Sadie Was A Lady (57 page)

‘We’ll be a happy family one day, sunshine, in spite of me mam and dad. There’s two of us now, and our Jimmy’s fourteen in less than ten months. With a bit of luck there’ll be the three of us this time next year.’

‘Ooh, I can’t wait for that, our Jimmy’s me very best mate.’ Ellen had second thoughts and added, ‘And you, yer both me best mates.’

‘Buttering yer bread on both sides, are yer, sunshine?’ Sadie laughed. ‘Anyway, let’s get in and if there’s any hot water in the kettle I’ll wash yer hair. We might even have time to sort a decent dress out for yer before Jimmy comes.’

‘Is Peter comin’ in, too?’

‘Oh yeah, yer might know that nose fever won’t miss anything. When I left him at the door last night he said he’d be in.’

‘He’d like to be yer proper boyfriend, wouldn’t he? I don’t know why yer won’t let him, ’cos I think he’s nice.’

‘Of course he’s nice, he’s a really decent lad. And he’s very funny, there’s never a dull moment where Peter is.’ Sadie turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open. But before she stepped inside, she said. ‘I’m not ready to settle down yet, sunshine, so me and Peter are just good mates. The same goes for Tommy and Spike. All good blokes but at the moment, not for me.’

After passing on the news to Sarah and Joe about the advert still being in the shop window, Sadie washed Ellen’s hair in the kitchen sink, wrapped a towel around her head and took her up to their bedroom. ‘Give it a good rub and get the wet out, we don’t want yer catching yer death of cold. I’ll see what I’ve got for yer to wear.’

When Sadie handed a brassière to her sister, the girl blushed to the roots of her hair. ‘I’ve never worn one of them, Sadie.’

‘Yer need to, sunshine, and yer clothes will look better on yer. When yer’ve had it on for ten minutes yer’ll forget it’s there. I only possess three, so I’ll have to ask Mary Ann to keep her eyes peeled.’ She found a dress she thought would suit Ellen and passed it over. ‘Try them on and see if they fit.’

Ellen hung her head. ‘I don’t like getting undressed with you standing there watchin’ me, I’d die of shame.’

‘I’ll make meself scarce then, and give Grandma a hand with the dinner. Shout down the stairs when yer ready and I’ll come and brush yer hair.’

Ellen went up the stairs a young girl, and came down a young lady. The transformation left Sarah and Joe open-mouthed. ‘I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with me own eyes,’ Sarah said as she gazed on the neat figure and the luxuriant long black hair which had been brushed until it shone. ‘Yer look lovely, sweetheart.’

Joe gazed from sister to sister, one so fair, one so dark. Sadie would always stand out in a crowd because her flawless complexion, vivid blue eyes, jet black brows and lashes and her light blonde hair, combined together made for a perfect beauty. But her sister had the makings of a very attractive girl who would catch the boys’ eyes and hold her own in any crowd. ‘You and me are goin’ to be very busy, love.’ Joe winked at his wife. ‘Every boy in the neighbourhood is goin’ to be beating a path to our door.’

Sadie doubled up with laughter when there was a loud knock on the door. ‘Blimey, Grandad, news doesn’t half travel fast, doesn’t it?’ She was chuckling happily until she opened the door to see Jimmy standing on the step. Right away she thought there’d been trouble at home. ‘What’s happened? Are yer all right?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine. I came out early to get away from me dad’s moaning.’ The boy’s grin stretched from ear to ear. ‘Yer should see his face, Sadie, it’s in a right mess.’

‘Have yer seen yer own face?’ Sadie held the door wide to let him pass. ‘It looks worse than it did yesterday.’

‘Oh, my God!’ Sarah put a hand to her mouth when Jimmy entered the room. ‘I never thought it was that bad.
You
poor thing, yer must be in agony.’

‘Nah, I’m all right.’ The lad’s eyes lighted suddenly on his sister and he gaped before puckering his lips and letting out a shrill whistle. ‘Ay, our Ellen, what’s happened to you? Yer look all grown-up and posh.’

‘Don’t be daft.’ Ellen ran and put her arms around him. ‘Yer face looks awful sore, Jimmy, is it very painful?’

‘Yer could do with holding a wet cloth to yer eye, son,’ Joe said. ‘It would take some of the swelling down and ease the pain.’

‘Did any of the neighbours see yer like that?’ Sadie asked.

‘Only Harry, the bloke from next door. He asked me what had happened an’ I told him I’d been in a fight.’

‘Oh.’ Sadie turned to straighten the runner on the sideboard. ‘How is he?’

‘I dunno, I didn’t ask. He asked me if I’d seen you and if I knew where yer were living. But I didn’t tell him nothing, Sadie, honest. I said I didn’t know where yer lived. Yer didn’t want me to tell him, did yer?’

‘No, sunshine, yer did right.’

Sarah sighed inwardly. Sadie had told her she wasn’t good enough for Harry, and his family certainly wouldn’t touch her with a barge-pole. But the least she could do was see the boy and let him decide for himself what he wanted.

Sadie pulled a chair from the table. ‘I’ll make yer a cup of tea in a minute, Jimmy, but sit down first and tell us how yer got on with me dad after we’d left.’

‘He didn’t say a dickie-bird to me, too busy moanin’ about his pains. So I made meself scarce and went to bed. I heard him and me mam shouting downstairs but I stayed out of it. Me mam told him he could say he’d picked up a stray cat and it went for him, clawing his face. But me dad got real sarcastic with ’er over that, asking if he should say the cat had given him the black eye as well. There was ructions then, with me mam tellin’ him he’d got himself into the mess so he could get himself out.’

‘What was he like with yer this morning? Did he have anythin’ to say?’

‘Not a word. He sent our Les out to get a paper an’ he just sat reading. He’s touchin’ his face all the time and making funny gruntin’ noises. But he wasn’t shoutin’ like he usually is, and he kept his hands an’ his feet to himself.’

‘Well, now, that’s a blessing,’ Sarah said. ‘Let’s hope he’s been taught a lesson.’

‘Tommy’s knuckles were terrible sore last night,’ Sadie told them. ‘So he must have given me dad a real good thump.’

Jimmy’s tummy was rumbling. ‘Can I have a cup of tea, Sadie, please? I haven’t had nothin’ since those chips yer bought me last night.’

‘Oh, yer poor thing!’ Sarah was already on her way to the kitchen. ‘I’ll make yer a buttie to keep yer going until the dinner’s ready.’

‘I’ll give yer a hand.’ Sadie followed her out. ‘I’m sorry about this, Grandma, but Jimmy can have half of my dinner.’

‘We’ll manage, sweetheart, so don’t fret yerself. It’ll mean one less roast potato each, but we won’t starve.’

Joe got more pleasure from watching Jimmy eating than he got from his own dinner. The bruises on the young lad’s face looked raw and angry, but they didn’t seem to be bothering him as he tucked in with gusto. He was the first to clear his plate, rub his tummy and lick his lips. ‘I didn’t half enjoy that, Grandma, it was lovely.’ He sat back in his chair, happy and replete. ‘I’d lick me plate but I know our Sadie would give me a go-along.’

‘I would too! We’ll have some manners at the table if yer don’t mind.’ Sadie laid down her knife and fork. She too was feeling happy and replete, but it wasn’t from the food – it was because she had two of her family near her. ‘Yer can help Ellen clear the table while I wash up. And make it snappy because Peter will be here soon.’

Sadie was standing on the kitchen step shaking crumbs from the tablecloth into the yard when she heard the front knocker. ‘One of yer open the door, please.’

‘I’ll go!’ Ellen was down the hall like a shot and
giggled
when Peter stared at her in amazement.

‘I’m sorry, but I must have come to the wrong house,’ he said. ‘I’ve never seen this pretty maiden before.’

‘Don’t be daft – it’s only me.’ Ellen closed the door after him. ‘Our Sadie did me hair for me an’ lent me one of her dresses. Do I look nice, Peter?’

‘I’ll say! A sight for sore eyes, that’s what yer are.’

Ellen ran ahead of him, too young to realise that not only had her looks been changed in the last few hours, but also her feelings towards boys. ‘Peter said I look nice, Sadie, an’ I’m a sight for sore eyes.’

‘Holy sufferin’ ducks!’ Peter looked stunned by the injury inflicted on Jimmy. ‘I hope Tommy gave your dad a real belter, ’cos that’s what he deserves.’

‘Oh, he did! If yer think I look a sight, yer should see him – he looks ten times worse.’

For the rest of the afternoon Peter went out of his way to include Jimmy in all the conversations. He felt sorry for him and wanted to show that he was welcome and they were all his friends. ‘D’yer know how to play cards, Jimmy?’

‘Dunno, I’ve never tried.’

‘Shall we have a game of rummy, Sadie?’ Peter cocked an eyebrow. ‘It’s an easy game to learn.’

‘Yeah, that’s a good idea.’ Sadie was sitting next to her brother, facing Peter and Ellen. ‘I’ll teach Jimmy, you see to Ellen.’ She went to the sideboard drawer and brought out a pack of playing cards. ‘You shuffle and cut them, Peter, then I’ll deal.’

She dealt out seven cards each then turned over the one at the top of the remaing cards. ‘Before yer pick them up, I’ll tell yer briefly how to play. Yer’ve got to get either three cards alike, say three fours, and they don’t have to be the same suit. Or yer can get a run, that means numbers that follow on, say two, three and four. But they’ve got to be the same suit. As soon as yer get any three, lay them down in front of yer.’

‘Ooh, er,’ Ellen said, pulling a face. ‘I’ll never learn all that.’

‘Of course yer will, Peter will help yer.’ Sadie leaned forward and said in a loud whisper, ‘But watch him, he’s the biggest cheat going.’

‘I am not!’ Peter looked suitably shocked. ‘Fancy saying that about the man yer going to the pictures with on his birthday. Which, incidentally, is in ten days’ time.’

‘Ooh, is it yer birthday, Peter?’ Ellen turned wide eyes on him. ‘Can I come with yez to the pictures?’

This time the look of shock on Peter’s face was genuine. ‘Yer most certainly can not!’

‘Ah, go on,’ Ellen pleaded, ‘don’t be mean.’

‘I am mean! I’m the meanest man on earth, didn’t yer know? I don’t want anyone looking on when I get me birthday present off yer sister.’

Jimmy had picked up his hand of cards and was sorting them in order when he asked, ‘What are yer buyin’ him, Sadie?’

‘I’m not buying him anything, Jimmy, so take no notice of him.’

‘Yeah, she’s right there.’ Peter nodded his head in agreement. ‘What she’s givin’ me won’t cost her a penny.’

‘Oh, aye?’ Jimmy laid his cards face down on the table. If you could get something for nothing he wanted to know what it was. ‘What’s she givin’ yer, then?’

‘She’s lettin’ me kiss her chin.’

‘Yer what?’ Jimmy looked disgusted. ‘Is that all? A kiss on her flippin’ chin?’

‘Never mind “is that all”. I’ll have you know it’s taken me six months to work me way up to that. Yer see, yer sister has a points system—’

Four young heads turned at the loud burst of laughter. Sarah and Joe were doubled up, tears of merriment streaming down their cheeks. ‘Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.’ Sarah ran the back of her hand across her eyes. ‘I couldn’t keep it in any longer.’

‘Bloody hysterical, it was.’ Joe held a hankie to his face. ‘Peter’s expression at the thought of being deprived of his kiss was a picture no artist could paint.’

‘Oh, aye,’ Peter’s serious face belied the laughter going
on
in his head. ‘I suppose you didn’t mind having an audience when yer kissed me Auntie Sarah?’

‘Yer Auntie Sarah didn’t have a points system, son, so I was lucky, I got to go straight to the bull’s-eye. I agree that Sadie’s way of working could be a handicap to a young man.’

All this talk of systems and handicaps was way over Ellen’s head. All she understood was that Peter was taking Sadie to the pictures just so he could kiss her chin. She looked around at the happy smiling faces and, in all innocence, said, ‘If yer take me to the pictures, Peter, I’ll let yer kiss my chin as well.’

This was met with hoots of laughter and it continued throughout the afternoon. They did eventually get down to playing a few hands of rummy, and Jimmy, quick on the up-take, won most of them. Mind you, he had help from Peter. There were quite a few cards exchanged under the screen of the chenille cloth. Sadie saw what was going on but was so grateful to Peter for putting a satisfied smile on her brother’s face, she kept quiet. Ellen didn’t see what was going on and thought her brother must be the cleverest boy in Liverpool to have learned the game so quickly.

On the Monday morning Mary Ann was waiting for Sadie. ‘I’ve been worrying meself sick all over the weekend, girl. I couldn’t get the young lad’s face out of me mind. Hurry up and tell me how he got on.’

Sadie lifted a bundle of clothes onto the table, and as she sorted through them she told her friend everything that had gone on. ‘Our Jimmy seemed all right yesterday, except for his face of course, and that doesn’t seem to be bothering him much. As long as me dad keeps his hands to himself, Jimmy can put up with the rest.’ She folded the sheet and laid it on the table before reaching for another bundle. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done without Tommy and Spike, though, Auntie Mary. I wouldn’t have known where to turn. They were marvellous and I’ll never be able to repay them.’

‘I bet they were glad to help yer out, girl – they think the world of yer. And it was a bit of excitement for them.’

‘Excitement!’ Sadie let out a long, deep sigh. ‘It’s the kind of excitement I can do without, Auntie Mary. I wouldn’t like another day like Saturday, I can tell yer. Me nerves wouldn’t stand the strain.’

‘And what about Ellen? Is she settling in all right?’

‘Settling in? She doesn’t know she’s born! She’s wallowing in all the affection she’s getting, and the decent food and the clean house. She’s never got a smile off her face, even when she’s asleep.’ Sadie put her arms around the stall-holder and hugged her tight. ‘To think it’s all through you that so much happiness has come into my life.’