To Love Thy Neighbour

by S M Mala

  ‘That’s unfair.’ Oscar gently pushed her away and sat up straight at the top of the bed. ‘I never disagreed with his choices. But he was so young!’

  Looking at her handsome ex, who seemed to have defied time, she let out a little sigh.

  ‘He knew what he wanted and told us.’ Esme bit her lip. ‘Was it an excuse for you to leave our marriage but you didn’t want to say? We’ve been sleeping together for the past ten years, give or take. Tell me the truth.’

  He stroked her hair before closing his eyes and resting his head.

  ‘I’m an adult, a really old one and can take it.’ Esme sat up and then straddled him, removing the blanket and sheet. ‘I won’t cry.’

  ‘I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t even want to leave you, but I had to. Esme, you’d have never agreed to move to the States, my birth place, I know that. But that’s where I was destined to go.’

  ‘Answer me.’ She kissed his face. ‘I think you didn’t want me anymore and thought that there was something better. And there was. What’s her name? Your second wife?’

  ‘You know what it is.’

  ‘Courtney, that’s right,’ she smiled, seeing he was grinning. ‘And in all this glory you received, what about Alfie and Steph? Are you really that homophobic or was it because you thought, at the time, the revelation would make you less attractive to the American public? If that’s the case, then you’re insulting a very large nation.’

  ‘I would never have guessed about them both, okay, maybe Alfie. It was still a shock. I didn’t know what to do. But mum’s revelation? That was monumental, and you know what she’s like. Within minutes, she was telling everyone, as if she was the first one, ever!’

  ‘It was fifteen years ago and time has moved on. She’s not seen your ugly children in the flesh, and I know you both miss each other.’ Esme thought about Mali. ‘I have a new neighbour and he has a child that looks identical to Alfie when he was younger. She’s so sweet. She doesn’t say ‘I don’t like’ she says ‘I not like’.’

  ‘How old is she?’

  ‘Five and the funny thing is, Alfie teaches her.’

  ‘So the mother must be as gorgeous as you?’ Oscar said, starting to kiss her neck.

  ‘She doesn’t have a mum. The woman walked out on her when she was a few weeks old, and Leon brought her up on his own. He did have his parents to help.’

  Oscar pulled back and looked at her.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Esme asked, feeling a little puzzled.

  ‘Your breathing changed when you mentioned his name.’ He frowned. ‘You like the idea of hooking up with a single dad of a young child?’

  ‘He’s nice and I thought he was gay, at first.’ Esme tried to hold her breath, knowing she did feel odd about mentioning his name while straddled over Oscar.

  ‘So he’s not gay.’

  ‘He’s thirty-five.’

  ‘I see.’

  Taking her finger, she slid it down his nose until it reached his lips.

  Esme didn’t want to think about Leon at all.

  ‘Come and live with me in New York,’ he asked, grabbing her face and taking Esme by surprise. ‘I want to grow old with you.’

  ‘What about your wife?’ she asked, as he pushed Esme back on the bed, lying on top of her. ‘Oscar, do you have lots of women on the go?’

  ‘Only one in London.’ He kissed her face. ‘We’re older now and it’s perfect.’

  ‘You mean you want a woman who’d be satisfied with your ten-minute bursts of lovemaking, which leaves you more energy for your wife and lovers.’ Esme pushed her fingers through his hair and knew the next thing she would say was the most honest thing about the pair. ‘Our time is past.’

  ‘I disagree.’

  ‘It’s just I’ve had a hard time of letting go, that’s all.’

  ‘Here’s the last lot.’

  Delivering some soil into Ralph’s garden, ready for the planting, Leon noticed Esme’s van had pulled up.

  From Friday evening, she had returned in the early hours of Sunday morning in a blacked out car. From how she darted into her house, it was obvious she didn’t want to be spotted. Mali had woken up Leon by accidentally kicking him while she slept in his bed.

  It had been well over a month since he spoke to Esme.

  ‘Hello there!’ Ralph shouted, and Esme turned and waved. Leon decided not to look over. ‘Where’ve you been? Why didn’t you call?’

  ‘I’ve a few things to do,’ she shouted back. ‘I’ll speak to you later.’

  He turned his head slightly to look as she walked into her house.

  ‘She does that, you know, disappears for a weekend without saying where. Makes me wonder if she has a double life,’ Ralph said, letting out a little sigh.

  ‘Why don’t you ask her out?’ Leon asked, forcing a smile as if it was a good idea when he knew it wasn’t.

  ‘I think she’s holding out,’ Ralph said, turning to look at Leon. ‘You know her son and mother in law are gay, don’t you? That’s some strange set-up, the Reeves family. I made myself pretty vocal regarding my thoughts about homosexual teachers in primary schools. Since then, neither one speaks to me. It’s understandable why her husband left. It wouldn’t have been good for him.’

  ‘What’s her husband got to do with it?’ asked Leon, putting down the last sack.

  ‘He left her when he found out his son was gay and his mother was a lesbian. Couldn’t take it and was pursuing a career in politics over in America. Left Esme heartbroken and that’s when she moved here.’ Ralph half smiled. ‘Alfie can’t stand me, I know it. I think he’s stopping her from us getting together. You know, she’d do anything for her son.’

  ‘And what do you want Esme to do for you?’

  ‘I’d like to get to know her much better,’ laughed out Ralph. ‘She’s a very attractive woman, but you wouldn’t know about that, would you? I take it she’s far too old, and I’ve seen your girlfriend. I can tell you like them young. Who doesn’t? I better go back in, got a few calls to make.’

  Leon stood up and was speechless.

  He didn’t know much about Esme and realised neither did Ralph. His first reaction was to go home, but Melanie was there with Mali. That would be problematic, so it was best to keep out of the way. The other gardening job was calling his name.

  His daughter hadn’t taken kindly to Melanie babysitting and was very upset. He hoped this week was going to be better, but he wasn’t banking on it.

  All he wanted to do was speak to Esme and find out if they could be friends before he tried to make his next move.

  What move it would be, he had no idea.

  Then he remembered how she used the secateurs.

  He knew it would be painful, whatever her reaction.

  ‘Help me!’

  Mali screamed and ran at high speed into Esme’s garden, towards her door. Esme put her hands out to stop the child from falling over. ‘Help!’

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, seeing the tearful face.

  ‘I not like her!’

  Esme’s eyes darted up, and she saw a tall, slim, young woman, with mid length brown hair and a strong nose walking towards her.

  The woman with the cast iron fanny and head.

  ‘It’s okay,’ Esme said, cuddling the little girl in her arms.

  ‘Can you come back now?’ the woman said in a terse tone. ‘You have to eat your food!’

  ‘I not like beans,’ Mali said, starting to cry. ‘I like peas and sweetcorn and rice.’

  ‘All children like beans,’ Melanie said, rolling her eyes in Esme’s direction as if Mali was being silly. ‘I made beans on toast and you have to eat it.’

  ‘I not like.’ She started to cry in Esme’s arms and seemed genuinely upset. ‘I not feel well, Esme.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, feeling Mali’s head.

  The child was beginning to burn up.

  ‘I hot.’

  ‘She’s not hot. She needs to do as she’
s told and eat her food. That child lacks a mother’s touch. She’s such a madam and-.’

  ‘Melanie, is that your name?’ Esme asked, trying to control her temper before forcing a smile. ‘Mali’s not very well. She’s got a temperature. Can you call her dad and tell him to get back home as soon as possible?’

  ‘Excuse me!’ the uppity woman, with an obvious attitude problem, replied.

  ‘If you want to help, call Leon.’

  ‘I’ll call my boyfriend but you can’t take the child. I’ll put her to bed and-.’

  ‘Call Leon. Go to his medicine cabinet and get any child painkillers they’ve got. I’m taking Mali into my home.’

  Before she could wait for a response, Esme took the child in her arms, carrying Mali through the house and up the stairs.

  ‘You’re going to stay in my new bedroom,’ she said, taking her into the back room. ‘Which means you’ll have the biggest bed.’

  Mali was sobbing; her face buried in her neck.

  ‘You’re going to be fine. I know how to make you better.’

  Removing her clothes, until she was in her knickers and vest, Esme made her lie down on the bed and stroked her head.

  ‘I’ll get you a cool towel.’

  ‘Not leave me!’ Mali said, her cheeks now very pink. ‘Not go! I want my daddy and Moo Moo!’

  Esme opened the window a little and noticed Melanie on the phone talking furiously then flashed a dirty look.

  ‘Your daddy will be home soon,’ she said, scowling back at the strumpet.

  ‘I not want to go home. I not like her. She shouts and tells me off,’ wept the child as Esme sat down and took out the bands in her hair, letting it fall loose.

  ‘Keep your eye on me because I want to make you better. I’m going to run from here to the bathroom and get you a flannel.’ The bottom lip was wobbling. ‘By time you count to ten I’ll be back.’

  Esme rushed out of the room.

  ‘One,’ she sobbed. ‘Two…’

  Getting the flannel, she put some cool water on, squeezed it and rushed back.

  ‘Four…’ said Mali, who smiled on seeing Esme rush forward and put it on her head.

  ‘I was fast.’

  She touched the child’s face and stroked her hair. Mali looked very tired, her eyes starting to close. Now she wished she bought children’s medicine just in case of times like this. The first thing she would do the next morning would be to get a supply.

  Half an hour later, there was a knock on her front door. Making sure Mali was safe on her bed, Esme walked down the stairs and opened it.

  Leon was standing there, anxiously looking at her.

  Her heart leapt into her throat seeing him properly for the first time in weeks.

  The sensation was overwhelming, but she shrugged it off, knowing what he really thought of her.

  ‘Mali’s asleep. Have you got some medicines for her?’ Esme asked, watching him walk straight in. ‘She has a temperature.’

  ‘This morning she said she wasn’t feeling well but I thought-.’

  ‘Leon,’ Esme said, holding his arm, as he angrily pushed his hand through his hair. ‘Get the medicine so we can make sure her temperature goes down. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain.’

  ‘Fine!’ he said, looking at her for some reassurance. ‘I feel so bad making her go to school.’

  ‘Alfie would have called if he thought she was ill. Go and get the medicine. I’ll look after her.’

  Within five minutes, he was back.

  She noticed the car that belonged to Melanie was gone.

  Esme didn’t like her. If she were Mali, she would cry in that flighty woman’s company.

  Letting Leon walk up to her old bedroom, she noticed he did a double take when he looked in the larger room.

  ‘I decided to move to the backroom, overlooking the garden. My neighbour seems to like bouncing on his bed twice a week, so I need my beauty sleep, considering I’m so old.’ Esme smiled but was met with an extremely pained expression. ‘She’s in here.’

  Mali had kicked off all the covers and was spread out. For such a little thing, she had taken over much of the king size bed. Leon walked straight up to her and knelt.

  ‘Mali, daddy’s here,’ he whispered and she opened her eyes, smiling weakly, before the lip started trembling again. ‘I’ve got Moo Moo.’ He handed her a little cuddly cow. ‘I know she’ll want to look after you.’

  Holding her breath, Esme could see Leon looked upset as Mali’s eyes started to well up.

  ‘Daddy, I not feel well and I not like beans. Horrid.’

  ‘I know baby, but you’ll be okay.’

  ‘Let me give you something to make you better,’ Esme said, taking the bottle and administering a small amount of medicine to Mali. ‘And here’s a second lot to doubly make sure.’ Leon held Mali’s head then gave her some water. ‘Now go back to sleep. Your daddy’s here, and you’ll be well enough soon.’

  ‘I not like her,’ whispered Mali. ‘Not like the girl who hurt my hair.’

  ‘Oh Mali,’ he said sympathetically, blowing on her eyes until they shut, and she fell asleep.

  They stood there, watching the little angel sleep.

  Then she farted which made them both quietly laugh.

  ‘I think the beans are making their presence felt,’ Esme giggled.

  The pair went downstairs to the kitchen.

  ‘What happened?’ he asked, as Esme put the kettle on.

  ‘Mali was crying, saying she didn’t like beans, and then I realised she was really hot. I told your girlfriend, but she thought Mali was trying it on.’ Esme now had to be diplomatic. ‘It happens. Then I told her to ring you and here you are.’

  ‘I should take her home.’

  ‘She’s fine for the moment. I’m not going out, and it would be mean to move her right now as she’s just fallen asleep. Let her stay for a bit longer.’

  ‘I’ll have to call my mum and see if she can look after Mali tomorrow. I’ve got so much work on and-.’

  ‘I’ll be around if you want me to tend to her.’

  ‘I can’t put you to all this trouble,’ he said earnestly.

  ‘It’s no trouble at all. Plus I’ve got paperwork coming out my ears. It’s not a problem.’

  ‘What about the coffee van and your work. I don’t-.’

  ‘Leon, will you go home, get showered and come back. I’m not going to kidnap your child, okay?

  ‘Esme?’ he said, and she noticed he was going to say something, and then looked at the ground. ‘I’m sorry about the noise. You shouldn’t have moved rooms. All you had to do is tell me, and I’d have been more considerate.’

  ‘I needed a change. I’ve been in that room for fifteen years, and it’s like moving home. Now go while I sort things out.’

  He nodded, gulped and looked at her, before heading out as she braced herself up against the counter.

  There was something odd happening in her chest, and she didn’t know what it was.

  ‘Is she okay?’

  Leon walked back into Esme’s home, gently closing the large sliding door.

  ‘She’s fine. I don’t think beans agree with her.’

  ‘She can’t stand them.’

  Esme had showered and changed, and was wearing some baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt. Her hair was wet, and she had put it up in a clip.

  ‘I had to wash. I still had paper chips in my hair from peeling wallpaper,’ she said, checking something in the oven. ‘It won’t be long. Would you like a drink?’

  ‘I better not,’ he said hovering around. ‘She might wake up and I need to be lucid.’

  ‘Sure. I have lemonade if you want.’

  ‘Yeah,’ he replied.

  Leon felt nervous, as well as upset about Mali. He watched Esme walk around.

  ‘I thought we’d have cheese and ham toasties with oven chips,’ she said, turning to look at him while pouring out their drinks. ‘And I’ve got some salad for the health element.�
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  Leon looked at her and wished he were in her arms. Then she looked up at him and smiled.

  ‘It’s okay,’ she said quietly. ‘We don’t need to be embarrassed about what happened all those weeks. It’s forgotten about. A silly mistake. Nothing more, nothing less.’

  ‘Good,’ he said, feeling the opposite and forcing a smile.

  ‘Melanie seems nice.’ Esme walked towards him and handed him a glass. ‘It’s a lemon and lime drink with a hint of mint. It’s very nice. Cheers.’ She knocked her glass against his and sipped it. ‘Mali will get used to her. It takes time.’ Then she looked up the stairs. ‘Poor little thing.’

  ‘I feel bad. She said she didn’t feel well but I thought it’s because she didn’t want Melanie to come round,’ he said, feeling guilty. ‘I mean, I don’t know what Melanie’s like with kids but she offered and-.’

  ‘You don’t have to explain,’ she said, putting her hand on his arm. ‘It’s just unfortunate Mali was ill, that’s all.’

  The oven buzzer started, and Esme rushed over and took the food out, putting it onto plates and walking over.

  ‘Let’s eat.’

  They did.

  In silence.

  He was listening out to see if Mali would call, and Esme was deep in thought.

  ‘Have you settled in? How long has it been since you moved here?’ she asked, looking straight at him.

  ‘I think it’s coming up to three months,’ he replied, wondering why she asked. ‘And we’ve settled in. I still need to sort out your garden and-.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that,’ she said, sprinkling salt on her chips. ‘I’m in no rush to change anything.’

  ‘Where’ve you been?’ he blurted out, watching her look puzzled. ‘I’ve not seen you for four, five weeks. Have you been avoiding me?’

  ‘Don’t mince your words.’

  ‘I’d like to know. I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable. And about what I said, I-.’

  ‘You were right.’ Esme put down her cutlery and placed her hands on her lap. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking. Anyway, you are safe in my company, very safe. I met a friend and he put me straight about a few things.’

  ‘Like what?’ He bit into his sandwich and watched her smile.