The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

by Karen Woods

  “Yes, and so do I. But, there is an issue and I need you both there.”

  This sounded serious and John was getting flustered, he looked like he was starting to sweat. Alfie whacked him across the back of the head and stood looking down at him. “This better not be anything to do with you, laddo. I’ve warned you about fucking about haven’t I?”

  “No, Dad, I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know what she’s going on about.”

  John’s mother stood at the door and spoke. “Just hurry up. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

  Diane sat up when John’s mother entered the room. Where was he, where was John, there was no sign of him. Had she punished him already, was he being taken down to the police station? She wasn’t sure. Vanessa opened her eyes wide. “So where is he?”

  Joanne clenched her teeth together tightly. This woman was doing her head in. If she would have kept a short leash on her daughter none of this would have happened. Girls like Diane would ruin people’s lives by having children out of wedlock. Yes, the bastard children would be kept a secret for years until they come out of the woodwork to find their real father in later years. There was no way this girl was ruining her son’s life. No way in this world. John’s mother had to be quick, get it out of her system before the shit hit the fan. “So, how do you know it’s John’s baby?”

  Diane gripped the edge of her chair and squeezed at it. “Because, he’s the only person I’ve had sex with.”

  “Well, if you’ve dropped your knickers for John, you could have dropped them for anyone. We only have your word for it don’t we?”

  Vanessa rolled her sleeves up and stepped forward. “Ay, you can stop that right now. My girl is no scrubber. This was a one off, a mistake. Come on love, we’ve all made them.”

  Joanne held a firm expression, she was sticking to her guns. “Like I said, it’s just her word. And if sex is on a plate, who would blame a lad for taking it. It’s girl’s like her who ruin people’s lives.”

  Vanessa raised her voice, she was ready for war. One more word out of this jumped up bitch and she’d rip every hair out of her bastard head. “Maybe, we should go to the police about this. How do we know he didn’t force himself on her? It happens doesn’t it?”

  The women locked eyes and not a word was spoken. The office door opened and Alfie marched inside. He wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here and he looked shocked. John entered the room and looked puzzled. He smiled at Diane and sat down next to her. Phew, he was off the hook. This meeting was probably about some community event that Vanessa had arranged. She was like that, Diane’s mother, she was always arranging fun runs and sponsored walks for the older people in the area. A do-gooder she was.

  John nudged Diane and smirked. “Don’t be putting me down for any runs. I’m not into stuff like that. My mam might have a go though, she’s a keep-fit addict.”

  What was up with Diane? She wasn’t taking any notice of him, she was just staring out of the window. Alfie sat down and reached in the drawer for his cheque book. He knew Vanessa of old and every time she’d been here in the past it was always about giving some money to the community. “Right, I’ve not got time to go through what you’re here for. But, I’ll write you a cheque for a tenner and that should help.”

  John’s mother came behind her husband and placed her hand on his shoulder. She needed to be able to restrain him when she broke the news. “Alfie, Vanessa isn’t here for money.”

  “Bleeding hell, so what am I here for? I have a pub to run,” he smiled over at Vanessa and tried to hurry her up. “So, what’s the problem then?” He flicked his eyes to his wristwatch.

  “Your son is the problem,” she croaked.

  Alfie twisted his head at speed and snarled over at John. “What have you been up to now you little bastard. How many times have I told you about having people knocking on my door.”

  “Dad, I haven’t done anything. I don’t know what you are going on about.”

  Vanessa poked her crooked finger into the side of John’s head with force, she was ready for lashing out. “Look at you. You can’t even admit what you’ve done. You’re spineless.”

  Diane stood and walked towards the window, pulling the curtain back slightly. She kept her back to them all as she spoke in a low voice. “John, I’m pregnant.”

  Alfie took a few seconds to digest what she’d said. He leant forward and cracked his knuckles. “And what? Why are you here?”

  Vanessa couldn’t stand it anymore. The truth needed to be told. “I’m here because it’s your son who got her pregnant.”

  Alfie screwed his face up. “Fuck off woman. My son has never touched her. Are you winding me up here or what?”

  Diane turned around and looked at John. It was his time to man up, tell them the truth, the whole truth. She folded her arms tightly in front of her chest and waited for him to speak. He never did. What a coward he was, he had no backbone. Alfie stood and grabbed his son by the scruff of his neck. “Is that right, did you have sex with her?”

  John’s heart was racing, beads of sweat were appearing on his forehead. He licked his dry cracked lips and answered him with fear in his eyes. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. Dad, I kissed her and that’s all. Gary kissed her too, she was drunk and all over us both. If she’s tubbed then it could be Gary’s, he kissed her too.”

  John’s mother gave a sigh of relief. “I knew it. I told you he was a good lad. It’s her who’s the bad apple, fancy throwing yourself at lads like that. There has been no mention of this other lad until now. She probably doesn’t know who else she’s slept with herself the dirty cow.”

  This was a war zone now, there was shouting, screaming, name calling. Vanessa turned to Diane. “Did you sleep with Gary too?” She was hysterical.

  “No, I didn’t. What do you take me for? I kissed Gary that’s all, it’s him there who I had sex with.”

  She pointed her shaking finger over at the accused. Alfie protected his son in his arms. “Well, there you go. It’s obvious she doesn’t know who the father is. Don’t come around here shouting the odds when she’s been around the block. You can piss off out of here. John has just told you he never touched her so go knocking on some other fucker’s door. Leave my boy out of this.”

  Vanessa grabbed hold of Diane but she pushed her away. She was having her say now. “John, you know what happened. Don’t let me deal with this on my own. Tell them the truth.”

  John looked up at his father. There was no way in this world he was throwing his hands in to this. Not a chance. He stood tall and blatantly told them all a pack of lies. “Diane, I never touched you. You were drunk remember, you probably thought it was me when it was Gary.”

  Diane ran at him, ready to punch him but John’s mother stood in front of him. “You dare touch my son. You’re the one in the wrong here young lady. Go on, piss off and take your mother with you.”

  Vanessa hung her head in shame. This was getting worse by the minute. “Diane, we’re leaving. It’s obvious he is going to deny what he’s done. You know the truth John and sooner or later the truth will come out. I hope you can sleep at night with this lie you are carrying.”

  Diane stormed passed John and spat in his eye. “Liar! You dirty horrible liar.”

  The young lad never flinched, he stared at Diane and never said a word. The door slammed behind them. Alfie let out a laboured breath and ragged his fingers through his hair. “That’s the end of that. Listen, you stick to your guns. If that Gary is the one who had sex with her then you keep well out of it. Let him deal with his own mess.”

  John was in shock, speechless. His mother placed her arms around his neck and squeezed him with all her might. “I bet you was shitting yourself, you poor sod,” she spoke in a low calming voice as she continued. “John, there will always be girls like Diane hanging about you. Promise me now you won’t touch them. You have a bright future in front of you and you don’t want any tart ruining your career.”

 
John had told a lie now but he had to stick to the story he’d created. In his eyes, Gary was the one who boned her, nobody else. Gary was drunk anyway. He wouldn’t remember a thing. He could tell him what he wanted him to believe, cover his own tracks. What a crafty bastard.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Melanie sat on the swings in the park with Gary. She’d already filled him in about Diane being pregnant to John. He was shocked and couldn’t get his head around it. Suddenly there was shouting from behind them. Melanie’s jaw dropped, it was John. Why hadn’t he been beaten to within an inch of his life and grounded. Surely his parents should have punished him for getting Diane pregnant? Gary screwed his face up as John sat down near them. There was no beating around the bush, he went straight in. “I believe you got Diane pregnant?”

  John chuckled and sat forward. “I don’t think so mate. She’s just been around to our house with her mam saying I had sex with her.”

  Melanie jumped into the conversation, fuming she was. “You did, Diane told me herself it was you.”

  “Well, she’s lying to you. Was you there? Did you see me even touch her?” Melanie sat thinking about it and listened as he continued. “As far as I’m concerned Gary, you was the one all over her. When I was there you were touching her tits and everything and she was rubbing her hand across your dick. Honest, it was embarrassing. I went back upstairs for a bit to give you two love-birds a bit of time together. I think you shagged her not me.”

  Gary was gobsmacked, he jumped to his feet. “No, I just kissed her. I didn’t screw her.”

  “And, how do you know that? You were steaming drunk. When I came back downstairs, you was tucking your t-shirt in your jeans and staggering about the room.”

  Gary was distressed, he couldn’t remember a thing about that night. “I remember kissing her that’s all. If I would have got my end away then I would remember it wouldn’t I?”

  John carried on with his lie and this time he was talking to Melanie. “He doesn’t even remember getting home that night. I spoke to him the next day and he told me he woke up with mud all over his face. He said he didn’t have a clue how he got home. So, what does that tell you?”

  Melanie shrugged her shoulders and shot a look over at Gary. “Are you sure you didn’t bone her. I seen you two all over each other too.”

  Gary was having a panic attack. There was no way this was happening. He would have remembered if he’d had sex, surely? He sat with his head in his hands, thinking, trying to jog his memory. He lifted his head and his eyes filled with tears. “I can’t remember. Honest, that night is all a blank to me. I’m never drinking again, ever.”

  Melanie sighed and looked at John. She was still angry with him from the night of the party and the way he treated her. But at least he hadn’t fathered a child and he hadn’t slept with Diane. Maybe she’d forgive him. John flicked some invisible dust from his coat. “Diane is a cheeky bitch. She stood there in front of my mam and dad and said I was the father. My dad was going to waste me. Imagine if they believed her, I would have been leathered. It’s bad that, isn’t it?”

  Melanie nodded, she was fuming. “She’s a dirty bitch. She never mentioned a word to me that she’d slept with anyone. She kept it a secret and…” she stressed, “…I’m supposed to be her best friend. She’s a shady cow that one. I’ve washed my hands of her.”

  John agreed. “Me too, cheeky she is. She could have caused murders in our house.”

  Gary stood up and sucked back the tears. “So what do I do now? Should I go and see Diane. I mean, if it’s me who’s got her in trouble then I should stand by her, shouldn’t I?”

  Melanie nodded. “Yep, get your arse around there and hold your hands up. Her dad will be home soon so if I was you I would go before he’s home. He’ll throttle you when he finds out.”

  Gary was pale, fidgeting, pacing the floor. “Fucking hell, my mam will go ape when I tell her. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

  John licked his bottom lip but remained silent. He was safe now, out of the shit. Gary marched off in a hurry. John and Melanie sat in silence for a while just looking around the area. John coughed and cleared his throat. He needed Melanie back on side. “I’m sorry about what happened that night. I was just messing about and it sort of got out of hand.”

  “You can say that again,” Melanie hissed.

  “Can we put it behind us? You know how much I like you and I’d hate for you to fall out with me.”

  Melanie smirked, bleeding hell, an apology from John. She didn’t think he had one in him. Did he want her as a girlfriend again, his number one? “I like you too, John. I’m not going to lie. You knocked me sick when you done that to me. Like I said, I’m not a slag.”

  “I never thought you were. It was just something that got out of hand. If you want we can give it a go, me and you?”

  Melanie went beetroot, her heart was pounding inside her rib-cage. Her mouth was dry, and she couldn’t look him in the eye. He was really asking her to be his girl. She looked over at him and smiled. “Alright then, but there are no more other girls, no dates with them and definitely no getting a suck from anyone. If you’re my boyfriend, then you are with me and nobody else.”

  John was taken aback. Rules and regulations so soon in the relationship, he never expected that. He gripped her arm and moved closer to her for a kiss. He was out of the shit now and ready to move on.

  Gary inhaled hard and knocked on Diane’s front door. He could see the curtain twitching and knew somebody had spotted him. He stood kicking his feet at the floor waiting for the door to open. Diane opened the front door and he could hear screaming from inside. Diane had been crying, her eyes were red raw. Gary looked up and blurted it out. “Diane, I’m so sorry. I don’t even remember having sex with you. John just told me what we were doing when he seen us and honest, on my life, I can’t remember a thing.” Diane held the doorframe and steadied herself, she was listening to every word he said. “Diane, I will stand by you. I’m not going to leave you to deal with this on your own. I will look after you and deal with anything that comes our way.” Here it was, her ticket out of the mess she was in. Her baby would have a father and the pressure would ease off. Gary looked at her and opened his eyes wide. “Say something then?”

  She was flustered and trying to think on her feet. She was in it now and there seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel. “I said I slept with John, so nobody would know about you. I never thought in a million years my mam would drag me around there. It was John who grassed you up, he told them all that we had sex.”

  “I’m not arsed about that now. None of it matters. What does matter is what is going to happen next?”

  Diane rested her head on the doorframe, thinking. “Wait here a minute while I go and have a word with my mam and see if she will speak with you. She’s going mental, honest, she’s not stopped screaming and shouting. She’s thrown shoes at me and stuff, she’s going off her rocker.”

  Diane left the front door open and went back into the house. Gary cringed when he heard the screaming from inside the house. This wasn’t good. How was he going to face her family, what about her dad? He’d have to chin him if he attacked him, there was no doubt about it. His head was in bits. Him a father, a dad at sixteen. Diane returned and shook her head. “You better come inside. Before you go in to see my mam, just be aware she’s a mess. So expect some abuse. She’s ready to rip your head off.”

  Gary stepped inside the doorway. This was like walking into a lion’s den. His palms were sweaty and he was unsteady on his feet. He needed to pull himself together and think of how he was going to deal with the abuse.

  Vanessa was sat in her armchair and you could tell by her face she was ready to give him a piece of her mind. She snarled at him and looked him up and down. “You’ve got some cheek turning up here when you’ve got my girl in trouble. Don’t be expecting a round of applause either because I want to smash your head in.”

  Gary never replied he just sat down and started
playing with his hands. He needed to let this woman calm down, get it out of her system. Diane sat next to him and rubbed the small of his back to calm him down. He was shaking like a leaf. Finally, he was ready to speak. “I’m so sorry for what’s happened but I’m standing by Diane in whatever choice she makes. It’s both of our faults and I’m not running away from it. I understand how disappointed you are with us both but, we both can’t change it, can we?”

  Vanessa was alert, did this lad say he was standing by her? Her eyes were wide open. This meant a father for the baby, less shame to carry on her shoulders. The gossipers would be put in their place. She could say her daughter had been dating Gary for months, that she was in a loving relationship. Surely, nobody could judge her then. I mean how many women have been in the same boat as her daughter? She kept her voice low, listening carefully.

  “So, you’re saying you will give the child your name and marry Diane?”

  Gary was breathless, and it took him a while to answer her. Marriage? He never had that in mind. He’d only had a few girlfriends and now he was stuck with one for life! He wasn’t even that keen on her if he was being honest. But maybe he could grow to love her and make their marriage work. He dipped his head and looked deflated. “Yes, I’ll do whatever I have to. If getting married will help sort this mess out, then so be it.”

  Gary was nearly seventeen and Diane was nearly sixteen. They could be married in a few months. Vanessa would have a ring on her daughter’s finger now if she had her way. She wafted her hands in front of her eyes and stopped the tears from flowing again.