Matthew Returns

by Terry Aspinall

  Chapter 4

  Fighting A Losing Battle

  "So we won’t leave you alone Matthew, is that what you have been telling all of your friends." Were the words that greeted him as he came down for breakfast, the morning after the Eileen’s party. This was the last thing he wanted to hear and besides he was nursing a bad headache come hang over, the result of a night that had him tossing and turning and wondering what ever was going to happen next.

  Matthew could not look Janice straight in the eyes, and anyway he did not know what to say to her. However, Janice was persistent in trying to get a conversation started between them.

  "You really put the cat amongst the pigeons didn’t you last night, you were about as popular as a Reggae band at a Klu Klux Klan convention," Janice continued.

  Matthew was having none of it, his theory was that if you did not answer a question then there was nothing to argue about. Therefore he just kept his head down and hoped that she would get fed up of the silence and go away. However, he had forgotten the age-old saying that women will usually have the last say.

  "Do you know Matthew there is and age-old saying that, many people walk in to our lives, but only a few leave footprints."

  "But you, boy you take the biscuit, you have left your muddy footprints all over the front room carpet, haven’t you, so what have you got to say for yourself now."

  To Matthews’s amazement she suddenly changed the subject and started telling him how Eileen was her best friend and that she did not want to see her hurt. She deserved better, and that John was the man who could give it to her, being a small time successful businessman he would be able to give her a better way of life. Matthew did not know exactly how much Janice knew, so if he answered he was going to have to be careful in what he said. After all he did still like Eileen, but he also had the same feelings for Maureen. He did not want to jeopardise either relationships, this was to be his great successful home coming, where he was to find himself a bride settle down and live happily ever after. If he did not watch his step he was going to be run out of town with his tail hanging between his legs, and half the town’s folk screaming behind him.

  To Matthews delight the tension in the air was slightly defused by the sudden appearance of Dawn in the scantest of nightdresses that covered nothing, coming through the door and making a statement in a joking manner.

  "Who’s been a naughty boy then?"

  Matthew was quick to rebuff her with the words, "Don’t you start," and went on to tell her that her mother had been at him ever since he got up.

  Dawn added, "If you play with fire then you must expect to get burnt, one day."

  To which Matthew told them that he was only human and a male at that, and that he was only doing what was expected of men in this modern age. This brought Janice back into the conversation by adding that he should not lead people on. To which he tried to defend himself that since he arrived in town he was the one that had been lead on and that being an unattached male he was only taking advantage of the situation, as most guys would and that he had done nothing wrong.

  Being Sunday Matthew went for a drive to clear his head and to try and work out his future if indeed he had one in Stowmarket. There was a lot to consider and by the way that things had turned out whatever decision he made, it was going to affect a few people.

  Monday morning and Matthews absence from the assemble line did not go unnoticed. Maureen was the first to approach Peter asking if he knew where Matthew was. She was worried in case he was ill or something, while Sally hadn’t a clue what was going on. It was the first day since starting at the factory that he had been missing and Maureen had not heard from him since he took her home the night of the party.

  Matthew waited until most law-abiding citizens would all be at work and then he drove over to Eileen’s, where he was lucky and found her still at home and on her own. She invited him in and they had a cup of tea. He went on to explain that he had taken a day off from work having rang in saying that he was not well. He asked if he could take her out for the day, after all he had not been in a position to ask her any questions since she had sprung the news on him that he was in fact Peter's father.

  Eileen was delighted and did not take long to get herself ready dancing around like the young schoolgirl that he had left behind all of those years ago. Within half an hour of his arrival they were both in the car and heading out in to the country in the direction of One House. Matthew had decided to take a steady ride around most of the old haunts and places that had meant something to them, after all they had been together for a long time. There would be a lot of memories out there, all waiting to be remembered.

  Matthew parked the car and they walked back a short distance to a humpbacked bridge over the river Orwell. Where he sat Eileen up on the brick parapet then he climbed up beside her and they started to talk of all the good times that they had spent in this part of the country, and of the plans that they had made to which nothing had eventuated. It all seemed such a long time ago, but just sitting there brought it all flooding back. Eileen was acting as if nothing had happened and wanted to carry on from where they had left off. However, Matthew was still a little bit on the defensive side, not knowing what to make of her. He could not help but think of the last words that Janice had said to him that morning, just before he left. Telling him that she hoped he did not hurt her and destroy the relationship she had with John, she deserved a break and that he was the man to give it to her. These words were beginning to haunt him and make him feel a little guilty.

  The first questions he had to know the answers to where all concerning Peter, and why she had not contacted him about him. Why had she treated him in the way that she had, and why had she let him go away without the knowledge that he was to be a father. After all he would have married her at any opportunity, if given the chance. They spent a long time trying to work out what had gone wrong between them, and more to the point where did they go from here. They walked along the river occasionally stopping to look into the water catching the occasional glimpse of a fish or of a bird that was singing in the nearby trees. Now and again Eileen would turn to him and give him a great big kiss, but that was as far as it went, there were no long petting sessions. Matthew took time to mention Sally, and what a nice girl he thought she was. He had watched, and spent time with them and they made a nice couple, as far as he was concerned they were a perfect match. He also told Eileen that having stayed in the same house as Dawn, he did not think that she was Peter’s type of girl.

  They continued along the country lane hand in hand making their way towards the 'Sheppard and Dog' public house where they stopped to have a drink and some lunch. The conversation was still about what they had got up to all of those years ago. While Matthew was all the time trying to work out how he should approach the subject of being Peters Father and what he should do in the future. After all if he was to move in with Eileen and that was what she was advocating, well then there was no problem. However, what if he was to go off with Maureen, then the situation would become a little difficult and possible embarrassing for a few people that he had befriended in his short stay in the town. God forbid, what if he were to end up with Janice or an even worse scenario, what if he was to end up with her daughter Dawn. However, in the end they both agreed and decided that it was not the right time to announce to the world that Matthew was in fact Peter's true father. That would have to wait, a right time and a right place would present its self one-day in the not too distant future.

  Eileen was not the only person to have to make a big decision in her life, as for Matthew, well he had even bigger decisions to make and they had to be made fairly quickly otherwise a lot of people were going to get hurt and hurt badly, and that was the last thing that he wanted.

  By the time that they arrived back at Eileen’s House it was almost dark and John and his two sisters Pearl and Blanche were standing in the garden in a bewildered state. All rushed up to her and started asking her where she had been
and that they and a few other people had all been worried thinking that something might have happened. They had all been out looking for her and even rang the Police thinking that she might have been abducted or something, it was so unlike her just to go off like that.

  Luckily Eileen was in a cool calm state of mind, that feeling that a woman gets when they are in love. She just brushed past them as if nothing had happened, skipping like a young girl around the garden.

  "Matthew has just taken me out for the day, I hope you don’t mind, after all you do not own me." she said.

  John grabbed her and asked if he had touched her, promising to give him a good hiding if he had. She just politely told him to go away, she wanted to be on her own. Leaving John dumb founded and asking about the wedding, after all she had promised to marry him. Suddenly Eileen remembered Matthew in the car, and skipped back and stuck her head inside the window and kissed him on the lips also thanking him for the day out.

  As Matthew drove away he could see in his rear view mirror that some sort of scene was taking place between all four of them. Anyway he was happy in the knowledge that Eileen would be able to take care of herself. He could not help smiling to himself and thinking that, now he really had set the cat amongst the pigeons as they say.

  By the time he reached Temple Road Janice had heard all about his adventuress day off work. They both sat down at the kitchen table for a cup of tea and a chat. Matthew was now in a good frame of mind and wanted to talk, and Janice suddenly found herself in a mother like role and doing all of the listening.

  Matthew for the first time in his life poured out his heart to her, warts and all. At times it was as if he was confessing every fine detail to the local priest. It must have sounded good because Janice started feeling sorry for him. Instead of getting the sharp end of her voice as he had on Sunday morning, here she was almost sympathising with him. Matthew was caught unaware never having a woman take his side before. In fact she even let him off the hook and forgave him, a total different response from what had greeted him at Sunday morning breakfast.

  Being caught off guard it was not long before he found himself standing very close to Janice as she placed her arms around him and started to caress his body. A long kissing session then followed and they slowly sank down onto the sofa. Matthew could not help himself even if he tried, when it came to the opposite sex and a good-looking woman he was just like putty in their hand. Just as they were about to go up stairs where it would be more comfortable in walked Dawn, shouting a loud "Gottcha" she was obviously expecting to walk in on to something so she had crept in on tip toe, and her hunch had been right. However, it did not take her long to tell them that she had spoken to Eileen during the day and that she was being treated badly by John over their day out together. It took them just a few moments to decide that they should go over to Eileen’s and see if she was all right.

  Eileen led them into the kitchen where they found John seated at the table. What first caught Matthews’s attention was that his ears seemed to be flicking in synchronisation with each other, there was not a lot of movement just a few millimetres, but yes they were moving? He went to turn away so it did not appear that he was staring at him, after all the last thing he wanted was to cause an argument that would surely lead to a punch up. However, he then noticed that his hair was also moving forwards and backwards and in time with his ears. With a grin on his face Matthew lightly nudged Janice in the ribs and nodded in John’s direction. It only took a couple of seconds for her to start giggling and laughing, and once she started it became very infectious and it was not long before Matthew joined in with her. It was only then that they both noticed the electric wires coming from his ears and running to a small box lying on the table in front of him. Eileen suddenly realised what they were laughing at, and amongst the laughing tried to tell them that John was trying to give up smoking. The doctor, who at great pain to John had punched a metal staple in to the top of each ear. John was now required to attach a small electronic box by wires, one to each ear. The whole idea was to give each ear a small electric shock that was controllable from the box. This was achieved by turning up the dial on the top of the box, giving an electric shock to whatever part of his body, or head that it's attached to. The pulsating current was what was moving his ears and scalp. They continued laughing as Eileen told them that he had to go through this procedure twice a day for about an hour. Matthew could not help himself as he made references to the toy cartoon character Noddy and his mate Big Ears. Janice was quick to add that he ought to be a big band conductor, or how about using them as early warning radar devices, the way they are flickering and moving about they would pick up any incoming missiles. John was not seeing the funny side of the jokes that were by now flowing fast and furious and headed straight towards him. He was losing his temper fast, and started showing his contempt toward Matthew by telling him that if he did not stop laughing he would punch him. However as he spoke, with each word he uttered his ears and hair still kept wiggling and sometimes in time with his speech. By now the pair of them were rolling around in stitches of laughter. Matthew was quick to answer with ears like that it’s a wonder they don’t call you 'Dumbo'. That was it John got to his feet and pretended to edge towards Matthew. Not really wanting to get to close because he knew deep inside that he would be no match for him. After all Matthew had been in the Army and they had a reputation as fighters. At the same time he wanted to look good in front of Eileen who by this time had also seem the funny side of the joke and was laughing with Matthew and Janice. However, the whole charade was for nothing as he had forgotten to switch off the Electronic box. Whether it was because his blood was by now boiling or his heart beat had been affected by the electronics, one would never know. What it did do was to make his ears move even faster and more pronounced. As John tried to make a quick exit from the kitchen he just grabbed at the wires hanging around his head, and tore then from his ears. Although in his haste he did not realise that they were still securely fixed to the staples. The force in which he grabbed at the wires also tore the staples from his ears, and with them also came small amounts of flesh attached to each staple. He then dumped the mangled mess all covered in blood on to the table, in front of them and stormed out.

  "He’s not going to be very happy with you Matthew you had better make it up to him," said Eileen.

  "Oh he’s the least of my worries, we came round to see how you were getting on."

  "Janice tells me that he has been known to hit you, and that is the last thing I would want to happen to you especially if I have caused the problem." replied Matthew.

  From outside there came the shout and curse of someone in pain, as they slammed the front gate in a temper.

  On the way home Matthew asked Janice to pull her car over and drop him off in the town square, he wanted to stretch his legs and maybe have a drink. He made his way over to the Galleon Café but after a quick glance decided that he did not know anybody within. So he then headed for a drink with Brain Lawrence whom he knew would be in his local haunt the Queens Head hotel. Sure enough as Matthew walked in there he was propping up the bar and giving one of the locals one of his war stories.

  He made his way towards Brian and grabbed the next stool.

  "Still boring the locals with your war stories then," he said with a smile on his face.

  Brian also laughed "Just trying to earn some free beer he replied."

  There then followed a long drinking session between them, where they both swapped stories, some old and some new. At least having both been in the service they both understood and liked each other’s sense of humour. The beer flowed freely and it did not take long before they were both feeling very merry, almost to a point where the singing was about to start and for these guys that is usually a last resort. Then before they knew it, it was getting late about 10.30 pm so Matthew decided to call it a day. After giving his farewells to everybody, in fact even the bar lady did not get away scot free with Matthew insisting on and g
etting a good night kiss.

  As Matthew left the Queens Head Hotel a little the worse for wear, complements of the alcohol he had been indulging in. He decided to take what he thought was a shortcut through the Church grounds, in an attempt to get home quicker. The Church looked quite eerie in the darkness although it did not worry him. Once out of the grounds he then had to enter a long dark narrow laneway that had lots of back entrances to a string of shops that faced towards the main road running through the town. As he was slowly making his way along this laneway he had the distinct feeling that he was being followed. He stopped and slowly turned around and in the darkness he thought he caught a glimpse of someone disappearing into an alleyway. However, he thought nothing of it and decided to pay no attention and just carried on his merry way home. Unfortunately, it was the effects of the alcohol that was making that decision and not the level headed realistic thinking that he had been trained for in the military. If that were the case he would have been on the alert at all times if he had been drinking.

  As he turned a corner bringing him out of the laneway and into an area that was still not very well lit by street lighting he was suddenly confronted by two shadowy figures, and they appeared to be blocking his way. Matthew had never been the type of person to back down from anything, but when you’re drunk you are in trouble, not being able to defend yourself. So he just carried on walking forward intending on trying to walk past the guys on the footpath. As Matthew stepped into the road the two figures in front of him also stepped in to the road. Now he knew that this was for real and that they really did want to confront him.

  Matthew had always been trained to know your enemy, but he did not know who they were, or even if he had seen them before in the past. His brain was racing doing over time, trying to think of a way out of the confrontation. Looking at the two figures something about one of them did look a little familiar. He had a small patch of old blood right on the bridge of his nose, but he could not put a name to the face, but he did think he resemble a large monkey. Suddenly one of the guys lunged at Matthew with a karate stile chop. Matthew just raised his leg and with his shinbone kicked him right in the groin. Watching the guy’s antics that followed the blow, he thought to himself that he looked more like a monkey than a man hopping around. He then threw a vicious blow at the other figure, catching him on the side of the jaw, not waiting for him to strike first. Being ex military it had been instilled in to him that attack is the best form of defence. The second guy went down like a sack of potatoes falling on top of the first one who was still withering in agony holding his crutch. Suddenly he was grabbed from behind as two arms were thrown around him and holding him tight entrapping his own arms. Then he was hit on the head almost knocking him unconscious. There then followed a big beating from two guys who had quietly jumped him from behind. For most of the time Matthew was conscious and could see what was going on. First it was fists and then as the first two of his assailants got to their feet it was with their feet. By this time the pain that Matthew was experiencing had reached such a level that it did not increase, the body can only take so much. He was so far gone that he was not even covering himself up from further blows, it was just open slather for the assailants.

  As Matthew lay on the path all he could see was their feet coming at him, but as one big blow hit him it rolled him over so that he could look up and into their faces and he suddenly realised that he was looking at 'Cheetah'. It was the blood on the nose that had jogged his memory, yes it was the guy who he had thrown out of the Galleon Café the night of Peter’s Birthday party. So this had been what it had all been about. At first Matthew had thought that he was just being mugged and that they were after his money, not that he was carrying much as he had spent most of it at the pub. He even thought that he had seen one of them in the pub earlier, but he wasn’t too sure. Then he got a good look at the other person who had attacked him from behind.

  It was John, John Swindle’s Eileen’s boyfriend, old Big Ears as Matthew had recently named him. Now it was a little clearer for Matthew this was all to do with John not only trying to drive Matthew out of town because of his jealousy over Eileen, but also for the incident that had belittled him in front of Eileen the night Matthew and Janice had called round the house. Then it was all over, suddenly and for no reason the blows had stopped and the assailants just walked off, but not before Cheetah told him to get out of town or he would get more of the same.

  As Matthew lay on the footpath he could not move, all he could do was just lay there and look at the local post office over the road and its telephone both. If only he could make it over he might be able to ring somebody to come and help him. However, it was to no avail he just had to lay there he could not move.

  The next thing he remembered was somebody trying to wake him, he tried to frame up at them thinking that his assailants had returned, but it was no good he could not move. When he next opened his eyes he was looking into the face of Janice bending over him and asking if he was okay. Matthew tried to shrug it off just asking if she could help him to his feet and that he would be okay. You should be in a hospital she told him. However, Matthew insisted that if she could help him home he would be okay. It took some time but Janice did manage to get him to his feet and drag him to her car and after a few minute she was driving him home.

  Eileen had rang Janice saying that she was worried for Matthew having heard John making threats towards him earlier in the day, and when he had returned to her place that night with blood on his cloths she had feared the worse. Janice had known that he was going for a drink and that the Queens Head had become his local haunt, it was easy to just drive round having a look for him. However, the stroke of luck that had helped her was that the attack had happened just out of the laneway and on the main street otherwise she would have missed him.

  Janice tried to get Matthew upstairs and into his bed, it was a struggle but somehow she managed it, even though the stairs were very narrow. By this time he was still in great pain but kept insisting that she does not ring for a doctor. He wanted nothing but to get some heat in to his body and some rest. So after she had undressed him and laid him to rest under the sheets and blankets. She took off her own cloths and slid in along side of him. She knew he was in no mode for sex but was hoping that she could warm him up using her own naked body.

  Matthew did not move from his bed for two days and when he did finally emerge, it was with a feeling of great pain that racked his whole body. Janice had nursed him all of the time, not that there was much to do as he had slept the whole time. Although she did try to feed and bandage the massive arrange of cuts and bruises that littered his body. At times he was in so much pain that he could not even respond to the sexual advances if Janice was to make a move towards him.

  By the end of the week he was feeling just that little bit better so he decided to take a shower before he retired to bed. About five minutes into the shower and with soap in his eyes, he suddenly felt a woman’s hand lightly touch his chest. At first he jumped and was quite shocked, but slowly he tried to work out what was going on. He knew the shower door was not locked because there was not a lock on the door. The last thing he had expected was that one of the ladies of the house would invade his privacy while taking a shower. Although upon reflection Janice had been making half-hearted advances towards him for the last couple of days, especially as she had noticed that he was slowly recovering.

  Matthew decided to let her proceed with whatever she had in mind for him, mind you that was about all he could do. That old adage about a male not being able to refuse any sexual offer that might come his way, applied to Matthew just as it applied to most hot blooded males, and anyway it did feel good.

  Slowly Matthew lay back on the shower wall and just let it happen, his mind was in a faraway place. All he could see was Janice naked but scantily wrapped in beautiful silk material and surrounded in a light sexual mist that engulfed them both.

  When it was all over and he had finally come back
to earth, he rubbed the soap from his eyes and almost jumped out of his skin. He was looking straight into the eyes of Dawn, who very sexually asked if it had been nice. Matthew was lost for words for a moment, but finally asked where Janice was. He was promptly told that she had popped out to the shops for some milk and anyway wasn’t he pleased with her for what she had just done for him. By this time Matthew had gathered his wits about him and was asking why she had come in to the shower with him. She knew that her mother and him had been together all week and that under the surface they had something going between them. Dawn was quick to add that she had a little something going between them as well only she had not been so lucky for the last couple of weeks. So as mum was out, it was time for her to catch up with a little play. Matthew was now trying to squeeze past her to get out of the shower, the last thing he wanted was to be in this position if Janice walked in on them. He managed to get passed Dawn and out of the Bathroom, but Dawn pestered him for a final kiss. In his haste he made his way down stairs while wrapping a bathrobe around him. Unfortunately Dawn kept following all the time pleading for a kiss, but not bothering to grab a towel to cover her. It became a type of cat and mouse chase as they first went in to one room around the furniture and then in to another. Matthew then ducked in to the lounge and tried to get around the armchair. Suddenly he let out a loud cry as he fell to the floor clutching his big toe. In his haste to get away he had stubbed his toe on the double-headed llama that had been pushed into the corner. As he lay on the carpet cursing the day the Maureen had ever bought the damn thing as a present for him. Dawn saw her chance and took a flying leap at Matthew, hoping to land right on top of him. Sadly she missed, instead she slid up to and hit her head just like Matthew on the stone Llama and ended up lying beside him holding her head. There then followed a terrible crash as the llama toppled over and smashed in to a dozen pieces, at that very same moment in walked Janice with a bottle of milk in her hand. She took one look at them on the floor and asked if anybody wanted milk in their nightcap. Unfortunately she also had Eileen with her, having picked her up on the way after she had expressed concern upon Matthews’s health, after the beating he had endured. They had heard the laughing and giggling from outside the house, followed by a couple of thumps and finally one hell of a crash.

  For Janice to suddenly be confronted by her half naked lodger, come temporary lover. To be found lying beside her totally naked daughter was a little more than she could digest. As for Eileen she just took one look at them made some sort of remark to Janice like I thought you said he was almost on deaths door, she then beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen. Matthew tried his hardest to assure Eileen that he had been on deaths door, but it fell on deaf ears. While all around the lounge there were pieces of pottery and a pall of white dust hung in the air surrounding them all. Janice was truly not amused even though both Matthew and Dawn tried desperately to explain that they had only been playing a game and that it was not what it seemed. Janice continued directing her speech towards Matthew saying,

  "I thought you were in pain and feeling crook."

  "Well if I wasn’t I am now," Matthew told her.

  "I think I have just broken my big toe on that stupid statue."

  "Serves you right if you play with fire then you must expect to get burnt," was the only reply that he got.

  Just then the phone in the kitchen rang, so Janice turned and raced out of the room to pick it up, but not before she told them to clean themselves up and the mess, she was also worried as to where Eileen had gone and was hoping that she did not do anything silly

  Dawn could not resist a last minute dig at Matthew, almost enjoying the scene that had just been played out. She flicked aside his dressing gown and poked him where it hurts a man the most. Then before Matthew could do anything about it, she jumping up and run out of the room. However, she did not get far as he heard her miss a couple of steps halfway up the stairs and slid all the way back down to the bottom. Matthew made an off the cuff remark out aloud to her, betting that she made a great sight to see, naked and all crumpled up lying at the foot of the stairs.

  Next morning started off with a familiar ring to it, as Janice started the conversation at the breakfast table by telling Matthew that once again he had put his big feet into it, not only that but this time he had given the pot a real good stir. Matthew tried to ask her not to keep going on about it, it was all a misunderstanding and that it was not what she thought. Janice retaliated that she did not know that she had a sex maniac as a lodger. Matthew gave a half-hearted laugh telling her that she was not funny.

  Janice then told him that Eileen had left quickly the night before, quite disgusted with the whole situation she had walked in on. She was not sure what the future held for her as far as Matthew was concerned.

  "Do you know who the mystery phone caller was from last night, said Janice."You're beloved Maureen she continued, wanting to know how lover boy was. Like a fool I said that you were still in bed still in pain and still resting. What a joke that is, I don’t know why I lied I guess I just felt sorry for you. You know how it is when your pet dog is very ill and you don’t want the vet to shoot it, sort of situation. Mind you if I’d have been in control of my brain at the time I should have fed you to the wolves a hundred times over. That poor girl, she needs protecting from a sex maniac like you." finally Janice finished her mouthful to him.

  Matthew in an attempt to get Janice on his side and off his back explained that he had not been to bed with the girl, and that he did not intend to until he was committed to the girl.

  "No need to, with the amount of sex that you are getting from this household," Janice said.

  "I doubt you would have enough energy to accomplish that feat anyway, a man has got to sleep some time, and he can’t live on sex alone, although some men think they can." she added.

  Although Janice was trying to be hard on Matthew she still thought a lot of him and deep inside she had already forgiven him. She was lonely, she also knew that if she could be involved with him on a regular basis he would be considered a very good catch especially for a woman of her age. Plus she also knew that Matthew was not getting any younger he was no spring chicken, and that sooner or later if he wanted to settle down he was going to have to make up his mind fast, very fast.

  Janice left the room for a few moments, and then suddenly there came a deafening shout from the down stairs toilet area, from where Matthew had guessed she had been heading for. She very quickly reappeared in the kitchen doorway with a grin on her face, threatening to do all sorts of things to him, while he quite calmly asked,

  "Is there a problem, and if so can I help help?"

  "Cause you can, little Mr innocent, you know what you have been up to, just fix it and tidy the place up." said Janice.

  "What’s it with you men that you have to always be playing games all the time," she continued.

  Matthew told her that he had just wanted to cheer her up, and that a good laugh never hurt anybody. Good laugh was her reply, good laugh she repeated to herself as she turned to leave the room and then constantly repeated that same line until she was out of earshot.

  Matthew had decided that it was time to have a joke to lighten up the atmosphere within the house. Just to remove the expected pressure from him that he knew would eventuate as they confronted each other across the breakfast table. Janice had been constantly nagging him since his arrival, about leaving the toilet seat down whenever he left the room, knowing that she would always want him to at least lift it up, before he used it. He decided to have a laugh and just to prove a point, that he did actually raise the seat before use. He had stuck the seat in an up position to cistern at the back with some double-sided sticky tape. However, he also knew that it would get her going, especially as it was first thing in the morning, when she was usually not at her best. Wrong again, in trying to start off the day with a laugh, all he had done was to upset her, but only slightly or at least that’s what Matthew tried to convince himself
of. He suddenly had a horrible thought, thinking that it was a good idea that he had not gone ahead with his first idea and that was to stretch some cling film across the top of the pan. By the sound of it, it might have been the last straw. The straw that broke the camel's back and he could have been packing his bags by now and on his merry way. However, what if she had actually used the toilet while the cling film had been stretched across it. Well that did not bear thinking about.

  About an hour later Janice walked in the lounge room where she found Matthew sitting on the couch reading an old newspaper. The toilet incident had been totally erased from her mind, she had showered soaked herself in perfume and was dressed very smart and ready for a new day. She walked over to him and bent down and kissed him on the cheek, and then suggested that they start the day a fresh. She went on to tell him that she knew he meant well, and that she had been very happy since his arrival, even though his sense of humour some times left a little to be desired. On the subject of her daughter and Matthew she was not happy with the relationship. She was old enough to look after herself, which also meant that Janice could not tell her what to do, even though at times she wished she could. However, she did ask Matthew to stay away from her while he was in the house and at least while Janice was with him. Matthew had to explain that it was not him but Dawn who was always creeping into his bedroom or as happened the other night the shower that was missing a door lock, he stressed. Anyway he explained that he had thought it was Janice who was in the shower with him. He could not see, as his eyes were full of soap, and also that he had been disappointed to find it was not her.

  Janice sat down beside him and started to talk a little more personal catching him slightly off balance. Let's just call it a woman’s intuition, but am I right in thinking that Peter is your son. Eileen has not told me anything, but you can see it in the boys features, he has your beautiful looks you know, it’s a wonder that other people have not picked up on it before. Matthew said nothing he just sat there listening to what she had to say. Janice knew she was right just from the fact that Matthew was saying nothing.

  When finally he did break his silence it was to tell her that he had only learnt from Eileen on the night of Peter's party. For all those years that he had been away from Stowmarket he had not known that he was a father, and that she should understand that it had all come as a hell of a shock to him. He also told her that other than Eileen they were the only other people who knew.

  Janice then added that it did not bear thinking about of the consequences if and when John finds out. There would be no wedding bells once it all comes out in to the open.

  Matthew then told her that Eileen wanted him to go back to her and that he had considered it. She truly did not know what to do or which way to turn. His returning home and the decisions that he has to make in the next few weeks is going to upset half of Stowmarket. There is not only Eileen, John and all his family, what of Peter once he finds out. Then what of poor sweet, innocent, Maureen and then there is your daughter, and not forgetting Peter’s girl friend Sally. Remember you were all trying to push Dawn on to him, not that I think that would be very successful, they just don’t suit each other.

  However, with you Matthew, Janice continued, you suit most people you are very likeable, funny and a great lover, you can have the pick any time you like. Although I would be careful, your stay here in town has been short and you have already ruffling a lot of feathers lately. You could end up with egg on your face and nobody to love, and if you don’t watch out you might be chased out of town with your tail hanging between your legs.

  "As long as it's just my tail" Matthew tried to inject a little laughter in to the conversation.

  To the relief of both of them the phone suddenly rang jolting them both back to the real world, it was Matthew who got up to answer it. Some guy was asking for Janice, Matthew told him that she could not come to the phone as she was cutting the Canaries toenails. The caller asked if she could ring him back in ten minutes. To which Matthew told him that he had better make it an hour, as she still had to bath it and then put it to bed. There was a deafening silence on the other end that lasted almost a couple of minutes, before finally the caller hung up.

  Matthew explained to Janice what he had said and then burst out laughing. Although Janice was not amused telling him that it was probably the local town councillor who she had promised to help in the next town elections. Matthew was quick in asking Janice how do you know when a councillor is lying. To which Janice said no I don’t know, go on I give up. Matthew laughed again and replied, when his lips are moving. That pays you back for not giving me the phone the other night when Maureen rang asking for me.

  She grabbed hold of him and started tickling him all over, Matthew returned the gesture and they both ended up rolling onto the floor, grabbing squeezing and tickling each other. However, it was not long before Janice got her own way and they ended up in a tight embrace kissing and fondling each other. Matthew had once again succumbed to the age-old trick that women had learnt a million years before, called seduction by the woman, and that men are mere mortals and putty in their hands. The way Matthew was progressing through life meant that he was very easy stuck to them all.

  Back at work Peter, Maureen and Sally had all been wondering what had happened to him, as he had not been on the assembly line all week. Peter had spoken to the supervisor but had only been told that he had rang in sick, and likely to be away for a few more days. Even his mother had not said anything to him. However, one thing Peter had done was to carry on what Matthew had started by calling the supervisor Herr Hoss-shite, while not knowing the reason why.

  Maureen was also feeling very hurt and not knowing what had happened, even thinking that it was something that she had said or done, after all she had not seen him since the day of Peter's birthday. Plus she had still not received an explanation of what really happened that night. All she could remember was the look and shock on everybody’s faces as the scene was being played out within the kitchen. That is why she tried to ring Matthew only to be confronted with Janice who told her a pack of lies that he was still in bed resting. She did tell Maureen that he had been beaten up by a group of boys as he left the Queens Head after a big drinking binge. She said that he had been mugged and that she would tell Matthew that she had rang, so that later he might contact her. All this was done just to get her out of Matthews’s hair, as Janice really wanted Matthew for herself.