The old man sitting looked on at the two running boys, the other two boy’s sat, had not said a word, the scruffy girl waived her hands in the air.
“What was all that shit.” she screamed at William, he noticed her voice was foreign, Probably Polish, and then he wondered why the Poles would want to come to this country and live in the shit that they lived in, but he knew it was the Polish girl he wanted, it was her he would have to take with him.
He gave the old man another £200, he guessed the old man was in charge,
“Make sure the two boys get something.” He told the old man, the old man nodded,
“What about the girl?” He asked,
“What’s your name?” William said as he turned to look at her,
“You can call me Saskia,” she told him,
“Would you like to come on a trip Saskia?” He said as he held his hand out, and the nineteen year old took his hand, and as she did so she felt an overwhelming feeling of contentment, and she liked that, the funny man had made her feel contented and she hadn’t felt like that for ages, and as William Fenton pulled her up, he knew he had her trust, her loyalty, she was his.
“Where we going?” She asked as they walked away from the others,
“Somewhere nice,” William told her.
“You can fuck me if you want as long as I have one of those fifties,” she told him,
“Only once?”
“No as many times as you want,” she quickly added.
William handed her a £50 pound note, she grabbed it quickly ramming it into a pocket of her filthy Jeans.
“That won’t be necessary.” He said.
The old man just looked on as William and Saskia faded in the distance. William thankful that he had remembered to buy some pain killers, for his head was thumping, those two boys took more out of him then he thought. He would need to get his strength back.
Chapter 35
“You don’t need anything, most of your stuff is at home.” said Wendy as Katy seemed hell bent on taking everything from her room and cramming it into the small bag that Wendy had brought her.
“You should have got a bigger bag,” said Katy, “you knew how much stuff I got.”
Wendy smiled tried helping her ram some more stuff into the bag, but it wasn’t all going to fit,
“It’s only for two nights you got everything you need at home.”
Katy still trying to ram stuff in and failing miserably, smiled at Wendy as their eyes met,
“What if I don’t want to come back, I’m feeling great you know, I’ve slept well and no dreams,” her eyes were wide as they met Wendy’s,
And she did and Wendy hugged her and told her she did look great,
“There keeping the room open just in case,” she said, “so your stuff will be safe,
“Well I’ll just take what I really want, “she said, “and if I don’t come back they can give it to the girl with the gun.”
And they both sat on the bed and laughed until they cried, and Wendy didn’t think she was going to laugh today, it was Todd’s memorial and she guessed she would be crying a lot, but for the moment her tears were tears of happiness and she loved Katy even more for that. They hugged as they finished laughing, it had been a good start to what was always going to be a difficult day, she had a good feeling about today, Wendy thought she may be able to move on now, she hoped so, and she thought she was ready. They skipped out of the hospital and as they got into the taxi the nurses stood on the doorstep and waived them off. Wendy thought that was a lovely touch, Katy waived frantically back, blowing them kisses and mouthing the words thank you, and she waved until the hospital was no longer in sight. 15 minutes later they drove into Wendy’s street. 2 minutes after that they were in Wendy’s house, Katy hugged Helen, Wendy’s mother and said she was glad to be home, and it was her home at that moment, Wendy had not just given her a room she had given her a home. 15 minutes after that Katy lay in the bath, soaking in bubbles that were over flowing onto the floor. Wendy sat on the toilet seat as her friend told her about how well she felt and that the tablets were making it all go away,
“I know there loopy pills,” she rattled, “but if they make you feel better, then that’s ok isn’t it?” She said seeking assurance, blowing the bubbles from both her hands.
Wendy loved her mannerisms,
“Of course it is, they just take the bad feelings away that’s all.” she told her,
“Well,” she said “there better than any drug I’ve taken, if the dealers sold these pills and not the crap that kills you the whole world would be a better place!”
Wendy sniggered, she then realised that Katy was her happy pill, at least she was for today.
“Are you okay?” Katy asked,
Wendy smiled,
“I am actually,” she said, “I’m glad your back and I know today is a sad day,” she paused, “maybe those pills are having an effect on me,” she laughed,
“Who you trying to kid Wendy Cross?”
Wendy stood up, opened the bathroom door, “Hurry up,” she said, “I want a bath;” as she walked out the room, seconds later she put her head back around the door, her face lit up with a smile,
“And if you’re really quick I’ll tell you about how I tried to be a lesbian.”
Katy bolted out of the bath.
*
Jezz and Tracy woke up that morning feeling in a better mood, it had been a strange 24 hours, and both had done odd things. Tracy had no idea why she decided to take a shower fully clothed, and Jezz felt nothing but embarrassment walking through town with a fully cooked breakfast poured over him. Tracy had screamed in shock when he opened the door, and he reciprocated the amazement seeing Tracy dripping wet with her clothes on. After the story from Daniel that he and his family held some extra ordinary powers and the strange things that they were seemed forced to do, Tracy had suggested that they cool their friendship as it was kind of scaring her. Jezz would have none of it,
“He’s the only true friend I have got’ he had told her, and Tracy felt a pang of guilt in suggesting that. Daniel had after all shared a secret with them, he had given them his trust, and they would honour that trust. They were sat at the breakfast table eating another cooked breakfast that Jezz had just rustled up,
“No pouring it over your head.” Tracy said as he laid the plates on the table.
“Only if you promise to lick it all off’ Jezz replied,
Tracy flicked a baked bean at him, it stuck to his cheek, and she laughed as Jezz wiped it off,
“Can you remember making love?” Tracy asked him,
“Oh yea,” said Jezz,
“Seriously,” she scalded him, “why was it so intense, so surreal,”
Jezz gave it some thought,
“I don’t know babe, but if it was anything to do with Danny boy I was thinking of asking him to do it again,”
She threw a hash brown at him, it missed,
“Let’s just go and support them at the memorial,” he said, “we can talk about this later.”
“Why did you pour breakfast over your head Jezz?”
“Same reason you got dressed and showered,”
“And what reason was that?”
“I dunno babe, come on let’s get ready and support the Fenton’s at the memorial,”
“Can’t we pop into the bedroom first?”
“Sure but don’t expect a repeat performance.”
*
Carol was up early very early, there was still much to do. She wanted to get some flowers over to the church. She wanted to make sure that the memorial bench was installed by the park, because up until yesterday tea time it hadn’t been. They still hadn’t decided who was going to speak at the memorial, she didn’t want to. She hoped that Sandy had ordered enough food at the café, and hoped people wouldn’t mind too much that they had taken over the café for the day. She needed to give Sandy some financial compensation for shutting the café for a private function. Sandy wouldn’t
hear of it and was even supplying the food. Carol felt guilty about that as she would lose a fortune, she would offer her some free labour for a couple of weeks. Daniel had supplied the alcohol, the café wasn’t licensed and they wasn’t sure that they could even drink alcohol in there, but Daniel had told her he had sorted it She sat at her kitchen table in her dressing gown, the same morning ritual, drinking two cups of coffee and looking out of the window into the garden, thinking about her boys and still seeing them playing in the garden. Though it was a memorial in honour of her dead son, there was an air of looking forward to the day, she would see Madison, Marie and James, she was looking forward to chatting with Wendy, it had been to long for all of them, and if one good thing comes out of today it would be a vow that they all keep in touch more often. She was glad Katy was coming, she didn’t take to her at first, she thought she had a lot to answer for, but after seeing what the girl went through and the support she had given Wendy, she had warmed to her. Her own mother and father wouldn’t make it, it was too much of a journey to make, but she had face timed them as soon as she woke up and the flowers they sent were gorgeous. She looked at them in a vase on the table and smiled, today was going to be a good day, she was sure of it. She chucked her cup in the sink ‘so much to do’ she said to herself as the doorbell rung, it was Sandy Potts.
“Oh I’m so glad you’re here,” Carol said “I was getting a bit flustered,” she flapped her hands as if trying to swat away some flies. Sandy laughed,
“You’ve got nothing to do other than make yourself beautiful,”
“It’s this afternoon not next week,” Carol replied, she started panicking again,
“I got to sort the bench, the flowers, the food, everything really, oh my god I’ll never get it all done.”
“Sit down,” Sandy demanded, Carol did she felt a bit flustered.
Sandy put the kettle on, made two coffees and sat at the table beside her,
“The bench is done, it looks beautiful, its covered at the moment so we can unveil it after the ceremony, the food is sorted, my girls are going to lay it all out as soon as we unveil the bench, the flowers are at the church and Mrs Smyth is arranging them, we will take your mums with us,” Sandy smiled, “just get ready we can go over the café and check if you want,” she held her hand. “I promise it will be all ok.”
All the stress and anxiety went from Carol’s body because of her friend’s words, and a glint came in her eye, Sandy hadn’t seen that glint for a year and she was so glad to see it now.
“It’s going to be a lovely memorial isn’t it?” said Carol,
“The best, now go get changed.”
45 minutes later Carol walked down the stairs wearing a green dress that clung to her body, she wore a beautiful necklace and her hair had been pinned back elegantly, she looked 10 years younger.
“You look beautiful.” said Sandy.
Carol felt beautiful, it was going to be a good day.
*
Gordon Williams sat in his office that morning, he had been much more sincere in the protection of the document that Daniel had given him. He hadn’t locked it in a safe, either at work or the one that he had at home. He had put it in a safe deposit box in a bank in Cardiff, and now it seemed every time he had a break from rehearsing, or researching, or writing the columns for the newspapers, or given interviews and airing opinions on public affairs, his thought always seemed to go back to the documents. He knew what day it was today, the anniversary of the disappearance, and now he was glad he done what he did with the document. He knew he would be tempted to look at it if it was close by, as far as he knew Daniel Fenton hadn’t gone missing or died, he was going to be attending a memorial today. His studio was covering it, but he wasn’t reporting on it, he wanted to keep his distance until Daniel proved his worth and gave him the big one, and he somehow thought it was going to be very big. But as he sat in his office without much else to do other than ponder the thought, what harm can it do if I just pop along, not as a reporter, as someone paying their respects, ten minutes later he was pulling out of the studios on his way to Ashbourne.
*
Daniel, Becky and Oliver was the first up that morning, not because 4 month old Oliver had woken them, it was because Daniel had so much to do. He had some work to do at his office, where he was meeting Cindy, who had asked to attend the memorial. Daniel had told her she was more than welcome. He was to pick up Madison from the train station, where the three of them would meet Becky and Oliver at the church or the café if they were back early enough. Early that morning he had met Sandy at the café and delivered the booze. He was dressed ready to leave, he had his best suit on so he wouldn’t have to change, he looked the part, he was sat on the sofa watching sky sports news sipping a coffee before he left for Newport. Becky was in the kitchen and Oliver had fallen back asleep, the phone in the hall rang.
“That’s your mother wishing you good luck.” Daniel shouted.
Becky answered the phone, indeed it was her mother wishing her well for the day and hoping everyone gets through it today. They spoke for about 5 minutes and said their goodbyes, Becky put down the phone and went back into the kitchen, Daniel was still on the sofa, thinking he would have to leave soon.
How did he know it was her? Becky thought, was that just a coincidence, she didn’t feel comfortable about that and she stood and thought for a moment. She grabbed her iPhone from off the table and put it in a wall cupboard where they kept the tins of food, she waited for a minute.
“Daniel have you seen my phone I can’t find it anywhere?” She shouted, Oliver stirred,
“It’s in the cupboard where we keep the tins, funny place to keep it.”
She took out the phone, went into the living room, her heart missed a beat as she stood phone in her hand, looking at her husband, he noticed her odd behaviour as she stood before him, she looked as if she had just caught him cheating or something,
“What’s up?” He asked, trying to work out what it was he had done wrong,
“I put my phone in there a minute before I asked you if you had seen it,”
“Why did you do that?” Asked a shocked Daniel, wondering what game she was playing, he had no time for this.
“Because five minutes earlier you told me who was on the phone, and even what they wanted, before I picked it up,”
Then it dawned on him what he had actually done, it had all seemed so natural he didn’t even know he done it, he felt different, he felt empowered, he felt in power, Daniel stood up, hugged his wife, she could feel him shaking,
“It’s back!” He told her, He kissed her on the lips “I’ve got to go now.” he said, he headed for the door, Becky watched him leaving, before he went through the door he turned around, smiled, Becky noticed the glint in his eye,
“It’s going to be a good day.” He told her.
Becky wasn’t so sure of that, she didn’t want whatever it was to be back, she just wanted to bask in normality, Baby Oliver cried.
*
Carol and Sandy left the house Carol had insisted that she checked on everything, so first she went to see the bench and she shrieked with delight, it was just what she had hoped for as she ran her fingers over the wording on the plaque. The church looked beautiful as if it was set out for a wedding, and she was amazed at the amount of flowers that complete strangers had sent, there were dozens and dozens of them in remembrance of the enigma that used to live in Ashbourne. They were now sat in the café, two of Sandys employees were preparing the food and setting the tables. Vodka, Gin, Whisky, bottles of red and white wine, beer and lager were stacked on two tables at the end of the room, the red and white table cloths had gone and replaced with pastel colour coverings. There was a rose in a vase on each table, and on the wall was a large picture of Daniel, Todd and Carol, that Sandy had got enlarged and framed. Carol cried as she had stroked the picture,
“It’s beautiful,” she said “it’s all beautiful, thank you so much,” she cried.
&n
bsp; “You’re welcome, and it’s yours to keep.” sandy said as they both sat at the table drinking another cup of coffee, Sandy had asked one of the girls to do some bacon sandwiches and they were now tucking into them,
“I might keep it like this,” said Sandy “it needed a revamp,”
“To posh for us round here,” Carol laughed,
“I see you’ve given up the cigarettes!” and both girls laughed as Carol rolled her eyes, when they stopped laughing Carol took Sandys hand,
“You don’t know how much I appreciate this,”
“You’re my friend and you deserve it.” as she said that Daniel drove past in his Mercedes, he had noticed them sat in the café by the window and he tooted his horn continuously until he was well past, people in the streets turned to stare, Carol and Sandy waived frantically at him until he was out of sight, and as Carol took a bite of her sandwich an overwhelming feeling came inside her, like something had been stirred within. It had happened as soon as Daniel had gone out of sight, she sat opened mouthed, her eyes wide, her hand holding the bacon sandwich in mid-air,
“Are you’ okay?” asked a concerned Sandy,
Carol put her half eaten sandwich on her plate, looked at her friend,
“This isn’t a memorial,” she told her friend “it’s a celebration,”
“Of course it is,” said Sandy “we are celebrating Todd’s life,”
“That’s exactly it,” said Carol as she stood to look out of the window,
“Todd is alive!”
“What makes you think that?” Pleaded Sandy,
“I think Daniel just told me!”
Sandy sipped her coffee, thinking anything is possible with this family. ‘It’s going to be a good day’ she told herself.
*
Madison sat on the train, she had her iPad out playing Candy crush, but she wasn’t really concentrating. She looked beautiful today, like some porcelain doll that seemed too fragile to touch, an aura streamed from her as people could not fail to notice this beautiful girl, men ogled her and woman were in awe of her as the train sped towards Newport. Madison never noticed any of this, she never regarded herself as beautiful, she didn’t know she had an aura about her. As she fiddled with her iPad now switching to Facebook with the built in Wi-Fi from the train, as she was browsing the feed, she heard some lewd thoughts in her head. She looked up and saw a man in his twenty’s staring at her, dirty bastard, she thought and stared at the guy, he immediately looked away as if he had been caught doing something wrong, guilt racked his face, in your dreams, Madison answered him, but she answered him with thought, the young man immediately stood up ashen faced and rushed to find a seat in another cabin. Madison smiled, she looked around her, the train was about half full, she notice some look away as she glanced at them, there is no danger in here, she thought.
The Fenton Saga: Never Say Goodbye / There Was No Body. Page 43