B is for …Broomsticks (Shelagh and Angela)
"Mum?"
"Mum? Can you help me?"
Angela stared at the back of her mother's head for a moment or two realising she wasn't going to get a response as she leant against the kitchen door frame. "Mum?" she asked again, becoming frustrated.
"And where have you been all day?" Shelagh asked, putting a plate carefully next to the sink.
"You know Mr Noakes took us all fishing!" Angela replied, rolling her eyes much like any other 15 year old girl. "He's just driven me all the way up here so I didn't have to get the bus back from their house! Can you help me with this please Mum?!"
Shelagh turned to find her daughter with black material laden in her arms that she had just retrieved from her bedroom. "Remind me again, sweetheart" she replied, knowing full well her daughter had been in good hands with the now Detective Inspector Noakes but the evening was starting to draw in and she was starting to wonder if two teenage boys were quite the influence her daughter needed.
Angela took a breath, wondering whether her mother was going silly in the head. "The school play!"
"Oh yes! Of course" Shelagh exclaimed, turning away and putting the tea towel back down by the sink. "One of the three witches!" she started, walking up towards her daughter and taking up the costume that needed adjusting to fit. "Come along then, we should be able to pin it at least before your Dad gets home".
So Angela stood on the table in the front room watching her mother crawl around on her knees, pinning the hem to just above her ankle. They'd already got her boots, the hat compiled of cardboard was sitting in the dining room but Angela was missing one very vital ingredient and Shelagh had asked and asked but no-one seemed to have one they could borrow.
"There!" she said suddenly sitting up on her haunches. "Take it off and I can tack it up".
"What are we going to do about the you-know-what?" Angela asked, so conscious of what was missing from her ensemble.
"I've tried everywhere and the School did say we mustn't spend much money on the costumes" Shelagh replied as her daughter looked down to her. "That material cost a fortune before we even started!"
"If I don't have it Mum, I'll be the odd one out!" Angela replied stepping down with a thump from the table as her mother stood up.
"I know darling!" Shelagh responded gently holding onto her daughter's arm. "I did have one idea though" she said with a smile and Angela watched her turn away. Carefully the 15 year old took off her costume and before she was entirely out of it Shelagh reappeared and stood before her.
"Well?" the former Sister asked.
Carefully pulling the costume away from her head, Angela's eyes carefully scanned the object presented to her and a look of horror crossed her face. "MUM! NO! Just...NO!"
"What?" Shelagh replied. "It's a perfectly good alternative!"
"Don't be preposterous, Mum! I'm not taking a HOOVER into school! Witches have BROOMSTICKS!" she screeched as she stormed out.
Shelagh sighed, deciding not to run after her finding she only had herself to talk to. "Well I thought it was a good idea..."