‘Really?’
Jack shook his head. ‘It’s too scary for some little kids.’
Great. Lou sighed, reaching for the wizard outfit. She’d already told Jack he could have the skeleton costume, so she didn’t want to go back on that. But she could really do without this right now.
They were queuing to pay when Lou felt Jack tugging at her elbow.
‘Mum! Look! Can we buy that?’
‘Not today, okay?’ she said distractedly, her irritation mounting. Why wasn’t this queue moving? The display stands that ran along both sides of the checkout line were strategically filled with toys, clearly designed to tempt children and pressure harassed parents into last-minute purchases. She was surprised when she glanced down to find Jack pointing to a plastic doll in a brightly coloured box, a shiny blonde smiling out at them through the cellophane window. ‘We can’t buy anything else today.’
‘Eight euro,’ Jack said, reading from the bright orange sticker. ‘Is that dear or cheap?’
‘Everything is dear when you can’t afford it.’
She was taken aback that Jack looked so disappointed. She’d never known him to show any interest in dolls before.
‘How about that one?’ he said, pointing to another doll. ‘It’s only six. Can we get that?’
‘Not right now. I just can’t afford to buy anything else at the moment.’
His face fell.
‘Jack, I’m already buying you two different Halloween costumes.’ Not to mention what she was forking out for half-term activities. ‘Sorry, but I’m not made of money.’
‘How about tomorrow?’
Lou sighed wearily. ‘If you really want a doll, I’ll get you one, but it’ll have to wait until next month, okay? It’s not long to wait.’
‘Okay,’ Jack said despondently.
‘Or why don’t you put it on your Christmas list?’ she said brightly. ‘Ask Santa to bring you one?’ She hated disappointing him. It was probably a good thing she didn’t have enough money to buy him everything he asked for because she’d most likely spoil him rotten. Not that he ever asked for much. She ruffled his hair affectionately. Maybe she should buy him the damn doll. What was another eight euro in the grand scheme of things?
‘It’s okay.’ Lou couldn’t understand why he looked so deflated. ‘I don’t want it next month.’
Lou was about to ask him why, when the queue moved and she was called to the cash desk.
