The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

by Karen Woods

  “Thank you, Gary. Things don’t seem as bad as they did before.” Vanessa stood and walked towards the window. She pulled the net curtain back softly and spoke. “It’s just my Jack now. He’ll go ballistic when he knows what’s happened. Honest, he’ll hit the roof.”

  Diane was crapping her knickers. She knew more than anyone that her dad would not take this lying down. He’d want to break Gary’s nose, drag him around to his parent’s house and cause havoc there too. The clock was ticking and he would be here soon. They needed a plan. “Mam, should me and Gary go upstairs before he comes home. What if you tell him and then when he’s calmed down we will come and see him?”

  Vanessa checked the clock on the mantelpiece. She stood biting her fingernails. “Yes, I don’t want you here when I tell him. Go upstairs and lock your door. Put the bed behind it.”

  Gary was shaking in his boots. He wobbled slightly as he stood and had to put his hand on the wall for a few minutes to catch his breath. This was a nightmare.

  Diane sat on the bed with her back to the wall. Gary was edgy and kept looking at the bedroom door. “Is your old man that bad?”

  Diane nodded. “Yes, he’s a crank when he sees his arse. My mam has told me stories of him fighting down the boozer, he’s a hard fucker too. He can fight. Four of them he floored one night, my mam said.”

  “Fucking hell Diane,” Gary was shitting it even more now, “What am I going to do? If he hits me I can’t just sit here can I?”

  She screwed her face up and poked a finger in his shoulder. “And, you can’t hit my dad either. What on earth are you thinking? No way, he would go ballistic if you started swinging for him. Don’t worry, my mam will sort him out, she always does. Just leave her to it.”

  “That’s alright for you to say. You’re not the one he’ll be gunning for.”

  Diane shook her head and let out a laboured breath. “No, I’m his daughter, his princess. The one he had high hopes for.”

  Gary sat back and folded his arms tightly in front of him. “I’m never drinking again, ever. Honest, I don’t remember a thing about that night. Nothing. And as for us having sex, I can’t remember, can you?”

  Diane went bright red, the vein at the side of her neck starting to bulge out from the transparent skin near her neck. Now she had to tell the biggest lie that she had ever told in her life, a secret that she could never breathe a word about to anyone. She looked at Gary and closed her eyes slowly. “Yes, I do remember it. I was pissed too but we were kissing and messing about and one thing led to another and we sort of got caught up in the moment. You’re the first lad I’ve kissed Gary, so don’t think I do this with everyone. I just wanted to get it over with and lose my virginity. All the girls I know are having sex and there is only me and Melanie who are left. Like I said, I just wanted to try it. What about you, have you had sex before?”

  Gary sniffed hard. This girl wanted his CV on his sex life. Like her, he wasn’t experienced in the bedroom, but he’d had a few sexual encounters. “I’ve fingered a bird and she sucked me off. I was near shagging this girl from the other estate, but she flapped at the last minute. I think my nob went in a bit, but you can’t count that can you?”

  Diane sniggered and covered her mouth with her hand. “What, it went in a bit, what do you mean by that?”

  Gary started to relax and his sense of humour was returning. “I mean the bell-end went in but not the rest. I didn’t even get a jerk, nothing. So, I don’t count it. She just give me a wank, so, it was alright in the end.”

  Gary moved closer to her and whispered in her ear. “Was I any good at it?”

  “At what?”

  “Sex you div, was I a stallion, a porn star?”

  They were laughing their heads off and they forgot for a few minutes the problems they had to face soon. “Sssh, you geek. I can’t remember most of it. But, I don’t think you was all that. It was over very quickly.”

  Gary smirked and nudged her slightly. “Well, the next time you’ll see my special moves.”

  Diane opened her eyes wide, shocked. “Next time,” she stressed.

  “Well, yes. You can’t get pregnant again can you and if you’re going to be my missus then I expect plenty of sex, blow-jobs and some of that anal stuff I’ve seen in them magazines.”

  He was joking of course, and she flicked the side of his ear as she laughed. “Gary, let’s take this a day at a time. You’ve got to survive my dad yet. If you’re still alive after he comes home, then we’ll see.”

  There was a loud bang from downstairs, the front door had just slammed shut. They both froze. It was D-Day. Diane sat back on the bed and gripped her pillow in front of her. Gary never flinched, he held his ear towards the door and tried to listen to any noises from down the stairs.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Vanessa went into the kitchen and got her husband’s tea from the hot oven. She shouted into the living room. “Do you want any bread with your tea, love?” Jack answered her as he started to take his work boots off, they were big heavy Dockers boots that crippled his feet every day. “Yes love, do us three slices I’m starving. What is it anyway?”

  “Lentil soup and ham shank.”

  “Lovely jubbly. You must be after something. You only make that when you’re trying to sweeten me up,” he giggled, knowing there was something behind his wife’s culinary skills.

  Vanessa’s nerves were shattered and she was finding it hard to control her emotions, she was dropping things and being unusually clumsy. Jack sat at the wooden table and pulled a chair out. His place was set, and he was ready to eat. His wife put his plate down in front of him and he smiled. “It looks lovely this. I could eat a scabby horse. I’ve hardly eaten a thing all day. Honest, it’s been non-stop. I’m getting too old to be digging these roads, there is no rest.”

  Vanessa sat down and switched the TV on. Every now and then she flicked her eyes over to her husband preparing herself to deliver the news. Jack ate everything on his plate as he always did and stood up. “Bleeding lovely that was. Just what I needed. I’ll jump in the bath I think.”

  Vanessa had to get it out, tell him before he left the room. “Jack, just come and sit down for a minute. I need to speak to you.”

  “Oh, can’t it wait. I stink love, I’ve been sweating all day.”

  “No, this is serious, and I need to tell you something.”

  Jack plonked down on the sofa. He looked at her and opened his eyes wide. “Well, come on then woman, get it out.”

  Vanessa swallowed hard, she sat forward and touched the end of her husband’s knee with shaking hands. “It’s our Diane, she’s in trouble.”

  Before she could finish Jack was up in arms. “What have I told her about knocking about with that lot. I’ve said it all along that they’re a load of scallies.”

  Here it was, the bombshell. “She’s pregnant.”

  There was a lengthy silence. Jack remained still in his seat, there was no movement whatsoever. He twisted his head slowly towards her and gritted his teeth tightly together. “Say that again. Because, I’m not sure if I heard you right.” Vanessa repeated herself and closed her eyes. “I’ll smash his fucking head in. Who is it, how did it happen. Did he force himself on her?”

  “No love, it was a mistake. It just happened she said. They must have just been fooling around. You know our Diane is not like that. Gary said he will stand by her and they will get married.”

  “Fucking Gary, who the hell is he?”

  “He’s her boyfriend. They have been going out together for months now. He’s a really nice lad,” she lied.

  “Since when has she had a bleeding boyfriend. This is getting worse by the minute. Why wasn’t I informed of this? That’s the thing with you woman, you don’t tell me fuck all until it’s too late. I could have stopped this, worded the dirty little fucker up. Just like your dad did with me. And now look what’s happened. I’ll skin him alive.”

  Vanessa bolted to her feet and stood before her husband.
He was ready to go out on the street searching for the lad. “Just sit down for a minute, for crying out loud, you wonder why I tell you nothing. It’s always the same with you Jack, you think with your fists. Gary and Vanessa are upstairs and when you have calmed down I will bring them both down to talk to you. Just sit there for a bit and breathe.”

  “You mean to tell me he’s in my bleeding house. You can fuck off. I’m going up there now to see him. This is my house and you’ll live by my rules woman.”

  Vanessa could do no more. Jack was in the zone and when he was like this she just had to leave him be. He stormed out of the front room and stampeded up the stairs. Vanessa ran behind him and she was shouting at the top of her voice. “Jack, don’t be doing anything silly. Just listen to what they have to say.”

  Jack kicked the door open, nearly taking it from its hinges. The bed went flying across the room. Diane covered her eyes with her hand as she watched her father grab Gary from the bed. “You dirty little bastard. I’ll teach you to keep your dick in your pants.” Gary was launched from one side of the room to the other, Jack swung a punch that connected with his nose. Blood was splurging all over, there was screaming and shouting.

  Gary had to fight back, there was no way he could just take it. “Get the fuck from me you daft prick. I’m here to admit what I’ve done. I’ve not ran away, have I? Just calm down and talk about this like adults?”

  Vanessa was between them both now. “Jack, stop it. Look at her, she’s heartbroken.” Diane was sobbing her heart out and shaking from head to toe. Vanessa ran to her side. “Come on love, stop crying, take a few deep breaths.” Jack released his grip on Gary and sank to his knees. Ragging his hands through his hair he lifted his head up and looked over at his daughter. “You’ve ruined your life now. You’re a baby yourself. How can you look after a child? I had high hopes for you… you were going to college, getting a career.”

  Diane was desperate as she spoke. “Dad, Gary is standing by me and we are going to get married. We can do it and my mam said she will help too.”

  “It’s a bleeding baby, not a puppy. How can he support you, does he even have a job?”

  Gary wiped the bright red claret from his nose with the cuff from his jumper. “I can get a job. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we want for nothing.” This was a good move by Gary.

  Jack stood and walked to the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes and placed his palm on top of his daughter’s head. “Sweetheart, I wanted so much more for you. I wanted you to have all the things we didn’t. You’re worth so much more than that.”

  Vanessa chirped in, this was her time to speak. “Jack, we had Diane when I was seventeen and we managed. This is no different. We can support them until they find their feet. She’ll be married in a few months and nobody will be any the wiser. We will just say the baby came early.”

  Jack collapsed onto the bed. His world had fallen apart. His princess was damaged goods now, ruined.

  Gary sat on the floor and drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. “I’ll look after her. I promise you that I will do my best by her.”

  Vanessa sniffed up hard, tears were rolling down her cheeks. There was silence and everyone in the room was regaining their thoughts. Jack stood up and left the room. Gary made sure that he was gone and raised his eyes. “So, what does that mean? Is he alright or is he going to come back in and leather me again?”

  “You got off lightly, lad. Honest, he could have done a lot worse.” Vanessa stressed. “Just leave him be for now, he’ll calm down sooner or later.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Melanie sat with Diane and looked her up and down. Since she’d found out John wasn’t the dad she’d let her off the hook. “Fucking hell, I can’t believe you’re getting married. I thought you would have bailed and not gone ahead with it. I mean, you never really liked Gary, did you?”

  Diane had to support her lie. “Yes, I did, let’s say he has grown on me. Ever since he found out I’m having his child he has been at my side supporting me. My dad has really taken a shine to him. He’s got him a job with him working on the roads and they’ve formed a bond. It’s cute.”

  “That’s good news that he’s found work. He’ll need all the money he can get when the baby comes along. John said he can’t be arsed finding work, he’s going to earn it some other way he said.”

  Diane raised her eyes. “And, you know what that means don’t you?” Melanie screwed her face up, puzzled look as she continued. “He’ll start selling drugs.”

  Melanie pondered what her friend had just said. She remembered him talking to a local bad lad Donny a few weeks back. He was a dead-leg and always in and out of jail. Donny was well known for selling drugs. He sold weed and anything else he could get his hands on. This kid had it all going on. He had the best clothes that money could buy, a nice car that all the young kids were jealous of. Melanie nodded her head, she’d have to keep her eye on John if that was his game. There was no way she wanted a boyfriend who was wrapped up in that sort of thing. She wanted an honest, hardworking man to look after her.

  Diane rubbed her hands together in excitement. She made sure the bedroom door was shut and kept her voice low. “So, come on, tell me about it.”

  “About what?” Melanie replied.

  “Derr, you and John having sex. I haven’t had much chance to talk to you since I’ve been pregnant.”

  Melanie blushed. “It was good. I made him wait though. I’ve been going out with him for three months now, so I don’t mind.”

  “Was it any good?”

  “It was alright I suppose. I thought it would have been better, but I didn’t know what to expect.”

  Diane chuckled loudly. “Me and Gary are always at it now. Well, the damage has already been done. He told me he loves me too.”

  Melanie squirmed. “What, he loves you already? Do you think he’s just saying that because you’re having his baby?”

  Diane saw her arse, what was wrong with Melanie? Why was she always questioning her? “No, I don’t. We’ve become so close. He’s my soul mate now, my best friend.”

  Melanie couldn’t help but laugh. This was a load of shit. She knew Diane inside out and never in a million years would she have loved Gary so soon. “I wish you all the luck in the world. What on earth are you going to do when the baby is due? Are you scared because I’ve seen some programmes on the TV about child-birth. Honest, your fanny is nearly split open. Rather you than me.”

  “I’ve not even thought about that yet. No doubt I will deal with it when it happens. Loads of women do it, so it can’t be that bad.”

  “My mam said that when she had me my dad was in there watching me being born and he said when he saw me coming out, that it was like watching his favourite pub being burnt down.”

  Diane burst out laughing. She was getting emotional now. “I’m glad we made friends. I would have hated us never talking again.”

  Melanie agreed. “Well, it’s sorted now. I just thought that you’d done the dirty on me and slept with John that’s all. To tell you the truth, when I found out it was Gary you slept with I was relieved. It was your own fault though for throwing John’s name in the hat. Why on earth did you do that?”

  Diane started to fidget, playing with her hands. “I don’t know, I was stressed, and my head was all over the place. I think it was my hormones.”

  Melanie smiled and reached over to touch her hand. “Anyway, that’s in the past now. You have your man and a baby on the way to think about.”

  John sat with Gary at the reception at the registry office. This was going to be a small quick service, no party after the exchanging of vows, no honeymoon, just straight in and out. Gary was dressed in a black pair of pants and a white shirt, there was no tie, no waistcoat and very few in the congregation. He was skint and had to borrow his clothes from his mates who were the same size as him. His mother was with him today and his younger sister but apart from them none of his family had attended. T
hey all probably thought the same thing, that he was too young, tapped in the head and ruining his life.

  Diane wasn’t here yet and Gary was starting to panic as he looked at his wristwatch. He wanted this over and done with before he changed his mind. Yes, he’d had doubts, all night long he’d sat up with his mother and at one stage he was ready to call the whole thing off. John flicked the side of his cheek and chuckled. “So, you’re going to be a married man and all that. What am I going to do for my wingman now you’re getting hitched?”

  Gary smirked. “I’m getting married but that doesn’t change anything.”

  “Yes, it does. You’ll have a kid soon and you’ll be a family man. There will be no more chilling with me and the rest of the lads, you’ll be changing shitty nappies.”

  Gary thought about it and nodded. “I suppose you’re right. But ay, I get sex each night and I’ve got a job to go to, so it’s not all bad is it. Have you found work yet?”

  John looked around making sure no one was listening. “Yes, I’m going to start do a bit of graft for Donny. Easy money really, just dropping a few things here and there.”

  Gary was alert. “Are you right in the head! You don’t want to be getting mixed up in all that lot. You need to fuck him off, he’s nothing but trouble. You’ll end up in jail trust me.”

  “Nar, he’s sweet. I’ll be earning a right few quid for basically sitting on my arse doing nothing.”

  Gary let out a laboured breath and sat cracking his knuckles. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You won’t be saying that when you’re in the big house getting bummed. Donny is always in and out of jail, everyone knows that. In fact, Lenny Jackson has been banged up with him.”

  Lenny had been in jail for months now. He had never been convicted of the death of Melanie’s brother, William, but the police kept an eye on him and nicked him for a string of burglaries in the area.

  John burst out laughing after listening to Gary. He loved his sense of. They were best mates, brothers in arms. Gary had a wise head and most of the time he stopped John getting into trouble…