Ballet lessons for Edith - part 1

Glancing up from his desk, Arthur lets a wide smile spread across his face at the two bright eyes staring in at him through the glass window of his office. A little hand reaches up to wave enthusiastically before the small figure wobbles, letting out a yelp as it becomes unbalanced on the tiptoes it had been raised on.

"You comin' in?" Arthur calls out teasingly to his youngest sister who turns the handle, poking her head around the door with a grin, just as she had done countless times before the war.

"Hello, Arthur!" She responds, hopping through the door of his office and shutting it behind her. Casting her eyes around, Edith takes in the small room, moving to the corner to drag the spare chair sat there up next to her brother's, pushing herself up onto it with a smile. "I like your new office!"

"Only for when I've got stuff to do here." He explains, leaning back in his chair, watching Edith glance around the room again. "I'll still be at the shop too."

"I know." Edith replies with a nod, looking up at Arthur. "Aunt Pol told me."

"Ah." Arthur nods, raising his eyebrows at his sister, motioning to the crumpled up piece of paper in her hand. "What've you got there? Letter from school? You been getting into trouble?"

"No!" Edith protests instantly, uncurling her hand and smoothing the piece of paper out onto the desk in front of them, Arthur peering over her shoulder to get a better look. "I want to go to dance classes."

"What?" Turning his gaze to Edith, Arthur raises his eyebrows as she points to the paper, tapping it repeatedly to get his attention.

"Dance classes. See?"

"Hmm. Yeah. I see." Nodding again Arthur lifts the paper from the desk, reading the advertisement. "Real fancy, eh?"

"Uh huh."

"Hmm." Taking one last cursory glance at the leaflet, Arthur hums again, passing it back to Edith who peers up at him hopefully. "Should probably go ask Tom."

"Why?" Edith asks, visibly deflating in front of him. She had come straight from school to her brother's new office, in the hope that he would readily agree to sign her up for the ballet classes advertised on the sheet, taking her down to the town hall immediately to do so. Edith didn't have a back up plan. She didn't think she'd need one with Arthur. John, yes, he would send her straight to Polly or Tommy. Tommy, yes, he'd ask where she thought she could get the money from. But Arthur? No. One flutter of her eyelashes and a slight curl of her bottom lip and she had him wrapped around her finger. This, this was not the response she had expected.

"'Cause I said so." Arthur replies with a shrug, patting Edith's head gently and turning back to his books, hoping she would take the hint that he was busy, and leave.

"But I'm asking you." Edith protests, eyes still wide and peering up at Arthur who sighs, looking down at her once more.

"Why you not asking Tom then, eh?"

"Cause he'll say no." Edith huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why'll he say no?" Arthur prompts, brow furrowing at the frown that had replaced the beaming smile Edith had entered his office with. "Come on. Why?" He presses, tilting her head up with a gentle finger under her chin.

"Arthur! Your fingers are cold!" Edith yelps pulling her head away from his causing her brother to huff out a chuckle.

"Hey! You get back here!" He teases, wrapping an arm around Edith's waist and pulling her into his lap, his fingers digging at her sides making her giggle hysterically, falling against his chest. "Ah, there's that smile!"

"Arthur, stop!" Edith laughs breathlessly, still trying to wiggle away from his dancing fingers. "Arthur!"

"Alright, alright!" He soothes, pulling her back into his chest, smiling as she breathes out a sigh, winding her arms the best she could around his torso, resting her cheek against his chest. "Why don't we go ask Tom, eh? See what he says before we go jumping to conclusions."

"Alright." Edith nods, reaching out to grab the leaflet off the desk once more, sliding down to the floor. "Race ya!" Before Arthur could even respond, Edith was out the door, scooping up her school bag she had abandoned in the doorway and racing down the hallway towards the main room of the pub.

"I'll earn the money, Tommy!" Edith cries, bouncing up on to her knees on the kitchen chair. "I will!"

Leaning back in his own chair, Tommy crosses his arms over his chest, raising his eyebrows at Edith, nodding for her to continue. "How?"

"Helpin' Uncle Charlie and Curly at the yard!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Edith replies enthusiastically, flashing Tommy a wide smile. "With the horses!"

"Have you asked them?" Tommy questions, brow furrowed as Edith looks at him, confused.

"Huh?" She hums, tilting her head to one side.

"Have you asked them if they'd pay you to help them?" Tommy clarifies, glancing over at Polly who had settled into the chair opposite him.

"They do pay me." Edith states, furrowing her own brow at her brother.

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Since when?" Tommy asks, leaning forwards in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Since forever." Edith replies with a shrug, involuntarily leaning back in her seat, away from her brother's piercing gaze.

"No." Tommy replies with a shake of his head, looking to Polly for help, huffing when she shrugs, leaning back in her chair to indicate she wasn't getting involved.

"Yes! Forever ago!"

"Right." Tommy sighs, pinching his brow as he shakes his head in confusion. "So where is this money then?"

"Wait here!" Edith calls, jumping off her chair and running towards the stairs.

"How long's she been doing that?" Tommy questions, pointing in the direction Edith had just run off as he turns to Polly who rolls her eyes at him. "And how didn't I know?"

"She's been helping Charlie and Curly out when they've been picking her up from school. Just a couple of afternoons a week. You wouldn't know because Charlie's been dropping her back here in time for dinner and you've been so bloody busy in the shop. She enjoys it, Thomas. Don't you dare think about making her stop. She's a hard worker that girl, she deserves every penny she's earned." Tommy huffs in reply, leaning back in his chair again, pulling a cigarette out of his tin as he does. "Don't be miserable, Thomas."

"Miserable?!" Tommy splutters around his cigarette, turning to Polly with a frown. "What are you on about?"

"Let her go to the dance classes, for goodness sake."

"I wasn't going to say no." Tommy argues, rolling his eyes at his aunt who scoffs.

"Sounded like it." She laughs, shaking her head in amusement. "You've got the poor girl running to look for her savings to pay for it herself-"

"I'd never make her pay for it herself." Tommy scoffs, rolling his eyes. "You know that. Just had to make her sweat a little - for going to Arthur first."

"Don't be so mean." Polly chides, slapping Tommy's arm across the table.

"Here we go!" Edith exclaims, slamming a jam jar full of coins onto the table in front of Tommy. "I haven't counted it in a while but it should be enough for-"

"I'll pay for it Edith." Tommy states, cutting Edith off.

"Huh?" She huffs out, still slightly out of breath from her run up and down the stairs.

"I'll pay for your dance classes. Course I will."

"Really really?" She asks, tilting her head to the side in an attempt to gauge whether her brother was joking or not.

"Really really." Tommy repeats, trying (and failing) to hide his grin as she squeals excitedly, hopping on the spot.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She squeals loudly, throwing herself into her brother's arms.

"But you know what you're gonna need, right?"

"No." Edith replies with a frantic shake of her head. "What?"

Holding the door open for Edith, Tommy smiles to himself, shaking his head as Edith bounces through the shop door, letting out an excited shriek.

"Look at all the shoes, Tommy!" She squeals, spinning to face Tommy, throwing herself into his arms.

"Alright, enough." Tommy chides playfully, catching Edith and placing her gently back onto her feet. "You can't be running into a fine establishment like this, making such a fuss. Especially when you're trying to show me you're grown up enough to have your very own pair of ballet shoes." Edith stills at her brother's light teasing, nodding swiftly as she slides her hand into his, tucking herself into his side as he guides her towards the desk at the back of the store. "Now tell the gentleman what you're looking for." Tommy prompts gently, placing Edith in front of him as they come to a stop, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders.

"Hello!" Edith greets the gentleman behind the desk cheerfully. "I'd like some ballet shoes please. Pink ones. If you have them."

"Right this way Miss Shelby." The man replies, holding an arm out to guide Edith towards the rows of ballet shoes. Edith smiles gratefully at the man, glancing up at Tommy before she moves, her smile turning to hopeful as she searches his face.

"Off you go then." Tommy replies with a smile of his own, gently pushing Edith in the direction the shopkeeper had just moved. "Good girl."

"Oh Tommy look!" Edith gasps, beckoning Tommy over to look at the silk shoes she was peering up at.

"They're a little big for you yet, Edie." Tommy tells her gently, crouching down at her side, glancing up at the shopkeeper who nods once in agreement. "These are more your size. Better for starting ballet. And then when you're bigger, if you still want to dance, I'll buy you a pair like those."

"These are pretty too." Edith states with a shrug, taking the ballet pumps Tommy was holding out to her. "Do I get to try them on?"

"Of course." The shopkeeper replies immediately, pulling a chair up behind Edith and helping her up onto it. "How do they feel, Miss Shelby?" He asks once the shoes had been carefully placed on Edith's feet.

"Like slippers!" Edith giggles, kicking her feet joyfully in front of her. "Look Tommy! Aren't they pretty?"

"They're lovely, Edith." Tommy tells her, gently lifting her from the chair. "Give us a twirl then; make sure they're comfy."

"Oh they are, Tommy! They really are!" Edith sings, laughter lacing her voice as she twirls through the shop. "Can I keep them?" She asks, stopping in front of Tommy, reaching out to cup his cheeks in her hands. "Please?"

"Course we can." Tommy replies, lifting her back onto the chair and carefully sliding the shoes off her feet, handing them to the shopkeeper as Edith pulls her boots back on. "Say thank you to Mr Price."

"Thank you Mr Price." Edith sings, practically vibrating with joy as Tommy hands her the box. "Thank you very much!"

"Off we go then." Nodding once more to Mr Price as he ushers Edith to the door, Tommy smiles to himself as they enter the street again, his little sister skipping off down the lane ahead of him, her new ballet shoes tucked to her chest.