The Estate_Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

by Karen Woods

  Diane gulped, this lad scared her. “Just chilling. Nothing else to do is there?”

  Lenny kicked his shoes off and lay down with his hand looped behind his head. “You don’t mind if I join you, do you?”

  “No, it’s a free country, you can do what you want.”

  Lenny closed his eyes and took a few seconds before he spoke. “I believe Melanie has hooked up with Gary now. That’s a turn up for the books isn’t it?”

  Diane had heard the rumours. Her heart sank. “Yes, I hope they’re happy. It was shit what happened and I feel ashamed of myself for ever getting into that situation in the first place.”

  “It was bad wasn’t it? If you would have been my bird I would have ended your life. So you got off lightly in my eyes.”

  “I probably did but look at me, I’ve lost it all, my man, my best friend.”

  Lenny reached over and touched her arm. She was a pretty girl and probably after some love and support, maybe she would look at him differently if he worked his magic on her. “You need a good night out. If you get a babysitter tonight, I’ll take you out.”

  Diane double checked she wasn’t hearing things. “What me and you out on a date?”

  Lenny pulled a sour face. “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

  “Erm, nothing, I just wasn’t sure if I heard you right that’s all.”

  Diane knew Lenny had money, she looked in the distance and checked his motor out. Playing with her fingers she replied to him. “Do you know what, fuck it, I will. What time are you thinking?”

  Lenny was wide-eyed. He wasn’t expecting a yes, he thought it would have taken ages to get any chance of a date with this girl but she was damaged goods now, with a failed marriage and a baby, no wonder she was accepting his offer, who else would want her? John crawled over near Lenny and he picked him up in his arms. “I love babies, he’s cute, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, he’s lovely. He’s due a sleep soon, he was up at the crack of dawn this morning.”

  “Do you fancy grabbing something to eat then. Once he’s gone to sleep we can go to Burger King or something?”

  Diane looked at Lenny and smiled. As it stood, he was the only person in her life who was being nice to her. She needed a friend right now, someone to talk to when things got too much for her. “Thanks Lenny, that would be nice. I don’t have any money on me though.”

  “You don’t need money when you’re with me love.”

  Diane blushed and swept her hair back over her shoulder. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course, I am. I treat my girls like princesses.”

  This was music to her ears, a golden ticket away from the misery that was her life. To have a man who would provide for her and treat her to nice things like shoes and clothes. So what that he was a drug dealer, she didn’t care anymore, she was looking after number one from now on, nobody else. The rest of them could take a run and a jump, they could piss off the lot of them.

  Lenny made small talk, then he watched her as he mentioned John’s name. “John has asked to come back grafting I believe. He’s on his arse, skint.”

  “And you are the one who says yes or no to him?”

  “Yeah, I run stuff around the estate and it’s up to me if I give him work.”

  Her fingers gripped the green grass and she twisted and pulled a bunch of it out. She tossed it behind her. “Give him fuck all, he’s a rat. He’s not to be trusted. Look at what he done last time, don’t trust him. He’s not given me a penny for the baby and every time I ask him for some he tells me to do one. What kind of father is he turning his back on his family like that?”

  “He’s a wrong-un for sure. He should look after his kid. I mean, if I had a kid then it would want for nothing. I have standards, morals.”

  “I’m glad you do. I hate men who don’t step up when they have children.”

  This was going better than planned. But what about John, would he give him work or not? Diane sat thinking twiddling her hair. She held a cunning look in her eye. “Maybe we could be good together Lenny but I need your help first.”

  He was listening, he wanted her more now. A chance of a bird like Diane would do wonders for his confidence. Yes, he’d had girlfriends in the past but they were the ugly ones, the ones you only went to when you needed a leg over. Diane was an oil-painting compared to them, she would be someone he’d be proud to have on his arm. “Help you with what exactly?”

  Diane stood up and chased John around to pick him up. She made him comfortable in his pram and looked over at Lenny. “Come on then, I’ll tell you on the way.”

  Lenny jumped from the ground and dusted the bits of grass from his clothes. At last, a woman, a real woman who was willing to give him a go. Well, once he’d agreed to whatever she wanted doing.

  Melanie sat in her house with Gary. Marion was cleaning up and she kept coming into the living room to chat. Stephen was coming around today and she was making sure everything was ship shape before he arrived. Kim didn’t come with him anymore, she stayed at home. They’d had murders after the last time she came and it was that bad that he’d packed his belongings up and stayed at his friends for a few weeks. Stephen just fitted in the family now. He had many traits that were the same as his mothers and he had a heart of gold. He didn’t usually come over on Tuesdays but he’d arranged it last week. Maybe he had some other plans on their normal day, she didn’t know. Melanie lay on the sofa across Gary’s lap, he was stroking her hair. His divorce had come through now and he was a single man. His mother wanted war with Diane and he’d had to restrain her so she wouldn’t go around to the house causing trouble.

  Gary was fidgeting about, restless. “I’m starving, where is your mam with these butties?”

  Melanie sniggered. “Sssh, she’ll hear you. She won’t open the sandwiches until Stephen arrives. It’s law in this house that nobody touches them until he’s here. Don’t, she’ll go mad if you do.”

  “What, we can’t eat until golden balls arrives?” he chuckled.

  Melanie opened her eyes wide and smirked. “If she hears you she’ll string you up.”

  “I’m only having a bit of banter. But, I would eat a sarnie if they were there now.”

  He was dicing with death for sure. Marion at that second came into the room and placed a plate full of sandwiches on the table and went back into the kitchen. Gary stirred and moved Melanie from his lap. “Do you want one too?” This was bad, very bad. It was like Adam and Eve in the garden of Gethsemane all over again but she was hungry too and Stephen wouldn’t be here for another half an hour. Her voice was low.

  “Okay but be quick and make sure you put the tin-foil back over them.”

  Gary was on a quest, he tip-toed to the other side of the room. His fingers lifted the tin-foil and no matter how quiet he tried to be it seemed to be making more noise than ever. Melanie was on the edge of her seat; her mother could hear a mouse fart from a hundred miles away and she knew he was treading on egg shells. One last corner to lift and he could see the white bread with meat hanging from it. Just as his hand slid onto the plate a shadow from the kitchen appeared, he froze as he saw Marion’s feet and felt her hot breath spraying down onto the back of his neck.

  “Oi, cheeky bollocks. Put them back. Melanie, you know no one can eat them until Stephen gets here.”

  Melanie was lying down, pretending not to know what he was doing. “Sorry mam. I didn’t know that he was opening them!”

  She winked at Gary and smirked. She loved the games they played. Marion clipped him round the ear and sent him packing. “Go on, get sat back down and wait until they’re opened.” That was him told, he’d been caught in the act and scolded.

  Stephen arrived on time and he was on his own. The girls were at a birthday party today and they couldn’t miss it, Kim had said. The family were chatting and eating sandwiches, much to Gary’s delight. Stephen winked over at Melanie and started to speak. “Mam, it’s your birthday tomorrow isn’t it?”

  She was
delighted he’d remembered. “Yes love, thank you for remembering.”

  Gary chuckled. “I knew when it was too Marion. Make no mistake about it, it’s circled in my diary.”

  Melanie playfully punched him in the arm. “Stop trying to score brownie points with my mam you. You’re such a liar.”

  “I’m just saying. Fair’s fair, if I know when her birthday is too then I should be praised for it just like Stephen. We don’t have favouritism in this house do we Marion?” Gary was a right joker and Marion loved his sense of humour.

  “Cheeky git you are. It’s a good job I like you.”

  Gary smiled and did a cheesy smile at Melanie. “See, I’m back in the circle of trust now. That butty saga is behind us and we’ve moved on. She’s my kind of woman is your mother.”

  Stephen went inside his coat pocket and pulled out a white envelope. Melanie nudged Gary and urged him to be quiet. Something was happening. Stephen passed Marion the envelope and kissed her on the cheek. “What’s this?” she asked.

  “Open it and have look,” Melanie urged.

  Her finger slid under the envelope and she pulled out a white piece of square paper, it was a cheque. Her eyes were wide open, and a red flush travelled up her neck. She looked over at her son. “I can’t take this,” she tried to hand it back.

  “Mother, I want you to go and enjoy yourself. Go on holiday, do what you want with it, just treat yourself.”

  Her eyes welled up. “One thousand pound is a lot of money. I’ve never had money like this in my life.”

  Melanie squeezed Gary’s arm. “Orr, look at her. He’s right, she’s never treated herself in years.” There was never any money left in the family budget for luxuries. The ‘gifts from the Gods’ were the best they could hope for.

  Marion made a sign of the cross across her body and tears streamed down her eyes. “If you don’t mind I will get our William a headstone. We could never afford one before and we just put a small wooden cross on it. I’ve prayed every night to find some money for a headstone for him and now my prayers have been answered.”

  Stephen smiled again and shot a look over at Melanie, “go on, tell her.”

  Marion was puzzled. “Mam, we have already paid for a headstone. It will be ready next week. It’s lovely.”

  “Where on earth did you get some money from?”

  Melanie was edgy. “It doesn’t matter where it came from, just let’s say it was a ‘gift from the Gods’.” Gary knew exactly where the cash had come from but he kept schtum.

  Marion’s husband walked into the room and he was looking over at his wife who was in bits. “Bleeding hell, what’s happened now?”

  “Stephen has just given my mam a grand for her birthday, and our William has now got a headstone.”

  Arthur sat down on the sofa and his emotions took over. He’d had many a sleepless night regarding his son’s headstone. He felt like a failure for never having the funds to pay for it. “I can never thank you enough. From the bottom of our hearts we are truly thankful. Honest, that means the world to us.”

  Marion went to her husband’s side and cradled him and kissed the top of his head. “Come on love, it’s a happy day. Don’t be crying.”

  Gary stepped in and made them all laugh. “Anyway, Marion has got a thousand pound now and she said she’s going to trade you in for a toy-boy. How does that take you?”

  Marion was loving the attention she was getting and joined in the fun. “Oh, yes. I could travel the world with this money. And get myself a young stallion.”

  Her husband nearly choked. “What are you saying? That I’m an old donkey?”

  “I’m joking with you love. Wherever I go, you go too.”

  That was better. He began to see the funny side of things now. Gary had a surprise of his own lined up but with all the excitement he had to put it on the backburner. The family had one of the happiest days they’d had in a long time. Marion had decided to book a caravan holiday in Blackpool and invited Melanie and Gary to come too. The family had never had a holiday before, just a few days camping and that was years ago. Marion was bitten by midges and she’d promised she’d never go camping again. She would tell the world and his wife that she was going on holiday too. Oh, yes, that would give them something to talk about on the estate for sure.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Lenny made sure John was alone in the house. He placed all the drugs on the table and the weighing scales. “We need this lot bagging up as soon as.”

  John protested and hated that he’d been given this job. “So why am I doing it. I’m just a runner and I don’t get involved in all this.”

  “Oi gobby. You’re lucky you’re even working with us again after the fast one you pulled last time. No one would touch you, but we decided to give you a go. So, wind your neck back in and be thankful you have some work.”

  John touched a small clear plastic bag and played with the corner of it. “I’ll do it this time but I’m not doing it again. If we got rushed, then I’d be getting years in the big-house. It’s not my game as you know.”

  “Stop fucking moaning and get it done. I’ll be back later to pick it up.” Lenny stood at the door and winked at John. “Well go on then, start working I’m not paying to do fuck all.”

  Lenny left the room and John punched his clenched fist into the pillow. How dare they treat him like this, he was no dickhead but they knew he had no money, he had no other option. Pacing the floor, he looked out of the window at the estate before his eyes. One day he would be calling the shots around here, it was just a matter of time before it was all his. He’d show them then, he’d put them all in their place for sure.

  John had been bagging up for over an hour. It was a boring job and he was getting tired. He kicked his shoes off and decided to take a break. He wasn’t on piece work, was he? Hold on, what was that? There was banging and lots of noise coming from the hallway. Screaming and shouting. He sprung to his feet and clenched his fist together tightly. It all happened so fast. The police twisted him up in seconds and he was on the floor with his hands secured behind his back, the silver handcuffs digging deep into his skin. “Get the fuck off me,” he shrieked.

  John was read his rights and dragged to his feet. The copper looked around the room and rubbed his hands together. “Lovely, he’ll be going away for a long time for this. Another one bites the dust.”

  John was in a panic and he was wriggling about as they dragged him from the room. “It’s not mine. I was just told to wait here for somebody. Honest, I’m fuck all to do with it all.”

  The policeman laughed and held the middle of his stomach. “Likely story mate. You can tell the judge that when he’s sentencing you.”

  John was outside now and he was screaming at the top of his voice. “It’s not mine. I’m innocent. I’ve been stitched up.”

  The kids from the estate were watching closely. The news of John’s arrest would be out within moments, everyone would know. John was flung into the back of the van. His head dropped into his hands and he started to cry his eyes out. He was fucked and he knew it. Why had he let himself get bullied into something like this? The engine started and his heart was in his mouth as they headed towards the police station. There would be no bail for him. He had to get his head around the fact that he would be going to jail for years.

  Diane tickled the end of her chin, she smirked and turned to Lenny. “Thank you. Now I can sleep at night knowing that he’s off the streets.”

  Lenny puckered up, this kiss was his reward for pleasing her. Her long slender fingers touched the side of his cheeks and he closed his eyes slowly. He’d waited for this moment, imagined it in his head time and time again. She moved in nearer to him. Her lips were hot and tasted like sugar. He was her man now and together they would be strong. He was her protector, her knight in shining armour. Maybe she did have feelings for him, who knew but one thing was for sure, he’d do anything for her. The pair shared a kiss, his payment for setting John up. Diane ended the ki
ss and let out a laboured breath. “Right, let’s go and celebrate.” She had Lenny eating out of the palm of her hand. He was her man now.

  Gary stood up as the family ate their Sunday roast around the table. Stephen was there with the girls too. He coughed to clear his throat and looked over at Melanie. “Can I have your attention please.”

  “Bleeding hell, what’s going on here?” asked Melanie’s dad. “As you all know me, and Melanie went through some serious shit last year but every cloud has a silver lining and it brought us both together. I’ve loved Melanie for as long as I can remember, and I know I have found my soul mate. We just click together.”

  Melanie squirmed, she didn’t like being the centre of the attention. “Gary, what’s come over you. Sit down and eat your dinner.”

  For once Gary ignored her and reached into his back pocket and then got down on bended knee. Marion twisted her head to look at her husband and covered her mouth with both her hands. Her voice was low as she whispered to him. “He’s going to ask her to marry him. Bleeding hell, you better dust that suit off because you’ll be walking her down the aisle.”

  “Shut up will you and let me listen.”

  All eyes were on Gary. “Melanie, will you marry me?”

  Stephen was ready to crack open a bottle of champagne he’d brought with him. Gary had told him his plans and he was there to support him. Marion was in a panic. Melanie hadn’t answered him yet she just sat staring at him. Gary wasn’t sure now and he started to get up. What a prick he felt, she’d turned him down, black balled him. Melanie placed her hand on his shoulder and kept him where he was. “Just stay there for a few seconds and ask me again.”

  Was she playing with him, taking the piss out of him or what? “No, I’m not saying it again. If you’ve said no, then you’ve said no.”

  Melanie moved from her chair and knelt down with him. She looked into his eyes and smiled, a warm loving smile. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”

  There was cheering, crying, and so much excitement in this room today. Hearts had been repaired, secrets had been uncovered and Marion had found her son at last. What more could a family ask for?