In a Class of Their Own (28 page)

“Well, I know the pong coming off you is a fish supper in that pocket,” said Carrie with a smile, pointing to the bulge in Sam’s right-hand overcoat pocket. “But what in the name of heavens is that bulge in your other pocket?”

“The king of drinks,” Sam sang, digging in his left pocket and bringing out a bottle of Vimto. Then, reaching into the other pocket, he brought out the newspaper-wrapped delicacy. “C’mon noo,” he coaxed, winking at Carrie, “let’s sit doon and hae a guid tuck-in.”

Carrie took the fish supper from Sam’s hands, unwrapped the newspaper and spread it out on the table. Sam opened the Vimto and they had both just lifted the first chips to their mouths when they found themselves faced with pyjama-clad Paul and Alice coming into the scullery. “Aw, God!” exclaimed Sam. “Noo I’ll hae to share it amang the fower o us.”

Alice confirmed that by going over to get four cups from the cupboard. She had just sat down again when Paul pranced over to the cupboard, lifted out a bottle of tomato ketchup and was about to splash a large dollop of it onto the chips when Sam grabbed him by the arm.

“See you, Paul?” Sam teased playfully. “Ye’ve aw the big bricht ideas aboot being a lawyer and ye dinnae even ken that it’s muck sauce that goes on fish and chips when they’re being washed down with Vimto – nae tomati.”

Undaunted, Paul pulled himself free, went back to the cupboard and took out a plate. And, as they all silently watched, he picked up a handful of chips along with half the tail of the fish and put them on the plate before picking up the bottle and liberally dunting some tomato sauce on to them. To their amazement, he then lifted his cup and toasted them boldly, bragging, “And I
will
be a lawyer. Oh aye, I’ll mak a fortune out of defending aw them crooks that you’re gonnae nick, Sam.”

All four looked from one to the other for a second, then their laughter rang gaily round the room.

“Aye, ye just micht,” Sam chortled, before his voice changed as it became choked with emotion. “Ye see, Paul, things werenae too bad for you and Alice. Ye grew up in the palmy days. Ye’re gettin’ to bide on at schuil and Alice is gettin’ tap-dancin’ lessons – no robbed like Carrie and me – an’ maybe puir Hannah even mair so.”

“Robbed? Robbed of what, Sam?” Carrie queried in amazement.

“Oor childhood! Never allowed just to be bairns and just to play.” Sam sniffed before he continued. “Oh aye, cos we were deserted and betrayed by oor ain kith an’ kin, we were foisted wi’ responsibilities awa beyond oor years.”

“Be fair now, Sam,” said Carrie, who was desperate to get Sam’s mood to lighten. “By the time Paul was ready to go to Leith Academy we could afford the blazer for him.”

“A second-hand yin, if ye don’t mind,” Paul chimed in.

“Aye, but yer scarf and tie were new. Brand-new. I ken that cos I went wi’oot to buy them for ye,” Sam reminded him.

“That’s quite enough, Sam!” Carrie fulminated.

“Aye, ye’re richt enough.”

Realising he was upsetting everyone, Sam got up and ruffled Paul’s jet-black hair in a gesture of reconciliation. “A lawyer ye want to be, son? Me? I just wanted to be an ace fitba’er.” He paused and then added wryly, “But I stopped believin’ in fairy tales when I was eight years auld.”

“Did you really, Sam?” laughed Carrie. “I’ve never stopped believing in them. Oh no! I remember dreaming that one day I’d have a half-loaf all to my self and a whole tin of condensed milk to spread on it – and I got it. And then I dreamt about a whole Mars bar for myself…” She stopped and giggled as she grabbed hold of Sam by the arm. “And now that I can afford one, I’m sick if I take more than one wee slice. And know something else?” Carrie’s eyes became dreamy. “I know that some day Will and me will have one of those semi-detached houses with the rose gardens over on the posh side of Learig Close.”

Now it was Sam’s turn to laugh. “Semi-detached hoose, Carrie? Ye were ayeways semi-detached.”

Desperate to get in on the game, Alice heaved a sigh and blurted out, “I remember how we used to dream about having electricity and enough hot water to fill the bath in the bathroom. And now we have hot baths and wash our hair, not in that old-fashioned Dreen, but in posh Amami shampoo every week.”

Before Sam could snub Alice, Carrie lifted her hand to warn him that it would be cruel to remind her how she and Paul had had life easy compared to the older ones. Sam heeded the unspoken advice and joined in the game. Picking up a chip that he had dragged through the muck sauce, he teased, “D’ye remember, Carrie, hoo I’d dip my chips in yer egg yolk? An’ cos we were the mankiest, we’d be the last to be dumped into the wash tub and scrubbed clean by Mammy.”

Sam’s eyes moistened, and his face grew more serious. “An’ I hinna forgotten yer ornaments, Carrie. Oh aye! Some day I’ll get yer Dresden shepherd and shepherdess back for ye.” Sam stopped, and then his eyes twinkled as he nudged Carrie. “Mind ye, I dinnae ken hoo lang it’s gonnae tak, but I do ken that some day – I just will.”

Carrie smiled and, stroking Sam’s cheek, whispered, “I don’t think these ornaments were so important. What was important was that Mammy kept us all together and that we got there in the end.”

Sam nodded. “Aye, we never sterved. Never got chucked out by the cooncil. Never got lifted by the polis. And Mammy never …”

Alice interrupted Sam. “Know what you mean. And know something? If this house could speak it’d tell better stories than you’re going to write one day, Carrie.”

Carrie nodded. “Wish Hannah was here right now. Mammy’s still real upset about her.”

“Nae need to fret aboot Hannah and Mammy,” said Sam reassuringly. “They’re special tae each other, an’ afore ye ken it, Hannah will hae a bairn an’ aw the sea atween Oban and Lochboisdale will never be ower rough or ower deep enough to keep them apairt.”

Carrie’s eyes began to sparkle and she looked upwards over her shoulder. She nodded again and again and again. And she kept repeating, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Och, dinnae tell me ye’re anither yin that’s gonnae be speaking to the deid,” teased Sam, rolling the newspaper into a ball before flinging it lightly at Carrie.

“Just being like you and Auntie Bella – foretelling the future.”

“And what
is
our future to be?” Alice gasped, desperate to know if one day she would really go to Hollywood and take over from Alice Faye.

“Ah well,” said Carrie, in mock imitation of Bella, “that was our very own Granny Rosie that came through there just now. She says we all have a long, long, road to travel and …”

Sam broke in. “We’ll hae oor ups and doons and oor successes and failures, cos that’s hoo life is. But when ye’ve had a Leith education ye can bounce back frae onythin’.”

Carrie nodded. “Aye, and …”

Sam interrupted again. “Cos we were lucky enough to be brocht up by oor Mammy – we hae the backbone, no only to dae a double bounce, but to dae it wi’ class!”

First published in this edition 2009

by Black & White Publishing Ltd

29 Ocean Drive, Edinburgh EH6 6JL

www.blackandwhitepublishing.com

This electronic edition published in 2012

ISBN: 978 1 84502 551 9 in EPub format

ISBN: 978 1 84502 552 6 in Mobi pocket format

ISBN: 978 1 84502 256 3 in paperback format

Copyright © Millie Gray 2008, 2009

First published in 2008 by The Bellfield Press, Edinburgh

The right of Millie Gray to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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