by Anne Bone
Des accompanied her into the reception where they waited to greet the celebrity who had agreed to compere the evening’s event. Joe Douglas was a TV presenter and journalist who was an old friend of Daphne. Joe had met Beth on a number of occasions, usually when he had been interviewing her after another child had been reported as missing. Beth was one of the names on a list somewhere that was trawled out every time there was a story or report of a missing child. She was then called and asked to comment and express her opinion on what she thought had happened and how the event would have an impact on the family. The morning TV news programme that Joe worked on could rely on Beth, she was always willing to be interviewed and give some insight into what the family might be going through. So, when Daphne had called him and asked whether he might be prepared to front tonight’s surprise event, Joe had been only too willing to oblige.
Joe was one of these celebrities who was happy to undertake some charity events; it was always good for his profile. He could also never refuse a request from Daphne, a woman who he had known carnally for several months during a long hot and steamy summer many years ago, when they were all just starting out as hopeful journalists.
Joe was very flamboyant and knew how to make an entrance, which he was currently doing and bringing the busy hotel reception area to a total halt.
‘Darling,’ he shouted, arms outstretched as he launched himself towards Daphne. He embraced her warmly, kissing her on each cheek and announcing how wonderful she looked. He shook hands with Des, a man he had never warmed to and still wondered what on earth this vibrant woman saw in this rather paunchy, dour Scottish ex-policeman.
‘Joe, thanks a million for doing this and for coming early. Thought it would give us a chance to brief you on who will be here and how we would like you to introduce everyone.’
‘Sounds good to me darling.’ He puffed out his expanding chest, ‘Whisk me away then and fill me in with all of the details. Should be fun, and from what you told me on the phone, likely to be not a dry eye in the house. How simply wonderful.’
Chapter 45
After surveying his normally lovely tidy and ordered flat, Stevie knew why he chose to live alone. His two sisters had in just twenty-four hours managed to create havoc. The bathroom had looked as though a herd of hippopotamuses had chosen this room to wallow in the bath. While in the kitchen, he was sure there must have been several chimps that had rolled around the work surfaces chucking food at each other.
How can two women make such a mess? Although he would clarify this, as he knew that most of this was Joanne’s mess. He had enjoyed today with Lucy, she had loved seeing around the studio he worked in. They had then had a lovely relaxing lunch watching the world go by, and enjoying just being together without any of the tension which had been in the air the night before at dinner.
Stevie’s mobile had broken their relaxation when he heard Joanne’s whingeing voice filtering down the line asking why they had abandoned her, and when were they coming back.
They had been resigned to the fact that their brief peaceful interlude had concluded, and they returned to Stevie’s like two small children expecting to be reprimanded for going out to play.
Stevie could not believe how much mess Joanne could make in the kitchen by just putting cereal in a bowl and making toast and marmalade. Bits of cereal mixed up with sugar and breadcrumbs were scattered in numerous parts of the worktops and pools of milk were liberally seeping their way downwards to drip onto the floor. Where was Joanne? She was lying sprawled on the sofa, channel hopping. Her cereal bowl, plate and three mugs were lying on the floor beneath her.
‘Hi Jo, did you have a good sleep?’ Lucy’s voice was bright and cheery as she shed her jacket and went to sit on the opposite leather sofa.
Joanne was scowling; you could almost hang a coat hanger on her bottom lip. Lucy sighed and knew the signals that this was not going to be an easy moment.
‘Anyone for a coffee?’ Stevie asked. Lucy smiled and nodded. ‘How about you Jo?’
His younger sister pouted and shook her head. ‘I’ve had several cups already thanks. Especially as there was nothing else to do seeing that my brother and host deserted me,’ she moaned.
‘Oh come on Jo, you were out for the count this morning, and if there is one thing we have learnt about our little sister it is never, ever waken her. We left you sleeping it off. Don’t give us a hard time for that.’
Jo sat up, changing the channel again on the TV. ‘So where did you go?’
Lucy was thinking on her feet, trying to evaluate how she would tell her sister that she had been to visit Stevie’s studio, as she knew that Joanne would use this to claim that this visit been planned and not to include her. Lucy’s reply was ‘nothing special’ and that they had just gone for a walk and then had lunch.
The next couple of hours were spent watching a DVD in relative silence, before Joanne announced that she would need to begin her preparations for tonight, which the others knew would mean that the bathroom would be out of action for a least an hour.
Stevie and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as she disappeared into the bathroom carrying her very large toilet bag, which contained enough potions to clog the drains in half of London.
‘For fuck’s sake, she doesn’t change does she?’ whispered Stevie. ‘In fact, I am sure she is getting worse. I think we had better get our heads together and work out a strategy of how we are going to deal with her tonight if she kicks off. I will just not let her spoil the night for Mum and Dad.’
‘I agree. One of the main things is to make sure she does not sink too many glasses of bubbly as, for sure, the one thing bubbly does, is have the opposite effect on her as it certainly does not make her bubbly! She turns into a first class bitch and you know what she is like with some people. We have to make sure she doesn’t have a go at Mo either.’
The two siblings whispered together conscious that at any moment the bathroom door would swing open and they would have to endure a confrontation from an angry and rebellious young woman accusing them of leaving her out of their plans.
Stevie had ordered the taxi for 7 o’clock and while they waited for the call to say it had arrived, he ventured in his role as oldest brother to warn Joanne that he expected her to behave tonight.
‘Now Jo, I know you have issues about The Trust, but for tonight and for the sake of Mum and Dad can you keep those views to yourself please,’ he pleaded.
‘Oh don’t worry your head, I don’t need you to tell me how to behave, I won’t embarrass you. I’ll smile sweetly and say how wonderful The Trust is, and what wonderful work it does, and how wonderful it is that it has helped all those people. I won’t say how the wonderful fucking Trust robbed me of my mother’s time, how the wonderful fucking Trust took all my mother’s energy so that she had nothing left for her own children.’ She spat the words out with some vengeance.
Lucy felt hot. ‘We know that’s what you think Jo; we have had that conversation a million times, although not tonight. Ok?’
She didn’t add that she would like to slap her sister’s face right now and tell her she was talking the biggest load of rubbish as there was no way that Jo had been deprived of her mother’s attention. In fact, her mother and father had been available to them every minute of the day and night, and if for some reason her mother had been off on Trust business also there had been Granny Molly who had been there constantly. She just wished her younger sister would grow up. Lucy already felt that tonight might not be the perfect and happy event they had wished for, and she had a special announcement which she wanted to make to her parents that she hoped would be the icing on the cake for them. If Joanne spoilt this, even she might just lose her temper.
Stevie was harbouring similar thoughts and was already abandoning the strategy to defuse any tension and give in to Joanne’s every whim to ensure there were no outbursts. He too was thinking of how he would just have to bind and gag her and hide her in me dark corner until the night was ended.<
br />
The tension in the room was broken by the sounding of the door buzzer, which announced that the taxi was outside and waiting.
‘Come on let’s go and have some fun, and when I say fun I mean fun, no moaning right?’
Joanne nodded and followed her big brother and sister sheepishly out of the door, for once reading the signs right that they meant business and she would keep her opinions to herself.
Chapter 46
Everything was going exactly to plan. The function room was full of guests who were enjoying the glass of bubbly that had been handed to each of them as they entered. The room was buzzing with excited conversations. Many people were meeting for the first time, while others were old friends and were shedding tears at the reunion. There was much to catch up with and they were all anticipating Beth’s reaction when she entered the room and realised what was taking place.
The table at the front was larger than the other tables; this would be the one where Beth would sit between Tom and Marty. Her three children would also be at this table as would Daphne, Des, Vicky, Richard and Jason. All of the people who knew and loved her most would therefore surround Beth.
At the moment, the only people who sat at this table were Jason, Vicky, Richard, Des, Lucy and Joanne. Tom and Liz were hanging around the reception area waiting for Beth and Marty to arrive. Stevie had gone to the hotel room of one of the other guests who would be joining them at the top table in order that he could escort her down to the reception.
This guest was the current focus of Joanne’s displeasure. ‘Why is she here?’ she whispered in the ear of Lucy. ‘I am going to ignore her completely. I just don’t know why she would have the nerve to come tonight… It’s bloody disgusting if you ask me.’
Lucy turned and hissed back at her. ‘It’s not down to you, thank goodness, and whether you like it or not she is part of our family as far as Mum and Dad are concerned. Just keep your thoughts to yourself, and yes, I think it would be the absolute best thing if you did just ignore her completely. And remember what we said this is Mum’s night so keep it zipped.’ She almost spat the last words out, just as Joanne waved to a waiter to indicate she wanted her glass refilled for the third time. So far the strategy to make sure her sister’s alcohol intake remained minimal was not working.
Meanwhile, Stevie was having just a tad of difficulty reassuring the guest that she should be sitting at the top table and not at a table hidden away in the darkness. ‘Now come on, you have an important part to play tonight, you know that.’
The woman nodded, but was becoming even more nervous by the second.
‘Remember what you told me on the phone the other night, about how much you owed to Mum, and how much you wanted to publicly thank her and tell her how you feel about her.’
She nodded again.
‘And this is your chance. Now I’ve read your speech, it is just wonderful and so poignant you just have to go for it. We’ll be there willing you on so don’t worry. You are such an important person in my mum’s life and in mine too, I don’t want you to forget it. We love you.’ He pulled the woman towards him and hugged her before planting a kiss on her cheek and wiped away a tear which had escaped from her eye, and was making its way down her other cheek to leave a tiny snail like trail in her make-up. ‘Now lady, get yourself into that bathroom, dab those eyes one last time and, as they say, break a leg.’
And he was thinking, if my little sister starts on you it will be one of her legs that will be broken.
Chapter 47
Tom was waiting just inside the door of the hotel watching for the taxi to arrive. When it did, he leapt out to rush and open the door of the black cab and assist Beth out of it. He winked at Marty who paid the cabbie and followed them in through the glass revolving doors into the plush reception.
‘For goodness sakes Tom, we didn’t expect you to be hovering about the doorway for us. Are we late, is that what it is?’
Tom chuckled, ‘No dear Beth, you are not late, just thought that I would make sure you got out of the cab ok and didn’t fall on your face.’
Beth looked at him puzzled. He seemed to be acting rather strangely; she hoped he wasn’t coming down with anything.
Just then Liz came towards them, she looked very glamorous, her dress looked a million dollars, and Beth was beginning to wish that she had worn her evening dress, but they had said that it would be dinner in a restaurant not a dinner dance.
‘Liz, you look wonderful, congratulations on your anniversary.’ Beth smiled and kissed the woman on both cheeks.
‘You look rather grand yourself, I love your outfit.’
Beth always did herself down as, in fact, she did look very stylish. Her little black dress always did her proud and she was able to dress it up as she had done tonight by adding a wide silver belt and silver shrug. Her silver jewellery glinted against her silver hair. Beth was certainly not underdressed for the occasion.
The two couples made their way along the hotel corridor following the signs to the Knightingale Suite. Tom was escorting Beth and leading the way with Marty and Liz taking up the rear. Tom chatted all the way trying to ensure that Beth’s attention was diverted and she would not notice that they seemed to be walking in the opposite direction from the hotel restaurant.
They came to the double doors of the suite and stopped. Beth looked at Tom, ‘Isn’t this some sort of private suite?’ she asked.
‘Something like that,’ he replied. He carefully opened the door and went into the room, which seemed to be very quiet. Beth made her way in and looked about her. It must be her imagination, because she was sure she glimpsed Lucy and Joanne. What on earth would they be doing here?
Just then the clapping started. Then people were getting to their feet, Tom took Beth’s hand and led her to the front of the room. Beth was sort of mesmerised. ‘What on earth?’ she mumbled. She turned quickly behind her to see Marty’s eyes shining.
Suddenly she was at the front of the room and there was Joe Douglas standing in front of her. He was holding a microphone in his hand and was smiling, and coming towards her where he placed a large muscled arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him before kissing her on her cheek.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, let us say a big welcome to a very special lady.’ He smiled his sugary smile at the bemused woman. ‘Who we can see from her look of utter amazement and the lack of speech that the surprise has worked. Welcome, Beth.’
Beth was in shock and could not reply.
‘Beth. Tonight your dear friends wanted to surprise you with a special evening to celebrate twenty-five years of The Stolen Children Trust. They wanted to tell you how very special you are to them all, and how you personally have been so important in their lives. I hope that you will be able to forgive all of them for going behind your back and organising this. And, before you ask, I have been instructed by Tom to reassure you that this is NOT costing The Trust anything.’ He laughed and the audience followed.
‘Beth, let us escort you to your seat where we are going to be served a top class meal, and then many of your friends will let you know just how much you have come to mean to them.’
With this, he led Beth to the top table where she was greeted not just by her children and brother, but also by her closest friends. She looked daggers for a moment at Marty. ‘You have been in on this from the beginning I take it?’
He smirked and nodded.
‘Marty Paton, I always thought I could tell instantly when you told a lie, now it seems I will have to watch you even closer.’ She leant across and kissed him gently on the lips. He was forgiven it seemed.
The dinner was four courses and was indeed top class. Beth was enjoying the opportunity to catch up with all of her closest friends; she had not seen Richard and Vicky for months and was delighted that they had made the journey. She reassured her dear brother that he looked splendid in his kilt, and he was able to nod back while he wrestled with the decision of what piece of cutlery he would use next.
As Marty gazed around the table, he was feeling extremely proud of his wife and family. Lucy’s eyes were shining and she looked glowing, Stevie’s dark curly hair and eyes reminded him of himself twenty odd years ago. What a great couple of kids. His eyes moved to Joanne, and he couldn’t help sighing, for he saw that she did not look happy. Her face was taut and her mouth pouted. He suspected that she was not happy as the attention was not solely on her. Where had they gone wrong with this child he wondered?
Joanne was indeed not happy. She was fed up, she did not enjoy the dinner, it was a bit too fancy for her liking, not hot enough and also, frankly, she was bored. She looked around the table and saw her siblings’ heads together sharing another one of their secrets, no doubt leaving her out yet again. She looked at all of these elderly folk. Some looked like they might just keel over any moment; at least if they did, it would liven up the evening a bit.
Her eyes focused on the woman sitting beside her brother. She couldn’t help wishing that she would be the one to keel over. Bitch. Why she should be considered a member of her family, and to be so highly regarded by them, was a complete mystery to her. It was she who started off the whole bizarre trail of events after all; it was all down to her. Bitch.
