“Ooh, what little angels they are, I’m so glad Mrs Bevel picked Jen for the choir” sighed Lucinda Halton as she watched her daughter Jenny and another classmate sing their hearts out. ”You know it won’t last mum” Paul, Jen’s older brother remarked with a dour look on his face. “Oh Paul, stop being so down on her will you ” Lucinda huffed. But you know what she’s like. She says she’ll die if she can’t do a particular class, Paul’s mum frowned. “you know like with the ballet” Paul continued :”one minute it’s her favourite class, she says she’s going to be a ballerina when she’s older, then she’s coming home without her shoes says she’s forgotten them, then gets in a sulk when you remind her she going to need them two days later!” Lucinda ignored Paul’s comments and smiled at Jen as she came running down the aisle towards them. “Mum, take this home will ya? I’m going to see Mr Canon’s cat” Jen thwacked her cassock onto the pew next to her mum and rushed off before her mum could complain. “See mum?” Paul looked at his mum for confirmation. “See what darling? All I saw is your sister madly dashing off to see her precious animals”
“Bloody hell Mum!” The tone of his voice spoke volumes. “If you can’t see it I’m not going to explain it to you again, I’m going to Mark’s house!” and with that Paul strode off, accidentally or maybe on purpose, knocking Jen’s cassock onto the dusty stone floor. His mum looked at his broad back disappearing down the gap between the oceans of people. Then sighed and said half to herself and half to her friend Beryl who was crumpled next to her “what ever is the matter with that boy? Maybe it’s the dreaded teen years coming on earlier” Beryl said nothing but yawned. Thinking idly if she was Jen was her sister she would have given her a clout by now.
Later on that day after Beryl had gone back to her husband and her one eyed cat Bill. Lucinda was eating her dinner in the living room whilst trying to watch the news. Desperately hoping the kids would give her some peace for ten minutes at least, when Jen ran in wailing “Paul’s got my song sheets, he won’t give them back, Mum tell him!
“Oh, for god’s sake just when I thought you two were occupying yourselves happily for a change. Paul give your sister back those sheets this minute” her voice rose to a crescendo. “Don’t make me get a headache… please!” Paul ran in, fists tightly curled he scowled at his mum “but mum, she said I looked like a toad” Lucinda breathed in sharply” I’m sure she didn’t mean it darling, come on be a good boy, you know she’s doing her concert tomorrow” She looked at Paul with a pleading look that said do it for me. He had seen that look so many times but always gave in to it.” Ok, but only for you mum” he slowly handed the papers back to his sister whilst Jen gave a grin which said I win again and as her mother walked away mouthed to Paul “toad!” .
Gemma succeeds in starting a girls' football team at her new school, but bitter rival Tyrone does everything he can to stop the girls playing. So begins a battle of wits between the girls and boys, and also between Gemma and sports teacher, Mrs Lawfo
