‘It’s all right, darling. Come on, let’s go upstairs to find a nice jigsaw puzzle and we’ll do it together.’
It wasn’t long before Angel’s tongue was poking out in concentration as she tried to fit a piece of blue sky into the puzzle. Sally helped, but she was still inwardly seething, determined now that it was time to move out.
Chapter Six
It was mid-October and Ruth was glad to get home from work. There was no sign of Arthur before Sally went to the spiritualist hall and with Angel tucked up in bed she faced a quiet evening with her mother. However it was interrupted when there was a knock on the door.
It was Elsie, and Ruth’s eyes widened. ‘Well, this is a nice surprise. Is everything all right?’
‘Yes, fine. I just want to talk something over with all of you.’
‘Come on in, love,’ Ruth urged. ‘Watcha,’ Sadie said, looking pleased to see Elsie as they walked into the kitchen.
‘Hello, Sadie, and how are you?’
‘I’m as fit as a fiddle.’
‘Good, but where is everyone?’
‘Sally’s doing a healing service at the hall and I’ve no idea where Arthur is,’ Ruth told her.
‘That’s odd. Bert said he only did a local job today and I expected him to be home by now.’
Ruth glanced at the clock, frowning. It was eight o’clock. What was keeping him?
‘Perhaps there have been a few problems, or the van broke down.’
‘If that was the case, I’m sure Bert would have mentioned it when he came home. I should have rung first to check that you were all in, but with Bert hovering, it was impossible. He has no idea I was coming here. I just hope Arthur arrives home soon.’
‘What’s this all about, Elsie?’
‘Its Bert’s birthday in January and I thought we could arrange a surprise party.’
‘Blimey, Elsie, ain’t you being a bit premature?’
‘Not really. There’s a lot to sort out and I’ll need to rope Arthur and Sally in with the planning. Fifty, Ruth, my Bert’s going to be fifty. Where has all the time gone?’
‘He’s just a whippersnapper,’ Sadie commented. ‘Where are you thinking of holding this party?’
‘I thought I’d book the hall. I know we don’t live around here now, but most of our friends are still in this area.’
‘Right then,’ Ruth said. ‘Arthur may not be here, but we can make a start. Let’s draw up a list of what’s needed.’
‘Yes, all right. I know Ann would have wanted to help, but it’s impossible with her living in Milton Keynes.’
‘With three kids and two of those twins, your daughter certainly has her hands full.’
‘She does, and living so far away I can’t do much to help her. Still, she’s arriving on Friday night to stay for the weekend and it’ll be lovely to see her.’
‘I hear you’re having Angel over for the night too. Talk about a glutton for punishment,’ Ruth said, smiling wryly.
‘It’ll be lovely, and to be honest one more won’t make a lot of difference.’
‘Rather you than me.’
‘Have you heard about my Mary?’ Sadie asked. ‘Yes, Arthur told me.’
‘I’m not gonna stand for it. She’ll marry that black man over my dead body.’
‘Arthur said you’re against it, but would it be so bad? Mary has been alone since her husband died, and after what she went through she deserves a bit of happiness.’
Ruth saw her mother’s eyes darken and quickly changed the subject. ‘Come on, we’re supposed to be planning a party.’
Sadie ignored the comment, livid as she shouted, ‘Elsie Jones, if you’re going to take Mary’s side you can get out of my house!’
‘Now there’s no need for that,’ Elsie protested. ‘I’m not taking sides.’
‘It sounds to me like you are.’
Elsie moved across to Sadie and bending over she took the old woman’s hand, saying softly, ‘Come on, love, I don’t want to fall out with you. Let’s forget I said anything and start again.’
‘Yeah well . . . just don’t mention Mary’s name.’
‘I won’t,’ Elsie
It wasn’t long before Angel’s tongue was poking out in concentration as she tried to fit a piece of blue sky into the puzzle. Sally helped, but she was still inwardly seething, determined now that it was time to move out.
Chapter Six
It was mid-October and Ruth was glad to get home from work. There was no sign of Arthur before Sally went to the spiritualist hall and with Angel tucked up in bed she faced a quiet evening with her mother. However it was interrupted when there was a knock on the door.
It was Elsie, and Ruth’s eyes widened. ‘Well, this is a nice surprise. Is everything all right?’
‘Yes, fine. I just want to talk something over with all of you.’
‘Come on in, love,’ Ruth urged. ‘Watcha,’ Sadie said, looking pleased to see Elsie as they walked into the kitchen.
‘Hello, Sadie, and how are you?’
‘I’m as fit as a fiddle.’
‘Good, but where is everyone?’
‘Sally’s doing a healing service at the hall and I’ve no idea where Arthur is,’ Ruth told her.
‘That’s odd. Bert said he only did a local job today and I expected him to be home by now.’
Ruth glanced at the clock, frowning. It was eight o’clock. What was keeping him?
‘Perhaps there have been a few problems, or the van broke down.’
‘If that was the case, I’m sure Bert would have mentioned it when he came home. I should have rung first to check that you were all in, but with Bert hovering, it was impossible. He has no idea I was coming here. I just hope Arthur arrives home soon.’
‘What’s this all about, Elsie?’
‘Its Bert’s birthday in January and I thought we could arrange a surprise party.’
‘Blimey, Elsie, ain’t you being a bit premature?’
‘Not really. There’s a lot to sort out and I’ll need to rope Arthur and Sally in with the planning. Fifty, Ruth, my Bert’s going to be fifty. Where has all the time gone?’
‘He’s just a whippersnapper,’ Sadie commented. ‘Where are you thinking of holding this party?’
‘I thought I’d book the hall. I know we don’t live around here now, but most of our friends are still in this area.’
‘Right then,’ Ruth said. ‘Arthur may not be here, but we can make a start. Let’s draw up a list of what’s needed.’
‘Yes, all right. I know Ann would have wanted to help, but it’s impossible with her living in Milton Keynes.’
‘With three kids and two of those twins, your daughter certainly has her hands full.’
‘She does, and living so far away I can’t do much to help her. Still, she’s arriving on Friday night to stay for the weekend and it’ll be lovely to see her.’
‘I hear you’re having Angel over for the night too. Talk about a glutton for punishment,’ Ruth said, smiling wryly.
‘It’ll be lovely, and to be honest one more won’t make a lot of difference.’
‘Rather you than me.’
‘Have you heard about my Mary?’ Sadie asked. ‘Yes, Arthur told me.’
‘I’m not gonna stand for it. She’ll marry that black man over my dead body.’
‘Arthur said you’re against it, but would it be so bad? Mary has been alone since her husband died, and after what she went through she deserves a bit of happiness.’
Ruth saw her mother’s eyes darken and quickly changed the subject. ‘Come on, we’re supposed to be planning a party.’
Sadie ignored the comment, livid as she shouted, ‘Elsie Jones, if you’re going to take Mary’s side you can get out of my house!’
‘Now there’s no need for that,’ Elsie protested. ‘I’m not taking sides.’
‘It sounds to me like you are.’
Elsie moved across to Sadie and bending over she took the old woman’s hand, saying softly, ‘Come on, love, I don’t want to fall out with you. Let’s forget I said anything and start again.’
‘Yeah well . . . just don’t mention Mary’s name.’
‘I won’t,’ Elsie
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