by S. Y. Robins
“I expect you’re right, Tom. Tomorrow’s Sunday so the shop is closed. I’ll have a drive down to her address tomorrow shall I?” She responded.
“That would be good, shall we head in then?” He asked.
“Yes, just please tell me you won’t be far away. Something is wrong with this whole picture and I can’t quite put my finger on what the problem is. I know there was a robbery but the mother wrote their lives are in danger. The further I dig into this the more worried I become for Selena.” Clara said, a sniffle escaping.
“I’ll be as close as I can without her seeing me” Tom said, pulling Clara in for a quick hug. “Now come on, you’re catching a cold I believe. Let’s get you back inside.”
Clara smiled her gratitude and walked back in with Tom, his reassuring, solid frame a comfort in the cold darkness.
* * *
Clara’s hybrid car drew a few curious stares and quite a few more glowers as she pulled into the street Selena’s home was on. Seeing those baleful stares she wasn’t sure she should leave her car outside of Selena’s house. It was bound to draw attention to the girl. Looking back she saw Tom’s van pull up to the corner shop and stop. He’d be there but he wouldn’t be when they left Selena’s home. Still not sure their plan was a good idea Selena went up to the door and knocked, looking behind her.
The door flew open, an older lady barely dressed in a shift with a cigarette dangling from her lip leaned into the doorframe as she took a swig from a can of cheap beer. An unpleasant odour of unwashed body, sweat and alcohol wafted from the woman as a draft blew the woman’s scent towards Clara. “What d’ya want?”
“Hello, my name is Clara, I wondered if I could speak with Champagne?” She tried not to sneer the name. Clara had to guess this was the woman that named the poor girl that atrocious name and the urge to snark at her was powerful.
“What’s the little useless twit done now? That girl is good for nothing, I tell you, Champagne!” The woman roared up the stairs behind her, flicking her cigarette in the general direction of outside but somehow causing it to bounce off of Clara’s coat before falling to the ground. “Get your useless bum down here, you’ve got a…hiccup…visitor.”
The woman wandered over to a couch just on the opposite side of the door and plopped down face-down on the couch. The beer spilled onto the floor as a loud snore came from the woman whose dirty shift road up her back, exposing her naked body beneath. Clara looked away, remaining in the doorway, rather than walking into the rat’s nest of trash and stacks of magazines filling most of the floor of the house.
“Who is it Mum?” Clara heard from upstairs. Looking up she saw the girl coming down the stairs and knew that she was, indeed, Selena’s mother. It was the same heart-shaped face, the same dark blue eyes, the same cupid-bow mouth. The girl froze on the steps and Clara knew she was going to run.
“Please, don’t run. Let me talk to you. I’m not here to hurt you or cause trouble; I just want to talk to you.” Clara pleaded with the girl dressed in black track suit bottoms and a blue and black-checked shirt.
“Not here, meet me at your shop tomorrow, if you insist but don’t come in and leave now. Before you do me any more harm than you already have. People talk you know? Now go, please.” The girl looked terrified, her eyes darting back and forth.
“That’s fine, tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for you. And so will Selena.” Clara said as the girl turned her back and ran up the stairs, out of view. Shutting the door, Clara walked away.
She went back to her car, pulled out, and drove two miles away before she pulled into a carpark and called Tom.
“Well?” He asked.
“I’m meeting her tomorrow, at the shop. Please, Tom, keep an eye on her for a while, she looked terrified.”
“Will do, get back to Selena now. Leave this to me.” He replied as he hung up.
Clara hoped he would keep the girl safe for the night until Clara could offer her help tomorrow. The girl’s fear and living environment left Clara rattled and she went to her own home, gathered up Selena, and held on tight, knowing what the future could hold for the child if she didn’t keep her.
4
Clara’s Mondays were usually full of weekend tallies, stock inventory, and ordering new stock once a tally was taken. Today she was too on edge and spent the day trying to calm her nerves because her stress levels were causing Selena to be cranky. She put some relaxing music on the shops stereo system, lit a lavender candle, and sat down to prepare to wait for Champagne. She waited while customers came in before lunch, she waited as the lunch crowd came in looking for the perfect heel or boots to go with their daughters’ Christmas outfits on their lunch hours, and she waited after lunch while the store was quiet, always keeping an eye out for the girl.
While she waited she thought of everything she knew so far. The bracelet on Selena’s wrist was definitely stolen, there was no way Champagne or her mother could have afforded that bracelet, Champagne couldn’t be any older than 17, she looked to be little more than 14 years old, the poor mite came from a very unhappy background, and the girl was terrified of something or someone. It couldn’t have just been the police about the stolen bracelet, that wouldn’t make you give up your child and hide out in fear. Clara was getting anxious again and sat down in the rocking chair she’d brought into the store to rock Selena in.
Cradling the baby to her chest she fed the tiny little girl who was starting to smile, sighing as Selena’s little eyes fell closed while her little mouth was still working even though she was asleep. Clara was so enamoured with the moment she barely looked up as the door opened and the bell rang. She soothed little Selena when she jumped from the noise of the bell and wondered if that sound would always be in her mind, even when she grew up and set out on her own in the world. The sound of her foster mother’s bell chiming in the shop she was going to spend so much time in if Clara had anything to say about it.
“She makes you smile, at least.” Clara heard a familiar voice say. Looking up she saw Champagne, again in a hoody and thick coat, hiding in the layers.
“She has your smile you know? She’s the spitting image of you. Would you like to hold her?” Clara asked, taking a risk.
“No, nah, I don’t want to get attached. She’s yours now she’s safe with you.” Champagne deflected. Stepping back towards the door.
“Are you willing to put that in writing? Because if you are I can guarantee you won’t be in trouble, the police will leave you alone, and you can go on to live your life. But I have an even better offer for you, if you’re willing to listen to me.” Clara wiped at Selena’s mouth as she pulled the bottle away and lifted the baby to her shoulder. She looked Champagne in the eye and spoke again.
“If you’ll let me I’d like to help you get out of the life you’re leading and have a chance to know your daughter.”
“Nah,” Champagne said, rubbing at her nose. “She’s good with you and I’m good. That’s all I need to know. I’ll sign over my rights to her if that means she can stay with you but otherwise I just want to be left alone.”
“But why, Champagne, why are you hiding like this? What has you so scared? How old are you? You’re far too young to be this scared. You’ve not even had a chance at life yet.”
“You saw what I come from, you know I stopped being young a long time ago. That one there though, she’d not going to grow up like me, she’s going to grow up like you and have a chance to be something,” Champagne said. Her voice was deep, husky, and far too old to be coming out of such a young girl. Clara thought she must sing beautifully.
“Please, Champagne, at least come over here and sit down, you’re making me nervous and that makes Selena cranky.” Clara asked.
“So you’ve bonded then? That’s good.” The girl said, sidling closer but not too close, as though Clara or Selena would grab her.
“Yes, I’ve kept her bracelet for her as well.” Clara said, hoping to startle the girl into talking.
Champagne s
tarted, looking at Clara guiltily. “Yeah, well, that’s so she always has something to fall back on, it’s not meant to be sentimental. If she ever needs money then she has it with that bracelet.”
“But it’s stolen.” Clara ventured.
“So? By the time she’s old enough to sell it those rich toffs up there could have bought a thousand more for their kid. Selena ain’t never going to be able to have anything like that. She deserves it. When Johnny did that house and I found his stash I took that and a ring to pawn.” Champagne suddenly clamped her lips shut, realizing she’d revealed too much.
“Is Johnny Selena’s father? Is he who you’re afraid of? Please Champagne, let me help you!” Clara pleaded.
“No, nobody can help me now. I have to deal with the consequences of my actions but Selena doesn’t. Here’s my number call me when the papers are ready or whatever. I’ll hand her over, no problems.” Champagne said, laying a piece of paper on the counter before fleeing out of Carla’s shop door.
Sighing Clara took the number, sliding it into the pocket of her trousers for safekeeping. Feeling defeated she at least had the reassurance that Selena was always going to be in her life. Calling Tom she let him know what had happened and sat down to wait for closing time. The day had not gone as she hoped but at least she had Selena for Christmas.
* * *
“We can keep her out of jail, for now, but if she doesn’t tell us where she got that bracelet from I may not be able to.” Tom said as he sipped at his coffee an hour later.
“If I could talk to her one more time I think I could convince her. I saw that there’s a sizeable reward for the return of the jewellery maybe that will tempt her?”
“You may be right,” Tom conceded, putting the cup down to take Selena and cuddle her. The baby made a high-pitched noise of happiness and waved her little arms. “This one will be walking soon if she’s that determined to get moving already.”
“I imagine so, she’s already trying to turn over and she’s barely two months old. I’ve called the social; they’ll be around tomorrow to bring some paperwork by. I’ve sent Champagne a text to have her come by tomorrow evening. I’ll try to talk some sense into her then.”
“Good, just let me know how it goes, alright?” Tom asked, handing Selena back to the woman who was about to become her adoptive mother.
“I will, thanks again, Tom.” Clara smiled as Tom went out and Christine and Bianca came in.
“That is one handsome man,” Bianca exclaimed as the door shut.
“I know. And he’s so wonderful. Greg’s such a lucky man!” Christine chimed in.
“How are you two today?” Clara asked.
“Not bad and yourself?” Christine asked.
Clara filled them in while she shut the shop down and walked through the store, making sure everything was secure.
“So you’ll see her again tomorrow?” Bianca asked, rocking Selena in the chair.
“Her reply said she’d be here. I can only hope. Tom said the police will not press charges but we have to sort this bracelet fiasco out. We’ll see how it goes.” Clara turned the lights off in the shop and her friends helped her out to the car. They all met again at a local restaurant and hashed out a plan that Clara was to follow. Clara just hoped the plan worked.
* * *
The next day Clara kept the papers beside her after the social worker delivered them, and filled out the parts she needed to. She added in the papers she’d typed up and waited. This time she didn’t have to wait long and quickly shut the door behind Champagne, locking the door and putting the closed sign up.
“What’s that about?” Champagne asked, scurrying over to a corner of the shop away from Clara.
“Just making sure we aren’t disturbed dear. Here, come in the back with me. It’s safe, I promise.”
“Alright but any funny stuff and I bounce, understand?” The girl asked. Clara tried to hide the smile that wanted to spread across her face, the deep tough words coming from such an angelic face making the whole thing surreal for Clara.
“Sure, yeah, I understand. Come on. Can you grab Selena?” Clara asked, walking to the back of the store.
“Hey, lady, I told you no contact with the baby.” Clara heard from the room.
“She’s in her Moses basket, just pick it up by the handle and bring her in, come on.” Clara called back.
Clara heard the girl grumbling and then finally she heard footsteps approaching her office. The basket came first and the girl set it on the floor gingerly.
“Right, so where’s the papers?” Champagne asked.
“Here you are. I’ve already filled out my part, you just need to fill out yours.”
The girl took the book Clara handed her and the papers and pen. She filled out the first few pages quietly then came to one of the pages Clara had inserted. The girl read the papers, looked up at Clara, and then read the papers again.
“What’s this supposed to mean? I thought you was taking her?” Champagne asked.
“I am, but I want to take you as well. You read it, you know what it means.”
“I have to turn in Johnny and come live with you? Why?” The girl asked clearly confused.
“Why did you hand Selena over, Champagne?” Clara asked the girl patiently.
“Because I was afraid. If my mum had found out I was pregnant she’d have just used the baby for more welfare and we wouldn’t have been able to escape that life. And because Johnny’s been looking for me. He didn’t know about the baby but he figured out I took that bracelet. I’ve been hiding ever since. He beat me up pretty bad when he caught me the last time, I was still pregnant with her, but I got away. I’ve been hiding since then. It’s not that hard to find me but he’s afraid of my mum so he won’t come to the house but still. Between those two things I knew Selena couldn’t stay with me. I don’t want her to grow up with a mother like mine and I’m probably going to end up just like that lump you saw on the sofa that day. I won’t have that or a life of fear from an abusive father for her.”
“Do you know there’s a reward out for that jewellery or the capture of the person that stole it?” Clara asked.
“I ain’t no snitch, Clara. Besides, I’d never be able to go back home if I did. It’s bad enough there already. People think I’ve sold somebody up the creek already since you came. They think you were from the social or the cops. Stupid people can’t make a decision. But it’s not been good there since.”
“I can keep you safe; I can get you a better life, Champagne. I’m not super-wealthy but I know a cop, he’s willing to help. He can also help get that reward. That will help both you and Selena, if you should want to keep her.” It broke Clara’s heart to speak the words but they had to be said.
“No, no matter what Selena is staying with you. You’re her mum now, not me. Could you really keep me safe?” Champagne asked, a faint hope glowing in her eyes.
“I can keep you safe from the cops, I can keep you out of that environment, and I can give you a warm safe home to sleep in. And as I said, I know a constable that can help us. If Johnny’s in jail he can’t hurt you and by the time he gets out of prison, well, you’ll have moved on Champagne. I don’t know what will happen after all of that but I can only offer you what I have for now. And that’s far more hope than you have right now. You won’t have to look after Selena, or even acknowledge her as yours but it would be nice if her biological mother was a part of her life. Please say yes. You won’t get many opportunities in life and this one could change your life forever. Please take it?”
Champagne looked around, uncertain of what she should do. Then she remembered her mum screaming at her for going out again, asking her if she was turning tricks and making money on the side and not telling her. She’d used all of the money from pawning the ring she’d taken from Johnny on putting food on the table for the last two months and keeping the power on. It was gone now and though she knew her mum might suffer some without her, for once, she decided she was going to
be selfish. Her mum had given birth to her and basically stopped caring for her daughter once she started school. Champagne had to wait on her mother hand and foot and her mother always, always made out that Champagne owed her. From her position as a mother now Champagne saw that her mother owed her, should have given up everything for her daughter but had been too selfish to do that, instead spending all of their money on drugs and getting drunk or buying trashy clothes while feeding Champagne junk and taking clothes from charities for her daughter. No, it was time for Champagne to take something back, to leave the estate she was raised on, and do something with herself.
“What do I have to do?” Champagne asked.
“Fill out those papers and let me call Tom. You don’t even have to go back home tonight, you can come to my house right away if you’d like. My mum’s moved into the house right beside me so I have a spare room waiting for you already.” Clara said with a smile, reaching for her phone and Champagne’s hand. “I’m so happy to welcome you to my home.”
* * *
Christmas Eve found Clara in her shop wrapping up boxes for Charles, Loverman as her friends called him. Clara supressed a grin at the name and offered the boxes over to him.
“So who’s the new girl?” Charles asked.
Feeling brave Clara made the man an offer. “Take me to dinner and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Her eyes widened when the words actually came out and she blushed a pretty but very dark shade of red.
“I can do that, what are you doing this evening?” Charles asked.
“Well, I’m busy with last minute shopping and cooking but after the holiday?” She asked.
