Little Darlings Read Online Free PDF

the line at the end of the chorus,
When the wind blows
, there’s a sudden blast of wind that nearly blows Dad’s bandanna away and tangles his hair, making him totter too, like an old man.
    Everyone in the cinema is rocking with laughter, but maybe it’s not so funny. Maybe they’re laughing at Dad the wrong way. Maybe they’re laughing because Dad isn’t young and cool and fresh like the Milky Star boys any more.
    Dad’s still laughing but not so loudly now. He’s leaning forward, staring at the screen intently. His own enormous face stares back at him, every line and pore magnified. Then he’s gone and we’re back looking at Milky Star and the audience settles down again. Ace falls asleep but Sweetie starts fidgeting.
    â€˜When will there be another Dad bit?’ she whispers loudly to Mum.
    â€˜Soon,’ says Mum, though she sounds uncertain. ‘Watch Milky Star – you like them.’
    â€˜Not as much as Dad,’ says Sweetie.
    The people in the row in front and the row behind all hear and go ‘
Ahhh!
’ Dad’s heard her too, and his arm snakes out. He gets hold of her and pulls her onto his lap. There’s another ‘
Ahhh
’ at Danny Kilman and his exquisitely pretty little daughter Sweetie.
    That’s what they called her in
Hi! Magazine
:
Danny Kilman with his exquisitely pretty little daughter Sweetie, enjoying very special family fun
. Dad was riding on a carousel at some charity fête last summer, sitting on a white painted horse with Sweetie in front of him, clutching the gold twisty pole. Dad’s hair was all tousled then too, but he didn’t look lined at all, maybe because he was laughing. Sweetie was laughing as well, wearing a little frilly white top and tiny pink shorts, showing off her flat golden tummy. It’s so unfair. Why can’t
I
be little and shiny with long fair hair and a totally flat stomach?
    I stare at the screen and watch Davie, but this time he takes no notice of me whatsoever. Dad isn’t in the film again, but when the four Milky Starboys get their very first gig, they all tie bandannas over wild dark wigs and wear weird black clothes and huge rings, just like Dad. The whole audience creases up with laughter because they don’t look cool, they look ridiculous. Everyone in their film audience laughs too, and boos them off the stage. Then they get a new manager and he whips off their wigs and throws away their stage clothes and jewellery and has them sing wearing ordinary T-shirts and jeans – and they suddenly look great. Their career takes off and they all get rich and famous and pull gorgeous girls, even Davie.
    When the credits go up there are little cartoon versions of all the main people – and there’s one of Dad too, strutting across the screen and then being blown right up in the air, arms whirling, legs dangling. His bandanna unravels and falls off, together with half his hair.
    I hear Dad muttering something to Mum. When the lights go up they’re both frowning. But then people start talking to Dad, calling along the row: ‘Hey, Danny, you were fantastic!’ ‘Danny, you’re such a good sport!’ ‘I think you totally stole the show!’
    Dad smiles stiffly and acknowledges this, but he mutters more to Mum.
    Ace is still asleep, clinging to me like a littlemonkey, so I lumber along the row with him towards the exit. Sweetie is tired out too. She’s very pale and she’s rubbed her eyes so her shadow has smudged, but when she hears the people in front talking about the after-premiere party at Falling Rain, a nearby nightclub, she claps her hands.
    â€˜Oh, a party! Let’s go to the party, and Milky Star will be there!’ she cries.
    â€˜You’re not going to any party,’ says Dad. ‘You’re going home. It’s way past your bedtime, missy.’
    Mum looks anxious. ‘I could get John to take the kids home