you’re after a meal, forget it,’ Carol said. ‘There’s hardly any food in the cupboards.’
‘Why’s that?’ Paul asked, frowning.
‘Dad lost his job.’
‘I haven’t managed to find another one yet, so is there any chance of a few quid to tide me over?’ Frank asked.
‘Yeah, all right,’ Paul said taking out his wallet, and Dave did the same.
Frank eagerly took the proffered notes. ‘Thanks, boys. I’ll pay this back as soon as I can.’
‘There’s no hurry,’ Paul said and Dave nodded in agreement.
Now that he had money, Frank was inwardly willing them to leave. He couldn’t go to the Park Tavern though, as after scrounging from the regulars they’d expect him to return the favour when they saw he had funds. There was a way round that though. He’d go to a different pub, and with a good few quid he’d be able to afford a few whisky chasers.
‘Have you heard anything from Mum?’ Carol asked her brothers.
‘No,’ Dave said shortly then adding that they had to leave.
‘You’ve hardly been here for five minutes,’ Carol protested.
‘Yeah, I know, but we’ve got to get ourselves togged up for tonight.’
They had no sooner left than Carol said, ‘Dad, can I have some of that money? I need to get some food in.’
‘The shops are shut now so it can wait until Monday. Now I’m off out,’ he told her, and before Carol could say another word he left, heading for a pub on Lavender Hill.
At the top of the Rise, Frank recalled Carol saying that they could pawn some stuff. He hadn’t liked the idea at first, but now realised that it could raise a good few bob. He was hardly in to watch it so he could sell the television too, ensuring that when this money ran out, he’d have plenty more.
Amy was in her bedroom, almost ready and wearing a pretty, blue flowered summer dress that flared at the waist and ended just below her knees. She was just putting on her make-up when she heard a knock on the front door, and after hurrying to apply a shade of pink lipstick, she ran downstairs to find that her mother had let Tommy in.
‘Hello,’ he said, smiling when he saw her. ‘Happy Birthday, you look nice.’
‘Thanks, but as I don’t know where you’re taking me, I wasn’t sure what to wear.’
‘That’s fine,’ Tommy said.
‘Phyllis, do you remember what you were wearing when I …’
‘Shut up, Stan.’
‘Oh yeah, right, sorry.’
Amy looked at her parents, puzzled by this exchange and her father’s shamefaced expression, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it as Tommy said urgently, ‘If you’re ready, let’s go.’
‘I’m ready,’ she smiled, saying goodbye to her parents.
Tommy opened the van door, and as she climbed in he said, ‘I wish I could take you out in a nice car, but one day I hope to own one.’
‘This is fine and far nicer than walking,’ she replied and when Tommy got in behind the wheel she asked, ‘Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?’
‘No, not yet, but you’ll soon see.’
Amy was puzzled as Tommy drove off, but it wasn’t long before she saw Battersea Park ahead of them. ‘Are we going to the funfair?’
‘Yes, and I hope that’s all right with you.’
‘It’s fine,’ Amy replied. She hadn’t known what to expect, and though she loved the funfair, it was the last place she’d thought about when Tommy said he was taking her somewhere special. He turned his head to smile at her, and she smiled back, thinking that she really didn’t mind. She was with Tommy and that was all that mattered.
Once parked, they walked along a path, the bright lights of the funfair clear in the night sky. Soon they were going through the funfair’s turnstiles and inside, where Tommy urged her towards the big wheel.
‘Let’s go on this before it’s replaced by the new one,’ he urged, saying something then to the man operating that Amy failed to hear. Moments later the wheel stopped and they climbed on, sitting side by side, with a bar put across the rocking seat which Amy thought nervously was to prevent them from falling out.
As the wheel began to turn, soon reaching the top, Tommy held her hand and Amy was enchanted by the views of the funfair stretched out below them. On the descent, Amy’s stomach did a little flip, but around they went and up to the pinnacle again. The wheel came to a stop then, Amy finding it a little frightening to be suspended so high up, and when the seat they were in swung, she was unable to stifle a little yelp.
‘Don’t worry, you’re safe,’ Tommy said, placing an arm around her.
‘I’m all right,’ she said, laying her head on his shoulder. ‘It’s wonderful up here, Tommy. It feels like the two of us are alone on the top of the world.’
‘See those stars, Amy,’ he said, pointing up to the sky. ‘I can’t bring one down to slip on your finger, but I can give you this instead. Will … will you marry me?’
Amy could barely see the box that Tommy had flipped open with one hand, but even if it had contained a plastic ring her answer would have been the same. ‘Oh, yes, Tommy. Yes please,’ she said, flinging herself into his arms.
The seat rocked, but this time Amy didn’t scream and Tommy’s lips met hers.
‘I love you, Amy,’ he husked.
‘And I love you,’ she said as they began to move on a downward descent again.
They drew apart and Tommy smiled ruefully. ‘I asked the chap who operates the wheel to stop it for a minute or two when we were at the top, but I didn’t expect it to scare you.’
‘I was only nervous for a moment. It was a wonderful place to propose, so romantic, magical, and something I’ll never forget,’ Amy said and meant it. She was eighteen, engaged to be married, and for Amy at that moment, everything was just perfect.
By the last week in August Carol was near the end of her tether. Almost everything of value had been pawned, but her dad spent most of the money on booze. With no sign of him ever getting a job she had gone back to work, and had just arrived home from the paint factory on Friday to find her dad eagerly waiting. It was payday and she knew what he wanted – but he’d have a long wait if he thought she was going to just pass over her wages again.
‘Come on, Carol,’ he urged, ‘give me your pay-packet.’
‘No, Dad,’ she argued.
‘Do as you’re told,’ he snarled in her face.
She reeled back from the stench of his breath and unwashed body, finding the father she had known almost unrecognisable. He was a hopeless drunk now, and though she felt partly to blame, Carol knew that with rent to pay and food to buy, she had to hang on to her wages. ‘Dad,’ she said, hoping appeasement would work as she opened her handbag to pull out a ten bob note, ‘here, take this.’
With hands shaking in his need for alcohol, he snatched it from her, and as though unable to wait a moment longer to get to the pub, hurried out.
Carol’s shoulders slumped with relief, yet she knew that as soon as the money was spent her father would be back for more. Her stomach rumbled, and going through to the scullery she looked for something