North and South

girls and boys

April 1994

Erin smiled as she absorbed the loud chaotic chatter going on around the dinner table. She'd missed this in a way. It had just been her and her mum for weeks. Noel and Liam, her older brothers, had been recording their new album in Wales then Cornwall. Nobody dared speak about it for fear of jinxing its success. Well maybe except Liam.

"It sounds fucking wicked man and that's just the demo just you wait we are going to be just as big as the bea-"

Peggy scuffed the back of Liam's freshly cut dark hair.

"Language when you're under my roof Liam." She scolded.

But it was clear to see how happy Peggy was to have all of her children back under one roof, even Paul had come over after work. It would be short lived but Peggy enjoyed having a full house despite or perhaps because of the chaos.

"Mam! A just got me hair done fuckin hell man can you not hit us somewhere el-ah ah alright, alright sorry."

Erin chuckled as Peggy proceeded to scuff his head again as Liam desperately tried to bat her away whilst reworking his hair the way he liked it.

"Find this funny do ya? What you been up to anyway ar kid while we've been being rock stars? Still in school?"

Asked Liam before he eagerly spooning stew into his mouth.

Erin nodded.

"Yeah I do. Yeah...for now." She said with a heavy sigh.

Liam frowned. He may seem like an argumentative prick but underneath it all he was just fiercely protective of those he cared about.

"What's up? No one's giving you a hard time are they? Is it a... lad? Cause if it is I swear I will tear his balls off and feed them to hi- mam don't hit me come on you'd do the same if some lad were messing our Erin about."

Peggy sighed tersely but continued to eat her stew wordlessly without raising a hand.

Noel smiled across at Erin shyly showing that he was on her side too.

Erin played with the stew on her plate for a moment as she formulated her answer.

"No no one's giving me a hard time. Especially lads. They'd actually need to notice me as a bird first before they gave us a hard time." She said with a roll of her eyes and a wicked grin.

Liam relaxed slightly.

"Good. Keep it that way. They're all knobheads anyway and I know because I am one." He said with a shrug.

Erin laughed and shrugged back.

"School's alright but I don't think I'm going to get any GCSE's."

Noel frowned but said nothing as he continued to eat.

"Well that's alright I don't have any either. You never said you wanted to pass anything. You said you wanted a job."

Erin nodded and sighed.

"I know."

"Sure I telt ye that they're looking for you to put your hours up to Sundays too in the caf. That'll tide you over till you get something else. And you will." Said Peggy encouragingly squeezing Erin's hand.

Erin nodded and forced a smile onto her face as a sick feeling settled in her stomach. She was a horrible liar. She'd secretly dreamt of getting out of Manchester and making something of herself. Liam and Noel seemed to have found their way out without GCSE's, well Liam had, Noel was smart and had gained a few. Erin wouldn't be so lucky. She knew that deep in her heart.