Once Frank finally got home he found Betty lying on the sofa with her eyes closed. She was wearing a simple pink cotton dress with her hair in rollers and had her hands spread out as she waited her red nail polish to dry, making the most of her rare day off.

"Is that you Frank?" She asked as she heard the front door slam.

"Yes, Betty it is I. Something smells nice," he noted as he entered the living room.

"How did you get on?" His wife inquired, sitting up.

"He gave me a trial," Frank replied proudly.

"Oh Frank, that is marvellous," Betty beamed. "How did your trial go?"

"It went okay but I had a bit of bad luck with the tins," he began to explain.

"What happened?" Betty asked, having an inkling she knew exactly where this conversation was going.

"I was helping this old lady reach a tin of tomatoes off the shelf, when they fell."

"Oh Frank," Betty replied, feeling disappointed.

"Mr Wallace the manager was very kind, he let me carry on and clean it up and he said he would think about me," Frank smiled to reassure his wife. He felt ashamed that in over twenty five years of marriage he still was yet to hold down a steady job and provide for his wife and grown child. So he decided to not tell his beloved Betty about the next part of his disastrous shift.

"Well that sounds promising, doesn't it Frank?" Betty replied not wanting to burst Frank's bubble and tell him he better get back down the labour exchange. "I take it you didn't get the wine then?"

"No I didn't. Um what time is Jessica arriving?" Frank asked changing the subject.

"About half past seven, she and her boyfriend are driving up from university, Betty said inspecting her now dry fingernails. "I'll take the car to the supermarket and get the wine later this afternoon," she added.

"Oh, well that gives me plenty of time to get ready," Frank said picking up a picture of his daughter.

"Don't worry Frank, just be yourself," Betty said slightly worried at her choice of words as she removed the rollers from her hair and placed them on the coffee table.

"I expect you are right. I hope tonight goes well."

"Oh I am sure it will Frank, she is a lovely girl, our daughter and I am sure her boyfriend will be too," Betty said moving over to Frank to give him a reassuring hug.

"You know she reminds me of my mother at times, the way she is so full of life and finding the positives in everything," Frank smiled proudly.

"Let's hope she's not too much like your mother Frank."

"Oh well that's nice isn't," Frank replied feeling a little betrayed by his wife.

"Oh Frank I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that, I just meant I hope she hasn't inherited some of your mothers habits, like slipping all the time," Betty said managing to make a quick recovery.

"Nah Betty, I wouldn't worry about that, I think it must skip a couple of generations."

"What do you mean Frank? Betty asked.

"Well my grandmother she wasn't a slipper and neither was her sister, so it skipped them but it didn't skip me and my mother and my Auntie Dingle wouldn't admit it but she was a slipper. No Betty, I think we can safety say its skipped Jessica… I think."

"That's very interesting and most reassuring Frank" Betty said without much enthusiasm, "But Jessica will be arriving very soon, and I've hardy got anything done, I still need to prepare all the vegetables to go with our roast dinner tonight and make up Jessica's room. There is so much still to do and so little time," his wife sighed.

"Well let me help you Betty," Frank volunteered with a smile.

"No, that's quite alright Frank, you've had a busy day and you deserve to relax, why don't you go and have a little nap before Jessica arrives," Betty suggested kindly wanting him out the way during her final preparations.

Betty made her way to the kitchen and carried on preparing the dinner, while Frank made his way upstairs to their bedroom muttering under his breath so Betty couldn't hear.

"Anyone would think she didn't want my help."

Frank opened the bedroom door and went over to his side of the bed and climbed onto the bed. He decided he wasn't tired but he thought closing his eyes might help him relax for this evening as it was playing on his mind, which wasn't doing him any good as it started up his trouble again. A couple of minutes or so later, Frank thought he heard Betty shouting him.

"FRANK, WAKE UP, JESSICA IS HERE."