the fact that the house wasn’t as warm as he liked it because she had to be sparing with the fuel. He would give her hell too if you made a noise and disturbed his peace.’
Bertha paused long enough to finish off her tea, putting the cup back in its saucer, then pushing it towards Aidy by way of informing her she’d like a refill. Aidy already knew the story of her parents’ failed marriage but her grandmother obviously felt a need to re-tell it so she patiently listened.
When Aidy got up to oblige with her refill, Bertha continued, ‘Arnold left the first time without any warning whatsoever. You were three at the time. Jessie got up one morning and he’d gone, taken all his belongings with him as well as the rent money. Walked out of his job too. I’d no doubt he’d gone off with another woman and, deep down, although she never actually came out with it, I know that’s what Jessie suspected too. Naturally she was very upset at the time, but there was some relief too that she hadn’t to put up with his shenanigans any longer and keep thinking up excuses to cover for his absence whenever we popped in, as we frequently did. Now she’d be left in peace to raise you on her own and let you play and cause as much noise as you liked without him having a go at her. She was terrified, though, how she was going to manage without yer dad’s wage coming in, worried about not being able to earn enough to keep this house on and having to raise you in the sort Pat Nelson lives in. Thankfully, though, she found a job the first day she started looking.
‘While she went to work, I looked after you for her. Jessie loved her job. Mrs Crabtree treated her like gold, paid her a decent amount for her cooking and housework duties, and any leftover food, Jessie was allowed to bring home. Well, Jessie being Jessie she always saw to it that me and yer granddad got a share, and the neighbours too if there was enough. Mrs Crabtree was always giving Jessie her old clothes, some she’d hardly worn … got money to burn, she had, her husband being some bigwig for a firm in town … and that meant some of the clothes she was given, Jessie could use the fabric to make up things for you. Mother and daughter were at one time the best dressed around these parts, thanks to Mrs Crabtree and much to the envy of lots of the folks around here. So what with taking in a lodger too, Jessie managed just fine moneywise.’
A smile twitched at the old lady’s lips. ‘You remember Claudia Badger, don’t you, Aidy? Who could ever forget her? I never knew quite what to make of her, meself. She dressed like a floozy in low-cut blouses and tight skirts, had her hair bleached and styled like that film star Greta Garbo … no, that’s not the one … Jean … Jean Harlow. And she worked for Woolie’s as a counter assistant, selling cheap make-up and costume jewellery, and always had some bloke in tow. At first I thought Jessie was out of her mind, choosing her when she could have had her pick from lots at the time wanting good lodgings. I thought Claudia the type who would take advantage and abuse Jessie’s hospitality, but she wouldn’t listen to me ’cos she had taken to Claudia above all the others who’d wanted her room, and that was that.
‘I don’t mind admitting I was very wrong about Claudia. She paid her dues on time, never missing once, and sometimes even bunging Jessie a few shillings extra at Christmas and such like, and she never caused yer mam one minute of bother. She brought fun back into yer mam’s life and she worshipped you, treated you like the daughter she never was to have. I’d often call in and find Claudia reading you a story or helping put you to bed, or you sitting at the table with her while she put on her make-up before she went out. And she’d give you some of her old make-up to play with, and what a mess you used to make! On her afternoon off … Wednesday, I’m sure it was a Wednesday she had off … well, she’d take you out, rain or shine. When you started school,