They reached their yard. Simon's father was outside, sitting on the steps, smoking his pipe. Simon turned to his friend and winked at him, as of to say: don't tell anyone what we've just discussed.
"Hello children," Father said and he rose.
"Hello father," Simon said politely, his voice more hushed than when he was alone with his friend.
Father made his way down the steps. He ruffled Simon's hair and then put a hand on Claude's shoulder.
"How are you, Claude?"

“Good thank you Mr Ward” he responded politely.

"How are things at home?" His hand still rested protectively on Claude's shoulder. Simon pushes a rock around with the tip of his toes. For some reason father always asked Claude questions like these and tended to give him more to eat than when the other children brought friends over over.

Claude knew better then to tell the truth. “Fine sir. Mom thinks she with child again.”

Father frowned. "Are all the children being fed?" He asked. Simon looked around, beginning to feel impatient.

"Yes sir" he replied, they were, Claude made sure of it.

"Good," said Simon' father, and he lifted his hand at last. "Well go on inside." Simon ran up the steps, beckoning Claude to follow. Inside, a pregnant woman was cooking a meal, a baby lay in a cot and Tom, Simon's older brother by two years, was pulling faces at the infant. A little redhaired toddler girl of about three shrieked "Simooon!" When she saw her brother come in and stretched out her little fat arms. Simon lifted her up. The baby started crying.

As soon as the hand was gone, Claude relaxed and chased after his friend. He didn't hesitate at the door, simply walked in like always. As soon as the baby started, Claude was picking the child up and rocking it gently in Hope's of calming it once more.

"I didn't do nowt!" Tom said defensively even before anyone could accuse him when little Alice started crying.
"Well start doin' summ't and lay the table as I told ye to!" his mother said. "Thank you, lovely," she added as Claude picked up Alice, and the baby girl stopped crying to stare at Claude with big blue eyes.
Simon put little Rose down and started helping his brother, but stuck out his tongue at him to taunt him over getting scolded. Rose pouted, but then put four fingers in her mouth, the other hand in her neck, and also stared at Claude, turning her body from one side to the other as she watched. None of the children wore shoes, since they were saved for cold days and church. But the children were relatively clean - as clean as a child playing outside all day would be -, and where their clothes were torn, they had been mended.

"Anytime Mrs Ward" Claude replied politely and kept the babe in his arms using the gentle rock sway his own sister liked. His eyes landed on Rose and he managed to keep the flinch. "Rose, hand out of mouth. Ya'll get sick."