by Woods, Karen
Sandra had heard enough. She pulled herself up from the floor and stood over him. He now reached to a blue plastic bag at the side of him. Pulling out an unopened bottle of Brandy he held it up to her. “Don’t go, we can drink this together. Remember how we use to get pissed and shag like rabbits up here?”
She looked white in the face. “I’m going now Kevin. It’s over” He panicked now and he stood in front of her trying to stop her leaving. The look on her face told him he was fighting a losing battle. As she started to walk off he screamed. “I’ll kill myself. I swear Sandra, if you don’t come back here. I’ll neck this brandy and jump off.” She halted. Turning her face back to him she looked fierce. The wind gripped her hair and she had to move it from her mouth. Standing looking at him she held one hand out in front of her.
“Do it Kevin. It would save us all the misery that you bring. I’m off, you sad cunt.” He was screaming behind her but she just kept walking and never turned back.
Kevin sat on the rooftop. The brandy never left his mouth, he was as pissed as a fart. His eyes looked like they’d cried a thousand tears. Every now and then he thought he’d heard her returning and kept looking behind him. His legs now hung over the edge of the roof. His brandy was at the side of him. He could be heard singing “Endless Love” by Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross. He was tone death and sounded like a cat crying out in pain. The brandy was nearly empty. His eyes looked as if he couldn’t focus properly. He heard something behind him. His head slowly turned and he could see a blurred vision of someone behind him. Kevin was now rubbing at his eyes.
The figure was now at the back of him. He was losing his balance as he tried to turn around. A hand now moved in and gently pushed at his body. Kevin lost his balance and fell from the rooftop. You could see the figure watching him fall from the top of the roof. The sound of running footsteps could now be heard as the murderer headed for the exit. Kevin lay at the bottom of the flats and he wasn’t moving. A foot gently kicked his body then walked off at speed.
Kevin was dead.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kevin’s death hit his family hard. Sandra felt guilty and regretted ever leaving Kevin in the state he was in. The police had interviewed her about his death but after endless investigation they came to the conclusion that Kevin had taken his own life.
Sandra’s sons were devastated and couldn’t stop crying. Sandra had done her best to console them but the tears still fell. Everyone knew how depressed Kevin had been over the last few months and reports from the community had told them that he’d been pissed out of his head for days on end. It was a sad time for the family.
The morning of Kevin’s funeral came. Quite a lot of his old friends had turned up to say their last goodbyes and Sandra thanked them from the bottom of her heart for attending. The black hearse pulled up at the front of her house. James was by her side as she led her family outside.
The neighbours had gathered and they crossed themselves as the flowers were put at the side of Kevin’s coffin. Maxine stood waiting for Sandra and as soon as she walked down the garden path she hugged her tightly. “It’s going to be fine love, just get today out of the way and you can move on.” Sandra never replied and used the white handkerchief she pulled from her pocket to wipe her tears. Kevin’s family all looked at her before she stepped into the car. She could tell by their faces that they all thought it was her fault and she couldn’t wait to get out of their view.
Kevin’s body was taken to Blackley Crematorium. The funeral car drove up Rochdale Road and the public stood on the roadside paying their last respects. Sandra watched her sons and wished she could take away their pain. John had taken it the worst and Paul was at his side every time he broke down.
At eleven o’clock on the seventh of September Kevin Partington’s body was brought into the chapel of rest. His older brother and five of his old friends carried his body inside the church. Once they had placed him at the altar the priest placed Kevin’s photograph on top of his coffin. Sandra smiled when she saw it. There was no getting away from it, Kevin had been a good looking fucker in his day. Her eyes looked at the photograph in more detail. She remembered him having it taken. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and faded jeans. His face looked suntanned on the photo and his bright blue eyes stood from the picture.
The song her sons had chosen for their dad now finished playing. It was one by Usher. Kevin had loved the singer’s voice and often joked saying he could dance like him. The priest now stood in the pulpit. He welcomed Kevin’s family to the crematorium. The man of the cloth was dressed in a long black robe with a purple scarf hanging round his neck. He looked about fifty. His voice was daunting and every word he spoke sent shivers down Sandra’s spine.
The priest now spoke about Kevin’s life. Sandra felt angry and shook her head. Why was none of the bad stuff read out? As she looked over at his family she wanted to shout out that he was a wife beater and a bully but she held her tongue for her son’s sake. Maxine sat close to her and you could see her legs shaking. Her face was white and Kevin’s death had hit her hard. She was usually a tough cookie but today she let her emotions take over.
Anita and Graham sat two rows behind Sandra and her sons. Anita was crying and every now and then she blew her nose on her handkerchief. Graham looked strong. His head was held high and no emotions were visible on his face. He looked smart in his black suit and could be seen wiping bits from his pants throughout the service. As the priest was praising Kevin, Graham kept whispering insults to his wife. “He was a no good bastard, death was the best thing for him, he can’t hurt anyone anymore.” Anita urged him to be quiet, she was scared of anyone hearing him.
Tracy cried as she sat at the back of the church. Everybody knew what she’d done to Kevin and they partly blamed her for Kevin’s downfall. Motherhood had taken its toll on her and she was just the same as most women these days. No more designer clothes or fancy hair do’s. The label sticking out from the back of her pants told you that Primark was her budget store now and that her daughter’s clothes came first. Her once flowing locks now looked greasy and were held at the back of head in a short pony-tail. She’d decided months before that long hair was too hard to manage now she was a mother. She went to the hairdressers and had the lot cut off into a short bob.
Sandra stared at the design of the church. It was only small but well decorated. Pictures hung from the walls and each of them had a religious image printed on them. James could be seen squeezing her hand throughout the service. She never looked directly at him but you could tell she was glad of his support.
After the service Kevin’s coffin was carried to his resting place. Women cried as they all walked the muddy paths to his plot. As his body was placed down the deep dark hole, John broke down and Paul had to hold him back because it looked like he was going to jump in it with his father.
Sandra stared at the gold plaque on top of the coffin with her deceased husband’s name and the date he died. It all seemed like a dream and she couldn’t believe he was gone forever. She’d hated him from the pit of her stomach but she never wished him dead. The priest said a few more words and people started throwing handful of dirt onto his coffin. Kevin’s sons had brought red roses and each of them in turn dropped one onto the coffin.
People started to walk from the graveside now. They all looked so sad. Sandra and James started to follow them but she realised John was still there. She broke free from James’s arms and started to run back. Her dad saw her and told he would deal with him. Sandra agreed and went back to James.
As Graham approached John he could hear him talking to his dead father. His heart melted as he stood behind him. John didn’t know he was there. “Dad I’m weak, I can’t do this without you. Our Paul’s the strong one not me. Why did you do it? Didn’t you think about us? We loved you and needed you.”
Graham choked back his tears and came to his grandson’s side. “Come on lad, it’s time to go. You will be fine son, I’m here for you always
.” John crumbled to the floor. Graham bent his knees to pick him up. As he lifted his head up he could see Paul running up towards them. Once he was there with them both, he looked at his granddad for help. Graham just shook his head and his emotions took over. Paul sobbed. “Come on our kid, we can get through this together trust me.” He pulled John from the ground and started to walk off with his brother tightly in his arms. Graham nodded at him and told him he would follow them on. Tears fell from his eyes; he hated seeing his grandchildren upset.
Graham looked down the deep hole towards the coffin, he checked he was alone. Bending to his knees he whispered. “You have caused so much heartache in your life time Kevin. You treated my daughter like a slave and beat her to within an inch of her life. Did you think I would just sit back and take it? You remind me of my own brother.” His face looked angry and you could see him squeezing his fist as they rested on his knees. “He did exactly the same as you and slept with my wife. The only difference is that Tracy is his child. Do you know how much that hurts? People like you deserve to die and that’s why I pushed you. I hope you rot in hell, you bastard!” Anita was now shouting his name. He raised his head and stood upright. Kicking some dirt onto the coffin he spoke his final words to the dead body below him. “Carpe Diem mate. Nobody take’s the piss out of my family and gets away with it.” Graham held a smile on his face as the wind picked up.
As he started walking, Anita ran to his side. She gripped him and sunk her head into the small of his chest. “It’s all so sad isn’t it love?” He stroked her hair but never replied. They both went to join the others.
Everyone sat in Sandra’s house. Some of Kevin’s relatives came back but most of them went to a nearby pub to drown their sorrows. Sandra had made a buffet and everyone seemed to be making the most of the situation. Maxine was on top form and was making everyone laugh. She now whispered into Sandra’s ear. “Remember when I farted on Kevin’s steak before you cooked it?”
Sandra pushed her hands into her side and tried not to laugh. Her voice was low as she replied. “Orr I know we were bad weren’t we? The poor bastard drank more balls of snot than anyone I know. No wonder the fucker was always on the shitter all the time.”
“That wasn’t the snot that made him shit,” Maxine giggled, “that was the batch of laxatives you bunged in his brews.” They both burst out laughing and Sandra held a hand between her legs as she propped herself up against the wall.
“I’m gonna piss my knickers. Stop it please.” They both laughed out loud and people were starting to look at them both. Maxine had to pretend Sandra was crying and wrapped her hands around her doing a distressed face to the other people sat in the room.
The wake went on until late. Music was played and considering it was supposed to be a sad time the party was swinging. Tracy was sat near her parents and didn’t mingle much. At one time she would have been the life and soul of the party but these days she’d calmed down a lot. Seeing Sandra passing her, she pulled her to where she sat. Sandra smiled at her. “What’s up love?”
Tracy had been drinking and she looked pissed. Her words were slurred. “I’m sorry Sandra. Kevin always loved you, I was a fool to ever think he could love me, I know I was just a bit of a shag.” Sandra looked shocked. Never once had her sister apologised for her affair with her husband. Sandra turned her head to the side. Her sister looked so miserable and she knew it was time to build the bridges between them.
“It’s gone now love, past is past, don’t get me wrong I’ll never trust you again with my fella but as far as I’m concerned we can start again.”
Tracy snivelled, she grabbed her. “I’m so glad Sandra, I’ve been so depressed, I’ve felt like no one likes me anymore because of it all.”
Sandra shrugged her shoulders. “Well what did you expect love, what you did was wrong. We have a rule in our circle of friends that you don’t touch your family or friend’s men, I suggest you abide by that rule in the future.” Tracy nodded. She was like a small child who’d just been told off. Sandra stood up and made her way back to James. Tracy looked happy.
John was pissed out of his head and starting to become a nuisance. His voice was getting louder and louder and Paul was trying to calm him down. He so was much like his father and Sandra knew as she gazed over at him that she would have her work cut out with him in the future.
The guests started to leave. Her parents had left about an hour earlier. Graham was pissed as a fart and Anita was holding him up as she escorted him to the taxi. The house was now empty and all that was left was Sandra’s children, James, and Maxine and Zac.
Zac was all over Maxine like a rash. They were so in love and he’d asked her to marry him earlier in the night. Maxine had told him straight, that until her friend Tina was out of nick there was no way she would get married. Zac called the girls the Three Amigos. Their friendship was close and he knew no man would ever come between them. He agreed to wait until Tina was free and Maxine was over the moon.
*
Anita had gone to bed and Graham sat downstairs on his own. The small lamp in the corner of the room gave off very little light. Graham was looking at some old pictures in the photo album. His eyes were struggling to see as he reached for his black spectacles at the side of him. As he turned the pages he smiled at the photographs in front of him. Suddenly his face changed. His teeth clenched together. Pulling the old snap from the album he stared at the man in it.
“You’re another one who thought I was a useless piece of shit aren’t you John?” he laughed menacingly at the photograph. “You were my brother and I trusted you. That’s why you had to go just like that bastard our Sandra married.” He reached for his can of beer and gulped a large mouthful. “They all thought you fell to your death too didn’t they?” His hands stroked over the face of his brother. A tear fell from his eyes and he wiped it slowly away from his mouth. “That’s two men I’ve killed now. This is your fault, I’ll never forgive you and I hope you never rest in peace you cunt.” Graham spit at the photograph and ripped it into small pieces. As he stood up he made sure he held all the pieces in his hands.
Walking into the kitchen he flipped the bin’s lid and shoved the photo inside it. “In with the shite brother, exactly where you belong.” His feet now turned and he made his way to bed. Once he dragged his clothes from his body he snuggled next to his wife. She was fast asleep and never budged. He kissed the small of her back and drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The months passed and life was hard for Sandra. I would love to say they all lived happily ever after but come on, this is a Manchester council estate story and we all know nothing is plain sailing in the real world. John was going downhill every day that passed and the dark circles around his eyes told you he was using heroin again. Paul had tried to save him from the life set out in front of him but it was too much, John was stubborn and led his own life, his way.
Maxine and Sandra were still close friends and they kept their promise to Tina by visiting her every week. Tina was still having a lesbian love affair with Penny and laughed as she told them both it was just a pit stop while she was in nick. Sandra was still madly in love with James and there were talk of him moving in with her in the near future.
Sandra still worked as a nail technician and was doing really well. Women were coming to see her from all over the place. She was a lot more than a nail technician. She was known as the Godmother of Payback to cheating and abusive partners.
Lots of men would pay the price for their sins in the future and Sandra loved to hear their success stories. Lots of women were now in the news with attacks on their violent husbands. Women were making a stand all over the world. Domestic violence in the area had dropped and some say that Sandra’s story scared a lot of men into getting their acts together. Men feared her and knew she could break a man at the drop of a hat.
On the night of Sandra’s next birthday, all the girls had organised a night out on the tiles. Sandra looked amazing
. Her figure was curved and she no longer felt fat. Looking in the hallway mirror she looked at her reflection. For the first time in her life she felt happy. She no longer hated the woman who stared back at her. Flicking her hair from her face she smiled into the mirror. “Carpe Diem baby,” she chuckled to herself as she heard Maxine shouting her name at the front door. “I’m ready now you moaning cow, stop fucking shouting.” Sandra opened the door and about twenty of her friends and family stood there cheering.
She locked the door and turned to face them. Sandra shook her head and ran into them with her hands held out. “I love you girls. Come on let’s go and have some fun.” The women could all be seen walking out of the garden. They were all singing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cindy Lauper. Life was never the same for the women on the council estate. They were a new generation of women who took no shit from men.
So if you ever look down at a woman’s foot and see the words ‘Carpe Diem’ tattooed there beware, because this woman has been hurt before and she will take you to the cleaners, if you ever try to hurt her. She belongs to a big pack of women that all work together, from all around the world - if you fight one you fight them all.
THE END
