curtains closed on Three Coins in a Fountain^ and Frank Sinatra crooned the last notes of the haunting theme song, Annie still hadn't bought Sylvia a present.
Sylvia was in tears. The picture had made her feel homesick. 'The music is so beautiful,' she sniffed. 'I could listen to it for ever.'
Annie had a brainwave. 'I'll buy you the record for Christmas! In fifty years' time, when I look in my jewellery box and think of you, you can play Three Coins in a Fountain, and think of me!'
It was an anti-climax after the glorious day to walk into the house in Orlando Street: like entering a tomb, Annie thought miserably. The television was on without the sound and Dad looked up, but didn't utter a word of greeting. Mam's face was turned away. Annie wondered if they spoke to each other when they were alone.
Marie was out, as usual. Annie could go out later if she wished. She'd been invited to a party, but as Ruby Livesey would almost certainly be there, she decided to stay in and watch television.
She went upstairs to unpack the presents. She still had Sylvia's record, and had been invited to the Grand on
hristmas Eve to get her pendant. She opened the box Dntaining Mam's rose and touched the little petals ith her finger. Downstairs, her father's footsteps )unded in the hall and the door slammed. He must be Ding to the corner shop.
Annie was never quite sure afterwards what rompted her to do what she did. In fact she could ^member nothing between Dad slamming the door and nding herself standing in front of her mother, gazing own and marvelling at her girlish face. How incredibly retty she was! She hadn't aged a bit, not like Dad. In ict, she looked much younger than Cecy, who, :;cording to Sylvia, spent a small fortune on creams to eep the wrinkles at bay. Annie noticed the almost tiildish curve of her chin, the way her long dusky lashes ;sted on her smooth cheeks. It was such a shame, she lought sadly, such a waste.
'Mam,' she said loudly. 'I've got you a present.'
Mam didn't stir. It was as if Annie had never spoken.
'I've got you a present, Mam,' she said again, even )uder, but still there was no reaction. She leant down nd twisted the frozen face towards her. 'I've got you a resent. It cost nine and elevenpence and you've got to ike it off me,' she shouted.
Annie fell to her knees until the face was level with er own. It was of tremendous importance that she lake her mother hear. 'Look, Mam, it's a pendant, a Dse.' She took the pendant out of its box and dangled it y the chain. 'A rose for a Rose. I bought it specially ecause it's so pretty. Please, Mam, please take my resent.'
Mam opened her eyes and looked directly at her aughter, and Annie stared deep into the pools of grey, eeing little shreds of silver and gold that she'd never nown were there. Mam gave an almost audible gasp, s if she'd never seen Annie before.
'Let me put it on for you, Mam.' Annie's hands trembled as she reached behind and fastened the clasp. Mam's hands went up to her throat and she began to finger the little pink rose.
'There!' Annie said with satisfaction. 'It looks dead nice.'
'Thank you,' Mam whispered.
Annie felt the urge to weep. She stayed at her mother's feet and laid her head on her lap. Slowly, surreptitiously, she slid her arms around the slim legs until she was hugging them tightly.
They stayed that way for a long time. Then Annie felt her body tingle as there was a soft, almost imperceptible movement, and Mam was gently stroking her head.
'Oh, Mam!' she whispered.
There came the sound of Dad's key in the door, and the hand was abruptly removed. When Annie looked up, her mother's head was turned away and her eyes were closed.
She scrambled to her feet, heart thudding, and was in the kitchen by the time Dad came in. What did it mean? Had it been a charade all these years, a sham, as Dot suspected? Why did Mam stop when she'd heard the key?
Annie let the clothes rack down and began to feel the washing, removing the items
Sylvia was in tears. The picture had made her feel homesick. 'The music is so beautiful,' she sniffed. 'I could listen to it for ever.'
Annie had a brainwave. 'I'll buy you the record for Christmas! In fifty years' time, when I look in my jewellery box and think of you, you can play Three Coins in a Fountain, and think of me!'
It was an anti-climax after the glorious day to walk into the house in Orlando Street: like entering a tomb, Annie thought miserably. The television was on without the sound and Dad looked up, but didn't utter a word of greeting. Mam's face was turned away. Annie wondered if they spoke to each other when they were alone.
Marie was out, as usual. Annie could go out later if she wished. She'd been invited to a party, but as Ruby Livesey would almost certainly be there, she decided to stay in and watch television.
She went upstairs to unpack the presents. She still had Sylvia's record, and had been invited to the Grand on
hristmas Eve to get her pendant. She opened the box Dntaining Mam's rose and touched the little petals ith her finger. Downstairs, her father's footsteps )unded in the hall and the door slammed. He must be Ding to the corner shop.
Annie was never quite sure afterwards what rompted her to do what she did. In fact she could ^member nothing between Dad slamming the door and nding herself standing in front of her mother, gazing own and marvelling at her girlish face. How incredibly retty she was! She hadn't aged a bit, not like Dad. In ict, she looked much younger than Cecy, who, :;cording to Sylvia, spent a small fortune on creams to eep the wrinkles at bay. Annie noticed the almost tiildish curve of her chin, the way her long dusky lashes ;sted on her smooth cheeks. It was such a shame, she lought sadly, such a waste.
'Mam,' she said loudly. 'I've got you a present.'
Mam didn't stir. It was as if Annie had never spoken.
'I've got you a present, Mam,' she said again, even )uder, but still there was no reaction. She leant down nd twisted the frozen face towards her. 'I've got you a resent. It cost nine and elevenpence and you've got to ike it off me,' she shouted.
Annie fell to her knees until the face was level with er own. It was of tremendous importance that she lake her mother hear. 'Look, Mam, it's a pendant, a Dse.' She took the pendant out of its box and dangled it y the chain. 'A rose for a Rose. I bought it specially ecause it's so pretty. Please, Mam, please take my resent.'
Mam opened her eyes and looked directly at her aughter, and Annie stared deep into the pools of grey, eeing little shreds of silver and gold that she'd never nown were there. Mam gave an almost audible gasp, s if she'd never seen Annie before.
'Let me put it on for you, Mam.' Annie's hands trembled as she reached behind and fastened the clasp. Mam's hands went up to her throat and she began to finger the little pink rose.
'There!' Annie said with satisfaction. 'It looks dead nice.'
'Thank you,' Mam whispered.
Annie felt the urge to weep. She stayed at her mother's feet and laid her head on her lap. Slowly, surreptitiously, she slid her arms around the slim legs until she was hugging them tightly.
They stayed that way for a long time. Then Annie felt her body tingle as there was a soft, almost imperceptible movement, and Mam was gently stroking her head.
'Oh, Mam!' she whispered.
There came the sound of Dad's key in the door, and the hand was abruptly removed. When Annie looked up, her mother's head was turned away and her eyes were closed.
She scrambled to her feet, heart thudding, and was in the kitchen by the time Dad came in. What did it mean? Had it been a charade all these years, a sham, as Dot suspected? Why did Mam stop when she'd heard the key?
Annie let the clothes rack down and began to feel the washing, removing the items
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