person, with a big heart.’
Ruby giggled.
‘I’m so lucky to have found a friend like you at the laundry,’ Elsie went on. ‘Can’t stand some of ’em. Right big mouths, especially that Florrie James. You wonner watch her if you ever get put in the ironing room.’
‘I hope I get out of the washroom one day.’ Ruby pointed to the garters Elsie was holding. ‘They’re for putting in a good word to Mrs Watson for me. Without that I wouldn’t have a job and I certainly wouldn’t have any money.’
Elsie tucked her arm through Ruby’s. ‘What say we go and have a cuppa at the café? My treat.’
‘Why not?’
Ruby and Elsie made their way through the crowds, clutching all their parcels carefully. Her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed, Ruby looked at the mistletoe decorating some of the stalls. Her dreams would be complete if Ernie Wallis sauntered along and, after buying a sprig, came up and kissed her. She hadn’t seen him since that night he was going to the pub. Whenever she left work she kept an eye out for him, but he was never around. I wonder if he ever thinks of me? she mused.
It was just beginning to get light outside. Ruby lay for a moment or two quietly taking in the silence. The baby was sleeping peacefully and Ruby could just make out Tom’s head buried in the pillow. She smiled. She knew there was a stocking wedged against the end of the mattress, and she couldn’t wait for him to wake and see what was in it. Ruby loved him so much and wished he could have the childhood she’d had. She couldn’t hear her mother pottering about. She would wait a little longer before she got up; she didn’t want to go into a cold kitchen.
Ruby must have dozed off again as she woke with a start when Danny began to cry.
‘Look, Ruby! I’ve got some pencils and a book, and look, there’s some sweets and an orange. This is the best Christmas ever .’ Tom had scattered paper over the floor.
‘Merry Christmas, Ruby,’ said Beth. ‘I’m sorry if Danny woke you.’
‘Merry Christmas, Beth. It’s all right, I should have got up ages ago. I must go and help Mum.’
‘I’ve not heard her moving about.’ Beth put Danny over her shoulder and gently patted his back.
‘Did Danny get a stocking?’ asked Tom.
Beth laughed. ‘Not this year, he’s a bit young to appreciate it.’
‘I got him something.’
‘Oh Ruby, that’s so very kind of you.’
‘It’s a teething ring. I remember you said he’ll be needing one soon.’
Beth put her free arm round Ruby. ‘Thank you.’ She kissed Ruby’s cheek, then looked at her son. ‘You’re a very lucky little boy to have someone like Ruby to spoil you.’
Ruby quickly got dressed and went into the kitchen. It was cold. The fire hadn’t been lit. Ruby stood and looked around. Everything was just as they had left it last night. She hurried through the washhouse and into the yard. She pushed open the closet door. It was empty. ‘Mum,’ she called softly. She rushed back through the washhouse and kitchen and gently knocked on her mother’s bedroom door. ‘Mum,’ she called softly again.
Beth came out of their bedroom. ‘What is it, Ruby? You look worried.’
‘It’s Mum. She ain’t up yet,’ Ruby whispered.
‘She works very hard - perhaps she feels like sleeping in a bit longer. After all, she’s got all day with no washing or ironing hanging about.’
‘She’s never slept in before.’
‘Well, she won’t be for much longer, not with all the chatter that’s going on out here. Let’s give her a nice surprise. We’ll get the fire going, then you can take her a nice cuppa. That’ll be as good as a present for her.’
Ruby smiled. ‘Come on then. I hope I haven’t woken her up.’
It didn’t take long for the fire to take hold, and although Ruby was worried about her mother, soon she and Beth were laughing and singing, ‘Away in a Manger’. Looking at Beth, Ruby realised she was happy to have Beth around; her
Ruby giggled.
‘I’m so lucky to have found a friend like you at the laundry,’ Elsie went on. ‘Can’t stand some of ’em. Right big mouths, especially that Florrie James. You wonner watch her if you ever get put in the ironing room.’
‘I hope I get out of the washroom one day.’ Ruby pointed to the garters Elsie was holding. ‘They’re for putting in a good word to Mrs Watson for me. Without that I wouldn’t have a job and I certainly wouldn’t have any money.’
Elsie tucked her arm through Ruby’s. ‘What say we go and have a cuppa at the café? My treat.’
‘Why not?’
Ruby and Elsie made their way through the crowds, clutching all their parcels carefully. Her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed, Ruby looked at the mistletoe decorating some of the stalls. Her dreams would be complete if Ernie Wallis sauntered along and, after buying a sprig, came up and kissed her. She hadn’t seen him since that night he was going to the pub. Whenever she left work she kept an eye out for him, but he was never around. I wonder if he ever thinks of me? she mused.
It was just beginning to get light outside. Ruby lay for a moment or two quietly taking in the silence. The baby was sleeping peacefully and Ruby could just make out Tom’s head buried in the pillow. She smiled. She knew there was a stocking wedged against the end of the mattress, and she couldn’t wait for him to wake and see what was in it. Ruby loved him so much and wished he could have the childhood she’d had. She couldn’t hear her mother pottering about. She would wait a little longer before she got up; she didn’t want to go into a cold kitchen.
Ruby must have dozed off again as she woke with a start when Danny began to cry.
‘Look, Ruby! I’ve got some pencils and a book, and look, there’s some sweets and an orange. This is the best Christmas ever .’ Tom had scattered paper over the floor.
‘Merry Christmas, Ruby,’ said Beth. ‘I’m sorry if Danny woke you.’
‘Merry Christmas, Beth. It’s all right, I should have got up ages ago. I must go and help Mum.’
‘I’ve not heard her moving about.’ Beth put Danny over her shoulder and gently patted his back.
‘Did Danny get a stocking?’ asked Tom.
Beth laughed. ‘Not this year, he’s a bit young to appreciate it.’
‘I got him something.’
‘Oh Ruby, that’s so very kind of you.’
‘It’s a teething ring. I remember you said he’ll be needing one soon.’
Beth put her free arm round Ruby. ‘Thank you.’ She kissed Ruby’s cheek, then looked at her son. ‘You’re a very lucky little boy to have someone like Ruby to spoil you.’
Ruby quickly got dressed and went into the kitchen. It was cold. The fire hadn’t been lit. Ruby stood and looked around. Everything was just as they had left it last night. She hurried through the washhouse and into the yard. She pushed open the closet door. It was empty. ‘Mum,’ she called softly. She rushed back through the washhouse and kitchen and gently knocked on her mother’s bedroom door. ‘Mum,’ she called softly again.
Beth came out of their bedroom. ‘What is it, Ruby? You look worried.’
‘It’s Mum. She ain’t up yet,’ Ruby whispered.
‘She works very hard - perhaps she feels like sleeping in a bit longer. After all, she’s got all day with no washing or ironing hanging about.’
‘She’s never slept in before.’
‘Well, she won’t be for much longer, not with all the chatter that’s going on out here. Let’s give her a nice surprise. We’ll get the fire going, then you can take her a nice cuppa. That’ll be as good as a present for her.’
Ruby smiled. ‘Come on then. I hope I haven’t woken her up.’
It didn’t take long for the fire to take hold, and although Ruby was worried about her mother, soon she and Beth were laughing and singing, ‘Away in a Manger’. Looking at Beth, Ruby realised she was happy to have Beth around; her
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