by Karen Woods
“No, John is a good Christian name and my Grandad was called John and I’d like to name him after him if that’s alright?”
Gary was an easy-going person and he shrugged his shoulders high. “If you want to call him John then that’s fine. Plus, my best friend is called John too, so it sorts of makes sense.”
John was gobsmacked. He didn’t know what to say. Was she having a laugh or what? Melanie smirked over at him and kept a beady eye on him. Something wasn’t right here, she had a gut feeling. “Thank you. That’s a lovely gesture,” whispered John.
Diane stared over at him and he was edgy. She held a cunning look in her eye that unnerved him. He burnt his eyes into her and she knew to keep her mouth shut. Melanie couldn’t wait to hold the baby. As soon as she got hold of him she sat down and snuggled the infant deep into her chest. She loved the smell of babies, their little fingers and toes. Everything about a new born baby amazed her. Life was such a beautiful gift.
Melanie had gone back to John’s house. They had to sort their relationship out. John had just nipped downstairs to see his mam and to get some drinks from the bar. Melanie dropped her sweet under the bed and quickly jumped off to retrieve it. Chocolate limes were her favourite and that was her last one, there was no way she was leaving it. Her hand rummaged under the bed, she could feel something else, she dragged at it and brought it out into the light. Her expression changed when she clocked a large bag of weed. Was John an addict, was he a stoner? What the hell was he doing with all this grass in his bedroom? Okay, he smoked a few joints in the past but she never had him down as an addict. Because, that’s what he was if he smoked weed every day wasn’t he, an addict? She quickly pushed the bag back under the bed and jumped back on it. Her mind was working over time and she was trying to work out what was going on here. John said he never had any secrets from her, he said he was straight-talking, but he clearly wasn’t, he was a lying bastard, a shady character who wouldn’t know the truth if it hit him bang in the middle of his face.
She lifted her head from the pillow, she could hear him coming back up the stairs. She lay down and looped her arms behind her head. “The bar was hammered. I’ve told my mam to make us some cheese and onion toasties when she gets a minute.”
Melanie tried to smile but she was struggling. He was a dirty lying rat and she wanted to confront him. But, no, she had to play him at his own game. Sometimes, it was better to say nothing at all and just watch. Her father had always told her that and he was right. Melanie took the glass bottle of Coca Cola from him and necked a large mouthful. She was gagging for a drink. John jumped on the bed next to her and looked deep into her eyes with a cheeky smile on his face. “Do you fancy a shag?”
Melanie turned away from him, “No, I’m going to get going now. I’m really tired and being at the hospital has taken it out of me.”
John was deflated. He’d had a wash and everything, what a waste of time that was. His bird was frigid for sure. “Why are you going home early? I thought we could watch a film and make up?”
John’s mother could be heard shouting from down the stairs. He jumped from the bed and started to jog. “I’m here stop shouting woman” he moaned as he ran down the stairs. Melanie was quick this time. She grabbed the bag of weed and folded it into her coat. John came back and handed a toastie over to Melanie. “You may as well eat that before you go. I know you’ve had nothing to eat. I bet you’re starving?”
Melanie took the sandwich from him and licked the soft cheese that was dripping out from the side of the bread. She took a large bite and realised it was still too hot to eat. “I’ll take it with me and eat it on the way home.” John had already started to watch a film and he just lay there as if she’d never said a thing. He’d seen his arse for sure. “See you,” she hissed as she left the room in a sarcastic tone.
“Bye,” he replied.
Melanie was smiling as she walked across the estate. What a day it had been! Her best friend was now a mother and she was going to be a godparent. Melanie entered her home. She could hear her mother and father talking in the front room. It was late, why were they still up? Usually they were tucked up in bed fast asleep. Melanie ran the cold tap and placed a glass underneath it. Marion shouted her from inside the living room. “Melanie, don’t go straight to bed, come in here. I want a word with you.”
She panicked. “I won’t be a minute, just let me take my coat off and take my shoes upstairs.” Usually, she would have slung her coat anywhere but now she was in a panic. Melanie ran upstairs and closed her bedroom door. She peeled her coat off with caution. She paused and folded her coat up in a tight ball. Checking behind her and listening carefully she moved her bed from the wall and stashed her coat behind it. Standing back, she made sure it was concealed and nobody could see it.
“Right, what’s wrong?” Melanie asked with caution as she entered the lounge. She’d cleaned her room in a fashion so that couldn’t have been the issue. Maybe her parents wanted her to stop seeing John, they’d probably heard stories about him being a bad lad. The neighbourhood was like that, full of gossip mongers. Well, she would fight his corner and put them straight, she’d told them before that people made up stories about her friends. Marion let out a big deep breath. She touched her husband’s hand and reached over to the table to pick up a letter. Melanie’s mother held the letter to her chest and her expression changed; there was pain, regret, years of keeping her secret.
Diane’s father kissed the side of her hand and whispered in a quiet voice. “Go on love, let her read it.”
Melanie was alert, bleeding hell was it a letter from the local council? Her mother was always missing the rent payments and they told her if it carried on they would evict them. “Mam, come on, what’s going on?”
“He’s found me. After all these years he’s found me.”
“Who, who’s found you?”
Marion passed the letter over to her. Melanie had never been a good reader and she had problems digesting information. She was concentrating as she started to read.
Dear Marion,
This letter may come as a bit of a shock to you. I’m sorry to cause you any heart ache. I’ve been searching for you ever since I can remember. My parents told me on my sixteenth birthday that I was adopted. As you can imagine this came as a big shock to me. My parents were supportive when I told them that I wanted to find you and they helped me all they could. It just felt that a part of me was missing.
I’ve had a great life and have never wanted for anything, but the one thing I wanted more than anything was to meet my real mother. I guess times must have been hard for you when you made the choices that you did, and I can tell you now that I could never hold that against you. Maybe you have never thought about me until now, so I can only say sorry if this is the case. If you feel that you would like to meet me that would be amazing. It’s a big decision and one that I don’t expect you to make straight away.
I am in Manchester in a few days and I’ll be staying at the Britannia Hotel in Manchester City centre. My name is Stephen Willis. I seem lost for words now and don’t know what else I can do. Hopefully, you feel the same as me and want to fill the gaps in our lives. I am married and have two children too. I work as a property developer and live in Cheshire, so it’s not that far from where you live.
Rest assured I would never invade your life and turn up at your door uninvited. I hope you are well and I wish you nothing but luck and happiness.
Regards Stephen Willis.
Melanie was gobsmacked. She looked at the white piece of letter-headed paper again and again. She touched it slowly with her fingers. Her brother had touched this same piece of paper and her eyes started to well up. “Mam, this is wonderful news. I knew he would come looking for you in time.”
“How has he found me? Why would he want to meet a woman who gave him away? Because that’s what I did, I deserted him and pretended her never existed.”
Arthur held her his wife in his arms. “Don’t be sil
ly. You did what you were made to do. You were a young girl, how could you have supported him? He has already said he has had a good life and wanted for nothing, so, you made a good choice.”
Marion was in bits and her tears were streaming down her cheeks. “What would I say to him, how could I explain what happened?”
“Mam, just tell him the truth, he will understand.”
“I hope so, love. But, I don’t know if I have the courage to meet him. Just the thought of it makes me sick to the pit of my stomach.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll be there supporting you all the way,” said Arthur, “you go and meet him first and then I will meet him.”
Melanie sat next to her mother and placed her arm around her neck. “Mam, you are one of the strongest women I know. You have a big heart and you’re so kind and caring. He will love you just like we do. You’re not a bad person, you did what you had to back then.”
Marion sat staring into space, she was in a world of her own and she knew she had to make the biggest decision of her life. It was her shout, nobody else’s.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Donny sat on his mountain bike in Tavistock Square watching the world go by. It was always busy and lots of hooky deals took place in this shopping precinct. Donny was eating a chip muffin but it was gone in just a few bites. Melanie rushed around the corner and entered the square. She clocked Donny straight away and wondered why on earth he was there. He was one of the top lads, high up in the crime ladder round here. She only really ever saw him driving around in flash cars with the tunes blaring from the window.
“Alright Melanie, what you up too?” he shouted across to her.
She was taken aback. Usually he would just let on to her, but he wanted a conversation, obviously he was after something. “I’m good. I’m just going to the shop for some bread. My mam is always running out and I got the job of coming here for it.”
Donny chuckled. “Where’s John? I’ve not seen him for a few days. He just paid up what he owed and said he was getting a job.”
“What? John working!”
“Yes, that’s what I thought. So, where is he working?”
“I’ve not got clue. It’s all new to me.”
Donny was puzzled. Why was John lying and why didn’t his girlfriend know about his career change too? He delved deeper. “You heard Jordan got taxed didn’t you?”
Melanie shook her head. Lenny had filled her in on a few details but she wasn’t really listening to what he’d said. Donny explained to her what had happened, and he could tell by her body language that she didn’t have a clue. Strike two, John was his prime suspect now. Donny gripped the handle bars on his bike and pulled the bike from the ground. “I’m off now, you take care and tell John good luck in his new job.”
“Yes, you too and I’ll tell John you was asking about him,” she smiled.
As he rode away, it all made sense now. John was the one that taxed Donny’s grafter. “Shit, shit and more shit,” she muttered under her breath. She was deep in it now, she had the drugs stashed. Donny would beat the living daylights out of her if he ever got word that she was involved. She only took the drugs to teach John a lesson and now she was just as bad as him. Donny would never believe her story in a million years. This had all gone tits up, a complete mess. She hurried into the shop and got the bread.
John was in a wild frenzy. The drugs had disappeared gone from under his bed and he’d had his room upside down trying to find them. Maybe his mother had cleaned under his bed, but no, she would have confronted him if she’d found them. There would have been blue murder if his dad had got wind of it. He stood behind his bedroom door and ragged his fingers through his thick hair. He was racking his brains, but nothing was making sense anymore. The drugs were missing and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.
Diane sat feeding the baby. Vanessa was nearby making sure her daughter was holding her grandson properly. “Make sure you support his head when you’re feeding him. He’ll get wind if he doesn’t get fed properly.”
Diane sighed and turned her head quickly. “Will you stop watching me! I’ve fed him lots of times and know what I’m doing. It’s not rocket science is it?”
“I’m just trying to help that’s all. Don’t be so touchy.”
“I’m not touchy. I’m just sick of you criticising me all the time. I’m a new mother and I’ll do things my way.”
“Please your bleeding self then. But when he’s screaming the house down later don’t be looking at me for help if you don’t want any advice.”
“I won’t,” Diane hissed.
You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife, Vanessa sat watching TV and Diane carried on feeding the baby. There was someone knocking at the front door. Vanessa stayed put and pretended she didn’t hear the rapping at the letterbox. Diane screwed her face up as she stood. “Corny you are mother. You know Melanie is coming.”
“Yes, I do, but you want to do things for yourself don’t you. So, you go and open the door.”
“So immature, mother.” Diane left the front room and headed into the hallway.
She opened the door. Melanie was stressed. “For crying out loud. I’ve been knocking for ages I thought you were blanking me?”
“No, I was feeding the baby. My mam’s on one and just left you knocking, the daft bitch.”
Melanie was aware she was walking into a war zone. When these two were at logger-heads there was no talking to them. Diane passed the baby to Melanie when she sat down in the front room. “Here, finish feeding him while I nip to the toilet.” She passed over the bottle and left the room.
Vanessa smirked over at her and kept her voice low. “I only said support the baby’s head when you’re feeding him, and she snapped at me. Well, she can piss off from now on. All I do is run about after her anyway. The rest will do me good.”
Melanie raised her eyebrows, she didn’t reply, no point in adding fuel to the fire. Melanie looked at the baby and watched him sucking hard on the teat. “He’s a starver isn’t he. Look how fast he’s drinking his milk?”
“Yes he is. I’ve told her to give him a break and get some wind up half way through his bottle, but she doesn’t listen, she thinks she’s bleeding Mary Poppins and knows everything about childcare.”
Diane walked back into the room and she was aware they’d been talking about her. Vanessa got up and flicked her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m going to get a bath and wash my hair. Yes, I’m going to spend some time looking after myself for a change.”
She just couldn’t keep her mouth shut, could she? Why didn’t she just let sleeping dogs lie? “Go on then,” Diane snarled. “Are you still here,” she said sarcastically.
Melanie dropped her head and tried hard not to laugh. Once Vanessa left the room she burst out laughing. “Oh my God what has got into you? That was cheeky. If I spoke to my mam like that she would have got the sweeping brush to me and whacked me over the head.”
“I don’t care anymore. The sooner we get our own place the better. It’s like it’s her baby, she’s forever nit picking, telling me what’s right and wrong.”
“She’s only trying to help.”
“Don’t stick up for her. You’re not the one who has to listen to her all-day long.”
“I know, it would probably do my head in too.” The baby was sleeping, and Melanie carried him to his Moses basket and lay him down with care. “I have the magic touch with babies. Look, he’s out for the count.” Diane popped her head over the side of the basket and made sure the baby was lying in the right position. He was a sickly baby and was forever snivelling. Melanie plonked down on the sofa. “What are your plans for today? Do you fancy a walk on the market?”
“No, it’s going to rain, and I can’t be arsed getting wet,” Diane moaned.
“Stop being miserable. You can’t sit in here every day, you need to get out in the fresh air.”
Diane ignored her and changed the subject. “How’s the love life going?�
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Melanie sighed. “Shit really, if I’m telling the truth. He’s changed, and I’ve already told him if he carries on speaking to me like a dickhead I’ll be gone. Honest, he blows hot and cold all the time.”
“Give him his marching orders then. Since when have you let somebody talk to you like that?”
“I know, I could kick myself. He’s on his last legs and he knows it.”
Diane smirked to herself, “Gary is boring me to death. He just works and sleeps. I get no help with the baby from him and he wonders why I don’t show him any affection,” her eyes opened wide, “yet he say he needs more TLC.”
“Men, they’re nothing but trouble. Sometimes I think you’re better off single.”
“I know, well watch this space. I might be single sooner than you think if Gary doesn’t pull his socks up.”
Melanie was surprised. She didn’t realise how serious this was. All couples go through rough patches but Diane’s relationship seemed to be on the rocks.
John was on the estate. His head was down, he was in bits. A car pulled up at the side of him and the driver’s door opened quickly. “I thought you were at work?”
Donny already had one leg hanging out of the car. Was he ready to grab him, sling him in the boot of the car and take him to an empty warehouse where he would torture him until he confessed he was the one who’d had the drugs? He gulped. “I’ve not started yet. My dad reckons it will be soon though.”
“So, come back and work for me until you start working. No point in being skint is there?”
John was stuck for words, his head dropped down low. “No thanks, I’m going straight. Jail scares me too much.”
“Pussy,” Donny replied.
Lenny Jackson was in the passenger seat and he dipped his head so he could see John’s face. Once Donny closed the car door and flicked the engine over he shot a look over at Donny. “He’s the one who’s had the drugs. Did you see the way he was acting? Shady as fuck if you ask me.”
“You don’t have to tell me mate. I’m all over him. I think his house will be getting paid a visit in the near future. I’ll put the fear of God up him when I come rushing through his gaff. Let’s see if that makes him confess to taking the drugs.”
