The Bells of Little Woodford

by Catherine Jones

  ‘Well, I find it completely stressful.’ Jade glowered at her mother. ‘Unless you want to make things worse than they already are.’

  Olivia backed down. ‘No, no. But I must get on. You’ll be all right on your own for a little while.’

  ‘I suppose I’ll have to be.’

  Olivia got up from the sofa and Jade instantly put her feet up on the covers and her head on the arm. Olivia wanted to tell her to take her feet off the upholstery but didn’t quite have the nerve.

  ‘Right, back in a bit.’

  She tiptoed out of the room and gathered up a couple of shopping bags and her list before she let herself out of the house and walked to the Co-op. She had planned to go to the supermarket in Cattebury but there wasn’t time for that – not and be able to cobble together a meal too. One of the very few advantages of living in Beeching Rise was the town centre was on her doorstep.

  Olivia whizzed round the Co-op shelves and got enough to feed her family that night and to fill the fridge with essentials. She could do a proper shop tomorrow.

  On her return home Jade was still lying on the sofa like a distressed Victorian heroine, staring at the ceiling and sniffing occasionally. Her cases were still in the hall and her dirty mug on the coffee table.

  Olivia took her shopping into the kitchen and began to unpack it.

  ‘Mum?’ came a plaintive wail from the sitting room. ‘Could I have some more tea?’

  Olivia stopped putting away groceries. ‘Give me strength,’ she muttered, before she put the kettle on. She made a pact with herself. She’d indulge Jade today, but tomorrow her daughter would have to brace up and pull her weight if she was going to stay.

  Chapter 11

  Megan stood at her desk, her backpack in front of her as she loaded books into it ready to move off to the canteen for lunch. Miss Watkins, her new English and drama teacher, was busy wiping down the board. Miss Watkins looked barely older than some of the sixth formers and dressed like most of the female ones in jeans and T-shirts.

  ‘Megan, Ashley, could you stay behind for a second?’ she said.

  The pair glanced at each other as Megan’s mind trawled through anything which might have got her into some sort of trouble. Miss Watkins must have guessed she’d worried them. ‘It’s all right,’ she told them. ‘You’re not in trouble.’

  She picked a couple of slim books up off her desk. ‘I’d like you to look at these.’ She handed one to each of them.

  Megan read the cover… Cinderella. ‘Is this the script, miss?’

  Miss Watkins nodded. ‘I’d like you both to read it through before drama club on Wednesday if you can.’ Megan and Ashley exchanged another glance. ‘Or as much as you can. I realise this is GCSE year and you have other demands on your time.’

  ‘I’ll do my best, miss,’ promised Megan. She flicked open the cover and spun the pages. There was quite a lot of white space – no dense text. It shouldn’t take too long to read.

  ‘I want you and Ashley to try out for parts in the play – I’d really like you to play Cinders, Megan. I think you’d be perfect. Your part, Ashley, will be a bit more challenging – I want you to be an ugly sister. What do you think?’

  The pair exchanged glances. Ashley looked distinctly downcast as Megan jumped at the part she’d been offered.

  ‘Did you fancy being Prince Charming?’ said Miss Watkins.

  Ashley shuffled. ‘Well…’

  ‘This is a much better part. Honest. The prince just struts around and poses. He gets none of the laughs, none of the really good lines. Trust me – this needs someone who can act, someone like you.’

  Ashley blushed and beamed. ‘Really?’

  Miss Watkins nodded. ‘So?’

  ‘I’ll have a go, miss,’ said Ash. ‘Who’s the other sister?’

  ‘Dan Maitland in year ten. I’ll want you to read some of it on Wednesday – so maybe you’d like to sort out a couple of scenes each to perform. I can read other parts in for you if necessary. Anyway, I won’t keep you. I expect you want your lunch.’ Miss Watkins bustled off leaving the two teenagers alone.

  Megan pointed to the cast list. ‘Looks like she wants us to play two of the biggest parts,’ she said.

  Ashley looked at her and nodded. ‘What do you think? Do you want to have a go?’

  Megan shrugged. ‘Maybe. It’ll be a lot of lines to learn.’

  ‘Yeah, but it’d be cool.’

  ‘You reckon?’

  Ashley’s eyes were bright with excitement. ‘I do. It’ll be brilliant. Just think about it, we’d be on stage, people will applaud.’

  Megan looked sceptical. ‘Only if we’re any good. We might end up looking totally lame.’

  ‘We won’t. Come on, Megs, we can do this.’

  Megan sighed.

  ‘I won’t do it if you don’t,’ said Ashley. ‘Please.’

  ‘OK then.’

  ‘Ace.’

  *

  Amy was finishing off cleaning for Bex when her employer got back from her shift at the pub.

  ‘Just had a text from my Ash,’ she said as Bex took her coat off. ‘Seems him and your Megan have been asked to try out for the main parts in the school play.’ She sounded gloomy.

  ‘But that’s great.’

  ‘It ain’t. Miss Watkins wants him to be an ugly sister. He is so going to get the piss ripped out of him.’

  ‘I’m sure he won’t.’

  ‘Huh. Everyone’s going to think he’s gay or a tranny or whatever they call blokes who wear dresses. My Ash – I ask you.’ She stopped mopping down the kitchen counters and threw the cloth into the sink. ‘Besides, he ought to concentrate on his schoolwork. They said he’s university material. I want him to get some good qualifications.’ Amy’s pride was palpable. ‘I don’t want him to get sidetracked with some dressing up.’

  ‘But universities like their students to be more than just brainboxes.’

  ‘I suppose. Unis want a lot from students, don’t they – and I don’t just mean book-learning neither. It’s all about money, ain’t it, these days? All those fees.’

  ‘It is expensive, yes.’

  ‘I hope it’ll be worth it. I worry about all that debt kids get themselves into.’

  ‘Yeah, but if he gets a really great job as a result…’

  ‘Billy said he ought to sack plans of uni and get a proper job. Billy said that way he’d earn decent money and not have a chuffing great debt to pay back.’

  Bex raised her eyebrows. ‘I think,’ she said, ‘that given Billy’s idea of a successful career involved robbing half this town blind, I’d take his opinions with a pinch of salt.’

  Amy ignored Bex’s jibe about her ex. ‘What I want to know is… where has my Ash got his ideas about acting from?’

  ‘It’s not a crime, Amy,’ said Bex with a laugh. ‘Nothing wrong with it in my opinion. I think it’s great if kids have interests outside school. You don’t mind him skateboarding, do you?’

  ‘That’s different.’

  Bex didn’t see how. She glanced at the kitchen clock. ‘And this isn’t getting me to the Co-op to pick up some bits and pieces before I go and get the boys from school.’ She grabbed her handbag and took out a couple of notes. ‘Here you go, Amy.’ She handed the money over. ‘I’ll see you on Friday – make sure you leave the house locked.’

  ‘Of course, Bex, and thanks for the dosh.’

  And Bex went off to do her shopping feeling quite chuffed about Megan’s possible inclusion in the school production. All was well, she thought. Megan wasn’t being bullied and had joined a club, the boys were popular and she herself was involved in the PTA, the book club and the WI and had a bunch of new friends. Yup – they were all becoming part of the community. It was exactly as she’d hoped things would pan out when they’d moved here.

  *

  Megan and Sophie linked arms as they walked out of the school gates at the end of the day.

  ‘That’s great about Miss Watkins wanting y
ou to be in the play,’ said Sophie. She sighed enviously. ‘And Cinders.’ She sighed again. ‘You’ll get such a lovely costume. I wish I could have a go too – but what with Mum…’

  Poor Sophie, thought Megan. Being her mother’s carer meant she had to make some huge sacrifices. Lizzie might have a nurse who came in twice a day to make sure she was OK, but evenings and weekends were Sophie’s responsibility. Extra-curricular activities on a regular basis were tricky.

  ‘It’s well unfair that you can’t,’ said Megan.

  ‘Yeah, well…’

  A yell from behind made the girls turn around.

  ‘Hey, hey, Megan, wait for me.’

  ‘Hi, Ash,’ she said.

  ‘Can I walk with you?’

  ‘I suppose.’

  ‘We need to arrange to go through our lines,’ said Ash, ignoring Sophie.

  Megan felt irritated. Ashley banging on about the panto was making things worse for her friend. How could he be so insensitive? ‘Leave it, Ash.’

  ‘But we’ve only got till Wednesday.’

  ‘Read them with someone else if you’re so keen.’

  ‘No,’ said Sophie. ‘You mustn’t blow your chances on my account. There’s no point in both of us being miserable.’

  ‘There, you see,’ said Ashley. ‘Sophie understands.’

  Megan wouldn’t have put it as strongly as that.

  ‘Tell you what,’ said Sophie, ‘why don’t you both come back to mine and have a run-through? My mum used to do some acting, before she got ill. She once had a bit part in the West End. Maybe she could give you some tips while I get our supper on.’

  Megan looked at Ashley. ‘I suppose.’

  ‘But that’d be amazing,’ said Ashley. ‘It’s perfect.’

  ‘But you haven’t asked your mum,’ said Megan.

  ‘Oh, she’ll be cool.’

  Megan and Ashley both texted their respective mothers as they walked to Sophie’s house where she opened the front door to let them all in.

  ‘I’ve brought some friends home, Mum,’ she called as she took her shoes off in the hall. Megan and Ashley followed suit. She ushered her friends into the sitting room.

  ‘Hi, Megan,’ said Lizzie. ‘Lovely to see you again. I told Soph to leave the spare bed made up after your sleepover – you’re welcome back any time. Soph loved having you to stay.’

  Megan felt her face colour at the compliment. ‘It was good – we had fun.’

  ‘And this is Ashley – Ash,’ said Sophie. ‘He’s in our tutor group, too.’

  ‘Hello, Ashley.’

  ‘Hello, Mrs Smith.’

  ‘It’s Lizzie.’ She smiled up at Ashley from her wheelchair.

  ‘Ash and Megan have been asked to try out for the school play,’ said Sophie.

  ‘That’s nice,’ said Lizzie.

  ‘And I thought you could help them while I get some supper fixed.’

  ‘It’s been a long time since I did any acting,’ protested Lizzie. ‘Sit down, you two. I’m getting a crick in my neck.’ Megan and Ashley perched on the sofa while Sophie hovered by the door.

  ‘Come on, Mum. You must remember how it’s done.’

  Well, yes. But it’s different knowing how to do it yourself and telling someone else how.’

  ‘Look,’ said Megan, ‘we don’t want to be a bother…’

  Ashley glared at her. He obviously didn’t share her sentiment.

  ‘It’s no bother – I’m not going anywhere else, am I?’ Lizzie laughed while Megan looked embarrassed.

  ‘We’re doing Cinderella,’ said Ashley, jumping in before Megan could muck things up.

  ‘That sounds like fun,’ said Lizzie. ‘So, which parts are you going for?’

  ‘Miss Watkins wants me to be an ugly sister,’ said Ashley.

  ‘And she’s asked me to try out for Cinders herself,’ added Megan.

  ‘So, big parts which means big commitments.’

  ‘We’ll be stars,’ said Ashley.

  ‘It’s not all about the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd,’ said Lizzie with a laugh. ‘It’s much more about lots and lots of hard graft.’

  ‘We don’t mind that, do we, Megs?’

  Megan wondered just how much hard graft was going to be involved but she saw the look on Ashley’s face and realised how much this meant to him. And maybe this wasn’t going to be such a bad project – after all, it was going to provide an excuse to spend time with her two best mates in the class. It couldn’t be all bad.

  *

  At ten o’clock that evening Olivia finished her shift, got her bike from where she’d parked it, switched on its lights and cycled down the hill back into the town and her new house. It hadn’t been an arduous shift but it had been a long day and she was beat. As she cycled she passed her old place. Earlier in the day, when she’d been cycling the other way, there had been a fleet of white vans drawn up outside. Now they were gone and all that remained of the evidence that the new people were having a vast amount of work done on the place was a skip outside the front door. And the windows were blank and no lights were on, so whatever the new owners were having done was, presumably, happening before they moved in. For the life of her Olivia couldn’t think what on earth there was to do to the place. The bathrooms and kitchens were only a few years old and had been bespoke and top-of-the-range when they’d been fitted, plus the decor was immaculate and the carpets spotless. In Olivia’s opinion, all the new owners needed to do was unpack and put their stuff away, like she was doing. Still, each to their own.

  As she cycled over the railway bridge and into Beeching Rise she saw the downstairs lights were still on at home. No great surprise there; despite his early commute to London every morning Nigel rarely went to bed before the evening news was over and, of course, Jade was back home now. Olivia dismounted at the end of the garden path and wheeled the bike up to the front door. Once they’d got the boxes in the garage unpacked it could live there but until then it had to be locked and hidden behind one of the shrubs in the front garden in the hope no one would spot it and nick it.

  Olivia’s key clicked in the lock.

  ‘I’m home,’ she called. And as soon as she opened the door she saw all of Jade’s cases still piled in the hall where she’d left them. Olivia sighed. The girl could have taken them upstairs at the very least.

  ‘Hi, Mum,’ called Jade.

  Olivia went into the sitting room. The dirty mug was still on the coffee table but now a couple of wine glasses had been added to the mix along with three trays, each with used plates and cutlery piled on them. Hadn’t any of her family thought to clear up after their supper?

  In the corner the TV was on and Nigel waved an acknowledging hand.

  ‘How was the shift?’ he asked.

  ‘Exhausting.’

  ‘Welcome to my world.’

  Yes, but when he came home it was to rest and relaxation not more work. She eyed the dirty plates and full trays.

  ‘You seem to have enjoyed supper.’

  ‘Lovely, thanks.’

  So much for the family doing their best to help out. Not a finger lifted and her hint that maybe they could have tidied up afterwards was falling on deaf ears.

  ‘I think I’m going to have a cup of tea before I go to bed,’ she announced. She stamped into the kitchen, angry that her family couldn’t be bothered to help. The kitchen was an even worse mess. Olivia grabbed the kettle and banged it under the tap before she plugged it in. Then she leaned against the counter and blinked back the tears. Was it too much to ask that they cleared up after themselves? Two adults and a teenager… She sighed and pulled herself together. Of course they didn’t get it. For thirty years no one had had to do a hand’s turn around the house. It was her fault for never making them shift for themselves. But things were going to have to change.

  As the kettle boiled she returned to the sitting room, took the remote control off the arm of the sofa and switched off the TV.

  ‘
I was watching…’ Then Nigel saw the look on his wife’s face.

  ‘I have come home after a long day at work. I cooked your supper before I went out, and I have come home to this.’ She swept her hand around the room and the mess. ‘I am tired and I want to go to bed before I repeat it all again tomorrow. We don’t have a “housework fairy” any more so I suggest that you two sort it out before breakfast – otherwise it’s going to stay this way until you do.’

  ‘I had a long day too, Ol…Olivia.’

  ‘I expect you have. But Jade hasn’t.’

  ‘But, Mum…’

  ‘You haven’t even taken your cases upstairs.’

  ‘I’ve been upset.’

  ‘Not too upset to eat and drink.’ Olivia glared at her daughter. ‘I know you’ve had a rotten couple of days but I’ve had a rotten few months and I haven’t had the luxury of sacking real life and taking to my bed with a fit of the vapours. I’ve had to get on, keep everything going, juggle moving with looking after everyone while keeping things as normal as possible—’

  ‘Stop it, the pair of you,’ shouted Nigel. He stood up, crashed the trays into a messy pile and slammed out into the kitchen where there was another bang as he thumped them onto a work surface. Olivia wondered how much china had just got broken. She didn’t want to face Nigel and his wrath over being made to help around the house so she shelved the idea of tea and went to bed.

  She didn’t think she had the energy to face this sort of scene every time she returned from work. Was the extra money going to be worth it? She doubted it.

  Chapter 12

  Brian was slathering marmalade onto a slice of toast as Heather poured the tea out of the pot.

  ‘You haven’t forgotten that chap, Graham, is coming to see us again tomorrow,’ said Brian, his knife hovering about his toast.

  ‘Graham?’

  ‘The bell chappie.’

  ‘Oh, him. Ummm…’ Actually, Heather wasn’t sure she knew anything about this return visit but it didn’t really matter. Much as she supported Brian, the minutiae of running the church on a day-to-day basis really wasn’t her concern. ‘He won’t need feeding or anything, will he?’ She put the teapot down and picked up the milk carton.