Jim Bennett

The house they had come to see was in a cul-de-sac backed by a blank factory wall as high as the houses. It was at the end of a row of six two-up/two-down terraced houses facing the gasworks wall. Along the street there was a smell like rotten eggs.

“You’ll get used to the smell,” David said, “and the house will be just for the summer, a place of our own away from your Ma, 'til the ships start taking on.” He read the advert again. “Two bedrooms and space for a bath. Can you imagine it, Lou? A bath with running water?”

For the hundredth time she wanted to remind him that there was no bath, no pipes, no taps, no boiler, but she didn’t. She couldn’t stay with her mother any longer and there was no prospect of a home with his mother until they could get married, so this was it. It was cheap and with the bit of money her mother had promised to help them out, it was a rent they could afford, even if it did smell.

“Look Lou, there she is now.” David pointed to a woman emerging from the furthest house and quickly made his way toward her. Lou tried to place her feet carefully to avoid the puddles and mud along the road as she followed David who splashed on eagerly.

The woman, in tight black trousers and a low-cut white blouse, had hair rollers dangling from under the edges of a headscarf. She introduced herself as Mrs.Davis and nodded towards the house. “This is the one, my mother’s, before... God rest her.”

“God rest her,” Lou and David mumbled in unison. Mrs. Davis led the way towards the door.

It opened into a small dark front room. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Lou could see a few pieces of furniture that qualified the house to be described as furnished. David walked straight in and sat on the one substantial thing in the room, a misshapen sofa. It creaked and groaned as he moved around trying to find a place where a spring was not stabbing him.

“That’s it, make yourself at home,” Mrs. Davis said. “It’s a good house. Room for a young couple to make improvements.” She chattered on without pause. “Through there is the kitchen, and upstairs the master bedroom and the second room which would convert to a lovely bathroom, if you’ve a mind.” She looked at David, “You look handy enough, could do a spot of decorating.”

“We’re just looking for a six month rental,” he replied.

“Oh I see,” Mrs. Davis said. “I thought perhaps longer, as your wife is...” She stopped, looked at Lou who shook her head slightly. “I mean if you had a mind you could decorate.”

Lou moved around the room, looked at the few pieces of furniture. She tried to open a drawer in a small dresser but had to pull so hard she was afraid a handle would come off.

“Everything you see is included,” Mrs. Davis said, as she steered Lou away from the drawer and towards the kitchen. Lou nodded, though she knew she could find better in a charity shop. The kitchen and upstairs were clean enough, even David’s mother would agree. Idly she picked up a picture that had been turned face down on a small table, a photo of a couple: one face obviously Mrs. Davies with her head nestled against a smiling young man.

“If we put a bathroom in, how does that effect the rent?” Lou asked.

“Oh, no difference. I wouldn’t put up the rent. No toilet, mind, unhealthy--those indoor ones. No, but a bath, well, that’s different. Cleanliness is next to godliness, my mum always says.” Then as an afterthought she added “God rest ...” but her voice dropped away and Lou was not sure if she finished it or not.

“God rest her,” David repeated.

Lou looked at her prospective landlady. Under a layer of thick makeup she could see that Mrs. Davis was probably not much older than herself, maybe twenty-six. Her gaze dropped and she noticed Mrs. Davis’s rounded stomach.

Mrs. Davis fidgeted as she saw Lou looking.

“Where are you living now?” Lou asked quietly. There was a pause while Mrs. Davis searched for an answer.

“With my mum.” Mrs. Davis eventually replied. Lou nodded.

David looked puzzled, “But I thought...” Lou cut him off with a glance.

“No Mr.Davis then?”

“No, he went off when...well, you know.”

Lou nodded and looked at David, after a moment she said “We’ll take the house.”

“We will?” David asked, then added, “Oh sure, that’s right, we’ll take it.”

Mrs. Davis nodded, “I’ll sort out the rent book. What name is it in? 'Mr and Mrs?'”

“Kearey,” Lou replied.

“Right. Mr. and Mrs. Kearey it is then.” Mrs. Davis said, smiling broadly. “I promised to pop in and see Mrs. Hamilton, who lives two houses down. I’ll be telling her you’ll be moving in then. Mr. and Mrs. Kearey.” She repeated it as if to fix it in her mind.

“Very friendly the neighbours are, very friendly. Always popping in, give you the last spoon of sugar in the house. They mean well, you know...”

“Yes,” said Lou. “I know the sort of neighbours you mean, it’s been like that at my mother's.”

Mrs. Davis nodded, then looking around, she added, “I always wanted a bathroom.”

A HOUSE FOR THE SUMMER

by