money up to two shillings a week, so I need to get more off them or find a couple more boyfriends.’

There was a look of concern on Mary Ann’s face. ‘You take money off boys? I hope yer don’t do anything yer shouldn’t be doing.’

‘Don’t worry about that; no boy will ever get off me what you’re thinking. I can give yer me solemn promise on that. Harry’s sixpence started off as a joke. He found me crying in the entry that day me dad lost all his money on the horses and I didn’t get me pocket money. He wanted to give me sixpence so I could meet Brenda, but I wouldn’t take it off him. So he offered to buy a kiss off me for the sixpence. I was desperate because I didn’t want to let me mate down, and I agreed. So for all these weeks Harry has given me sixpence and I’ve given him two kisses in return. Never once has he asked for more than those kisses, or has he tried to take more.’

‘He must be sweet on yer to do that, girl. Sounds like a nice lad to me.’

‘Even if he was sweet on me, his mother most certainly isn’t. She’d do her nut if she thought her son was associating with one of the awful Wilsons. So apart from the one night, on me birthday, I’ve never been out with him. I meet him in the park, tell him me troubles, give him his kiss and that’s it. And Geoff’s sixpence is almost as innocent. I told him I had no money for the tram fare to meet him at Everton Valley, so he gave it to me. He asked why he couldn’t pick me up from home and I had to lie and say it was because me parents were difficult.
He’d
only have to see the outside of our house and I wouldn’t see his heels for dust.’ Sadie put her face close to her friend’s and locked eyes with her. ‘And every word of that is the truth, Mary Ann, I swear.’