by Sam Michaels
Georgina noticed that Jane had stopped writing. ‘This isn’t a game. If you don’t do as I say, I swear, I’ll tie you to that chair and make you watch while I shoot Penny, then I’ll blow your fucking brains out before I pick Sally up from school, and after I’ve shown her the mess a shot-up head makes, I’ll kill her too.’
‘You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t hurt an innocent child.’
‘Wouldn’t I? Do you want to test that?’
Jane shook her head.
‘I thought not. Write down exactly what I tell you and I give you my word that Penny will be safe and Sally will come home from school to find your dead body. It’s gonna be a shock, but at least she’ll still be alive. If you want to do it the hard way, I’ll make sure she dies… in agony.’
‘Please, Georgina, don’t kill me for Billy’s mistakes.’
‘Mistakes? Was it a mistake that I wasn’t burnt to death? Was it a mistake that I wasn’t left a fucking vegetable when his thugs jumped me? Billy’s mistakes have cost you your life. I want the man destroyed, so you are going to blame him for your suicide. I hope he feels real pain until the day I can kill him too. Now pick up the fucking pencil!’
‘I see. So, this is a suicide note. You want me to write my own suicide note?’
‘Yes, Jane, that’s right. And when Billy reads that Malc and Sid grassed him up, that’ll be their downfall too. Billy will terminate his own gang, the very men who tried to terminate me. It’s ironic really, don’t you think?’
‘I think you must have gone mad, Georgina. This isn’t you,’ Jane said bravely.
‘That’s where you’re very wrong. Now, shut up and write!’
*
Molly screamed. She thought the pain was going to kill her. She’d removed her underwear and was on her knees, holding on to the wooden seat for support. Her waters had broken and now the contractions were coming every couple of minutes.
She panted, half hoping to hold back the inevitable birth, half hoping to get the child out as quickly as possible. She’d never felt so scared, not even when her father had been in a rage and beat her mother.
‘Argh… oh, Mum,’ she cried in agony.
Beads of sweat perfused her brow. She gripped the seat and arched her back.
‘I hate you, Billy Wilcox, hate you,’ she ground out through gritted teeth.
She reached between her legs and could feel the top of her baby’s head.
*
Jane had finished the letter and had left her tears splashed on the paper. She’d signed and dated it. Now, Georgina held the pistol to Jane’s temple as she checked the words.
‘Perfect. You’ve done the right thing, Jane. You’ve secured your daughters’ lives.’
‘Please… just make it quick.’
As though she’d resigned herself to her fate, Jane sounded surprisingly composed, which impressed Georgina. Even with a gun to her head and knowing her life was about to be snubbed out, she remained a lady. ‘Close your eyes,’ she told her.
Jane did as she was instructed then spoke softly, ‘Please make sure nothing bad happens to my girls. Penny won’t remember me but tell her how much I loved her.’
Those words. Tell her how much I loved her. The same last words her own mother had uttered. Georgina turned her head and caught sight of herself in the mirror. What was she doing? Jane was right – she had gone mad! Suddenly disgusted with herself, she dropped the gun to the floor, then staggered back until she was up against the wall on the other side of the room. ‘I’m sorry, Jane… I’m so sorry… I don’t know what I was thinking.’
Jane’s body seemed to slump with relief, then she burst into tears again. She held her head in her hands as she cried. ‘It’s all right. I realise my son has driven you to this. It’s a miracle you’re even alive after everything he’s done. I don’t blame you for wanting to get your own back.’
‘This isn’t the way. It’s him I want dead, not you! I thought killing you would be punishment for him, but you don’t deserve to die… it’s not your fault. God, I can’t believe I went this far.’
Georgina looked at the pistol on the floor. Her legs felt weak and she thought she might throw up. Revenge had blinded her and marred her judgement. She had been just moments away from killing an innocent woman, something she’d have never forgiven herself for.
‘So, it is true? All the things you said… He killed Norman?’ Jane asked.
Georgina nodded, but her mind was still whirling at the shock of what she’d nearly done.
Jane stood from the table and dabbed her wet cheeks with the tips of her fingers. Then, she moved towards the gun and picked it up. Georgina thought she may turn it on her and braced herself for the bullet.
‘Billy murdered my husband. Will you show me how to use this gun?’
Georgina blinked hard disbelievingly.
‘If anyone is going to kill my son, it will be me. I brought him into this world and it’ll be me who takes him out of it. He’s done nothing but leave a trail of pain and destruction behind him and he’ll keep doing it until he’s stopped.’
‘No, Jane, you’re not thinking straight. You can’t do this. If you kill your own son, it’ll destroy you,’ Georgina said, and slowly walked towards Jane hoping to take the gun from her.
‘But you’re right, George, someone has to. It should be me… I made him. I must have done something wrong… I don’t know, maybe I made mistakes when he was growing up… It was a difficult birth, perhaps he got damaged… but he can’t be permitted to carry on like he is. I have to think about my girls.’
‘Jane, give me the gun,’ Georgina gently said, worried that the woman could turn out to be as mad as her son.
‘No. Don’t worry, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m nothing like him. I’m just seeing things clearly for the first time. I think I’ve always known that Billy isn’t right, but I’ve never accepted it. I love him, George, he’s my son, God knows I love him… but what if he decides that he wants to kill Sally? He hates her, you know. He can’t stand to be around her. I wouldn’t put it past him to murder her next, and there’s Penny to think about.’
Jane stuffed the barrel of the pistol into the waistband of her skirt. ‘I’m going to have a large brandy. Care to join me?’
Georgina felt confused. She couldn’t quite work out what was going on. ‘Yes,’ she answered, and watched as Jane went to a cabinet and poured two drinks into crystal glasses. She handed Georgina a brandy, then said, ‘Bottoms up,’ before downing her drink. ‘Ah, that’s better.’ She smiled, though Georgina could see that her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Georgina sipped on the potent alcohol. It burned her throat as she swallowed it.
‘You’re a tough cookie, George. I’m going to be more like you.’
‘I’m not tough. I just won’t let men take advantage of me.’
‘Good on you, that’s what I say.’ Jane sat on the arm of the sofa and crossed one elegant leg over the other. ‘But what made you like this?’
Georgina walked over to the table where she’d forced Jane to sit earlier. She looked out onto the quiet street. Two small girls with pigtails were playing hopscotch whilst a little boy threw stones up against the kerb. The world outside was carrying on as normal and seemed a million miles away from the madness that was going on in the room.
‘People aren’t born tough. Life makes them that way. What’s happened to you, George? What has made you the woman you are?’
Georgina twisted her mother’s wedding ring. A kaleidoscope of images flashed through her head. Distant, vague memories of a man with red hair holding her down and hurting her. Being locked in a dark cupboard, her hands tied together. The policemen, more pain, more humiliation. Defiled again. The fire, the feeling of being terrified for her life. Malc and Sid beating her unconscious. Men… Men had made her tough and she’d suffered in the process. Surprised at herself, she gasped as all the awful memories flooding her mind forced tears from her eyes. She’d been through
so much but cried very little.
‘Are you all right?’ Jane asked softly.
Georgina hadn’t realised but she was sobbing now. Except for her anger, she’d suppressed so many emotions but allowing a few tears had unleashed the floodgates. Years of hidden misery tumbled out. She cried until she couldn’t cry any longer.
Finally, all her weeping spent, she turned, drained, and looked at Jane.
‘Better?’
‘Yes,’ Georgina said, and drew in a long juddering breath. ‘Blimey, I don’t know where that came from. I feel I right pillock now.’
‘There’s no need to be embarrassed. It’s better out than in. Do you want to talk about it?’
‘There’s nothing to talk about,’ Georgina answered defensively.
‘There obviously is but have it your way.’
‘You’re quite a remarkable woman, Jane. I came here with every intention of killing you. I held a gun to your head and made you write your own suicide note. Yet you offer me a shoulder to cry on. I take my hat off to you.’
‘There’s nothing remarkable about me. I’m ashamed of myself. I’ve let Billy get away with murder. No more though – that’s it. I have to ensure Sally’s safety.’
‘Molly!’ Georgina said.
‘What?’
‘How do we know Molly is safe? She hasn’t been seen for a while now. Christ, Jane, we’ve got to check on Molly.’
‘Don’t panic, I’m sure Billy wouldn’t harm her.’
‘How can you be sure… are you forgetting that he killed his father?’ Georgina shrieked.
‘Right, let’s go. Let me write a quick note for Sally. I’ll tell her to wait with my neighbour until I get home.’
Jane quickly crumpled up the suicide note, then left instructions for Sally. Both women marched to the kitchen and splashed cold water on their faces. Jane grabbed a light coat and threw it on, rushed upstairs and came running back down with Penny, then grasped her handbag and they dashed out of the door.
After dropping Penny with the neighbour and ensuring that she’d look after Sally, she said, ‘Let’s get to the junction and grab a taxi cab from there.’
Georgina agreed it would be the quickest way to get to Clapham. There was no reason to think that Billy had done anything to hurt Molly, but the man was unpredictable, and even his own mother agreed that no-one was safe, not all the while her son had breath in his body.
*
Molly faintly heard someone knocking on the front door. She screamed with all her might, not to be heard, but in excruciating agony.
‘Please, help me,’ she yelled once the pain passed, but she was sure whoever had been at the door would have gone by now. If she could have got to the boarded-up window, she would have hammered on it in the hope of someone on the streets hearing her.
She managed to lay herself down on the bare floorboards, exhausted and scared for the life of her soon-to-be-born child and her own. Anything could go wrong. The baby could get stuck or she could bleed to death. As she pushed, she cried again for her mum.
*
They’d heard Molly’s screams and Georgina had managed to pick the front door lock.
‘Quickly, the bedroom,’ Jane said, running up the stairs as Georgina followed closely behind taking them two at a time.
‘She’s not in here,’ Jane said coming out of one room.
Georgina searched the other two, but Molly was nowhere to be seen.
‘Did you hear that?’ Jane asked.
‘What?’
‘Shush… there… it’s coming from the attic!’ Jane exclaimed.
Georgina ran to the end of the hallway, shouting out Molly’s name. She found a small door and behind it, a dark narrow staircase that led to another door. She flew up the stairs, but the next door was locked.
‘MOLLY,’ she called.
‘George?’
‘Yes… can you open the door?’
‘No… I’m locked in. Please… help me… the baby.’
‘Stand back, Molly,’ Georgina said, and kicked the door.
It didn’t budge, and she’d hurt her ankle but she kicked again and again.
‘Argh,’ Molly cried from the other side.
‘Hurry up, George,’ Jane said.
‘I’m trying,’ she grunted, and rammed the door with her shoulder using all her force.
At last, the door gave way. The room was almost in darkness, but Georgina could see Molly looked petrified and was holding a baby in between her legs. The sight was shocking.
‘Oh, love, what has he done to you?’ Jane said as she darted past Georgina and crouched down beside Molly and the baby.
‘He locked me up… I was so scared…’ Molly cried.
Jane stroked Molly’s matted hair off her face. ‘It’s all right,’ she soothed, ‘we’re here now and we won’t let Billy hurt you or the baby.’
Then Jane turned to Georgina. ‘Go downstairs and find me scissors or a sharp knife. Get me water and towels.’
Georgina stood transfixed.
‘GEORGINA!’ Jane snapped.
‘Er… yes, sorry,’ she answered and flew into action. She ran round Billy’s house collecting the things Jane had told her to. How could he have done this to Molly? God, she wished she could kill him.
*
Jane had cut the umbilical cord and cleaned up mother and baby. Molly held her son in her arms and looked at him adoringly. All the fear and horror she had felt melted away. Her child was perfect. Beautiful. She instantly fell in love, and though exhausted, she held him to her breast. The baby instinctively suckled.
‘Hello, little man. I’m your mummy,’ Molly cooed.
She’d have liked to name him Edward after the king but knew Billy would want to have his way and call the child Norman. It gave her the creeps.
As the baby fed, Molly offered a silent prayer. ‘Please keep my boy safe and don’t let him have his father’s evil traits.’
*
‘Can I have a word?’ Jane whispered discreetly to Georgina.
They were downstairs now with Molly resting on the sofa. Once they were in the hallway and out of Molly’s earshot, Jane said, ‘I want to take them back to my house.’
‘I’d rather they were at mine,’ Georgina answered.
Jane came back with, ‘I’ve got more room.’
‘I know, but you’ve also got a headcase son. No, I think they’ll be safer at mine.’
‘Come off it, Georgina. No offence, but what protection can your gran and drunken father offer? I’ve got this,’ Jane said and pulled the pistol from the waistband of her skirt. ‘I think this beats yours.’
‘I can’t argue with that, but the gun belongs to me.’
‘It did, but it’s mine now,’ Jane said firmly.
Georgina wasn’t in a position to argue with the woman; after all, Jane was the one holding the gun. She would never have thought Jane would have it in her to use it, but now saw the woman in a different light.
‘Your house it is then.’ Georgina shrugged. But they still had to deal with Billy. They all knew that once he discovered Molly was gone, he’d go on a rampage looking for them.
*
As the taxi cab drove into Battersea, Molly could sense the thick tension in the air. ‘I’m not sure about this,’ she said worriedly, ‘Billy won’t tolerate it – he’ll come looking for me. The first place he’ll go is to my mum’s house. What if he hurts her or my sisters?’
‘Don’t worry, we’ll pick them up. In fact, Jane, we’ll have to go to mine ’cos he’s sure to look there too and I don’t want my gran left alone.’
‘Yes, you’re right. We’ll drop Molly off, you stay with her and I’ll fetch Sally and Penny and Fanny and the girls.’ Jane squeezed Molly’s hand, then said, ‘Don’t worry, darling, everything will be fine.’
But Molly was worried. How would everything be fine?
When the cab pulled up outside Georgina’s house, Dulcie came out on the doorstep.
‘Wh
at’s going on?’ she asked, ushering the women indoors.
‘I’ll explain everything soon. Look after Molly, Gran, she’s just had the baby.’
‘My goodness, what’s she doing up and about? She should be resting! Molly, go and sit yourself down. I’ll put the kettle on.’
Molly sat on the sofa and held her child protectively to her. She rocked gently back and forth, petrified that at any moment Billy would come charging through the door and rip the baby from her arms. She wanted to cry but held herself together. She was a mother now. She had to be strong.
Jane and Georgina were in the hallway, and though their voices were low, Molly could hear their conversation. She heard Jane say, ‘Keep an eye on them. I’ll get Sally and Penny and I’ll send word to Fanny. Billy will still be working. He won’t realise what’s happened for a few hours, so we’ve got plenty of time.’
‘OK, but we really need to come up with a plan to sort Billy out.’
‘I’ve got that in hand,’ Jane said solemnly.
‘What do you mean?’
There were a few moments of silence, then Molly heard Georgina say, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’
Jane then answered, ‘Yes. It’s the only way. I’ll bring my girls here and then I’ll go back to his house and wait for him.’
Molly heard the front door close then Dulcie asking Georgina what had happened. Georgina gave the woman a condensed version then walked into the room.
‘Right then, let’s have a proper look at this little bundle,’ she said, holding out her arms for the baby.
Molly handed him over.
‘He’s a handsome chap. What are you going to call him?’
‘Billy wanted Norman for a boy…’
‘You have got to be kidding me! Is that what you want?’
‘No… I like Edward.’
‘Yes, it suits him. Hello, Edward.’ Georgina smiled. ‘I think he wants his mummy back now.’
‘Give him here,’ Dulcie said as she came in with a tray of tea. ‘You’re not really the maternal type, are you, love?’
‘I like babies… as long as I can hand them back.’ Georgina laughed.