It was entirely her own fault that she was hospitalised. She was the one that had driven her car as pissed as a fart and smashed it to smithereens. Chelle had written off cars in the past and laughed about it. This time it was different. She'd very nearly killed someone.
Chelle couldn't remember anything about the accident, she must have blanked out completely. All she knew was what she'd been told by the police and her solicitor. Apparently, she'd been doing about 60 in a 30 mph zone, when she'd had a head-on collision with an oncoming Ford Focus. Michelle had cracked ribs, a sprained ankle and mild concussion. The woman driving the other car wasn't so lucky.
Hannah Lennon was a 37-year-old nurse who had been driving home from work after a long hard shift. Hannah had spent two days and nights in intensive care after the accident and had now been told that she wouldn't be back at work for quite a long time. Word had soon got around the ward and although Hannah didn't work at that particular hospital, Michelle had received the cold shoulder. Nurses were loyal. Hurting anyone was bad enough, but hurting a fellow nurse was totally unforgivable. Appalled, the staff treated Chelle as if she was something nasty they'd trodden in.
'Fred, where are you? I love you, don't leave me, Fred.'
Michelle put her head under the covers to try and block out the noise of the old dear in the next bed.
Ethel Naylor was in the latter stages of Alzheimer's. Her beloved husband, Fred, had been dead for twenty-six years, but Ethel truly believed that he was in the ward and was standing three feet away from her.
'Oooh, oooh, oooh.'
Michelle peeked up from under her sheets to see who the fuck was oohing. The smell hit her nostrils almost immediately and she quickly sprayed Ralph Lauren perfume onto her wrist and held it close to her nose. Oh dear, Ivy had had another little accident. Michelle felt like bursting into tears. She'd had private health insurance for years when Terry was alive and had never used it. Why the hell hadn't she kept up the policy? What a bloody idiot she was. Looking at her perfume bottle she allowed herself a wry smile. 'Glamorous', the label said. 'Fucking glamorous,' Chelle said under her breath. 'Not in this bastard place it ain't.'
Drifting off to sleep, Chelle was woken shortly afterwards by the one and only friend she seemed to have left. Apart from Hazel, none of her other so-called friends had been near her. The only other visitor she had had was her solicitor, who was being paid to drop in. Chelle looked inside the carrier bag which Hazel had brought and was pleased to see it was full of magazines.
'Thanks, mate,' she said gratefully. 'Hazel, I've been thinking. I want you to do me a favour. Will you contact Billie Jo for me and ask her to come and see me? I look around at visiting time and everyone else has their family with them. I know she's going to be horrified by the accident, but I dunno, she's the only family I've got and being stuck in here has made me think about the past. I know I was never cut out for kids, but I'd like to try and make things up to her. What do you think?'
Hazel had been amazed by the change in her friend's behaviour over the last few days. At first she'd put it down to shock, but now she wasn't so sure. Maybe, deep down, Chelle did have a kind, caring nature, but over the years had kept it well hidden.
'I think it's a great idea, Chelle. I'll ring her tonight if you give me her number. I've always liked Billie. She's a good kid. Maybe it's because she was so close to Terry that you and her have always struggled to get on.'
Michelle scrolled through her phone, wrote the number down and handed it to Hazel. She was just about to get into a deep conversation with her about Billie, when she was interrupted by an unexpected visitor, her solicitor.
'I need to have a word with you, Michelle, in private.'
Colin Brown had his serious tone on and Chelle only had to look at his face to know that whatever news he'd come to give her wasn't going to be good. As soon as Hazel had left, Colin Brown closed the curtains around the cubicle and sat down next to Michelle.
'I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you, Michelle.'
Michelle felt panic rising inside her. It was at times like this that she used to reach for the wine bottle to calm her down. Fat chance of that today, she thought.
'Mrs Lennon, the driver of the other car, took a turn for the worse last night. The doctors thought that she was out of the woods, but they were obviously wrong. She was pronounced dead at seven this morning.'
Michelle could feel the bile rising to her throat. She grabbed her sick bowl and started to retch.
'Obviously, this will change the charges that are to be brought against you and the police will want to take a statement. They'll probably now charge you with death by dangerous driving amongst other things.'
Michelle felt as if she was having a bad dream. Why did the woman have to bloody well die? 'What will happen to me? Will I go to prison?'
Colin Brown felt nothing but contempt for the woman sitting opposite him, but tried not to show it. He couldn't believe he'd just told her that she'd killed someone, yet all she was worried about was her bloody self. 'I honestly don't know,' he said truthfully. 'But you're going to have to speak to the police asap. I can't put them off any longer, not now the woman is dead. By all accounts, they've now gone over my head anyway and contacted the doctors. You can bet they've said that you're now well enough to be interviewed.'
'Right, Colin, that's made my mind up. I'm not staying here one minute longer. The doctor I spoke to today said I'd probably be able to go home soon anyway, so I'm gonna discharge myself. I'd much rather come to the police station with you of my own accord than have anyone interview me sitting in this dump. I hate this poxy old nightdress and I've got no make-up on.'
Colin was so disgusted by her selfishness that, for once, he couldn't keep his mouth shut. 'For goodness' sake, Michelle, you will have to change your attitude when you go to court for this mess. You've just killed somebody and all you're worried about is what you look like! If you behave like this in front of the judge, you'll end up with a nice long vacation in Holloway.'
Michelle burst into tears. She didn't just feel bad about what had happened, she felt awful. The fact that her drink problem had now killed someone hadn't really sunk in yet, so to cover up her guilt, Michelle did what she knew best and that was to talk constantly about herself.
'I'm so sorry,' Chelle sobbed. 'I know I haven't asked for any details about the woman, but it's not because I don't care. It's because I can't face knowing at the moment.'
Colin stood up and, for one split second, actually felt sorry for the mess of a woman he was representing.
'Look, I have to go now, Michelle. There's another client I have to see. Do yourself a favour and think about what I've said. Unless you start showing some remorse, the police and the court will give you a real hard time.'
Chelle nodded tearfully. Giving her a formal nod in return, Colin left the ward.
Chelle immediately got dressed and discharged herself. With the help of Hazel and a set of crutches, she hobbled out of the ward.
An hour later they were sitting in Chelle's house, not really knowing what to do next. Hazel had made her friend comfortable on the sofa with a quilt and a pillow, cooked her some food and poured her some wine, but Chelle was inconsolable and could barely eat or drink. Running out of ideas and in a rush to get home because her son and first grandchild were coming round for dinner, Hazel did the only thing she could think of. Pretending she was going out into the kitchen for a refill, she took the screwed-up piece of paper from her purse and rang the number. Taking a deep breath, she crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. It was answered on the fourth ring, and Hazel decided to be blunt.
'Billie, your mum's not well. She's been involved in an accident. She's in trouble, she's been asking about you and she needs you.'
Momentarily stunned, Billie Jo dropped the phone.
THIRTY-FOUR
Billie sat on a chair, ended the call and stared aimlessly around her new flat. The phone call from Hazel had been a shock, to sa
y the least, and she didn't know what to do for the best. Part of her hated her mother and wouldn't care if she never saw her again, but the other part realised that whatever had happened in the past, you only get one mum.
Tucking Hazel's phone number safely into her handbag, Billie picked up DJ, sat him on her knee and gave him a cuddle. Jamie would be home soon. He was sensible in these situations and would help her decide what to do for the best.
After dinner, Billie decided to broach the subject. She told Jamie, word for word, the conversation she'd had with Hazel.
Jamie thought carefully before answering. 'Did she mention what sort of trouble your mum was in?'
Billie shook her head. 'No, she just said that she was in a lot of trouble and needed to see me.'
Jamie took a sip of his lager. 'If I was you, I'd go round and see her. If it turns out to be a load of old bollocks, you haven't got to go back. Don't take the little 'un with you, in case it's a ploy to see him. I'll look after DJ for you.'
Billie moved over to where Jamie was sitting and gave him a hug. 'I don't know what I'd do without you, Jamie Jackson. I'll ring her tomorrow. I've also got to ring Danny and tell him that he can't have DJ at the weekend. I'll do exactly as Marsha told me. I'll tell him that I've made other plans and if he kicks off, I'll ring the police. He obviously doesn't know I've moved yet, but you can guarantee that it won't be long before he finds out where I am.'
Jamie screwed up his empty lager can. 'Don't worry about Danny, babe. I'll look after you from now on.'
Billie smiled at him gratefully. 'I know you will.'
Jamie stood up. 'Right, are we ready to unload the rest of the boxes?'
Billie giggled. 'You make a start while I put DJ to bed.'
Jamie playfully threw the empty can at her. 'You slippery cow, by the time you've bathed DJ and tucked him up, I'll be bloody finished.'
Two hours later the pair of them were sitting down having a drink to celebrate unpacking. They'd actually moved all the stuff out of the old place yesterday. Jamie had managed to borrow a white Renault van and, with the help of his mate Ryan, three trips later it was done and dusted. Lying on the sofa with Jamie's arm around her, Billie felt totally at home in her new surroundings and very much at ease. She decided to take the plunge and ask him something that had been on her mind all day. Moving closer, she smiled at him.
'Jamie, you know you said that you'd stay here with me whenever I wanted you to?'
'Yeah.'
'Well, I've been thinking. I know it's early days, but we've known one another ages. Why don't you move in with me and DJ?'
Jamie looked at the beautiful girl lying in his arms and knew his answer straight away. 'Only if you improve at cooking and promise to feed me on demand and wash up every night.'
'You bastard,' Billie said playfully, punching him in the arm. 'Is that a yes, then?'
'Oh, go on then.'
Billie was over the moon. Jamie was everything she had ever wanted, and more. 'Do you fancy an early night?' she asked suggestively. Picking her up off the sofa, Jamie carried her into the bedroom and made love to her with a feeling and passion that previously she could only have dreamt of.
'Goodnight, Jamie. I love you.'
Jamie held her close. 'I love you too, Billie Jo. Much more than you'll ever know.'
Danny O'Leary snorted the two lines of gear that lay in front of him. He sniffed as hard as he could and felt it run down the back of his throat. Feeling on top of the world, he walked out of the toilet and back to the bar where his pals were waiting. Danny was out celebrating today. He and the boys had pulled off a nice deal in the early hours of this morning. Half a dozen kilos of coke had arrived safely in a lorry from Spain. Jimmy the Fish had organised the delivery, but because he was still on holiday until the weekend, it had been left to Danny to oversee the job.
The couver had been hidden in boxes of coffee and tea and was driven from Spain to a warehouse in Barking by an old boy called Sid the Snake. Sid was as honest as the day was long and had only earned his nickname over the years because of his love for the slithery reptiles. His two pet boa constrictors, Ronnie and Reggie, were his babies and had the run of his four-bedroom house.
Danny had picked up the gear personally and stashed it away as arranged with Jimmy. The handover had gone without a hitch and Danny was on such a high that, rather than go home to Debbie, he went out on the piss with a couple of pals to a boozer in Stratford. He knew it was open all night, as it was a regular haunt of the train drivers who had just finished their shift.
Having stayed there all morning, Danny had left and gone on an all-day bender, visiting pubs in Barking, Ilford, Dagenham and Hornchurch. By his sixth pub, he should really have been dead on his feet, but due to the adrenalin of the job going so well, plus the enormous amount of gear he'd shoved up his hooter, he was still raring to go. His good mood was soon cut short when Lenny Barrett entered the boozer.
Lenny owned a fruit and veg stall down Romford Market and hadn't seen Danny since he had left there. After catching up on old times, Lenny dropped a bombshell by asking Danny, 'So, are you all right with Jamie going out with your ex-bird?'
'What you on about?' Danny asked casually.
'You know, the bird that's got your kid.'
Danny nigh on choked on his bottle of Bud. 'You what? Jamie going out with Billie? What the fuck you going on about?'
Lenny stood there, looking sheepish. He had a habit of opening his big mouth and not for the first time wished he had kept it shut. 'Oh shit. Look, forget I said anything. I've probably got it wrong anyway.'
Danny's eyes blazed angrily. Dragging Lenny away from his mates, he pushed him aggressively outside the pub. 'Now don't fuck with me, Lenny. We've known one another too long. Tell me what you know, or I'll fucking knock it out of ya.'
Lenny took one look at Danny and knew he meant business. At fifty-one years old Lenny didn't need this shit. He was far too old for fighting. 'I only know what I've been told, Danny, that they're an item. Jamie told one of the lads on the market and word got about. Apparently, a few of the boys have seen them out and about together as well, looking all loved up and that.'
'Well, are they really?' Danny patted Lenny on the back. 'Thanks for telling me, mate, and do us a favour, don't tell no one you told me, yeah?'
Lenny nodded. Danny had a look on his face like a maniac and he was damned if he was getting involved any more. 'I won't say a dickie bird, Dan, I promise.'
Danny went back into the pub and tried to carry on as before, but couldn't. How could he stand in a pub laughing and joking, when all he could think of was his so-called one-time best mate shagging the mother of his child and playing daddy to his son? Feeling nothing but anger and hatred, he forced himself to finish his beer. Billie Jo had been a virgin when he had met her and now she was nothing but a fucking slag. Banging his bottle on the bar, Danny told his pals he had some business to sort out and had to go. Ignoring their pleas to stay, he stormed out of the door and jumped into his car.
Pulling up at the house that he'd once shared with Billie, he kicked the front door as hard as he could. Hearing no response, he took the key out of his pocket and tried the lock. Realising the bolts weren't on, Danny feared the worst as he walked inside. He put the lights on and knew within a split second that Billie had done a runner.
'Fucking bitch,' he screamed out loud. 'As God is my judge, I'll kill her for this. I'll fucking kill her.'
Danny jumped in his car and raced towards Jamie's mum's. The flats had a security door and no one seemed to want to let him in, but after getting his baseball bat out and threatening the disabled geezer on the ground floor with it, the door was soon opened. Knocking on Jamie's door, he looked through the letter box. He could tell no one was there, but tried to kick the door in anyway. It dented, but wouldn't budge. 'Cunt,' he screamed. Hearing sirens in the distance, Danny flew down the stairs, started up his car and drove off at top speed.
Pulling up outside Debbie'
s flat, he opened up the bottle of Jack Daniels he'd just bought and took a swig. Searching for his wrap, he snorted a line off the dashboard, took his mobile out of his pocket and rang Billie's number. Her answerphone greeted him. Het up with jealousy and anger, Danny was nigh on foaming at the mouth as he left her a message.
'If I don't have my son at the weekend as planned, Billie, I'm telling you now, girl, I'll kill you. Don't fuck with me, Billie Jo, because I swear wherever you are I will hunt you down. That's my boy you've got there, the boy's an O'Leary and don't you ever forget it, you fucking slag.'
Ending the call, he immediately tried ringing Jamie. It came as no surprise that his phone was switched off as well. Deciding he couldn't face going indoors to the whining bitch, Danny headed to his local. He rang Jamie again and this time he decided to leave him a message as well. He kept it short and sweet.
'You're dead, you cunt.'
THIRTY-FIVE
Billie walked up the driveway of her mum's house with a feeling of trepidation. As she rang the doorbell, she wished that she could just turn around and run away. Hazel answered the door, thanked her for coming, and then popped out to do some shopping, leaving Billie and Chelle alone.
Billie was shocked by how rough her mother looked. Although she was a fair old size, Michelle had always dressed and looked glamorous, but today she looked like shit and it was the first time Billie ever remembered seeing her mum without an ounce of make-up on. Usually, she was one of those women that wouldn't even put the milk bottles on the doorstep without her full slap on.
Billie handed her the bottle of wine she'd purchased. She didn't like to encourage her to drink but was at a loss for what else to buy her. 'All right, Mum? I bought you this. Now, why did you want to see me?'
Michelle burst into tears. Everything she had kept to herself in the last few days came tumbling out. 'I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you over the years, Billie. I was so jealous of how close you was to your father. He loved you, but he never loved me. I think he only stayed with me because he couldn't bear to be parted from you, and I was eaten up with anger that you could be so close to him, but me, I might as well have been invisible at times.'
Billie Jo Page 27
