Free The Shoestring Club by Sarah Webb Page B

so well and she’s had to let me go.’
    ‘Completely?’ he asks. ‘She can’t even keep you on part-time?’
    ‘Completely.’
    He sucks his teeth then says, ‘Maybe Pandora could have a word with her, ask her to reconsider. A few days a week would be better than nothing. She’d be mad to lose such a good employee.’
    I look at him, my sweet, kind, loyal Dad and my eyes start to well up.
    ‘Ah, Boolie, don’t cry. Come here to me.’ He holds out his arms and I fall into them, wood shavings from his checked work shirt tickling my cheek. I dissolve into tears, engulfed in the smell of fresh sap.
    He strokes my head.
    ‘It’ll be OK, Boolie. Pandora will fix it. I’m sure you’ll have your job back by this evening. And if not, we’ll think of something else. It’ll all work out, you’ll see.’
    ‘Thanks, Dad.’ I sniff, and he pulls the end of his sleeve so that it’s in front of my face.
    ‘Dad! I’m not wiping my nose on your shirt, I’m not three.’
    He laughs. ‘Sorry, I forget sometimes. Go and get a tissue. There’s the dinner gong. Bird’s really going for it tonight.’
    We both listen to the hollow bongs together, smiling. Although Bird has her own apartment in the basement, she spends practically all her time up here. She and Pandora take turns to cook dinner every evening, unless Dad is around. Or in Bird’s case, reheating dinner. She hates cooking, swears by M&S ready meals. I grab a tissue from the hall table, dab at my eyes and then follow Dad into the kitchen. Iris skips back in to join us.
    ‘So tell me about
your
week, Pandora,’ Dad says from his seat at the head of the table while Bird and Iris dish up – Iris carefully spooning rice onto each plate, Bird sloshing Thai Green Curry across them haphazardly.
    ‘Not much to say really.’ Pandora reaches across me for the water jug.
    ‘Water anyone?’ she says, looking at me pointedly.
    ‘What?’ I ask.
    ‘You poured yourself a glass and then ignored the rest of us, Jules.’
    ‘Sorry, I have things on my mind.’
    ‘Like Baroque you mean? Have you told Dad yet?’
    I stare at her. She’s such a busybody sometimes. Luckily, yes, I have told him. But she wasn’t to know that.
    There’s a long silence while Bird plonks a plate in front of me, and then Pandora. Iris carries Dad’s over with two hands and places it squarely on his table mat.
    Bird puts a plate out for herself and Iris, smoothes down her skirt and takes her seat. Then she says, ‘Pandora’s right, Boolie, he does need to know.’
    ‘I’ve just told him.’ I raise my eyebrows at Pandora. ‘Satisfied?’
    Dad looks at Pandora. ‘And I’m sure Rowie will reconsider if you ring her and explain that Julia would be happy to work part-time. Or even take a slight pay cut if that helps. She just wants to keep her job; isn’t that right, pet?’
    He turns and pats my hand and I nod.
    Pandora sits back in her seat and folds her arms across her chest. ‘No way, Dad. I’m not ringing Rowie. She must have had her reasons for firing Jules and I’m not getting involved.’
    He frowns at her. ‘But she’s your sister, Pandora. And she needs your help.’
    ‘Can we talk about this after dinner, please? I missed lunch and I’m starving.’ She picks up her fork and starts shovelling rice into her mouth.
    ‘Pandora,’ Bird says, a warning tone in her voice.
    Pandora doesn’t look up. ‘I’m tired, Bird. And I need to eat.’ Pandora gets even rattier if she hasn’t eaten. It’s something to do with her blood-sugar levels apparently.
    ‘Let’s all eat,’ Dad says quickly. ‘Pandora’s right, we can talk about it later. So Iris, what did you get up to this week?’
    Iris pushes back her dark-brown fringe with her hand. It’s a little long and is falling over her eyes.
    ‘Science camp,’ she says. ‘We made crystals and bath bombs and stuff. It was cool.’ Her face drops a little. ‘But a bit messy. I got blue food colouring down my white dress