by Steve Kirby
“They always say that, look he’s been hurt.”
“Mum he’s serious he’s tried before I’m frightened Mum please help me.” Her voice beginning to fill with fear and panic.
“Oh Angie you stupid silly girl, Well you know my views on people being unfaithful you’ve made your bed you have to lie in it, what you have to do now is beg his forgiveness and from now on be the best most perfect wife he could have.”
“Mum you don’t understand he WILL! Kill me I’ve got to get away please let me stay there for a while.”
“No I’m sorry Angie but you’ve brought this on yourself you can’t go through life running away like you usually do.”
“Mum please” Angie began to cry.
“Please Mum for your Grandchildren if not for me.”
“The ones that we have never seen,” Her mother said sarcastically.
“Sorry Angie we have no room and your Dad doesn’t need the upset. You’ll just have to face up to it, do as I’ve told yo...” Angie slammed the phone down.
“Fine I’ll sort it out myself.” Angie sat there looking down at the floor, she had never in her life before felt so alone and frightened, she looked up just as the room door opened and Vicky was stood there. “Mummy are you alright? I heard a noise.”
“Sorry Darling I dropped the phone, Silly Mummy eh?” She said putting on a smile.
“You’re not silly you’re the cleverest Mummy in the whole world.”
“Thank you darling I wish I was. Well you go watch television with Ben I’m just going to get changed out of these wet clothes then we’ll have tea.”
“Ok Mummy.” She ran to Angie gave her a big hug and kissed her cheek.
“I love you Mummy.” Angie’s eyes filled with tears.
“Ok darling I’ll be down in a bit no fighting with your brother please.”
“But he’s a pain.”
“Ha, He may be but he’s your baby brother you have to look after him so no fighting, Promise?”
“Oh alright then Mum I promise.”
Angie went up to her bedroom she sat at her dressing table and looked into the mirror, she was shocked by what she saw looking back at her the grotesque reflection looking back at her, Her hair was matted to her head, her mascara had run there were thick black lines down her face like some manic clown, her eyes were bright red from crying.
She stared at her reflection, her face began to dissolve then she was taken back to the beach at Bridlington with Simon and the conversation they had about his wife’s decision to have her son Cameron instead of chemo therapy she gave him life knowing it was a death sentence for herself.
Her telling Simon she would hate to be in that position and what would she do.
Angie had reached that crossroad, she went to her bedside cabinet picked up the glass she used for water or other things during the night, opened the drawer took out her bottle of gin and her sleeping pills.
Sitting back at the mirror she poured herself a large glass of gin she took the lid off the pills and emptied them out on the dresser, again she looked at the reflection in the mirror it was one she didn’t recognise it was a stranger it was like she was looking through a window.
She watched as this person started taking the pills with the gin. Then it was her again asking the question.
“What would you choose Life or Death?” She was back again the stranger in the mirror was still drinking and taking the pills.
She opened the drawer and took out a notebook, she looked again in the mirror the stranger was still taking the pills and drinking, Angie picked up the pen.
Angie looked in the mirror the stranger was smiling at her, she got up and went into the bathroom, she went to the hand basin ran the cold tap and splashed cold water on her face she looked at herself in the cabinet mirror the stranger was still there smiling.
She looked down and saw the broken glass in the sink, picking up the largest piece; she put it down at the side of the bath, put the plug in and turned on the taps.
Angie sat on the edge of the bath rocking backwards and forwards every now and then she would look in the mirror and see the stranger looking back at her smiling.
She undressed and climbed into the bath the water was warm it felt good she slid down till her head was just out of the water she stayed there for what seemed like hours staring at the ceiling, she then picked up the broken glass.
Angie held the glass in her hand just looking at it then she began to cry, she pressed the glass to her right wrist she pressed hard and slowly moved the glass down, Blood began to spurt she pressed harder she began to inhale quickly short gasps five or six then quiet.
through her tears she looked at the blood pouring from her wrist for a second, then she took the glass in her right hand she dug in deeper this time but there was no pain just warmth, she laid with the right cheek on the side of the bath her left arm hanging over the side, her life blood spilling out onto the bathroom floor.
Her eyes were wide staring beyond the wall to a happier time she was running on the beach pulling a kite, Vicky and Ben were clapping and cheering.
“Go Mummy! Go!” They shouted as she ran along the beach, faster and faster the wind blowing in her face faster, faster she ran until she was flying up, up as her spirit left her body forever.
***
Colin barged the front door open there was bedlam in the living room Vicky and Ben were fighting over the remote control, Colin kicked the door open.
“You two bloody pack it in. Where’s that mother of yours.”
Vicky almost jumped out of her skin.
“In, in, in the bath.” She stammered.
“Right you two stay here and stop fighting.” Colin took the stairs two at a time he hammered on the bathroom door.
“Open this fucking door you slag I want a word with you.” He waited there was no reply, he turned the handle and to his surprise it wasn’t locked, he pushed the door, it swung open to reveal a sight that made him recoil in horror, his wife’s lifeless body draped over the side of the bath her blood covering the floor. Then he was overcome with fear.
“What have I done I didn’t want this to happen I only wanted to scare her, Christ I was going to leave her soon, now what, I’m left with the kids now.” Just then the noise from downstairs erupted again; Colin’s anger grew inside him like an erupting volcano.
“Bastards!” He shouted as he tore down the stairs he almost kicked the door off its hinges as he flew into the room.
“Well you’ve fucking done it now haven’t you?” They both cowered back in shock they hadn’t time to react Colin grabbed them both by the arm and half dragged half ran them up the stairs.
When he reached the bathroom he threw them both in. They slipped and skidded on their mother’s blood crashing down by the sink.
They turned and looked at their mother’s lifeless face, their eyes were like saucers their mouths wide open but no sound came out.
“Well I hope you two little bastards are happy now!” Colin screamed at them.
“You’ve caused this with your constant fighting and arguing you have forced her into it this is all your fault now no-one can have her she’s left us all, the fucking bitch!” With that he leaned over and slapped her hard across the face.
“Selfish bitch.” The force of the slap let her lifeless body to give up her last breath; it came out in a long sigh, Colin stepped back in fright, for a second everything went quiet then the screaming started a terrifying blood curdling scream Vicky and Ben had found their voice.
This shocked Colin back, he glared at them. They were both looking down at the blood covering their legs and hands.
“Mummy, Mummy please don’t please we’re sorry mummy come back we love you.”
“Well she didn’t love you she hated you that’s why she’s done this she’s never coming back you’ve made her do this you two ungrateful spoilt little bastards.”
Vicky looked up at him tears streaming down her face.
&
nbsp; “No daddy please make it better please make mummy well again daddy please.”
“It’s too late for that, I hope you’re happy now just look at what you’ve done. LOOK!” he grabbed them by the hair pulling them towards their mother’s face.
“Look! Open your eyes both of you see what you have done.” He dragged them out of the bathroom.
“Get to your room and don’t come out until I say so. Do you hear me?” They didn’t say anything they ran down the landing straight into their room there they sat in the corner by the wardrobe crying and cuddling each other.
Chapter 8
Doctor Parker had told the inquest that on the day Angie had committed suicide he had seen her walking round the village in the pouring rain without a coat and wearing her slippers, she looked very distressed, this was backed up by Pauline from the post-office who was with him at the time, he also offered his condolences to the family and expressed his regret at not following her home that day.
Tony told of his affair and subsequent breakup that fateful day he never thought it would end like this he offered his apology to her family.
Both Sarah and Tony’s wife Anne told the inquest about Colin beating Angie, although the coroner made a note of this Colin was not there at the time of her death and he had a reason for the injuries.
Her Mum told of the frantic phone call of her wanting to get away because Colin had found out about her and Tony and had threatened to kill her, she cried as she told the court of her reaction to her daughters confession about the affair and said she would be haunted for the rest of her life knowing if she hadn’t been so stubborn and let her daughter come home she would still be alive now.
On recording a verdict of suicide while suffering severe depression the coroner thanked all her friends for coming forward but there was no evidence or witnesses to Colin either beating or threatening to kill her he must believe Colin’s version for her injuries.
Colin sat in the court and smiled.
Angie was buried in the family plot at St Mary’s Church in the village of Millfield bought by her Mum and Dad; they had hoped they would be the first to be buried there.
Vicky and Ben didn’t go to the funeral it was thought after all they had been through it would cause them too much distress they stayed in their room most of the time not wanting to be around people.
Angie’s Mum and Dad tried to get to know Vicky and Ben but only their farther could get through to them and they would scream whenever they called at the house. Colin said they would need a lot of time to get over the loss of their mother but eventually they would come round but they were welcome to call over to visit anytime.
Angie’s farther found it very difficult to come to terms with his daughter’s death he knew that smarmy bastard Colin had killed his daughter, he may have not given her the pills or cut her wrists but he drove her to it, He never spoke to his wife again blaming her for not allowing Angie to come home when she had begged her the day she died.
Four weeks after Angie’s funeral he died although he hadn’t spoken to his daughter since before her marriage over six years ago he had never stopped loving and missing her he had hoped for a reconciliation but now that would never be that bastard had seen to that. He went to the grave hating that man, Angie and her farther were reunited in death buried side by side.
The village wasn’t the same after that; Colin was shunned by the entire village they knew he had got away with it he was as guilty as if he had slit her wrists himself.
Tony and Anne put the pub up for sale and moved over to Blackpool to open a guesthouse taking her mother with them they carried on with the IVF treatment and shortly after they opened the guesthouse Anne fell pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl they called Angel, they both new why they had picked that name but nothing was ever said.
Colin’s work gave him six weeks leave to sort things out with schools and child minders to pick the children up after school and look after them during holiday’s, Colin knew he was being stared at and talked about behind his back wherever he went there was an atmosphere, Colin had been to see the mortgage advisor and had put in an offer for the house on Ravenscliffe that he and Rachel had seen. The offer was accepted and Colin had moved in a month after the funeral.
A month later he introduced Rachel to Vicky and Ben she was very patient with them and before long they were beginning to accept her into their lives.
Colin wanted her to move in straightaway but Rachel was adamant the children had been through enough at the moment and her moving in would be a backward step they were just starting to get along so she told Colin she would wait.
After six months Rachel moved in the first thing she did was get the children a puppy, Colin wasn’t too pleased about it but she explained the children needed it so they could learn to trust and love something again, Colin begrudgingly agreed but it had to be a pedigree.
“No mongrels in this house it has to be pure bred.”
“Well while we are having no rubbish in the house can we get a new answer machine?”She asked.
“Why what’s wrong with the one we’ve got?”
“Duh! An answer machine is only any good if it has a tape in.”
“Well I didn’t know it was missing, Hang on I’ll get the kids in they’ll have taken it out.”
“Look it doesn’t matter we’ll just get a new one that one was ancient anyway.”
“Well ok but don’t go mad.”
“You tight bugger look I’ll pay half towards it don’t panic.”
“Ha ha I’m only kidding love you go and get the best darling the top of the range if you want. You know you can have anything.”
“Well forget that now we need to sort the dog out first.”
The dog turned out to be the best thing for the children it was a pure bred Black Labrador they called him” Max” the kids took him everywhere he was very loyal and protective towards them nobody could come near them when they were out and they were out most of the time the three of them were inseparable.
Across the road from their house were fields and spoil heaps remnants of when this was a busy coal mine, but that was years ago and they were now covered in grass and a great place for exploring for Vicky and Ben this was a magical land a place where they could escape and dream of being cowboys maids in distress waiting for their knight in shining armour to fight the dragon and rescue them so along with his faithful hound “Max” Sir Ben use to fight the evil dragon and rescue the fair maiden.
This was a happy time they played together not like Sister and Brother but as best friends a bond had formed between them unbreakable by anyone or anything.
Unfortunately the hills and tracks were also used by motorbike riders who were a law unto themselves they thought they had a right to tear around the hills at breakneck speed without a thought to others.
Then one fateful day just as Ben had been turned to stone by the wicked witch and was laying on the ground as dirt bike came over the hill straight towards him the first thing the driver knew was when Max dived straight in front of him causing him to swerve violently, He hit the dog full on there was a loud yelp and Max lay still blood seeping out of his ear.
A neighbour out walking saw what happened took the children and carried the dog home, Vicky and Ben sat on the back step and cried.
When Colin came home they had a little funeral and buried Max in the back garden by the cherry tree, when it was over Colin and Rachel went back towards the house Colin went in to wash up and Rachel stood by the back door looking at Vicky and Ben stood by the grave.
“Vicks?” Ben asked between sobs.
“Why does everything we love have to die?”
Vicky reached out and took her brothers hand.
“Don’t worry Ben I’ll never leave you.” She turned to look at him and smiled..
Rachel heard them and began to cry, she had never lost anyone close in her life but these two sweet innocent mites have had more heartache in their short lives than most adult
s have in a lifetime but with every setback their bond becomes stronger and stronger.
Rachel loved Vicky and Ben she thought of them as hers, Colin and the children always came first to her, she left her job so she could be with them, take them to school go to sports day’s nativity plays and when they wanted help on school trips she was the first to volunteer, she would even get Colin to come to the sport’s day’s and join in with the parent pupil races. Colin was happy he had found his soul mate and she was perfect.
Not long after Vicky had turned eight Rachel announced to everyone at dinner she was pregnant she didn’t know what their reaction would be but the cheer that went up from everybody made her cry then she made Colin’s jaw drop when she told him it was twins.