Riding Solo

by Woods, Karen

  Harry listened to his phone ringing as he lay on the bed. There was no way he was answering it, he just wanted some peace and quiet. Turning on his side he pulled the pillow over his head and dragged the duvet over his shoulder. He needed Marcy’s classes now more than ever, he was crumbling and couldn’t seem to pull himself together. He was a mess.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Grace lay in her bed and yawned with her hands stretched over her head. Banging noises from outside made her sit up and listen anxiously. Stretching her neck she peered out of the bedroom window. Grace was frantic as she yanked the bedclothes from her body cursing under her breath. Opening the bedroom window quickly she stuck her head out from it and started shouting. “Ay what the bleeding hell do you think you’re doing? Stop that now.”

  A man, who was putting up a ‘For Sale’ sign in her garden, raised his head and located her voice. “I’m just doing my job love.”

  Grace stampeded out of the bedroom; she grabbed her housecoat on the way out and sprinted down the stairs, jumping two at a time. Opening the front door she ran at the man who was stood on her lawn with a frenzied look. He backed off as she pushed him away from her property with both her hands. “Get that bag of shite from out of my garden now. Who’s given you permission for that to go up anyway?”

  The man ignored her and carried on with his job, he was banging a hammer onto the for sale sign. Grace was at his side and she was wrestling with him for him to stop. “Take it easy love, like I said, I’m only doing my job. The estate agents rang me this morning and put this job on my list. If you have a problem, just ring them.”

  Grace was chomping on the bit and she was kicking at the post trying to dislodge it from the ground, it was deep and covered in thick black mud. The worker stood back and shook his head. “Well, I’ve done my job; it’s up to you what you do with it now. But, remember”, he held a serious expression as he continued. “That’s criminal damage what you’re doing to that post, so you’ve been warned. You’ll be arrested you know?”

  Grace ignored him and she was swinging on the board with force. She was fuming and the vein at the side of her neck was pumping with rage. The man, a middle-aged thick-set tradesman, got back in his van. There was no way he was sticking around; this woman had a screw lose. Grace finally pulled the ‘For Sale’ sign out of the ground and launched it outside her gate. Her dressing gown was hanging off her shoulders and her legs were covered in mud.

  From a distance she could see Winnie approaching, she was carrying a newspaper in her hand; she’d been to the shop. Once she got to her side, Winnie stood watching the worker drive off in his van. Grace was gasping for breath and leant forward with her hands on her knees. Winnie clocked the wooden board lying on the ground and shot a look to her friend. “What the hell has happened here then, bleeding hell I only went to the shops a few minutes ago and look at you?”

  Grace lifted herself up and sucked on her lips. “That bastard Martin must have put the house up for sale without me knowing it. How dare he go behind my back and do this. I swear to you, I knew he was low, but this is lower than a snake’s belly.”

  Everything was hitting home now and Grace dropped to her knees. Winnie ran to her side and helped her up. “Come on love, don’t do this here, let’s go back into the house and get you sorted out. Nosey Angela is over the road and you know how much of a gossip she is, let’s get back in the house.” Winnie turned to face the nosey neighbour and shouted at the top of her voice. “The drama’s over Angela. There’s nothing to report you nosey cow. You can go back inside now.”

  Grace was sobbing and as she stood to her feet she was wobbling. Winnie opened the front door and led Grace to a chair in the front room. “He’s a heartless bastard. How can he do this to me just because I don’t want him anymore? A few weeks ago he was all full of regrets and he couldn’t say sorry enough. It just goes to show you Winnie, what a sly evil cunt he really is. I bet our Phil has put him up to this, it has his stamp written all over it.”

  Winnie knew she was angry; she very rarely used the c word unless she was wound up. Grace ran to the phone and dialled Martin’s number. She was tapping her fingers on the table at the side of her as she listened to the ringing tone. Eventually he answered. “What the hell do you think you’re playing at Martin? This house is my home, so take it off the market now. It’s not for sale.” Her fingers gripped the receiver and her knuckles were turning white. Winnie was at her side and she had her arm draped on Grace’s shoulder listening to the conversation. “If you want to play it like that Martin, then bring it on. I’ll sell the house and then you’ll be out of my life forever, you wanker.”

  Grace smashed the receiver down and grabbed her cigarettes from the table. She popped one in the corner of her mouth and scouted around for a lighter. She was walking around in circles and seemed at the end of her tether. “He wants to sell the house. This house is where I’ve lived for years. My kids were brought up here, it holds so many memories.”

  Winnie knew she was treading on egg shells and kept her voice low. “It might be time to move on Grace. This house is all that you two have left together. When it’s sold you can walk away and start your life again.”

  Winnie wished she’d kept her mouth shut, Grace was like a loose cannon. “I’m an old woman Winnie. Why should I have to up sticks and start again just because that cheeky fucker can’t keep his cock in his pants. It’s his fault, why should I suffer?”

  Winnie replied cautiously. “I was just saying that’s all. Just think about it, you’ll walk away from this a wealthy woman when the house is sold. You can do whatever you want, the world would be your oyster.”

  There was no talking to Grace, she was in a zone and her temper was raging. Blowing the smoke from her mouth she sat down and crossed her legs, she was up to something and her mood suddenly changed. “Let him send one viewer here to look at this house. I’ll make sure no one wants to ever buy this place, what can he do then?”

  Winnie didn’t understand what she was going on about, she probed deeper. “How can you stop people buying the house? If it’s up for sale there’s nothing you can do.”

  Grace chuckled and held her head high. “It’s time for me to have some fun. Winnie, I’m going to need your help, we need to make sure this house is a shit tip,” she held her finger in the side of her mouth, she was thinking. “Winnie, I have an idea, I want you to play a part in it. This is going to be brilliant, Martin can go and fuck a duck if he thinks he’s having me over. Come on Winnie let’s get cracking, Martin said we have a viewing today at three o’clock.”

  Winnie giggled and stood tall. “Bring it on sister, let’s show him what we’re made of.”

  Before long, the house was wrecked from top to bottom; clutter was all over the front room. Newspapers were scattered all about the hallway and empty cans of food were lined up the stairs. Winnie walked into the kitchen and Grace was holding her hands between her legs. “Oh my God, You look demented. I swear, you look like a mental patient, what the hell have you done to your hair?”

  Winnie chuckled and ran to the mirror. “I just backcombed it that’s all.” She squeezed her face up to the mirror and covered her mouth with her hand. “I look disturbed don’t I? I rubbed black eye-shadow under my eyelids to make me look tired; it looks good though doesn’t it?”

  Grace was excited and looked at the clock. “Can you do my hair too? I’m going to tell them we’re sisters. They’ll shit a brick when we start performing.” The phone started ringing and Grace hesitated before she answered it. “Hi Danny, I forgot to ring you back didn’t I?” her eyes closed as she listened to him talking, and by the look on her face it wasn’t good news. “Yeah, course we’re still friends.” Grace ended the call and let out a laboured breath. “Danny has ended it with me. He said I need to take time out and think about what I really want. I know why he’s gone snide, Winnie,” she growled. “He wanted sex the other night and I turned him down. I was tired and well, I just wasn’t in
the mood.”

  Winnie shook her head. “For fucks sake Grace, you’ve had some bad luck lately. I don’t know what to say to you.”

  Grace sat down and played with her hands, she was holding back the tears and trying to be strong. “I know love, what a year, ay? I mean, look at us, we’re both middle-aged. And, here’s you flung out of your home and here’s me splitting up with my husband. What are we going to do?”

  Winnie gripped her hand and looked her directly in her eyes. “We’re going to fight back, that’s what we’re going to do love. My Stan can take a running jump if he thinks I’m going to come home. If he can’t support me in my dream then he can live on his own,” Winnie smiled and whispered. “To tell you the truth Grace, I feel like I’m on bloody holiday. Usually I’m cleaning all day and tending to Stan’s every need. I never realised how much I do for him. He’s selfish you know, he is downright selfish.”

  Grace agreed and nodded her head slowly saying. “I want a divorce. That will show Martin once and for all that it’s over. I’m not going to tell him it’s over between me and Danny though, he’d love that. I’m keeping my lip buttoned. In fact, I’m going to tell him Danny’s asked me to marry him. Imagine his face Winnie, he’ll be gutted.”

  Winnie was excited and rubbed her flat palms together. “That’s a brilliant idea that will serve him right for playing away from home.”

  There was a knock at the door. Grace shot a look at Winnie and giggled. “Let the games begin. This will be our first viewer to see the house. Remember Winnie, you need to be on form for this to work, don’t be laughing, we have to be serious.”

  Grace looked like a wild woman. She’d squirted brown sauce all over her white blouse and there were signs of it on the side of her cheeks too. Opening the door she stuttered to the young couple who were standing there. “Are you here to see the house?” The woman nodded and shot a look to her partner. Grace turned slowly and started to make her way into the front room, from the corner of her eye she could see Winnie on the floor with her legs drew up to her chest rocking about slowly. Grace bit on her bottom lip as she passed by her, she was ready to break out into fits of laughter. The couple walked slowly into the hallway. The woman clocked the mess on the stairs and inhaled deeply, the place stank of old fish. Just as they got to where Winnie was positioned, she jumped up from the floor and went nose to nose with the female. “I’ll never say goodbye to you my dear. I’m going to be here forever. My mother died here and so did my sister. My dad’s here somewhere in this house too and I’ll find him one day. Trust me I’ll find him.” Winnie let out a menacing laugh and pulled her knickers down and squatted in the corner. The man dragged his partner into the living room, he was horrified.

  Once the couple were inside Grace stood looking at them. “My sister’s not a full shilling, just ignore her. She thinks this house is haunted,” Grace opened her eyes wide and rubbed at her arms as she whispered into the woman's ear. “I hear the spirits too. They know I’m not scared so they leave me alone, but my poor sister, they torment her all night long. She was a normal woman until she moved into this house; look at the state of her now.”

  Winnie was now stood at the door and she was acting like a small child, her voice was animated. “Can we have a tea-party please? Can we have cakes with the icing on top, please, please?”

  The couple were petrified and backed off slowly toward the wall. The girl was on the verge of breaking down and you could see the fear in her eyes. Grace waved Winnie away from the door and asked the couple to follow her, before she could get another word out, the man spoke up. He swallowed hard and licked at his lips constantly. “We don’t need to see anymore, thanks. Can you show us to the door, we’ve seen enough?”

  Winnie was in her element and she still had more to offer. She stood next to the wall in the hallway and started to bang her head against it slowly. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The woman shrieked and pulled her partner closer. “Get me out of here now!” she screamed. She was petrified and her teeth were chattering together.

  Grace stood with a blank look and tried to keep a straight face, she was struggling. Winnie was running up and down the hallway now yelling at the top of her voice. “Lock them in, make them stay,” she shrieked. The couple both sprinted to the door and opened it with shaking hands. As Grace followed them she could see them running down the garden path. Folded in two Winnie and Grace held the lower part of their stomachs. Neither of them could speak, tears were running down their eyes and Winnie was gasping for breath. What a performance they’d given, it was class.

  The house phone was ringing constantly that evening but Grace ignored it. She knew full well who it was. Martin would have had the call from the estate agents filling him in on the viewing. The women sat smoking their heads off and every now and then they just burst into fits of laughter. Grace flicked her ash into the ashtray and smiled like a cat that had got the cream. She turned her head to Winnie, “Well, let the games begin. I’m ready for whatever Martin’s got to throw at me. I’m leaving this relationship with a bang; the bastard is getting nothing from me. I wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Marcy stood knocking at Amanda’s door. Her client had phoned her earlier in the week and asked for a home visit. Marcy knew she must be in a bad way because her client would never have asked anyone for help, it just wasn’t in her nature, she was so stubborn. The door opened slowly and Marcy’s jaw dropped low. Amanda looked like a bag of bones, if she would have turned sideways she would have been reported missing she was that thin.

  “Come in,” Amanda whispered. Marcy inhaled and she could smell lavender as she walked into the front room. As she shot her eyes to the back of the room she could see two large candles burning brightly at the side of a photograph. Marcy wanted to throw her arms around this woman and help ease her pain, but that was unprofessional and she had to hold back. Amanda plonked on the sofa wearing an oversized t-shirt. She drew her legs up to her chest and rested her head on them. Marcy pulled out her notepad and sat twiddling her thumbs. It was obvious this woman was at breaking point and she didn’t want to push her over the edge.

  Amanda swallowed hard and blew her breath. “I can’t believe I’ve let myself get like this over Harry,” she played with her toenails and kept her head low. “I never wanted to fall in love with him, but it just happened. I know we weren’t together long, but we just clicked. He made me feel good about myself again. He told me he loved me too.” Marcy sat forward in her seat and she was eager to hear more. Amanda never opened up and this was a first for her. “I loved him you know. I let my guard down and let him inside my heart. I should have known better. I was a fool. After Paul, I never wanted to love another man again, but Harry just happened.”

  Marcy dug deep into her pocket and passed Amanda a clean tissue. “Love is never plain sailing; you’ll always have rough seas ahead so to speak.”

  Amanda twiddled her long hair and closed her eyes. “Has he been attending the classes?”

  Marcy shook her head. “I haven’t seen him for weeks. The last time I saw him he was worse than ever, he had a lot on his plate to deal with, you know?” Marcy knew Harry was back with Jenny but she didn’t have the heart to tell her. Grace had informed her after seeing him in the town centre with his ex-partner. Amanda was a mess and Marcy didn’t want to add to her pain.

  “I felt empty when Paul died Marcy. To tell you the truth, I didn’t want to live. I often planned my own death but chickened out of it at the last moment.”

  Marcy’s stomach churned, she closed her eyes and remembered her own mother. Standing to her feet she went to comfort her, she couldn’t just sit back and watch her suffer anymore. “Things will get better. You just need to take it day by day.”

  Amanda wiped her eyes and snivelled. “I would have loved to have children with Paul, even though he died I would have still had a part of him still living with me.”

  Marcy stroked her
hand softly. “Don’t get upset Amanda, I’m sure in time you’ll find someone who deserves your love. And,” she said in a high pitched voice, “who knows you might even have children with them?” Amanda lifted her head up and her lips were trembling. She was going to say something but it was stuck on her lips. Marcy continued speaking trying to calm her down. “I do see you getting better you know. You’re stronger than you think.”

  As if she had finally found the way to get her to talk, Amanda looked Marcy in the eye and finally told her the truth. “I’m having Harry’s baby.” Marcy froze, her eyes still fixed on her. “I’ve had a double heartbreak and now I’ll have a child to add to it too. Harry just used me to mend his own broken heart. Who’s going to mend mine ay,” she stood up and ragged her fingers through her hair in desperation. “I’ll tell you who, fucking nobody.”

  Falling to her knees she punched her clenched fist into the cream shag-pile rug. Marcy was in a panic and didn’t know what to do. She hesitated and stood back gathering her thoughts. This job was draining and for the first time ever she regretted opening the classes. “Why don’t you go and see Harry and tell him about the baby. This is his problem too and you need to deal with it together.”

  Amanda jumped up from the floor and gripped Marcy by her arm, she was ready for lashing out, her fists were curled into tight balls at the side of her legs. “Are you right in the head Marcy? This is the real world, not a fucking fairytale. What…” she paused and went nose to nose with her, “… do you think he’ll do when I tell him I’m having his baby? Do you think he’ll just come running back to me declaring his undying love?” she rammed her finger into the side of Marcy’s head. “He doesn’t care about me, I was just a rebound. Someone, who just helped him get over his own pain and torment.”