Mothers and Daughters by Fleming Leah

Author:Fleming, Leah [Fleming, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2009-03-06T00:00:00+00:00

17

23 November 1963

‘I hear the runaway came back to Division Street and got short shrift from that Susan … quite right too. Now the girl’s up at Esme’s, making herself useful, for once,’ said Ivy, watching her son preening himself in the mirror. ‘I see you’ve bought another new shirt. We’ll have to get a bigger wardrobe, you’ve got that much stuff, Neville,’ she added, eyeing him up. ‘Black and white stripes is a bit loud … You look like a spiv. Dancing … or out with that Trevor again?’

‘Might be.’ Neville was cagey. His mother was always sniffing around, waiting for him to bring Trevor home, but he never would.

‘I hear he’s off the Willows council estate and rough with it. What about Basil? You used to be right pally with him. I liked him. His dad is a dentist.’

‘Basil’s moved to Manchester.’

‘Got a girlfriend, has he?’

‘Something like that,’ he replied. How could he tell his mother that Basil was living in Didsbury with a guy twice his age, a right silver fox who played in the Hallé Orchestra.

‘I wish you’d bring your friends back so I can meet them,’ she continued.

So you can vet them, more like, he thought. She’d take one look at Trevor and think him common, rough-spoken and not good enough to be a friend for her precious son. God only knew what she’d think if she knew the truth about their relationship.

‘Trevor and me thought we’d try further afield,’ he lied. ‘Go for a Chinese and then on to Manchester.’

‘Well, put some petrol in the car then. I’m not forking out for your trips. Trevor should pay his whack. He gets enough free rides these days.’

‘Oh, don’t be mean. He’s got his widowed mother to support.’

‘Aye, and on a plasterer’s wage, I gather. I can’t see what you two have in common at all except the Operatic.’

She’d have a fit if she knew what they got up to after the rehearsals were over. Trevor was as keen as he was with their lovemaking – fast and furious and the best he’d ever had. Sometimes it was as much as they could do to keep their hands off each other in public. How could his fussy mother understand any of that? Now, his father was living with Shirley most of the time while Mum was growing fat in front of the television every night. He’d feel sorry for her if she wasn’t so nosy.

‘I’ll be late so don’t wait up,’ he shouted as he straightened his tie. How could he tell her he was in love, courting and full of plans?

They met up as usual at the Golden Dragon for chow mein, chips and banana fritters, chatting over their day like an old couple. Trevor had taken his mother shopping and round the Saturday market. He was rehearsing his new part for the next show, Oklahoma!, with their voice coach, Audrey Ramsden, and he was plastering up a bedroom wall for one of his neighbours in his spare time.

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