It Always Rains in November

by Richard Hoffman

  Carl stared at him in disbelief.

  “You mean no pay increase – nothing at all?”

  Even Martin looked surprised. He had probably recommended a 1% increase, something at least.

  “That’s it, yes, that’s our decision. It’s final. Although of course, if we see an improvement in your work in, say, six months time, we could review your performance then.”

  Carl was angry but not surprised, and the difference between 0% and 1% was hardly life changing. He was more annoyed that Martin had blamed him for his own mistakes. He didn’t want Parker thinking he was rubbish at the job, irrespective of a pay rise.

  Jeffrey moved to conclude proceedings.

  “OK, Carl, Martin, I’m sure you are both as busy as I am …” and at that moment his phone rang.

  “Hello, darling….I’m in my office….so she’s brought him home, that’s good isn’t it…? You can’t say that these days…..he’s this week’s boyfriend, it could be all over next week…now you are getting carried away…you are jumping the gun about darkie babies…OK, I’m on my way home…I’ll be home in 20.”

  Parker replaced the receiver and looked at his workers.

  “You two still here?”

  The employees left the director’s office and walked back to the finance department, Martin attempting to make amends.

  “I didn’t know that was coming. I swear to you. I thought you’d get 2% – that’s what I suggested.”

  Carl was not going to accept any apology from Martin. He was probably lying anyway.

  “The access codes. I helped you out after you fucked up. And the pub shit – all those lunchtimes you and Sue – I covered for you for months,” he accused.

  “Look, I…”

  “Martin, fuck off. Fuck off and leave me alone.”

  They walked back to their office in silence, pay review completed for another year.

  Chapter 23

  Tuesday November 9th – The bullied boy?

  “Nathan, the reporters are here.” His mum yelled again.

  Kelly rolled off of Nathan.

  “Nath, turn 50 Cent off. Someone’s calling you.”

  “Yeah, I heard. It’s my mum. We’re obviously not being loud enough. She probably wants to make me tea. Just ignore her.”

  Being yelled at by his mother in the course of mashing the gash was not something Nathan took kindly to.

  “No, she said something about reporters.”

  “Oh fuck!” Nathan had forgotten. He’d had his mind on other things since his Mum had explained to him about the scam that they were going to pull.

  He put on his South Park boxers and from the doorway shouted down.

  “OK, Mum. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “No, Nathan, now, the reporters are waiting for you.”

  “Just fucking wait, Mum, I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “Doesn’t sound like a kid who’s terrified of everyone,” Frank observed with a frown.

  “Probably a defence mechanism,” Jason helpfully explained.

  From the top of the stairs, Nathan heard the conversation, and realised he would have to make an effort. He began getting dressed and explained the situation to Kelly. She was now in bed with the sheet protecting her modesty.

  “Kel, sorry, I have to speak to these dickheads. I’ll explain later but you have to jam here for a bit.”

  Kelly pouted. “Here on my ones? What am I supposed to do? How long are you gonna be?”

  “Could be an hour. Play games on your mobile whilst you’re waiting.”

  “I’ve no battery.”

  “Use my charger; it’s plugged in by the bed. Or play games on mine. Look, whatever, stay here. Please, Kel.”

  She smiled at her boyfriend.

  “OK, if I must, give us a kiss before you go.”

  Nathan did so, and muttered, “Safe, Kel,” as he opened the door and disappeared downstairs.

  * * *

  Janice introduced Nathan who shook their hands, wanting this to be finished so he could continue where he left off with Kelly. Jason picked up the camcorder, and began recording. Frank went though his reassurance speech regarding the video, and then began the interview.

  “So, Nathan, you’ve been bullied?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.”

  Janice urged a bit more detail. “Go on, love, tell him.”

  Nathan began pacing the living room.

  “Well, walking round these streets at night, there’s been time when I’ve been chased by crews, and had my mobile taken.”

  “So, you’ve been out late at night and been chased. Why does that mean you can’t go to school?”

  “I can’t. I don’t want to leave the house. Can’t take it anymore.”

  “Yeah, OK, Jason...”

  “You don’t believe me, do you? I can...”

  “Kid,” Frank interjected, “it doesn’t matter what I believe. There’s been 19 stabbings in Croydon over the past two years. People of Croydon will believe it. They wanna believe it. It’s a good story. Jason – take a photo.”

  Jason put down the camcorder and pulled out an expensive Canon camera from his bag. Nathan put his arm out in front of Jason’s lens.

  “No – I ain’t havin’ a photo. No way.”

  “As I told your Mum, it will only be a silhouette. We need the photo to add authenticity to the piece, but not even you will be certain that it’s you, and your name will not be mentioned.”

  “No, fuck that,” Nathan said, shaking his head. “I ain’t havin’ a photo in the paper. My mates…no not mates, but the bullies, they’ll see it and it’ll be worse.”

  Jason was on hand to empathise,

  “Nathan, I understand. I know what you’re going through. Don’t worry though; I can take the photo as a shadow. I’ll show you.” Jason moved to the right and was able to capture a profile shot.

  And with that, the following week’s cover photo was taken. Nathan wanted to grab the camera from Jason and shove it up the neek’s arse, but was stopped by Jason showing the finished product.

  At least Jason believed the story. Frank looked less than convinced.

  “I think we’re done here. Thanks very much Mrs Richardson, Nathan. You’ll see the paper next week and don’t worry – you’ll be completely anonymous. I can see you’re terrified.”

  Janice whispered to Nathan, “Thank God that’s over.” She was relieved by the first part of the big lie being finished but before Nathan had an opportunity to spend some time designing new positions with Kelly, there was another knock on the door.

  * * *

  Janice showed Frank and Jason out and her next visitors introduced themselves – Mr Black from the Education Authority and Sally Whitehead, a social worker. Mr Black was dressed in a smart black suit and wore a hat. Very 1950s or maybe he wore the hat to hide his baldness. Janice could only surmise. Sally could have been Jason’s older sister. She looked more nervous than Janice. Must be her first home visit, or maybe parents usually beat up the school social workers? Janice wished she could be a vicious mum; that would soon scare the crap out of Sally. Sadly, she wasn’t much bolder than her visitor.

  Janice invited them both in and offered them tea/coffee which they accepted. The prosecution sat on either end of her settee. Nathan sat on the sole armchair. Janice chose to stand as she was in and out of the adjoining kitchen. She had to leave them alone with Nathan in the living room but with the door open, could hear the conversation turn to Nathan’s truancy. She stood watching the kettle, willing it to boil faster.

  “Nathan, you haven’t been to school for six months,” Mr Black was chastising. “Various excuses and reasons have been given for this but we are here to advise you that if you do not immediately return to school, both you and your mother will be in serious trouble.”

  Before Nathan could answer, Janice was back in the living room with biscuits on a plate.

  “There is a r
eason for this. Nathan has been the victim of street bullies and has become too scared to go out. That’s why I’ve been teaching him at home.”

  She placed the biscuits on the coffee table and stood whilst the grilling continued. She wanted to pace up and down but stayed in one position, and folded her arms in an attempt to appear confident or powerful. Well, more than usual anyway.

  “Nathan, is this true?” This was Sally asking compassionately.

  “Yeah, that’s right. I’m scared to go out.”

  Janice had seen Mr Black’s look of disbelief only ten minutes before, on Frank’s face.

  “It is so bad, Mr Black, that I have told the local press all about Nathan’s situation. They were interested in the story of a boy too scared to go to school and they are printing his story next week.”

  That was it, Janice’s trump card. Hopefully, the officials would leave her and Nathan alone to live their lives in peace. She returned to the kitchen and made the drinks for her guests. Mr Black was whispering to his colleague, when she returned with the coffees and resumed her arms folded stance. Maybe Sally was ever so minutely intimidated. Unfortunately, Mr Black was the key speaker.

  “OK, Mrs Richardson, Nathan, cards on the table. Nathan has a police record. Two years ago, he was cautioned for harassing another boy, Alec Ridgeon, but perhaps of more relevance, last week, on November 4th, Nathan received a caution for possession of fireworks and was caught with a gang of lads on the streets of Coulsdon. How do you reconcile this with a boy too scared to leave the house?”

  Janice opened her mouth allowing a kestrel to build its nest within. No words came out. Nathan, however, was at hand to continue digging for dung.

  “That was the first time I’d been out for ages. I was OK coz I had my mates with me.”

  Mr Black could form Sceptics Anonymous with Frank Price.

  “You don’t have that great a fear of going out, do you, Nathan? This nonsense should stop here because once it goes to court it’s out of all of our hands and the consequences will be serious.”

  Janice was ready to throw in the towel. They had fought but were losing heavily on points. But Nathan was young and fearless and willing to box on.

  “I’m too scared to go out, that’s the way it….”

  He never finished his sentence. The sound of stamping feet running down the stairs could be heard. The living room burst open. Kelly erupted into the room, carrying two mobile phones.

  “You fucking bastard, Richardson! I fuckin’ hate you!”

  She threw both mobiles at Nathan. They missed him but one hit Mr Black and the other, more seriously, struck Sally Whitehead on the head, and she fell off the settee. Janice couldn’t be sure if the phone’s force had knocked her off, or whether an avoidance manoeuvre had failed and caused her to slip.

  Kelly didn’t care what she had done. She was crying and screaming and hitting Nathan as she pointed out his failings.

  “You’re a fucking cunt, you are. I charged my phone like you said, and read my texts. Kim and Becky told me you’ve got someone else. It’s Faye, innit? Coz I read your texts on your phone. You’re a lying piece of shit. You told me you liked me. I let you do me up the arse. You’re a cunt, and I hate you.”

  Finally, Nathan had been silenced.

  Mr Black helped a dazed Sally back to her feet.

  Kelly eventually ran out of vitriol and Janice, trembling, told her to get out of her house.

  “Glad to get out of this dump.” And then to the shocked Mr Black and Sally as she picked up her mobile and left, “What are you staring at? Freaks!”

  At the door, she turned round to give Nathan a parting shot.

  “Oh yeah, dickhead. I sent Faye a few texts on your phone. Don’t think she’ll be buying those rubbers for you. Anyway, I told her she’d need to buy extra small.”

  With that she was gone, leaving the other four dazed, both mentally and physically in the case of Sally.

  Janice fussed over Sally.

  “Can I get you a cold compress for that, or would you like a cup of tea?”

  “No, I want to leave,” Sally whimpered.

  Mr Black shook his head in bewilderment.

  “You people belong on Jerry Springer. We are going to make our escape before another crazy chav turns up.”

  Janice attempted to defend the indefensible. “There’s no need...”

  Mr Black swung round to Nathan.

  “I am not going to ask you, Nathan, how you managed to have two girlfriends whilst you were apparently unable to leave the house. I think this charade is done with, Mrs Richardson. He is back at school tomorrow or we’ll all be seeing each other in court.”

  The pair ran from the house.

  “Didn’t go quite as we planned, did it, Mum?”

  Whilst tending to Sally’s injury, Janice had not had time to contemplate. Now she faced the prospect of court because their attempt to cheat the system had failed so miserably. She sat down on the settee, noticing spilled coffee stains all over the arm.

  “Oh God, Nathan, what are we going to do? I’m going to end up in jail because of your truancy.”

  “It was a mad idea, wasn’t it, Mum? Not one of your best.”

  “Well, actually, it wasn’t...” Janice stopped mid-sentence and decided that this was not the best time to tell Nathan about her new man’s cunning plan. Her mind was in turmoil, wondering if Mr Black might report her to the police; the lies; the disastrous charade. She could hear the cell door slamming shut in her mind. And when she’d finally found a decent man in her life. How bloody cruel this was.

  An unlikely saviour came to her rescue.

  “Look Mum, fuck it, I’ll go back to school. Might as well. Who’s gonna cook my dinner if you’re nicked? Anyway, I’m getting bored hanging around all day and it’s not as if I’m going to be able to knock about with Kelly.”

  Janice looked at him. And for a couple of moments they both shared a laugh together.

  Chapter 24

  Tuesday November 9th – Marie’s questions

  Marie had returned to work on Tuesday afternoon after her appointment with Dennis Philips. Louis left early, leaving Marie on her own in the dungeon, except for the fictitious ghost. She could have some Marie time, alone with her theories. Surely if a teacher suspected any abuse the child would be removed from her parent. Nothing quite made sense – why had Mr Philips showed her that essay and highlighted the paragraph about sharing beds?

  She had spoken to her Mum, who refuted the suggestion that Carl might be deviant in any way. Her Mum liked Carl though, disappointed that her daughter had walked out on a decent, solid man. But there had been nothing in Carl’s behaviour or sexual practices whilst they were married that gave any hint of possible abuse.

  Going to the police was too extreme and could destroy Carly’s life as well as Carl’s even if he was completely innocent. Speaking to Janice also seemed unfair. They’d only recently met and although they’d got on it was a big step to, ‘Hi, your boyfriend is my ex-husband and I think he might be abusing my daughter so can you help me sort it out?’ Instead, Marie planned to drive round to her old home after work and speak to Carl and Carly together. If Carl was guilty, she would find out, if not from him, then from Carly and, if necessary, take corrective action. She sent texts to both of them to make sure they were at home. At seven p.m., she was one of the last people to leave Crouts.

  Driving to the house that had been her home, she remembered a different life. When Carly was first born, being a stay at home Mum had been a maternity proposition only and, when Carly was a year old, Carl agreed to be house husband. His turgid and limited career was a cul de sac and he was a better carer than her. For the next few years they had been a textbook happy family. But coming home to a bloke who had nothing else to talk about except nursery school and gossip was uninspiring. He was so fucking boring.

  Work had been challenging then, fun even. Promotion followed promotion and
affair followed affair, until Gary, a senior client contact, encouraged her transfer from the family home. She may never have moved had she not fallen pregnant with Gemma, but at least money and nannies had solved the parenting issue second time around.

  Since their divorce, Marie had rarely gone in her old home, preferring to wait in the car for Carly. Whenever she saw Carl, they always ended up bickering. Having not spoken to him for months, Marie was going round to ask him if he was abusing their daughter.

  * * *

  Carl was in his favourite armchair, whilst Carly was lying on the settee, both at home in the living room, watching Eastenders.

  “Any idea why your Mum wants to see us both?”

  “No idea. Maybe after seeing Mr. Philips today, she wants to talk about me.”

  There was a knock on the door.

  “That’ll be Mum. I’ll get it.”

  Carly always ran to the door when her mum was visiting. Usually, she was looking out of her bedroom window waiting for the BMW to pull up outside. And more often than not, they would end up having a row. But she still ran each time. This evening was different, as Marie was coming in. Carly wasn’t sure why. She flung open the front door ready to give her mum a hug. Her stomach turned. It was Janice.

  “Hi. Is your Dad in?” Carly didn’t want her here. Why was she being nice and beggin’ it with her? Had she forgotten that Carly had told her dad to “get that fat bitch out of my house now!”? She still had the imprint of Janice’s big floppy tits in her mind. Disgusting! Her welcome was not much warmer this time.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Janice remained stoic.

  “I want to see your Dad. Are you going to let me in?”

  “My mum’s coming to see us both. They’ll probably be getting back together, so there’s no point.”

  Carl came into the hallway and stood behind Carly.

  “Janice, it’s you. Sorry, we were...er...expecting...someone....”