Josephine Cox - Live the Dream

She thought of Sylvia’s predicament. ‘I do love that poor lass, though,’ she muttered. ‘By! If her sister had her way, Sylvia would be shut away in some institution or another by now, leaving the coast clear for that madam Georgina to work her wiles. But thankfully, the lass will be safe enough.’ She comforted herself with the thought. While Luke Hammond has the final say, his wife will be well looked after, God willing. With me there to tend her every need.

‘COME ON, YOU lazy pair!’ Dave’s voice sailed through the house. ‘Let’s be having you.’

‘What’s up?’ Sleepy-eyed, Amy leaned over the banister. ‘Is there a fire or what?’

‘There will be if you don’t get your backsides down here.’ Positioning himself on the second stair, Dave told her, ‘It’s ten past six. I’ve made the fire, boiled the kettle and now I’m ready for my breakfast.’

Amy glanced at her parents’ bedroom door. ‘Where’s Mam? Why didn’t she get up with you?’

‘Because she likes her bed too much, that’s why.’ Banging the banister again he pleaded, ‘Go and knock the door … tell her I’m ready for off.’

Amy groaned. ‘It’s surely not that time yet, is it?’ So far there had not been one day when the shop was late opening.

‘Happen not. But it soon will be if you don’t get a move on. So shift yourself, lass. And wake your mam up, will you?’

Grumbling and moaning, he lumbered into the kitchen where he checked the gas-ring. ‘Damn thing, it’s allus going out.’ Striking a match on the range, he lit it again. ‘One o’ these days I’ll chuck the bloody thing in the river and be rid of it once and for all!’

Glancing at the mantelpiece clock, he groaned. ‘Jesus! I’m getting nowhere at this rate.’

Making his way to the bottom of the stairs, he called up again, ‘MARIE … AMY! What the devil’s keeping you?’

Halfway to her parents’ room, Amy turned and came back. ‘What now?’

‘Did you wake your mam up?’

‘Not yet, but I will if you’ll give me a chance.’

‘Look, lass … get her out, will you? I can’t be going to work without summat inside me … I’d make my own breakfast, but you know what happened the last time I tried cooking on that blessed gas stove!’

‘And how could we ever forget?’ Having been woken by the yelling and shouting, Marie emerged fully dressed from her bedroom. ‘By! You should be ashamed … a grown man who can’t fry an egg without setting fire to the kitchen.’ Coming along the landing, she winked at Amy who by now was wide awake.

Relieved to see Marie already out and fighting fit, he called up, ‘Come on, lass. I don’t want to be late.’

‘Stop your moithering. I’m on my way.’ Starting down the stairs, Marie noticed how Amy was shivering. ‘Aw, lass, you’ll catch your death o’ cold. You go and get yerself dressed,’ she instructed in her best no-nonsense voice, ‘while I make a start on the breakfast.’ She feverishly rubbed her hands together. ‘By! It’s bitter cold! I hope your dad’s got a good fire going.’ Giving Amy a little push, she urged, ‘Go on, lass. Get dressed.’

‘Thanks, Mam.’ Drawing her robe tight about her, Amy felt the cold right through to her bones. ‘Don’t worry about my breakfast,’ she told Marie, ‘I’ll do myself a boiled egg and toast when I get down.’

Marie wagged a finger. ‘Your breakfast will be on the table soonever you’re ready,’ she promised. ‘Now go on. Be off with you.’

Amy didn’t argue. It would not have made any difference anyway. ‘All right, Mam, thanks. I’ll not be long.’

Hurrying back to her bedroom, Amy winced as the bare feet struck against the cold lino. It was November now, and the winter’s cold seeped into every corner, yet even in summer the warmth of the sunshine could not seem to find its way in, not even when every window in the house was open.

Grabbing her clothes, she went along to the bathroom, where she quickly cleaned her teeth and washed herself. A few minutes to brush her hair and she was ready for the day ahead.

Humming a tune to herself, she danced down the stairs and burst into the kitchen, where her parents were already seated at the table.

‘You look nice, love.’ Always ready with compliments for his two women, Dave looked up from his forkful of bacon. Taking note of Amy’s pretty blue jumper and the dark flared skirt that fell to just below the knees, he saw how her eyes sparkled and her brown hair shone, and he was curious. ‘Off somewhere special, are we?’

‘Only as far as the shop.’ She sat down, her egg and toast already on the table. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘No reason.’ He winked mischievously. ‘You wouldn’t be seeing a fella would you, lass? I mean, in my experience, when a young lady has that particular sparkle in her eye, it’s usually because she’s found herself a fella.’

‘Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you,’ Amy answered with a shy little smile, ‘but I haven’t “found a fella”, and nor am I likely to … unless he comes into the shop for a packet of drawing-pins or a pound of cheese.’ Strange she thought, how her father’s words made her think of the handsome man who visited the café on a Tuesday.

‘No fella, eh?’ Dave sighed. ‘Ah, well, it’s a terrible shame, that’s all I can say … especially when you look pretty as a picture this morning.’ Dave had never fooled himself about his darling daughter. Amy was a kind and wonderful young woman with a beautiful way about her that attracted all manner of compliments, but she was not what you might describe as pretty. She was more than that, he thought proudly, and he would not have her any other way. That rogue Don Carson had let her down badly, but she was probably well out of it. Don had been a bit too slick for Dave’s liking – he’d always suspected there was something not quite trustworthy about him. Shame he’d broken his little girl’s heart, though. Her confidence had been badly shaken. It’d take a special fella to make her trust again.

‘You may not know it, lass,’ he went on, ‘but you’re a real head-turner – bright and winsome, like a ray of sunshine, that’s what you are.’ He was inwardly pleased when she flushed with embarrassment.

Having heard and seen the exchange between husband and daughter, Marie chuckled through her toast. ‘Tek no notice, lass,’ she told Amy. ‘Your father’s allus had a silken tongue. He’s the world’s best flatterer … Matter of fact it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t chat up the girls wherever he goes.’

‘Nonsense!’ Dave took umbrage at her remarks. ‘Why would I do a thing like that?’

She gave Amy a sly little wink. ‘One pretty smile from some wayward girl, and he’d be putty in her hands.’

Dave would have none of it. ‘There’s only two girls in my life,’ he declared sombrely, ‘and they’re right here at this table!’

It wasn’t long before the conversation turned to more serious matters. ‘Anyway, what are you doing up so early?’ Chopping off the top of her egg, Amy cut her toast into long thin soldiers. ‘You don’t have to be at work until eight.’

Taking a deep gulp of his tea, Dave pushed back his chair. ‘Mr Hammond is giving us a pep talk this morning and he wants us all in by half-past seven.’

Marie looked up. ‘What kind of pep talk?’

‘God only knows.’ He frowned. ‘We shall just have to wait and see.’

‘Are you worried about your job, Dad?’

Dave shrugged. ‘We’ve all been worried, Amy,’ he imparted quietly. ‘Work seems to be slowing down of late, and I’m told that two of the wagons were parked up for the best part of last week. On top of that, half the factory floor is completely empty.’ He looked from one to the other. ‘Some of the lads who’ve been there since Hammonds started up say they’ve never seen it like that before.’