by S M Mala
‘I don’t want to hear about Jake,’ Delores quietly said, sipping her coffee and looking at Hatty. ‘I don’t like the boy.’
‘But you’ve met him before haven’t you? Before he came here?’
‘I don’t trust him and neither should you.’ Her aunt sat up straight. ‘And you better not cheapen yourself.’
‘Pardon,’ Hatty said, swallowing hard on her toast. ‘He’s had enough fun from every other girl on the island. He’s certainly not interested in me.’
‘You know Hatty,’ Delores said, clearing her throat. ‘I was very ashamed of your behaviour the other week when I found you in bed with Jake.’
‘Nothing happened.’
‘Your behaviour, well it’s coming across as quite, I don’t know.’
‘You obviously do,’ replied Hatty, taking a sip of her tea.
‘It’s disgusting, the way you’re throwing yourself at Jacob and he’s not interested. What got into your mind to stay the night in his room? Can’t you see how cheap it makes you look?’ Hatty stared at her aunt unable to say anything. ‘You know he’s only using the local girls and you’re no different,’ sneered her aunt.
‘We’re friends.’
‘Over the past few weeks where have you been disappearing to? Don’t take me for a fool Harriet. I can see what sort of woman you’re going to turn out to be.’
‘And what’s that?’ Hatty said, trying to control her temper as she threw her food onto the plate.
‘If you have no respect for yourself, no man will respect you.’
‘Is that so?’
‘It is so and change your tone of voice with me young lady. I’ve looked after you since you were a child and you’re so ungrateful!’ snapped Delores.
‘Had a bad evening with Mister Murray last night?’ Hatty said, knowing it had something to do with him, it always did.
‘That’s none of your business and don’t you dare answer me back!’ The glare she received from her aunt was priceless and equally intimidating. ‘Who are you to tell Jake I wanted you to go and work in another country?’
‘We were only talking and-.’
‘Every time you open your mouth it causes problems, do you know that? Murray was a bit annoyed at me, all due to your loose lips,’ her aunt hissed. ‘What is it about you that craves attention?’
‘I don’t crave anything and-.’
‘I think you’re incredibly ungrateful considering the sacrifices I’ve made for you, putting you first when I could have lived my own life.’
‘Aunt I wasn’t being rude,’ Hatty replied, feeling guilty once again as the words upset her, they always did.
‘What a mistake I made.’
That comment cut through Hatty. She heard it every six months and each time the way her aunt delivered it was more vicious and cutting than the last.
Something snapped in Harriet.
‘I’ve done everything you’ve told me to. I’ve studied subjects I hated. I went to a school where they bullied me. I said nothing and you said even less. I’ve even studied to be a teacher though the very idea makes me feel sick. What more can I do to please you?’ Hatty stood up and glared at her aunt. ‘I even came here when I was a child and I didn’t want to. I begged you not to leave London but you made me, you made me come! And you’re not even from this island! You never tell me about my life as if it’s something not to be discussed, like it doesn’t matter. Well it matters to me!’
‘There’s not much to say,’ Delores replied, her tone steely.
‘Anything is better than nothing.’
‘I know you’ve got Jake snooping around, asking questions. What do you expect to find out? Your mother was a saint?’
‘I don’t know. All I know is she was called Eloise, born in London then came over here and married a man who ran out on her. I was born in the old house and then taken to London.’
‘That’s all you need to know.’
‘What about my father? What was he like?’ she said, feeling angrier by the second. ‘You never say a word about him and-.’
‘He’s not worth talking about.’
‘Pardon?’
‘You think you’re created from saints?’ sneered Delores and Hatty had never seen that expression before. ‘She was stupid and that’s why she ended up with you!’
‘That’s a nasty thing to say!’ barked Hatty as Delores stood up. ‘How can you be so cruel?’
‘How could she be so cruel and leave me with you!’
‘No one forced you to look after me!’
‘I had no choice!’ said Delores, looking angrier and getting frustrated. ‘Just get out of my sight and hide in the bushes like you always do!’
‘I don’t know what’s got into you lately but you’ve changed.’
‘And so have you!’ snapped Delores, sitting down. ‘I wish you’d leave the island and go anywhere from here just to give me some peace and happiness!’
Hatty didn’t want to show her aunt she was upset.
‘Here are a few questions then,’ Hatty said, momentarily agreeing with Jake about Delores. ‘If you were so close to my mother, how comes you weren’t there when I was born but made out you were?’ She watched Delores face twitch with annoyance. ‘And why is it Murray was in love with my mother and at my birth?’
‘Who told you that!’ she shouted, standing up. ‘That’s not true!’
‘Prove it!’ said Hatty, grabbing her satchel. ‘I think it’s time you come clean about a few things, don’t you!’
‘It has got nothing to do with you!’
‘He was in love with my mother and came to this island to be with her! And he’s kinder to me than you are! It has everything to do with me! Everything!’
Hatty stormed out of her home, slamming the door shut and getting her bike. She rode to the main kitchen and, from the expression on Monica’s face, the fight was overheard.
‘Ya alright?’
‘Bitch!’ Hatty mumbled and took her usual supply of food and drink, shoving it into her satchel before getting on her bike.
She saw Delores standing there, her lips pursed glaring at her.
‘Get off your bike now, I want to speak to you!’ she snapped.
‘I’ve got to go into the bushes like you told me to,’ replied Hatty but she wasn’t ready when Delores’s hand aimed for her head.
She received a stinging slap, falling hard to the ground, her bike crashing onto her leg.
Hatty looked up at Delores’s face and saw something she’d never seen before.
Hate.
‘Oh me gawd!’ said Ethel, hobbling towards Hatty who looked down at her bleeding leg.
She angrily looked at her aunt and her first reaction was to cry but she bit her lip.
‘Hatty!’ Murray shouted from the house and ran towards her, looking at Delores then picking up Hatty.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Delores anxiously, and tried to come towards Hatty but Ethel stepped in the way. ‘I don’t know what came over me and-.’
‘Let me take you to the house.’ Murray said, looking at Hatty’s leg.
She looked down and saw blood pouring out.
Nothing hurt as much as what her aunt had said and done that morning.
‘Let me help,’ said Delores, as if coming out of a trance.
‘Don’t you dare touch me ever again!’ Hatty barked, startling Murray. ‘Do you hear me?’
‘Hatty? What happened?’ he asked. ‘I just saw you fly off your bike.’
‘Tell her to leave me alone,’ Hatty said, feeling the pain in her leg. ‘Just tell her to go away!’
She started to cry. Murray lifted her up and carried her into the house, closely followed by Ethel. Hatty turned and saw Delores standing, staring at her.
Soon as Murray got to the door, Jake had run downstairs.
‘Is she okay?’ he said to his father.
Hatty buried her face deeper into Murray’s chest and cried.
‘She fell off,’ said Ethel quietl
y.
Hatty knew the old lady had seen the incident but wanted to keep it away from Murray and Jake.
‘It’s not that bad. It just needs to be cleaned and she’ll be fine,’ said Murray, grimacing but she noticed Jake was staring at her, his eyes full of concern.
‘It’s fine,’ cried Hatty. ‘I need to go to-.’
‘You’re not going anywhere until it’s seen to,’ said Murray firmly. Hatty saw the wound and blinked back her tears. ‘Ethel, can you get some water and cotton wool.’
‘Monica!’ screamed Ethel. The young woman immediately ran into the house. ‘Get hot water, cloth and Dettol. Plenty of Dettol.’
As Hatty looked at Ethel’s concerned face, she noticed Jake had run out of the door, shutting it behind him.
He saw it from his balcony and was angry about the single act of violence against Hatty.
‘Delores!’ he shouted, running towards her as she turned her back and walked into the house. He grabbed her arm and pulled her around. Her eyes were watery but she glared at him. ‘I saw what you did.’
‘I don’t know-.’
‘You slapped Hatty really hard across the face and she fell off her bike. Is that something you do to keep her in line?’
‘How dare you! I knew you’d be trouble. That’s why I asked your father never to bring you here and now look what you’ve done!’
‘Don’t you ever lay a finger on her again, do you hear me!’ he shouted, his body shaking. ‘I’ll find out about you, you wait and see.’
‘Fine out what?’ she said defiantly. ‘The more you dig Jacob, the less likely you’re going find Hatty appealing, so dig away, dig away!’
‘Sit on the sofa,’ said Murray.
Hatty hopped over and noticed the blood splattering on the wooden floor.
‘Sorry,’ she said and sat down as he rolled up her bloodied dungarees. ‘It was an accident.’
‘Me here,’ said Monica, coming quickly back to the room with a plastic basin, a roll of cotton wool and a large bottle of Dettol.
Hatty winced looking at the bottle, knowing how much it would sting.
‘Ya not a baby, it not gonna hurt,’ said Ethel, pushing Murray aside and slowly crouching down before looking up at Hatty before whispering. ‘Ya face red one side.’
‘I must have hit it when I fell.’
‘Good child.’
Hatty heard the door flung open and Jake came running in, glaring at Hatty and Ethel for a moment.
‘Where did you go?’ asked Murray, fixated on Hatty’s leg.
‘It not dat bad. Look worse,’ said Ethel, dabbing it as Hatty bit her lip from the sting. ‘Get a plaster on it, to keep it clean, it heal quickly.’
‘Or salt water,’ added Monica, who was staring hard at Hatty and she knew they both knew what Delores did.
‘You want me to go in the sea,’ Hatty muttered. ‘It’s probably less dangerous than going back with her.’
‘What did you say?’ Murray asked, breaking out of his day dream.
‘I said the sea is probably less dangerous than my cycling,’ she replied, wiping her stray tears away. ‘Is my bike alright?’
‘Forget about your bike, you’re not going anywhere,’ said Murray, sitting down and staring at Hatty for a moment. ‘Were you and your aunt quarrelling this morning? I heard raised voices from here.’
‘I was just telling her I didn’t want to be a teacher and it got a little heated.’ Hatty saw Monica shaking her head from side to side. ‘Then I was so annoyed, I obviously lost my balance and fell off.’
‘I don’t believe this!’ Jake said, shaking his head as she tried not to look at him. ‘And that’s what happened?’
Hatty didn’t answer as Ethel dried her wound and cut a four inch length of plaster, sticking it on her leg.
‘Good as new!’ laughed Ethel. ‘Gal, Hatty, ya ‘ave so many scars on ya leg. Like a little boy.’
‘Clumsy, that’s me,’ she smiled and sniffed away the remnants of her tears. ‘I better-.’
‘I should keep an eye on you,’ said Jake. Hatty couldn’t figure out if he was annoyed with his own idea. ‘Monica, could you please get Hatty a change of clothes? She can’t walk over to her house.’
‘Of course Master Jacob,’ said Monica, glancing at Hatty sympathetically.
‘In the meantime, you’re covered in blood and need a shower,’ he said, putting her arm over his shoulder. ‘Dad you go off to work and I’ll make sure she’s fine.’
‘Yeah,’ said Murray. Hatty saw him glance at the bungalow before looking at Hatty’s face. He stroked the cheek which had been hit. ‘It looks very red.’
She smiled, wanting to cry again, as Jake led her upstairs.
He put her on the bed and closed the door, walking directly towards her then crouching down.
‘Are you going to tell me the truth?’ he asked quietly. Hatty glanced away. ‘I had my window open this morning. I heard there was something heavy going on inside your house. Then you stormed off and the next thing I knew, Delores hit you and you were flat out on the floor.’ She looked up at him, trying hard not to cry. ‘Come here you idiot.’
He wrapped her arms around her and she burst into tears.
Half an hour later, after Hatty explained what happened in between her sobs, she was on his bed. Jake was on his back, glaring at the ceiling.
‘I don’t like her,’ he eventually said as Hatty blew her nose. ‘And you’re not going back there!’
‘It’s my home.’
‘You’re staying here until she tells the truth and apologises for being a vicious bitch.’
‘And this wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact she doesn’t like you?’ said Hatty, turning to her side and examining his angry face. ‘And she’s only stating facts about you but what she said about my mum, and me, that’s something I can’t get my head around.’
‘You don’t bad mouth someone’s parents, especially when they’re dead. That shows no respect and how was she forced to look after you? I thought she wanted to because she was your mother’s best friend.’
‘She probably got angry when I mentioned your dad,’ sighed Hatty. ‘I’ve crossed the line.’ She sat up on her elbows. ‘I need to apologise.’
‘You were sticking up for me. I bet that’s a first?’
‘I don’t bad mouth you, Jake,’ Hatty said firmly. ‘But I see you’re here to have fun and I like you. You’re a new friend and I don’t have many of those.’
As she said it, her heart squeezed a little. She knew she liked him in a completely different way to Philip. Jake gently brushed his hand against her cheek.
‘Your face is still a little red but I don’t think it’ll bruise.’
‘I need to apologise to her.’
‘Not now,’ he frowned. ‘I think she might be a little pissed with me.’
‘Why?’ Hatty sat up and flinched due to the pain in her leg.
‘I marched up to her and said I saw what she did,’ he said, looking up at her.
‘Jake you didn’t?’ Hatty started to panic. ‘What did she say?’
‘Her reply was ‘I knew you’d be trouble that’s why I asked your father never to bring you here and now look what you’ve done!’ And a few other things then she stormed off into the house.’
‘Do you think she’s going to kick me out?’ said Hatty panicking. ‘I’ll be homeless.’
‘Don’t be silly.’ Jake jumped off the bed and noticed his father was walking back from the bungalow, his face like thunder. ‘Anyway, it’s up to dad as he owns the house.’
‘I get fed up of her outbursts about me being ungrateful. If she had no choice but to bring me up then she should at least tell me why, don’t you think?’
‘Has she ever hit you before?’
‘No,’ gulped Hatty. ‘She’s not like that.’
‘Then what is she like?’
‘I truly don’t know.’
Jake didn’t object when she asked him to drive her to the old
house later on, which Hatty was pleased about.
‘You really shouldn’t be getting your wound wet,’ he sighed, turning to her.
‘I want to show you something and I need to do a few things in the house. You must promise not to say a word, okay?’
Her heart was beating very fast as, to her, this was a big thing she was doing, probably more significant than having sex. Jake nodded and she hobbled towards the front door and let them in.
It was dark. She went to the window facing the greenery and took down the wooden shutter, letting the sun come in. Then she went to the window opposite, facing the sea, and took the other shutter down. Sunshine streamed into the house as she waited for a reaction.
Jake smiled.
‘Wait here a moment,’ she said and went to the work room, covering his present, before she yelled. ‘You can come in now!’ She watched as he walked in and gave the widest smile. ‘This is what I do when you can’t find me. I make all this.’
Hatty turned and saw her boxes, frames, bowls and other gifts stacked nicely, all in sandwich bags to protect them. She noticed Jake was looking at her tools.
‘How did you manage to get all these?’ he said, holding up a chisel, one of ten.
‘Philip, whose father owns the timber yard, gets them for me. I pay him when I make enough money so no one’s stealing from anyone,’ she said, seeing Jake smile again. ‘You can go and swim while I do some work.’
‘What’s in the rest of the house?’ he said, looking upstairs. ‘Is it safe in here?’
‘It’s not been used for over twelve years but I’ve kept it clean and dry,’ she replied, feeling nervous. ‘Don’t tell anyone. Philip and Murray know about the wood work but your dad never comes here.’
‘I see,’ Jake said smiling brightly.
‘You think this is funny, don’t you?’ she said, starting to get embarrassed. ‘I liked wood work when I was at little school in London. I wanted to be a carpenter. When I got to the island, they weren’t so keen on me doing it. Equal opportunities aside, they’re a little old fashioned here about women doing men’s jobs but it’s alright for the boys to cook.’
