was full of fun and always had a smile on her face. ‘Listen, sweetheart, there’s no need for you to worry about money. We manage, don’t we? I know we could both do with a warm coat, and we’ll get them, you’ll see.’
‘I’ll make sure you do,’ David told them. ‘Don’t forget, in another few weeks I’ll be the man of the house, and responsible for my family being well fed and clothed. They won’t be fur coats yer get, the money won’t run to that. But they’ll be nice coats for the two best-looking women in the street.’
Eva chuckled. ‘Ay, don’t let Margie Boden next door hear yer saying that, or she’ll have yer guts for garters.’
Poppy sounded more like herself when she told her brother, ‘Margie is nice-looking, and she is always well dressed. Plus she is the funniest woman on two legs. And her daughters are both very pretty.’
David lifted his hands in surrender. ‘Okay, I said the wrong thing. Now, our kid, what else have yer decided that we should know about?’
‘There’s nothing much I can do, not until I’m qualified for a better job that pays more money. But I’m going to work hard at night school, and practise at home as well. And if my wishes come true, and both you and me are bringing a good wage in each week, David, then our mam can pack in work.’
Eva tutted. ‘I wish you and David wouldn’t worry so much about me going to work. I enjoy my job, and the women Iwork with. If I was at home I’d be bored stiff. Besides, I like to earn a wage. I don’t want to live off you.’
‘Can I add my thoughts on what’s been said so far?’ David leaned his elbows on the table. ‘I know it’s two against one, but I’m a lot bigger than you, so by rights that makes us equal. So, while you two have been airing your views and putting the world to rights, I’ve come up with a solution I believe will suit everyone.’
‘Out with it then, son,’ his mother said. ‘We’ve got all night to sit and natter. It doesn’t happen very often that the three of us sit talking, so we may as well make the most of it.’
‘Well, let’s take it in stages, otherwise we’ll still be sitting here in the morning. First let’s get your coats settled. We haven’t got the money to buy them now, so it’ll be a few weeks at the earliest. I’ll put a quid away each week with your ten bobs, so in three weeks you’ll have enough to buy the coats. They’ll be cheap ones, but they’ll do to be going on with. Does that go down well?’
Poppy’s head was nodding like mad. ‘That would be wonderful, David, and very generous of yer.’ She put an arm across his shoulder and hugged him. ‘The best brother in the world, bar none, and I love the bones of yer.’ She sat back in her chair, feeling happier than she had all day. ‘Now you’ve said your piece, and I’m sure me mam will agree with what I’ve said, I’ll tell yer what’s been going through my mind while you were talking. I’m going to give meself four months to be competent enough to apply for a post as a secretary. I’ll go to the classes twice a week, and I’ll practise at home every night. Not that I’ll be missing me nights out, ’cos I won’t. But I’ll get an hour’s practice in before I go out, come what may.’
‘Don’t build yer hopes up, sweetheart,’ Eva told her daughter. ‘Even if you pass the course with flying colours, itdoesn’t mean you’ll walk straight into a job. It would be lovely if yer did, but I’m just warning you ’cos I’d hate you to be disappointed.’
‘I won’t, Mam, don’t worry about that. I’ll walk the feet off meself until I do get a decent job.’
‘At least you’ll have a respectable coat to wear for your interviews,’ David said, adding in his head that with her looks and figure, his sister should have no trouble finding a decent job.
‘Now can I have my say?’ Eva asked. ‘You both talk of wanting to earn money so I can pack in working. And while your heads
‘I’ll make sure you do,’ David told them. ‘Don’t forget, in another few weeks I’ll be the man of the house, and responsible for my family being well fed and clothed. They won’t be fur coats yer get, the money won’t run to that. But they’ll be nice coats for the two best-looking women in the street.’
Eva chuckled. ‘Ay, don’t let Margie Boden next door hear yer saying that, or she’ll have yer guts for garters.’
Poppy sounded more like herself when she told her brother, ‘Margie is nice-looking, and she is always well dressed. Plus she is the funniest woman on two legs. And her daughters are both very pretty.’
David lifted his hands in surrender. ‘Okay, I said the wrong thing. Now, our kid, what else have yer decided that we should know about?’
‘There’s nothing much I can do, not until I’m qualified for a better job that pays more money. But I’m going to work hard at night school, and practise at home as well. And if my wishes come true, and both you and me are bringing a good wage in each week, David, then our mam can pack in work.’
Eva tutted. ‘I wish you and David wouldn’t worry so much about me going to work. I enjoy my job, and the women Iwork with. If I was at home I’d be bored stiff. Besides, I like to earn a wage. I don’t want to live off you.’
‘Can I add my thoughts on what’s been said so far?’ David leaned his elbows on the table. ‘I know it’s two against one, but I’m a lot bigger than you, so by rights that makes us equal. So, while you two have been airing your views and putting the world to rights, I’ve come up with a solution I believe will suit everyone.’
‘Out with it then, son,’ his mother said. ‘We’ve got all night to sit and natter. It doesn’t happen very often that the three of us sit talking, so we may as well make the most of it.’
‘Well, let’s take it in stages, otherwise we’ll still be sitting here in the morning. First let’s get your coats settled. We haven’t got the money to buy them now, so it’ll be a few weeks at the earliest. I’ll put a quid away each week with your ten bobs, so in three weeks you’ll have enough to buy the coats. They’ll be cheap ones, but they’ll do to be going on with. Does that go down well?’
Poppy’s head was nodding like mad. ‘That would be wonderful, David, and very generous of yer.’ She put an arm across his shoulder and hugged him. ‘The best brother in the world, bar none, and I love the bones of yer.’ She sat back in her chair, feeling happier than she had all day. ‘Now you’ve said your piece, and I’m sure me mam will agree with what I’ve said, I’ll tell yer what’s been going through my mind while you were talking. I’m going to give meself four months to be competent enough to apply for a post as a secretary. I’ll go to the classes twice a week, and I’ll practise at home every night. Not that I’ll be missing me nights out, ’cos I won’t. But I’ll get an hour’s practice in before I go out, come what may.’
‘Don’t build yer hopes up, sweetheart,’ Eva told her daughter. ‘Even if you pass the course with flying colours, itdoesn’t mean you’ll walk straight into a job. It would be lovely if yer did, but I’m just warning you ’cos I’d hate you to be disappointed.’
‘I won’t, Mam, don’t worry about that. I’ll walk the feet off meself until I do get a decent job.’
‘At least you’ll have a respectable coat to wear for your interviews,’ David said, adding in his head that with her looks and figure, his sister should have no trouble finding a decent job.
‘Now can I have my say?’ Eva asked. ‘You both talk of wanting to earn money so I can pack in working. And while your heads
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