Lime Street Blues by Maureen Lee Page A

eat – he could have murdered a plate of egg and chips. To his surprise, he found his mother in an unusually happy mood and his sister quite excited. The sun was still warm and they were sitting on the rough grass at the back of the house, running their fingers through their damp hair, tossing their heads this way and that to dry it. Washing hung on the line.
    ‘Sean!’ Rita jumped to her feet. ‘See what I’ve got for you.’ She ran into the house and returned with a long white scarf that she threw around his neck, then stood back to admire the effect. ‘It makes you look desperately elegant.’
    ‘Where’d it come from?’
    ‘The white elephant stall. Jeannie said it once belonged to Colonel Corbett. It’s an evening scarf, but you can wear it in the daytime.’
    Sean’s first thought was that he didn’t want the colonel’s cast-offs, thanks all the same, but it seemed cruel when Rita had bought it especially for him. ‘It’s nice,’ he said grudgingly. He examined his reflection inthe kitchen window and it
did
look smart; elegant, like Rita said.
    ‘And guess what! Tomorrow, we’re going to Southport for the day. You’ll come, won’t you?’ she added anxiously. ‘I won the treasure hunt, so we’ve got the money.’
    ‘I suppose so.’ He might as well. Tomorrow was Sunday and there’d be even less to do in Ailsham than usual.
    Even Sean had to agree the day in Southport went exceptionally well. The small town was crowded with holidaymakers and the sun shone as gloriously as it had done the day before.
    Their first port of call was the fairground. Sean scorned the likes of the waltzer and the merry-go-round, and made for the rifle range. He discovered he was a fine shot and, after winning a giant multi-coloured ball straight off, then a jazzy vase with his second go, the irate stallholder gave him his money back and refused to let him have another turn.
    An hour later, when Rita judged they’d spent enough money, they wandered along the flat, glistening sand to where the Irish Sea rippled gently in the distance. Rita and Sean kicked the ball to each other; Sadie examined the vase and wished there were flowers in her garden to put in it when she got home.
    They strolled along the promenade and admired the pretty, neat gardens, then sat on a bench for a while so Sadie could have a Woodbine. Sean was dispatched to buy candy floss.
    Rita was in her element. She’d only been to Southport once before, on a day trip with the school. The girls had been told to walk in pairs, but she’d been the odd oneout, without a partner, trailing behind all day, feeling sad and alone.
    Today was different. It was the best day of her life, and she doubted if the Flowers were having a better time in New Brighton. Mam was in a great mood and even Sean, usually so sour, had joined in the fun. Later, they were going to Lord Street for a sit down meal. Mam said a fish and chip restaurant would be cheapest.
    To think that so much happiness was the result of stealing a pound! It made Rita aware of the power of money. She felt quite awed by it. If she could steal a pound every day, their entire lives would change for ever. She knew it was a mad idea. She would never steal again, but she prayed that one day Mam would wear real pearls around her neck and Sean would have an evening suit to go with the evening scarf.
    Max’s presence was sorely missed in New Brighton. It didn’t feel the same with only four of them when there should have been five. Gerald complained his birthday treat had been spoilt and Rose remarked more than once how concerned she was, leaving Max on his own for a whole day. Jeannie longed to have a go on the dodgems, but only with Max, who drove with fiendish abandon, bumping into every car in sight, making her scream with a mixture of delight and fear. She felt the same about the big wheel and the ghost train, but went on both for Gerald’s sake, not wanting to spoil his birthday even more.
    Her father