by Karen Woods
Tina was defiant. ‘I can do this and I am. I’ve rented a flat and Amelia is there now. Nobody knows she’s there and a few months is not that long to be missing from home. Teenagers get lost on the streets every day. At least this way she’s safe and the baby is wanted. She can go back when she’s had the baby, and nobody will be any the wiser. I’ve gone over and over this a million times in my head. It can all work out, please help me.’ She was crying again now. ‘You said you loved me and would do anything for me. Amelia can ring home and tell her parents she’s alright, it’s not like she is going missing off the face of the earth.’
‘Tina, can you hear yourself? This is not right. This kid needs proper guidance, she doesn’t need hiding away as part of some mad scheme you’ve come up with. You could lose your job, everything you’ve worked hard for. Are you ready to put your neck on the line for this? Think about it, it’s not right. You need medical help. If you want to adopt then we can go through the proper procedure. I promise. But you can’t just take the law into your own hands and take the girl’s baby, no matter how desperate she is. How were you going to explain that you suddenly had a kid?’
Tina flew at him. ‘Why did I ever think that you would understand? I should have kept my mouth shut and carried on without you. I’m giving you the chance to make us happy and all you can do is put a spanner in the works. If I tell people we’ve been waiting to adopt, who’s going to know any different? You owe me, Chris, you owe me for the years I’ve been a mother to your children, for every night I’ve spent crying alone, you owe me.’
Chris was silent. He looked at the pile of baby clothes and shook his head. He dropped the knitted shoes he’d been holding, small and unworn.
Amelia sat watching the TV, she was bored. She flicked through the channels and sighed. Somebody was at the door, a key sliding into the lock. She’d not seen anyone all day.
Tina walked in holding a bag of food. ‘Sorry I’m late. I’ve had a situation to deal with.’
Amelia snatched the takeaway bag from her hands. ‘I am starving. All I’ve had all day is toast.’
Tina held the door open behind her, startling Amelia. ‘What the…? Who’s he?’
Tina smiled. ‘It’s OK, Amelia. This is my husband. I’ve told him everything and he’s here to help.’
Amelia was apprehensive. She kept her eyes on the stranger as she started to unpack her food.
Tina gestured to Chris to sit down. ‘Amelia, this is Chris.’
Amelia said nothing in reply, just nodded her head slightly.
‘Hi, you alright?’ he asked her.
‘I will be when I’ve had something to eat. All day I’ve been craving this. Tina, I need chocolate too. I’ve eaten the last packet of biscuits. I was in a feeding frenzy and nothing was touching the sides.’
‘I’ve brought you some shopping. It’s in the car, I’ll get it in a minute.’
As Amelia ate, she broke off every so often to wipe the side of her mouth with her sleeve. ‘Has anything been said in school about me being missing?’
Tina coughed to clear her throat. ‘The police have been in. They’ve interviewed all the students too.’
‘I’ll have to bell my mam soon; she will be screwing about me. Her nerves will be shattered. She’s a worrier my mam is.’
Tina flicked her hair back over her shoulders. ‘Yes, you’re right. I need to get you a cheap phone, something we can get rid of so it can’t be traced.’
‘Can I not have my own phone back? I’ve not been on WhatsApp or Snapchat since I came here.’
Tina rolled her eyes. Her tone was firm. ‘What have we spoken about? No social media and no phone. The police would find you in five minutes flat. We have to stick to the plan. Chris, go and get the shopping and you can bring the bag with the clothes in it too. I want to show Amelia just how well looked after this baby will be.’
Chris did what she asked but it was clear that he was unsettled.
Tina waited until he’d gone and sat down next to Amelia. ‘Let’s have a little feel of your tummy. I can’t wait until we can feel the baby moving about.’ She dropped her head to Amelia’s stomach and started to speak to it. ‘Mummy can’t wait to meet you. You’re going to be so loved.’
Amelia looked uncomfortable, but didn’t stop her and soon Chris was back with the bags. Tina started to pull out small items. Little cardigans, hats, bootees.
‘Look, Amelia, look at the size of this, imagine the baby in this.’ She was in a world of her own again.
‘Tina, love, put them away.’ Chris looked awkward. But his wife held the cardigan to her nose, breathing in the softness of the wool.
Amelia looked over and raised her eyebrows. The young girl clearly thought the woman was a couple of butties short of a picnic. She changed the channel and tucked her feet up under herself. Whatever happened from here, they were all up to their necks in it. Amelia rested her hand on her stomach. Sometimes, however much you want to go back, the only way through something is to face the unknown.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ged was going back to school today and his stress levels were through the roof; his head was all over the place. Kevin was taking him, had told him that he wanted to have a quick word with the teachers to make sure he was alright, but Ged had refused point blank. No way did he want his old man coming into school and showing him up. He reckoned his dad was up to something too. He was cagey, shifty – and Ged knew no one got through a stretch in prison without getting good at keeping secrets.
Nancy stood waiting near the gates and smiled when she saw Ged. She was persistent, he’d give her that. He needed to make up his mind one way or another what he was doing with her. She was a nice girl, a bit messed up in the head but who was perfect? Everyone had their scars – only some were more visible than others.
Kevin patted his son on the shoulder. ‘Ring me if you need me. Any shit in here and I’ll fly over. I’ll be here before you know it.’ He patted his pocket and winked at his son. ‘Dad’s here now.’
‘Dad, just go to the job centre and sort your benefits out. I’m a big boy now and don’t need you or anyone else fighting my battles.’
Kevin kept his voice low. ‘I’m not saying you do but this lot you’re messing around with, well, you’ve seen what they can do. Trust me, I’m a long time in the game, son.’
Ged sighed and walked over to Nancy. Once his dad had gone, he wanted to have a quick ciggie before he went into school. He’d binned the weed and he hadn’t been stoned since everything had gone on. His head felt clearer and he seemed to have more energy. No more mood swings.
‘Morning, hope you’re ready for this lot in here,’ Nancy was her usual ebullient self.
‘Am I fuck. I can’t be arsed, to tell you the truth. I just want to go back to bed, I’m knackered.’
Nancy walked with him as he headed towards the brick wall at the side of the school. ‘If you want we could just do a bunk and spend the day together. We can get the train somewhere if you like?’
Ged popped a fag into the corner of his mouth and sparked it up. ‘I’m not in the mood, Nancy, maybe some other time. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on in my head that needs sorting out. I need to face this lot in school at some time – and I’m here now.’
Nancy moved in closer to him and kept her voice low. ‘So, what’s the script with Frankie, are you going to confront him or play it by ear? He’s still going to want his money back, isn’t he?’
Ged growled back at her. ‘He’s getting fuck all from me. That’s one thing my dad and I agree on. And I have to tell him that too. Frankie needs to know I don’t owe him a penny. Who would do something like that to a mate? I could be fucking dead. It’s bang out of order. But I need to find out who decked Frankie. If he’s a marked man in a turf war, I don’t want the fight coming to me. I’m not making a habit of getting stabbed.’
Nancy loved a drama. She hated Frankie with a passion and couldn’t have been more delighted that he was no longer stuck to Ged’s side. She rubbed her hands together against the cold. ‘You getting shanked is old news in this place. You’ve missed loads of drama in school. Chelsea has been caught sleeping with some girl’s boyfriend. The girl came to school looking for her. On my life, Chelsea shit her knickers, she wasn’t mouthy when she was thought she was going to get her head kicked in, let me tell you. She was sat in the head’s office bawling her eyes out. Fucking mard arse, that one. She’s a dirtbag and everyone knows that. Oh,’ she was on a roll now, ‘guess who’s gone missing?’
Ged sucked hard on his cig and blew out a cloud of smoke. ‘Who?’
‘Amelia, she’s been gone a few days now. We’ve all been interviewed by the staff. The dibble are involved too. A few of the kids are saying she’s ran off with an older man, she was always talking to older guys online, that’s public knowledge. So, it wouldn’t surprise me.’
Ged shook his head. ‘She seemed alright, her. She never said much but a few of the lads said she puts it about. I thought they were chatting shit, but Liam showed me a video of her getting shagged at some party. Nasty it was.’
Nancy reached over and took the cigarette out of his mouth to have a blast before they went into school. ‘You shouldn’t watch that shit. Fucking jealous is what most of the lads in this school are. Spreading that kind of rubbish just coz they’re not getting any. Anyway, if you go by that rule, you’d be calling most of us girls slags. And the boys are worse – dick pics, hassling girls for porno selfies, fucking upskirts – and then they call a girl a slag as revenge for getting turned down. Sodding pathetic, the lot of them. I think I’m the only one who doesn’t have a new bloke every week. I’ve only ever slept with you. You was my first.’ She was looking at him with puppy dog eyes. Mesmerised. ‘You know I only have eyes for you, don’t you, Ged?’
Fuck. It was too early for this. Ged stomped on his fag butt and started to head into the building. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Frankie walking towards the school. His heart was racing, his mouth dry.
‘Yo, Ged,’ he heard from behind him.
The adrenaline kicked in and his body started to shake.
‘Carry on walking,’ Nancy whispered. ‘Ignore the scumbag.’
Ged couldn’t do it. ‘Nancy, I’ll see you later. Go inside, I’ll be fine, I don’t want you involved in any of this.’
It was easy to see she was uncertain, but she knew not to cause a scene.
Frankie trudged towards Ged. He still had yellow bruises on the side of his face. ‘I didn’t know you was coming back into school, a few of the lads said you wasn’t coming back. I knew they were chatting shit.’
Ged took a deep breath. ‘Maybe, if you would have belled me and spoke to me, instead of texting me giving it all that about the money you say I owe you, you would have known.’
Clearly, this wasn’t what Frankie was expecting. ‘What’s with the fucking attitude? I texted you about the money because it’s your debt. You lost the parcel and the money, so it’s up to you to pay it back. You know the rules, I don’t make them. So, don’t have a go at me. And, sort your fucking attitude out, gobshite.’
‘Still, I was stabbed up and all you cared about was the fucking money. Some mate you are. What happened to you having my back, brothers-in-arms?’
Frankie’s nostrils flared. He stepped closer. ‘So, when are you sorting out the cash? The big boys are not going to wait all day. If it wasn’t for me, they would have come through your front door and kicked the fuck out of you. Who do you think did this to me?’ He gestured at his swollen eye.
Ged shrugged his shoulders. ‘Who are they? Tell me who they are and I will go and see them myself. I’m not scared you know. I don’t need anyone to fight my battles.’
Frankie was losing it now, bouncing about and waving his arms. ‘You listen straight, I brought you into this game when you had fuck all and I helped you earn some decent wedge. As I recall, your old man was in the chokey and your mam was working all hours to keep her head above water, so I done you a fucking favour.’
Ged looked around to make sure no one was listening. ‘Word on the street, Frankie, is that I was set up. Set up by one of your other boys, what do you know about that?’
Frankie looked like someone had slapped him. ‘Who’s telling you that? Because it’s pure bullshit.’
‘Well, I hope it is because I’ll get to the bottom of it and when I do people will get hurt if I’ve been had over. I know people too, you know? Plenty of people will do anything for a few quid or a bag of brown.’
Frankie had heard enough. He bit down hard on his bottom lip and started to walk into the school. ‘Pay the money back, simple as. I’ve already had my collar felt about it and I’m not taking another beating because you got had over. You need to get selling again, otherwise face the consequences.’ Frankie looked about, dipped his head and carried on walking.
Ged hurried behind him. ‘I’m not doing shit. Give me the names of who I owe the debt to, and I’ll sort it out myself. I don’t need you being the middleman. You’re fucking shady.’
Frankie stopped dead in his tracks then ran at Ged pushing him up against the wall his hands round his neck. ‘Muppet, I’ll do more than stab you up if you carry on. Who the fuck do you think you are, talking to me like I’m a fucking nobody? If you want beef with me then carry on. Your old man is out of jail now, isn’t he?’
Ged didn’t like the look in Frankie’s eyes. He wrestled free. ‘Leave my dad out of it. He’s keeping his nose clean so don’t be involving him in anything. It’s fuck all to do with him. You wouldn’t like me bringing your parents into it, would you?’
Frankie was spoiling for a scrap, but he spotted Donny was walking down the corridor. He spat in Ged’s face and scurried off. ‘Sort it, prick. Trust me, the big man knows who you are, he knows you’re the weak link in the chain and he’s not a patient man. He’s got a lot to lose if this operation goes tits up. He’s watching you.’
Ged knew Frankie meant every word he’d said.
‘Morning, Ged, nice to see you back.’ Donny looked rough and not his usual pristine self. He still had his wits about him though. ‘Did I just see you talking to Frankie? Is everything alright, looked like you were having words with him.’
Ged couldn’t wait to get away. ‘No sir, nothing I can’t handle.’
Ged heard the confidence in his voice hiding how he really felt. Despite the act, he knew a storm was brewing.
Outside, deliberately off the premises, Donny rammed a fag into his mouth with shaking hands. He paced up and down; he was going to wear a hole in the tarmac at this rate. He typed out a text as he smoked before looking up in time to spot Dan walking towards him. There was nowhere to hide.
‘Morning, Daddy dearest,’ Dan chuckled. The kid was as full of himself as ever and he knew how to press all the buttons.
Donny looked at him. ‘I am not your father, so the sooner your mother gets the DNA test done we can put this to bed.’
‘Nah, you’re my old man alright – and soon everyone will know it.’
Donny inhaled deeply; this was getting out of hand. ‘Listen, you cocky prick. I’ve told your mam to get a test as soon as. Back in the day she was anybody’s, so stands to reason that anyone could be your dad.’
Dan froze. ‘Don’t you ever disrespect my mam. She’s looked after me for years without a penny from you, so keep it shut, you daft prick.’
Donny was well aware that he needed to get away from the situation; his temper was boiling and he was ready to punch this kid’s lights out. But his job was at stake. His livelihood. He walked away before he did something he’d regret. This had to be sorted out. He’d always thought of himself as a lucky guy. But everyone’s luck ran out in the end.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Donny sat staring into space. The DNA test results were back; today was D-day. Two weeks without his wife in his bed by his side had felt like a lifetime.
Susan had agreed to meet him, though she’d made it clear that if the test proved he was Dan’s father then their marriage was well and truly over. He could get to fuck, she’d said. There was no way she was playing mummy to his bastard child.
Donny had chewed his nails to the quick, the skin around them red and sore. The sooner this mess was over, the better. He wanted his life back, his wife back where she belonged. He’d barely seen her since this all started – she’d made sure to work early and late shifts at the salon, staying out for dinner with the girls so she wouldn’t have to spend an evening at home with him. She stayed at Sadie’s, or he’d kipped on the sofa. And when they did cross paths, there were rules; no touching, no kissing, no nothing. He missed the closeness they’d had. Susan was a tough cookie when she wanted to be. She was distant now, frosty and suspicious at all times. But then even before this she’d been acting strange, he reminded himself. He shook his head. Maybe it had been broken long before all this. Like a plate with a crack running all the way through it – just waiting for the moment that would finally break it beyond repair.
Donny had agreed that they would all meet in a park near the school. Get it all settled once and for all. A huge tree hung over the bench where he sat now, leaves fluttering in the breeze. It was a beautiful tree, romantic even. He let himself dream that one day soon he would bring his wife here again and they could have a picnic together, just the two of them. He spotted a figure walking down the hill towards him. His jaw tensed.
They’d arranged that Bethany would bring the letter here for him to open. That way he would be the first to receive the news and he could be sure no one had meddled with the envelope. Bethany was full of herself, as ever. She looked rough – hair scraped back in a ponytail, baggy tracksuit bottoms and battered trainers. She was the opposite of Susan, he thought. No class here, just a sly bird who lived her life on handouts and kept her eye out for any other way of making easy money on the side.