The Sunday Girls Read Free Page A

Harris Academy – not one of the tuppenny-ha’penny schools like we went to.’
    I wondered aloud if Maddie was perhaps sitting in the sun like us, waiting for news of the forthcoming birth.
    Danny said no. She was on holiday with her aunt in Tayport. His mention of school brought the problems I’d had since leaving a few months ago to the surface.
    ‘I’ve been looking for a job for weeks but there’s nothing. With Dad not working and now another mouth to feed, things are getting harder. Still maybe something will turn up.’ I sounded doubtful and I suddenly realised that my hopeless tone matched exactly the desolate conversation of the men.
    They were normally hard-working men but now young and old alike had been thrown on to the scrapheap of high unemployment and they were angrily discussing the plans for the forthcoming means test. The test was said to be like an inquisition and even those with very little money were to be subjected to investigation. An obvious lack of money didn’t stop officials from poking their noses into people’s lives. Those sent round to people’s homes to examine their circumstances often didn’t believe them when they claimed to be penniless and would assume they must be hiding a secret source of income – often supposing they were not declaring wages brought into the household by a son or daughter.
    ‘You’ll not get any money from the dole office,’ said Joe, who seemed to know quite a lot about the coming legislation. ‘If you’ve any money saved up or maybe have a member of your family working or even a lodger, then you’ll get sweet Fanny Adams.’
    The men laughed bitterly. ‘Well, that lets us off the hook then. None of us have any savings.’
    ‘There’s no money in our socks or under the bed,’ said Dad, ‘but I wish we had.’
    I turned to Danny. ‘What kind of a job would you like?’ I made it sound as if jobs were ten a penny.
    He hesitated. ‘I don’t really care as long as I was earning a wage but I would like to see other parts of the world. Still, I suppose I never will. What would you like to do, Ann?’
    Being such a lover of books, there was no doubt in my mind. ‘A job in the library – now that would be a dream come true but, like you, Danny, I don’t suppose it’ll ever happen.’
    Suddenly Granny appeared, her face flushed deep red with beads of perspiration visible on her upper lip. She quickly wiped her face with a cloth as she walked towards the men.
    ‘You’ve got another wee lass, Johnny. Lily’s fine and she wants to see you.’ Her flustered glance swept over Danny and me. ‘You can see your mum as well, Ann.’ And, with these dramatic words, she waddled back up the close.
    Dad threw down the butt of his cigarette and stamped it out with the heel of his tackety boot.
    The men slapped him on the back. ‘Well, you’ll be glad that’s it over now and another wee lass as a sister to Ann.’ Their faces all turned towards me and although their voices were cheerful, each man had a shadow of sadness in his eyes. Yes and another mouth to feed, they said silently.
    Bunty Grey was busy with her bag when I entered. To my immense relief, whatever paraphernalia involved in childbirth was now all out of sight – except for the kettle which was still simmering on the stove.
    Mum’s face was as white as the sheet but she was propped up against the ugly wooden headboard, two thin pillows at her back and a cup of tea in her thin hands. A mewing sound came from the small bundle that lay in the drawer on the floor – my new sister.
    Dad went straight over to the bed and sat gingerly on the bright crocheted cover that was now placed over the sheet. Bunty pulled aside the small blanket to let me see the baby’s face. As if she knew she had an audience, the wailing sound stopped and I saw her lovely little face with such a pretty rosebud mouth.
    ‘We’re going to call her Lily, after her mum,’ said Dad proudly. Moving from the bed to gaze at