Free Liverpool Angels by Lyn Andrews

door.
    ‘What’s our Eddie brought half the street in here for?’ Alice demanded, glaring at her brother and his mates, particularly Jimmy Mercer, who had managed to dislodge one of the silver stars she’d made from cardboard and covered with the silver paper from the inside of a cigarette packet. ‘Trust you, Jimmy, to go ruining our decorations! It took Mae and me hours and hours to make those things. And you’ve got a tree of your own, I know you have, so it’s not that much of a novelty!’
    ‘Right, off you go home, the lot of you! You heard Mae, the Lucy ’s docking and her da will be home and he’ll be wanting his dinner in peace,’ Maggie told them all, ushering the group of lads towards the door while glaring at her daughter, who had stuck out her tongue in Jimmy’s direction. ‘And that will do from you, miss!’
    Mae, who had retrieved the silver star and was fastening it back on the branch, grinned at Eddie. ‘Bet you can’t wait to see what Da’s got you, Eddie.’
    Eddie nodded enthusiastically but before he had a chance to speak, his mother shook her head. ‘Whatever it is, you’re not having it until Christmas morning!’
    ‘Ah, Mam!’ he protested.
    ‘You’ll all wait until then for your presents, so don’t you go mithering John the minute he sets foot in the door. Now, you girls set the table while I have a look at this pudding and then make a start on the meal. Eddie, go and fill the coal bucket up. It’s freezing hard outside and I want this kitchen as warm as toast when John gets in.’
    Reluctantly Eddie picked up the old battered bucket they used as a scuttle while the two girls got out the dishes and cutlery and Maggie prodded the pudding in its muslin cloth and decided it needed another hour.
    ‘I wonder if we’ll find any money in it this year?’ Alice pondered aloud, thinking that if she were lucky enough she’d spend it on sweets, which were a luxury they only ever had at Christmas.
    Mae smiled at her. ‘Who knows?’ she replied, but she was more excited by having her da home for Christmas than by the prospect of money in the pudding.
    The kitchen was warm and looked bright and festive with the tree and the crêpe-paper strips that had been twisted and pinned across the ceiling. Bunches of holly decorated the top of the dresser and the mantel over the range.
    The door was flung open and John’s big frame filled the aperture. ‘I’m home! Something smells good, Maggie!’ he announced.
    Mae flung herself at him and hugged him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. ‘Da! Oh, I’m so glad you’re home. I knew you wouldn’t be long – Alice and I saw the Lucy coming in – we ran up the hill after school!’
    John laughed. ‘I had a feeling you would. Now, let me get my things off and put my bag down.’ He winked at Maggie, having noted Eddie’s barely suppressed excitement. The Wyandotte toy pistol was safely stowed in his bag. ‘And I hope you’ve all been behaving yourselves or Santa won’t be very pleased.’
    Maggie bustled about, smiling. ‘They haven’t been too bad but I’ve already told them: no presents until Christmas morning. Now, sit down and get this meal while it’s hot,’ she instructed.
    When she’d at last got all three over-excited children to bed she settled down before the fire with John. ‘Was it a good trip?’
    He nodded, thinking he would relish this holiday – it was such a rarity to be home. ‘Not bad, but I don’t think young Nancy Ellis – or Farraday as she is now – is going to have much of a “festive” time.’
    Maggie frowned. ‘Why not? What’s happened to meladdo? He hasn’t been locked up, has he?’ she asked.
    ‘No, that wouldn’t be as bad. He’s had an accident. It was rough on the way back and he slipped on the deck and missed getting the furnace door shut – and the whole damned lot spilled out on him. He’s badly burned all over his lower body and legs. The screams were unmerciful. They