by Edie Baylis
Eliza smiled sarcastically and fiddled with a loose tooth. “Their lives are a just a little bit fucked up for babies, Maggie.”
“Where’s she getting it done?”
Eliza shrugged. “Don’t know exactly. Some clinic near the hospital.”
Maggie stared at the floor. “What time?”
Swigged from her cider, Eliza belched loudly. “Think she said 11? I wish I was pregnant. No one would expect me to bloody work then would they!” She laughed to herself. “Why are you asking, Mags? Do you think we should go with her?”
Maggie’s blue eyes glistened with tears. “No I don’t.” She wiped her hand shakily across her mouth. “I’m telling Seth.”
Eliza sat bolt upright. “What? You can’t!”
“He’s got a right to know. It’s his child.”
“Maggie,” Eliza grabbed her arm. “You can’t, you really can’t. He’ll go MAD!” Truthfully, she wasn’t bothered whether Seth would go mad, but more concerned that yet again she’d dropped herself in it. Wouldn’t she ever learn?
Seeing the resolute expression on Maggie’s face, Eliza knew she was going to have to do a damn fine job of talking her out of this. Sighing she walked to the bar. It was going to be a long afternoon.
WAZZA’S LONG BEARD dragged on the surface of the table as he reached for his beer. “So what you’re saying is we wait for the other lot to take the security van out and then jump them?”
Phil nodded. “That’s exactly what we’re saying, yes.”
Digger smiled and leant back in his chair. “And Jane will distract them by being the breathtakingly stunning and alluring ‘damsel in distress’ at the side of the road?” He gave her a wink from across the table.
“Indeed!” Phil smiled.
Jane smiled as best as she could whilst her hand ran self-consciously over her small bump. She didn’t feel stunning or alluring one jot. More like a heifer.
“It’s extremely unlikely they’ll stop,” Phil continued, glancing at Seth. “But Jane will be enough of a distraction to slow them down so we can block them at either end.”
“I don’t want Jane doing anything else though. Not with th....” A sharp kick from under the table made Seth quickly recover the situation. “Erm, not with all these people involved.”
Phil glanced at Seth. What was the matter with him?
Adrian piped up from the other end of the table, his manic eyes lighting up with excitement at the prospect. “Then we shoot them and take the cash?”
“NO shooting unless it’s unavoidable!” Seth snapped, studying Adrian’s long dirty blonde hair, messy goatee and large biceps bulging out from his sleeveless leather waistcoat. “The less attention we draw, the better.”
Phil smiled. “This is a massive hoist guys. If we can pull this off, we make ourselves a tidy 10k a piece, whilst the other dim fuckers get the blame.”
They all laughed and Wazza signalled for another round of drinks.
MAGGIE WAS GLAD TO finally get away from Eliza. She was drunk and needed to get back to the caravan to think. She’d said she wouldn’t say anything, but realistically she didn’t know what to do. Surely Jane wouldn’t go through with an abortion?
Steadying herself against a low wall she rummaged in her bag for her cigarettes and let the cool evening breeze wash over her face. She had to do something. They’d both thank her for it in the end wouldn’t they?
Maggie shrugged. Either way, she’d got until tomorrow to decide, so she’d think about it again when her head was clearer.
FLICKING THE LIGHTS ON as he shut the front door, Seth pulled Jane into his arms. “Now,” he murmured, bending his head to kiss her. “How about we take half an hour to ourselves before getting a drink?”
Jane reached her arms around Seth’s strong neck, feeling his hunger pressing hard against her.
She felt dreadful. The appointment at the clinic was hanging over her head like a black cloud and Maggie’s earlier comments had thrown her more than she cared to admit. Fuck. It would break Seth’s heart. It would break hers too, but she’d have to get over that wouldn’t she?
“Seth, I....”
“Ssshhh.” Putting his finger gently to Jane’s mouth, Seth replaced it with his lips.
As Seth’s hand made its way up her skirt, Jane began unbuttoning his jeans until an almighty crash from outside stopped them in their tracks.
Seth’s head snapped round in the direction of the front door. “What the fuck was that?” Quickly doing up his jeans, he moved forwards. “Stay here.”
Jane righted her skirt. Who was he trying to kid? She was stopping nowhere. She ran out of the front door just as Seth disappeared down the first set of steps in to the courtyard.
Rounding the corner, she was met by the sight of Stuart spread-eagled on the floor being kicked and punched repeatedly by two large men. “Finally caught up with you did it?” Jane shouted, failing to hide her happiness. “Keep out of it Seth!” she called, watching as he moved towards the group.
Stuart glared at Jane. “You bitch! Is this down to you?” he spat through his bruised and bloodied mouth
Seth stiffened. He’d been about to jump in and help Stuart, but now he froze. “What’s going on?”
The large black man turned to Seth. “Keep out of it, mate. Nowt but our friend here who’s brought this on himself.”
“You thick cunt!” Stuart screamed at Seth. “Can’t you see she’s done this?”
Flashing fire, Seth stepped forward to join in giving Stuart a kicking. For a start he’d do a much better job than these pair of jokers. They hadn’t done much damage at all yet.
Jane grabbed Seth by his arm. “Leave them!”
“Enjoying this?” Stuart shouted, his eyes blazing. “I’ll get you for this, bitch. That I promise.”
Seth was not happy. This prick was threatening Jane and he was supposed to stand here and take it? “Either you sort him out, or I will,” he snarled to the men, giving them one final chance to do it properly.
He was bewildered by the situation, but did what Jane asked. Standing to one side he couldn’t help noticing the smug smile on her face when Stuart received a further swift kick to the side of his head.
Seth decided he’d be asking Stuart very clearly what his problem was. He also hadn’t forgotten the cheeky bastard called him a thick cunt and was beginning to see why no one liked the man.
STUART WAS A MESS BY the time the Hanson’s runners had finished and was curled into a foetal position with blood tricking from his ear. Groans came from his shattered mouth and it looked like that blow from the hammer had shattered his left kneecap.
Giving him a final message not to show his face in the city again, the two men nodded to Seth and Jane and departed into the stairwell.
Jane could not hold it together any longer and burst into loud laughter. Moving forwards, she leant over Stuart and smirked. “What a shame!”
“Leave it will you,” Seth growled, pulling Jane backwards. He looked at her sternly. “It’s not worth it. You’re pregnant remember?”
How could she forget? He didn’t stop reminding her. Glaring, Jane shook herself from Seth’s grip and stalked towards the stairs. “If you help him, don’t bother coming back!”
Seth had no intention in the slightest of doing anything to help Stuart after what he’d heard coming out of his mouth. Quickly turning away, he followed Jane up to their flat.
THIRTY FIVE
MAGGIE HAD BEEN AWAKE all night worrying and by morning she was still unsure about what to do. She’d walked past Jane’s flat a hundred times and smoked a thousand fags before glancing at the clock on the wall of the Town Hall. Finally, before she could talk herself out of it, she ran up the steps to the flat.
Standing in the doorway she couldn’t quite summon the courage to knock, but the decision was taken out of her hands when the door flew open.
Seth stood with a towel wrapped around his hips, his wet hair dripping down his bare chest. “Thought I heard so
mething.”
Maggie tried not to look at him, her nerves getting the better of her.
“Jane’s not here,” Seth motioned for Maggie to follow him. “She’s gone to see about some work.”
Robotically Maggie followed him into the lounge, only to stop on seeing blood splattered everywhere. Her hand quickly rose to her mouth and her eyes darted towards Seth.
Seeing her shock, Seth winked and gestured her to a chair. “Don’t worry about the mess. I was just about to sort it out. Bit of business last night that’s all. Sit yourself down.”
Maggie hesitantly lowered herself into an armchair, her legs like jelly. She watched Seth casually whip the towel from his hips and step into his jeans.
“So,” Seth smiled lazily. “What’s up?”
Maggie closed her eyes not knowing where to start.
JANE FIDGETED IN THE waiting room and glanced at two women sitting opposite staring silently at magazines, trying to pretend they weren’t all there for the same reason. She’d been faltering over the last few days and felt perhaps they could make it work after all, but last night was the straw which had broken the camel’s back and cemented her decision.
She’d been in the lounge when Seth had crashed in with Digger at 2am, dragging a guy with them. Sitting astride the man, Seth beat him unconscious and the stranger’s blood had sprayed like a loose showerhead all over her.
Staring at the wild animal who’d fathered the child inside her, Jane had turned around and left the room. In the bathroom, she’d wiped the blood away and retched into the toilet for what seemed like hours.
She’d still been leaning against the cool tiles to try and stop her mind from reeling when the door slammed as Digger removed the unfortunate man from the flat.
Seth had staggered in smiling. “What’s the matter, baby?” Cupping Jane’s face with his hand, he’d taken a swig out of the whisky bottle he clutched. “Are you not well?”
“I’m fine,” Jane had lied and eyed the bloody handprint he’d left on her face in the mirror’s reflection.
Jane tried to concentrate on the old dog-eared copy of ‘Readers Digest,’ but she’d read the same sentence a thousand times.
Was she making a hideous mistake? Waiting gave her time to think and that was dangerous. It always had been.
She ran her hand over the little bump and immediately wished she hadn’t. She needed her mind to be blank.
There was still time.
No. She’d made her decision and would have to stick to it. It was the right thing to do wasn’t it?
Swallowing down the overwhelming urge to run away, Jane set her jaw in a straight line and held her ground.
SETH SHOOK MAGGIE HARD. “Tell me where the fuck she’s gone!”
“I-I....”
“NOW, Maggie.” Seth’s eyes pierced into Maggie’s as she reeled off as much as she knew.
“And what time is this happening?”
“I-I’m not sure. I....”
Gripping Maggie’s arms harder, he shook her again, his voice raw. “Stop stuttering you silly bitch. Tell me what time or I’ll fucking kill you!”
“11. Eliza said 11,” Maggie sobbed.
Seth’s head snapped to the clock. “WHAT?” It had just gone 10.30.
Throwing Maggie roughly into the chair, Seth shoved his feet into his boots and pulled a shirt off the clothes horse. He grabbed his car keys, shrugging the shirt onto his shoulders and pointed his finger in her face. “If I’m too late, I’ll hold you entirely responsible.”
When the door slammed behind him, Maggie put her head in her hands and shook uncontrollably.
Eliza had been right. She should have kept out of it.
SETH GUNNED ALONG THE road, his knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel. His eyes stared straight ahead as he blindly fumbled for his lighter and sparked up the eleventh cigarette since he’d got in the car fifteen minutes ago.
Swerving past a car, he glanced at the time on the dashboard clock. Almost 11. Fuck. Fucking hell. COME ON! Time was running out.
“Get out of my way!” he yelled, overtaking another car. If he didn’t get there in time he’d be finished and so, he thought with a savage expression, would Jane.
Silent tears coursed down his face as he pushed harder on the accelerator, the needle on the speedo hovering at just over 140mph.
Swallowing down bile in his throat, panic rose like a phoenix in Seth’s chest. Breathing in quick and ragged bursts, he wiped beads of sweat away from his forehead with his sleeve, feeling like he’d pass out any minute.
“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME JANE?” he roared and slammed his fist on the steering wheel.
JANE STARED AT THE off-white blinds hanging in strips over the side window in the small room. Although it was over-hot she was cold and shivery.
A nurse sat talking in front of her holding a clip-board, but Jane didn’t hear a word of it because her eyes were fixed on a wheeled trolley holding a collection of implements. Maybe she shouldn’t be looking, she thought, seeing curved things with thick handles, something that looked like an electric toothbrush and a metal dish.
Without warning, Jane’s stomach heaved. Grabbing the nearest thing to hand she vomited hard into a cardboard bed pan. With shaking fingers she then accepted the tissue from the stony-faced nurse and quickly wiped her mouth.
“Do you understand everything I’ve told you?”
Jane nodded blankly and took the paper the nurse waved at her. She’d no idea what the woman had said, but cared even less.
The nurse pushed a black biro across the desk. “Sign here and get on the bed. It won’t take long.”
Jane stared at the words spinning on the paper like a kaleidoscope. Just do it and get it fucking over with, she thought numbly.
SCREECHING TO A HALT half-on the pavement, Seth threw himself out of the driver’s door and took the steps three at a time. He crashed through the door into the waiting room and ignored the expressions of the women at the sight of a crazed long-haired man barging past them. His eyes frantically searched the room. Jane wasn’t here! Where the fuck was she?
The woman behind the reception desk stood up. “Excuse me, you can’t g...”
Roughly pushing the woman sideways, Seth lurched past and shoved at the door of the treatment room. Finding it locked, he kicked it with full force.
Jane stared in shock as Seth crashed wild-eyed into the room, but before his presence properly sank in, he’d dragged her from the metal bed by her hair.
“Who the hell are you?” the nurse screamed.
Ignoring her, Seth slammed into the metal trolley, scattering the instruments all over the floor. He pushed Jane up against the wall and yanking her chin up, stared into her eyes. “Have you done it?”
Jane looked at Seth mutely, her dark eyes expressionless. How the hell had he found out? No - she hadn’t done it. She’d changed her mind.
“HAVE YOU DONE IT?” Seth screamed.
“You can’t come in here!” the nurse wailed.
Seth glared at the woman. “I CAN DO WHAT THE FUCK I WANT!” Turning back to Jane, his eyes scanned hers. “TELL ME! Please tell me Jane. Have you killed our child?”
Seeing the pain in Seth’s eyes, Jane’s heart broke into a thousand pieces. She shook her head and watched his shoulders sag with relief.
“Right.” Grabbing Jane’s bag, Seth picked her skirt off the chair and shoved it into her shaking hands. “Put it on. We’re leaving.”
“Seth, I....”
“Shut up. Just shut the fuck up Jane!”
CHAIN-SMOKING, JANE PICKED at her fingers during the silent drive home, glad Seth hadn’t spoken because she’d have had to answer him and she’d no idea what to say. It was only a matter of time before she’d have to say something though.
She was relieved when the car finally pulled up in the parking lot. She needed to drink something hard and then go to bed for a while.
Stepping into the flat, Jane walked into the lounge and
began to pull her shoes off as Seth closed the door behind them.
Spinning Jane around, Seth drew close to her face. “Now you can tell me what the fuck you were thinking!”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Sorry?” Seth screamed, “You’re sorry?” He yanked her head back by her hair. “You decide to kill our child without even discussing it with me?” He shook her like a rag doll. “How dare you. How fucking dare you!”
“Get off me Seth! This is why we can’t have a child. Because of all this!” Jane waved her arm wildly around the lounge - from the bloody splatters up the wall to the patches of congealed blood over the underlay. She pointed to the upturned table, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. “You promised me all this would stop!”
“Oh so it’s my fault?” Seth raged. “Nothing to do with you then?”
Jane shook her head in despair. She just wanted to lie down. She was too mentally and physically exhausted to argue and the tears were threatening to fall. The last thing she wanted was to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
As she turned to walk away, Seth swung Jane back to face him and backhanded her hard across her face. The force of the slap knocked her backwards, but he pulled her on top of him onto the sofa, his hand splaying over her belly.
“You’re having this baby Jane,” he growled.
Prising Seth’s hands off, Jane pushed away from him and ran from the room. Grabbing her car keys, she got half way up the hallway before he caught up with her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he raged, slamming her against the wall.
“Away from YOU!” Jane screamed.
“You think I’ll trust you to go anywhere now do you?” he laughed, opening the front door.
Watching Seth step through the doorway, Jane panicked. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going OUT!” Slamming the door, he turned the key in the lock from the outside.
Jane tried the door handle, shaking it. He’d locked her in the fucking flat!