Try a Little Tenderness by Joan Jonker

thing for me. Just put yerself in my shoes, Amy, and see how you’d like it. She’s younger than me, hasn’t got an ounce of sense in her head and I know she doesn’t look after him properly. To invite her here and be nice to her would be hypocritical. I can’t, and won’t do it.’
    ‘I’m not blaming yer, girl, I’d probably feel the same in your place. But it’s such a shame ’cos I’ve always liked your dad. And it’s sad that he won’t see his grandchildren over Christmas. Sad for them, as well.’
    ‘He will see them, sunshine, he’s coming in the morning with presents for them. And I’ve got socks and hankies for them to give him.’
    Amy looked puzzled. ‘How can he come in the morning? There’s no trams or buses running on Christmas Day.’
    ‘He said he’ll walk. I was honest with him, told him about the party and the way I feel. He said he understood but he wasn’t going to miss seeing us tomorrow, so he’s decided to use shanks’s pony. He’ll do it in half an hour, he said.’
    Amy sniffed up. ‘It’s sad, that is. I’ll be crying in a minute.’
    ‘If yer do, it’ll be in yer own house. I want yer to be a good girl and go home, so I can start on the spuds.’
    Amy’s bottom shuffled to the edge of the chair. ‘Bleedin’ marvellous, isn’t it, when yer best friend tells yer to bugger off. I mean, even though yer said it nicely, it still means the same, doesn’t it? So I’ll do as yer ask and take me body elsewhere. But before I go, what about tomorrow? Are we all sorted out?’
    ‘Yeah. Molly’s making a jelly and a dish of trifle, you’re making two dozen fairy cakes and I’m doing the sandwiches. If yer’ll bring them in about six, I can get the table set for seven o’clock.’
    Amy swayed towards the door. ‘D’yer want any help making the sandwiches?’
    ‘No, I’ve got the girls to help me.’ Mary put her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. ‘A Merry Christmas, sunshine.’
    Amy hugged her back. ‘And you too, girl. And you too.’
    Mary sat back and watched the girls decorating the tree. ‘It looks nice, doesn’t it, love? I’m really grateful to Seamus.’
    Stan returned her smile. ‘Yeah, it looks great. It’s a good one, too, nice thick branches. Did yer say he got it for nothing?’
    ‘That’s what he told me. Off some feller he knows at the market.’ Mary was pleased to see her two daughters laughing as they hung the strips of red and green bunting on the tree. It was a rare sight to see Laura being friendly and close to her sister. ‘You can spread the big presents out underneath now, and hang the small ones on the branches.’
    The girls elbowed each other out of the way to be first at the sideboard. As usual, Jenny gave way to her sister and let her take the big presents. ‘This is for you, Dad,’ Laura said, balancing the parcel on her hand. ‘It’s not half heavy.’
    ‘D’yer think it could be two bricks?’ Stan laughed.‘They’d be handy to put in the oven to warm, and I could take them to bed with me to put me feet on.’
    ‘This one’s for me.’ Laura fingered the parcel before looking at her mother. ‘I hope it’s not one of those frumpy, old-fashioned dresses yer usually buy me.’
    In a split second, Stan saw the pleasure leave his wife’s face and Jenny’s happy smile turn to sadness. ‘Don’t you dare talk to yer mam like that.’ His voice was sharp. ‘Now say ye’re sorry, go on.’
    ‘I didn’t mean nothing, Dad, it was only a joke.’
    ‘I didn’t think it was funny, Laura, so do as ye’re told and apologise.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’ The words were said with ill-grace as Laura shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the tree. ‘It was only a flippin’ joke.’
    When Mary saw Stan’s face redden and his hands grip the arms of the chair, she touched his lightly. ‘Leave it be, love, we don’t want any rows, tonight of all nights.’
    ‘If you say so, love.’ He took her hand and held it in