by Karen Woods
Tina was on the edge of her seat and she was more than caught up in the story. “What did he say?”
Elsie fluttered her short black eyelashes and licked her lips before she got to the juicy bit. Taking a deep breath, she placed her flat palm on her heart and continued. “He asked me to marry him.”
Tina gasped; this was better than any drama she’d watched on the box lately. This was real life. “And, what did you say?”
“After I’d strangled him half to death for scaring the life out of me, I finally said yes. Everybody was cheering, and it was the happiest day in my life. Honest, I’ll never forget it as long as I live. My dad was the only one who wasn’t celebrating. He just got up from the table and went home. He had a face like a smacked arse, he proper spat his dummy out.”
“That’s a bit over the top isn’t it?” Tina added.
“No, not really because in the end he was right. I should have listened to him.”
Tina was fighting Tony’s corner now. “Well, that’s out of order. He should have been happy for you. If Tony had gone to that much trouble to propose, then he should have been respectful instead of putting a dampener on it.”
Elsie was opening- up. She’d never really told anyone her real story and it just seemed the right time to get it out in the open. “My dad never even came to the wedding. He said hell would freeze over before he stepped foot near that church. My Uncle Sam had to give me away, not my dad. Stubborn he is, very stubborn.”
Tina was nibbling at her fingernails. She lit two more cigarettes and passed one over to Elsie. “I never knew he hated Tony that much. Why didn’t he give the man a chance?”
“In his eyes I was still his little girl, and I suppose he wanted more for me. I’d fucked myself up with drugs in the past and I think he was just scared of me getting involved in that kind of world again.”
“Was Tony on drugs too then?”
“Yeah, but not like he is now. He just smoked weed and popped a few pills. He had trouble sleeping you see.”
Tina flicked ash from her cigarette and shot her eyes over to the kitchen clock. She knew the rest of the story and was bored now. “Bloody hell, look at the time. I better get some slap on for work. My shift starts in an hour.”
“I thought you was going to come down to the shops with me?”
“Sorry love, I’ve lost track of time. But here,” she reached into her black leather handbag and pulled out her purse. “Here’s twenty quid. Get what you need. You can sort me out when you get back on your feet.”
Elsie rolled the money up tightly and shoved it into her bra. It was safe there and nobody would ever get to it. It was her secret stash. “Thanks love, like I said, once I get paid, I will be over with it to pay you back. Hopefully, that dead beat of a husband of mine will be back later with some money.”
“No worries,” Tina replied.
*
Emily sat in Jane’s bedroom and looked around. Why couldn’t she have a bedroom like this? She fanned her fingers out and ran them along the fresh cotton bedding. It was crisp white and not a single crease was visible on it. The décor was pink and silver and everything seemed to match. Bright pink curtains hung down gracefully from the window and everything about them said luxury. Emily let out a deflated breath as she waited for Jane to come back into the room. Lying down on the bed she dug her nose deep into the pillow and inhaled the fresh clean bedding. It smelt like summer meadows; fresh, sweet aromas, tickled her nose. Emily jumped up quickly when the bedroom door opened unexpectedly. She stuttered. “Did you get a biscuit, I’m starving?”
Jane juggled the packets in her hands and bent down slightly at the edge of the bed. “Quick then, grab the cans of coke. I brought us some crisps and chocolate up too. But be careful, if any crumbs go on the bed my mam will be up in arms, she hates me eating in my bedroom. You know what she’s like.”
Emily used her index finger to flick the sugary drink open and gulped a large mouthful of Coke. Within seconds she was scoffing a creamy bar of milk chocolate and anything else she could ram into her mouth, the greedy cow never stopped for a breath. “Careful, you nearly bit your finger off then,” Jane chuckled.
“I’m starving. My dad spent the money again, so we’ve had no shopping in. The gas has gone too, so if it’s alright with you can I get a bath here tonight because I stink of BO?”
“Yes, my mam has even bought you your own towel. It’s in the cupboard on the landing.”
Emily growled over at Jane. “Why has she done that? I don’t have scabies or anything.”
“Oh, you know what she’s like. I have my own towel too if that’s any consolation. She’s over the top with stuff like that. I only used her toothbrush once and she had the house up. She’s OCD.”
Emily wiped her mouth with the corner of her sleeve and plonked down on the bed. She sniggered and rubbed her palms together. She had hot gossip for sure. Jane opened her eyes wide. “What’s up with you?”
Here it was, the secret she’d had bubbling inside her for what seemed like a lifetime. “I’ve met a guy on Facebook. He’s older than me.”
Jane sat back on the bed and held her head to the side. “Since when have you been talking to someone online? Why haven’t you told me about this before? How long has this been going on?”
Emily snuggled her head deep into a pillow and played with her fingers. “Only for a few weeks. There was nothing to tell you really. Well, up until now. He’s asked to meet me up with me.”
Jane’s eyes were wide open. “And, are you going to meet him?”
She hesitated slightly. “I’m a bit nervous. I’ve told a few porkies to him. He thinks I’m older than I really am. In fact, I’ve told a whole bunch of whoppers. He thinks I work too.”
Jane was intrigued. “Show me his profile photograph then, let’s have a butcher’s at him.”
Emily scrolled through her chats and clicked on Mark’s profile, she smiled as she saw his face pop up. She looked at him for a few more seconds then passed the phone over to Jane. There was silence as she examined his profile in more detail. “He’s gorgeous. Has he seen a photo of you?”
Emily bolted up from the bed. “Yes, he has why? Are you saying he’s too good looking for me or what, you better not be?”
Jane realised what she’d just said and tried to back track but Emily was right in her thinking. Jane did think that Mark was too good for her friend. “No, I just mean, what’s he said about you?” Emily flicked her hair back over her shoulder and sat with her back against the bedroom wall. She was in a mood and angry with Jane. Emily licked her lips slowly and watched Jane’s reaction as she answered her. She bigged herself up. “He thinks I’m gorgeous. So, shove that in your pipe and smoke it. He’s really into me.”
Jane was jealous, you could see it in her eyes. She was the pretty one and up to now she’d never had any interest from someone this attractive. So why was her friend getting male attention when she wasn’t?
“How old is he?” Jane said breaking the tension.
Emily stroked her fingernail along her red cherry lips. “He’s not that old. Just a few years older than me.” Emily was holding her cards close to her chest and not giving anything away. “I think I’ll go and meet him. I mean, what do I have to lose?”
Jane was excited, this was hot gossip and the most exciting thing that had happened to either of them in a long time. “Right, I’ll come with you. Has he got a mate for me? We can have a double date and that way you will be safe.”
Emily sat thinking. This idea could work. “Yes, I think he has. I can try and arrange it but I’m telling you now, don’t think you can make a move on my man. He’s mine, so keep your mitts off him.”
Jane held a cunning look in her eye and kept her cool. “As if I would ever nick your guy. I can get me own.”
If this was completely true Emily would have had nothing to worry about but Jane was a flirt and she knew if she wanted her friend’s man, she would only have to flutter her eyes at
him, and he would be putty in her hands. This was getting interesting. Emily started to run her fingers through her hair, lifting it up high and dropping it back down. “Should I wear my hair up or down? I think I look sexier with it up, what do you think?”
Jane studied Emily as she held her hair up and looked at her. “I’m thinking if I just pull a few strands of hair down here and there it will look sexy.”
“It depends. What are you thinking of wearing? Are you thinking a casual look, or are you going to go all out and wear a dress with a nice pair of heels?”
Emily shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t have a clue. Jane was the fashion guru here and she needed her help. “I’ll have a look in my wardrobe and see if we can put something together. I’ll do that while you ask your new man if his friend can make it too. Get him to send a photograph, he better not be ugly otherwise I’m not going.”
Jane jumped from the bed and headed to her wardrobe. She cunningly watched Emily send a text message. This was going to be interesting, very interesting indeed.
CHAPTER FIVE
Tony had sold the TV and the money was split two ways as agreed. He knew it was more than his life was worth to spend a single penny from what he’d earned. No way, he valued his life too much and he knew his wife would have cut his balls off if he let her down again. As soon as Tony walked in through the front door his wife was there to greet him. She stood with her hands on her hips snarling at him. Oh, this woman was ready to attack alright, her face was bright red as she growled over at him. “So, come on then, cough it up. Where’s the money you promised me?”
Tony peeled his grey jacket off and kicked his muddy trainers off his feet across the floor. “Bleeding hell, give me a bit of time to get inside then. I’ve told you before that I’m a man of my word. Tony Clayton never lets anyone down. Especially not his beautiful wife.” He edged past her and headed into the front room. Frank came to greet him, and he reached down and patted the top of his head. “You believed me, didn’t you son? It’s the missus who doubts me, not you. I know she should trust me, but, ay, what can I do if she doesn’t?” Frank looked at his owner and tilted his head one way then another. He didn’t have a clue what was going on.
Elsie was in no mood for games. She stood above Tony as he sat down and booted his foot. “Hand it over. Go on, show me the money.”
Tony was smiling, for once he’d come up trumps and had the cash for her. He lay back and reached inside his jeans pocket and dug deep. He was playing with her and he could see she was losing her rag. “Bleeding hell, have you got it or what?”
Tony had the money in his hand and counted each note out onto the arm of the chair. “There you go, babes. It’s all there just like I said it would be.”
Elsie was shocked, she wasn’t sure what to do. She backed off and plonked down in an armchair. This was a turn up for the books and one she never expected. “I still detest you. You still pissed off and left me, so you’re not out of the dog house yet.”
Tony knew he was out of the danger zone and started to relax. “I’m sorry. For fuck’s sake. How many times do I have to tell you that I’m sorry? That’s the trouble with you Elsie, you never put anything to bed. You drag the arse out of everything, all the bloody time. For once in your life, just admit you’re wrong.”
Here he was again, doing what he always did best when he’d had his collar felt. He was turning the tables on his missus and making her think it was her fault. “Oh, be quiet Tony. You know as well as me that there is something more to this story. I don’t know how you pulled it out of the bag, but I don’t believe you. I’m not green you know.”
He needed to change the subject, get things back to normal. “Do you fancy an hour in bed, love. I could do with a bit of tender loving care. After all, I did bring you the money back when I could have gone down the boozer with it and pissed it up the wall.”
Elsie squirmed. Was he having a laugh or what? “Are you for real Tony? Do you really think I would have sex with you after what you’ve done?”
His expression changed, and his face dropped. “What’s wrong with asking for a bit of slap and tickle with my beautiful wife. I’m a red-blooded male. I need some sex. That’s what a man and woman do when they love each other. Or have you forgotten? It’s been ages since we had a bit. I feel like a bleeding monk.”
Elsie smirked and shot a look over towards him. “Well you’ll just have to a have a wank then because I’m not in a mood for you today. You make my blood boil,” she paused and held her head high. “And, just for the record you’re still only here by the skin of your teeth. You mark my words I will find out the truth about the money and when I do, God help you.”
Tony knew he was still in the bad books but at least he had a roof over his head for now. He plonked down on the sofa and looped his hands behind his head. “I’m taking us all on holiday. Our Emily had a right go at me this morning and she really got to me. She said we never do anything as a family. I thought I was a top dad?”
Elsie nearly choked. What planet was this man on? “She’s right, you do nothing with any of us. It’s all about you and where you’re getting your next fix from.”
Tony was alarmed. “No, that’s a complete lie. You and the kids have always come before anything in my life.”
Elsie’s voice softened; these words were straight from the heart. She had to tell him how she felt, she couldn’t go on living a lie. “We used to Tony but not anymore, the gear always comes first. I want my Tony back, the man I fell in love with, not the one I can see lying there. Have you had a good look at yourself lately?”
Tony sat up, where was all this coming from, he was a good man. A guy who bent over backwards for his family. “Whoa, just you hang fire there. I provide for this family the best I can. Yes, I go a bit nutty sometimes but that’s not often. You’re out of order love. You and the kids are my world.”
Elsie sighed. “You need to sort your shit out. We can’t go on like this. I’ve told you I’m here to support you, but you need to want to get clean. We can have a good life and put all this shit behind us.”
Tony cringed as he prepared to listen to the latest lecture on how brighter his life would be without drugs in it and how much more money they would have in their pockets. “I want to help you. We can go through this together. I’m going through it just like you. We can do it as a team.” Tony didn’t say a word. She knew he was listening and continued. “Our Emily would love it Tony. She’d be so proud of you, of us both. Can you at least think about it?”
Tony’s hands were trembling, there was fear in his eyes. Panic seemed to attack every organ in his body. “I’m too weak love. You know I have mad shit going on in my head. Maybe in a few weeks when I get my head together.”
Elsie stood her ground and she wasn’t standing for any more of his excuses. She smashed her fist against the arm of the chair sending dust flying into the air. “No! It’s now or never. I’ve heard the same story for months and if you’re not going to get clean then I want you gone from here. I want a better life for me and the kids and I’m doing it with or without you.” She meant every word; she’d had enough of his crap to last a lifetime.
Tony was on the spot now and just stared at her. For once he was stuck for words. “You can’t just say that. I need time to do it, to get myself ready. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
She was right back at him, snapping. “It would have been built if I was running the job. Anyway, I need an answer right now. It’s a simple yes or no? You’re either in or you’re out?”
The front door slammed shut and in bounced Jordan. This lad had it all going on, he was gorgeous. Tony was relieved, he was off the hook for now and smiled as he looked at his boy. “Oi, oi Mr Loverman. Whose bed have you just crawled out of?”
Jordan ran his fingers through his thick dark brown hair and smirked over at his old man. He flicked the invisible dust from the top of his shoulder and sniggered. “You know me so well dad. It was just someone I met in town last n
ight. A right filthy cow she was, she took advantage of me. Honest, my back is full of scratches, a right dirty bitch.”
Tony was engrossed in the story; he rubbed his hands together and invited his son to sit down next to him. Once his boy was by his side, he rubbed his hands over the top of his head and playfully punched him in the ribs. “You’re a chip off the old block you are son. I remember the days when the ladies were around me like flies round shit. I was the man back in the day, let me tell you.”
Before he could continue Elsie flung a pillow over at his head. “Oi, I am sat here you know.”
Tony rolled his eyes. “I know love, I mean before I met the love of my life.” Jordan gave his father a shifty look and knew to change the subject before his dad got a bunch of fives. Elsie was a jealous woman and he often wound her up about his previous girlfriends. “So, have you been earning a few quid then son?”
Jordan licked the end of his fingertip and bent down to wipe a spot of dirt from his new white Nike trainers. He hated not being clean and everything about him had to be on point. You wouldn’t have thought he belonged to this family, he was different to them; neat and tidy. “You know me dad. I’ve always got my finger in more than one pie. Wheeling and dealing, ducking and diving, you know how I roll.”
