by K Leitch
‘FOR FUCK’S SAKE LUCY, DIDN’T YOU HEAR ME CALLING YOU?’ he shouted angrily, clearly upset by the other men’s teasing. ‘WHERE’S THE FUCKING COFFEE? WHY THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE TO MOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT?’ Suddenly he seemed to notice that she was only wearing her nightgown, his eyes took on a dangerous look and he came towards her furiously. ‘What the fuck are you doing coming downstairs like that when I’ve got company,’ he hissed nastily under his breath.
‘I…I’m sorry Trev…I didn’t realise,’ Lucinda stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself self-consciously. ‘I’ll just go back…’
‘SHOW ME WHERE THE FUCKING COFFEE IS FIRST YOU STUPID BINT,’ Trevor shouted shoving her into the kitchen.
‘Come on Trev,’ one of the men was saying, ‘it’s not the little lady’s fault…she was probably tucked up in bed, we should be apologising… not shouting at her…’
The other man got up from where he was sitting and, somewhat drunkenly, came over to Lucinda, ‘I apologise for waking you… Lucinda is it?’ he said rather formally, ‘you run off back to bed we can make our own coffee don’t you worry…’
Lucinda shook her head at him nervously. ‘It’s fine really, please just sit back down.’ Lucinda’s knees were trembling, this was bad…she could feel the waves of anger coming from Trevor. If there was one thing that was guaranteed to send him over board it was being made to feel in the wrong. She found the coffee and handed it to Trevor who had been watching her every move through narrowed eyes. Then she said a quiet goodnight and fled back upstairs, hoping against hope that Trevor would calm down before his friends left.
He must have rushed them through their coffee though, because in no time at all she heard the front door slam and Trevor’s footsteps coming up the stairs. Lucinda shut her eyes tightly and tried to stay as still as possible.
The bedroom door was thrown open and before she knew what was happening, Lucinda was being dragged from the bed by her ankles. She landed on the floor, her head banging painfully against the end of the bed as she went and then Trevor was on top of her.
Pulling her face round to his he spat at her, ‘What the fuck did you think you were playing at eh?’
Lucinda shook her head, ‘No please Trev…I wasn’t playing at anything…I didn’t know you had people down there…’
‘Don’t you fucking lie to me…you always do this…always. Make me look like a prat in front of my friends…flashing off your tits and your arse…you’re a fucking whore,’ SLAP he hit her round the face.
Lucinda started pleading with him, ‘Please Trev…you promised…please don’t…NOOO, PLEASE!’
Trevor eyes glazed over as he continued to slap and punch her calling her all the names he could think of as he did so. Lucinda could taste blood in her mouth and could feel herself getting light headed, she knew she had to get away before he put her in hospital again. Luckily for her though, Trevor seemed to be running out of energy, obviously the alcohol he’d had this evening was making him woozy. And despite his furious intentions he didn’t seem able to focus, he was blundering about somewhat clumsily. Lucinda waited for her chance and then pushed him away from her before rushing through the door out onto the landing, she slammed the bedroom door behind her.
‘Don’t you make me fucking chase you bitch,’ Trevor yelled after her as he lurched out of the bedroom.
Lucinda ran into the only room that she knew he wouldn’t follow her, Katy’s room…she locked the door behind her and slumped down onto the floor.
Luckily for her, Trevor was really drunk, more than even he realised. Disorientated, he stood and looked round for her but his brain wasn’t functioning at all and on top of that he was beginning to feel incredibly tired, he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
‘I know where you are, you conniving bitch,’ he persevered, slurring at her through the locked door. ‘Don’t think I won’t fucking teach you a lesson…you’ll have to come out sometime…bloody making me look a fool…bitch!’ he continued to mutter and issue threats as he stumbled back into the other bedroom, until finally he collapsed on the bed and began to snore.
Lucinda sat on the floor in Katy’s room shivering and crying. She’d got away with only a few cuts and bruises this time, mainly because he’d been so incapable.
She couldn’t put if off any longer, she’d got enough stuff and anything that she couldn’t take with her she could buy. She would leave in the morning.
In fact it had been two days later that she had made her escape. Trevor hadn’t let her out of his sight the day following his drunken rage, full of remorse and desperate that she forgive him again he had followed her around like a puppy.
But the next day he had left her to go to work, and Lucinda had simply walked out. She drove north for about three hours until she simply had to stop. Katy had started to become fractious, she needed to be fed and changed, so Lucinda found a motorway service station with a motel attached and booked in under her new name, Lucinda Pope, her maiden name and the name that was on her bank card. She didn’t trust herself to remember a made up name so had stuck to the familiar, anyway as far as she was concerned she was no longer married.
The next day she had carried on, heading towards London. By about mid-day she had found herself on the Surrey stretch of the M25 and had taken the exit for Godstone. She stopped at a Travel Lodge just outside the market town of Redbank and decided that she had travelled far enough…this was where she would stay.
Six weeks later and after looking everywhere for suitable work, she had finally been given an interview for a job as a live-in nanny for a family that lived in the little village of Kenley.
Lucinda sent a prayer up to whoever it was that was watching over her, her money was all but gone she couldn’t afford another week in the hotel, let alone food for them to eat…she needed this job desperately.
CHAPTER 19 - MAGGIE
Maggie’s heart sank as she pulled into Carla’s drive the next day. The front room curtains were still closed and she noticed that James’s car wasn’t in the drive.
She’d been trying to get hold of her friend without success since breakfast time this morning, she’d left umpteen messages on her voicemail, and she tried James’s phone with the same results. All of which had made her more and more certain that something serious had happened. At about mid-day, and still with no response from either Carla or James, she bundled Rosie and Harry into her car to take them home. It was a Saturday so they could have stayed longer but by now Maggie was determined to speak to Carla and find out what was going on.
Rosie and Harry were out of the car almost before it had stopped; they ran round to let themselves in through the back door. Maggie following on behind, heard Rosie let out a little scream which filled her with dread, she rushed in after them, only to stop short and gasp herself at the sight that met her eyes.
The kitchen was a mess, chairs were knocked over and lying on their side, the usual detritus that had lain on the kitchen table, books, letters school bags etc. had been swept onto the floor where they lay in a sticky mess of spilt wine and broken glass. Another glass lay smashed on the floor beneath the opposite wall its angry shards sticking out at all angles, the silent image of an act of rage and frustration.
‘MUMMY!’ Rosie shouted and would have run out of the room if Maggie hadn’t grabbed her arm.
‘Mummy,’ she called again squirming against Maggie’s grip, ‘I need to find her,’ she shouted tearfully at Maggie.’
‘I know sweetheart but let me go first, we don’t know what’s happened here do we…Harry,’ she put her hand on his shoulder, he hadn’t said a word but was looking round at the carnage, his eyes huge in his pale face, clearly shocked and scared. ‘Harry,’ Maggie said again, he turned and looked at her, ‘Can you take Rosie and go and sit back in my car?’ She held up a hand as he would have argued, ‘Please sweetheart, look after Rosie for me will you while I find your mum and dad…go on now Harry, I’ll be out in a moment I promise.’
&n
bsp; Harry looked like he was going to argue again but he thought better of it and pulled a reluctant Rosie with him back outside to the car.
Maggie’s first thought was to find Carla and James, it was obvious that they had had an intruder. The house was eerily quiet, with a shaking hand she took her phone out of her bag and dialled 999.
‘Yes I need the police,’ she said when the call was answered, ‘I’m not sure but I think my friend’s house has been broken…’ she broke off at that point, as a bleary eyed Carla came stumbling into the kitchen.
‘Actually no, don’t worry…sorry I made a mistake,’ she said and ended the call.
Despite being profoundly relieved that Carla was still in one piece, Maggie could hardly believe the state of her. Her face was red and puffy with long black streaks of mascara on her cheeks, her hair was all over the place and she had what looked like vomit down the front of her T-shirt. As well as that she stank to high heaven of booze and something else that smelt really bad.
‘What the fuck is going on Carla?’ Maggie began bewildered, ‘Where’s James…what the hell has happened here,’ she exclaimed throwing her arms wide.
Carla winced, ‘Oh God do you have to shout Maggie,’ she moaned, holding her head in her hands. She headed towards the kitchen sink and turned on the cold tap. ‘God I need a drink of water, my tongue feels like it’s swollen to twice its normal size.’ She filled a glass with water and drank it down in a couple of gulps then filled the glass again before turning and looking at Maggie who was busy picking up chairs and trying to clear up the broken glass that littered the floor.
‘What are you doing here anyway?’ Carla asked frowning at her.
‘Well I assumed you’d want your kids back eventually…’ Maggie began.
Carla groaned and held her head again, ‘Oh God sorry, I forgot…oh I must have over slept…sorry.’
Maggie looked at her friend incredulously, ‘Cut the crap Carla,’ she began crossly, ‘it’s me…just tell me what the hell’s going on. Rosie and Harry were scared out of their minds when they walked in here a moment ago…’ that got Carla’s attention, she began looking round the kitchen for her children. ‘I sent them back to the car,’ Maggie said watching her, ‘I didn’t think it was wise to leave them here in this mess…with you. They can come back to mine and stay another night…’
‘NO!’ Carla shouted, ‘no I want them with me, I need them here,’ she finished, her voice breaking.
Maggie could see she was getting upset. ‘What has happened Carla?’ she said again gently this time, pushing Carla towards a chair. ‘Where’s James…have you had a row?’
Carla’s face collapsed and she started crying, ‘I sent him away Maggie…he’s been seeing someone else…I didn’t believe it, but he told me himself.’ She looked up at Maggie with desperation in her eyes. ‘How could he…to do this to us…I can’t believe that he’d do this…’ her shoulders began to shake as she sobbed.
Maggie was stunned. She’d always looked at Carla and James as the perfect forever couple, surely this must be a dreadful mistake.
Maggie looked around for a tissue, ‘Are you sure love?’ she asked Carla, tearing off a couple of sheets of paper towel and handing them to her, ‘that doesn’t sound like something James would do.’
Carla blew her nose and let out a short laugh, ‘No it doesn’t does it…but he’s admitted it Maggie, not that he could do much else after I saw him on the CCTV footage. Would you believe it… it’s his bloody secretary!’ she said her face collapsing again.
Maggie put her arms round her. ‘Oh darling… oh Carla I am so sorry. How long has it been going on? What do you mean you saw him…oh God never mind…you can tell me all about that later.’
Carla smiled tearfully and shook her head. ‘Not long he says…and apparently it’s over now…meant nothing apparently…my fault as well it seems. I was never here…I put my career before him and the children, didn’t make him feel as if he was important. Apparently,’ Carla said again, ‘she makes him feel special and funny and sexy…I don’t.’
‘Oh love, I ‘m so sorry,’ Maggie said again with a sigh, she gave her another squeeze before moving away to go and fill the kettle. ‘So how did you leave it…last night I mean?’ she said a moment later.
Carla pulled a face, ‘Well he’s gone to his mum's and I drank two…no two and a half bottles of merlot and smashed up the kitchen apparently….I think I might have phoned his mum’s house and called her a fat heifer in a tweed skirt as well now I come to think about it…it’s all a bit of a blur if I’m honest.’ She groaned again and put her head in her hands. ‘What do I do now Maggie…I don’t know what to do….’
Maggie put a cup of coffee in front of her, ‘Drink this, then you go upstairs and have a long hot shower…no don’t argue with me, you stink Carla and I’m not going to let Rosie and Harry see you in this state, they are worried enough,’ Maggie said firmly, she relented a bit when she saw Carla’s eyes fill with tears again. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll talk to them, but first I need you to get yourself together. I’ll tidy up in here…then we need to decide what you’re going to tell them.’
Happy to let someone else take charge, Carla meekly drank her coffee and then took herself off to have a shower. Maggie went out to the kids who were waiting anxiously for her in the car.
She smiled at them reassuringly, ‘It’s ok…Mum’s fine, she just overslept a bit…um she’s having a shower, will you two wait here just a bit longer while I clean up the broken glass?’
‘Why can’t we see Mummy?’ Rosie asked her face a mass of worried frowns, ‘she is okay isn’t she Maggie?’
Maggie took the little girl’s hand and gave it a squeeze, ‘I promise…she’s fine, she’s had a bit of an upset love, a bit of a row with your dad…but she’ll tell you about that herself. Now just give me a few more minutes and it will be all clear for you to come in ok?’
The kids nodded quietly and Maggie went back inside the house and began to clear up the mess, all the time wishing she could pick up the pieces of Carla’s broken marriage as easily.
Maggie sighed heavily trying to make sense of how she’d reacted when she’d seen Carla in such a state. Amazingly her first feelings had been those of anger and irritation and she really didn’t know why…her friend was suffering for Christ’s sake, she didn’t need Maggie judging her, she needed Maggie’s love and support. But perversely Maggie couldn’t shake these feelings of irritation… she had wanted to shout at her friend and tell her to pull herself together. It was probably because of all her friends, Carla was the one that was consistently calm and strong even in the most dire situations and if she was cracking up then what hope was there for the rest of them. It was probably also because of all the couples she knew, Carla and James had always seemed to be totally solid. She couldn’t imagine them breaking up, she didn’t want to even contemplate that happening…because if it could happen to them…well it could happen to anybody couldn’t it?
CHAPTER 20
Lola Twee was getting bored. She’d thrown shingle at the front door and the French windows, she’d found some horse manure and hefted that at the back door, it had landed with a satisfying thump bringing the old bag scuttling out into the kitchen to bolt the back door firmly before running back into the lounge to cower in her chair. Lola had laughed herself silly at that, the look on old Metcalf’s face, she was probably wetting herself she was so scared. That was all very well but where the hell had Lewis got to, he’d sloped of ages ago telling her he had something a bit special planned for the old cow tonight, and that was the last she’d seen of him. It had been bloody ages, if he didn’t show up soon she was going to head home, she was freezing her fucking tits off waiting out here for him.
She was just about to give up for the evening when she spotted Lewis, he was running up the edge of the long garden carrying some sort of sports bag. A moment later he flung himself down next to Lola and put the bag between them, Lola looked at the bag, her eyes na
rrowing as it wobbled about and lurched from side to side.
Lewis snorted with laughter at the quizzical look on her face ‘Let’s see how she likes this,’ he said with an evil grin.
‘What’s this then?’ Lola asked pointing to the squirming bag, ‘and where’ve you been…you took ages, I bashed the doors a bit but there’s not much I can do by meself is there?’
Lewis gave her a look that shut her up. Sometimes, even though Lola knew Lewis would never hurt her, he still had the power to scare her. Nobody knew how really nasty he could be except Lola…well Lola and the poor creatures that happened to come to Lewis’s attention.
She’d seen it with her own eyes and it had scared her…it was more than the stupid stuff that they did together, like scaring the shit out of old woman Metcalf…that was just tame stuff really. No it was the other stuff, the stuff he did on his own, really nasty stuff. Lola had seen him hanging a cat from a tree by its neck while he held a lighter flame under its feet…the more the little animal had howled in pain and tried to get away, the more Lewis had laughed. Lola hadn’t liked it, she hadn’t liked it at all, it had made her feel sick and scared if she was honest, but she wasn’t about to tell Lewis that…the last thing you admitted to Lewis was that you were scared. Besides he was her brother wasn’t he, and they were the Twees.
Lola reckoned she already knew what was in the bag. She watched with a sinking feeling as Lewis opened the zip a tiny bit. Sure enough a pure white paw flew out and caught his hand with its claws.
‘Ow!’ Lewis pulled back his hand quickly, ‘Fucking little shit scratched me,’ he said before punching the bag over and over…it stopped moving, but there were pathetic little mewing noises coming from inside.
‘Is that ‘er cat?’ Lola asked in an awed whisper, ‘you stole ‘er cat?’
Lewis nodded proudly, ‘Yep…let’s see ‘ow the old bag likes this.’
‘Whatcha going to do Lewis?’ Lola asked nervously.
