The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

by Karen Woods

  Melanie was shell-shocked. What a bleeding day this had turned out to be! Diane wouldn’t believe what had gone on, it was better than any TV drama she’d ever seen and here was her thinking her parents led a boring life. Her mother had a son she’d had adopted, and her father had been sleeping around.

  Marion plonked back down on the sofa and reached for her cigarettes. Her hands trembled as she popped one in the side of her mouth. “I’m sorry you had to hear all that love. Fuck me, could this day get any worse? He'll be down that pub now until they throw him out. You know he’ll kick off when he comes home, so be prepared for no sleep tonight.”

  Melanie pulled her legs up underneath her and gripped the top of her knees. “Mam, when did my dad have an affair?”

  Marion sucked hard on her fag and blew a thick grey cloud of smoke out in front of her. “It was years ago love when you were five years old. I caught him red handed. He shit a brick when I walked into the pub and caught him with that dirty scrubber Sally. I had a gut feeling he was up to no good but I got a tip off from a friend who had heard a few whispers he was playing away.”

  “What did you do when you found him with her? I would have ripped her hair out.”

  “I stood watching for a few minutes, just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Then I saw him touching her cheek, stroking it and then he kissed her right in front of my eyes. I can still see it now, honest, it still makes my blood boil.”

  “What did you do then?”

  “I took a deep breath and walked up behind him. I tapped him on the shoulder and as soon as he turned around I smashed my fist right into his face. I ragged her by her hair and made sure she was going nowhere. Honest, if the other people in the pub hadn’t held me back I would have done a lot worse. Your dad was speechless. I picked up his pint and threw it right over him and then walked out of the pub.”

  “Did he come chasing you?”

  “Of course, he did. He was begging for forgiveness from the second I found out.”

  “Did you let him get away with it?”

  “It’s me you’re talking to now love. Did I ‘eck. I went home and packed his bags and launched them in the front garden. All night long he stood in the garden trying to win me back. I just turned all the lights off in the house and drew the curtains and got in bed. I woke up in the morning and he was still there.”

  “Did you let him in the house then?”

  “No, I filled a bucket up with water and launched it out of the bedroom window at him. I think he left after that and stayed at his brother’s house for a week or so. Day after day he turned up at the house, pleading with me, begging me to forgive him.”

  “I don’t know if I could forgive someone who hurt me like that. No matter how much I loved them.”

  “It’s hard love, and after I let him back home it took a long time for me to be the same with him. He knew if he ever so much as looked at another woman again he would be out on his arse. I can honestly say, since then, he’s never strayed.”

  “Wow, and here’s me thinking you two were boring. I never knew you both had a past.”

  Marion stubbed her cigarette out in the ashtray. “So, now you know.”

  “Are you going to try and find your son then?”

  Marion was in a fluster. “No love, let sleeping dogs lie. He wouldn’t want to know me after I’ve given him away. He’s a man now probably with a family of his own.”

  “Still, you’re his real mother. Maybe he has been searching for you and you don’t know about it?”

  “Don’t be daft, love - he probably doesn’t even know who I am. I bet his new parents never told him he was even adopted. They insisted that when they took him that all contact with me would be denied, no photographs, no letters, nothing.”

  “You could check the records at the convent, you can’t just give up already. Look for him mam, send him a letter, do something, he’s your son.”

  Marion was shaking from head to toe. Yes, she had thought of all these things but never really had the courage to follow anything through. She had her own family now, her own children. Life had gone on. Imagine how he would have felt if he knew she went on to have more children and never came back for him. No, she could never do that to him. Melanie agreed. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. Maybe it is best left then.”

  They sat in complete silence looking like they were in deep thought. What a bloody mess this was, how on earth were they going to get through this? It was betrayal, a secret that should have been left where it was.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Diane was in bed tossing and turning. Her baby bump was big now and she was finding it hard to get comfortable. Gary had left for work hours ago. He’d been working on the roads with her father for a few months and seemed to be enjoying it. If he was being honest he loved the break from Diane and her moaning mother. Day in day out the old hag was on at him. No wonder her own husband went to work early in the morning and came home late at night.

  Diane opened her eyes and checked the clock next to her bed, it was nearly eleven o’clock. She stretched her arms above her head and rolled onto her side. She’d arranged to meet John today and was excited to see him. Over the last few months she’d been sleeping with him as well as her husband. John had a house he could use, and no one knew of their affair. He’d promised her the world too, told her when he’d earned enough money he would come for her and the baby and take them away to a new area, a fresh start. Come on, who was he kidding, he just getting his end away and making the most out of it. Anyone could see that. Diane was blinded by him.

  Vanessa came into the bedroom with a plate of toast and a mug of tea. “Good morning love, you slept in late. You must have needed it though, that’s why I left you to have a lie in. I was like that when I was pregnant with you. Honest, I didn’t have an ounce of energy all the way through my pregnancy.”

  Diane sat up and took the plate from her mother. The cup of tea was placed at the side of her bed. “Thanks mam. Yes, I’ve been feeling a lot more tired lately.”

  “You need to get as much rest as you can because when the baby is born it’s non-stop. You’ll be lucky to find time to eat.”

  “I’ll be fine, mum. And, I have you to help me, don’t I?”

  “Of course you do love. I’ll help all I can. Gary can help too after he’s finished work. Don’t let him think he doesn’t have to do anything just because he’s been to work. A baby is a twenty-four hour a day job, sometimes you don’t get a minute to yourself.”

  Diane munched on her toast as she replied. “Mam, are my jeans washed and my red top, the baggy one I like?”

  “Yes, I folded them and put them in your wardrobe. Why, where are you going, is it anti-natal today?”

  Diane fidgeted about, she was never a good liar. “I’m going to see Melanie and a few of the other girls. I feel like I’ve lost contact with them all since I’ve been married.”

  “Yes, that will be good. Go and get some fresh air and exercise. The last thing you want is to start getting fat because once you’ve had the baby the extra timber will be hard to shift. Trust me, I know. Two stones I had to get rid of when I had you. A right fat cow I was.”

  “I won’t be like that. I hardly eat anything.”

  “Who are you trying to kid, have you seen your arse lately? I said to your dad only the other night that you were carrying baby weight.” Diane was having a hot flush, this was news to her, she thought she was managing her baby weight well. Vanessa smirked and started to head out of the room. “I’m just saying that’s all. Keep away from them Flumps and you should be fine.”

  Diane had seen her arse and gritted her teeth tightly together. “I’m not fat mother so stop saying it. I eat a few sweets at night that’s all.”

  Vanessa left. Diane looked at the toast in her hand and squirmed, she’d lost her appetite now and flung it back onto the plate. Raising herself from the bed she examined herself in the full-length mirror; twisting and turning she was trying to look at her bac
kside. Her eyes were wide-open, her jaw dropped low. She was distraught when she caught a glimpse of it. How on earth had she never noticed this before? She edged closer to her reflection and studied her bum. There were stretch marks there and cellulite. All she could describe the rest of her body as was blubber. This was a code red, she had to sort it out. That was it, no Flumps would touch her lips again. No more bars of chocolate, no more unhealthy food. She pushed the mirror back towards the wall and cringed. It was time to get ready.

  Melanie sat in the front room with her mother. Last night had been a long night. Arthur had the house up with his shouting and screaming. It was that bad that one of the neighbours knocked on the front door to see if she was alright. Susie wanted to phone the police and told Marion that if she needed her just she should just bang on the wall and she would ring the old Bill. Arthur stumbled through the front door not long after midnight, swaying and slurring his words. Marion had endured hours of his abuse before she finally got to bed in the early hours of the morning.

  “Do you want a drink mam, you look knackered?”

  “Yes please, love. I suppose you heard that bastard last night when he come home.”

  “Everyone on the row heard him mam. You should have rung the police on him.”

  “That’s not our way, love. I can give as good as I get make no mistake about that. When I find the energy, I’m packing all his bags and he can piss off to his brothers or something. Did you hear the names he was calling me?”

  “Yes, I was ready to whack him over the head with something.”

  “No love, you keep out of this. This is between me and your father nobody else.”

  “I’ll go and brew up. Do you want a blanket bringing down? You can get on the sofa and try and grab a few hours’ sleep before he comes home and starts again?” Marion plonked herself on the sofa. “Yes love. But don’t fanny around me I’m fine.”

  Melanie went into the kitchen and flicked the kettle on. She bent over the kitchen side and looked out of the window. It was all a bit hard to take in at the moment and her emotions were numb. She’d call round to Diane’s and have a chat with her, she’d feel better then. Melanie placed the cup of tea on the table and sat down. The TV was on but the sound was low. “Mam, I’m going to start looking for William. I think it’s the best thing to do. I don’t care what my dad says either. You have another son and I want him to be part of our lives.”

  Marion was drained with it all, exhausted. “Love, please, just leave it alone. I can’t deal with any more stress now, my head feels like it’s going to explode. I’ll have him home later and I’ll have to deal with the same shit again.”

  “What’s he said about William. Has he said he wants to find him?”

  “Are you having a laugh or what? He’s called me every slag and slut name under the sun. He won’t give a flying fuck about my son, he only cares about himself.”

  “Well, he’s got to face it sooner or later. It’s not going to go away is it?”

  “I’m sorry I ever opened my mouth now. I should have said nothing, and my life would have been the same as it was before.”

  “That’s silly. I’m glad you’ve opened up about it. It’s not good holding things in for all that time. We can find him together, we don’t need my dad involved.”

  Marion sucked back the tears and her face and neck went bright red. She was having a hot flush and the sweat was pouring out of her. “Open that back door love and let some fresh air in. Bleeding hell my body’s on fire here. I always get a hot flush after a cup of tea, I need to stop drinking it while I’m on the change.”

  Melanie hurried to open the back door. She grabbed a newspaper and started wafting it at the side of her mother’s face. This woman was burning up, sweat rolling down the side of her cheeks. Marion gripped the top of her blouse and opened it up wide, blowing her breath down towards her breasts. She was staring to cool down now. “I’ll have to go to the doctors about these hot flushes. They’re getting worse. At night I wake up and it feels like I’ve pissed the bed I’m that wet. Susie next door warned me about the menopause and she told me the hot flushes are just the start of it.”

  “So, get to the doctors then. You looked like you were going to collapse then. Why put yourself through it when the GP can give you something to take it away.”

  Marion shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows high. “Have you even read up on HRT, it can lead to cancer. That’s what Susie said anyway. The doctor gave her some HRT patches and she told me they are still in her bedroom drawer untouched. It’s all scary stuff. I’ll have a word with the doctor and see what he thinks. He’ll probably tell me to have cold showers knowing him. He’s crap when it comes to women’s troubles.”

  “So, see a female doctor then.”

  “You can’t always get to see one. It’s just whoever is free when you make an appointment.”

  “Stop making excuses, just make sure you book in and get them hot flushes sorted.”

  Marion sniggered and lay back down on the sofa. “Look who’s all grown up all of a sudden. You’d think you were the mother and not me.”

  “I just care about you, don’t I? And plus, you’ve been through a lot lately. We lost our William and I know you’ve put on a brave face but none of us will ever stop missing him.”

  Marion choked up, she still cried every night about her son. “He took a piece of my heart with him. He’ll always be in our hearts.” The tears started to fall and they hugged each other. Marion lifted her head and sighed. “What a bleeding mess this is. My life should be calm and tranquil at my age. What’s happened to that?”

  Melanie smirked and squeezed her mother’s fingers. “You dropped a bomb on us is what’s happened. I thought you were whiter than white and here’s you with a story to tell.”

  “I am whiter than white, don’t ever think I was a scrubber. I was young and foolish that’s all.”

  Melanie kissed her on the side of the cheek. “I’m going to Diane’s. She’s another one who was young and foolish. At least her man never left her to deal with it on her own.”

  Marion knew her daughter was joking of course. “Go on, piss off and let me get some sleep before that arse-hole comes home. See you later.”

  Melanie left the room still smiling. What a family she had.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “Hiya Vanessa is she in?” Diane’s mother pulled a sour face and looked puzzled.

  “Who?”

  “Diane, I said I would call today. Is she still in bed the lazy cow?”

  Vanessa peered from the front door and scouted the area. “She said she was going to see you. You might have missed each other on the way.”

  Melanie scratched the top of her head. “No, I said I was coming here. How long ago did she leave?”

  Vanessa checked her wristwatch. “About an hour ago. She should have well been at yours by now.” Vanessa held her flat palm over her heart and the colour drained from her cheeks. “She might have fainted somewhere and banged her head. Wait there, let me get my coat on. We’ll have to go looking for her.”

  Melanie was anxious. “Hurry up then. We’ll cut through the estate and see if anyone has seen her.”

  Vanessa flung her coat on and started to do up the grey buttons on her Mackintosh, and had her head scarf on in seconds.

  Diane lay in bed next to John. There was no way she was getting up from where she was. He would see her arse, the blubber, the weight she’d gained. She lay stroking the side of his face. “I can’t wait until we can be together.”

  John snarled and moved her away. “Stop going on about us being together. It’s not going to happen overnight. Gary is my best mate and what we have done to him is shady.”

  Diane went bright red as rage filled her body. “Hold on a minute, it was you who started this lie. If you would have owned up to being the father then none of us would be in this situation.”

  “Don’t blame me, you fucking had him marry you.”

  “Yes, bec
ause I would have been up shit street if I didn’t go along with it. I took the easy way out just like you did. We should just come clean and tell the truth.”

  John turned quickly and gripped her jaw tightly. “No! You will never say a word about this. Do you hear me? Don’t breathe a word.”

  Diane was in danger and she knew it. She pulled away from him and sat up in the bed with the blanket tucked under her chin. “You’ve changed your tune. A few weeks ago, you were all ready for us to run away together.”

  “Alright then, you go and tell Melanie first. Go on, tell her I’m the father of your baby and you’ve been shagging me for months.” Diane’s eyes were wide open, and her breathing changed. She was having a full-blown panic attack. She started blowing her breath and wafting her hand in front of her face. John shot a look over at her and realised he’d overstepped the mark. “For fuck’s sake, don’t be getting upset. It just winds me up when you say stuff about us. It will all take time to work itself out. I’ve explained that to you over a hundred times and you still don’t get it.”

  Diane let out a big breath and turned to face him. She looked deep into his eyes and tried to work out if he really did love her. He reached over and placed his hand on her stomach. “I love you and our baby. We’re in a situation so we have to stay where we are until the time is right. It will all work out in the end, just be patient.”

  Diane put his head on her breasts and stroked it. “But, it’s hard. Every day Gary is with me I feel like just telling him the truth and ending this big lie. I don’t care what happens as long as I have you. You’re all I need John.”

  What a mess this was. John looked like he wasn’t listening. It was water off a duck’s back to him. He should never have started seeing her behind his best friend’s back, he should have left her where she was. Diane was starting to fall asleep. Her eyes were flickering and any longer she would have been snoring her head off. John lifted his head up. “I need to get going. I’ve got work to do.”