Picture Book Moss Side

Mrs Ryan always said that James would make a good storyteller. And he was quick too. He'd managed to tell the whole story to himself from the time they left the park gates to just as they crossed from Broadfield Road to the top of Cadogen Street. If Aunty Mary was here he would have told her of course. But she wasn't so he had to talk in his head instead. Which was just as well because he was sure he got some bits wrong. He'd even made some of it up when he couldn't remember what Mum had said. It wasn't his fault. She never ever told him the whole story in one go, just bits and pieces here and there, when she was in the sewing room and there was nothing good on the radio. And sometimes she would stop sewing and just stare at the wall for a few seconds.

And when Dad opened the front door with his key, Felicia had to climb over all the boxes and wrapped up furniture that blocked the entrance before she could rush up to meet them to say Thank God and Laura ran down the carpetless stairs in her vest and knickers because her pyjamas had been locked away in one of the many suitcases in the front room. And while all this was going on, Rose lay fast asleep in her brand new cot bought especially for the brand new semi-detached house with a front lawn and a tree, a garage with a shared drive, two bedrooms and a boxroom, venetian blinds, a kitchen hatch to pass the dinners through and shiny white tiles in the bathroom.

If Aunty Mary had been there she would have been really pleased because everything was turning out just fine and dandy. Even so, there was loads more packing to do. The delivery van was due tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp and everything had to be ready or else. And if everything went to plan, by tomorrow evening the only thing left would be for everyone to sit down in front of the telly with their slippers off, a cup of tea and a plate of digestives and settle down for their first night in their brand new home in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, and live happily ever after...

For Ever and Ever, Amen.

(Forever and ever amen, pages 214 to 215)