by Kitty Neale
‘She knows about Garston?’
‘Yeah, I told her everything, and other than worrying about the boys, she took it really well.’
‘She'd better keep her mouth shut around Mum.’
‘Of course she will – she ain't daft.’
‘We need to tell Maurice that's he's in the clear. Did he leave an address?’
‘No, but he said that he'd be in touch as soon as they're settled.’
‘That's good,’ Chris said. ‘In the meantime we're still got the business to run. Danny said he wants out of porn, but he's sure to come round.’
‘I want out too.’
‘But why? We can still make the soft stuff.’
Bob shook his head. ‘I don't want to risk it. Too much has happened, Chris – too much has changed. The old codes have gone, and Garston has proved that. If we go on making porn, we might step on another bastard's toes, one as bad as him.’
‘We can handle them. We've done it before.’
‘I told you, things are changing and there's too many wanting in on the game now. These new crews will do anything to put us out of business and I ain't risking my boys.’
Chris moved a few magazines from a chair before sitting down. He couldn't carry on without his brothers, and anyway, maybe Bob was right, maybe it was time to pack it all in. All they'd have left was the yard, but that didn't make enough to support them all. For years it had just been a front, with them selling just enough building materials to keep it ticking over, but surely it could be made profitable.
‘All right, Bob, with the rest of you wanting out, I don't think I've got any choice. That leaves just the yard. We need to make it work, need to increase profits. Any ideas?’
‘Leave it out, Chris. I ain't got a clue.’
‘Do you know how much money we've got in the kitty?’
‘Maurice looked after the books, but after ploughing everything back in to buy equipment, I don't think there's much.’
‘What about the premises in Wimbledon? Could we sell the place?’
‘No, it's in Dad's name so we couldn't do that without his agreement.’
‘With Dad in that state, we won't be able to get it.’ Chris was quiet for a while, his thoughts turning, finally coming up with an idea. ‘If we get more stock, add more lines, it'll increase profits.’
‘Yeah, good idea, but with sod all in the kitty, how are we supposed to pay for it?’
If they wanted to build up the business, Chris knew he'd have to do something. He heaved a sigh. ‘I've got a few bob stashed away. I suppose we'll have to use that.’
‘Blimey, how did you manage that?’
‘Unlike you, I haven't got a wife and kids to support so I've managed to save a fair bit.’
‘If it wasn't for George,’ Bob complained, ‘none of this would have happened. We had plenty in the kitty before he nicked the lot.’
‘Yeah, well, we'll need to think about what sort of lines to add, and then source the best prices.’
‘All right, Chris, we'll get on to it first thing tomorrow.’
Chris nodded, feeling he was more in charge than Bob as he walked out. Until Danny pulled himself together, they'd have to manage without him. He still wasn't happy that Maurice had left, but until he came back, there was one family fewer to support.
Chapter Thirty
Ten days passed, and Pet had withdrawn into herself. Unable to stand the memories, her body was mending, but not her mind. She ate, she drank, tried to help her mother, but she hardly spoke.
‘Petula, I need some shopping. Here's a list.’
She stared at her mother in horror. Out? She didn't want to go out. What if Garston was out there? What if he was lying in wait to snatch her again?
‘Don't gawk at me like that. It's about time you stirred yourself, and a bit of fresh air will do you good.’
Pet shook her head, her voice a hoarse whisper. ‘I … I can't.’
‘Don't be silly. I'm only asking you to go to the local shops. You can't spend the rest of your life stuck indoors.’
‘But—’
‘No buts, Petula. Now get your coat on and make sure the butcher doesn't fob you off with all fat on the belly of pork.’
Pet looked to her father, but he had dozed off, something he did more and more frequently. When awake he always seemed to want her close, something she knew annoyed her mother. Yet she drew comfort from him – from his lopsided smile and the love she saw in his eyes.
‘Yes, that's right, take a good look at your father. The way you're carrying on is worrying the life out of him and it's got to stop. All right, I know you've had a rough time of it, but for your dad's sake you've got to pull yourself together. Now come on, it can start with a walk to the shops.’
Pet found her coat thrust into her arms, and reluctantly putting it on, she took the list. Her teeth bit into her lower lip as she looked at the door, but then her mother opened it, gesturing her outside. Hesitantly she stepped into the alley, the door closing immediately behind her. There was no one in sight, the alley empty, but still she shivered with fear. Slowly Pet walked to the end, skirting the bollards. When turning the corner she almost clung to the walls as she scuttled to the shops. Once she had felt safe, protected, but not any more. Now she only felt exposed and vulnerable.
The butcher's was her first stop – Mr Pearson, a rotund, red-faced man who was always cheery. ‘Hello, Petula, what can I get you?’
‘M-Mum wants a belly of pork.’
He nodded, his gaze keen. Why was he looking at her like that? Did she look different? Did he know? Feeling a wave of self-disgust, she lowered her face. He unhooked the meat, wrapped it and, fumbling for the money, Pet grabbed the parcel and ran out of the shop.
Petula hadn't been gone long when Yvonne called round. Joan found it hard to forget that her daughter-in-law had lied to her about Petula being raped, but there were times when she still needed help with Dan and he had to come first.
‘I saw out of the window that you've managed to get Petula to go out,’ Yvonne said.
Joan placed the kettle onto the stove, then shook her head, her expression when she turned one of worry. ‘She hardly opens her mouth, Yvonne. I've tried talking to her, but she clams up. She still insists that she can't remember what happened, but I find that hard to believe.’
‘Maybe it's for the best. It would be a terrible memory, so it might be better to stop pushing her.’
‘Yes, you could be right, and at least this way I haven't got to worry about her saying anything in front of Dan. Mind you, she's still funny with Chris, and when Bob makes a rare visit, she ignores him too. I don't get it, Yvonne. I mean, why be funny with them?’
Unable to admit that she knew why, Yvonne lowered her eyes. Poor Pet, she had been through hell because of her brothers and it was no wonder she hated them. She fumbled for an answer, only able to murmur, ‘I don't know why, but I'm sure she'll come round. It's her birthday in a couple of weeks, but I'm not sure what to get her.’
‘I'll give Chris the money to buy her something nice, and I hope it cheers her up because the way she's carrying on is worrying the life out of Dan. Come to that, you're looking a bit peaky too. Are you all right?’
‘Yes, I'm fine,’ Yvonne lied, but in truth, since Danny had told her about being involved in porn, she had hardly slept. Just the thought of it made her feel ill – the films, the easy women, and knowing Danny, he had sampled them all. They were finished with it now, yet it still had the power to turn her stomach. If she hadn't been pregnant, would she have left him? No, she admitted, she loved him too much and the thought of life without him was unbearable. There was also the increasing worry about his mental state. Danny needed her now. He didn't go out, didn't wash, shave or dress. Instead he spent most of the day flopped on the sofa. So far she'd been able to hide this behaviour from her mother-in-law, yet she was desperate to confide in someone. Bob and Chris knew, but they were so busy trying to make a go of the yard that they hardly
came round. When they did call they tried to make Danny snap out of it – tried to get him to take an interest in the business – but he just didn't want to know.
‘At least I've got one less thing to worry about,’ Joan said. ‘Petula had a show yesterday.’
‘Did she? Oh, that's good.’
Once again, Yvonne lowered her eyes. Until Danny showed some interest in the baby, she didn't feel she could tell anyone that she was pregnant. She had waited so long for the moment, pictured it, telling everyone the joyous news with Danny playing his role as the proud father to be. If he would just snap out of this depression, it could still be that way. She was still hardly showing, but Christmas was only a few weeks away and it would be a wonderful time to break the news. After all the dreadful things that had happened lately, it was sure to lift everyone's spirits.
Chris and Bob were at the yard, discussing the new stock they had ordered. Without much competition in the area, they had decided to give a section of the building over to decorating supplies, with a range of wallpapers, paints and all the accoutrements needed by anyone in that trade. Stock had also been low on building materials, and now Bob smiled as he spoke to his brother.
‘I don't know how you managed to save that much money, but we'd have been stumped without it. I just hope we make a go of this or you'll have no chance of getting it back.’
‘The advertising should do the trick, and I've got an appointment with that developer on Monday. If we can offer him a good deal, he may buy all his materials from us.’
‘Fingers crossed you can manage to strike a deal. It might just make Danny sit up and take notice. We've got all this shelving to erect for the new shop, and with the stock coming in, we could do with a hand.’
‘It's about time we heard from Maurice.’
‘Yes, I know, but let's face it – he wouldn't be much use with the hard graft.’
‘He still should have been in touch.’
‘Is Mum going on about it again?’
‘A bit, but she's more worried about Pet. To tell you the truth, I dread going home nowadays. As soon as I walk in you can cut the atmosphere with a knife, and Mum can't understand why Pet is giving me the cold shoulder.’
‘Pet's the same with me, and though I want to see Dad, I avoid popping in as much as possible. Still, you can't blame Pet for not wanting to talk to us.’
‘I know. And change the subject because it still gets to me that Garston got away with it.’
‘To be honest, I'm just glad that we're out of the game. We may not make a fortune, but at least we haven't got to worry about him, his kind, or the Vice Squad. Mind you,’ Bob continued, shaking his head in bewilderment, ‘my Sue never ceases to amaze me. With Christmas just over a month away I told her not to spend too much on presents, and instead of getting the hump she just said that we're mad to stop making the soft porn.’
‘Yeah, well, she may be right. We made good money out of it.’
‘If you're thinking of starting up again, you can count me out.’
‘Keep your hair on. It was just a passing thought, that's all.’
Bob nodded, his voice clipped as he said, ‘Good. Now come on, let's get on with this shelving or we'll have nowhere to put the new stock when it arrives.’
‘It's being delivered on Monday, so let's hope I'm not too long with that developer. If I'm not back in time you'll be handling it on your own.’
‘This is bloody ridiculous. We need an extra hand and I reckon we should have another go at Danny. We should tell him that if he wants to keep taking a cut, he'll have to do his share of the work.’
‘Yeah, good idea. I just hope he listens this time.’
‘He'd better,’ Bob growled. ‘I'm sick of doing all the work while he sits at home all day, doing sod all.’
Joan jumped as the door was thrown open, Petula darting into the room.
‘What on earth's the matter?’
Obviously out of breath, Petula's chest heaved as she dumped the shopping bags onto the table. She then fled upstairs, but with Dan looking bewildered, Joan was unable to follow her daughter.
‘Don't worry, Dan. I'm sure she's all right.’
He shook his head, babbling, good hand pointing to the stairs. ‘All right, I'll go after her,’ Joan placated, and though reluctant to leave Dan on his own, she knew it would be the only way to calm him down.
Joan's tread was heavy as she climbed the stairs. With all that had happened, she sometimes felt overwhelmed, her nerves almost at breaking point. It had been an awful year, one dreadful event after another. In May, George had almost beaten his father to death, and this had been followed by Dan having two strokes. She had no idea where George was, and try as she might, fearing it was his, she couldn't put out of her mind the blood on the bathroom floor. Following that, Ivy had left, but that was no loss, and then there was Chris. The boy wasn't the same, obviously hiding something, and then there had been that dreadful cut on his cheek.
Joan drew a breath. Her daughter had then been raped, and the strain of trying to keep it from Dan was wearing her down. He was suspicious; she was sure of it, his eyes always anxious when he looked at Petula.
Joan paused at the top of the stairs. Maurice had been next, leaving the alley without even saying goodbye. She knew that Norma had had a hand in it, but the speed of their departure still worried her. But first and foremost was Dan. She had to keep him calm, free from worry, and now as she opened her daughter's bedroom door, Joan was so worried about Dan that she didn't realise how hard her voice sounded.
‘Petula, I don't know what's going on, but you've upset your father again. Did something happen when you were out? Is that it?’
Petula's face was hidden as she shook her head.
‘Something must have upset you or you wouldn't have come home in that state.’
‘They … they were all looking at me. They … they must know.’
‘I don't know who you're talking about, but other than this family, nobody knows what happened to you.’
Joan saw tears on her daughter's cheeks and, despite Yvonne's advice, she said, ‘Look, love, I know it must have been terrible, but you've got to stop bottling it up. If you'd only talk about it, tell me what happened, I'm sure it would help.’
‘I … I can't. I don't remember.’
Worried about leaving Dan on his own any longer, Joan sighed in exasperation. ‘Well, one way or another, as I said earlier, you've got to pull yourself together. It's upsetting your dad and it's got to stop. He needs to see that you're all right, so come on, come downstairs, and for God's sake, try to put a smile on your face.’
With obvious reluctance, Petula stood up and wiped the tears from her face. Joan was relieved when she followed her downstairs. ‘See, Dan, I told you that Petula's all right. Old Pearson tried to fob her off with a bit of dodgy meat and they had a bit of a falling-out. Ain't that right, Petula?’
Joan held her breath, her eyes on her daughter. Petula's smile was thin, but at least it was visible as she nodded in agreement.
Dan beckoned Petula to his side, and still with the thin smile on her face, Pet pulled a chair close to the fire before sitting next to him. Joan heaved a sigh of relief. He looked calm now, at peace, but nowadays he was only really content when he had Petula close by.
Bob and Chris closed the yard and, though worn out after a hard day's graft, they went straight to see Danny.
As usual he was slumped on the sofa and, as Yvonne went to make them a cup of tea, Bob said, ‘Look, Danny, me and Chris have had enough. Chris has sunk all his savings into the yard and we've got a lot of stock coming in. We can't manage on our own and need a hand.’
When Danny didn't respond, Chris took over. ‘You've got to do your share. You can't just sit there while me and Bob do all the work.’
Danny still said nothing, and now Bob exploded. ‘We've been working our guts out all day and we're knackered, but look at you, sitting there like a lump of bloody lard with Yvonne waiting
on you hand and foot. Well I've had it, Danny. Either you do your share, or you can forget taking a cut of the profits.’
With a small shrug, Danny said, ‘Fair enough.’
Yvonne came into the room and, judging by the worried look on her face, Chris guessed that she had heard everything. His temper also snapped. ‘You're a selfish bastard, Danny. You're so wrapped up in your own misery that you haven't given a thought to Yvonne. She's stuck by you, but you don't deserve her. With no money coming in, what's next? Will you send her out to work to keep you?’
At last it seemed that something had got through to Danny. Both brothers stared at him in shock as his chest began to heave and a strangled sob escaped his throat. They had never seen Danny cry and were shocked, but Yvonne ran forward to throw herself beside him on the sofa.
She pulled him into her arms. ‘Don't, Danny, don't. It's all right. We'll be all right.’
‘Oh, Yvonne, Yvonne …’
For a while there were only the sounds of Danny's heaving sobs and Yvonne's soft murmurings.
Maybe it was the catalyst their brother needed, but Bob felt awful. He hadn't expected Danny to break down like this. ‘Sorry, Danny,’ he said sheepishly. ‘We shouldn't have gone off on one, but, well, it's just that we're at the end of our tether.’
Yvonne looked up, saying softly, ‘Would you mind leaving now?’
‘Yeah, all right,’ Chris said. ‘Come on, Bob, let's go.’
They walked out, Danny still sobbing in Yvonne's arms.
‘I didn't expect Danny to react like that,’ Chris said.
‘Nor me, but he needed something to snap him out of that bloody depression.’
‘Yeah, and who knows, he might soon be back to throwing his weight around as usual.’
Bob frowned. ‘He needn't think he can start playing the big boss again. It's us that came up with the ideas for the yard, and from now on we should have an equal say in running it.’
‘We will, and as it'll be a new year soon, maybe we can make it a year that's a fresh start for all of us.’