‘Ooooh, I’m that glad for ‘em’

Liz pulls the sleeve of her cardigan over her hand and wipes her eyes with it. ‘Chuffed t’death they was, 'im grinning all over ‘is face and ‘er smilin’ up at ‘im. Course they weren’t ‘specting me’ she laughs ‘Don’t s’pose they was ‘specting anyone that time a the morning an’ if it weren’t fer young Ewan bein poorly, don’t s’pose I should a found out but them papers ave t’be delivered come hail, rain or shine!’

She rings in the purchase and stands with the change in her hand and a faraway smile on her face. ‘They weren’t no ways embarrassed…and er wi’ just er dressing gown on!’ She brings herself back to the present and giggles again ‘And ‘im wi’a posh suit! I says to im, I says ‘You’s all togged up, you goin somewhere?’ teasin like. And e says ‘No Mrs. Applewhite’…’

She breaks off to smack her hand at nothing and roll her eyes. ‘Whaddya think, 'im calling me by me posh name. Fancy!  ‘No’ he says ‘We’ve been’.

Liz chortles as she finally hands the change over. ‘Well, I looks at er wi’next t’nothin on and I just laughs! Then she held out er ‘and an’ waves ‘er finger at me’ She sighs dreamily then grins again ‘She di’nt arf smack him, jokin like when ‘e says, all pretendin he was fed up ‘I went out fer dinner a single man, Mrs. Applewhite, an' come 'ome with a financee!’ But then 'e laughed and give ‘er such a cuddle! Kissed ‘er right in front of me, e did!  Got the ring from the antique shop so’s e were telling me but they’s goin’ shoppin fer another un as soon as they gets chance, right pretty though, the one what she got now’

‘They’re engaged?’ the customer asks.

‘In’t that what I just been sayin?’

‘Any chance of getting served any time soon?’ The man at the back of the queue grumbles.

Milliwick Newsagents

Chapter Ten

3 Piper Street

‘You’re very late!’ The old woman mutters, turning from the door. ‘I could a froze t’death waitin’. Half past nine you said’

‘I know…and I’m very sorry’ Kester walks into the gloomy hallway and closes the door behind him.

‘Well, that as maybe but it don’t get me boiler goin’ does it?’ She stomps through to the kitchen with Kester trailing along behind.

‘No…and I apologise’

‘What you grinning at? T’ain’t no laughin matter, leavin a pensioner t’get poomonia’

‘Sorry.’ Kester apologises once more. ‘Feeling happy, that’s all. Let’s have a look at this boiler, then’

‘Glad some of us ave got summat to be ‘appy about’ she moans ‘Some of us ave ad t’sit wi’a blanket round em’

‘You should have said it was an emergency when you telephoned. One of the other lads would’ve come out’ he says sincerely with a look of concern.

‘Wha’s a ‘mergency if it ain’t a pensioner wi’out heat? I shoulda thought they’d a knowed that! Besides, it were you I wannid t’come n’ they said what you was avin some time off. I dunno, don’t know what the world’s comin to’

Kester chuckles ‘Just the weekend. Why me?’ He asks, setting his toolbox down on the floor and removing the case on the wall-hung boiler.

‘I wants ‘is autograph, don’t I?’ she sighs at his ignorance ‘Best thing on telly, e is’

Kester stifles a grin. ‘My father? Okay…I’ll see what I can do’

‘Yer will?’ She gives a sudden smile.

‘Yeah, why not?’ he says as he continues his check.

‘It’s like aving im ere in me kitchen’ she sighs, looking Kester up and down. ‘You’ll ave a cup o’tea won’t yer?’ Her whole attitude changes at the prospect of an autograph.

‘Better not, busy morning and…as you pointed out, I’m a bit behind schedule’

‘Wha’s made you so appy then?’ she asks, putting the kettle on anyway.

‘I asked someone to marry me….and they said yes’

‘Ohhh’ she beams ‘Well, tha calls fer a bit of a celebration don’t it? …I’ll get the sherry’

‘Nooo…please’

‘T’ain’t no trouble’ she says, opening the flap on a cabinet new in the fifties. ‘I got some’ She scrapes the crust from the stopper. ‘Ere!’ she slops some of the cloudy liquid into a mug and some into a cup for herself. ‘Cheers! And the best o’luck’

‘Thank you’ Kester wipes his hands down his jeans and takes the mug with an inward grimace, chinking it against her cup. He pretends to drink.

The woman smacks her lips. ‘Nice drop a sherry, that’ she declares as Kester sets the mug on the flap. ‘You ain’t drunk all yours!’

‘I’ll sip it…I am driving you know…and you don’t want me drunk while I’m fixing your boiler, do you?’ he excuses.

She cackles. ’That I don’t!’

‘Thank you anyway, very kind’

‘Will it be a big weddin? S’pect it will what wi’all them famous people you got’

‘We haven’t really spoken about it yet’ A small frown creases between his brows as her words sink in. ‘I need to pop out to the van. You need a new valve on here by the look of it’

‘And I need to…. just pop upstairs a minute, the cold, yer know. Leave the door on the latch, eh?’

‘Will do’ he nods as she bustles out of the room. He lifts the mug as soon as she has disappeared and looks around desperately. With the sink full of unwashed dishes, he searches for somewhere else to deposit the brew. With a grin, he shares it between the three plates of cat food lined up by the back door and stirs them around with his finger before exiting quickly.

Tawny House, Manor Road

’Oh, Jeannie, I am so pleased they have finally come to their senses’ Harriet sighs a smile, leaning back in her armchair and bringing her cup and saucer to her lips to sip. ‘Please, come and sit down, I am sure that there is hardly a speck of dust dare settle in this room. It would be so much nicer to chat for a while’

‘Aye…well, if yer sure’ Jeannie tucks her duster into her apron pocket and perches in the edge of the sofa. ‘I hae t’say, the way the laddie took out of here on Saturday, there was nae doubt in my mind the lassie were fur him’

‘Oh, no question about it at all but you know how these youngsters are’

‘Aye, eejits!’ Jeannie declares with a wise nod of the head.

‘I do hope a wedding will not be far behind…I’m not getting any younger’ Harriet sets her cup on the table at her side with a small worried frown.

‘Awa wi’yer! Yer’ll hae the telegram frae her majesty, dinna worry. Be a big wedding d’ye think?’

‘I have no idea. I rather think that would be down to whatever Helen wishes. It’s all so new, I haven’t had chance to enquire as yet’

‘They’ll be having an announcement in The Times right enough…the engagement’

‘Oh, I doubt that very much’ Harriet laughs ‘…unless you are meaning the Woodbury one’

‘Surely wi’him being…’

‘My grandson…Christopher’s son?’ Harriet purses her lips. ‘He has traded on neither name to find his way in life and I see no reason for family connections to come to the fore now’

‘Och…I wis only saying…but..‘ Jeannie hesitates and fishes her duster out of her pocket to rub at a smear on the coffee table. ‘Hae yer though how the missus will tak the news?’

‘Ohh Lord!’ Harriet groans. ‘Please God she does not find out until they are grandparents themselves!’

‘She’ll hae t’be told, I’m thinking’

‘That is entirely up to Kester and Helen but I shall certainly not be contacting her. She has had next to nothing to do with Kester at all in the last few years and precious little before that. She has maligned my son in the press and as far as I am concerned, she is no longer welcome in my house!’

‘Will there be a bit of a do?…To celebrate the engagement, I’m meaning’

Harriet chuckles at Jeannie’s wily expression. ‘I have no idea but if we are to have one here, I shall be sure to invite you’