As they sat the rain eased off and a watery sun shone into the nook where they sat. A rainbow crossed from one side of the mountain to the other. Below them a troop of deer bounced and ran across the open area towards the trees below.
“Now it feels like heaven,” Robbo said.
Their faces were close and Robbo leaned across. Ann swallowed her bite of sandwich and waited until Robbo’s lips touched hers. He put one hand to the side of her neck and hair and drew her close and they had a long soft exploring kiss. Then they sat again, looking down the mountain.
‘That’s my first ever kiss,” Robbo said after a moment. “I will remember it forever.”
With a rustle of grass and heather and the plastic bag, Robbo drew her down and kissed Ann again. She lay back looking at him expectantly, not knowing what to make of the emotions which were causing her breath to rise and her bosom to heave.
Ann sat up before Robbo could go further. “Take off those shoes and let your feet dry,” she instructed, “We need to go soon.”
Robbo twisted out of the bag and removed his shoes. He wandered away and came back, with one of the shoes filled with flowers from the heather and placed them before her.
“Here we are,” he said kneeling beside her and handing her his offering of flowers. “We are in the mountains and we can smell the heather and the sun is making a mist rise off the grass and the trees below. We are looking down into the world. I will remember every moment and colour of this day. I will remember how wonderful it is to be alone with you Ann.”
“Come and finish your sandwiches,” Ann said inviting him back into the bag.
“Take off those wet track suit bottoms and your t-shirt. Put them on the heather. The sun may go again any minute. Wring them out and put them up to dry.”
Robbo blushed again but did what he had been told and came back to her wearing only his football shorts.
“Put this around your shoulders and it will keep you warm,” Ann said taking off her raingear top and puling it around him. Then she took off the wet raingear bottoms and her shoes and left them beside them in the sun. Robbo climbed back beside her. He was acutely conscious that she seemed only to have a cotton top and jeans on and he could see her soft large breasts rise and fall. He drew her back down again.
“My Father hits me,” she told him.
“What,” Robbo was startled.
“He makes me sleep naked and looks at me,” Ann continued beginning to cry. “He hits my breasts.”
She paused and looked tearfully into his eyes. Robbo was looking at her, startled but with soft eyes and he seemed about to cry himself.
Robbo kissed her tears.
“I would never hurt you,” he said.
“He hurts me,” Ann continued, “he wants to rape me, only my mother is there he would,” Ann was sobbing now. “You should despise me, I am bad and dirty, he hits me in places. Sometime I feel so much pain in my heart that I think I’ll go mad.”
Robbo stroked her hair as she sobbed and sobbed. “Ann” he said and paused. She looked at him through her tears.
“I love you Ann.”
Ann smiled a wet smile.
“He said he is going to be my first.” Then she sobbed.
“Your first what?” Robbo said not comprehending.
“I’m just a bitch.”
Robbo held his forehead against hers and stroked her hair and then stroked the back of her hand as she brought her hand up to hold his.
“It won’t wear out if you keep rubbing it,” she said after a moment, with a smile, beginning to recover her composure.
Robbo stopped rubbing the back of her hand and held it instead.
They kissed again.
“He won’t be first,” Ann said.
“What?”
“Because you are going to be,” Ann said and pulled him down towards her.
Robbo understood and began to take her top off. He frowned when he saw the bruises on her breasts and kissed them gently.
She helped them both undress.
“Do you know what to do?” she asked, but Robbo said nothing.
Instead he rolled gently on to the top of her, supporting his weight with his elbows. As her legs came up alongside his they naturally found the correct position and he began to gently rock.
In sweet surrender Ann felt him enter her and their excitement shut out all of the world and they became united as one.
After he began for the third time Ann begged for a halt, kissing him, saying “you’ll make me pregnant.”
“What will you do?” Robbo asked when they were at peace again. They looked down on the world and felt vaguely surprised that it remained the same. It was beginning to rain again.
“Pass me my bag” Ann avoided the question, “ I have some tissues. You get dressed and let me sort myself out.”
As they walked down the mountain Ann explained her plan to leave home.
“The problem is finding a place I can afford. I have to get paid at the end of the month, but I have to be out by then or he will take the money... I am so unhappy,” Ann said becoming distraught again.
“I too have been in a wilderness,” Robbo said, stopping, taking Ann by the shoulders and talking to her confidently and with intense feeling.
“I have had the acid of corroding loneliness. Meeting you Ann feels like I am coming out of a deep dark pit and now I am walking on a mountain. The sun is trying to shine, but it will not outshine the happiness I feel at this moment. Make your pain my pain Ann. Be one with me. Together we will overcome. Do you trust me?”
‘Yes, Robbo, you are the one good thing in this world I do trust. Tell me what to do.”
“Come stay in my house for a while. My mother hardly notices and she won’t mind. My Dad will be O.K. He is hardly ever there. They are odd but they are nice as parents go. I don’t know why they are a mess but they mean well. It is a bit dirty and unkempt but there is room in the house. Come and stay, and if you like we can look for a place together.”
“I’d like that” Ann said, putting all her hopes in him.
“I have a friend, my former teacher. His name is Frank. He helped me get the job. He is sound. We can talk to him about getting a place. He knows things.”
Ann walked on beside him. She felt she was past the threshold of commitment to Robbo and that she was on the threshold to a mad delirious happiness, trusting all to him and his love of her.
Chapter fourteen
Maureen and Megan parked the push buggies around to the side of the gate.
“Are you sure?” Maureen asked. “They ran us last week.”
“Only the Russian bitch, everyone else was friendly. I think we should give it a go.” Megan said.
Maureen had a cheeky glint in her eye. “That Russian security man is well made.” She remarked.
“Maureen” Megan protested, “if your fella finds you were messing when he was in jail he’ll take you apart and you won’t be able to find all the pieces.”
‘Forget him.” Maureen said, “I think he is on something. He hardly knew me when I visited. It’s too easy to get drugs in the ‘Joy.”
“He was always a hard man for the drink,” Megan said by way of understanding, “they don’t seem to be able to get drink in prison.”
“I’ll see about him when he gets out, but that’s’ another six months,” Maureen said resignedly, “Lets’ go” she added, finishing the conversation.
Ivan saw them coming from his vantage point in the Butlers’ Pantry. He knew Sonia was still in the house so he stirred himself. Better to have a confrontation with these girls than with Sonia who could make him feel very uncomfortable.
“He’s coming,” Maureen said, spotting Ivan as they were about half way up the driveway, “I think he is going to stop us.”
“You chat to him and I’ll go ahead to the kitchens,” Megan suggested. “Just distract him Maureen,” she added with a giggle.
“I’ll kick your skinny ass,” Maureen replied, but she was not adverse to
the challenge.
“Hold up pretty ladies,” Ivan said in his deepest Russian accent.
“What ye say?” Maureen asked, although the intent of his words was clear enough.
“Pretty ladies can’t pass security check,” Ivan said with a smile. “Big boss Russian lady, she says you no more come in here.”
“Are you a Russian?” Megan asked wide-eyed.
‘Yes,” Ivan said proudly, “I am ethnic Russian, but from Estonia.”
“Est where?” Maureen asked.
“I must show you ladies the way to the gate,” Ivan said graciously, ignoring Maureen’s question.
“If you are the security man,” Megan said, “show us your gate hut. Security men have a gate hut.”
“If you don’t get out of here I’ll show you more than my gate hut,” Ivan said with a laugh, beginning to shoo them back towards the entrance.
“I don’t think you are security,” Maureen said stopping and blocking further progress. “No gate hut, I think you are just a servant.”
“Look” Ivan said pulling back his jacket to reveal a gun in a holster. He covered it back up immediately.
“Jasus” Maureen said, “Megan did you see that.”
“What?”
“He has a gun.”
“We should go” Megan said suddenly nervous.
“Can I touch it?” Maureen asked slipping her hand inside Ivan’s jacket and running her finger over the butt of the gun where it came out of the holster. “It’s so big” she said, “I’ve never touched a gun before.”
Ivan smiled at her and took her hand away, holding onto it until Maureen took her hand back.
“You got boyfriend?” Ivan asked.
“In Jail,” Maureen replied looking him in the eye.
“Come,” Ivan said “I show you my patrol around garden. It’s nice sunny day. We walk and talk, no?”
“All right” Maureen said, “Megan here can go up to the kitchen.”
Megan looked doubtful. They were under severe instruction not to separate on house calls. They were supposed to look out for each other.
“Its’ only round the garden,” Maureen said, understanding her friend’s hesitation. However she wanted to continue to flirt with the big Russian and was enjoying herself.
“I won’t be long” Megan said. And headed around them back towards the kitchens.
“Come” Ivan said to Maureen, offering his arm, “I show you the grand tour. The garden is small but interesting.”
Megan made her way in a determined manner to the back of the house and the tradesman’s entrance. She frowned as she saw Maureen and Ivan heading towards a small wooded area at the bottom of the garden. She could see a Gazebo and seating through the scant trees and assumed Ivan would take her there to sit and talk.
Megan had often seen Maureen when she was enraged and she knew that if Ivan tried anything unwelcome that Maureen’s screams would raise the neighbourhood.
She knocked on the kitchen door and Cook swung it open.
“My little Traveller friend.” Cook said, not over welcoming, “where is your friend, the cheeky one?”
“With Ivan in the garden.”
Cook looked out but could not see them. “That Ivan is a quare one. Your friend would be better off staying away from the likes of him.”
“He is just showing her the garden.”
“He’ll show her more than that if he gets half a chance,” Cook said with a glower. “Come in child and I’ll give you a bite of apple tart. I only made it yesterday.”
“Thank you” Megan said and came in the door.
“Have you ever worn pretty clothes?” Ivan asked Maureen as he sat her at the Gazebo. They were minutes away from the house, but out of sight.
“What’s wrong with these?” Maureen said with a flounce.
“You know they are clothes to make you look poor so you beg better. You have brighter clothes at home?”
“Maybe.” Maureen said.
“You have good figure,” Ivan said brushing his hand along her shoulder and briefly touching her blouse on route.
Maureen tossed her hair, feeling he was getting intimate and not sure whether or not he was welcome.
“I steal kiss,” Ivan said and leaned towards her. Maureen could smell his manliness and sense his strength and bulk as he came close. A devil took her spirit and she turned her head and let their lips touch for a moment and then drew back.
“Travellers girls are not like you think, we don’t let anyone near us,” she protested.
“You stay pure?” Ivan asked.
“Until we are married.” Maureen gave a smile and half giggle.
“You blush a little, I think, at our conversation?” Ivan suggested and immediately Maureen began to blush. She shook it off with a toss of her hair. She was eighteen and considered herself sophisticated enough to handle this big Russian.
“We walk,” she said, standing up.
“Maybe you let me kiss you again later?” Ivan suggested as he stood up and offered his arm.
“Maybe,” Maureen said with a wicked look and she took his arm. It was a lovely day to be alive and walking in sunshine with a handsome Russian.
Inside the house Megan finished her slice of apple tart and a glass of milk.
“I’ll put some milk and a few tins of tomato’s in a bag for you. Then you better go before the housekeeper finds you.”
“Is she here?” Megan asked.
“Who?”
“The Russian boss lady. Can I speak to her?”
‘Child you will get us all into trouble. You know she thinks all you Tinkers should get a job and not be begging.”
“There is something I need to ask her,” Megan said seriously.
Cook did not know what to do. She wanted no trouble and had taken a risk in admitting the girl to her kitchen after Sonia has expressly forbidden it.
“Please” Megan said, “I want to ask something. It is not begging. I only need a moment. It is a private thing. She won’t blame you.”
“If she doesn’t like it you definitely won’t be able to show your face around here again,” Cook admonished, uncomfortable with this request.
“A private minute, if she has the time?” Megan insisted.
Cook shrugged, she’d not let this child in again. They were all the same, always pushing for more.
“I’ll do it this once” she said and went to the house phone.
Sonia was surprised and cross at the call. She had no time for beggars. Not in Ireland where there were plenty of jobs for those who wanted them. Surely even a Traveller could get a job these days, she thought crossly. “Five minutes, send her up and if she is looking for a further handout she is never to cross our gate again. Is that clear.”
“Clear and I agree with you.”
“You can go up child. What did you say your name is again?”
“Megan.”
“Well Megan, touch nothing. There are security cameras in this building. Touch nothing. Go up the stairs to the hall and then up the main stairs to the first floor. Sonia has her office. Sonia is the housemanager’s name. She has her office on the first landing in the return. She says she will give you five minutes. No more, no less. Then you get back down here and off the premises. Is that understood?”
“Yes Miss,” Megan said gratefully and went to the stairwell from the kitchen. “Thank you” she added, and went up the stairs.
It took Megan a moment to adjust to the scale and detail of the house. There were portraits on the wall and mahogany tables in the hall and a huge mirror. The floor was carpeted, but it creaked in places with age as she walked along.
The main staircase was polished mahogany and Megan made her way up. Used to living in a caravan she realized she would be able to fit several caravans into the hall alone, let alone the whole house.
Megan knocked on the door of the room marked ‘House-manager’ and a voice called in a Russian accent “Come in.”
Megan crossed
the threshold and opened the door into a large bright room. It was beautifully furnished and Sonia sat at an old desk in front of the window.
“Yes.” She asked sharply as Megan made her tentative approach to the desk.
“Miss,” Megan said shakily, “I have come about a job.”
“What?” Sonia asked, surprised and looking up from her papers in amazement.
“Miss. You said we should get a job. But no one will hire from the Travellers. I thought I’d ask you as you are so set on us getting a job.”
“Is this some joke?” Sonia asked crossly.
Megan looked at her, full of tension, searching for a reply. Sonia took her in properly for the first time.
She could see a terrified, unkempt and scruffy young girl. In her split second survey she also took in the fact that the child had clean hands and fingernails and her face seemed recently scrubbed. She was pretty but the strains of her way of life showed in her face, as a sort of unease and uncertainty tinged with aggression.
“I want to change, I don’t want to stay a Traveller, I want to improve.” Megan spoke simply, finding her courage in her conviction and meeting Sonia squarely in the eye. Sonia was struck with the large green honest eyes and their naivety, which betrayed her young age.
“I am a good worker and I’ll do anything you ask,” Megan added.
“Anything?” Sonia asked with an expression that somehow made Megan blush. She was embarrassed to feel the redness rise up from her breasts and cover her face. She trembled and felt like running away as her nerve began to fail.
“Honest work. I am an honest girl,” she got out, and Sonia laughed.
Sonia’s laugh was friendly and amused.
“Sit down” she said, indicating to the straight-backed chair in front of the desk.
Somewhat demurely, Megan sat down, her eyes searching and her body tense.
“Just relax,” Sonia said in her mildest voice. She sensed that if she said boo, the girl would run out of the house. But she respected that the girl was serious.
“What is your name?”
“Megan.”
Love on the Dark Side of the City Page 15