by S M Mala
Jake saw his father stand up straight, angrily shaking his head from side to side then turn around and walk straight out of the room, slamming the door shut. Caroline’s eyes seemed to be on fire.
‘That was uncalled for,’ said Jake, taking it all in. ‘Why don’t you tell me what happened if he’s not going to?’
‘You need to hear it from your father’s lips not mine.’
After running out of his aunt’s hotel room, Jake went straight into the reception and saw his father at the bar getting a drink. It wasn’t even eight as he stood there, physically shaking, while downing a scotch. Jake had never seen him look so angry and upset at the same time.
‘Dad, are you okay?’ he asked, walking towards him. ‘Can I do something?’
‘I’m fine, fine,’ Murray replied, putting a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder. ‘You shouldn’t have to hear about these things. It’s all in the past.’
‘It seems it’s very much in the present,’ he said, sitting down at the bar. ‘And it’s too early for you to drink on a Monday morning.’
‘No time is too early when it comes to Caroline.’ He took another large sip. ‘I thought I’d come and speak to her.’ Murray stared into his glass. ‘Though I did realise you’d spent the night with one of my employees here.’
‘There was room,’ Jake shrugged and smiled uncomfortably at his father, who smirked back. ‘Don’t worry you’re too young to be a grandfather.’
‘And you’re too young to be tied down,’ he grimaced. ‘I married your mother for the wrong reasons. Caroline is right, I caused her death. I regret her suicide more than anything.’
‘What about Eloise Harris, her death?’
‘That should never have happened. She should never have had Hatty.’
Knowing his father didn’t want to talk more, he drove him back to the estate in the thundering rain, seeing Murray look up at the sky.
‘It’s the first time the weather’s been bad since I got here,’ said Jake, realising the water falling onto the window screen was like a hose pipe. ‘You know there’ve been freak weather conditions all over the southern states down to the Caribbean. Global warming is certainly going to take its toll on the earth.’
‘I hate it when it’s like this,’ mumbled Murray anxiously. ‘Hatty was born in this type of weather, a bad storm for a few days. Whereas it was raining the day you were born then the sunshine came out the same time you did.’
‘Is Ha Ha afraid of thunder and lightning as well?’
‘Ha Ha is probably a better name for her. She came into this world laughing,’ smiled Murray. ‘She was the tiniest and ugliest little thing you’d ever seen with big lips. You were a beautiful baby but Harriet, well.’ Murray let out a sigh. ‘That child came out kicking and screaming with laughter. Within a few hours she prettied up.’
‘Why were you there?’
‘Because Eloise wanted me by her side. Her husband had left and she had no one else. I was with her when Hatty was born and when she died.’
Murray sank into a deep silence. Jake could see his father didn’t want to talk. As they drove through the gates, the sound in the sky seemed unreal, as if someone was banging a pot very loudly next to his ears.
‘Murray!’ Delores shouted, rushing to him with an umbrella. ‘Hatty’s gone off.’
‘Where?’ he frowned.
‘She left me a note saying she had to pick something up. Arthur said she mentioned she was cycling to the hotel as she left her shawl. Hatty didn’t wear a shawl,’ said Delores anxiously, flashing Jake a filthy look. ‘She left after four in the morning.’
‘What?’ said Murray, as all three of them rushed for shelter under the porch.
‘She was in an odd mood when we came home,’ Delores said, quickly glancing at Jake again. ‘I think she’s still upset with Gina and what happened at the party. You should have told me you invited your friend, Jake, then we could have avoided her.’
‘I forgot,’ he replied, knowing Delores was still glaring.
‘Harriet will be fine. She’s probably hiding somewhere in the hills. That girl knows more hiding places than a rat,’ Murray sighed, walking to the front door. ‘I’m not going into work today. I want to be on my own.’
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Delores gently. ‘Are you okay?’
‘You know I hate it when it thunders round here,’ came his quiet reply as Jake noticed Delores’s face flinch as a glistening of tears appeared.
‘I know,’ she said and quickly left Murray, walking back towards the kitchen.
Jake followed her.
‘Delores, what’s wrong with dad?’ he said, stopping as she got to the door.
‘Sometimes your father needs time alone, to think about things,’ she said, putting on a brave face. He could tell was hiding annoyance. ‘Did anything happen at the hotel?’ Delores eyed him up and down. ‘You didn’t sleep in your bed last night.’
‘He had a quarrel with Caroline as she said something to Hatty which pissed off my father.’
‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know. And I spent the night in the hotel not that it’s any of your business.’
‘With Gina? I see.’ She looked at him for a moment. ‘What are you doing with Hatty?’
‘She’s showing me around the island.’
‘What else are you doing?’
‘I’ve not laid a finger on her,’ he laughed.
‘Don’t play games,’ Delores said sternly, straight into his eyes. ‘I can see she likes you very much. Don’t go messing her about, she doesn’t have the knowledge on how to handle it like Gina.’
‘I wouldn’t ever give her the wrong idea.’
‘And which idea is that?’ she glared at him, stepping closer. ‘Don’t you think I don’t know you saw Hatty watching you and Gina last night? Don’t you dare, for one moment, think you were doing it to show how much you cared about Gina Morgan! You have a girlfriend in New York, why can’t you keep it in your pants!’
‘Excuse me it’s got nothing to do with you!’ snapped Jake, feeling guilty about his scene but even more annoyed at Delores shouting the odds.
‘It has when you’re making sport of the local girls and think you can do it with Hatty. Believe me Jake Logan, I will make your life hell if you use Hatty, you hear me?’
‘Loud and clear Miss Delores. Loud and clear!’
After drawing and tracing the outline for the carving, Hatty started work but her hands were shaking so badly because of the noise coming outside. She had to stop.
Frightened and knowing she was on the verge of getting hysterical, she hid under the work bench and covered her ears as the sound howled around her. The sea was shouting angrily as the sky screamed back and she knew it wouldn’t take long. Her whole body jumped when the lightning struck and the rumbling around her made her physically shake. It was getting worse so she laid on the ground, curled up into a ball, her hands covering her ears, hoping it would all go away. She fell asleep.
Waking up, and shocked she managed to sleep, the sun was streaming through the gaps of the window and Hatty felt happy. She’d turned a corner but as she opened her eyes further, it was evident by the pulling of her lids, she’d been crying through the whole thing as they felt very sore. As she stood, she checked to see everything was as it should be and rushed upstairs to check for leaks. It was all dry and secure.
She looked at her watch and realised it was coming up to four in the afternoon, knowing Delores was going to go mad.
Tidying up and getting ready to leave, she felt absolutely shattered, taking her bike and locking up. As she wheeled her cycle, she looked over at the cove and noticed the water had come up the furthest she’d ever seen by the dents in the sand. Something unnerved her for a second as she glanced at the edge of the small cliff. She got on her bike and rode on her familiar path, which was cluttered with large puddles and muddy grass.
The sun was getting hotter and the smell of wet grass and rain wafted up her
nostrils as did the smell of food. Pushing her bike at slow speed, she eventually saw one of the road side cafes and stopped for a moment, to get a pastry and a can of coke. Her trainers were soaked through and so were the bottom of her dungarees. Not long later she made her journey home, mainly by foot.
‘Ha Ha Hatty!’ she heard her call and decided to ignore the passing car coming beside her, immediately recognising the screechy voice. ‘Ya deaf?’
‘No,’ she said, ignoring Gina who had slowed down in her little sports car.
Hatty looked at the shiny orange thing, still wondering which rich lover bought her it. And how many times the slut would have done it with the man before focussing on the road ahead.
‘Ya auntie goin’ mad lookin’ for ya. Been cryin’ like a baby cos da rain an’ thunder? Or is it somethin’ else?’ laughed out Gina. Hatty didn’t even have her sunglasses to hide her red eyes. ‘Ya look a mess.’
‘I’ll be home soon, thanks for the concern,’ Hatty sarcastically replied and, for the first time ever, she felt a real sense of murderous hate towards the woman and knew exactly why.
‘Jake took me to that expensive hotel on de oder side,’ purred Gina, flashing one of her bright smiles. ‘We made love most of da night. ‘e wonderful! Me saw ya wearin’ ya virgin white in the restaurant. Don’t he know de only reason ya pure ‘cos no man want to touch ya?’
‘Except for Simon,’ Hatty gulped, sensing the hatred from Gina’s stare.
‘Don’t ya dare mention his name!’
‘But it’s true.’
‘Ya marriage proposals only because those men tink Murray Logan will give them a piece of land or sumtin from his business,’ Gina spat.
‘Certainly,’ she grumbled.
‘And what ya showin’ Jake every day? Borin’ ‘im wid ya stupid ways.’
‘Is that what he said?’ she asked, stopping her bike to look at her directly. ‘He thinks I’m stupid and boring?’
‘Me not want to get involve,’ Gina innocently replied. ‘It he father who tell ‘im to keep an eye on ya before ya cos problem at da local school. Poor Jake, baby sittin’ the mad gal who should ‘ave drown!’
‘How comes you’re not married?’ Hatty asked, continuing to push her bike while readjusting her satchel in the hope she’d packed a small tool to throw at Gina’s head.
‘Me not find the right man.’
‘They try before they buy then they don’t want the goods,’ Hatty said, flicking a dirty look. ‘Must be frustrating to know your keys skills are on your back and front, but not good enough to get you to stand next to a man and say ‘I do.’ And you probably smell of old fish anyway!’
‘Ya stupid mad bitch!’ spat Gina, slowing her car down.
For one moment, Hatty knew she might be getting knocked over at any second but as the water ricocheted up, covering her from head to foot as Gina sped by, she was thankful.
Something made Hatty laugh as she shook off the water and saw the dry patch of path. Getting on her bike, she pedalled down the road then stopped seeing the road leading off to the Isaacs property and decided to take a diversion.
‘Yes she here Delores,’ Elena said and smiled. Hatty was sitting in her kitchen eating a fried potato ball. ‘Just a little wet and she look perfectly fine.’ Hatty looked down at her mud stained clothing and bare feet, her trainers drying in the sun. ‘Your aunt not happy you left so early. Where did you go at four this morning?’
‘Things to do,’ replied Hatty, smiling sweetly. ‘I don’t see why Louisa lives in town.’
‘Closer to work and her social life,’ smiled Elena, sipping a cup of tea. ‘Hatty you look at mess an’ why you cry?’
‘I’m not crying.’
‘Your eye red, gal. When school start, you can’t be doin’ this, you know that don’t you?’
‘I know,’ she groaned and put her head in her hands. ‘I don’t want to go home.’
‘Why not?’
‘I’m just going to be told off,’ she said and shook her head. ‘Can I stay here tonight?’
‘And who going to break the news to your aunt?’
‘Auntie Elena you know she likes you. If I phone up she’ll yack yack yack!’ Hatty saw Elena laugh to herself. ‘And she’ll go mad to see I’m this wet.’
‘I thought you’d stay somewhere dry because…’ Hatty could see Elena was searching to find the words.
‘Because I’m petrified of everything? But mostly the sea then the thunder? The only reason I’m wet is because Gina Glory Glory splashed me.’
‘I don’t know what she tink she was doing there yesterday. Windin’ her backside while Jake Logan touchin’ her up.’
‘She likes it and he likes it,’ sniffed Hatty. ‘They spent the night in the hotel getting fresh, not that there’s anything fresh between her legs.’
Again, she felt jealous of the woman as she heard Elena start to laugh.
‘He was starin’ at you hard last night. I’m surprised he didn’t eat you from the look in his eye.’
‘Jake doesn’t think I’m attractive, he himself told me. He was probably getting excited on seeing Gina Glory Glory. His aunt told me, in so many words, to keep away from Jake and if I hadn’t been born then Jake would have had a happier life or something.’
‘Pardon?’ Elena walked towards Hatty and sat down at the dining table. ‘She say anything else?’
‘Just that then walked off,’ shrugged Hatty, looking at Elena. ‘I take it you still won’t tell me what the problem is with me being here, on this earth?’
She knew, even before Elena shook her head from side to side, that was going to be the answer.
Philip drove her home the following morning. She had her bundle of dirty clothes on her lap and was wearing an old outfit of Louisa’s. Hatty kept looking down at the pink tracksuit as Philip just laughed.
‘I love Louisa but she really has had some awful taste in clothes,’ she sighed.
‘Say she who dress like a man!’ smiled Philip. ‘Ya know ya gonna ‘ave to stick around wid your aunt today, don’t ya? No sneakin’ off to ya house.’
‘I know,’ she sighed, seeing there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. ‘What a waste of a beautiful day.’
‘Why did ya leave so early yesterday?’
‘Me can’t sleep.’
‘Hatty?’
‘Restless,’ she shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. ‘I did a lot of work, so it was a good day.’ Hatty noticed Philip didn’t look convinced as they turned into the estate and drove down the path to her house. ‘What do you think she’s going to make me do as punishment?’
‘Did ya do sumtin bad?’
‘No.’
‘There rest ya case.’
‘Depends how you define ‘case’,’ she grimaced.
Philip got out of the truck and ran to the other side, opening the door as she jumped out.
‘Me see ya at da funeral.’
‘Me not do nuttin’ wrong!’
‘Ya disappear.’
‘But you knew where I was.’
‘Me da only blasted one!’ he seethed. ‘Get in!’
‘Fine,’ she said, holding on to her bundle.
Philip got her bike off the back and put it against the fence.
Hatty took a deep breath and walked in to her house.
It was silent. She let out a sigh of relief.
‘Harriet!’ she heard Murray say, realising it was worse than she thought. Dropping her clothes to the floor she walked into the living room to see Murray and Delores sitting at the table. ‘What on earth are you wearing?’
He started to laugh as Delores shook her head in dismay.
‘Louisa’s old clothes,’ she said and could see he was in a good mood but her aunt wasn’t. ‘So what’s up?’
‘Sit,’ Delores said, in her threatening manner. Hatty approached the table and sat in between them. ‘What happened yesterday?’
‘I couldn’t sleep so I went out.’
‘Why did you
say you left your shawl at the hotel?’
‘Because…’ She bit her lip thinking of something to say but couldn’t.
‘Where did you go?’
‘Found a shack up in the hills and sat there until the thunder stopped.’
‘On your own?’
‘Who else would I be with?’ she scowled, noticing Murray stare at her. she figured he didn’t believe a word of what she was saying. ‘I haven’t got many friends.’
‘Weren’t you scared?’ he said, leaning closer and touching her hand.
She noticed Delores eyes were fixed where his skin touched hers.
‘I’m getting very brave in my old age,’ she said, standing up immediately. ‘Who knows, maybe I’ll go swimming in the sea before I’m twenty five!’
‘That’s a stupid thing to say!’ Murray barked and stood up, startling Hatty.
‘I might overcome all my fears you know, stranger things have happened.’
‘You can’t run off like that again, do you hear me?’ he said sharply. Hatty could see Delores fix her stare at the man. ‘You have to tell me where you are, where you go and don’t suddenly turn up at the Isaacs home and stay the night. This place is your home and we’re your family.’
‘What’s my punishment?’ Hatty sighed, knowing anything she said would be wasted. ‘Because I know there is one.’
‘Jake said you haven’t shown him around the island enough and you promised,’ Murray said while Delores flinched.
‘I’m not showing him anything because I know you told him to keep me out of trouble. Plus he thinks I’m boring and stupid. Personally, I’m better off giving Barney the tour.’
‘He goes back in a few weeks so humour me, okay?’ said Murray, shaking his head while walking out. ‘But that’s after your aunt wants you to do a few things to help on the estate.’
Hatty looked at Delores’s smiling face.
‘No,’ Hatty said, shaking her head from side to side. ‘I know what you’re going to make me do and I won’t do it.’
‘You will and you better,’ came the menacing reply.
‘Why ya not listen?’ said Ethel as Hatty was up to her elbows in dough an hour later.