Free Try a Little Tenderness by Joan Jonker Page B

yet, and I’m going to start on them as soon as yer’ve gone, save standing in the kitchen all night.’ She patted the stack of presents and smiled with pleasure. ‘That’s them seen to. I just hope they like them.’
    ‘Of course they will! And as I was saying to meself as I was wrapping mine, it’s too bleedin’ bad if they don’t like them. Yer can only do so much with the money yer’ve got, and we’ve both done that, girl. I mean, me and God are the best of friends, but even He draws the line at performing miracles for me.’
    ‘He performed one for me last night,’ Mary said. ‘I nearly died when Seamus knocked at the door to say he was getting their Christmas tree today off some bloke he knows who works at the market, and that he’d cadge one off him for us. It’s years since we had a tree, but I’ve still got some decorations upstairs I can use. Apart from brightening the place up, it’ll be nice to come down in the morning to see the presents hanging from it.’
    ‘Don’t try and hang that pullover of Stan’s on it, it’s soheavy it’ll pull the bleedin’ tree over, then yer’ll have a right mess.’
    ‘Credit me with some sense, sunshine, I ain’t exactly brainless. Anything too heavy, I’ll put underneath it.’ Mary picked the parcels up and put them on the sideboard. ‘They can stay there until the tree comes. Molly is expecting her men home about three o’clock and she said she’ll send Mick over as soon as they arrive. That gives me time to prepare tomorrow’s dinner and get this place dusted. The girls are really excited, they can’t wait to help me decorate it.’
    ‘How is your Laura these days? Still playing yer up, is she?’
    ‘I’m hoping that when she starts work she’ll have some of the insolence knocked out of her. She’s far too forward for her age.’
    Amy lowered her eyes. She’d seen Laura in the entry last night, kissing a boy from the top of the street. And it was the girl who was doing the kissing. It wasn’t the first time she’d caught her at it either, and each time it was with a different boy. Other women had witnessed it too, and many tongues had wagged. One woman had seen Laura take her son’s hand and lead him into a side entry that ran through to the next street. She’d done no more than chase after them, boxed her son’s ears in front of the girl and told him if it happened again she’d get his father to take his belt to him. According to the woman, Laura hadn’t run away or shown fear at being caught. Even the threat of her mother being told didn’t make her turn a hair. She’d just stood by and brazened it out.
    Amy sighed silently. Laura Nightingale was more than forward, but how did you tell her mother that when she was your best friend? And not only your best friend, but a thoroughly nice person who deserved better from her eldest daughter. ‘I agree with yer, girl, she is a hard-clock if ever there was one. In her case a few smacks when she wasyounger wouldn’t have gone amiss, instead of being spoiled rotten.’
    ‘Stan’s to blame for that, he can’t see any wrong in her. Mind you, I’ve seen him taking more notice lately and I think the penny has finally dropped. Let’s hope it’s not too late, or she’ll never have any decent friends.’
    ‘She hasn’t got any now, girl! That Cynthia is a real hard-faced article, as tough as old rope. She treats her mother like a piece of dirt, but like your Laura, she’s as nice as pie to her father. They’re two of a kind and it would be a good thing if they were split up.’
    ‘I know, I’ve never liked that girl. Laura wanted to ask her to the party but I put my foot down over that.’
    Amy laid her arms flat on the table. ‘I’ve been meaning to ask yer, girl, have yer invited yer dad and his wife?’
    Mary shook her head. ‘I’ve had sleepless nights over that. He’s me dad, I love him and we’re getting on fine together now. But seeing him with her would spoil the whole