Somebody to Love: Sigh With Contentment, Scream With Frustration. At Time You Will Weep. (17 page)

Robert stroked his stubbly chin. ‘I might just take you up on that,’ he mused, ‘as long as you don’t leave me alone with her,’ he added worriedly.

Evelyn laughed. ‘I’ll play chaperone,’ she promised, ‘as long as you behave yourself.’

‘Wouldn’t dream of doing anything but.’ Robert got to his feet. ‘Yorkshire man born and bred, and a gentleman born and bred,’ he assured her, puffing up his chest.

‘Like your son?’ Evelyn asked archly.

‘He’s a good man, you know,’ Robert said, walking her to the hall. ‘Give him a chance to explain about… whatever happened with your daughter.’

‘It’s not me he has to explain to.’ Evelyn glanced meaningfully back at Mark.

Mark tried a smile. ‘I thought you wanted me to run out of town?’

‘I’m reserving judgement.’ Evelyn graced him with a small smile back. ‘You shouldn’t have lied to her, Mark. Chances are, you’ve done irreparable damage even if you do have a reasonable explanation, which, personally, I doubt.’

‘I know.’ Mark nodded despondently.

‘Were they honourable, Mr Evans,’ Evelyn eyed him levelly, ‘your intentions towards my daughter?’

‘Very,’ Mark said, holding her gaze.

‘Hmm.’ Evelyn searched his eyes, a little less hostility in her own.

****

‘Alicia, if we don’t leave now, we’ll never get there before last food orders,’ Donna said, as her sister preened in front of the hall mirror.

Donna didn’t even want to go. She certainly didn’t want to go looking like something the cat had dragged in. Simon had sounded so excited though, that his boyfriend Nathan and he had finally set a date, she hadn’t the heart to tell him the last thing she wanted to do was celebrate two people sealing their relationship.

‘Two minutes,’ Alicia mumbled, making a neat little “o” with her mouth and applying her lip-gloss. ‘It’ll only take us twenty minutes to get there, don’t panic,’ she went on, pressing her lips together and admiring the effect as Donna peered around her, trying to get a glimpse of even a nostril.

‘And how
are
we getting there, exactly? Donna gave up and glanced at her sister askew. ‘As the crow flies? Because unless we sprout wings, I’m calculating more than an hour, actually.’

‘To The Swan?’ Alicia glanced at Donna doubtfully.

‘We’re on Shanks’s Pony, Alicia. My car doesn’t go very well at the moment, and Mum dropped you off, remember? So unless you fancy thumbing a lift now you’ve made yourself irresistible, we’re definitely going to be late.’

‘Well, we’ll call a taxi then.’ Alicia turned from the mirror, apparently satisfied.

‘I already did. They said half-an-hour to an hour’s wait.’

‘Silly question, probably, Donna, but why aren’t you using Matt’s car?’ Alicia asked, giving her hair a final flick, then heading to the kitchen for her boots and handbag.

Donna glanced in the mirror and gave her own hair a quick flick.
Ye-es. Traffic-stopping.
All she needed now was a head transplant and she’d pass for Cameron Diaz in a flash. ‘Because it
is
Matt’s car, Alicia.’ Donna trailed after her. ‘It’s also not currently road taxed.’

‘So tax it,’ Alicia suggested, giving Sadie a pet before plonking herself on a kitchen chair to tug on her boots.

Donna sat on the opposite chair and kicked off her passé trainers. With her heart swishing about in her tummy, she honestly didn’t feel like glamming up, but she should make a bit of an effort, she supposed. At least wear some heels in the hopes that longer legs might detract from her face.

‘It’s Saturday afternoon, Alicia. The post office is shut,’ Donna pointed out, reaching for her sister’s blusher and lippy.

‘Yes, but we can tax it online, can’t we? It’ll only take five minutes. And before you say you can’t afford to —’

‘I can’t afford to.’

‘But I can.’ Alicia stood up, booted, beautifully made-up and determined.

‘Uh-uh.’ Donna stood up, barefoot — to the disappointment of Findus, who was in search of a late lace-luncheon, blobbed and equally determined. ‘I can’t let you do that, Alicia. I’m not a …’

‘Yes, you can. Jack’s father provides more than adequately for his son, unlike some people we know.’ Alicia cut her short. ‘And I know you’re not a charity case. You’re a stubborn Miss Independent who doesn’t realise that that’s what sisters are for: To support each other.’

Alicia scooped Findus up and set him down in front of a more digestible cabbage leaf, then caught hold of Donna’s shoulders, twirled her around and propelled her to the lounge and the PC. ‘You’d do the same for me,’ she said, following after her. ‘And you can pay me back when you can. Meanwhile, you need to get yourself back out there.’

What, again? Donna wasn’t sure she wouldn’t rather just stay in with copious amounts of pleasure-inducing chocolate endorphins. ‘All right,’ she reluctantly agreed, silly not to when she needed alternative transport, but, ‘I will pay you back, I promise.’ She nodded, resolute, as she led the way up the hall.

She would too. Just as soon as the bidding was over.

****

Mark looked the guy who was propped against the wall of the betting shop over, disgusted. It wasn’t that he was so inebriated Mark’s partner could barely hold him up that was getting to Mark. What had him hard-pushed not give the little runt a taste of his own, was the state of the cashier he’d assaulted.

‘She wouldn’t pay me me winnings,’ the guy slurred, ‘fuckin’ bitch.’

Mark tensed, while Phil, equally disgusted, propped the guy harder against the wall. ‘So you thought you’d show her what a big man you are, hey?’ Phil twisted the guy’s collar just a little bit tighter.

‘I know what I’ll show ‘er next time, all right.’ The guy smirked, which did nothing to enamour him to Mark.

‘You won’t be showing anybody anything, mate, trust me,’ he grated angrily. Scum, he thought, his stomach turning over as the paramedics wheeled the cashier past them. ‘Come on, Phil,’ he nodded towards the patrol car, ‘let’s show this
gentleman
the cosy interior of a police cell. See if that doesn’t cool his bravado.’

‘You wanna watch it, you do,’ the guy warned, as Mark reached for his handcuffs. ‘Do Aikido, I do.’

‘Yeah?’ Mark laughed disdainfully. ‘And I do Origami. Come on, you’re nicked.’

‘Wanker.’ The guy’s face twisted into a snarl. Mark saw it coming, but back-stepped too late.

‘Bloody hell!
Mark
… !’ Phil shouted, as the vicious head-butt sent his partner reeling. ‘Are you okay?!’

‘
Jesus.
’ Mark shook his head, saw stars, literally, and then he saw red. ‘Unfortunately, for that
bastard
, yes.’ He righted himself and stepped towards the guy, no inclination this time to keep his temper in check.

‘Leave it, Mark,’ Phil warned him.

Mark raked a hand shakily through his hair, his cap being someway off on the pavement. ‘
He
is history!’ he said, breathing hard.

‘Yes, and so will you be, if you don’t back off!’ Phil positioned himself bodily between them.

Mark wasn’t listening. He’d had enough. Seen enough broken bones, broken homes, and smashed lives. It never got any better. But the kind of pond-scum that bragged about talking with their fists afterwards…

‘Mark! Think about Karl. He needs you! Now, for Christ’s sake, get your bloody act together!’

Mark studied the guy, his chest heaving. Counting down silently, he cautioned himself… not to reach out and break the little shit’s neck. ‘I’m obliged to inform you I’m arresting you on suspicion of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,’ he instead cautioned the guy dispassionately. ‘Yo
u do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence…’

****

‘Matt won’t mind, will he?’ Alicia asked, as Donna and she headed for the front door, having taxed the car.

‘It’s not that he’ll mind, Alicia. It’s just that Matt and I have an unspoken rule, one of mutual respect — of each other’s possessions as well as opinions.’ After Jeremy showing them precious little respect, Donna felt she didn’t need to add. ‘And as Matt’s most precious possession after his iPod is his VW…’

She dialled Matt’s number as they opened the front door, to be greeted by his Indie music ring-tone approaching it.

‘Uh, oh, looks like the sisters are out on the town.’ Matt took in Alicia’s attire and his mum’s extra height. ‘Lock up da menfolk.’ He made imploring eyes at the skies.

‘Matt, darling nephew!’ Alicia exclaimed joyously, squashing his perplexed face between her hands as he walked in. ‘How are you? How’s college? How are the driving lessons going? How’s the car?’

‘All right, all right, all right. And no you can’t,’ Matt managed, through pursed lips.

‘Oh, go on, pretty please?’ Alicia batted her eyelashes. ‘For your favourite aunty-wanty?’

‘Uh-uh.’

‘Oh, well, it was worth a try.’ She shrugged and dropped his puckered face.

‘Thank you,’ Matt said, nipping past his mad aunty-wanty into the hall.

‘I’ll tax it,’ Alicia offered, omitting to say she already had in favour of dangling the carrot. ‘And we’ll put some petrol in.’

‘Umm…’ Matt considered. ‘Make it a full tank and you’re on.’

‘Done.’ Alicia gave him a wink. ‘He’ll go far, that one.’

Chapter Eleven

‘Responding,’ Phil answered another callout unenthusiastically.

Mark sighed, stuffed his caffeine-kick-drink-can in the well of the door and started the engine. ‘No prizes for guessing who our young shoplifter might be.’

‘Well, on the plus side, we get to go back to the station and coffee,’ Phil offered, cheerfully. ‘That should keep you awake.’

‘It’ll need to.’ Mark stifled a yawn as he negotiated his way through the pedestrian area of the High Street.

At this rate, he’d be unconscious before quitting time. The first shout had wiped him out, and that was without the great thumping headache.

He ran his hand over his neck. Christ, he was tired. It was a long haul most mornings, getting Karl up and dressed and into the dreaded shoes — going through the rituals. Making sure things were done in order, because for them not to be, meant Karl had to do them all over again.

Even his food had to be arranged specifically on his plate, no item to touch another and everything to be eaten with a knife and fork, which meant cereals were out. Still, it was a far cry from the day Mark realised Karl had forgotten what to do with his knife and fork. And even if Mark had cracked his shin on the chair as he went down this morning, the tantrum hadn’t been a full-on one, thanks to their new four-legged friend.

He tugged in a breath as he pulled up in front of the druggist, an image of Donna and her three-legged friend reminding him painfully of what he’d taken a gamble on and lost.

Dammit, Evelyn was right. There were no excuses for lying. He should have told Donna, allowed her to make her own decisions. It wasn’t likely that she’d have just said, hey, no problem, I’d love to sacrifice my life to the joint care of your son, but seeing her on a casual basis, any basis, would have been better than none. At least then he’d have been able to talk about Karl openly.

‘Once more into the fray.’ He sighed as he reached for his cap. Things could be worse. Karl having a better quality of life thanks to Starbuck was a cause for celebration, not maudlin. Time to stop feeling sorry for himself, Mark supposed.

‘Wonder what story she’ll have this time,’ Phil speculated as he pushed open his door. ‘Cat needs an operation? Boyfriend’s car needs work, so he can turn over a new leaf and become a taxi driver?’

Mark laughed cynically. ‘More like boyfriend needs a fix so he can get out of bed and she fancies some new shoes.’

****

‘Stephanie.’ Mark nodded at the girl sitting slouched in a chair as he came into the manager’s office at the back of the shop. ‘How’re you doing?’

‘Mmm, better for seeing you, sweetheart.’ Stephanie sat to attention, adjusting her skimpy top to show a lot more cleavage as she did. Mark noted the addition of another tattoo, before averting his gaze.

‘Put it away, Steph.’ Phil sighed. ‘He’s had lunch.’

‘Humph.’ Stephanie slumped back in her chair and folded her arms moodily over her breasts.

‘So, what is it this time, Stephanie?’ Mark asked resignedly as he walked over to her pram. ‘Perfume? Make-up? Electrical goods? Girl or boy?’

Stephanie shrugged. ‘Dunno what you’re on about. Ain’t done nothing. Just shopping, wasn’t I?’

‘That right, is it?’ Decent pram, Mark noticed. Probably nicked from Mothercare. He inched the shawl carefully away from a well tucked-up baby.

‘Cute,’ he said. ‘What’s its name, then?

‘Lady Gaga.’ Stephanie shot him a contemptuous glance, chewed noisily on her gum and blew out a bubble.

‘Nice.’ Mark pulled the shawl back, shook his head, then plucked her pop-icon from its pram. ‘This nicked, too, Stephanie?’ He turned back, dangling her brand new
Baby Born
doll by its leg.

‘No, it’s
not
nicked.’ Stephanie blew out another insolent bubble and popped it. ‘S’me sister’s, innit.’

‘That would be the long-lost sister you’ve just had a tearful reunion with, would it?’ Mark suggested, knowing Stephanie had no sister. She was special, no doubt about it. This was good though, he had to concede. Better than the baby-sling scam, which turned out to be a
Scooby Doo
soft toy nicked from
Woolworths
tucked snugly up with a selection of DVDs. Small wonder they’d gone bust with Stephanie ‘shopping’ there.

‘Where, is it, Steph?’ Phil stepped in. ‘The bloke’s shaver you half-inched?’

‘Don’t know nothing about no shaver.’ Stephanie rolled bored eyes under inch-thick mascara. ‘Ain’t nothing in there, either,’ she said as Mark searched the pram.

‘So where then, Steph?’ Phil asked. ‘Fell in your pocket, by any chance?’

‘Might be. So what y’gonna do now? Search me?’ Stephanie looked Mark languidly over.

Mark and Phil exchanged knowing glances. ‘No, Stephanie,’ Mark said with a tolerant smile. ‘We thought we’d treat you to an all-expenses paid lunch down at the station.’

****