by Woods, Karen
Vicky pointed to the arm of the chair where the letter lay. Joan nodded to the man at the side of her, “Pass me that!” Joan hissed. Joan sat down and her eyes squinted together as she held the letter up to her eyes. Her face looked serious. All of a sudden she laughed out loud. “She’s been ripped off, by her boyfriend, the fucking daft bastard.” Vicky was trembling in the corner; her lips were quivering as she came to her side again. Joan bent down and rammed her finger into the side of her head. “Never trust a man,” she chuckled, “Because now,” she paused, “You have to pay for his sins.” Joan held Vicky’s head back and you could see her fist clenching together at the side of her. Her head swung about as Joan’s fist pummelled into her face. The man in the room stood behind the living room door and dipped his head as each blow connected with the young girl’s face. Joan was beating her within an inch of her life; he closed his eyes and looked away.
Joan plonked onto a chair. She looked over at Vicky’s lifeless body on the floor. She knew she hadn’t killed her because she could see her chest still rising. “Get her cleaned up Rob.”
The man, who looked around thirty years of age, walked to Vicky’s side, he yanked her from the floor and struggled to hold her up. Rob looked horrified when he saw her face for the first time and shot Joan a look. “Fucking hell, she’s a mess,” he moaned.
Joan heard his words and screamed out in a loud voice. “What do ya expect, ya fucking fairy. I’m here because she owes us four grand,” she gasped, “I’m not here to sit and chit-chat with her.” Rob raised his eyes and led Vicky to a chair before he left the room. Declan could be heard still crying upstairs. Bob shouted upstairs to the other man. “Brad, keep the kid up there, until we’ve cleaned her up, she’s in a right mess.”
Brad came to the top of the stairs and bent his head over the banister so he could see Rob. Declan was trying to get past him, but he held his hand round the kid’s clothes so he couldn’t move any further. “Get back in there,” he shouted at the kid.
Declan was heartbroken. “I want my mummy,” he wailed. He was dragged back inside the bedroom.
Rob started to clean Vicky up. Her cheek was still pumping out blood and he commented that she would need stitches in the deep gash across her face. Joan sighed. “Once we’ve sorted out the little matter of the cash she owes us, then she can go and get it sorted out, but for now, she’s going nowhere. I don’t give a fuck if she bleeds to death or not. I want that fucking money back.” Vicky held her hands around her body and looked in pain. Rob pressed the white dishcloth firmly on her face, she was squealing.
Once he’d backed off Vicky sat with a distressed look on her face. “Joan tell me what I can do, I’m fucked. I don’t have a pot to piss in; you know that, so how can I pay you back.”
Joan inhaled deeply on her cig. She looked deep in thought as she flicked her ash on the floor. A cunning look appeared on her face. “You’ll have to work it off then, won’t you?” Vicky shrugged her shoulders.
“What do mean, work it off?”
Joan stubbed her cig out on the wall and flicked her cig end onto the floor. “In ‘Delia’s’, you’ll have to work for me there until you’ve cleared you’re debt.”
Vicky shook her head slowly as Joan’s words registered. “I can’t do that; please Joan, anything but selling my body.”
Joan cracked her knuckles and nodded her head at Vicky. “It’s the only way love. You owe Tim over ten grand, and there is no way in this world he’s gonna let you off with that much money.”
Vicky chewed rapidly on her fingernails. Tears trickled down the side of her cheeks. Joan was staring at her, waiting for an answer. “Well,” she prompted. Vicky gasped for breath and held one hand around her neck. Joan was right; there was no other way she could pay the money back. Slowly she whispered. “Yes.”
Joan darted up and walked to where Vicky was sat. “You know it make sense girl.” She held Vicky’s face in her hand and examined her wounds. “Right, get to the hospital and get that looked at, a few stitches will sort it out. I’ll be back later to see you.”
Vicky remained silent; she was watching her every move. As she watched her make her way to the door she could feel her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. Joan placed her hand on the door handle and slowly turned back to her. Rob was already out of the room. “Vicky don’t even think of doing anything daft, because I’ll find you, and you know what will happen then don’t you.”
You could see the terror on Vicky’s face as she replied. “No Joan, I promise, I’ll keep my word. I will, honest.” That was all Joan needed to hear, she left the room and you could hear Rob shouting his mate from upstairs. Vicky was on her feet and made her way to the living room door.
In seconds Declan was stood at the door screaming, “Mummy, mummy what’s happened to your face? I don’t like it.” Vicky gripped him in her arms and the blood from her cheek was trickling down her son’s face as she pressed him up against her. Running to the front door she could see the lock was hanging from it. Pushing it shut, she fell to her knees with her back pressed against the door. There was no way out of the mess she was in, and Vicky knew no matter what, her life would never be the same again; she’d have to become a prostitute to pay her debt off. Cradling her son in her arms she whispered into his ears. “I’m sorry son, I did it all for you, yanno. It’s all such a mess, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Vicky went to North Manchester General Hospital and had eight stitches in her face. The doctors wanted to know how she’d done it, but she talked her way out of it so the police weren’t involved, she couldn’t stand anymore stress. Blake’s phone was still off and she knew now that the bastard was only really ever interested in the money she was getting. She was a fool and knew that more than anyone now. Blake had pulled the wool over her eyes and had her right over. Vicky cursed Blake every minute she sat in the hospital waiting room. She promised herself that one day she would pay him back for ruining her life. Vicky looked in a bad way as she left the hospital.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Susie sat in her front room. She felt tired as she bagged the last lot of drugs she was taking into the nick. The cling-film was tightly wrapped round each bulky package. This was the biggest drop she’d ever done. She sat smiling at the parcels as she puffed hard on her cigarette. The money she’d pull in from this drop was more than enough to pay for her abortion. She’d already spent the money Ashley had given her and this was her only way of ever getting it done privately.
The telly blared out in the front room, she didn’t look as if she was watching it, Susie was anxious. Helen was due at any minute now and she knew she had to make a move to start getting ready. Dragging her body up from the sofa she sighed. The usual glow that rested on her face had disappeared. Heading upstairs she went inside the bathroom. Susie tweaked her fingers at her skin. She looked pale and her skin looked grey in colour, she didn’t look healthy. Reaching for her make-up bag from the side she started to try and look half decent. As she bent over towards the mirror, a knock at the front door could be heard. Throwing her mascara back on the window ledge she headed downstairs. Susie forgot she was only wearing a vest top and some pyjama bottoms and opened the door.
Helen was stood there munching on some crisps. “Aren’t you ready yet?” she moaned.
Susie just held the door open, and Helen followed her inside. “I’m getting ready now, my clothes are ironed. I just need to have a wash and that”.
Helen’s eyes shot to Susie’s stomach area, and her jaw dropped. “Fucking hell, Miss Piggy, what have you been eating?” she walked towards Susie and patted at the pink flesh she could see. “You better start dieting like me; otherwise you’ll be fat as fuck, if ya carry on. It just creeps up on ya, yanno.”
Susie yanked at her vest top that had ridden up. Pulling it down with her hand she snarled at Helen. “I’m due on my period; I always look frumpy when I’m due on.”
Helen chuckled and carried on eating the last crumbs of the crisps fro
m the packet. “I’m just saying, that’s all, you wouldn’t want me to lie to you, would you?”
Susie marched back up the stairs in a mood. “I won’t be long, go into the front room.” Susie bounced up the stairs back to the bathroom; she’d definitely spat her dummy out.
Helen parked her arse on the sofa. Clocking all the drugs on the table she had a cunning look on her face. She knew exactly how much this kind of stuff sold for on the streets, and wanted a little earner for herself. Quickly tiptoeing back to the living room door she shouted up to Susie. “Do you want a brew?” Helen held her ear to the door, there was no reply. Bouncing back to the table, she quickly pulled one of the parcels open. Her fingers were trembling as she yanked a few bags of heroin out of them. She continued to do so to all the other packets, and made sure she had enough drugs to earn herself some decent cash. All the parcels were sealed back up, and you couldn’t tell she’d interfered with them. Quickly catching her breath she sank the drugs into the lining of her coat. She could hear footsteps coming down the stairs; Helen looked flushed as she reached for the TV remote and pretended to be flicking through the channels.
Susie was ready; her make-up hid a multitude of sins on her face. Checking the clock on the wall she spoke to Helen. “We’d better get a move on, the visits in an hour.” Helen watched Susie clearing the table of the drugs. She knew she was taking them into the jail, but she didn’t have a clue that the screw Jenkins was making sure she never got caught. Susie reached for her handbag, and bunged the parcels inside.
Helen was watching her from the corner of her eye, she didn’t have a clue she’d been inside them. With a cunning look on her face she stood up and stretched her hands over her head. “Don’t you ever shit yourself taking all that gear into the jail, I mean fucking hell, you’d get years, if you ever got caught.”
Susie chuckled and started to put her coat on. “I’m too good to get caught love, I mean,” she placed her hand on her hip and pointed to herself. “Do I look like a drug smuggler,” she giggled. “They don’t search people like me. It’s people like you who look dodgy who get searched.”
Susie watched Helen’s face drop and grinned. “Ay, ya cheeky bitch, I don’t look dodgy. I look like a normal everyday person.”
“Yeah right” Susie sniggered.
Helen looked upset; Susie could always make her feel like shit at the drop of a hat. Helen hated that she could never win an argument with her. Growling at her she tried to retaliate. “Let’s hope you’re right, because I’d hate to see you land up in the clink. You wouldn’t last one night.”
Susie ignored her and grabbed the car keys from the side. “Come on then, dodgy dealer,” she chuckled.
“Fuck off,” Helen snapped as they headed outside.
The weather was cold and the grey clouds in the sky told you it wouldn’t be long before the heavens opened. The smell of smoke filled the air, in the distance you could see a car that had been burnt out. Small kids were congregating round it and you could see the mischievous looks written across their faces.
Susie pulled out from her street. Her tunes were on low and Helen sat nodded her head to the beat as they waited in traffic. Helen started to sniff, her nostrils were flaring. Yanking at her sleeve she grabbed the armpit of her jumper. Her face screwed up as she smelt the stale aroma. “Fucking hell, I stink like a pig’s arse-hole, have you got any spray or owt?”
Susie huffed as she dropped her eyes to her handbag. “There’s some ‘Impulse’ spray in there, get some of that.”
Helen dipped her head and rummaged about in the handbag. Holding the aerosol out in front of her she giggled. “Fuck me, I’m gonna smell like a prostitute’s handbag.” Her eyes scanned the white bottle in front of her. “Vanilla Musk, what the fucks that?”
“Just spray it will you,” Susie moaned. Helen was really doing her head in now and she just seemed to know how to wind her up.
Helen squirted into the space in front of her first and inhaled. “It’s not bad that,” she mumbled. Lifting her top up, her hand disappeared underneath it. You could hear her spraying the deodorant. Helen sniffed her underarms. “I smell lovely, like a proper woman. I think I’m going to have to invest in a few bottles of this myself, what’s it called again?”
Susie grabbed the bottle from her hand and flung it back in her bag as the traffic came to a standstill. Helen smiled at her and turned her head to look out of the window. She loved winding her up.
Strangeways was now in sight. The large red brick tower stood tall from all the buildings near it, like it was making a statement to everyone who walked past it. Susie pulled up in the car park and gathered her things together. Helen was already out of the car and still sniffing her new body scent. Susie smiled at her and shook her head; Helen was definitely a couple of butties short of a picnic.
Walking into the visitors’ centre both women went to the main desk and booked in. Susie handed Tim’s boxer shorts in and then sat at a table nearby. Helen was stood up reading all the notices on the board. Her loud voice could be heard shouting. “Ay, Susie you can extra money to come and visit Tim, yanno.” Helen was pointing her finger at the billboard in front of her. “It’s called “POPS” Partners of Prisoners or summit like that.”
Susie scowled at her as the other visitors found her amusing. One woman at the other table spoke. “You can claim money back for your visits; all you have to do is fill a form out and get it stamped when you go into the prison. I do it all the time, but I come from quite far away. Where have you come from?”
Susie held her head in the air and blanked the woman completely. Helen was by her side. “We live in Harpurhey, it’s only a stone’s throw away, so it’s not that far. Do you think she’ll get owt for that?”
The woman hunched her shoulders, “It’s worth a try, she might get something.”
Helen was just about to get into a big conversation when Susie walked past her to go to the toilets. Susie patted her on the shoulder. “I won’t be long, shout me if our name get called out.” Helen nodded and carried on speaking to her new- found friend. She watched Susie disappear and started asking her about who she was coming to see. You could see Helen’s face loving every minute of the conversation; she was a right nosey bastard.
Susie closed the toilet door behind her. You could see her nostrils flaring as she inhaled deeply. The toilets stank of piss and at one point she was heaving at its rancid stench. Sitting on the closed toilet lid she bent her body down and searched in her handbag for the parcels. Once she’d found them she stood to her feet and pushed each of the drug- bombs deep into her pants. Her crotch looked funny and it was bulging with all the goods she’d shoved down it. With one hand, she patted them down at the front of her dark coloured jeans. She was ready to leave.
After about fifteen minutes wait, the names were finally called. Helen sprang to her feet and knew it was only a matter of time before she could have something to eat; she was a greedy cow and she was always hungry. “I’m starving,” she moaned at Susie.
“What’s new? You’re never full you, you just eat and eat all day long.”
Helen giggled, “I do, don’t I?”
Susie looked stressed as she went through the usual procedure in the prison. Once they were searched she started to relax. Helen was doing her head in and talking to anyone who would give her a bit of attention. Even when she was being searched she was making a scene. The woman who was searching her shook her head as she listened to her. “You need two people to search me love, your little arms won’t reach round my arse.” Helen was laughing loudly and a few of the officers found her quite amusing. Once she was searched you could see her putting her trainers back on her feet. Helen was yanking at her sock as she let everybody know, her odd socks had holes in.
Susie snarled at her and gritted her teeth as they made their way up to the visiting room. “Why the fuck, do you have to perform everywhere we go, just keep your trap shut for one fucking minute will you.”
Hel
en sighed and waved her hands about in front of her body. “Chill ya beans, you miserable bitch, it wouldn’t do you any harm to break a smile every now and then you know.” Susie ignored her, her mind was on the visit and how she’d pass the drugs over. This was the biggest drop she’d ever done and she just hoped she wouldn’t fuck it up.
Jenkins seemed in a good mood today. As she walked past him he held a smirk across his face. Susie studied him for a minute and carried on walking past him. “What was he so fucking happy about?” she mumbled under her breath.
Shouting could be heard and Susie could see it was Helen again who was making a show of herself. “Yo... our kid,” she ranted. Tim was sinking his head in his arms as they both got nearer. Susie and Helen sat down at the table. Tim told his sister to go and get some food before the queue got any bigger, he was hurrying her away. Struggling to get back up from her seat Helen held her hand out to Susie. “Give us some cash then, I’d get it, but I’m pot-less.” A twenty pound note now lay in her hands and Susie was raising her eyes to the ceiling. She knew Helen would make sure she filled her face on her money. She shook her head at her. “Make sure I get some change, greedy balls.”
Once Tim told Helen what they both wanted, she went to join the long line up of people queuing not far from them. Tim dragged Susie’s hand over the table. “What the fuck have you brought her for?”
Susie pulled her hand from his, “Why what’s wrong with bringing her, she’s your sister isn’t she.”
Tim sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. He looked agitated. “I just wanted it to be us two, that’s all.” Tim’s eyes were all over the place, he could just about see Jenkins leaving the room. His arse was moving about in his seat as he stood out of it a little, he looked to be trying to get Jenkins’s attention. Tim plonked his body back in his chair. “Did you bring the gear?”