The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

by Karen Woods

  Diane quickly yanked her t-shirt over her stomach quickly, her face bright red. She was defensive. “I don’t eat a lot. Do you think I’ve put weight on?”

  Melanie studied her again and sucked on her lip as she answered. “If I’m being honest yeah, your arse has gone massive. I thought it the other day but never said anything to you as I didn’t want you getting upset. But, now you’ve mentioned it, yes you have piled some timber on.”

  Diane’s eyes welled up, she sat up on the bed and folded her arms tightly in front of her. Her bottom lip started to tremble and she was finding it hard to get her words out. “I’m in big trouble Melanie. I’ve tried to ignore it but it’s not going away.”

  Melanie was confused. Bloody hell, she just needed to cut the sugary snacks out. It wasn’t rocket science was it? “It’s easy, we can start running together and do a few press-ups. I’ll help you. Bleeding hell, we all bang a few pounds on every now and then. I’m always struggling to keep the weight off.”

  “You don’t understand. It’s not as simple as that. I wish it was just the food that was making me get fat?”

  Melanie tried to comfort her. “Course it is. Just get your trainers on and we’ll start now if you want. We can go for a run around the estate?”

  Diane sucked in a large mouthful of air. She bit down hard on her lip. Here it was, the truth at last. “I think I’m pregnant. And, before you start judging me. I’m no slag. I just had too, much to drink and the rest is history. My period is over three weeks late.” Diane was shaking her head, she was a mess.

  Melanie covered her mouth with her hand in shock. What a dark horse this one was. Diane made out that she was innocent and would never have sex unless she was married. She’d told her she’d only ever kissed Gary, never that she’d had sex with somebody. So how on earth could she be with child? Melanie sat thinking, racking her brains to solve who the father was. There was only one lad in the picture in her eyes. “Have you told Gary you might be tubbed. I mean, it’s both of your problem to sort out, not just yours.”

  Diane covered her eyes with her hands. Her voice was low. “It’s not Gary’s.”

  Melanie banged her rounded fist onto the bed. “Course it is. He’s the one who had sex with you. He knew the dangers, he’s not daft. He needs to man up and take responsibility for his actions.”

  There was an eerie silence. Diane looked over at Melanie. Her voice low. “Please, don’t go mad. I’ve been trying to find the words to tell you for weeks now.”

  “Tell me what?” This was confusing for sure, what the hell had happened? Diane rocked her body to and fro, comforting herself before it kicked off.

  “That night when were all babysitting… it happened then. I don’t know how, it just did.”

  “What, so you kissed Gary and then had sex with him?”

  “No, fucking hell. I told you before that it wasn’t Gary I had sex with.”

  Melanie was puzzled, nothing was making any sense. “Hold on, am I missing something here or what?”

  “Well, if you be quiet for a second then I’ll tell you. God, just listen to me will you! It’s hard enough without you butting in all the time. Just let me get this out.”

  “Go on then, I’ll be quiet.”

  Diane sat back on her bed and let out a laboured breath. “After you left on that night, you know, when you said John done that thing to you,”

  Melanie nodded. Of course, she remembered that night, how could she forget? “Yeah, go on.”

  “Well, Gary was being a nobhead. He’d had too much to drink and he was spewing his guts up. I told him to go home because he was being loud and falling about everywhere. A pain in the arse he was. A right handful.” Melanie was listening carefully. “Once he’d gone home me and John were the only ones left. Anyway, to cut a long story short, he was messing about and ended up sitting next to me to watch the film. I swear to you now Melanie it wasn’t planned, it just happened.” Melanie looked confused, the penny had dropped yet... Diane had to spell this out for her. She just wasn’t getting it. “It was John. I had sex with John.”

  Melanie went bright red. This was her best friend, the person she trusted most in her life, the girl she trusted with her secrets. She bolted up from the bed and stood growling at her. Her hand came back and she swung it as hard as she could right into Diane’s face. “You dirty bitch, you know how I felt about him. How could you do this to me? I’ll tell you something for nothing should I…” she paused and stepped back ragging her fingers through her hair, “…you’re welcome to him. I hope your mam throws you out. Yeah, maybe she will send you to that convent for dirty sluts who get pregnant.”

  Diane was blubbering. Her world was falling apart right in front of her eyes. She pleaded with her. “Please Melanie. You’re the only friend I have. What am I going to do if I don’t have you? I’m scared, honest. I’ve not slept properly in weeks. Don’t turn your back on me when I need you most.”

  Melanie shook her head and gripped the handle on the bedroom door. Her blood was boiling. Before she left, she turned her head back and spoke. “You can get to fuck. You dirty slut. It’s what you deserve for betraying me. I wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire after this.” Melanie slammed the door behind her. She marched down the stairs and just before she left she paused in the hallway. Turning on the spot she headed into the living room. Diane’s mother raised her eyes as she spotted Melanie at the door. “What do you want?” Vanessa was so off hand with her and you could see she had no time for Melanie. How dare she come into her front room uninvited? This was Melanie’s moment. Payback time. She wanted to watch her face drop, her world fall apart.

  “I just thought I’d tell you that the daughter you think is so innocent is far from it. She’s tubbed,” enjoying the moment she paused to let it sink in and then stepped forward to speak again, just to make sure the message was coming over loud and clear. “Yes, she’s been having sex. So, put that in your pipe and smoke it.” Melanie sniggered and held her head to the side. “And, you thought it was me who was the bad influence. Let’s see how you’re going to hold your head up around here now. Everyone will know because I’ll make sure I shout it from the rooftops,” she let out a sarcastic laugh. “And here's you worrying that she might be smoking. You should have been more concerned about her dropping her knickers for any Tom, Dick or Harry that would give her a second look.” Her work was nearly done here, just one last mouthful and she’d be gone. “Anyway, John is the father, so good luck with that. I’ll make sure I tell his mam that too when I see her. They’re a pair of dirty, cheating, lying twats.”

  Vanessa bolted from her chair, she ran at Melanie gripping her by the scruff of her neck. “Stop telling lies. Why would you say something as cruel as that? Is there something not right in your head, girl? My Diane is a virgin and it will stay like that until she has a ring on her finger. Until she is married.”

  Melanie wriggled free. She owed this woman nothing anymore, why she should she show her any respect whatsoever? She was getting told. “It’s true, go and ask her yourself you silly cow. She’s just confessed to me that she had sex with my boyfriend. So not only is she a cheating slut, she’s a dirty one too.”

  Melanie turned on the spot. If this woman so much as laid a single finger on her she would knock her block off and put her on her arse. Melanie left the room. Vanessa stood on the same spot for a few seconds. She walked a few steps forward and stopped again. She stormed up the stairs in a wild frenzy. She was screaming at the top of her voice, she was hysterical. Diane heard everything Melanie had said and ran back to her bedroom before her mother could see her. She sat on the bed with her knees held up tightly to her chest shivering. Vanessa barged into the bedroom and stood facing her with her hands placed firmly on her hips. “Tell me it’s not true. Go on, tell me Melanie is lying?” Diane couldn’t look her mother in the eye. She was ashamed. Vanessa’s voice got louder and louder. “I said, tell me the truth. Hurry up, before I come over there and knock it out o
f you. And, I will you know, don’t doubt that for one single second.”

  Diane lifted her head slightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Mam, it was once. I’ve never done anything like this before. It was a mistake. Please mam, it was a mistake.”

  Vanessa dropped to her knees and held her head in her hands, ragging at her hair, pulling at her clothes. She was devastated. “How could you do this to us! We’ve given you everything you have ever wanted, and you have shamed us like this. Your dad will hit the roof, he’ll wring your bleeding neck he will. God help you girl when he finds out.”

  Diane crept from the bed and edged towards her mother. She bent down and placed her hand on her shoulder. “Please don’t hate me. I’m still your daughter. Help me mam. I can’t cope.”

  Vanessa lifted her head and growled at Diane. “Get your bleeding shoes on. You’re coming with me. Let’s see what John’s mam and dad have got to say about this.”

  Diane was open-mouthed. “He doesn’t even know yet. I’ve only told Melanie.”

  “And what a good move that was. She’ll tell the world and his wife before the day’s out. She told me that herself.”

  “I’ll go and speak with her, she’s just angry that’s all because it’s John. She’ll calm down. I know she will, it’s just shock at the moment.”

  “You’re a dirty scrubber. Not only have you taken your knickers off. You’ve betrayed your best friend too. How low is that? You deserve everything that’s coming to you. And, when your dad gets home, he’ll bloody throttle you.”

  Diane was sobbing. What a mess this was. There was no way out, the deed was done and there was no going back. Maybe if her mother had been a bit more open about sex and men then she might have understood the dangers of messing about with boys. But she knew hardly anything about sex. It was a taboo subject in her household. She didn’t know how babies were made. She was just a young girl who’d made a mistake.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Melanie sat on a brick wall near the pub. She had a half a brick in her hand and as soon as she spotted the lying cheating prick she was going to launch it at his head. Suddenly she heard shouting from behind her, screaming. Melanie twisted her head and spotted Vanessa dragging Diane towards the pub. She quickly moved out of the way and kept a low profile. Melanie watched from her hideout as Diane passed, they were heading towards the pub and by the looks of things it was going to kick off big time. Once they disappeared into the doorway Melanie came out of hideout. She looked around her and made sure nobody could see her. With a spring in her step she launched the brick towards the top window. There was a sound of glass smashing, “and, that’s just the start of it, you prick,” Melanie muttered under her breath.

  Vanessa stood in the vault of the pub. She spotted John’s mother behind the bar and gripped Diane at the side of her before she dragged her forward. “I need a word with you, love,” she shouted over the bar. John’s mother sneered over at her. If this was about her son hitting somebody again she was going to ground him for sure. She was sick to death of parents and the police calling to her home reporting his bad behaviour. John’s mother pointed to a door at the other side of the room. “Just go in there and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

  Vanessa didn’t reply, she just marched to the door and pushed it open. Diane was at the side of her and didn’t dare lift her head up. Vanessa walked into the small office. She pointed to the chair. “Sit there and don’t move a muscle,” Vanessa ordered her daughter, “one wrong word from you and you’ll get a clout.” Diane obeyed the orders and sat down. She tried to speak and Vanessa clouted her around the side of the head as she promised. “Don’t you dare try and speak to me. I said be bloody quiet.” The office door opened, and John’s mother walked inside.

  Joanne was dressed in a fitted black dress and as per usual her hair was styled, and her make-up was on point. “Sorry, I’ve been a while. I had to get Lesley to cover for me behind the bar. So, what’s he done now? I’m sick to death of him at the moment!”

  Vanessa let out a laboured breath and shot a look over at her daughter. “I’ll tell you what he’s done. I’ll smack him one when I get my hands on him. And I can’t tell you what my husband will do to him when he gets his hands on him.”

  John’s mother sat up straight, she was defensive. “Oh, there is no need for that. John’s my son and I’ll be the one chastising him nobody else.”

  Vanessa looked around the room. “Where is he? He should be here too!”

  Joanne was getting fed up of this woman already. “He’ll be here when I bring him. Just tell me the problem and then we can begin to sort things out.”

  Here it was, the true reason she was here. “He’s got my Diane pregnant. He should have kept it in his pants, the dirty sod.”

  Joanne slammed her flat palm on the wooden desk. “Hold on a bleeding second. What did you just say?”

  “I said, she’s pregnant. He’s the one who’s had his wicked way with her. Underage sex it is, a criminal offence.”

  Diane lifted her head up and straightened her shoulders. She was sick of them talking about her like she wasn’t here. She had a voice. The damage was done now and whatever will be will be. So what if her dad kicked off? So what if they threw her on the streets. She would just deal with the consequences. But one thing was for sure, she wasn’t prepared to sit there like a nobody.

  John’s mother looked over at Diane and opened her eyes wide. “Are you pregnant or what? Don’t joke about this because I’ll swing for you if you are.”

  Diane answered in a cocky tone, she had nothing to lose. “Yes, it’s true. And, I’ll deal with whatever happens. So you two witches can shut the fuck up and listen to me for a minute.”

  Vanessa’s legs buckled from beneath her, she steadied herself on the wall with her hand. She’d never heard anything like this before come from her daughter’s mouth. John’s mother stood open-mouthed. Who did this girl think she was talking to? What kind of family brought a child up to speak like this?

  Vanessa stuttered. “You can stop that kid of language! I don’t know who you think you are young lady. How dare you swear like that. What has happened to you?”

  John’s mother stood with her hands on her hips and sneered over at Diane. “Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. I’m going to get our John and his dad. Just wait here, I’ll be back in a minute.” John’s mother left the room and Vanessa ran at her daughter. She gripped her face with one hand and sprayed warm breath into her face. “Listen and listen well. If I hear anymore filth coming out of that mouth, I’ll take you to that bleeding convent myself. You learn some respect lady. You might not have any left for yourself, but I won’t have you talking like that, no way.”

  Diane wriggled about and freed herself from her mother’s grip. She was bright red and ready to kick off. “I don’t care anymore. I’m sick of you and your rules. Every day you’re going on at me about this, that, and the other. You should have treated me with respect not the other way around. I’m not arsed anymore. Yes, you heard me right. I’m not arsed. Do whatever you’re going to do, I’m not bothered.”

  Vanessa was white, every drop of colour drained from her face. Her knuckles turned white as she squeezed her fingers into two tight balls at the side of her legs. She was ready to smash her daughter’s head in. “Just sit there and wait until John’s mother comes back. Keep that big trap shut too before I shut it for you. Honest, don’t push me because I’ll flatten you if you give me anymore lip.”

  Diane turned away from her mother and looked out of the small office window. The trees were blowing hard and it looked like a storm was brewing outside. Big grey clouds hung from the sky; there were high winds and leaves were circling on the ground.

  Joanne marched into the living room and looked shocked. The main window in the room had a big hole in it. Half a brick lay on the floor amongst the shattered glass. “What the bleeding hell has gone on here. What’s bloody happened?”

  Alfie, her husband, ragged his finge
rs through his hair and carried on picking up the large pieces of shattered glass. “Fuck knows. Some little bastard has flung a brick through the window. John was asleep in his bedroom and I was on the shitter. I swear, we need to get away from around here it’s going worse.” John was lay on the sofa watching his dad clean the mess up. Alfie shot a look over at him and snarled. “And that lazy bastard lay there won’t move. Look at him, not a movement. Get up from there and give me a hand.”

  John rolled on his side and stretched his arms over his head. “Wow, you’ve nearly finished now. What’s the point?”

  “I said get up from there and help clean this mess up.” Alfie meant business, he was fuming. John’s mother gave her son a look. Alfie had a bad temper and he wouldn’t have thought twice about giving his son a backhander. Yes, in the past he’d give him a good arse kicking when he got above his station. John was sluggish and he might as well have stayed where he was, he was neither use nor ornament.

  Joanne walked to the broken window and shook her head. “We’ll have to phone the emergency glass people. We can’t keep it like that for long. It’s freezing. Alfie stood up and stretched his back. He held his hand on the base of his spine and sighed. “My bleeding back is playing up too. Honest, this landlord job is doing me in. I’m getting too old for it all.” John’s mother had to get this from off chest, she was fidgeting about near what used to be the window.

  “Alfie, I need you and John to come downstairs to the office with me. Something has happened, and well, I need you both there.”

  John gulped. He was always nicking a few quid here and there from the tills, had they found out? His voice was low. “Mam, do you need me? I was going to watch a film after I’ve cleaned this up?”

  She studied him and sucked hard on her lip. “Yes, I do. It concerns you.”

  John was in a panic now. If he’d been uncovered as a thief his dad would punish him for sure. His dad was like that, he wouldn’t let him get away with anything. He had strict rules to follow and if they were broken he would pay the price. His dad hit him where nobody could see the bruises. He’d kick him up the arse and punch him to his body. John dropped his head low and sneaked a look over at his father. Maybe he could fight back this time, he was stronger now, or so he thought. Alfie was pacing the room moaning. “What’s gone on now? You do know I have a pub to run, don’t you?”