Under the July Sun (37 page)

Anna poked her head round the scullery door.

‘Mummy, are you in there?' she called.

Cat was scrubbing the floor and stopped when she heard her. ‘Sure I'm in here. Wait now and I'll be with ye.' She dropped the scrubbing brush into the bucket, scrambled to her feet, and wiping her hands on her apron went to the doorway. ‘What is it, Pet?'

‘Is it all right if I go home with my friend Laura Kennedy, and have tea there, Mummy?'

‘What about Elizabeth? 'Tis yer turn to take her home isn't it?'

‘Yes, but I've agreed to swap with Eileen and do Monday and Tuesday of next week instead.'

‘'Tis fine by me, so long as there's no arguing next week when ye have to do two nights on the trot.'

Elizabeth was sitting at the table drawing, waiting for Cat's reply.

‘Thanks, Mummy. I won't be late home. Oh, and Eileen said to remind you to get some sausages for tea.'

‘Sure I won't forget. And see that ye're not home late, I don't want to be marchin' out to Mrs. Kennedy's to get ye.'

Anna was then aware of someone behind her and turned to find Eileen standing there. She hadn't heard her approach. ‘Oh, it's you,' she said, ‘you made me jump.'

‘Well you asked me to pick up Elizabeth, so that's what I'm doing, if it's all right with
you
.'

Cat sensed an argument developing between the girls and looked at them wearily.

‘Can't ye two get along better instead of this constant griggin'?'

Eileen pushed past Anna and marched into the room and glared at Elizabeth.

‘Elizabeth, put your coat on, we're going now,' she demanded, ignoring Cat's plea. She turned to Anna. ‘And don't forget, you'll be picking Elizabeth up Monday and Tuesday of next week, not me!'

‘I won't,' Anna said and turned to leave.

‘'Bye Mummy. 'Bye Elizabeth, see you at home.'

Anna hurried down the school corridor and Cat ambled over to the doorway, watching her receding form. She wondered where all the years had gone as Anna was looking so grown up now.

Eileen took Elizabeth by the hand and marched her out of the room, but as she left, she turned to her mother.

‘I have to call in on a friend so I may not be home until after you, Mummy. But don't worry.'

‘Fine. Do as ye please,' Cat said, but Eileen was already stomping down the corridor and Cat's heart sank as she watched her dragging Elizabeth by the arm. 'Tis at times like these she thought, I miss their father most. What would he have been like now? How different would life be if he were around? Would Eileen and Anna always be arguing or would his presence have calmed them down?

But she had to admit to herself that Anna was a good girl and of all her children, though she was the cheekiest, she was undoubtedly the most helpful and the least quarrelsome. She was well aware that Eileen was often at the root of most friction at home.

Cat grinned to herself as she thought of Anna swaggering down the corridor practicing her latest walk, one that she knew she had copied from a film star she had seen at the cinema. Maybe she would take her to see the film with her favourite actor, Ronald Coleman, which was showing next week. She took the brush out of the bucket and continued the relentless task of scrubbing the scullery floor.

The nuns liked the way she brought the woodwork up so brightly, plus the wonderful smell of polish on the boards. Once it was dry it looked good enough to eat their meals from.

Everything that Cat cleaned was left gleaming, to the delight of the sisterhood. She prided herself in her ability to turn the dirtiest of jobs into a work of art, and Mother Superior was always very complimentary and so kind to her, there was nothing Cat would not do in return.

Tired at the end of a long day, Cat swilled the water down the sink, washed the bucket out and stored it away in the cupboard.

After cleaning the sink and making sure everything was neat and tidy, she folded her apron and put it in her shopping bag. Then wearily she took her coat off the peg behind the door, pinned her hat on and left the scullery after taking one final satisfied look at the floor.

Well now, she thought, let's see how dirty they can get the place before Monday. It never ceased to amaze her how a bunch of women could make so much mess, and nuns too! But it keeps me in work and that's all I care about. God forbid the day if it ever dawned when they would not need her any more.

She made her way across Eltham High Street and called in at Reggie's shop. The assistant who served her explained that Reggie was cutting up a pig in the back of the shop, so she bought some sausages and after paying for them, poked her head around the doorway.

‘Hello there,' she called.

Reggie looked up and smiled at her.

‘Hello, Cat. All finished for the day then are you?'

‘Sure, and I'm just off home now,' she said putting the sausages in her shopping bag.

‘I shall not be sorry to sit down and put me feet up now.'

‘Long day, Cat?' Reggie asked, wiping his hands on his apron.

‘Yes, and I feel quite tired tonight. Still, 'tis Saturday tomorrow and God willin' I can take a break.'

Reggie fished about beneath his bench and brought out a package wrapped in brown paper tied with string. ‘Glad you called, Cat. This is for you.'

Cat knew it would be a parcel of meat, plus bones for Tipper. ‘Oh, Reggie, ye shouldn't.'

‘Come on now, Cat,' he laughed, ‘we can't have these bits going to waste now, can we?' He winked at her and she went to him and kissed his cheek.

‘Thanks, Reggie. How're Maureen and the children?'

‘Fine, thanks. Really fine.'

‘Why not come to tea on Sunday? 'Twould be lovely to see ye all.'

‘Done!' Reggie said without hesitation. ‘I'll bring some nice ham with me, so don't go out buying any.'

‘Aw, there's no stoppin' ye Reggie, is there?'

Cat left the shop stuffing the parcel into her shopping bag. She would write a letter to Lize and get one of the girls to pop it round to her shop; maybe she would join them too.

She knew it was pointless inviting her mother-in-law as she never left the flat above the shop now. She had not visited once since Louis had died. The children would often call to see her on a Sunday after mass, but Cat did not go as she knew she would not be welcome. Over the years Cat had given up trying to be accepted.

She stood at the end of Westmount Road and looked at the long route ahead. For the first time Cat felt it was too far and she was tired.
If Louis had lived
, she thought, as she began the long trek,
he would probably be meeting her on his motor bike
.

Ah, the motor bike
, she thought.
What fun they'd had on it, short-lived though it was
. She had sold it to the man next door after Louis died; but each day she saw him arrive home on it, she experienced a bitter-sweet reminder of not just the motor bike, but of longing for the man who once rode it.

Tipper greeted Cat when she arrived home though his movements were now very much slower. His tail still wagged, but Cat noticed he was lethargic these days. He slept almost constantly and she was worried there was something wrong with him. She undid the parcel Reggie had given her and found a nice marrow bone in it, about a pound of bacon and some lamb chops. Reggie had done her proud again.

‘Here ye are, my lovely old friend,' she said, placing the bone on the hearth for him. Wagging his tail, Tipper walked over and slumped down in front of it. He licked it all over and then began gnawing at it with relish. ‘That's more like it isn't it?' Cat said to him. Happy that he seemed to be enjoying the bone, she went into the kitchen and put the kettle on.

Eileen was still out with Elizabeth and there was no sign of Billy, so Cat made herself a cup of tea and decided to take a nap before starting to cook the sausages.

She was awoken by Eileen shouting, ‘Oh you
naughty
dog.'

‘What in the world's goin' on?' Cat said struggling to clear her head.

‘It's Tipper, Mummy. I came in to find him eating the sausages you bought for our tea.'

‘Oh no! He must have pulled them off the drainin' board, I didn't think he'd do a thin' like that anymore. Tipper!' Cat shouted at him, ‘Ye
naughty
dog.'

Tipper slunk out to the kitchen, tail between his legs and cowered by the back door.

‘Aw, look at him. How can I tell him off?' Cat asked. She patted her thigh calling to him, ‘C'mere boy.' Tipper looked uncertain at first, then ventured slowly over to Cat and sat before her, ears back and not looking up.

‘Well I don't know how you can forgive him so quickly, Mummy,' Eileen snapped.

Elizabeth, copying Eileen's tone of voice joined in.

‘You are a very
naughty
dog, Tipper!'

‘He doesn't know any different, do ye, Tipper?' Cat chuckled. ‘Anyway, as it happens, I have some eggs in the pantry and Reggie gave me some bacon, which I don't think Tipper has touched, so we'll just have egg and bacon.'

Cat looked at Eileen and Elizabeth. ‘C'mon now, look lively and set the table, 'tis not the end of the world.'

* * *

The next day Cat lay awake wondering if perhaps one of the girls would bring her breakfast in bed. She felt worn out and just for once wanted to lie there and be waited on.

As though she had read Cat's mind, Anna popped her head around the door at that moment and saw Cat was awake.

‘Mummy, how would you like me to bring you breakfast before I go to work?'

‘Lord save us, I was just prayin' someone would come and offer me breakfast in bed today, I'm so tired. Thanks, Pet. That would be grand. I'll have a piece of bacon and some tomatoes with a fried egg. Oh and some toast to dip in the egg too.'

Anna nodded, smiled, and closed the door as Cat snuggled down beneath the blankets, relishing her first lie-in for ages. Oh it was so nice now the children were getting bigger, she thought. Maybe I can stop worrying so much and depend on them more.

Eileen was not working that day, so perhaps she could help with the cooking and cleaning. She needed to do some baking if the family were coming to tea the next day.

By the time Anna shuffled in with the breakfast tray, Cat had dozed off again. She was woken by Anna calling her.

‘Come on Mummy, sit up. Did you go back to sleep?'

‘Yes, I did and I can't remember when I had that privilege, Anna. Thanks, Pet,' she said as Anna put the tray on her lap. ‘Sit here and talk to me. Have ye had yer breakfast yet?'

‘No, it's on the table waiting.'

‘Well why don't ye bring it in here and we'll have a picnic together.'

Anna grinned and went out to the kitchen to get her breakfast just as the post arrived, so she picked up the letters and took them with her breakfast tray into Cat.

‘Post's arrived, Mummy,' she said and dropped the letters onto the bed.

‘Ah let's eat first, whatever it is can wait.'

They sat on the bed and between mouthfuls Anna told Cat about her visit to Laura's the evening before. She told Cat in detail about Laura's older brother who was all dressed up in black shirt and trousers, going out to a meeting. There were lots of other men there all in black too.

‘Black eh?' Cat questioned. ‘And who in God's name goes out all in black unless 'tis to a funeral?'

‘Well he belongs to a special group and they all wear black to their meetings. Laura says she's going to the next one and asked me along too.'

‘We'll see, but I'm tellin' ye Anna, we won't go wastin' money on black anythin'.

Anna looked downcast, and then remembered the other letter which she handed to Cat.

Cat finished her breakfast then opened the letter. Slowly a smile spread across her face. Suddenly she let out a loud ‘
YES
!'
Alarmed, Anna asked her what it was and Cat passed the letter to her which she read. Awestruck, Anna looked at her mother after reading it.

‘Does this mean what I think it means?'

‘It surely does, Anna. We are being re-located to a proper house at last.'

‘But Mummy, this is a proper house and I want to stay here.'

‘Ye'll think differently when ye get into the new house, Anna. Just think of it now, no more damp and no more mould growin' up the walls; a proper brick house. By God, won't we be laughin'? C'mon now we'll go and tell the others, then I'll go shoppin' ‘cos we've Reggie, Maureen and the children comin' tomorrow and I want ye to slip round on yer way to work to take a note to ask yer Auntie Lize too.'

‘Oh,' Anna said in a flat tone.

‘Anna, why is it whenever I say they're comin' here, ye start with that tone of voice?'

‘I don't know, Mummy. I just feel creepy when I know they are coming.'

‘Well, maybe ye've a touch of the green-eyed monster about ye. So snap out of it - and the quicker the better!'

Cat looked around the room that had been her home for so many years: remembering how she had first acquired the wooden home which was no more than a log hut, and the time she had spent there first with her sister Ellie, then Louis and the children.

Then Ellie had gone to America with Michael Nagle and she had not seen her for years. Sure, they kept in touch by letter and she was thrilled when she heard they had called their little girl Catherine after her, but the years had passed so quickly and though Ellie was still important to her, Cat had to admit that her own family had now taken centre stage in her day-to-day focus.

She smiled as she remembered the tricks they had played on Michael, pretending there was a dinner on his plate when it was totally empty. How they had laughed, feeling they had nearly convinced the poor man they were mad.

Michael had been a good match for Ellie, but her letters of late had worried Cat. She told of Michael's drinking and constantly losing his job because he was too drunk to go to work. Reading through the lines, Cat wondered if they would ever return from America; Ellie had certainly hinted that she would if she had the money for the passage. She could not help her, though she would dearly love to, because every penny she earned was spoken for.