by Woods, Karen
Harry poked his fingers in his ears, was he hearing this right? Did she say she wanted him back? His legs were twitching and moving about with tension, his lips were quivering. “Jenny, why are you doing this? Is it because you saw me the other day with Amanda?”
Jenny dropped her head into her hands and started crying, not just a few tears but a waterfall of them. “Seeing you, just made me realise that I still love you. I’ve made a mistake, probably the biggest mistake of my life. Can you ever forgive me?” She threw her arms around Harry’s neck and sunk her head deep into it.
Amanda pulled up outside Harry’s house and turned the engine off. She popped a cigarette into her mouth and reached for her lighter. Sat puffing hard on the fag she was waiting to pluck up enough courage to go and knock on his door. All night long she’d been tormented by her thoughts and she’d finally got her act together and decided to tell him just how she felt inside. Eyes staring in front of her she noticed a car parked right outside Harry’s driveway. Opening the car window slightly she blew the smoke through it trying to get a better look at the car. Hid away in the shadows of the night she watched Harry’s house curiously.
Jenny sat next to Harry and ran her fingers through his hair. “We can make this work. The kids will be over the moon if they know we’re back together again. Just think about it, imagine our Mickey’s face? Don’t throw what we had away.”
Harry moved her hand from his face, he wasn’t comfortable with her touching him, she made him feel sick inside. Looking deep into her eyes he could see a small tear forming, she was genuinely upset for hurting him in the past. Harry bolted up from his chair; he was hot and wasn’t thinking straight. Pacing the room he kept turning his head and watching Jenny from the corner of his eye. There was no way he was letting her get back under his skin. “So, why now? I could have been dead for all you cared. What is it, is it because your new man has fucked off and left you?” He stood snarling at her urging her for a reply. “Something isn’t right with all this, Jenny. If you really loved me you would have sorted this out months ago. You took everything from me. You let another man step into my shoes as if I never existed.”
Jenny played with the hem from her skirt, she knew she would have to up her game to get Harry back on side. Walking slowly towards him she pressed her hand onto his shoulder. “Harry, I’m not begging you. I know what I’ve done was bad, but look how things were between us. You didn’t give a shit about me or the kids, you just liked having us there at home so you could say you had a family unit.” Harry clenched his fist, you could see it in his eyes he was ready for wiping her out. “You enjoyed the life you had. You never went without anything. I provided for you.”
“I went without love Harry,” she whispered. “You never told me I looked nice, as a matter of fact, when did you ever say I was sexy? Go on, answer that?”
Harry snatched his cigarettes from the side of the table and lit one with shaking hands. “I always told you I fancied you. Stop lying.”
“No, you used to say, do you fancy a shag or something like that, but you never said I was sexy. We never, ever made love, come on Harry be true to yourself. It was always a quick bang when it took your fancy.”
Harry sucked hard on his cig and blew the grey smoke from his mouth. “Come off it Jenny, that’s how we always spoke to each other. Don’t make me laugh. You’re just twisting the truth now to suit yourself.”
She melted to the floor and held her knees up to her chest; she was rocking to and fro with her back held up against the cold wall. “I’m sorry, okay. I’m saying I’m sorry, are you listening to me? Let’s not go over the past. I’m here to see if we can make a future together not to argue with you.”
Harry was in some kind of a trance and he never flinched. Jenny snivelled and held her head low, she was sobbing. “Harry, can we just try again? We can be happy, just give me a chance?” He sucked hard on his lips. This was the moment he’d dreamt about for months. His family back together, his woman back in his arms. So, why did it all feel strange? Jenny crawled to where he was stood and dragged at the bottom of his jeans. “Harry, look at me will you. I’m on my hands and knees begging. Seeing you with another woman made me realise that I still love you.” She started to stand up and looked him in the eyes. “Kiss me and see if you still feel anything. If you don’t, I will walk away and never come back.” Jenny moved in to kiss him, her eyes were closing.
Amanda cupped her hands over her eyes as she peered through the living room window. Sticking her nose towards the glass she could see Harry and Jenny stood facing each other. Her jaw was swinging. Her fist was ready to bang on the window but she stopped suddenly. Harry and Jenny were kissing. Gagging into her hands she sped out of the garden unsteadily like an injured animal.
Harry pulled away from Jenny. “Just go will you. I’m mixed up, just leave, go on leave, fuck off out of here.” She tried gripping him in her arms again but he made sure this time that she couldn’t get near him.
“Tell me you didn’t feel anything when you kissed me then, go on,” Jenny screamed. “You can’t, can you, because you felt it too. Harry, just stop being silly, let’s get back together.”
Harry ran to the front door and opened, he darted his eyes at her and she knew he meant business. “Do one, fuck off Jenny. I need time on my own. Why after all this time have you come around here playing with my head? I was getting over you. I was moving on.” He ran at her and grabbed her by the arms. Dragging her roughly he threw her into the garden; she slipped and landed in a pile of mud on the grass.
“Harry, please don’t do this. I swear to you, if you cart me now, I’ll never ever come back again.”
Harry slammed the front door shut and stood shaking behind it. He knew she wouldn’t give up that easy. Running into the front room he sprinted towards the curtains and yanked them shut, he had to make sure he would never see her face again. Her voice shouting in the front garden sent shivers down his spine; he covered his ears and sank to his knees. Reaching over for the house phone he phoned the only person he thought could help him, his sister Kerry.
Within what seemed like minutes, Kerry was hammering at the front door. “Harry, it’s me Kerry, open the bleeding door will you?”
He scrambled from the floor and went into the hallway. Wiping his eyes he opened the door and let his sister inside. Kerry ran into the front room. “Where the fuck is the dirty little slapper? Harry where is she?”
He was like a zombie and collapsed down on the sofa. His voice was low. “She’s gone now. I threw her out.”
Kerry kicked the edge of the sofa and smashed her clenched fist against the arm of the chair. “What the fuck is she playing at? I hope you told her to sling her hook, what is it ay, has her new guy gone and left her?”
Harry sat twiddling his thumbs. “She said this would be the last time she would ask me to go back with her, say I’ve lost her forever?”
Kerry snapped and let rip. She ran to his side and poked her finger into the side of his head. “Are you for real? Why would you ever want her back after what she’s done to you? She’s a dirty low life! Damaged goods! You don’t want another man’s seconds do you?”
Harry held his hands above his head. “I don’t know what I want anymore. My head is all over the show. Why now? Why is she doing this to me?”
Kerry sat down on the sofa and cracked her knuckles. “She’s playing some sort of game, she’s up to something.”
Harry was listening and sat forward urging her to continue. “That’s what I thought, she was even blackmailing me with the kids, she said to think of how happy they would be if we got back together.”
“The vindictive, conniving bitch. Has she no shame? I tell you what Harry, you need to man up and tell her straight. Tell her to keep well away from you and let you get on with it. Doesn’t she realise what you’ve been through already?” Harry sat thinking and walked into the kitchen. “Do you want a can of Stella or what? I need one for sure, do you want one?”
/> Kerry followed him. “Yeah get me a shot of Brandy as well, my nerves are shattered. I swear, if she would have been here, she would have been on the floor with a chalk mark around her body. I would have wasted her.”
Harry swigged a large mouthful of lager. He watched his sister neck a neat mouthful of Brandy. Her body shivered as the alcohol filtered through her body. “Fuck me, that’s gone right to my head. Hold on a minute while I get myself together. I’ve just had a hot sweat.”
Harry plodded into the front room alone, and his breathing was coming back to normal. Letting out a laboured breath he chuckled as he kicked his legs up on the sofa. “Well, what a turn up for the books. Who would have ever thought Jenny would have come back to me?”
Kerry growled at him. “Stop getting chuffed about it all, she’s nothing but trouble, mark my words. What’s happened to that Amanda anyway? I thought things were going well between you two.”
Harry’s face drained of any colour, at that moment he realised just how she must have felt. Stretching over the arm of the chair he grabbed the phone and held it to his ear. “Hiya Amanda it’s me Harry,” before he could say another word he was holding the phone from his ear and she was shrieking down the line at him. When he heard the screaming stop, he put the phone receiver to his ear again, she’d hung up. “What the bleeding hell was all that about? I swear to you, women are on different planet than men. What the hell have I done wrong now?”
Kerry sat tapping her finger on the side of her can, she was up to something. “I’ll sort that Jenny out. I should have blasted her the last time she hurt you. She’s getting it this time Harry, trust me, she’s getting twisted up.”
Amanda placed Paul’s photograph back on the cabinet. Her eyes were red raw from the tears she’d cried, her shoulders were shaking as she lit the candles next to his photo. “Never again Paul, honest, I’ll never let you down again. I’m so sorry, please forgive me?”
Folding in two on the floor she gripped her head and shook it violently. “You fool Amanda, you silly, silly cow. How could you have been so stupid?” The lights were low in the room and all you could hear was her sobbing. The lavender candles burned slowly and the flames flickered. Amanda curled up in a small ball and cried herself to sleep.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Marcy sat with her auntie’s Joan and Lisa. Today was her wedding day and she was more than excited. It had all happened so fast. Sam had proposed to her three months ago and he wanted to put a ring on her finger as soon as possible. This was the night before her wedding. Marcy was waiting for Louise to come around with a few more of her other friends. Well, if the truth was known they were more Louise’s mates than Marcy’s but she was bringing them along to make the numbers up. Music was playing softly in the background and bottles of wine were placed on the back table neatly. Louise had wanted to give her friend a night to remember but Marcy wanted something quiet, she wasn’t into pub crawls or strippers, she wanted to keep it clean.
Joan and Lisa sat gabbing to each other, every now and then they’d burst out laughing. The alcohol was working its magic even on their sour faces. The letterbox rapped loudly and Marcy rubbed her hands together and looked at her aunties. “Well, it’s party time you two. So be warned,” she raised her eyebrows high. “I just want a quiet night so keep your party pieces to yourself.”
Lisa stood up and flashed her big white knickers. They were true passion killers that covered her stomach. “What, no stripping or anything like that? I was going to show them my slut drop too. We’ve been practising it haven’t we Joan?”
Marcy covered her mouth with her hand; she walked towards the living room door. “Right, turn it in you two. Like I said, don’t be making a show of yourselves. These are my friends, have some respect.”
Joan waited until Marcy had left the room and dropped her body to the floor with one hand held up in the air. “Slut drop,” she shrieked. Lisa followed her moves but once she got down to the ground she couldn’t get herself back up. Her eyes were popping out of her head as she yelled out in pain. “Give me a bleeding hand up then, it’s my back, it’s seized up.”
Joan held her hands between her legs and wobbled about laughing. “It’s a good job I’ve got my bleeding Tena Lady pad on; otherwise I would have pissed all over the carpet. Just try and get back up slowly.”
Joan tried to help Lisa up but the door opened and in walked the girls. Marcy was horrified, she hissed at the two of them. “What the hell has happened here? I’ve only been gone two seconds and look at you Lisa, what’s happened?”
Joan jigged about the room and shot a friendly look at Louise. “We were only practising our slut drops that’s all. Lisa needs some WD40 shoved up her arse to loosen up. She’s so stiff, it’s like she’s got a plank of wood hanging down the back of her dress. She’s not like me Marcy, I’m bendy Wendy, check this out.” Joan stretched her hands above her head and leant forward. She was touching her toes and showing off her moves. Marcy was bright red and pulled her to the side of the room by her arm.
The girls were all giggling and Louise stepped in to diffuse the situation. “Just leave her alone Marcy. We’re all here to have some fun. Lisa, show me how to do that slut drop. I could do with some new moves for the dance floor.” All the women were now dancing and Joan was by their side showing them her moves.
Marcy stood watching them with a sour face but gradually the corners of her mouth started to rise. “Oh, in for a penny in for a pound, show me them moves too.” The party had well and truly started and before long the party tricks began. Louise was doing handstands up on the living room wall and Joan was showing them all her plank moves she’d learned at Yoga. Marcy’s cheeks were flushed and she was well on her way to being drunk. Tomorrow was her big day and she knew this was her last night of freedom. Sam was everything she wanted from life. He supported her in everything she did and he was always there to give her a helping hand if she needed it. Marcy sat down and her eyes shot to the photograph of her mother hanging on the wall. Standing slowly she took it from the cream wall carefully. Nobody saw her though, they were too busy dancing. A tear dropped from her eye and her bottom lip trembled. “Mam, I wish you were still here with me. I need you so much. Why did you do it? How am I ever going to get through tomorrow? You should be here with me?”
Joan saw Marcy from the corner of her eye and wobbled to her side. She took the photo frame from her hands and held it to her heart. “I miss you too Jackie, but don’t you worry, we’ll do you proud tomorrow. I know you’ll be with us in spirit, you always loved a good knees-up didn’t you?”
Marcy blubbered, but she was laughing as she spoke. “She sure did, rent a guest we used to call her. She was always going to some party, or christening or something.”
Joan patted Marcy’s arm. “Right, this is a supposed to be a happy time. Let’s put a smile on our faces and finish the night off with a bang. It’s your wedding tomorrow, you don’t want to be all doom and gloom do you?”
Marcy tried to maintain a stiff upper lip and swallowed hard. Her aunties were right; this wasn’t the time or place to be getting upset. She jumped up out of her seat and placed the picture back onto the wall. It wasn’t straight but no one seemed to notice. Marcy clapped her hands above her head and started singing along to the song that was playing. The girls all gathered around her and started dancing. Marcy had let her hair down and she’d even undone the buttons on her blouse to let some air onto her hot body.
*
Marcy fell onto the sofa as the last guest left. Louise was staying the night as she was her chief bridesmaid. The two of them lay staring into space. Marcy’s head was spinning and you could see her hands gripping onto the edge of the sofa every time she closed her eyes. “Orr, I hate it when I’m like this. I just know I’m going to puke my guts up in a minute. It’s that Bacardi. Every time I drink it I’m always the same.”
Louise turned her head slowly, and her eyes were half opened, she was nearly asleep. “Put your fingers
down the back of your throat. That’s what I do when I feel like that.” Louise was conked out and spread her legs across the sofa, she yanked a coat that was hanging on the back of it and pulled it over her body with one hand. Within seconds she was snoring. Marcy sat up suddenly, her face was white; she was breathing heavily and blowing through her mouth. Holding her hand over it she ran out of the room at speed, her cheeks were full and ready for bursting. Head hanging in the toilet she spewed her ring up. Her hair was stuck to the side of her cheeks and she looked worse for wear as she retched into the white toilet bowl. Kicking her shoes off she draped her head over the toilet, there was still more to come. Like a waterfall, vomit surged from her mouth. Once she’d finished Marcy fell onto the cold floor and lay on her back, her eyes kept opening and closing. With one hand clutched tightly around the base of the toilet, she fell asleep.
The morning light crept through the living room window. It was sunny outside and you could hear a Magpie squawking nearby. Louise opened her eyes and stared around her surroundings. Rubbing her hands through her hair she sat up slowly, she looked in pain as she tried to focus. Her complexion was green and she had the hangover from hell. Sitting up Louise twisted her head around her shoulders, she couldn’t see anyone. Looking frustrated she rose to her feet and walked over to the curtains and yanked them open. Her eyes were blinded for a split second and her vision was blurred. “Marcy, are you awake,” she yelled behind her. Holding her ear to the door, she shouted again, but this time her voice shook the walls. “Marcy, are you awake or what? Come on its nearly ten o’clock, we’ve got loads to do.”
A figure appeared behind her and walked into the room. Marcy’s hair was stuck up all over the place and she had panda eyes, she was a walking disgrace. Holding her head with both hands she collapsed onto the chair. “Never, ever again. Why did you let me get like that? My body is aching all over. I swear, even my fingertips are sore.”