𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

10

Florence leaned over Michaels shoulder as he wrote down numbers on a piece of paper. "Nice office this" She grinned, sitting opposite him.

Isiah walked in, sitting beside her. "Hello Micheal, Florence" he nodded.

"What brings you here?" Florence asked, growing nervous beside him. "It's pay day, Flo" he said.

Flo, that was new.

Micheal cleared his throat, "Day rate, seven shillings" he spoke, sliding the coins forward. "Loading unloading. Night rate, three. Total ten"

"Let's go and get a drink" Isiah spoke.

"No i'm alright"

"Come on its pay day" Isiah argued, putting out his cigarette. "Everybody has a drink on payday"

"Not me"

"You think your mum don't have a drink on pay day? You think the lord almighty don't have a drink on payday" he laughed, his accent strong.  "Man it's on fire out there. Woman from the BSA offices. Honest. They go out on their own without men these days. In twos and threes now. Mickey, they go out in twos and threes and buy their own drinks"

Florence snorted at the nickname. Micheal ignored him.

"The Marquis" Isiah continued. "That's where the BSA secretaries go. Look, they won't serve a black man without a Shelby by his side"

Micheal looked at him. "And if you won't come, i'll just take ye sister. You'll come with me won't you Florence" He shrugged. Micheal sat up straight. "So you're using me"

"Yeah? Come on?"

Micheal sighed and stood up. "See i knew it'd work" he nudged Florence. "What am i supposed to do now?" she asked. "She can come with, can't she Micheal?" Isiah said.

Micheal bit his lip. "Mum won't be happy about it"

"Then don't let her find out, please" she begged. "Yeah go on Micheal, let her"

"Fine, but behave" he pointed a finger at her. She clapped her hands together and followed them outside where Isiah offered his arm to her. She smiled and accepted it.

-

They walked into the pub, woman who walked past smiling at them.

"I told you. I fucking told you. This city is going mad" Isiah laughed. "Girls go out on their own now" he handed Micheal a cigarette.

"Two pints of dark mild please" Micheal asked the man. "Fuck that, we're peaky boys, three whiskeys" Isiah corrected.

"Three?" he asked Isiah. "Yeah, one for your sister"

Micheal shook his head , lighting the cigarette. "You smoke?" He asked the girl, offering her one. "No, she doesn't" Micheal snatched it from his hand.

Florence scoffed, crossing her arms. Micheal coughed. "You get used to it, then you can't stop" Isiah assured him.

A man approached them, looking Florence up and down. He whistled, grabbing the boys attention. "I don't drink with blacks"

Florence laughed. "It's 1921, get over yourself" she said.

"Here we fucking go" Isiah sighed.

"Paddy they're okay" The barman intervened. "Not with me they're not" the boy was from Liverpool, thick accent.

"Why do you need to cause an issue? Just go" Florence spoke. He looked at her, giving her a once over. Isiah bit his tongue, stepping slightly in front of her.