by Mel Sherratt
‘When I heard about the last job, I tried to warn them all, but they wouldn’t listen. I knew they wouldn’t pull it off and it’d be up to me to pick up the pieces again. My mum’s really upset about it. She never brought up four children for two of them to be drop-outs. Michael’s been in the nick so many times, it’ll be ages before he gets out.’
Kelly watched as Jay struggled with his emotions.
‘You haven’t got a clue what it’s done to our family over the years. I didn’t want that for you.’ Jay chanced a quick glance at her. ‘Nor Emily.’
For a split second, Kelly understood where Jay was coming from. Then she remembered something else.
‘That money,’ she said. ‘That five hundred pounds – did Scott give it to you or was it yours to start with?’
Jay shook his head. ‘It was mine. I thought it’d help you out.’
Kelly groaned. Finally she began to understand what he was talking about. Jay was racked with guilt: for what his brothers had brought on his parents, for what Scott had brought on her, and, most of all, for his feelings towards another man’s woman. She shuddered involuntarily. How had she not seen this happening, right underneath her nose? Stupidly, she’d enjoyed Jay’s company more and more and, in the back of her mind, knew he was spending far too much time with her. Simply doing a favour for a mate wasn’t what was happening.
And because she’d missed Scott so much, she’d taken Jay as a substitute, a replacement, until Scott was ready to return. She was entirely to blame for letting it happen, when it clearly shouldn’t have.
As Jay pleaded with his eyes, begging her to talk, Kelly didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t give him what he wanted, yet she couldn’t tell him what he didn’t want to hear.
But staying silent did it for her. With one last look, Jay stood up and walked out of the room. Tears pouring down her cheeks, Kelly had no choice but to let him.
At nine thirty, Kelly dialled Jay’s mobile number again. She had to know that everything was all right. It was the last thing she wanted on Tuesday. Scott was bound to ask Jay to pick him up from prison and she needed no awkwardness between them. She had to make sure there was nothing that would make Scott suspicious, make him wonder what had been going on.
She knew she should be happy that Scott was coming home soon but all she could think about was Jay – how she’d hurt his feelings, betrayed his trust and, in a strange, yet totally unknown way, used him. She hadn’t meant to – that had hurt the most.
As the call switched to voicemail yet again, Kelly flung her phone down onto the settee in a fit of anger.
But Jay was no more than a hundred yards away. He was parked a few houses down, on the opposite side of Clarence Avenue. Not for the first time, his thoughts switched to what could be going on behind the closed curtains. Was Kelly making herself nice, ready for Scott to come home?
He waited for his phone to stop ringing before he picked it up. Kelly’s messages said that she wanted to talk, to clear the air. Jay wanted to talk to her so badly, even if his words would be empty. Over the last few hours, his feelings had heightened, yet he fought with his conscience. Kelly belonged to Scott. He’d had no right to put her in that predicament, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself.
Exasperated, he started the car engine and screeched away from the kerb.
When Josie’s manager asked for some paperwork to be taken to their head office, Josie drew the short straw. After an age finding a space on the staff car park, she went into the main building. It hadn’t changed much since she’d left it all those years ago, apart from a lick of paint here and there and a different corporate logo.
As she walked through the reception area towards the lifts, she saw someone she hadn’t seen in years.
‘Livvy?’
‘Josie!’ Livvy gave her a huge hug, looking genuinely pleased to see her. ‘I haven’t seen you properly in what, five years?’
Josie nodded. ‘Yes, it must be. How are you?’
‘Fair. I’ve split up with my partner but apart from that... How about you?’
‘Same here. I’ve just separated from my husband.’
They both smiled half-heartedly, knowing there was now something else they had in common.
‘I’m fine though,’ Josie added. ‘Apart from never having lived alone and jumping every time I hear a strange noise! Funny thing is, he worked shifts so I was often by myself in the house anyway. What are you doing here, though? It’s a bit different from your usual role.’
‘It’s a long story.’ Livvy smiled sadly. ‘And one that makes me sound like an idiot. I’ll never learn.’
‘Tell me about it!’ Josie joked.
‘Hey, I might do that.’ Livvy checked her watch. ‘I’m on my way to a meeting so I have to go, but I’d love to catch up.’
‘Yes, give me a ring when you’re free.’
‘How do you fancy pasta and wine with another single – maybe tomorrow after work? If we don’t arrange something, you know we’ll never act on it and it would be a shame not to after all this time.’
At half past five the next evening, Josie pulled into one of two allocated parking spaces Livvy had told her about. Romney Court housed eighteen owner-occupied flats in three separate blocks. Number five was the one she was looking for. She pressed the buzzer on the intercom at the door entrance. After a moment, she heard a voice come through it.
‘Come on up. You’ll find me on the second floor.’
She went into a small lobby area, painted a welcoming lemon colour. Unlike the flats Josie was used to visiting, the area smelt clean, inviting, and fresh.
‘I’m so glad you came.’
Josie looked up to see Livvy leaning over the balcony, her black hair hanging down like a curtain.
‘Welcome to my humble abode,’ she smiled.
Livvy’s flat was so far removed from the style of Josie’s house that she instantly felt old-fashioned. With every new room Livvy showed her, she had to stop her mouth from dropping to the floor. The first room off the light hallway was the kitchen, which had a mishmash of stainless steel and beech units standing to attention along each side wall. She gasped when she followed Livvy into the living room; plush cream carpeting mostly covered by a woollen rug barely a shade lighter, and two cream leather settees. The only colour in the room came from the vivid orange cushions and fresh lilies arranged in a vase on the glass-topped coffee table.
‘It’s beautiful,’ said Josie. ‘And so stylish!’
‘Thanks. I have to warn you that it’s much better than my cooking, though.’ Livvy pushed her gently into the kitchen and reached for a tartan oven glove. ‘But I am a dab hand at putting pasta into a saucepan and a bag of salad into a bowl.’
For a long time, Josie had never felt as relaxed as she did that night in Livvy’s kitchen. She and Livvy had met on an induction course when they’d both started at Mitchell Housing Association and had got on well since. They’d done various jobs together before going their separate ways, and only lost touch when Livvy had gone to work in the family business. Their conversation flowed naturally, with no awkward silences as they caught up – despite Josie being in awe of Livvy’s fabulous figure and the shine on her poker straight hair. She knew Livvy could easily pass as a supermodel, with legs reaching up to her ears in wide-legged linen trousers, a white vest and an oversized slash-necked baby-pink jumper. She padded around in bare feet, crimson toe nails peeping out every now and then. Josie sighed. She’d love to be that elegant.
‘I love it here,’ Livvy said over another coffee. ‘The neighbours are great, I don’t have any trouble from them and they don’t mind when I have the occasional party. And that intercom system is a godsend.’ She grinned. ‘Especially being able to screen who is visiting. Great if you want to stand a guy up – not that I’ve ever done that. I think it’d be good fun to try though.’
‘I bet you must have men falling at your feet.’
Livvy laughed. ‘I have no intention of
settling down in the near future. And when I do, I’m going to be moving into his palatial palace.’
‘And you shouldn’t let the last one put you off either. They’re not all bad.’ Josie couldn’t believe she was saying that after her recent time with Stewart. But she knew it was true – and she hoped she wouldn’t do the same either. This time she was going to take the advice she dished out to others.
‘Honey,’ Livvy said in a theatrical style that had Josie practically spitting out her drink, ‘there isn’t anything I can’t deal with. If any man chooses to mess with me, and I see his face on my intercom screen, it’ll be my pleasure not to let him in!’
‘Oi, you two! Wait for me, will you?’
‘God, what does she want?’ muttered Sally. She had her arm linked through Kelly’s as they made their way to the bus stop at the end of their last shift for that week. ‘She’s crawling around you lately like she wants to bury the hatchet.’
‘More like bury a knife in my back, you mean,’ Kelly muttered to her.
Leah drew up beside them with a puff. ‘Do you fancy sitting with me on the bus tonight? Might as well, seeing as we’re on speaking terms now.’
Sally stifled a laugh; Kelly nudged her sharply with her elbow. Leah’s ‘speaking terms’ referred to the fact that she’d let Kelly join in a whole night’s conversation without any type of sarcastic dig coming from her side of the bench.
‘Suppose so,’ said Kelly, her heart dropping when she noticed that Jay wasn’t there to pick her up again. She hadn’t seen him at all since Wednesday.
The three of them continued out of the factory gates and on towards the main road.
‘I want to know any gossip she tells you,’ Sally whispered, prompting Kelly to nudge her in the ribs again before she left them at the corner of the street. To her amazement, Leah linked an arm through hers as they continued to walk.
‘I’m sorry we got off to a bad start,’ she began.
Kelly turned to face her, completely bewildered by her turnaround.
Leah had the decency to look shamefaced. ‘I suppose I was jealous of you. Look at you – you’re gorgeous. Me, I’m fat and ugly.’
‘I wouldn’t say –’
‘It’s right though, isn’t it? I hated you when I saw you at the playgroup so when I walked in here and found out you were the new girl – well, I kind of flipped.’
They reached the bus shelter and sat down on the empty bench seat.
‘So why have you been so nasty to me?’
‘I come from a shit family so I tend to stick up for myself by lashing out.’ Leah shrugged. ‘But I want you to know, if it’s okay with you,’ she looked up at Kelly through a heavy fringe, ‘I’d like us to be friends.’
Kelly smiled. She knew how much of an effort it would have been for Leah to admit she was wrong.
‘You have a deal,’ she said, supposing she could give her the benefit of the doubt.
Moments later, as the bus drew up beside them, Leah got on first and turned to Kelly as they sat down. ‘So, tell me, what’s the story with Jay Kirkwell? Have you shagged him yet or can anyone have a go?’
Kelly’s smile faltered.
At work on Monday morning, Josie rushed to the reception when she received an internal telephone call from Sonia, saying that Charlotte Hatfield wanted to see her. She was curious to see how she was doing. It had been three weeks since Charlotte’s attack and even though she had returned to the house on her release from hospital, now she’d decided to move nearer to her family. She’d come in to return the keys to the property.
‘How are the boys coping?’ Josie had enquired, after she’d accepted the flowers Charlotte had bought for her. She took her into an interview cubicle for the last time. Charlotte only had baby Poppy with her: she was fast asleep in her buggy.
‘They’re still with my mum in Leeds.’
Josie noticed that Charlotte’s hair had been brushed over the gash that Nathan had left her with. Andy had told her she’d had seven stitches. Her front tooth was missing, but at least she was smiling again. She seemed in a lighter mood now that she had made up her mind to move on.
Charlotte delved into Poppy’s carry-all bag and handed Josie a bunch of keys. ‘Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,’ she said. ‘I don’t think I’d be here today if it wasn’t for your actions – and that copper as well.’
Josie shook her head. ‘It wasn’t just us. You played your own part in it.’
‘Maybe, but it was you who made me think about the situation. You who made me realise I would be better going back home to my mum.’ She paused. ‘You who made me think about pressing charges.’
Josie looked up from the paperwork she was filling in.
Charlotte nodded her head. ‘I’ve made a statement against Nathan.’
‘Great,’ said Josie. ‘Me too!’
Charlotte smiled. ‘Thanks. Nathan’s on remand now anyway. They reckon he’ll go down for GBH wounding with intent, but still…’
Josie reached across the desk and squeezed Charlotte’s hand. ‘That’s fantastic news. I’m so pleased for you – and I’m proud of you for sticking up for yourself.’
Charlotte’s eyes fell on the buggy. ‘It’s not only me that I have to look out for. I want my kids to have a better chance in life than I did. Poor Josh won’t leave my side at the moment. He’s become so clingy.’
Josie felt tears well in her eyes as she remembered the little boy’s haunted look as she’d pulled him into her arms. It would stay with her for a long time. She prayed that he’d forget it as he got older.
‘You’ll all be fine soon.’ She nodded her head in encouragement.
As they stood up, Charlotte lurched forward and gave her a hug.
‘Thanks for giving me my life back,’ she said. ‘I know the flowers aren’t much.’
Josie hugged her back, pleased that there had been a happy ending to this case, albeit in the hard way.
‘Are you kidding?’ she laughed. ‘Do you realise the forms I’ll have to fill in because you’ve brought me a gift? We’re not allowed to take anything from tenants in case it’s misconstrued as bribery. I daren’t even have a toffee off some people!’
Charlotte faltered. ‘But that’s pathetic! You do such an amazing job. I know I couldn’t do what you do.’
‘Stop it, you’re making me blush.’ Josie cried, feeling her cheeks warming.
‘It’s true though,’ said Charlotte. ‘I reckon you should change your job title to ‘guardian angel’. It’s perfect for you.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
For Kelly, Tuesday morning came around too quickly. Jay finally sent her a text message but it was only to back up what Scott had told her over the phone – Jay was to pick him up and they were due back around eleven.
She’d been waiting for this day for three months, three months where she had fended for herself and got by. But life had moved on and she wasn’t sure if she wanted Scott to come back and insist that it reverted to the way it had been. She knew he’d want her to stop going to work and to college, but she couldn’t do that – wouldn’t do that.
Jay’s revelation last week had sent Kelly’s mind into a spin. Their disagreement had made her confused. How could she have been so stupid? How had she not seen the signs that his feelings towards her had changed? Was it because she didn’t want to?
She’d really started to enjoy Jay’s company, looking forward to the end of her shifts to see if he’d be waiting to take her home. She’d loved the fact that he cared enough to pick her up most nights. She loved the fact that he played with Emily, keeping her company while she prepared supper. The truth was that she loved everything about Jay.
And without meaning to, she’d hurt him. Now she was left to wonder how he’d react when he saw her. She’d missed him so much since they’d fallen out – alarmingly so, considering that Scott was coming home and she should be wondering how she would react when she saw him.
By half past ten, she was pa
cing up and down in her living room. She’d cleaned the flat from top to bottom. The fridge had been stocked up with as much food as she could afford, and Emily had jumped into the bath with her and they’d washed each other’s hair. Everything was perfect.
Trying to contain her nerves as Emily stood on the settee looking through the window for Jay’s car, Kelly flipped through the TV channels. She stayed on ITV, as This Morning was in full swing. As much as she didn’t want to hear about some woman’s multiple birth going wrong, she needed to switch off. She was still feeling anxious about seeing Scott. What if they didn’t like each other anymore after all their time apart? All too soon, there was no more time to worry.
‘He’s here!’ shouted Emily. ‘Daddy’s back!’
Kelly jumped at the sound of her daughter’s cries of excitement and moved to the spot where Emily had vacated. She saw Jay get out of the car first and then it was Scott’s turn. His eyes searched the windows for her and her heart flipped as he spotted her and waved. She raised her hand as Emily threw herself at him.
‘Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!’ echoed down Clarence Avenue.
For the umpteenth time, Kelly checked her appearance. Her hand was shaking as she pulled at her fringe, her brown eyes energized yet fretful. She blew out a long breath. All of a sudden, she heard someone bounding up the stairs and there he was.
Scott smiled and Kelly’s knees started to wobble.
‘Hello, babe,’ he spoke softly.
Kelly ran into his open arms. The relief of feeling his body close to hers was too much and she began to cry. All those mixed up thoughts instantly vanished. He was home.
Scott sat her down on the settee where she clung to him. ‘Neat little place,’ he admired, as he looked around. ‘I see you haven’t lost your flair for decorating.’
Kelly wiped her eyes while Emily showed Scott all of her new books. She smiled as Scott oohed and ahhed at the pink teddy bear series that Emily still read over and over.
Jay hung back in the kitchen doorway. Out of the corner of her eye, Kelly saw him trying to cover his emotions. She couldn’t look at him; she felt so ashamed. Now that Scott was here, she felt so… so different. It was as if all the feelings she’d struggled with had never existed. Scott was home. They were a family again – but where did that leave Jay?