The School Gates

by Nicola May

  The doorbell went. Gordon went to answer it and walked back into the kitchen followed by a tall good-looking man with shoulder-length hair and stubble.

  ‘John, what the fuck are you doing here?’ Robbie snapped.

  ‘You said…’

  ‘I said I probably wouldn’t want a lift until at least midnight, mate.’ John looked completely confused as Robbie virtually frog-marched him down to the door of the block of flats, leaving it swinging open and a totally confused Gordon left in the doorway to his flat.

  Robbie lit a cigarette the minute he was outside.

  ‘What the fuck?’ John asked.

  ‘There ain’t none of that, that’s for sure. He already refused a line and has told me to go. I think you trying to suck his cock as well would tip him over the edge.’

  ‘Shame, he’s well cute.’

  ‘Isn’t he? But so’s Micky Mouse and to be honest we’d have more fun at Disneyland. Can you just wait a sec? I’d better nip up and say goodbye.’

  ‘See you in a minute. We can polish off that gram together.’

  The door was shut when Robbie went back upstairs. When Gordon opened it, he had already changed into his joggers.

  ‘Didn’t realise you were a pimp as well as a drug dealer?’

  ‘He’s my flatmate – just got confused, that’s all. Look, I’m sorry, Gordon. Sex aside, I do really like you. Have a think about us and give me a call, eh?’

  Gordon rubbed his face. ‘Yeah, I’ll call you. Sorry about tonight. Lots on my mind.’

  Robbie smiled and brushed Gordon’s neck with his hand. ‘He’s not coming back, mate.’

  Shutting the door gently, Gordon got himself a beer, put on the TV and lay on the sofa. With Chris, life had been so easy. God, he loved that man and he knew that Chris had loved him too. A life of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll might be what Robbie wanted, but he was over thirty now and it just wasn’t for him. He was a dad and wanted to settle down and lead a comfortable, uncomplicated life.

  Realising he no longer even had a number to reach Chris on, he got up to go to the loo. When his beer slipped from his hand and smashed into pieces on the wooden floor, he promptly burst into tears.

  ‘Cancer, you say?’ Mo repeated calmly. ‘Are you sure?’

  Noah Anderson nodded slowly. Ron gripped his wife’s hand tightly as the doctor continued, ‘The results from the endoscopy were conclusive, I’m afraid.’

  Mo could feel a burning in her throat. Just as her life had taken on a slight sense of normality, here it went again – seconds out, round 30, another blow to deal with.

  ‘It’s OK, Ron duck, we need to see what we’ve got to do to make you better now.’

  ‘Do you want me to explain further?’ Dr Anderson put in.

  ‘How long have I got?’ Ron asked matter-of-factly.

  ‘Well. There are four stages of tumour size in oesophageal cancer.’

  ‘Just tell me, Doc.’

  ‘T4 means the tumour has grown into other organs or body structures next to the food pipe.’

  ‘Just tell me how long I’ve bleeding got!’ Ron suddenly shouted. Mo looked horrified at his outburst.

  Unfazed, Dr Anderson replied, ‘Mr Collins, you are at the T4 stage, I’m afraid, and the prognosis is not good. I would say you are looking at a year at the most.’

  Ron managed a weak smile. ‘Expensive business this drinking lark, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes.’ Noah looked to Mo, who was gulping back her tears. ‘Yes, unfortunately it is.’

  Tony was waiting at the back door as Dana pulled into Rosco’s car park.

  ‘I never thought you were coming back. We had to get a few of Bruno’s temps in and everything. Could have all won Miss World, but thick as shit.’

  Dana kissed him on the cheek and luxuriated in his recently applied aftershave.

  ‘I’ve had the most terrible flu, I’m so sorry to let you down.’ Dana cringed inwardly, she was such a terrible liar.

  The truth was, Mark had suggested she take some time out as she looked so tired. He also had told her that today he wanted her to give in her notice. She had promised him she would, but had no intention of doing so. On Friday it was the end of term so she would be having a two-week holiday for Easter anyway. She would try to persuade him to let her carry on whilst they were off.

  ‘It’s so nice to see the sunshine,’ Dana trilled as she put on her pinny. ‘And you.’ She smiled at the handsome Italian and was annoyed to realise that her feelings just hadn’t gone away. Tony said nothing. ‘You OK? Not like you to be so quiet.’

  ‘I’m fine. Just a bit sad already that you will be gone on Friday and not be here for two weeks for the Easter holidays.’

  ‘I shall come back all brown and lovely as we are going to Majorca.’ Dana was doing her best to pretend that ‘the kisses’ hadn’t happened. But she felt as if a string was joining her to this gorgeous man and she just couldn’t cut it, not just yet.

  ‘We are having an Easter tea-party for all our locals on Thursday. Free cakes, a glass of fizz – you know. Eggs for the kids. It goes on till six so I was hoping you could maybe stay and help, and join in the fun too, of course?’

  ‘Tommy breaks up at lunchtime on Friday so I’ll have to shoot off right on time, then but Thursday – yeah. I should be able to get a play date for him. Mark is playing squash so he’ll be late back.’

  Tony smiled broadly. At least he would have a few extra hours with his little Czech princess.

  Isobel Murray had headed off to the supermarket. Alana hated to admit it but she was actually being a great help and Eliska adored her. Stephen had been called away to Sweden on business for a week so she was actually welcoming the company.

  Dana had also been a complete brick and with her now softer approach, Alana had at last, she thought, found herself in an unlikely friendship with the young mum.

  Eliska came running into the conservatory, where Alana was to be found feet up on a pouffe watching her recent obsession, Countdown. Her company had agreed willingly for her to take a month off to recover from her loss, and she couldn’t believe how much she was enjoying the freedom. It made her realise just quite how burned-out she was. And that in being that way, and so unhappy with it, had turned her into a person she didn’t want to be.

  Her daughter was closely followed by a lively Tommy and a tired-looking Dana.

  ‘Hey, how you doing?’ Dana asked as the children tore out of the French doors and into the spring sunshine to jump up and down on Eliska’s huge trampoline.

  ‘I’m actually feeling OK, thanks. I’m supposed to be back at work next week and really don’t want to. Never ever thought I’d say that.’

  ‘Do you think you will try for another baby with Stephen now you are feeling better?’ Dana asked innocently.

  Alana laughed. ‘Us trying for a baby? We haven’t even established our relationship yet. It’s going to take him a long, long time to work out what he wants, I reckon.’

  ‘He might surprise you, Alana. Men are useless on their own. Women are so much stronger. You wait – he’ll keep going back to that big empty house of his in London and realise his heart lies here with you and Eliska. Yes, just you wait and see.’

  ‘You should write romance novels, Mrs Knight.’

  ‘Actually, I meant to ask you, now you’re on your feet again, would you mind awfully having Tommy after school tomorrow? The boys have asked if I can work late at the café tomorrow; they are having an Easter treat afternoon and could do with the help.’

  ‘You and your boys.’ Alana cocked her head to the side. ‘Why is it I see your face light up when you mention your workplace?’

  Dana reddened.

  ‘Dana? Have I hit a nerve?’

  ‘No, no,’ the young woman blustered. ‘Well, they are good – looking and I do think Tony does have a soft spot for me.’

  ‘You think?’ Alana quizzed, her intuition with men and relationships coming to the fore.

  Dana laug
hed. ‘Let’s just say if I wasn’t married...’

  ‘Well, from the little I can remember, his brother was bloody good at it.’

  ‘Alana! I can’t.’

  ‘Which means you’ve thought about it. There is nothing wrong with fancying someone else if you are attached, it’s only natural. It’s when you act on it that it gets tricky, and by God I’ve learned a few lessons in my life by being so naughty when I shouldn’t. That’s probably why I’m still single at forty-two.’

  ‘Did you love any of them?’

  ‘The ones I had affairs with, you mean?’

  Dana nodded.

  ‘Yes. I love Stephen now and I hate to say it out loud but the fact that his wife is no longer around is fate in my eyes. He would never have left her – and I could never have left him alone. My feelings are just so strong. Before Stephen, yes, I fell completely in love with a married man. Saw him on and off through my twenties for years. Had so many lonely Christmases, holidays, et cetera. He had kids. I got the usual flannel that when they were both at boarding school, we would be together. He never left his wife.’

  ‘Oh, that’s awful.’

  ‘Yes, awful, but what a silly cow I was, thinking he would leave her. They rarely do – leave their wives, that is. Men just like the sexual buzz. Like to know that they’ve still got it. He was twenty years older than me. I mean, why wouldn’t he want the affair? So my advice to you, Dana, if it’s worth anything at all, is if you want extra-marital flings, make sure it’s you doing the buzzing. A no-strings fuck with an unattached sexy young man…what’s the harm if nobody knows?’

  ‘And what if it’s more than just sex?’ Dana asked quietly.

  ‘Then you’ve got to weigh up what you really want out of life and whether it’s worth the complete turmoil it will cause by following that path. You’ve got a good life going on up there on Bramwell Hill, and Mark may be older but he’s still a handsome man – and by what you tell me, a very good husband and father.’

  Alana put her arm out and squeezed Dana’s. ‘I’m always here if you need a chat. Oh, and I nearly forgot.’ She stood up and went over to the sideboard. ‘Here.’

  She presented Dana with a beautifully wrapped gift.

  ‘It’s not much, but I just wanted to thank you for all the help you’ve given me. Not just with Lissy but with…’ she stopped.

  Dana couldn’t believe that Alana Murray actually had a tear in her eye.

  ‘…with everything to do with what happened with the baby and Stephen.’

  Dana kissed her on the cheek. ‘I’ve done nothing really and you shouldn’t have, but that’s lovely of you. Thank you. Can I get you anything before I go?’

  ‘God, no – look at me. I’m absolutely fine. Getting used to all the attention. I will ask Mother to collect Tommy as well tomorrow and pack his uniform and we can take him to school on Friday too. That will give you a bit more time with Lover Boy.’

  ‘It isn’t happening,’ Dana stated adamantly.

  ‘Well, just in case it does.’ Alana winked.

  ‘You really are terrible.’

  ‘I know. But as Mother always says, quite possibly to my detriment: “We are only here for a long weekend so we might as well enjoy it”.’

  – Chapter Twenty One –

  ‘What time have we got you until then? Forever, I hope,’ Tony flirted on their lull break.

  Dana laughed. ‘Actually a friend of mine has Tommy and Mark isn’t home until after ten, so I haven’t got to rush back.’

  ‘Bene, bene. I shall kidnap you then in the flat upstairs and feed you grapes and pour champagne over your naked body.’

  ‘Tony Rosco! NO!’

  ‘No, what?’ Bruno sauntered in and kissed Dana on both cheeks. ‘Ciao, Dana. Thanks for helping today. Now fratello, bring these cakes through, can you please?’

  ‘Saved by the cream horns,’ Dana grinned as Tony carried the box through to the café.

  The boys’ kind gesture of an Easter treat for their local clientele was really well received. Dana loved the generosity of her Italian employees and after just one glass of fizz she actually felt quite giddy.

  She was clearing tables and putting more cakes out when Tony brushed up behind her. ‘I have saved the biggest cream horn for you for later.’

  Dana could feel her heart start to beat a little faster. Her intentions had been just so strong, that nothing would ever happen again between her and Tony. She had to stick to them.

  Undeniably, sex now with Mark had gone up several pegs. She had put to the back of her mind about having a baby and was just enjoying it whenever she could, which had been quite a lot, to be honest – now that Mark was so into it too.

  She did love her husband, but as Alana had so rightly said, that didn’t stop you fancying other men. It was just what you did with that ‘fancy’. She had been brought up with strong values of what was right and wrong. And to sleep with someone else was obviously a complete no, no. Then the devil would get on her shoulder and tap at it. But who would ever find out if once, just once, she slept with Tony? She wasn’t hurting anyone on his side, and Mark need never know. Just one little fling and then she would settle with Mark and Tommy in her lavish lifestyle up on the hill. It was almost as if the more sex she was having, the more she wanted!

  There was no denying Tony was a fit lad and had a lot of admirable qualities, but his focus now was the business, not settling down with a ready-made family – she was sure of that. Also, both he and Bruno had said they wanted to go back to Italy when they had enough money. The brothers shared the flat upstairs. Somehow she couldn’t see Tony moving out and playing Happy Families with her, despite his declaration of how much he thought of her.

  No, she had to keep her conscience clear. How could she possibly wake up next to Mark every day, knowing she had cheated on him? It was a good thing that she was going on holiday. She could clear her head of this folly.

  She recognised Mo from the school coming in with the young Welsh girl from the surgery.

  ‘Hello, there – Mo, isn’t it?’

  ‘Oh hi. You’re Tommy’s mum, aren’t you? I kept seeing you in here and couldn’t put my finger on it.’

  ‘Looking forward to the holidays?’ Dana politely chit-chatted.

  ‘Not really. We are not going anywhere. Ron – my husband, that is – has cancer. So we need to be at home.’

  ‘I’m so sorry – I didn’t know. It’s like having a cold these days though, isn’t it, the big C. They seem to have people in and out like a conveyor belt with loads of new treatments.’

  ‘Sadly, it’s not as easy in his case.’

  ‘I’m so sorry. Look – here’s my mobile.’ Dana scribbled the number down on her pad. ‘If you need any help with anything, lifts for Rosie, or to the hospital – anything – please do give me a call, eh? It must be so hard, not driving.’

  ‘You little love, thank you!’

  ‘Right, let’s get you a couple of glasses of fizz.’

  Bruno was already by their side.

  ‘Bella, bella, Foxy Ffion – how are you, my darling?’

  ‘Always better when fuelled by a little fizz,’ she flirted.

  ‘Your wish, my lady, is my command.’

  Mo laughed. ‘You two. Get a bloody room. But refill my glass first.’

  The place was empty by six and Dana hung her pinny on the peg in the back room.

  ‘Do you want me to take it home and wash it?’ she asked Tony as he came through to join her.

  ‘No, I want to take you home and lick you all over.’

  ‘Tony Rosco, it isn’t going to happen. I am so sorry. It just can’t.’

  ‘But stay and have another drink with me and Bruno, please.’

  ‘OK, just the one though as I’m rubbish with champagne, it goes straight to my head. And we wouldn’t want you taking advantage of me now, would we?’

  The flat upstairs had a beautiful roof garden, which couldn’t be seen from the outside. The fence
surrounding it had fairy lights and lanterns, and a spotted parasol sheltered the four chairs which were sat around an ornate French antique table.

  ‘It’s lovely up here. Bet it’s beautiful at night when the fairy lights come on. I didn’t expect this at all.’

  ‘What, did you think it would be a real lads’ pad, I guess?’

  ‘Yes, I did, to be honest. But I love your flat too. You have good taste, you Rosco boys.’

  Bruno stuck his head around the door to the garden, saying, ‘I’m off to the pub with Ffion and then probably for dinner, so don’t wait up.’

  ‘OK, bro. Have fun.’

  ‘Yeah, see you in a couple of weeks, Bruno, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’ Dana blew him a kiss.

  ‘What wouldn’t you do, Dana? Go on, tell me,’ Tony urged, pouring her another glass of champagne. She was already light-headed but didn’t want to stop.

  ‘I wouldn’t sleep with a married man and wreck a marriage.’

  ‘I see. Sleeping with a single man is OK then. You can do that, si?’

  ‘Oh, Tony. You just do something to me and I know I shouldn’t be here, but I so want to be. And, I do so want to kiss you again, but it is just too dangerous.’

  ‘I’m not asking you to leave your husband, Dana, but you do something for me too. It’s hard to explain. You are like this drug and when you are not around I want you even more. I have got my head around the fact that this may not go anywhere, but just to have you here and alone is the most beautiful moment.’

  He got up and leaned down to kiss her. He was so tender and so loving, and Dana melted into him. He pulled away, picked up her glass of champagne and poured it into a plant pot.

  ‘And I don’t want you drinking this and feeling you are doing something that you don’t want to be doing. As much as I would love to make love to you, it has to be your decision alone. I would fuck you without stopping until Christmas if I had my way. You are just... just so fuckable.’

  Dana loved it when he spoke like this. But what the hell was wrong with her? She was getting all the sex she needed, Mark was giving her loads of attention. She wanted for nothing.