Billie Jo

by Kimberley Chambers

  Danny smiled at her eagerness to please him. He liked a bird that waited on him hand and foot. 'Egg and bacon's fine, girl. Do me four slices of bread and I'll have a couple of sandwiches.'

  Billie cooked breakfast and dragged Carly upstairs to get showered and changed. Hearing the landline ring, she ran to answer it. 'Billie, it's Mum. How are you?'

  'I'm fine, thanks. Carly's here with me and we've just had some breakfast.'

  'I'm glad you're OK and you've got some company,' Chelle said, not really meaning it. 'I rang to tell you that me and Nathan are going to stay at this hotel an extra night. You don't mind, do you?'

  Billie gave a thumbs-up sign to Carly. 'Of course I don't mind, Mum. Don't worry about us, me and Carly are fine.'

  'I'll be home by the time you get in from work tomorrow and I'll see you then.' Michelle put the phone down and resumed shagging her toyboy. After being sex starved by Terry for months, she was now making up for lost time.

  Billie's eyes were full of mischief as she put the phone down and turned to face Carly. 'My mum's not coming back till tomorrow. Shall we ask the boys to stay again?'

  Carly was a bit unsure. 'I don't know, Bill, what about work? We've got to go in, we can't both throw a sickie. How will that look?'

  Billie had the devil in her now. She couldn't stop thinking of the sex she'd had the previous night, and was hoping that a repeat performance would quash her feelings of shame. 'We'll make work, Carly, I promise we will. When we go to work, the boys will have to leave.'

  Carly smiled at her friend. 'OK then, but you can ask them if they want to stay. I'm not doing it.'

  Billie couldn't get downstairs quick enough to tell Danny that her mother wasn't coming home and to ask him if he wanted to stay another night.

  Danny and Jamie were more than happy to outstay their welcome. Working on the markets, they didn't graft on Mondays and said they were happy to leave when the girls left for the office the following day.

  Danny suddenly had a thought. 'Listen, Bill, now we've got the place to ourselves, why don't we have a cosy day in, just the four of us? Me and Jamie will go and get some wine and beers and later on we'll order a takeaway. We can go and see your little brother another day, eh, babe?'

  Billie felt horrible about letting Jade down. It was only yesterday that she'd rung her and promised she was coming. Still, what Danny was saying was right really, she could go and visit her little brother anytime. It wasn't often she had the house to herself, so she might as well make the most of it.

  Billie squeezed Danny's hand. 'Why don't you and Jamie go to the off-licence? It's only up the top of the road and I'll ring Jade and tell her I'm not going round there.'

  Billie dialled the number, took a deep breath, and waffled with nerves.

  'Jade, it's me. Do you mind if we cancel this afternoon? My date went so well, Danny's gorgeous. He wants to take me out again today, somewhere special, he said. Carly's here with me, we're going out in a foursome.

  Understanding Billie's excitement, Jade replied kindly, 'Of course I don't mind. You go and have a good time. Tell me about last night then, where did you go?'

  'We went to a pub in Romford and we ended up in an Indian restaurant. He's really nice, Jade. In fact I'd like you to meet him.'

  'OK, love, we'll arrange something when you come round in the week. Do you still want me to pick you up on Tuesday?'

  'Yes, of course I do. How's Terry Junior?'

  'He's fine. I'll pick you up from the usual bus stop and you can fill me in on all the gossip. You have fun, Bill, and I'll see you soon.' Jade shivered as she ended the call. She had an uneasy feeling inside her and was sure it was something to do with this boy that Billie had met.

  She may not have known Billie that long, but she'd grown to love her in a short space of time. Terry would be as happy as a dog with two tails if he was looking down. It had always been his aim, his dream, to bring the two of them together and Jade liked to think that he'd had something to do with their chance meeting. He'd probably had a barter with God, knowing him. Thinking of Terry, Jade smiled. He'd needed someone to take care of Billie Jo and she was in no doubt that he'd handed her that responsibility.

  If she met Danny it would put her mind at rest. She was a good judge of character, and would know within minutes if he was a good or a bad lad.

  Keeping that thought firmly in her mind, Jade put Terry Junior to bed for a short nap, poured herself a glass of wine and put on her Friends video.

  Danny and Jamie returned from the off-licence with a crate of lager and three bottles of wine. The next few hours were spent partying. Billie had sorted out some of her own CDs and the four of them were singing and dancing around the living room. At teatime they were hungry and ordered a couple of pizzas.

  By eight o'clock all the booze had run out and the four of them had started on the spirits in Michelle's drinks cabinet. By nine o'clock they were all wasted, especially the girls. Danny left Carly and Jamie to it and carried Billie Jo up the stairs. He was desperate to fuck her brains out, but she was in no fit state.

  Putting her into bed fully clothed, Danny lay beside her. He loved this house and would give his right arm to move in here with her. His mother's house, God bless her, was a stinking shithole.

  Danny knew that he'd fallen on his feet for once in his life and was determined not to fuck it up. Billie was smitten, he knew that. She was good fun, beautiful, and he fancied the pants off her. His next job would be to win over the mother, give her a bit of the O'Leary charm and, with a bit of luck, get his feet under the table.

  Women loved Danny and he knew it. Mums, grannies, aunties, sisters, he had them all eating out of his hand. There was no reason why Billie's mum was gonna be any different. He had to get out of Dagenham, it was doing his head in and this was his perfect opportunity. He was sick of working on the markets as well, freezing his bollocks off day in, day out for a paltry wage.

  Well, if he stuck with Billie, he might not have to do that much longer. Billie had told him last night, when she was drunk, that she had a fair bit of money coming her way when she was eighteen, some trust fund or something that her old man had set up for her. Maybe she could buy a little business and they could run it together. With visions of wealth running through his mind, Danny fell into a happy sleep.

  Billie awoke to find herself being frantically shaken by Carly. 'Bill, it's eight o'clock, wake up, we'll be late for work.'

  Unable to move her head off the pillow, Billie opened her eyes. 'I'm gonna have to ring in sick, Carly. I really don't feel up to it. You go, make up some story that I've been ill all weekend.' Billie had never taken a day off work since the day she'd started, so she doubted she'd be in any trouble. She felt so ill and vowed there and then never to drink again. She'd probably consumed more alcohol this weekend than she had in her entire life and was now paying the price.

  Danny was absolutely marvellous. He patted her back as she was sick, gave her a cold flannel for her forehead, found her some tablets for her headache and made her tea and toast. He finally left the house at lunchtime. He and Billie were both worried that her mother might arrive home at any minute.

  Danny arranged a date with her for the following Wednesday. Billie thanked him for looking after her and they said their goodbyes. Closing the door behind him, Billie ran back upstairs, jumped into bed and put the quilt over her head. Her mind was all over the place and she was now suffering a bout of paranoia. She felt guilty about having sex, downcast about getting drunk twice and awful about missing work. She really liked Danny, but knew she'd made a rod for her own back by sleeping with him. Now she'd done it once, he'd probably expect it all the time, and in all honesty, although she really fancied him, she hadn't especially enjoyed the experience. Somehow, it just hadn't felt right and it had left her feeling dirty and sordid once the effects of the drink had worn off.

  Billie wasn't very clued up when it came down to contraception and stuff. The thought of going to her family doctor, w
ho'd known her dad so well, filled her with dread. She was seeing Jade on Tuesday. She was like a big sister to her and hopefully would give her some advice. Maybe she could go to Jade's doctor and get some contraception.

  Billie tried to relax; there was no point worrying, what was done was done and as Danny had said, he'd known when to pull it out, so there was no harm done. Even if she was inexperienced, Danny wasn't and he would look after her.

  Convinced she had found the love of her life, Billie drifted off to sleep.

  Only time would tell if her instincts were right.

  The famous old saying states, 'The proof is in the pudding.' Danny O'Leary had been called many things in his lifetime. Unfortunately for Billie, proven wasn't one of them.

  FIFTEEN

  Billie sat on the floor playing with Terry Junior. Unable to contain herself, she excitedly spilt the beans of the weekend's happenings. Jade sat in silence, listening to her story. She'd had a bad feeling about this boy Danny, and if the unprotected sex was anything to go by, it looked like her instincts were right. Billie finished the story and waited for Jade's reaction.

  'Well, I don't know what to say to you really, Bill. It's too late now to take the morning-after pill. You'll just have to wait and see if your period comes and pray that it does.'

  Billie got up off the floor and sat on the sofa. 'You don't think badly of me do you, Jade? I haven't acted like a tart or anything, have I?'

  Jade went and got a bottle of wine from the fridge. A drink might help her say the right thing. 'Do you want a glass of wine with me, Billie?'

  Jade didn't normally encourage Billie to drink as she was still underage, but the girl seemed to be a bundle of nervous energy. Handing her a glass, Jade sat opposite her and held both her hands. 'Of course I don't think badly of you. Wanting to have sex is natural, Billie. I just wish that you had waited a bit longer and spoken to me about it first. I could have taken you to a doctor, or a family planning clinic, to get you some protection. The thing is, Bill, it's not just getting pregnant that you have to worry about. There are so many diseases you could catch that it's not worth taking the risk. From what you've told me, this Danny sounds pretty experienced. He's a lot older than you and well, to be honest, you've only known him five minutes. You don't know how many other girls he's slept with. You have to be careful, Billie, you know.'

  Billie's happy mood had now disappeared. The look on Jade's face had said it all. Feeling her lip begin to quiver, she grabbed Jade's hand. 'I've been so stupid, Jade. Can you imagine if my dad were alive? He'd kill me. Say he's looking down on me and he knows what I've done?'

  Jade hugged Billie tightly as her tears began to flow. 'Now, now, don't cry, you've done nothing to be ashamed of, you just need to be a bit more responsible, that's all.' By this time Billie was sobbing so much, she was unable to talk. 'Oh, Billie, come on, stop crying now. Everything will be fine, you'll see. I'll tell you what we'll do. Danny works on Saturdays, doesn't he?'

  'Yes.'

  'Well look, I've got an idea. I know a private clinic that opens on Saturday mornings. I'll pick you up early and take you there to get some contraception. Why don't you bring Carly along and we'll make a day of it? Sue next door keeps offering to babysit if I need a break. She's got a baby herself only a few months older than Terry Junior. If she's willing to have him, we can go shopping and have a bite to eat and that.'

  Billie wiped her eyes and managed a half-smile. 'That sounds really good, Jade. I'll speak to Carly tomorrow. I'm sure she'll come, and thanks, I really mean it, thanks for everything.'

  Billie felt much better after her chat with Jade and began to look forward instead of backwards. She went on her date with Danny the following evening. She was a bit nervous to start with, as it was the first time they'd been out on their own. She needn't have worried. The conversation flowed as if they'd known one another for years.

  They met up early evening at Romford station and went to see a film at the cinema. It was a horror movie and Danny was mucking about all the way through it, making her jump out of her skin. They finished the evening off in the Pizza Hut, where they had a bite to eat and a few drinks. Billie wanted to contribute towards the bill but Danny was having none of it.

  'Leave it out, Bill. You're having a fucking laugh, ain't ya? I asked you to come out so I'm gonna pay.'

  Billie secretly liked him talking to her in that way. She found it very manly and it reminded her of her dad. He would never hear of a woman paying for anything. In fact she found quite a lot of similarities between Danny and her dad. The dark hair, the blue eyes, the way they swore and they could both talk their way out of a paper bag. Maybe that was part of the attraction for her.

  Arriving home in a cab, Danny asked the driver if he could wait five minutes while he walked Billie to the door and said goodnight. Just as they were having a kiss, Michelle and Nathan pulled up on the drive, returning from a night out.

  Billie had told her mum that she'd met someone and really liked him but that was all she'd told her. She couldn't talk about anything personal with Chelle, they just didn't have that kind of relationship.

  'Hello, love. Is this your boyfriend? Aren't you going to introduce us?'

  Billie was relieved to see her mother was only merry and not slaughtered. Since she'd met Nathan, she'd been a lot better with her drinking. She still went on binges with her friends from the gym but her new beau seemed to be having a good effect on her. 'Hello, Mum. This is Danny, who I told you about. He's got to go now because the cab's waiting.'

  Chelle put her key in the lock. 'Cancel the cab and bring him in. Do you fancy having a nightcap, Danny? Come in and meet me and Nathan, properly, eh?'

  Danny didn't need asking twice. This was his chance to impress and take his first steps towards getting his feet under the table. 'It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Keane,' he said, flashing his killer smile. 'I'd love to come in and have a drink with you and Nathan.'

  Billie was mortified. She wasn't ready for him to meet her mother yet; she'd rather have introduced him to Jade. Say her mother started knocking them back and got into one of her states, it might put Danny off her and things had been going so well up to now. Billie needn't have worried however. Within half an hour, the O'Leary charm had worked wonders and Danny had her mother and Nathan eating out of his hand.

  Michelle was bowled over by him. 'You've picked a good 'un there, Bill,' she said, filling up her wine glass.

  Billie sat there quiet, but secretly as proud as a peacock. She was quite happy to let Danny do all the talking, making everybody laugh with his stories. At one o'clock, Billie felt it was time to wrap things up. She was enjoying herself but couldn't stop yawning and had to be up at seven. 'I'm going to have to go to bed in a minute, Danny. I'm so tired and I've got to be up early for work.'

  'No problem, babe,' Danny replied, downing the rest of his beer. 'Can you call me a cab?'

  Before Billie had a chance to reply, Michelle piped up. 'You can stay in one of the spare rooms if you want, Danny. We've got plenty of room here.'

  Danny put on his surprised expression. 'Oh, I couldn't do that, Mrs Keane. I don't want to take liberties, but thanks for the offer.'

  Chelle was insistent. 'You're not taking liberties, is he, Nathan?' Nathan shook his head dumbly. 'You're more than welcome to stay here and for Christ's sake stop calling me Mrs Keane. The name's Michelle, so use it.'

  Danny laughed. 'Well, only if you're sure you don't mind. Thanks, the spare room sounds great.'

  Chelle grabbed Nathan by the arm. 'Come on, muscles, we'll go to bed and let these two lovebirds say goodnight. You can show Danny the spare room, Bill. Put him in the bigger one out of the two.'

  'OK, Mum.'

  Danny got up off the sofa, shook hands with Nathan, kissed Chelle on the cheek and thanked the pair of them for their hospitality. Grabbing Billie by her arms he dragged her towards the sofa and kissed her passionately. 'I thought your mum was all right, babe, and Nathan, but I'm glad they've
gone to bed. I want a bit of time on my own with you. Let's have a bit of fun now, eh?'

  Billie knew exactly what he meant by fun, but the thought of her mother being in the house made her freeze. Her chat with Jade was fresh in her memory and fun was the last thing she felt like. 'Not tonight, Dan. I'm really tired and I must go to bed soon.'

  Danny wasn't one to take no for an answer and began to feel slightly agitated by her lack of interest in him. 'Oh come on, Bill. I really fancy you and I thought you liked me. What's the matter with you, eh?'

  'I just don't feel all that well, Danny, and my mum and Nathan are upstairs. Say they come down and catch us doing things?'

  Danny laughed and carried on groping Billie as if she hadn't even spoken. A self-confessed stud, he wasn't used to rejection. Determined to get his wicked way, Danny unzipped his trousers and released his prize asset. 'Look, Bill, you're my girlfriend now and I've got needs. You've got me all excited, so you're gonna have to sort me out.' Without waiting for a reply and overcome by lust, Danny pushed Billie's head down and held it firmly with both hands.

  Billie gagged. This was disgusting. She felt uncomfortable and didn't like what he was forcing her to do. Frightened of upsetting him, she did as he asked. As the gooey stuff spurted into her mouth, she thought she was going to be violently sick. 'Swallow it,' Danny demanded.

  Half choking, Billie did as she was told.

  'There's a good girl,' Danny said, stroking her head.

  Billie said goodnight and showed Danny to the spare room. Outwardly, she pretended everything was fine; inwardly she was repelled. As soon as Danny shut the bedroom door, Billie shot into the bathroom and scrubbed her teeth until her gums bled. Tossing and turning in bed, she found she was unable to sleep. His behaviour tonight had unnerved her and she really didn't like what he'd made her do.

  Danny lay in the spare room admiring its opulence. The room was bigger than his mother's living room. He was annoyed with himself for the way the evening had ended. Things had been going so well. Wining and dining Billie, winning over the mother and potential stepfather, now he'd probably gone and fucked things up for himself. He should never have forced her to go down on him, he knew she hadn't wanted to. When it came to sex, he knew he had problems, he was like a man possessed. He liked it kinky. The bigger the slag, the better the orgasm. Billie wasn't gonna be up for the kind of stuff that he liked. He had to try and calm himself down.