That's What Friends Are For

by Marcie Steele

  ‘No, you go out. It’ll do me good to stay in for once.’

  ‘Okay. But let me know if you change your mind.’

  Louise turned back to see Nicci shaking her head again.

  ‘What now!’

  ‘You shouldn’t take him for granted.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I know you wanted him to look after Charley.’

  ‘No, I did not!’

  ‘Then who was going to look after her while you went out gallivanting with Sam?’

  Louise didn’t have a lie ready and was annoyed that her little sister could read her so easily.

  ‘Stop going on at me,’ she snapped. ‘Anyone would imagine I only think of myself. I happen to care about other people too.’

  ‘Only when it suits,’ said Nicci. ‘I know you too well. You’ll wear Sam down by ringing her all afternoon until she gives in, no matter how poorly she is. And Matt will do anything for you and Charley. He’s already said he’d drop his plans to stay in for you. He’s a really good friend but you treat him like a hired help.’

  ‘I paid for the curry last night and all the drink to go with it!’ Louise retorted.

  ‘That was only to butter him up so that he would help you out tonight. Why didn’t you ask him then if he’d watch over Charley, before he’d made plans?’

  ‘He told me he’d already arranged to go out last night.’

  Nicci tutted. ‘You’re trying to make him feel guilty, aren’t you? You selfish cow! You’ll do anything to get your own way. Honestly, Louise, sometimes I’m embarrassed to call you my sister.’

  ‘Thanks a lot, Nicci!’

  As Nicci marched over to a woman holding a bunch of bananas aloft, Louise heard her mobile phone beep. She read the text message that had arrived and huffed loudly. It was from Sam. She wasn’t going to make it tonight.

  After hearing the conversation shouted across between Matt and Louise, Jess sidled over to the boys’ stall. Maybe she could use this news to her advantage.

  ‘So, you’re off out tonight then, Matt?’ Jess queried, wrapping her hair playfully round and round her index finger as she stood talking to him and Ryan.

  Matt nodded. ‘Yep, you can join us if you like. I think Nicci and Jay are coming out too.’

  ‘I’d rather eat my own vomit,’ she muttered.

  ‘Pardon?’

  Jess stifled a giggle. ‘I said I might just do that.’ She turned back to Ryan. ‘Will you be there?’

  Ryan huffed. ‘Me? Naw.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because he stays in with his wife,’ said Matt pointedly.

  Jess knew he was trying to warn her off, but she ignored him.

  ‘Why don’t you come out on your own?’ she asked Ryan. ‘Are you under the thumb?’

  ‘No!’ said Ryan, a little offended. ‘I do go out some weekends, but not all of them. The twins take up a lot of our money.’

  ‘I might have to babysit for you one night,’ she whispered to him. ‘Then you could give me a lift home. I’ve seen the films; the babysitter always gets the husband.’

  Ryan nearly choked with laughter. He spluttered, patting himself on the chest.

  ‘Something stuck.’ He glanced at Matt, who looked nonplussed. He’d missed the comment again but realised that had been intentional. Jess didn’t want him to hear what she had said to Ryan.

  The tension on the stall when the two of them were together was more than electric. It was primal. Matt frowned as their heads bowed together again and Jess began to giggle. He had to do something to split them up.

  ‘Ryan, we need some batteries fetching from the stock room,’ he said. ‘Size AA and AAA. I’ll watch the stall while you fetch them, if you like.’

  ‘There’s enough under the counter for now,’ said Ryan, never taking his eyes from Jess.

  ‘Jess!’ Malcolm shouted over. ‘I need a hand over here!’

  Jess sighed. ‘Another day, another dollar. I’ll catch up with you later.’

  Ryan grinned. ‘You can count on it, my lovely.’

  Matt shook his head in annoyance. Ryan was such a snake at times. He wished he would realise how lucky he was to have a wife like Sarah, and two lovely little girls. The fact that Ryan seemed willing to throw it all away for some young tramp – again – was beyond his comprehension.

  Well, he had covered for him before and felt bad about it. He wasn’t going to do it again.

  When they finally finished for that evening, Louise went home in a strop. All week she’d had a feeling that Sam would let her down at the last minute. She seemed completely out of sorts but didn’t want to talk about it, even when pushed. Louise had even suggested she call round to see her but Sam had declined company altogether. Which meant either Louise went to the pub with Matt and his mates and came back early because of Charley, or she stayed in and moped alone. Choices, choices, she thought wryly. So many of them.

  Charley was in the living room when she went in and if Louise wasn’t mistaken, she had actually run the hoover over the carpet. She eyed her daughter suspiciously, wondering what she was after.

  ‘You okay?’ She asked as she shrugged off her thick fleece. ‘Thanks for tidying up.’

  ‘Well, you work hard, so I should do my bit every now and again.’

  Louise paused, momentarily lost for words. She wanted to ask if her daughter had been abducted by aliens and replaced by a goody two-shoes clone while she’d been at work.

  ‘Have you eaten?’ she asked instead.

  ‘No, but Sophie is coming around later. We could nip to the chippie, if you like? Oh, you’re going out, aren’t you?’

  Ah, that explained everything. Louise assumed she and Sophie wanted some time to themselves. At least they were back on speaking terms again. She sat down beside her on the settee.

  ‘Well, I was going out.’ She sighed loudly. ‘But Sam is poorly.’

  ‘Oh.’ The look of disappointment on Charley’s face was clear.

  ‘What are you up to, Charley Pellington?’

  ‘Nothing!’ Charley answered quickly. ‘We were going to watch a DVD, that’s all.’

  ‘Sounds like a good idea.’ Louise thought a little teasing was in order first. ‘If I stay in with you, we could order in pizza and make it a real girlie night, if you like.’

  ‘Cool,’ said Charley. Her pout said anything but.

  Louise laughed as she stood up. ‘I suppose I’ll crash Matt’s night out and give you some peace. I’m only going to the local, mind. I’ll be back around eleven so you won’t be on your own for too long. Would Sophie like to sleep over?’

  Charley tried to hide the grin spreading across her face. Perfect. She reached for her phone to text Sophie the good news.

  ‘Good to go! It was a piece of cake!’

  Chapter Nine

  Charley took an age to get ready that evening. She couldn’t wait for her mum to go out so that she could give Sophie the all clear. Sophie was meeting up with Connor Blackstock and Owen Machin before they all came over to her house. They were bringing vodka with them. Let the fun begin!

  Dressed in a T-shirt and leggings, she applied a bit of foundation. She didn’t want it to look too obvious that she was preparing for a good night in. Once Louise had gone out, Charley could add the rest quite quickly – layers of thick, black mascara like she’d seen her mum doing, a deep red lipstick and that skimpy dress she’d worn only once because Sophie said it made her look fat. Well, admittedly it did, but it also showed off her boobs.

  Tonight, she was determined to go just that bit further with Connor. Despite the pact she and Sophie had made, she wanted to experience a few things for herself. And she did like Connor, even if she was going to use him to clear her name.

  After the week she’d had, she knew how she could get her own back on Aaron. He and Connor were big friends and if she did things with Connor, because she hadn’t done anything with Aaron, then the joke would be on him. It was a perfect plan really. And Co
nnor Blackstock was so good-looking, with thick black hair, dark skin and eyes that did something to her when he looked her way. His body was toned, legs muscly, because he played football. She and Sophie had watched him in the park only the other day.

  Charley had been surprised when he’d started showing an interest in her at school yesterday. She’d always secretly liked him but as most of the girls in their year at school fancied him too, she thought he was out of her league. Connor told her that Aaron was a fool and that he didn’t know how to treat a girl. He said he wouldn’t treat Charley that way if she went out with him.

  As his best friend, Owen, had made it totally clear that he fancied Sophie, they’d arranged a double date tonight. Thank goodness her mum had decided to go out with Matt. She would have hated to cancel it.

  ‘You sure you’ll be okay, Charl?’ Louise popped her head around the bedroom door.

  Charley nodded, trying not to look as if she’d blow a gasket with excitement. ‘Have a good time.’

  ‘I’m only down the road if you need me.’

  ‘Mum, I’ll be fine! I’m not a kid any more.’

  ‘I still worry, Charley.’ Louise sighed.

  Once she heard the front door close, Charley watched from behind the bedroom curtain until her mum disappeared out of sight. Then she texted Sophie to say that her mum had left. Quickly, she shimmied into the dress, found her favourite black wedge heels and applied the rest of the make-up. With butterflies in her tummy, who would need chips! She wouldn’t be able to eat.

  Louise arrived at the pub to find Matt and his friends already over in the far corner. She waved as his eyes caught hers, and he held up a glass of wine she realised would be for her. Easing her way through the crowd, she said hello and sat down beside him.

  The Fox and Duck public house – known locally as ‘The Duck’ – was a warm country style pub in the middle of the suburbs. Thankfully forgotten by the brewery, it hadn’t recently undergone any of those gimmicky makeovers that could sometimes sink a pub before the first opening night was over. It had typical velvet-backed seating around the edge of the room, and light wooden tables, the stools topped to match the seating. Swirls of burgundy and cream on the heavy-duty carpet matched the colours in the curtains and for all its old clutter, the place was inviting, and full of regulars that were always up for a laugh. At least here she didn’t have to queue to use the loos – unless it was New Year’s Eve – she could get served at the bar after only a couple of minutes and it was a place where she’d often be bought drinks without feeling the need to return the favour – not that she ever took advantage.

  The place as usual was packed, the regular disc jockey shoved into the corner and playing the same records as the last time she’d been in. DJ Dave was big into Northern soul and Motown, which meant that everyone else had to be too. Fortunately for Louise, she was quite partial to most of the tracks that he played. ‘I Get My Kicks Out On The Floor’ was a particular favourite, as was ‘Ghost In My House’.

  ‘Have you heard from Sam?’ Matt asked.

  ‘No,’ Louise replied, immediately feeling guilty that she hadn’t bothered to contact her after she’d sent the last text message. She was supposed to be her best friend. ‘Anyway, what’s up with you, out on your own on a Saturday? Had a row with the Mrs?’

  Matt had been seeing a woman called Lorraine for about four months now. Not that Louise was counting or anything but after a while, she’d started to panic at the length of this latest relationship. Their friendship hardly ever got questioned, unless Matt went out with someone for more than three months. It wasn’t as if Louise was involved with him romantically but because he spent so much time around at her home, some of his girlfriends over the years had ended up giving him grief. On the odd occasion, he’d told her he’d had to choose between her and them. She’d laughed it off, but secretly felt delighted when he’d told her she had won the toss up and no woman was going to come between him and his mates. She glanced over at him now as she settled in and took off her coat. He winked and she winked back with a grin. She was so lucky to have him as her friend.

  ‘So?’ she said, after taking a large gulp of wine. ‘You haven’t answered my question.’

  ‘Night off,’ said Matt.

  Louise nodded slightly. She knew enough to know when Matt didn’t want to talk about something. Instead she turned to Amy, who had slipped in beside her after arriving with her husband, Dave.

  The next couple of hours went quickly as Louise chatted with Matt and his friends. Besides Amy and Dave, there were two more men, Harry and someone called Griff, and another couple, Sally and Chris.

  Sally had recently given birth to a daughter and this was their first time out since Sophia had been born eight weeks before. Already, Sally was looking at her watch and fidgeting in her seat.

  ‘She’ll be fine.’ Louise saw Amy place a comforting hand on her arm.

  ‘Course she will,’ said Louise. ‘I remember when I first left Charley with my parents. I was so pleased that I could go off and dance all night without worrying about her. As if I didn’t have a care in the world.’

  ‘But you were only eighteen yourself, weren’t you?’ Sally said, a little too sharply for Louise’s taste. ‘I suppose you would feel like dancing the night away at that age. But now,’ she caught her breath and tears welled up in her eyes. ‘Now, I feel like I’ve lost my right arm.’

  ‘I feel like I’ve been using my right hand a lot, lately,’ Chris sniggered, noticing she was upset and trying to lighten up the conversation. Sally punched him lightly on the shoulder.

  ‘How old is Charley, now?’ Amy asked.

  ‘Fifteen going on eighty,’ replied Louise.

  ‘When Sophia is fifteen, I’m not letting her out of my sight,’ said Dave. ‘I remember what I used to get up to at that age.’

  ‘Louise still does that now, don’t you?’ Matt looked over his pint glass at her.

  ‘What is it? Pick on Louise night!’ she cried.

  But everyone laughed it off with cries of, at least someone is still getting some.

  ‘I’ll have you know that my daughter is at home right now,’ Louise continued haughtily. ‘She’s staying in with her best friend and they’re watching a DVD.’ Her eyes dropped. One thing was for certain, she knew that Charley and Sophie wouldn’t be getting up to what she would have at that age – or rather, what she was still getting up to now …

  ‘What kind of DVD?’ asked Griff.

  Louise glared at him as Matt came to her defence.

  ‘Charley’s a good girl,’ he told the group. ‘I wish she was my daughter.’

  Louise smiled, feeling all warm inside. He really did care for her that much.

  ‘You should’ve had kids of your by own now,’ said Dave. ‘You don’t want to get involved with anyone else’s.’

  ‘Oi,’ snapped Louise. ‘There’s nothing wrong in this day and age with bringing up someone else’s children as part of your own family. If it was a problem, the world would be full of single parent families.’

  ‘Look around you. The world already is.’

  ‘Do you want a family, then, Matt?’ Sally butted in.

  ‘Yeah, course.’ Matt laughed. ‘I just need to find me a decent woman first.’

  ‘What about Lorraine? I think you make a lovely couple.’

  Yes, what about Lorraine? Louise held her breath as she waited for his reply.

  As all eyes fell on Matt, he sat back in his seat. ‘What’s with the Spanish inquisition all of a sudden?’ he cried. Then, ‘stop looking at me! I’m not going to comment!’

  Saved by the sounds of DJ Dave as he started on his second set of the night, Matt went to the bar for the next round. Louise joined him, slipping an arm around his waist.

  ‘If I were Lorraine, I’d feel very lucky to have you,’ she shouted to him.

  ‘What?’ Matt indicated that he couldn’t hear her.

  Louise sighed. It had taken all her courage to say it
once. She didn’t feel brave enough to repeat it.

  ‘I said, let’s get wasted,’ she yelled.

  While Louise became more and more inebriated as the night wore on, Charley was having the time of her life. She and Sophie had given the boys some money earlier that day and they’d arrived tonight with a bottle of vodka and a few cans of lager. Connor passed for eighteen easily, especially with his older brother’s ID.

  They were watching Bridesmaids, which was something that Charley had seen several times already, but tonight she had far more important things to do than watch the TV screen. It was half past nine and she and Connor sat side by side on the settee, his arm draped casually around her shoulders. Across the room, Sophie was squashed in next to Owen on the armchair.

  Charley couldn’t believe that she was sitting with Connor Blackstock. Despite fancying Aaron before the blowjob saga, she’d fancied Connor for months now. Most of the girls in her year at school did, he was such a catch. And he was even nicer close up. He had a slight bit of stubble on his chin, a silver chain around his neck and the smell of something gorgeous wafting from him. His eyes were dark and moody, his lips unbelievably kissable, drawing her to them, and even though it made her think of Alex, wonder what he looked like, she thought maybe it would be okay if she did have a bit of fun with him. The pact she’d made with Sophie said it had to be someone special, right? Connor was special, even though she hadn’t kissed him yet.

  Pushing away all thoughts of common sense, Charley glanced over when she heard a slurping noise. She squirmed. Owen was snogging the face off Sophie. She didn’t seem to be having any problem with the intricacies of the pact. But how embarrassing, and while she sat in the same room, next to Connor! She knew he’d heard them too, as his head had turned at exactly the same time. He glanced at her and they both grinned. Then he moved towards her slowly, his hand at the back of her neck. Well, at least Sophie’s slurping had been of some use.

  Charley gasped when his lips met hers, but not due to passion. Connor’s kiss was all tongue and she could hardly breathe as he tried to ram it down her throat. She moved away slightly but he took this as a cue and pushed her back into the sofa. With his weight pinning her down, Charley thought she might as well try and get into his kiss. He’d slowed down the exploring with his tongue. That’s because his hands had taken over.