Every time you make a move

A hairy dilemma- Pt 1

Garden Lodge, June 1983

"But why can't I go with you?" Johnny pouted as he tugged onto his mother's pyjama shirt at the breakfast table as she stood up off the bench.

Monica gently pried his little fingers off, "Because Daddy and Phoebe are taking you and Roshni to Harrods to get your hair cut."

"I don't need my hair cut! And I know all about cars!" The boy stubbornly thumped his fists on the table.

"Johnny?! It's going over your eyes... you can barely see!" Monica smoothed his overgrown bangs back from her son's forehead, and turned to his father, "Freddie, tell him that he has to get his hair cut"

"Listen to your mother, Johnny" the man murmured, peering over the top of the antiques catalogue as he sat across from them.

"Well, thanks a lot for for your help! You were the one who was pushing for him to get one, remember?" She grumbled sarcastically, and picked her breakfast plate up off the table.

Freddie returned to his catalogue and rolled his eyes slightly, and Johnny climbed off the bench and followed his mum to the sink, "But how come Uncle Roger gets to come with you to the car shop?"

"Because Uncle Roger is an automobile aficionado... and mummy just likes to leave the dirty work to me" Freddie answered flatly across the room, annoyed that he didn't get to go on the child-free shopping spree he had planned.

"Daddy's right, most girls know very little about cars," Monica ignored his last statement as she started filling the sink up with hot soapy water, "So I need someone like Roger to help me make the best choice when I buy my first ever car"

"Also because he just wants to get an eyeful of all the new models in the dealership" Freddie muttered, putting a cigarette between his teeth and pulling out a lighter.

"You're not helping!" Monica snapped back at him, scrubbing another plate roughly.

"Please can I come with you? I wanna get a ride in your new car" Johnny looked up at his mother pleadingly.

"I promise that you can be my first passenger," she picked him up as his eyes lit up, and kissed his cheek, "And anyway, once you get your hair cut again everyone will be able to look at that adorable little nose and those sparkly brown eyes-"

"Eughhh! Muuuuummmmmyyyy!?" Johnny whined in disgust, pushing Monica's face away as she simply laughed.

She lowered him onto his feet, and ordered, "Now up the stairs and get dressed"

"Can I please borrow those for my collage book?" He pointed the scissors on the side board.

"Alright, but get dressed first," She handed them down to him carefully, distracted as she slowly emptied the dishwater out of the basin, "And no running with them, alright?"

Her son obeyed, turning around and toddling quickly out of the room.

"He can be good when he wants to" Freddie took a drag of his cigarette.

"What have I told you about smoking in front of our children?!" She nagged, switching the kitchen taps off.

"There are no children, look!" He stood up and pointed at her empty side.

"You can at least take it outside to your garden!" she suggested, hearing Johnny's small feet patter up the stairwell.

"Hmmph..." Freddie slipped past and set his teacup on the side board.

But she stopped him from escaping, "Freddie?"

He huffed, and spun around on his heel slowly with lowered eyes, "I'm only going outside into the garden like you said!"