by Peter Martin
‘Good, so that’s settled. Oh, and by the way, my name’s Harry. Come around any time after four o’clock – how does that sound?’
Billy nodded, noticing the appraising look in his eye.
‘Been great meeting you, Billy.’ He turned to face his daughter, and said, ‘I’ll see you later, Sarah?’
And with that he disappeared amongst the vast crowd of people, leaving Sarah speechless, and Billy contemplating her father’s cheerful mood.
She said, ‘My God, what a shock? Never dreamed we’d bump into him here.’
‘Neither did I. I’m sure he recognised me. I remember seeing him at several parents’ evenings.’ Almost as an afterthought, he added, ‘Who could forget such an imposing figure?’
She smiled. ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. I don’t know if he did, or not. But even if he did, it’s not a disaster.’
‘He did, Sarah. I’m sure of it. Didn’t you notice the expression on his face? And I wish he hadn’t asked me to tea tomorrow,’ Billy said with a deep frown.
‘Don’t worry, Billy, you’ll win him over, he’s always glowering at someone. And anyway, I’m nearly nineteen years old and can make my own decisions.’
‘Yes, but if he knows I taught you at school, I won’t get such a warm reception next time we meet. And even if your dad didn’t, I bet your mum will.’
‘Oh, stop worrying, everything will be fine. To be honest, I’m glad it’s out in the open now. We needn’t sneak around, and you can pick me up from my house.’
‘Suppose,’ he agreed.
CHAPTER 13
But the following day, despite his resolve he broke out into a cold sweat as the afternoon approached.
Dressed smartly, he drove the short journey to Sarah’s house, arriving a little after four, and parking the car directly outside.
With an underlying sense of foreboding, he walked up to the front door, rang the bell and waited, hoping Sarah would appear.
But instead, there stood Mr Baker, his face beaming and hand outstretched. ‘Hallo, Billy,’ he said. ‘Glad you could make it, lad. Come on in, everyone’s dying to meet you.’
‘Thanks,’ Billy replied nervously, wiping his feet on the mat before entering the house.
‘The living room is through here,’ Harry said, indicating the open door. He allowed Billy to go in before him. Sarah sat next to her mother, a plumper, slightly smaller version of her daughter. They both looked up and gave a welcoming smile.
After introducing herself as Hazel, Mrs Baker left the room to make a pot of tea. A younger girl came in and took Hazel’s seat next to Sarah. When she smiled, Billy remembered seeing her in school, but he had not taught her. The sisters bore no resemblance at all. Tall and stocky with long brown hair, Alison looked like her father, the same round face and piercing light coffee eyes. And although she gave no indication of having recognised him, she must have seen him, after all, at thirteen she’d have been at the school for two or three years.
‘Right, now you’ve been introduced to the family, Billy, why don’t you take the seat next to Sarah?’ Billy took the chair placed to the side of the settee beside Sarah. Her father was definitely going out of his way to accommodate him, but Billy still held a modicum of doubt about him.
‘I’ll go and see what’s happened to tea,’ Harry said.
Billy watched him go into the kitchen and wondered what he was up to.
Within a few minutes he returned, awkwardly carrying a tray laden with mugs and two plates of biscuits. To Billy, he looked comical, like an overweight waiter, and he was surprised the six-foot bulk of a man hadn’t stayed clear of such tasks.
The television was on with the volume low. The background music told him Top Gun was on. Having taken a sip of the piping hot tea, Billy put the mug underneath his chair and turning to Sarah, joked, ‘The old ones are the best,’ pointing at the screen.
She smiled. ‘You can laugh, it’s still a good film.’
He held his hands up, and said, ‘Oh, I agree.’
Nothing more was said – they all seemed wrapped up in the film.
‘What a wonderful picture?’ Hazel commented. ‘Pity they don’t make them like that today.’
And when Harry said, ‘You can scoff, our Alison, they could do a lot worse,’ Billy guessed he’d seen his daughter’s raised eyebrows. ‘Anyway tea is ready now, don’t want to keep our guest waiting.’
‘Yes. Hope you are hungry, young man, there’s lots to eat,’ Hazel added.
‘I suppose I am, come to think of it,’ came his reply.
Everyone laughed, and Mr and Mrs Baker moved to the kitchen to bring in the prepared food. Once they’d finished, the table was laden with numerous finger foods.
Billy said, ‘I didn’t expect you to go to this much trouble.’
Never had he envisaged such a welcome; maybe his concerns were unfounded.
Ten minutes later, however, when Harry broached the subject of how they met, not only did Billy’s heart thump, but an uncomfortable silence fell over the room.
For a moment Billy struggled to control his senses before, saying, ‘Well … it’s funny – we saw each other in the street, and I remembered her from school. I taught her English in the sixth form. We got talking about her exam results, and it was raining so we found a coffee bar and had a latte together. It’s amazing how much we have in common. And we progressed from there. We’ve never looked back; we get on so well.’
‘Mm, I’ll admit she does need a steadying influence in her life, but perhaps that someone should be closer to her own age.’
Harry’s comments were a body blow to Billy and, for a second, he was thrown and unsure of what to say.
‘You’re a good few years older than our Sarah, aren’t you?’
‘No. Sarah’s coming on nineteen, isn’t she? I’m only twenty-seven …’ He inclined his head towards Sarah. ‘We don’t see that as such a big difference.’
‘Well, there is from where I’m sitting. If you were both a lot older, maybe I’d agree with you, but at nineteen, it’s like a different generation. You’ve had eight more years’ experience than her – she’s only just starting out in life. In my view, you’ve been taking advantage of her for your own ends.’
Flabbergasted, and considering what Sarah had said, Billy challenged him. ‘I’d never “use” anyone in that way. And besides, – aren’t you much older than Sarah’s mum? Age doesn’t come into it. We love each other and that’s all that counts.’
But Billy sensed trouble from the glare on his accuser’s face. He could do without this.
‘That was different. When I met Sarah’s mother we were both older than you two. Also, I’d say this affair has been going on longer than a few weeks.’
‘Well, you’re wrong there,’ Billy denied.
‘You’ve been seeing each other for over two years, haven’t you, Billy boy?’
‘No. I’ve been teaching her for the past two years, but up until a few weeks ago, that’s all the contact we had.’
‘I have witnesses. People saw you together on lots of occasions before she left school. What are you playing at, young man?’ He thumped the table, causing the crockery to clatter.
‘If anyone saw us, it was only on a teacher-pupil level, I can assure you. Sarah was interested in English, her dedication’s amazing, and when she asked for my advice, I offered to help, and her results speak for themselves.’
‘And what if I told you I have evidence your relationship was more than platonic before she left school?’ Sarah’s father said with a smug smile.
‘I’d say, Mr Baker, you’re talking nonsense.’
Harry Baker pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his trouser pocket and smoothed it out on the table for everyone to see.
‘I suppose you’ll deny knowing what this is. Well, I’ll explain. It’s an appointment card for an abortion clinic dated two years ago.’ Everyone in the room saw he was fuming, and addressing his daughter he continued, ‘You had an abo
rtion, didn’t you, Sarah? It was his child, wasn’t it?’
‘No, Dad,’ Sarah said, her mouth gaping open.
‘Don’t you “no Dad” me. Your mum found that,’ – he pointed to the paper on the table – ‘in the pocket of that old blue coat of yours. She was about to give it to a charity shop. You nearly got away with it. But I blame Billy here. Having sex with an under-age girl is a criminal offence, and it’s my duty to have him arrested.’
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about, Dad. There’s no law against abortion. It’s legal, and I was over sixteen.’
‘Maybe you were, but when he took advantage of you, you’d be under age. What he did was despicable, and I’ll personally make sure he pays for what he’s done.’
‘Dad, this is ridiculous. This has nothing to do with Billy. It was a boy at school, and I won’t tell you who he was because you’ll crucify him when it was as much my fault as his. And besides, Billy and I love each other –you’ll never part us, no matter what you do.’
‘I don’t believe you. If I inform the authorities about this, he’ll be finished.’ The tirade continued on and on until he ended, saying, ‘I’m not having it. The public needs to be protected from perverts like him.’
‘Dad, you’re wrong. I’ve just told you it was somebody else’s baby. Billy helped me through the horrible experience when I had no one else to turn to. Afterwards he made it clear that until I left school, our relationship couldn’t go any further.’
Her father laughed ironically. ‘Oh, yes. Do you really expect me to believe that clap-trap?’
‘I don’t care what you think, I know it’s the truth, even if you don’t.’
Harry ignored what his daughter said; instead he turned towards Billy. ‘I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Billy boy,’ he began. ‘I’ll make a deal with you. Promise to stop seeing Sarah, and I won’t report you to your school.’
Who does he think he is? Giving me an ultimatum, Billy thought. Once again it seemed his way of life hung in the balance. Well, not this time. When this Jekyll and Hyde character has finished, I’ll have my say.
‘Dad, this isn’t fair. Billy’s done nothing wrong. He helped me. And he waited two whole years until I left school before we started going together. He wasn’t the father.’
‘All right, so who is?’ Harry Baker wasn’t about to give up on this, until he found out the truth.
‘I don’t intend telling you. There’s no point now, anyway. And besides as I’ve already told you, I don’t want you going after him either.’
‘It won’t wash, Sarah. You’ve trying to protect him.’ He thumbed towards Billy. ‘That’s only natural, I suppose, but I know what I’m doing is right. Children need to be protected from him ... He’s a paedophile. No one’s safe.’
Billy stood up. Nothing anyone could say would change Harry’s mind, he was so used to dominating the whole family. But Billy didn’t intend to listen to this any longer, and said, ‘You need to be careful what you’re accusing me of Mr Baker. What your daughter has told you is the truth. But if you’re bent on saying such things, let me remind you, they are slanderous remarks and I shall take the matter further.’ He stopped and looked at Sarah. ‘I’ll not give her up.’
‘You must stop seeing her at once.’
‘That won’t happen.’
‘And when I open my mouth to the authorities … What then?’
‘Well, firstly, you’ll have to prove I was the father, which is impossible, and secondly, no one could have seen Sarah and me before she left school, because we weren’t going out together, unless you bullied someone into lying.’ Billy paused, waiting for the outburst, but it never came. ‘And if you persist in trying to vilify my character with the authorities, there’ll be no going back.’
Mr Baker stood stock still, arms at his sides, fists balled up.
‘You’ll not part us, Dad.’
There was no talking to him. Billy had had enough and decided to leave. As Sarah followed him into the hall, he heard her say, ‘You can’t do this, tell him, Mum.’ The answer didn’t come from her mother, but her father. ‘We’ll see about that,’ he said with a loud harrumph, and he went back towards the kitchen
‘Billy, I’m coming with you,’ she told him. ‘Give me a few minutes to get my things together, and we can be on our way.’
‘You’re going nowhere, my girl …’ came her father’s reply from the kitchen.
‘I’m over eighteen –’ But her words were cut off when Billy put his finger to his lips, and whispered, ‘You stay here. I’ll text you … Okay?
She mouthed, ‘Yes.’ Under her breath, she added, ‘I knew nothing about this – honestly. I tried my best to convince them about us – you know that.’
‘Right now, you’d better stay put. We can’t talk about it now. Try not to get upset. Speak to you in the morning.’
Hurriedly, Billy left.
Back in the privacy of his flat he screamed in anger and frustration. It seemed his dream of a life with Sarah was shattered. His aunt’s favourite adage ‘between a rock and a hard place’ came to mind: If he stayed with Sarah and her father carried out his threats, his unblemished character would be tarnished and he might never teach again. The other alternative of living life without Sarah wasn’t an option.
It was impossible to prove he had impregnated Sarah, but also impossible to prove he hadn’t. His name would be sullied, his career gone and his father’s sacrifice wasted. Why did this keep happening to him?
CHAPTER 14
At the end of the summer holiday Billy felt compelled to resign his post at Wood Green School, despite the Headmaster’s efforts to dissuade him. Especially since Sarah’s sister still went there. While working the required notice, his mind was taken up with making a fresh start. Having sold the flat, most of his belongings were packed away in cardboard boxes and stacked safely in the hallway.
Since the day of the arranged ‘tea party’, as he thought of it, when Mr Baker laid the law down about his relationship with Sarah, Billy’s life had been turned upside down. He didn’t see Sarah; his only contact was by phone or by text messages.
He’d applied for several jobs, one of which had led to a second interview and subsequent offer of employment. It went against the grain to up and leave Wood Green, but the more he thought about it, the more appealing the post at Edgincombe College teaching A Level English seemed.
Finding somewhere to live proved difficult with only the weekends to look around. Eventually he found a three-bedroom semi, about two miles from Edgincombe College. The house appeared shabby, and stood at the top of a small cul-de-sac of ten identical dwellings making up Oakfield Close. On his first viewing he’d learned the property had been empty for months, and this added to its state of neglect. Almost at once, Billy took a liking to the place; in a weird way it reminded him of the bungalow in Ascot Avenue.
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The next three months were hectic. Moving fifty miles north to Edgincombe hadn’t been easy. On the day he moved in, he was on his own, and longed to have Sarah by his side. They’d spoken via emails and texts, but that wasn’t the same. He couldn’t risk it yet, and he wanted to start renovating the house. But sitting in the kitchen, his meagre belongings dotted about, he questioned his motives for coming here.
With five days to go before Christmas Day he planned to be busy. He’d helped his uncle on occasions, so he was no stranger to painting and decorating.
Sarah would spend Christmas with the family, and Billy wouldn’t see her until after the holiday. That afternoon he was brought out of his reverie by the doorbell and, as he got to his feet, his heart was pounding in his chest as he opened the door. For a few seconds he was in shock.
Sarah stood there in a woolly hat, mittens and a sheepskin coat. ‘Don’t you want me to come in? It’s cold out here.’
He reached out and pulled her to him, saying, ‘Of course I do, it seems an age since we were together. Come into the living room and I’ll make you
a drink.’
But Sarah had other ideas, and said, ‘Maybe the bedroom would be more appropriate.’
Seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes, he led her into the room where she undressed.
‘Didn’t you say you were cold?’ Billy joked.
‘I’m hoping you’ll warm me up.’
Then, taking off his clothes, he said, ‘Miss Baker, you’re leading me astray.’ When she didn’t answer and got into bed, he added, ‘Wonder what your dad would think.’
‘He’d go ballistic, but for the moment let’s forget him.’ And he did. Their night was spent in each other’s arms and, the following morning, their separation was painful.
The rest of the Christmas holiday left feeling Billy isolated. While for most of the time he worked on the house, his thoughts never strayed far from Sarah, and the happiness he hoped for egged him on.
The holiday passed in a blur and, in no time, the first day of his new job was upon him. With the ordeal of the first day over, on the journey home he became unsettled. He hadn’t spoken to Sarah since before Christmas, and had expected a text from her by now, but no, nothing.
And when she neither answered his texts nor his phone calls, he got the jitters. By the end of the next week, unable to contact her, and with their last meeting uppermost in his mind, he travelled up to the university.
The final lecture on Friday finished at two-thirty. He waited by the main doors in the hope of seeing her.
Two benches stood opposite the building where he sat in wait, hoping to meet her and resolve whatever had happened. Almost twenty minutes passed before anyone came sauntering out. Billy got up and ambled across. His heart fluttered as he scanned everyone in search of her. But she wasn’t among them. Having no choice, he walked up to a dark-haired girl coming towards him with a young Asian lad.
‘Err ... sorry to trouble you, but do either of you know Sarah Baker?’
They both looked at him, and then at each other. ‘Sorry, mate, don’t know her,’ the lad replied.