Stay as Sweet as You Are by Joan Jonker

up for a change, and he has to go and put the blocks on it.’
    Bob felt something brush over his foot, and after checking under the table, he looked across to where Kate was sitting. ‘Eat up,’ she said, ‘it’s nearly time to go back to work.’
    He pulled a face. ‘Me tummy’s upset, I’ve no appetite.’
    ‘Yer can’t work on an empty stomach.’ Kate had kept a friendly eye on him since the episode of the doorstep sandwich. He and Billy had sat at the women’s table every day since, and the two seats on the bench were always left free for them. ‘Yer’ll feel better if yer get some food down yer.’
    Bob smiled and took a sandwich from the box in front of him. ‘If you say so.’
    ‘I do say so,’ Kate said, returning his smile. ‘Anyway, how’s yer daughter?’
    Interest flared in Bob’s eyes. ‘She’s fine. In fact, I bet atthis moment she’s got a big smile on her face. The bloke I’ve just been telling yer about, he’s taking her to the pictures tonight, with the two lads from next door. She’ll be like a cat on hot bricks all day, full of excitement. And it’s her birthday next week, that’s something else for her to look forward to.’
    ‘Will she be having a party?’
    Bob lowered his eyes. He was too ashamed to tell Kate his daughter had never had a birthday party in her life. ‘No. Instead of a party I’ve promised to take her into town for a new coat. If I’ve any cash left, I’ll treat her to tea in the Kardomah.’
    ‘Oh, that’s nice, she’ll like that.’ Kate looked puzzled. ‘Will yer wife be going with yer?’
    Bob raised his head and faced her. ‘No, my wife will not be coming, Kate.’
    ‘Don’t tell me you two haven’t made it up yet?’
    Bob glanced at the others sat at the table, but they were too busy listening to Elsie Burgess telling them about a woman in her street who was getting her milk for nothing because she was having it off with the milkman. He sighed and turned his gaze back to Kate. ‘Me and the wife are having a hard time, I’m afraid. We don’t see eye to eye at all.’
    ‘Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear that. It’s not still over yer carry-out, is it?’
    ‘No, nothing as trivial as that.’ Bob met her eyes. ‘It’s a long story, Kate, and this isn’t the place to tell it. Anyway, yer’ve probably got enough troubles of yer own without listening to mine.’
    ‘Sometimes it helps to get things off yer chest. And I’m a good listener.’
    ‘Another day, perhaps.’
    There was a burst of loud laughter and both turned towards Elsie, who was still holding forth. ‘I’m telling yer, it’s the truth! Her feller comes out at half-seven, and the milkman goes in at eight. Yer can set yer alarm by them.’
    ‘Come off it,’ Peg Butterworth said. ‘He probably goes toevery house in the bleedin’ street! Yer can’t tell me he’s having it off with everyone, unless he’s got the strength of a ruddy lion.’
    ‘Yes, he does go to nearly every house in the street, I’ll grant yer that. But he doesn’t go inside every house and stay for half an hour, leaving his pony and trap outside. It’s a dead give-away, that is. The stupid cow must think we were all born yesterday.’
    ‘D’yer not think,’ Billy said, his face straight, ‘that ye’re all being bad-minded? The poor bloke probably gets a cup of tea off her.’
    That got Elsie on her high horse. The arms were folded and the bosom hitched. ‘Well, you tell me how come the woman who lives opposite saw the milkman at the bedroom window? He wouldn’t be going upstairs for a cup of tea, now, would he, smart arse?’
    Peg’s eyes were glinting wickedly. There was nothing she liked more than to get Elsie’s dander up. ‘Perhaps she’d asked him to fix the bedroom curtains or something. Or, she could have had a bad back and asked him to make the bed for her. And being an obliging man, he didn’t like to refuse.’
    ‘Oh, he’s obliging all right.’ Elsie’s lips were a thin