Bad Things Happen: when a child goes missing

by K Leitch

  She picked up her phone and pressed Carla’s number, she answered after a couple of rings.

  ‘Hi Tracy what’s up?’ Carla said breezily.

  ‘Oooohhh Carla,’ wailed Tracy, ‘I think I’ve lost hiiiimmmm…sob sob…he’s gone and he’s sooo angry…’

  ‘Hang on Trace…calm down, what’s happened? I take it you’ve had a row with Simon what…’

  ‘He found out about the babbbyyy…sob sob hiccup…snort…and he was sooo angry with me…he’s walked out…and I love him so much Carla…sniff sniff…what am I going to dooooo?’

  ‘Tracy you’re not telling me that Simon has walked out because he’s found out he’s going to be a dad are you? Because if that’s the case…well I’m horrified…’

  ‘Nooooo…hiccup…he’s angry because I didn’t tell him…thinks I don’t trust him…oh Carla I am such a foooool.’

  ‘Well you won’t get any arguments from me about that you silly cow!’ said Carla. ‘Right change of plan, I’ll come and pick you up tonight, you are in no fit state to drive. I’ll be about half an hour ok?’

  ‘Um I don’t know if I should come now,’ said Tracy still sniffing but calming down. ‘I mean what if he comes back and I’ve just buggered off with the girls; that might make him even angrier.’

  ‘Well it won’t do him any harm to sit at home alone and think things through; because even though I think you’ve been a total idiot for not telling him, he must have given you reason to be nervous of him. So all in all I think you could both do with a bit of space from each other, to put things into perspective…no, no arguments I’m picking you up in half an hour…be ready!’ and she rang off.

  Tracy blew her nose and looked at her blotchy face in the mirror. ‘Bloody hell…I could have done with longer than half an hour!’ she said as she reached for her makeup.

  Carla was as good as her word and in no time at all Tracy was in the passenger seat and telling Carla all about it.

  ‘What a sneaky minx that sister of yours is Tracy…I’ve a good mind to give her a piece of my mind…even though I can’t help but think this was a good thing, at least he knows now and you can go on from here.’

  ‘Yeh, assuming he ever speaks to me again,’ said Tracy gloomily; she had gradually become more and more despondent as the journey went on. As they pulled into the pub car park they spotted Maggie just getting out of her car, she came running over to them smiling from ear to ear.

  ‘Guess what… Jed’s awake! He just suddenly opened his eyes this afternoon, how amazing is that, I am on cloud nine.’

  ‘Oh Maggie that is so amazing…oh you must be so relieved,’ said Carla enveloping her friend in a hug, Tracy joined in and they all walked into the pub arm in arm talking ten to the dozen.

  Maggie spotted Helen sitting in a cosy corner; she, as usual, had been first to arrive and she called to them that she had already got their drinks so they made their way straight over to her telling her the good news even before they sat down.

  ‘And the funny thing was that we didn’t even notice for a while,’ Maggie was saying, ‘Jools had been telling me all about her mum’s new man; and how embarrassing it has been for them, especially when they’d spotted all her new sexy lingerie hanging up to dry. We were having such a laugh and then Jed pipes up with, “Bloody hell can you two keep the noise down, and no one wants to know about your mum’s knickers Jools”.

  ‘And for a minute we just sat there open mouthed and then we both screamed and we all started talking at once and…oh it was just madness…but so, so wonderful. And the best bit is that he is fine; no permanent damage…he’s coming home…’

  Maggie’s voice went at this point and she broke down, sobbing her relief with the only people that she knew would understand and see it for what it was…the sheer joy and relief of a mother whose son has been returned to her.

  Once Maggie’s good news had been discussed and looked at from every possible angle, the topic of conversation turned to Tracy and her situation. All the girls were in agreement that, despite Tracy’s sister being an interfering little minx who needed to be taught a lesson, it was a good thing that Simon finally knew about his impending fatherhood.

  ‘When he has had time to calm down he is going to be over the moon Tracy I am sure,’ said Helen giving the worried looking Tracy a hug,’ he is such a nice man and you two are so in love, this will just make it complete for you.’

  Tracy smiled sadly. ‘Well you’d think so wouldn’t you, but honestly apart from a glimpse of happiness, which I’m not even sure I wasn’t imagining, he hasn’t taken the news terribly well and I am beginning to think my fears were justified.’

  ‘Well that’s fucking bullshit,’ interrupted Maggie as usual not mincing her words, ‘he was just angry love…men are like that, they hate it if you hide anything from them. Bloody hell I remember when I bought those Jimmy Choos, do you remember Carla? Cost a fucking fortune they did; but they were absolutely gorgeous and I simply couldn’t leave the shop without them. Anyway I was so scared to tell Greg that I had spent the whole month’s housekeeping on a pair of shoes, I hid them under the bed. He went mental when he found out…I’m telling you it’s a man thing,’ the girls looked at each other and fell about laughing.

  ‘Honestly Maggie,’ said Carla who was the first to recover, ‘only you could compare this situation with hiding a pair of expensive shoes from your man. Although now you mention it I do remember those shoes, they were bloody gorgeous, well worth any agro from Greg. But I do agree with you about one thing though and that is that Simon is just angry at being deceived; give him time Tracy love, let him think it through, he’s an intelligent man he’s not going to cut off his nose to spite his face. It will all be ok in the end. What I want to know is what are you going to do about that madam of a sister of yours? Sounds like she’s really giving you the run around and that’s not what you and Simon need at the moment is it?’

  ‘I know, but I do feel a bit sorry for her; she’s always being pulled from pillar to post, and my Mum and Dad have no idea what to do with her. I wish I could find something useful for her to do, you know something that would make her feel proud of herself?’

  ‘What are her hobbies, what does she excel at?’ asked Helen, ‘Maybe if she had some sort of project on the go, she might be able to keep out of mischief.’

  ‘I’m not sure really…she loves art, or at least she used to, but if I’m honest I don’t really know her well enough anymore…that’s terrible isn’t it?’

  ‘Well let’s all try and come up with an idea of how to keep her amused, I’ll get another round in,’ said Helen and she stood to go to the bar. Carla got up too, ‘I’ll come and help you love,’ she said with a smile and they went off.

  ‘Helen’s looking very…er healthy lately isn’t she?’ said Tracy as they both watched the two friends walk off.

  ‘I know she’s put on so much weight,’ said Maggie, saying what they were both thinking. ‘I thought about tactfully suggesting that we go to the gym together. But then I thought, good on her, she seems so much happier these days and that all that matters isn’t It. Apart from that, I would rather run naked through the streets of Kenley than go to the gym,’ she finished laughing.

  ‘Well as to that I expect most of the male population of Kenley would be behind you on that one…literally,’ giggled Tracy. ‘But you’re right about Helen, after last year I never thought we would see her smiling again.’ Tracy paused choosing her words with care, ‘I can’t help thinking it’s that girl that’s making her happy, have you noticed how she can’t keep the smile off her face whenever she mentions her. Maya I mean, the cleaner or whatever she is…for what it’s worth I think she’s much more than a cleaner.’ Tracy finished looking meaningfully at Maggie, who just gave her a knowing smile and said nothing except, ‘Happiness is a blessing no matter where it comes from, I for one thank my lucky stars that Maya came into Helen's life when she did. She was able to do what I couldn’t…she made Helen…we
ll Helen again.’

  Maya was the topic of conversation at the bar as well; Helen had not stopped talking about her.

  ‘And she is so kind, not just to me I mean, just the other day this girl phoned her; some girl she used to know in Birmingham, and despite the fact that I know she has very little money herself I heard her offer to give this girl some money for a train ticket. I offered to help but she wouldn’t have it, she’s very protective of me,’ Helen added with a contented smile. ‘Told me she didn’t want me to be involved; this girl is trouble apparently, although it sounds like she has had a rough time of it… anyway Maya helped her out. She’s like that…you know what I mean Carla, unselfish and caring. That’s what I find so wonderful about her…oh god here I go again talking about me and my life, what’s new with you Carla? How wonderful that little Owen turned up safe and unharmed; I was sure it was going to be a body that you would find…poor little chap though, Maggie said he was frozen and covered in blood, how amazing that he got away.’

  Carla raised her eyebrows. ‘Well the fact that he was covered in blood suggests that maybe whoever was holding him was somehow injured or even killed, so we’re desperately trying to find her,’ she said with a sigh. ‘We think we know who she is though; a young girl, Mary O’Bruin, who came over from Ireland to escape her awful family and somehow ended up here. Funnily enough she started out in Birmingham…Helen did Maya say who this girl was that phoned her…did she tell you her name?’

  Helen looked at Carla in amazement. ‘Oh my god Carla I’m sure it was Mary; Maya didn’t say exactly, but I’m sure she called her Mary. Surely that’s got to be too much of a coincidence that they both mentioned Birmingham.’

  Carla was already on the phone to Ted. ‘Ted we need to speak to a Maya Dronski first thing in the morning. She works as a cleaner for a friend of mine, seems like she might know Mary…yes yes that’s right D.R.O.N.S.K.I and her address is’…Carla looked at Helen enquiringly…

  Helen blushed to the roots of her hair, ‘Well actually she’s living with me at the moment…we thought it would be easier you know…and she’s at mine most of the time anyway…’ she trailed off looking embarrassed. Carla just nodded at her. ‘She’s at Helen’s house Ted, you know Helen Drover…that’s right the big house on the corner…ok…alright I’ll give you a ring when I get home, and we’ll hook up in the morning, great see you then.’

  ‘Ted will be gentle with her won’t he Carla? Only Maya doesn’t speak very good English, well she’s not bad but she might get a bit flustered and…’

  ‘Helen, love, this is Ted we’re talking about…he’ll be as gentle as a lamb don’t worry, and I’ll be there to keep an eye on him and stop him from getting too heavy handed. Anyway what a piece of luck your Maya knowing this girl, it might be just the break we’ve needed in this case. Thank goodness you mentioned it Helen, it’s been like trying to find a needle in a haystack finding this Mary girl. The most puzzling thing of all is why on earth did she take Owen Marshall, out of all the five year old boys in Kenley? I can’t help thinking that she had to have known the family…there has to be a connection there somewhere but I’m buggered if I can see it.’

  They were saying all this as they made their way back to where Maggie and Tracy were sitting. The two girls were deep in conversation and jumped apart guiltily when they realised the others had returned.

  Carla looked from one to the other, ‘What are you two looking so guilty about?’ she asked trying not to notice how difficult it was for Helen to squeeze her expanding tummy behind the little pub table.

  ‘Nothing,’ said Maggie and Tracy almost at the same time, so Carla left it…she would get it out of Tracy later.

  She turned to Maggie. ‘So, you dark horse, what’s this Jools was telling me about you and a certain gorgeous doctor…bloody hell Maggs, you’ve got Greg panting after you. Charles is, I presume, still on the scene and so now you feel it’s a good idea to add another conquest to your tally…I don’t know how you manage to keep up with it all.’

  Maggie was looking distinctly shifty, ‘Fucking hell I knew I should have sworn Jools to secrecy; it’s nothing really though, although my god he is mind bogglingly gorgeous. He is actually someone I knew from my school days…my first boyfriend, would you believe. He just took me out for a drink the other evening; and if you must know,’ she paused and looked helplessly at her friends, ‘I don’t know what to do about it… because it was wonderful, he made me feel like a teenager again.’

  ‘Oooh how lovely,’ said Tracy looking soppy, ‘first love there’s nothing quite like it is there…although now I think about it my first love was Brian Mobett and I thought he was wonderful. I cried myself to sleep over him on countless nights; and I think he liked me too, at least he did until I ruined everything by getting too excited and wetting my knickers in the school playground whilst playing kiss chase. He never spoke to me again after that.’

  ‘Oh well you’ve moved on to bigger and better love,’ said Maggie laughing. ‘And we all love you…even if you do still pee your pants now and then.’

  The girls behaviour, it has to be said, went a bit downhill from then on; with the conversation getting more and more ridiculous, and the girls all shouting over one another and screaming with laughter until they finally called it a night and made their separate ways home. Each with a smile on their face and their problems, if not solved, at least put into perspective for another week.

  Simon was in bed when Tracy got in; so she tried to get undressed as quietly as she could. But unfortunately she got the foot of her tights caught on the edge of the wardrobe door and ended up hopping around the room noisily, knocking over her bedside lamp as she went.

  Simon groaned and sat up in bed. ‘What the fuck are you doing Tracy? It sounds like a baby elephant lose in the bedroom.’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Tracy now freed from the errant tights and climbing into bed.

  ‘Oh my god you’re freezing,’ said Simon shifting away from her. Tracy just shifted after him and wound her freezing feet round his toasty warm legs. ‘Sorry,’ she said again, as he laughingly tried to get away from her icy toes. She rolled herself up on top of him, covering him with her body, letting his heat warm her. He was actually getting distinctly hotter as she spread her legs and perched on top of him. She looked deeply into his eyes, ‘Sorry’ she said again this time with meaning…Simon held on to her arms, and rolled her underneath him. He kissed her deeply.

  ‘Sorry isn’t good enough I’m afraid,’ he said huskily when he could speak again, ‘you will have to be punished…you are a very, very naughty girl.’

  Tracy sighed with relief, giggled delightedly and took her punishment.

  CHAPTER 38 - CARLA

  Despite a distinctly muzzy head, Carla was at Helen's at an ungodly hour the next morning. Ted had not arrived yet so she waited for him in her car parked outside the house. She could have of course gone inside and had a chat with Helen, but she felt it would be better to keep it professional when she spoke to Maya. She was quite looking forward to meeting Helen's paragon; Tracy had said a few things on the journey home last night. Apparently Tracy and Maggie were beginning to suspect that Helen’s feelings for Maya went beyond simple friendship. Carla could see why they would think that; Helen was definitely a changed woman lately, for the better. So if that’s what was making her happy then Carla, for one would be supporting it wholeheartedly, just as long as she didn’t end up getting hurt again.

  Ted pulled up next to Carla in his new, rather sporty, bright red Volvo hatchback. He had bought it only last week and had been going on about how wonderful it was non-stop since. Carla had to admit it was rather gorgeous; but it did seem a really strange choice of car for staid old Ted to buy. She had always thought of him as more of a Vauxhall Astra kind of man; and now that she thought about it, hadn’t he done something with his hair? Yes it was definitely looking a bit more…um casual, less stiff. And unless her eyes deceived her, he had also trimmed back his beard so th
at it was more like designer stubble and less like Captain Birdseye… hmm something was going on and Carla was going to get to the bottom of it. But first, they had more important things to think about.

  Helen answered the door with a smile and led them through to the sitting room; where a very nervous Maya sat waiting for them. She was not at all what Carla had been expecting, a tiny little woman with soft dark curls and the most enormous green eyes, that, at the moment, were staring at her with apprehension.

  Carla smiled reassuringly at her and introduced Ted. ‘We just wanted to ask you about your friend Mary if that’s ok? It may be just a coincidence but we are trying to trace a girl called Mary O’Bruin. She came over from Ireland a few years ago and first settled in Birmingham and then she seems to have found work caring for an elderly couple. Helen happened to mention that you met your friend Mary in Birmingham; could I ask you to look at these pictures and tell me if this is your friend? I’m sorry they are not terribly clear but you might be able to recognise her.’ Carla produced the grainy black and white stills that they had managed to get from the CCTV footage. Maya was nodding almost as soon as she looked at the pictures.

  ‘Yes, is her…she is wearing same coat she wore when we meet,’ she gave the pictures back to Carla.

  ‘How did you know she was here in Kenley, did she contact you? Ted asked, Maya turned to him and gave him a smile.

  ‘No…we meet by, um…chance, she is coming out of shop in village when I am there. It was very strange, I never thought I see her again…but then there she is. I was happy to see her again, we were friends in Birmingham…um at the boarding house.’ Carla noticed that Maya constantly looked to Helen for reassurance as she spoke, and Helen was smiling proudly at her most of the time.

  ‘So why did she say she was in Kenley Maya? Was she working here?’ asked Ted, his gruff voice taking on a gentle tone, obviously Maya’s magic was working on him.