Civvy Street

by Fiona Field

  ‘But...’ Susie felt her face flaring. Of course there had been the episode with the porn, but it had been a one off and they hadn’t made a habit of doing that sort of thing. And they’d been punished. Susie felt her face burn even hotter as the memory of the event rolled through her mind. Not that the porn had been that bad, not really. Just a mucky video really. Nothing illegal... ‘What they did was naughty,’ conceded Susie, ‘but it was a one-off. It wasn’t criminal.’

  ‘No? Selling pornographic DVDs to their fellow pupils? Exposing nine-year-olds to filth? That might not be criminal in your eyes but it’s a very close-run thing in mine.’

  Susie felt her face redden further. She wanted to squirm. Instead she said, ‘But we’ve been repeatedly told how bright they are.’

  ‘Really? They lack focus, they lack self-discipline and they question everything – including authority.’

  ‘But that’s good. It shows they are naturally curious.’

  ‘It shows they have no respect for their elders and betters,’ snapped back Miss Marcham. ‘And since they joined us they might not be selling dodgy DVDs to their classmates but their teachers tell me they are frequently rude, opinionated, their work is often below standard and they are disruptive. I gave them the benefit of the doubt in their first term; lots of girls take a while to settle down, get used to the ethos of this school, but during this last term there has been no obvious improvement and frankly I am beginning to doubt they’ll ever fit in. They are not, Mrs Collins, Browndown material.’

  Susie was lost for words. Rude? Opinionated? Her daughters?

  Shit.

  She sat in silence for a few seconds as she gathered herself. She knew they could be difficult but weren’t they popular? Didn’t the fact that they’d had loads of invitations to spend exeats at friends’ houses prove that? They weren’t that bad, surely? Except Miss Marcham and the other staff seemed to think they were. She took a deep breath and said, as calmly as she could, ‘Maybe this parting of the ways is for the best then.’

  ‘Correct. Naturally we, at Browndown, will continue to give your girls the best possible education and we will look after their needs both socially and physically until they leave but, to be honest, if you hadn’t come to me to tell me their stay here is being curtailed I would have felt forced to approach you to suggest that it should be.’

  Susie drove the car home in virtual silence while, strapped into the back seat, her two daughters chatted and gossiped as if driving meant their mother had been struck deaf. Susie listened to their tales of their own exploits and those of their peers and nothing they spoke about seemed to corroborate what Miss Marcham had said. She longed to tackle the girls with the accusations that had been levelled at them about their behaviour but she was already upset and she suspected that passing on Miss Marcham’s comments would only upset the twins too. What was the point in ruining their day as well as her own?

  A couple of hours later she drew into the drive by their quarter. Across the road she spotted Maddy, planting out trays of summer bedding plants in an effort to make the dreary beds that framed the patch of moth-eaten grass look more appealing. On the lawn Rose was sitting placidly on a travel rug playing with some toys in the warm May sunshine and Nathan was zooming up and down the drive in his red and yellow plastic pedal car. As she got out of her own vehicle she heard Maddy call, ‘That’s far enough, Nate sweetie. Come back to Mummy, please.’

  The sight of Maddy playing happy families when her own was falling to bits, caused something to snap inside Susie.

  ‘Go in and say hello to Daddy,’ she instructed Ella and Katie, as she opened the front door to let the girls in. Then she stormed across the road.

  ‘Well, look at you,’ she sneered.

  Maddy looked up, startled by the aggressive tone.

  ‘Susie?’

  ‘Isn’t this cosy; the perfect officer’s wife and her perfect kids, making her bloody garden just perfect.’

  Maddy’s forehead crinkled and she shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up at Susie. ‘Susie?’ she repeated.

  ‘Don’t you “Susie” me like I’m some sort of friend; not after what you and Seb have done to my family.’

  ‘But Susie—’

  ‘But nothing. Would he jump into Mike’s coffin as quickly?’

  ‘But Seb’s promotion wasn’t our idea. We didn’t angle for it, we didn’t ask for it—’

  ‘You didn’t turn it down, though, did you?’ she snarled.

  Maddy got to her feet. ‘Like that would have changed what’s happening to you?’ She sounded perplexed and angry. ‘Your situation is horrible but it isn’t anything to do with Seb and me. Don’t take it out on us just because you’ve been dealt a dud hand.’ She glared at Susie.

  ‘After all I did for you.’

  ‘I know, and I am grateful, I always will be, but what good would it have done if Seb had turned down the promotion? The army wouldn’t have given Mike his job back.’

  ‘It was still a kick in the teeth for Mike. I mean, Seb? Seb of all people, taking over from Mike. Come on, Maddy, even you must see it.’

  Maddy shook her head, and scooped up Rose, then she pulled Nathan out of his pedal car. The child yelled in protest.

  ‘Time to go in.’ Her voice was falsely bright for the benefit of her children as she carted them indoors, Nathan protesting loudly.

  ‘Run away from the truth, Maddy,’ Susie shouted at Maddy as she shut her front door.

  Susie felt the fight in her fade as suddenly as it had arisen. What had she done? Maddy had been her best friend and now... Susie shut her eyes. If Maddy never spoke to her again she wouldn’t blame her. Wearily, she turned away and made her way back across the road to her own quarter. She’d have to apologise but first she needed to give Maddy some space, let everyone calm down a bit.

  *

  Maddy was close to tears as she poured out weak squash for her children. What had she done to deserve that onslaught? And from Susie? By her knees Nathan was tugging at her trousers and demanding to go back out. Back out? That was the last place she was going. No way was she going to risk another unfair and uncalled-for tongue-lashing from her neighbour. Nathan got more insistent, more whiney.

  ‘Oh shush,’ she snapped at him. Instantly, Nathan’s face crumpled. God, now she was taking her own hurt out on her kids. ‘I’m sorry, sweetie.’ She knelt down and gave her son a cuddle before handing him his beaker. Then she rummaged in the biscuit tin for a digestive. ‘Here,’ she said as she thrust the biscuit into his pudgy hand. The tears stopped and he toddled off to the sitting room to find something to play with. Rose, in her high chair, was banging the tray with her palms. Maddy handed her a drink and a biscuit too before she sat at the table and wondered why on earth Susie had lashed out at her like that. She knew things weren’t perfect for the Collinses, far from it, and Susie must be stressed out, what with house-hunting and Mike needing to find a job and looking for a school for the girls, but Susie was an army wife – she could cope with all this sort of shit, surely? Maddy shook her head. Maybe it was down to straws and camels’ backs. Maybe she ought to go round with some sort of peace offering – show there were no hard feelings, show she understood. But she’d give it a while, let Susie calm down a bit. She wanted to pour oil on troubled waters, not chuck it on an already incendiary situation.

  She was still wondering how long to give it when Seb came home from work. She was occupying herself with cooking a chicken fricassee, rather than address how she was going to handle a rapprochement with Susie.

  ‘Hiya, hon,’ said Seb as he strolled in, chucking his beret on the hall table.

  ‘Hiya,’ she replied.

  ‘Good day?’ He gave her a peck on the cheek.

  ‘Oh, all right. Curate’s egg, you know...’ Maddy wondered about telling Seb about her run-in with Susie but decided against it. Seb had enough on his plate, what with his own tricky situation at work; Mike had given up on doing any work in the office at all an
d Craig seemed to be working to rule in protest at being passed over for the top job so, from what Maddy could gather, Seb was having to run just to stand still. ‘What about your day?’ she asked, knowing he’d tell her, which he did.

  ‘...And I’ve had to bring home a pile of NCOs’ confidential reports to finish drafting. I’ll have to get on with those after supper.’

  ‘Poor you,’ said Maddy. Really, given how hard he was working at the moment, the last thing he needed were any gripes from her.

  By the time he’d finished with the lowdown on his day and Maddy had put her casserole in the oven it was time for the children’s baths and, after that, any interest Seb might have had in her day had long gone. On the other hand, Maddy mused, she hadn’t thought about Susie and that row for the best part of an hour.

  It was as Maddy was tidying up the kitchen after supper that the doorbell rang.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ she called to Seb, who was beavering away at the confidentials on the dining room table. She shut the dining room door so he’d not get disturbed by their visitor and then opened the front door.

  ‘Oh.’ Susie. What now?

  Susie smiled at her, somewhat sheepishly. ‘Maddy... look...’ She thrust a box of posh biscuits towards Maddy. ‘Peace offering.’

  Maddy felt a wave of relief that Susie wanted to make up, not dish out more awful accusations. ‘Oh, Susie. That’s not the least bit necessary.’

  ‘I think it is.’

  Maddy stepped forward and hugged Susie. ‘Shhh,’ she said. ‘I’d have lashed out if I was going through what you are.’

  ‘But you didn’t, did you? Not when...’

  ‘Not when...’ Maddy looked over her shoulder at the shut dining room door and dropped her voice to the faintest whisper. ‘Not when Seb was shagging Michelle, you mean?’ She returned her voice to its normal level. ‘I was just about to make Seb and me a coffee. Do you fancy one?’

  Susie nodded. ‘I’d love one. Actually, I really fancy neat gin but coffee would be just fine.’

  Maddy got the kettle on and turned her full attention to her neighbour. ‘So what’s up?’

  Susie sighed and rubbed her face with both hands. ‘The girls’ headmistress is what’s up. I went to see her today to tell her we can’t afford to send them back in the autumn.’

  ‘And she kicked off?’

  ‘Au contraire – she put out the flags.’

  ‘She what?’

  ‘She basically told me that if I wasn’t taking them away she’d have had them excluded.’

  ‘No!’

  Susie nodded.

  ‘But... but that’s awful.’

  ‘Just when you think you’ve hit the bottom and things can’t get worse...’

  For a moment Maddy was lost for words. Then, ‘Stuff her, the mean old cow. I shan’t send Rose there, that’s for sure. And I’ll tell other people the head is a nasty, bitter old spinster who should be avoided at all costs.’

  ‘I wouldn’t,’ said Susie, wryly. ‘I expect she’s a nasty bitter, litigious old spinster and she’d have you up for slander before you could say “not guilty, m’lud”.’

  Maddy giggled and Susie followed suit.

  ‘Thanks, Maddy,’ said Susie.

  ‘What on earth for?’

  ‘For being you, for being kind, even when I said some unforgivable things.’

  ‘Hey, if you think what you said is unforgivable, you have a very low forgiveness threshold.’

  ‘Even so.’

  The kettle clicked off and Maddy made the coffee and passed a steaming mug to Susie before taking one through to Seb. On her return, she said, ‘Changing the subject, are you going to the curry lunch on Sunday?’

  ‘And give Camilla the chance to patronise me? I don’t think so.’ Susie put on a sing-song voice and did a remarkably accurate impression of the CO’s wife. ‘Ooh, Susie, you must be finding life so exciting at the moment. Fancy being able to choose your own home instead of relying on army housing.’ She gave Maddy a wry grin. ‘If only it were like that.’

  ‘It must be quite nice, though, to choose what sort of heating your house has, or just have the opportunity to paint the walls some colour other than magnolia.’

  ‘If only.’ Susie took a deep breath and stared at her mug. Then she raised her gaze to meet Maddy’s as she made up her mind to share with her friend what the score really was. ‘This is strictly entre nous but Mike has run up some debts so his credit rating is through the floor. The mortgage broker won’t touch him with a bargepole.’

  ‘No!’

  Susie nodded. ‘So, if I’m the only one being considered for a mortgage I’ve got to get a job or we’ll be renting till the crack of doom.’

  ‘Oh, Susie, I am so sorry.’

  ‘Yeah, well... don’t be too kind or I might cry.’ Already Susie felt tears in her eyes. She swallowed. ‘In the great scheme of things it’s not the end of the world...’

  ‘No,’ said Maddy, reaching across the table and putting her hand on Susie’s. ‘But it’s a total bugger all the same.’

  Susie nodded. ‘Only, can I ask a favour... don’t tell Seb. I don’t think Mike would forgive me if he knew I’d told you, but I had to tell someone. Do you mind?’

  ‘Mind? Of course not. And no, Seb will never hear of this from me. Trust me.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Susie went quiet for a second or two. Then she added, ‘There’s another thing...’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I want McManners’ job in the mess.’

  ‘Oh?’ Maddy’s eyebrows shot up.

  ‘Don’t sound surprised. The pay’s not bad and I used to be in catering before I married Mike. Not canteen stuff, either – posh dinner parties, that sort of thing.’

  Maddy looked dubious. ‘But will the mess committee...?’ She stopped, looking a little embarrassed.

  Susie came to her rescue. ‘Employ me?’

  ‘Well, you know,’ said Maddy, diffidently. ‘Being an officer’s wife and everything.’

  ‘That’s exactly what Mike said. But I told him I completely understand the 1 Herts’ ethos and I understand about catering.’

  ‘I suppose.’ Maddy didn’t sound convinced. ‘And is catering the right background? I’m not being mean, Susie, but as manager you won’t be doing the actual cooking, will you?’

  ‘No, but I understand the principles and I can do accounting. OK, not like a proper accountant but I can do basic bookkeeping. All those hours of running the sodding thrift shop might finally pay off.’

  ‘There has to be some payback for doing that job,’ said Maddy, with feeling. ‘Camilla is already trying to rope me into running it.’

  ‘Run... run away!’

  Maddy laughed. ‘You see, there’ll be lots of things about being an army wife that you won’t miss.’

  ‘And being at Camilla’s beck and call won’t be one of them.’

  ‘So why don’t you cock a snook at her and come to the curry lunch? Just think, you could cut her dead or tell her to get stuffed.’

  ‘Actually, that’s really, really tempting.’

  Chapter 4

  Sam was standing at the bar in the mess as the married pads, looking forward to the Sunday ritual of a curry lunch, began to drift in; some herding reluctant teenagers, some hauling in babies and toddlers and all their paraphernalia. Slowly the bar filled and the noise level crescendoed and Sam spotted Maddy, pushing Rose in her buggy, making her way over towards her.

  ‘Good to see you,’ said Maddy, when she was in earshot.

  Sam felt a twinge of guilt at seeing her – she still hadn’t got over the fact that it was her best friend who had had an affair with Maddy’s husband. Not that she could ever be held responsible for Michelle’s actions but somehow there was a bit of her that still felt she should have worked out what was going on and put a stop to it. As always, when Maddy spoke to her, Sam wondered if Maddy had some sort of agenda. Was she reminding Sam that she hadn’t forgotten about Michelle’s appalling behav
iour, or was she signalling that she didn’t bear Sam a grudge? And, as always, Sam longed to ask which it was but didn’t quite have the nerve to do so, in case it was the former option not the latter.

  ‘Hiya, Maddy,’ she said, pushing her guilty feelings out of sight. ‘Gosh, Rose is growing, isn’t she?’

  ‘It’s what babies do best – only I think she’s almost a toddler now, rather than a baby. How are the wedding plans?’

  Sam shook her head. ‘A nightmare. And worse, I invited Luke over for lunch today and he thought it would be nice if his folks came along too. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d rather drink drain cleaner.’

  ‘Poor you. It can’t be easy.’

  Sam shook her head again. ‘Anyway, let’s not talk about them. Oh – I haven’t congratulated Seb on his promotion. You must be thrilled.’

  ‘I’m afraid the jury is still out on that. I think promotion at such a young age mightn’t be so popular amongst those with much more seniority.’ Maddy glanced about her to see who might be eavesdropping. ‘And over and above that we’ve yet to see how I get on with Camilla.’

  Sam groaned. ‘Oh God, Camilla! I know exactly what you mean. The other day she said she wanted to put me on the flower rota. When I asked her if all the living-in officers were going to take their turn, she went a bit funny on me. She seemed to think that just because I’m a woman I’m not really an officer and so I ought to be on one of her bloody committees.’

  ‘That sounds like her,’ said Maddy with feeling. She glanced over to her husband who was having a hard job restraining Nathan from climbing on the furniture. ‘I think I’m needed – I ought to rescue Seb before Nate has a proper tantrum. Nice to talk to you and good luck with Lady Pemberton-Blake.’

  As Maddy disappeared to the other side of the room Sam saw Luke and his parents make an appearance. With amusement, she also spotted Camilla Rayner do a double-take before she almost broke her neck to get across the room and greet General Sir Pemberton-Blake and his missus. The CO’s wife’s voice – even more high-pitched and sing-song than normal – cut across the hubbub as she bowed and scraped to the visiting VIPs. Sam went to greet her fiancé and his parents and felt, as she always did, that she ought to be dropping Lady Pemberton-Blake a curtsy rather than kissing her offered cheek.