by Woods, Karen
“Go on then, what’s up with him?” Fallon said. “Give us a drag of that cig first. I need it to calm my nerves,” she reached over and took the cigarette from Fallon. Her cheeks sucked in on both sides as she inhaled deeply. “I miss smoking you know. As soon as I drop this baby, I’m starting again.” Fallon raised a half-hearted smile.
Billy had stopped her smoking from the second he found out she was carrying his child. He was a right control freak lately. Lesley stubbed the cig out in the ashtray. “He’s been mixed up with some dodgy geezers lately. I don’t know exactly what he’s up to, but I think it’s got something to do with drugs.”
Fallon bolted up from her chair. “This just gets fucking worse. Billy hates drugs, he always said after his best mate died from that heroin overdose, that drugs were the root of all evil and he’d never have fuck all to do with them.”
Lesley pulled her back down. “Chill ya beans, I said, I think it’s something to do with drugs. I don’t know for sure.”
Fallon kicked her shoes off and lifted her feet onto the couch. “Well I’m not leaving you tonight, there’s no way. You were always there for me in my time of need and I’m going to be there for you. If he fights you, he fights me too.”
Lesley tried to calm her down. “I don’t need you to stay with me. I’ll be fine on my own. Once he’s calmed down he’ll come back and he’ll be full of apologies, he’s always the same.”
Fallon snapped, “Why don’t you pack your stuff and leave him. Once a man hits a woman that’s it, he’ll do it again and again. You’ve seen it on the TV loads of times haven’t you?”
Lesley knew she was right, but chose to ignore the signs of an abusive partner. “Oh, don’t you worry about me, I’ll be sorted. Anyway, you clever girl, tell me all about college and that. Is there any dishy men there or what?”
Fallon was blushing. Lesley looked at her in more detail and covered her mouth with her hand. “Orr, you’re going red. Come on tell me now, have you met somebody?” Fallon didn’t know herself why she felt embarrassed, but she was definitely going red. There was a guy in her class, but she’d only spoken to him a few times. It was no big romance as Lesley thought. Fallon smiled and twisted her hair slowly. “Fucking hell calm down, you mad- head. I have met someone, but we’re just friends. He’s nothing special.”
Lesley giggled as she watched Fallon’s face getting all serious. She could always wind her up. “What is he, just a fuck buddy then, you know one of them friends with benefits?”
Fallon chuckled and held the bottom of her stomach. “Will you just fuck off; he’s a friend like I’ve told you, nothing else.” The girls sat together and somehow, whatever problems they had seemed to disappear. Fallon stayed the night with Lesley. Billy never came home.
*
Dalton sat in his office twisting his pen and scribbling on scraps of paper, he was troubled. He’d made the biggest mistake of his life and the ache in his heart wasn’t going away no matter how much he tried. Grabbing another sheet of paper from his drawer he began to write Fallon another letter. He was never going to give up, he loved her too much. As his words started to flow he lifted his head up and could see Kirsty stood at the office door. He quickly pulled a book over his letter and hid it away out of sight. Dalton had told Kirsty some made up story about Fallon, saying she was his old girlfriend back in Manchester. He said he’d told her before he’d come to London that it was over, and they were just friends. She bought the whole cock and bull story; she believed every word he told her. She was annoying Dalton lately and he never seemed to get a minute’s peace away from her, she was a stalker.
Brian told Dalton straight that he’d better not hurt her, because he’d already had her dad Ted down his neck telling him that if his daughter was ever hurt by his son, both their necks would be on the line. Kirsty sat on his desk and draped her body toward him. She looked sexy as she kicked her legs out behind her. “Where’s my kiss then, I’ve missed you?” Dalton looked annoyed as he puckered up. The sound of lips smacking together could be heard. “Dalton,” she whispered.
He looked at her, “What?”
“Don’t say it like that. I want to talk to you about something important.”
He knew he was acting weird and tried to shake it off. “I’m just in a mood that’s all. I’ve just got so much work to do,” he pointed to a tray piled high with paper in front of him. “All these invoices need to be sorted out by this afternoon, and I’m well behind already.”
She smiled and reached her hand over to stroke the side of his face. “Shall we get engaged?”
Dalton felt like he was suffocating; his nostrils were pumping at the sides. “Engaged! What, me and you?”
She held one finger to the corner of her mouth. “Yes, I’ve spoken to my Dad about it and he said if that’s what we want to do, then he’s happy for us.”
He sprung to his feet. What was the girl going on about? He’d never agreed to any of this. “Why do we need to get engaged? We’re not ready for anything like that yet, are we?”
Kirsty slammed her clenched fist onto the table and growled at him. “Well, you’ve slept with me and I’m pregnant so we need to get married as soon as possible. I was just thinking about getting engaged first, but really we should be getting married. I mean, once my Dad knows that I’m pregnant he’ll be having a word with you. I just thought we could tell him together about our plans for the future.”
Dalton was white in the face; small beads of sweat were visible on his forehead. He wanted to run and run and never come back to London ever again as long as he lived. His voice was weak. “I’m not getting married, so think again. If you’re pregnant, where is the proof? Have you done a test or something?”
Kirsty nodded. A cunning look was held across her face. “I’m going to tell my Dad tonight, so I suggest you come with me.”
Dalton sank to his knees, he looked crippled with pain. “I’m not ready to be a Dad. I thought you were on the pill or something like that.”
“Well, you thought wrong then didn’t you?” she snapped. Kirsty stood with one hand on her hip, her face was stern. “This is our child so I hope you’re going to do the right thing by me.”
Dalton ran from the room. He sprinted into the toilets at the side of his office and you could hear him retching inside. Punching the side of the toilet wall he was crying. “No, no,” he sobbed. Kirsty followed him and she was soon banging on the door. “Are you alright in there Dalton, should I go and get some help?”
Slowly the door opened and he darted his eyes into her. “No, I don’t need anyone. Just leave me alone will you. This is a big shock and I need to come to terms with it myself. Just fuck off and leave me alone.” Kirsty ran off down the small corridor, she was hysterical. A few workmen were talking nearby, and she could see them whispering to each other.
Dalton sat in his office and it wasn’t long before his father was stood at the door with a look that could kill spread across his face. “I’ve just saw Kirsty running into her Dad’s office, she was crying her eyes out, please tell me it’s nothing to do with you?”
Dalton bolted up and closed the office door. He was walking about like a headless chicken. “Dad, I’m in shit street, Kirsty’s just told me she’s pregnant, and that I have to marry her.”
Brian gulped and rolled his eyes back. “For fucks sake, that’s all I need.”
Dalton looked at his father as if he could give him all the answers to his problems. He was eager to hear what he had to say. Brian sat down and dropped his head onto the table, “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Lifting his head up slowly, he whispered to his son, his eyes kept turning to the door. “If you don’t marry her, Ted will have us out of here before you can say another word. I can’t lose this job son; your mother would be broken-hearted. It would finish her off.”
Dalton screamed out, he was dragging his hands at his clothes. “Dad, she’s done it on purpose. She’s trapped me, surely you can see that. She’s a spoilt brat.”
Brian hunched his shoulders, he knew his son was telling the truth but he was helpless. “You’ll just have to marry her son, come on,” he paused. “It could be a lot worse, at least she’s from a good family and you’ll never go short of money.”
Dalton plunged his fist into the wall. “Is that all you’re interested in, the fucking money?”
Brian could see his son was losing the plot and tried to calm him down. “No, it’s not, but you’re playing with my future here and I’ve worked my balls off for this job. If you fuck it up for me now, I’ll disown you. I swear it.”
Dalton shot his eyes to his father, spit was hanging from the corner of his mouth. “So that’s it then, I’ll have to marry her won’t I?”
Brian dropped his head, and that was enough for Dalton to know his answer. Brian left the office, he tried to comfort his son before he left but he pulled away from him. “You’re just like my Mam, ‘money, money, money’. Well don’t you worry father. I’ll do the right thing, but don’t you ever expect me to love her. You know where my heart is.”
Brian choked back his tears as he left, he looked heartbroken. He’d sold his son out for his own benefit. Dalton was right; he was the same as his mother. The door slammed shut and Dalton fell to his knees behind it. Sat with his hands holding his head he sobbed his heart out.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lesley screamed as she pushed her child into the world, her face was sweating and she looked like she was about to give up, her face was bright purple. Fallon and Billy were at the side of her and urging her to continue. “Come on Lesley. I can see its head, not long now, come on girl, push,” Fallon shouted. The nurse at the bottom of the bed looked flustered; this hadn’t been an easy birth and she looked tired as she positioned herself between the woman's legs. Lesley sunk her teeth into Billy’s hand as she pushed for the final time. Her white nails dug deep into his skin. “Fucking hell, turn it in,” Billy moaned as everyone looked at him. The room shook with Lesley’s shrieking tones. Fallon looked white, and her hands were trembling as she covered her face. She would never have a baby now she knew it caused this much pain. Lesley was a tough cookie and the birth had taken it out of her without any shadow of doubt.
The room was quiet and all you could hear was the deep groans from the depths of Lesley’s chest. Her chin was sunk deep into her breasts and her face was creased with the pain. The sound of a baby crying filled the room. Billy sank his head onto the bed and tears streamed down his face. “It’s a boy,” he whimpered. Lesley crawled back up on the bed, and her body was shaking. She was in shock, her lips were deep blue and she didn’t look right. The nurse called in another midwife from outside. Her face looked concerned as she placed her fingers on Lesley’s pulse. Within seconds she had a woollen blanket wrapped around her shoulders and that seemed enough to calm her down.
“Pass me my son,” Lesley said in an anxious voice. She was emotional and tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Fallon went to the small incubator at the side of the bed, and lifted the bundle out from it. “Come on you, come and meet your mummy.” The baby was wrapped in a green blanket and he looked hungry. His lungs were pumping and his tiny lips were smacking together.
The nurse passed a bottle to Lesley filled with baby milk. “I think he needs feeding,” she said with a giggle in her voice. Lesley held her son for the first time in her arms. The blanket around his shoulders was opened slightly and you could see his bright pink skin. Shooting her eyes to Billy she smiled. “He’s lovely isn’t he?” Billy nodded and gripped his son’s small fingers in his hand. He was stroking them softly and trying to hold back the tears. Lesley sat up and made herself comfortable. She looked anxious. She checked the nurse wasn’t listening in on their conversation, and told Billy to move closer to the bed. Fallon’s face screwed up and she looked confused as she tried to listen into what her friend had to say from the other side of the room. She was getting some baby clothes together to dress her new nephew. Lesley pulled her son up further onto her chest and held an evil look in her eyes.
She slowly slid her tongue across her top lip. Billy held his ear to her mouth as she spoke. “If you ever, and I mean ever, lay another finger on me. I’ll do time for you, do you hear me?” He lifted his head up and looked at her as if she was mental. He twisted his head to look at his sister and appeared edgy. He was fidgeting about. Lesley gripped his hand and looked directly into his eyes. “I love you Billy, but it stops now.” As if he was in some kind of trance he nodded his head slowly. Lesley shot her eyes to Fallon and bowed her head slowly. She smiled back at her and carried on getting the baby’s clothes ready, she was smirking. Billy had finally got his comeuppance after months of abuse. Lesley was always telling Fallon, that once she’d dropped the baby, things were going to change in her relationship, and by the looks of things she meant every word. Lesley was back, and as strong as ever. Somehow Fallon knew her brother would never lay a finger on her again if he knew what was good for him anyway.
*
A few weeks later Fallon sat waiting to collect her results from her exams. If she got what she needed she would be on her way to university to study to become a doctor. John stood next to her and dropped his arm over her shoulder. He was a dish and looked like sex on legs. Fallon was just friends with him, but she had a gut feeling he wanted more from her. He’d told her in the past that he fancied her like mad, but she didn’t believe him. He was always joking about and she didn’t know when to take him seriously.
John Taylor was older than Fallon; his dark raven black hair was scooped back from his face and showed off his piercing blue eyes. As he stood next to her they looked like the perfect couple. Fallon had promised him that if she got the results she wanted, they would go out to the pub and celebrate together. John wanted to be a doctor too. Ever since he’d watched his brother die in front of him in a road accident he’d vowed to help save people’s lives. John was a lovely guy and his sense of humour was second to none. He was always making Fallon laugh and cracking jokes. He knew more than anyone her story about Dalton and played the part of a concerned friend well. But, to tell you the truth, he was sick to death of hearing the tosser’s name in every other sentence. John came from the same kind of background as Fallon, and his home life was no better than hers.
Fallon stood holding a white envelope in her hands, she was nervous, and her eyes were dancing with excitement. John stood next to her also with his envelope. “Right, let’s open them together,” Fallon said.
“Right, are you ready, after the count of three - one, two, three.” The sound of paper being ripped could be heard. Fallon’s eyes scanned the white sheet of paper in front of her. She was jumping about on the spot; her arms were waving in the air. She couldn’t catch her breath. “I’ve fucking done it. I can’t believe it, I’m going to Uni.”
John looked concerned, his face dropped and he seemed anxious as he dragged his fingers through his hair. “I’m not coming Fallon. I didn’t get the grades.” She stood frozen to the spot, how could this be possible, he’d studied so hard. He was always top of the class. She walked to his side and he passed her his results.
Fallon scanned the piece of paper and the corners of her mouth started to rise. “You fucking liar, you’ve passed, you knob head. You had me going there,” she punched him softly in the waist. Dragging her towards him their eyes met. John was gazing deep into her eyes and it seemed like nothing else mattered in the world.
Fallon moved away; she quickly pecked him on the cheek and broke free from his grip. “Well, that’s us out tonight celebrating. Are you up for it or what?” He smiled back at her and looked frustrated. This girl was making his knob throb like mad. Covering his crotch, he nodded his head.
“I most certainly am. It’s my treat too. I want to get you pissed out of your head, and shag your brains out.”
Fallon chuckled, “Ay, stop talking to me like that, we’re mates us two. Not fuck buddies.”
John stared at her a bit longe
r than necessary. “Well, who knows, once you get your beer goggles on, I might look half decent then, and you’ll want me more than ever.”
Fallon studied his face, he seemed upset. She grabbed his hand stroking it softly. “Ay, you’re a good-looking man, don’t ever think anything different. I’m just a bit fucked up at the moment, you know why, don’t you?”
John blew his breath and kicked his foot at the ground. “Oh yes, I know. You’ve told me often enough haven’t you”, he held his head to the side and he placed a finger in the corner of his mouth, he was being sarcastic. “What his name again. Is he called Dalton?”
Fallon looked shocked; he was taking the piss out of her for sure. Was she still that much in love with Dalton that she was constantly talking about him? “Are you taking the piss out of me or what?”
John realised that he’d put his foot in it again. Him and his big mouth, he just couldn’t help it anymore, he wanted Fallon with all his heart. He answered her. “Nar, you geek. I was just saying that’s all,” he smiled and danced about where he stood. “Anyway, enough about your ex-boyfriend, I’m sick of talking about him. What about us two clever fuckers getting into University? My Mam’s going to have kittens when I tell her.” He looked proud and pulled at his clothes. “I’m the first one out of our family to ever get anywhere in life.”
Fallon nodded, “I know me too. I can’t believe it. Right, I’ll meet you later to celebrate. Make sure you get a wash and that, you scruffy fucker. I don’t want you showing me up.”
John giggled; he loved her dry sense of humour. Pulling at his jumper he answered her with a cocky reply. “When you see the way I scrub up, you won’t be able to keep your paws off me. I’m like a fanny magnet you know.”
Fallon held her stomach. “Go on you mad- head. I’ll see you later, about eightish.” Fallon watched him walk off in the other direction. His arse was so sexy and she couldn’t keep her eyes from it. He was right though, he was a fanny magnet.