Sleepless in Manchester

by Woods, Karen

  “Mam, don’t say that, he’s always been the same with drink, surely you must have known he had a problem?”

  “Yeah, but it’s only lately that I can see how much it’s destroying him. He eats fuck all, he told me. His exact words were, ‘why should I buy food when I don’t eat fuck all?’”

  Fallon slurped her coffee. “Anyway, forget about my Dad, just get ready, and we’ll go shopping. I’m not on the booze Mam. I have to eat even if my Dad doesn’t.”

  Beryl flicked the telly on. “Oh just let me watch Jeremy Kyle first. It’s the DNA test results today.”

  Fallon chuckled, her mother was something else. If she was any more laid back she would have been asleep. Beryl kicked her legs up on the chair, gripping her housecoat around her body she snuggled in for another day of watching other people’s problems on the TV. “Oh, I hope it’s his baby, he’ll be gutted if it’s not. She’s had more pricks than a second-hand dart board that one has.”

  Fallon was working at the hospital now. She was a nurse in the burns unit. Her plan to become a doctor went pear-shaped and she finally settled for what she could achieve. John was at University and he was in his final year of Medicine. They’d spoken often but Fallon couldn’t give her heart to him, no matter how much she tried, she was still in love with Dalton. Many men had crossed her path but there was an invisible wall around her heart. No one could ever get near it. Fallon still thought about her first love, but every day his memory was fading and she was finally getting over him. Lesley had told her all about Dalton’s parents moving back to Manchester and the last she’d heard they were living in a maisonette on a council estate in Harpurhey.

  A little later Fallon and Beryl headed up Rochdale Road towards the shopping precinct. Lesley had come along with them and they were all laughing and joking. Beryl had her long black coat on. It was full of white fluff and was more than ready for the bin. The girls decided to go on the local market first before they went into Asda to do their shopping. The market banter was loud as traders shouted for customers’ attention. Babies cried as stressed out mothers stood on each aisle looking at the end of their tether. Beryl was light-fingered, and it wasn’t long before she had some earrings stuffed deep inside her coat pocket. Fallon knew her mother of old and just laughed at her. She was quick and she never got caught. Lesley was quiet today and Fallon knew there was something lying heavy on her mind. Beryl saw one of her old friends stood nearby and tapped Fallon on the shoulder.

  “Ay, I won’t be long. I’m just going to have a chat with Mary Dolan. Look at the bloody state of her. She’s the same age as me you know. She looks like death warmed up doesn’t she. Tell me I don’t look like that?”

  Lesley giggled. “You look like Joan Collins you do Beryl. Well, maybe when you’re roots have been done.”

  Beryl nudged Lesley in the waist, “I do, don’t I. Right let’s see what she’s been up to, the old tart.”

  Fallon inhaled and the corners of her mouth started to rise. “She’s a right one isn’t she? You would think she lived in a mansion and never wanted for nothing. Look at her strutting her stuff to poor Mary.”

  Lesley turned her head and sniggered. Fallon took her chance to see what was troubling her. Sitting on a nearby wall she kicked her legs out in front of her as she lit a cig up. Once Lesley was sat beside her she started to speak. “Right, what’s up with you, because I can tell something is bothering you? You look like you’ve got the worries of the world on your shoulders, so come on spill the beans.” Lesley chewed on her fingernails; she made sure no one could hear her.

  “It’s your Billy; he’s got himself into some deep shit this time. I’m out of my mind with worry.”

  “Why, what’s he done now?”

  “You know Woody from the Two-hundred Estate?” Fallon thought for a second and nodded. Everyone knew Woody; he was somebody that nobody messed with unless they wanted trouble. He was a mad- head, and wouldn’t have thought twice about blowing your brains out.

  “Yeah, I know him; don’t tell me he’s involved with him?”

  Lesley chewed on the side of her thumb and dropped her head, her cheeks were beetroot. “It’s Billy and his big fucking ideas. He said he would sell some smack for him, just to get us on back on our feet again. We’ve been proper skint.”

  Fallon just stared at her and waited for her to finish. “Billy sold the drugs and instead of paying Woody what he owed him, he went into the bookies with it. He said he wanted to double his profit and the horse that was running was a favourite, no chances of losing he told me. Why do I fucking listen to a word he ever says? I should have known better.”

  Fallon grabbed Lesley’s hand. “Don’t tell me he blew the money. Fuck me Lesley, how much does he owe him now? Lesley covered her face with her hands and her words were muffled. Fallon pulled her hands away. “Did you say five grand?”

  Lesley blew a breath and nodded. “Yep, five thousand pounds. Where the fuck are we going to get that kind of money from? Woody has already been round to our gaff, he had Billy pinned up against the wall, threatening to slice him up. I tried to stop him but he floored me straight away. We’re fucked aren’t we Fallon? I don’t like the way he looked at me either, he made my skin crawl. His hands were all over me.”

  Fallon was gobsmacked. “Why does Billy do things like this, he should know better the wank-stain. We’ll sort something out, just let’s get our shopping done and we’ll talk about it later.”

  Beryl was in deep conversation with her old pal and Fallon was getting impatient. “Mam, come on, we need to get a move on. I’ve got loads to do today.”

  Beryl waved her hand over her head. “Yeah, I’m coming now love. I won’t be a minute.”

  Lesley jumped down from the wall. “I’ll have to do a bit of shoplifting in Asda. I’ve only got a tenner to last me all week.”

  Beryl marched over to the girls. One hand was covering her mouth as she started to whisper. “Oh, Mary’s been having murders with her old man, she showed me the bruises all over her arm. He kicked ten tons of shit out of her she said, all because she wouldn’t give him bit of slap and tickle.”

  Lesley looked horrified. “What, Mary still has sex at her age. Ewwww... That’s hanging.”

  Beryl sniggered. “Ay, you cheeky fucker, just because we’re old it doesn’t mean we don’t have sex.”

  Fallon pushed her mother softly. “Mam, please don’t tell me you and my Dad still have sex. Stop it now, you’re my mother. I can’t bear it.”

  Beryl was howling with laughing and people were starting to look at her. “Of course we do. Well, when your Dad can manage to perform. He’s always pissed isn’t he? I remember one night I got one of them Viagra’s that our Billy left lying about and I sneaked one in his beer. Fucking hell I thought it was my birthday and Christmas all wrapped into one. He was like a rabbit all night long. I was sorry after it though, let me tell you. I couldn’t walk properly for days. Saying that, neither could your father!” Fallon and Lesley chuckled as Beryl laughed out loud. “Come on then let’s get in Asda,” Lesley smiled as she tickled her. “Beryl, you’re off your head, do you know that?”

  The shopping centre was packed, just the way Lesley liked it. Slowly she reached over for a block of cheese and stuck it quickly in the hood of the baby’s pram. Fallon clocked her and made sure every time she was concealing something she was covering her. It was just like old times when they were younger. Fallon still nicked the odd thing, but she was nothing like she was years ago, she only shoplifted the odd item. Music was playing in the superstore and some of the shoppers were singing. Lesley suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her words were stuck in her mouth.

  “Fuck me, it’s Maria.”

  Fallon looked confused. “Maria who?”

  “Dalton’s mother Maria, look over there, she looks so different. You can tell she’s on her arse”

  Fallon’s face dropped. “Fucking hell, it is isn’t it?”

  Lesley stood tall and grabbed Fallo
n by the hand. “Well, every dog has its day, and today is your day Fallon. My, how the mighty have fallen. Watch this, I’ll wipe the smile right from her face.” Fallon was struggling to break away from her grip and by now it was too late. There she was stood in front of Maria. Lesley coughed loudly and Dalton’s mother turned around, her face looked blank. Lesley didn’t hold anything back; she went straight in for the kill. “Hiya Maria, it’s me Lesley. Do you remember me? Here’s Fallon too, remember she used to go out with your Dalton.”

  Maria was fidgeting with the zip on her coat, she knew exactly who Fallon was and looked embarrassed. “Hello,” Fallon whispered in a soft sweet voice. Maria stood twisting her body and looked lost for words. Lesley could see she was uneasy and went straight in for the jugular. She held nothing back. This woman had made her best friend’s life a misery in the past and she was there to make sure she rubbed salt in Maria’s wounds.

  “So I hear you’re back in Manchester, didn’t you like it in London?”

  Maria swallowed hard, she wasn’t ready for this. “Yeah, it was great, but there’s no place like home is there. I missed my family and all that.”

  Lesley knew she was lying and dug deeper. “So, is Dalton still there with his wife? I thought he might have come back home with you?”

  “No, he lives up there now, but he’s coming home next week to see me and his Dad. I will tell him I was talking to you.”

  Maria shot her eyes to Fallon. “You look well love, what have you been up to for all these years?”

  This was it, the moment Fallon had waited for. Her fingers were curled up in a ball at the side of her and her cheeks starting to go bright red. “Oh, I’m fine me Maria. I’m a nurse now. I work in the burns unit at North Manchester General Hospital.”

  Maria lifted her head up and looked shocked, she half expected her to say she had a few kids and that she was living on benefits. Maria held her head high; even though she was on her arse she still had the knack of making Fallon feel worthless. “Well, that’s a surprise. Our Dalton’s got a little girl now called Connie, she’s lovely. She’s the image of her Dad.” There it was, the dagger Maria had hid away, she knew by Fallon’s face that she’d hit a nerve.

  Lesley took the bull by the horns and prepared to watch the old hag fold in two. She knew the real reason why Maria had come home from London; everybody did, and she couldn’t wait to let the cat out of the bag. “So is it true that you lost everything in London? I heard it was something to do with Dalton’s father-in law?”

  Maria was sweating and slowly wiped her forehead. She was stuttering. Lesley knew she’d shot her down and didn’t wait around to listen to her cock and bull story. Quickly she made her getaway while she was still ahead. “Anyway Maria nice seeing you, we need to get our shopping done. Take care and send our love to Dalton. When he’s home we might bump into him ay?” Maria was narked and you could see she hated the humiliation that her husband had caused her. She didn’t want to tell Lesley that she’d left Brian and just waved the girls off. That was her business and she wanted to keep it that way.

  Fallon could feel Maria’s eyes burning into her as she left her side. Lesley was buzzing with herself as Beryl came to join them both. “Did you see the state of her, Fallon? Did you see her face drop when you told her you were a nurse?”

  Fallon turned her head back slowly and looked at Maria still doing her shopping. Her heart was in her mouth, she wanted to run back and ask her all about Dalton but her feet were glued to the floor. Lesley was telling Beryl all about the encounter and she was chomping at the bit. “Why didn’t you shout me over Lesley? I would have put the old slapper in her place.”

  Fallon sighed and linked Lesley’s arm. “Oh mother it’s done now. Come on let’s get our shopping done.” Fallon seemed quiet as they walked around the shopping centre. Did she hear Maria right? Did she say Dalton was coming home next week to visit her? Her heart was beating faster than normal. Would she see him again and if she did, what would she do? Her head was in bits. With a quick shake of her head she came back to earth with a bang. Dalton was a lying cheating bastard and she never wanted to see his face again. John was home in Manchester this weekend anyway and she planned to hook up with him. Time had healed Fallon’s heart and over the years she was starting to believe in love again. Even though she wasn’t into John from the start, she was slowly falling for him. He was due to start work at the hospital where she worked soon, so hopefully their relationship would step up to the next level.

  The checkout was busy, and they all helped each other pack their shopping into the bags provided at the end of the checkout. Beryl was edgy and seemed to be fidgeting more than usual. Denva was crying and Lesley was stressed out. Beryl reached for a chocolate bar near the till and quickly grabbed one and passed it to her Grandson. “There you go, you only wanted a bit of chocolate didn’t you?” The checkout girl knew that Beryl didn’t intend on paying for the sweets because she watched her push the packet straight into her pocket. She smiled at her and kept her eyes low, after all she was the same as them, she was just another mother working to make ends meet. The bags were packed and the girls were ready to leave. Fallon could feel someone watching her from the corner of eye. Slowly she turned her head and caught Maria watching her. Fallon smiled softly, Maria looked sad and not herself. Half of her wanted to go back over to offer her some support, but something inside her made her halt. With a quick wave over her shoulder Fallon left the superstore.

  Beryl was rummaging about inside her coat once they left the shopping centre, her face looked serious. “Fuck me; I was freezing my tits off with this.” She pulled out a large chicken that she’d concealed inside her coat.

  Lesley was sniggering, “Fucking hell, how did you manage to get that? It’s like an Ostrich, not a chicken.”

  Beryl bent down and shoved the chicken under the pram Lesley was pushing. “Well at least we can have a Sunday roast now. I’ve not had a Sunday dinner for months. Fallon, when was the last time we all sat down and had a dinner together?” Fallon rolled her eyes and she was thinking. “I know Mam, I think it was Christmas day the last time we all had a decent meal with all the trimmings.”

  Beryl looked surprised. “Well, I’ll make us all a dinner tomorrow if you want. Are you coming Lesley? Tell our Billy to come too, he loves my cooking.”

  Fallon whispered to Lesley. “I don’t know what she’s going on about, she never cooks. A bean pyramid is the height of her culinary skills.”

  Lesley looked blank, “What’s a bean pyramid?”

  “Beans on toast,” Fallon sniggered, “she’s going on as if she’s Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen; trust me, she never cooks.”

  Beryl could see them whispering and it was obvious she’d heard her daughter’s remarks. “Ay, turn it in you. I do cook when I get the chance. I was always in that kitchen baking and cooking years ago. It’s only since your Dad started pissing all his money up the wall that I’ve given up.”

  Fallon draped her arms around her mother’s shoulders. “Orr mother, we’re only joking. Don’t spit your dummy out.” Beryl had a face like a smacked arse; she lit a cig up as they waited for a taxi. Fallon was going to Lesley’s and they planned to drop Beryl off on the way home.

  Lesley opened the front door and Fallon grabbed hold of Denva. Music was playing inside the house and it was obvious someone was home. “Billy, is that you?” Lesley yelled at the top of her voice. There was no reply. “I bet he’s asleep the lazy fucker,” she stressed. The sound of the front door slamming shut could be heard. Lesley pushed the living room door open, her eyes scanned around the room. Fallon stood behind her for a moment and then barged passed her. “Where’s Billy I thought you said he was in?”

  Before Lesley could reply Billy came into sight, he’d been hiding behind the sofa. “Fuck me, I thought you was Woody. He’s been phoning me all day saying he’s coming through the front door, if I don’t cough up with the cash that I owe him.”

  Lesley looked def
lated. “Fucking hell Billy, you’d better sort this mess out. Denva’s here now, surely he won’t come round here knowing that, will he?”

  Billy marched about the front room looking like he was going to break. Fallon plonked on the sofa. “Why did you ever get involved with him anyway, you know he’s a sick bastard. Remember what he did to Mark Smith; he nearly left him for dead.”

  Billy dragged his fingers through his hair. “Don’t you think I already know that? The man’s a crank? Just be quiet for a minute, I’m thinking.”

  Fallon shook her head as Lesley started to put the shopping away. Banging could be heard at the front door. Billy froze and placed one finger over his mouth. “Sssshhh.” Fallon crept over to the stereo and turned the music down.” Lesley walked back in the front room with an anxious look on her face. Denva was asleep in the hallway in his pram. “Who’s at the front door?”

  “Keep your mouth fucking shut, they might hear you!” Billy growled at Lesley. They all stood listening to the banging on the front door. Crashing noises could be heard. Billy was running around the front room like a headless chicken. Lesley ran to the hallway to grab her son. Two black men stood in front of her, their eyes met. She gripped Denva and ran back inside to Billy. The voice of Woody could now be heard, it was chilling and it made Billy fold in two. “Where is the fucker?” he ranted in the hallway. The door flung open and three men stood in the living room. The two henchmen dragged Billy and pinned him up against the wall. Woody made his way towards him and surged his fist deep into his ribcage. Billy could fight, but he didn’t stand a chance against this heavy mob.