Full House [Quick Read] Read Online Free Page B

counter, watched her admiringly. She was impressed. This girl, Rosie, had style. She would offer her a six-week training course with the company. She had exactly the pert, lively interest in strangers that would make her a good saleswoman. And she was tough too. She was quick to work out her percentage of everything the customers bought. Rosie was always faster than the calculator. She would enjoy six weeks in London.
     
    Helen had been called to the principal’s office.
    ‘This must stop now , Miss Nolan, this moment. There will be no tour of Paris for pupils from this school. Not this Easter, not any Easter.’
    ‘But – they’re so looking forward to it, it would break their hearts!’
    ‘Which is why it should never have been suggested.’
    ‘But it’s all planned, they know all the places they are going to visit …’
    ‘Places they are not going to visit.’
    ‘But it’s all arranged!’
    ‘Then you must un-arrange it, Miss Nolan, today. There is no insurance in the world that would cover this. You would need four teachers, not one, and even then it’s not possible. It’s most irresponsible of you to promise the pupils something that can’t be delivered. I will hear from you before the end of school today that it has all been dismantled.’
     
    Liam had found the day very long. He had got the little cards printed and then he had gone as arranged to meet Mash Macken and the other lads. Last night in the bar had been silent and awkward. Mash was doing his best to tell them that he would do anything to save the business, that he had done everything in fact: invested his own money and mortgaged his house. He was going to Australia penniless. He wanted them to come to the premises and take what would be useful.
    Liam hated going there. So many mornings had begun with mugs of tea and a laugh about the day ahead. The others felt the same. And they knew there was no future for a skilled carpenter, joiner or plumber. Not the way the market was at the moment. They all wanted to be away from it but Mash insisted they take anything and everything.
    ‘I’ve nowhere to store things, Mash,’ Liam had said in desperation. ‘I know that’s a lovely bit of wood, but honestly, I’ve nowhere to put it. The house is full, with three big children there as well as Dee and myself …’
    ‘Will they help to support you, the children?’ Mash was aching for some kind of hope in all this gloomy business.
    Liam paused for a moment. Mash Macken wanted to hear some good news for someone before he took a flight to the other side of the world. Liam gave it to him.
    ‘Oh God, Mash, they’re the finest family you could wish for. They’ll be a great support, the three of them.’
    He saw Mash relax a little and he thought for the first time how good it would be if this was really true. If he really did have a son and two daughters who understood how hard it was for their parents to keep supporting them. And because he was Liam he immediately felt guilty about that thought.

Chapter Four
     
    Liam arrived home at around the same time as his daughter Helen.
    Helen seemed to have totally forgotten Liam’s woes as she began to list her own before she was even in the door.
    ‘Such a narrow-minded man, such a bad person to be in charge of a school!’ she said. ‘How did someone like that get to be principal? And they wonder why children leave school half educated!’ She came in and flung herself down at the kitchen table.
    ‘There’s no supper,’ Anthony said.
    ‘Oh, for God’s sake, Anthony, think about something else, not always about food. I’ll eat whatever’s going, not that I ever want to eat again. Wait until I tell you what’s happened! Mam – are you listening?’
    ‘No, Helen,’ her mother said.
    Helen was shocked. ‘But Mam, why aren’t you? The most awful thing has happened at work … you have no idea.’
    Dee shook her head to deny this. ‘Oh, I do have an idea, Helen. I had an awful day at work too,