cat got your tongue? her mother said gazing at her the teapot mid-air
her father looked at her perhaps she found herself a boyfriend and smiled
some hopes her sister said more chance of you winning at horses Dad
Elaine blushed and tried to look uninterested in the conversation such as it was or wasn't
so who's the boy who's in love with my Frumpy Hen? the father said
no boy at all Elaine said just thinking
that requires a brain her sister said with a mouthful of jam and cheese sandwich
her mother said what boy I never heard of a boy?
there is no boy it's just Dad having his joke Elaine said going red feeling her body become hot
I was going to say you're too young yet for boys and their nonsense you're just 14 why when I was your age boys were not even on the agenda why my dad'd strap me one if he thought I'd been messing with boys
Elaine couldn't get a boy to look at her let alone mess about with her her sister said munching the mouthful
Elaine tried to bring her heart into a steady pace her pulse was racing she sensed her blood rushing through her body like lava down a volcano
I can't imagine our Elaine with a boy anyway her father said maybe a boy with a white stick he joked with a guide dog
Elaine gazed at her father and frowned
only joking my Frumpy Hen I dare say you'll get some one someday
not before she's older her mother said sitting at the table not before she's much older can't have a girl her age with boys and all they get up to like that Mrs Kimp's daughter out all hours with boys coming along the road with a boy on her arm not right and she no older that Elaine here
Elaine tried to imagine herself some place else as she ate a ham sandwich feeling like gagging on it
if she was a daughter of mine I'd give her what for the mother said sitting uneasy on the chair gazing at Elaine's young sister not at Elaine
I'm not thinking of a boy Elaine lied feeling her body unfold her heart racing along
good job too her mother said you're my good girl giving Elaine a smile as John crept into Elaine's thoughts all the while.
A GIRL AT THE TEA TABLE WITH HER PARENTS AND SISTER IN 1962.