The Girl in the Rug (18 page)

‘Yes well I wasn’t invited was I,’ said Louisa with a wry
smile at Tim, ‘Although I have to say that it was lovely to see Tim in all his
finery again, I can’t remember when we last went to a black tie do, and I don’t
know about you Tracy but I just love a man in a dinner jacket.’ She waggled her
eyebrows at Tim who just laughed and blew her a kiss.

‘Oh me too,’ said Tracy enthusiastically, ‘it’s all so
terribly ‘James Bond’…although I have to say I don’t think Daniel Craig can
hold a candle to my Simon when he smartens himself up…mmm makes my tummy do
flip flops just thinking about it.’

‘Oh my God darling you are sooo loved up aren’t you,’ said
Louisa laughing. ‘I am going to have to meet the amazing Simon and judge for
myself, we must have the two of you over for dinner one evening, maybe invite
your new buddies as well Tim. He hasn’t introduced me to them yet Tracy would you
believe, it’s like he wants to keep them all to himself, but maybe we can
persuade him to ask them along,’ she gave Tracy a look. Tim had become thick as
thieves with the Robinson brothers after finally speaking to them about the
offending trees, and Tracy had an inkling that Louisa was a bit peeved by how
much time he had been spending with them.

Oblivious to his wife’s angst, Tim gave her an indulgent
smile. ‘Definitely darling, although I think it will be a job to pin down
Gordon and Freddy, they are always busy you know…but it would be lovely to meet
your other half Tracy.’

Tracy smiled shyly, she was still a bit overwhelmed by Tim
if she was honest, he was just so very glamorous and upper class…he made her
feel like a bit of a pleb. Not that he did it intentionally…oh no he was
incredibly down to earth and kind, but quite frankly she wasn’t used to being
around such posh people and she was always left with the feeling that she might
have committed some dreadful social faux pas after speaking with him.

She realised that Louisa had been speaking to her and had
called her name a couple of times.

‘Oh sorry Louisa, how rude of me I was miles away…what did
you say?’ she said flustered.

‘I said what day would suit you…for dinner you know,’ said
Louisa smiling kindly.

‘Oh we’re easy really,’ gushed Tracy. ‘I would just have to
make sure that Nora could sit with the children, why don’t I check with Simon
and Nora and I’ll get back to you.’

‘Well that will be something to look forward to…won’t it
Tim?’

Tim was miles away as well, looking at his computer screen,
‘What…oh yes great…look forward to it,’ he said vaguely.

Louisa rolled her eyes at Tracy and whirred her way over to
the coffee machine to refill her cup, she offered Tracy a refill but she shook
her head.

‘Oh I’d better not have any more thank you, and I’d really
better be getting home…this little one won’t sleep for much longer, and I’ll
have to pick Zack up from nursery soon,’ she said rocking Tilly’s buggy back
and forth gently.

‘I know what I did want to ask you though Tim,’ she said
gathering all Tilly’s paraphernalia up and putting it into the bag on the
buggy. ‘What were all those children doing out so late the other night? I mean
I assume that they must have come with the caterers, I remember you saying that
the Robinson’s had got outside caterers in, but those poor little mites they
looked as though they were dead on their feet. Surely their parents could have
had them watched rather that bring them to work with them, but then again maybe
that’s how they do it in these Eastern European countries…who am I to judge…’

She tailed off as she noticed that the temperature in the
room seemed to have dropped and Louisa was giving Tim a rather hard look.

Tim looked a bit flustered but he said, ‘Oh I really don’t
know Tracy, if there were children there I never saw them…as you say they must
have tagged along with their parents and yes it was a Polish company doing the
food I think, so who knows how they arrange their child care, not me
certainly.’ He finished rather shortly, once again making Tracy feel like a bit
of a fool. You could have cut the atmosphere in the kitchen with a knife after
that, so Tracy hastily took her leave, promising to call and fix a date for
dinner.

She almost got home when she realised that she’d left 
Tilly’s beloved ‘moomoo’ on the table at Tim and Louisa’s. ‘Buggerations,’ she
muttered under her breath, there was no way she could leave it, Tilly
absolutely refused to sleep without it. So she turned the buggy round and
headed back the way she’d just come.

She hadn’t even reached the house before she heard raised
voices coming from inside, ‘Oh bloody hell how embarrassing,’ she said to
herself as she edged closer.

‘YOU PROMISED TIM…YOU GAVE ME YOUR WORD…I WARNED YOU IF IT
HAPPENED AGAIN…I TOLD YOU,’ Louisa shouted at the top of her voice.

‘AND I TOLD YOU NOTHING HAPPENED,’ Tim bellowed back at her.
‘ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR…ARE YOU LOUISA…’ Tim obviously lowered his voice at
this point because Tracy could only catch the odd word, ‘…believe that silly
cow over me…why would I jeopardise everything…if I don’t have your trust…’

Tracy turned the buggy round again…Tilly would have to
settle for ‘Panda’ tonight; ‘moomoo’ was staying where it was. There was no way
she was barging into that argument not even for a good night’s sleep.

‘Daniel…you know the other night?’ said Andy looking over to
where Daniel was reading, lying sideways on his bed.

Daniel didn’t even look up from his book, ‘What night?’ he
asked.

‘You know that night when you were out really late…the night
when Nellie came?’

‘Look I told you before stop asking me about it…you don’t
want to know ok?’ Daniel said giving him a hard stare.

‘Yeh but…I just want to ask,’ Andy persisted, ‘what were all
those children doing, it was like two in the morning…and you don’t even like
old Tutt, so why were you out with him?’

Daniel turned towards the wall ignoring him.

‘I won’t dob you in or anything…you know I wouldn’t do
that…I just think it’s a bit funny that’s all,’ Andy went on.

‘And I’m scared Nellie’s found out where I am. You don’t
know what he’s like Daniel, if he’s found me he might want to cut my eyes
out…that’s what he does…he hurts people.’

Still no response from Daniel.

‘Anyway what would old Tutt want with all those kids? I
don’t understand…’

‘Oh for fucks sake,’ shouted Daniel turning back round, ‘you
aren’t going to give it up are you?’ He muttered under his breath as he got out
of bed, Andy scuttled away thinking he was going to thump him, but instead
Daniel pulled his bed to one side and started fiddling around with the wall
behind the bed. Andy climbed onto Daniel’s bed to see what he was doing, behind
the bed in the corner, a piece of the skirting board had been removed and
behind it was a small hole, just big enough to hide something in. Daniel pulled
out an old sock that had been stuffed in the hole, then he turned round to Andy
and said, ‘This is my secret place…no one else knows about it right, so if
anything ever goes missing from here I’ll know who’s taken it…okay?’

Andy nodded nervously, ‘I wouldn’t Daniel…I promise I
wouldn’t tell anyone…ever.’

‘Well you’d better not,’ Daniel said again. He pulled the
contents of the sock out onto the bed. Andy gasped because inside that old
dirty sock was a big pile of banknotes and coins…there must have been hundreds
of pounds.

Andy turned to Daniel, eyes as big as saucers, ‘Where did
you get it…how much is there?’

Daniel smiled one of his rare smiles. ‘I’ve been saving it
haven’t I…I’m going to need some cash when I get out of this dump and no one
else is going to help me…so I’ve been doing some jobs for old Tutt and saving
it all. Don’t you tell anyone or they’ll take it away from me…’

‘I wouldn’t Daniel I promised didn’t I,’ Andy reassured him,
‘but you won’t be leaving here will you…not for ages I mean.’

Daniel just looked inscrutable and tapped the side of his
nose. ‘Maybe sooner than you think Andy boy…I’ve been making plans, there’s
money to be made if you keep your eyes open, and I’m not staying here a minute
longer than I have to believe me.’

‘But where would you go Daniel?’ asked Andy worried, ‘you
live here…and your mum’s not going to be let out of prison so who would look
after you?’

‘I will look after myself,’ Daniel said belligerently. ‘How
do you think I made all this dosh…you’d be amazed at what some people will give
you…and all you have to do is be nice to them and stuff. It’s not like it’s
hard work or anything…and sure as hell no one else is going to help me so why
not…’

Andy thought about that for a moment. ‘Maybe I could make
some money too…do you think old Tutt might have some jobs for me Daniel…then
when mum get’s out, I can let her have some money so she doesn’t have to have
those men round all the time…’

Daniel suddenly pounced on Andy knocking the wind out of
him. ‘Look I shouldn’t even be talking to you about it…if Tutt ever found out
he’d kill me…and you must never tell anyone…ever…okay? You’ll be fine, your mum
will come and get you…even if she doesn’t, that lady from your school will make
sure you’re ok.’

Maya had been to see Andy at Marshall Street a few times and
she was even trying to arrange for him to spend some time at her house in the
not too distant future.

‘It’s not the same for me,’ Daniel went on, ‘my Mum’s long
gone and I wouldn’t want to see the nasty bitch ever again anyway…even if she
did get out…which she won’t…’

‘Yeh but I’d still like to get some money Daniel…’ whined
Andy. ‘I can be nice to people…and then I could get away…and Nellie wouldn’t be
able to find me.’

‘Yeh well may be you could earn some money,’ said Daniel
shrugging his shoulders, ‘I suppose it doesn’t make any difference who does
it…but you don’t say anything to Tutt…I’ll ask him and if he’s got something
coming up then who knows.’

Andy’s face lit up, ‘Really?’ Daniel nodded. ‘Thanks
Daniel…I won’t say anything…when are you going to ask him?’

‘Oh bloody hell I don’t know do I?’ Daniel shouted
irritably, ‘when I see him I suppose…and don’t keep on about it or I won’t ask
him…now shut up and let me read will ya.’

Andy shut up and lay back down in bed. He couldn’t imagine
what jobs Mr Tutt would have for him to do, but if all it entailed was to be
nice then he thought he could manage it. How brilliant if he could save up as
much money as Daniel, then maybe he could find Mum and they could go away
somewhere. Nellie wouldn’t be able to find them if they moved away would he.

‘Daniel,’ Andy began again.

Daniel just groaned, ’What now,’ he replied exasperated.

‘I could always ask Tutt myself…if you are too busy like…’

Daniel jumped onto Andy’s bed shouted into his face, ‘Listen
you stupid dickhead,’ he said angrily. ‘Stay away from Tutt ok…he is one fucked
up bastard, and never be anywhere alone with him ok?’

Andy gulped and nodded.

‘I will ask him…’ Daniel went on, he paused and added, ‘you
might not like what he wants you to do anyway, some of the kids don’t like
it…you have to get undressed and that and some of the stuff’s a bit weird
like…but I just think about the money and then it doesn’t seem so bad.
Sometimes you get presents…Luke Hadley got bought a PSP, not a crappy one
either, top of the range and some games. So even if you don’t like it…it’s
worth it for the money I reckon.’

Andy was completely bewildered, he had no idea what Daniel
was talking about, but he nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yeh I reckon so too,’ he
said and went back to dreaming about how pleased Mum would be when he showed
her his money.

Maggie spotted Tracy wheeling Tilly’s buggy up her drive and
was waiting at the door for her by the time she got there.

‘Oh darling I am so glad you could come round,’ she said
giving her a hug and peering down at the sleeping Tilly.

Tracy put her fingers to her lips and quietly wheeled the
buggy into the warmth of Maggie’s kitchen, parking it near the window and creeping
away from it dramatically.

‘She’s just dropped off,’ she whispered as she sat down at
the huge table. ‘I can’t believe my luck I thought she would be awake all
morning, mind you after the hoops she made me jump through last night I’m not
surprised she’s knackered.’

‘I thought she was sleeping through now,’ Maggie said, as
she put some fancy cakes onto a plate and set them on the table.

‘Oh Maggie you complete cow,’ said Tracy looking longingly
at the cakes, ‘I was so determined that I would start my diet today, I only had
a low fat yogurt and half a cup of muesli for breakfast this morning.’

‘Oh sorry love if you are being good…’ Maggie went to take
the plate away.

‘Don’t you dare!’ said Tracy loudly, before putting her hand
over her mouth as she remembered she was meant to be being quiet. ‘Step away
from the cakes Wendover,’ she whispered loudly, pulling the plate back and
taking a delicious looking chocolate confection from it.

Maggie giggled, ‘I don’t know why you bother love,’ she
said, ‘your curves are gorgeous and you’ve got a man that appreciates them, so
why do you keep starting diets. Give yourself a break, life is for living and
enjoying all of its pleasures…and eating a nice cake now and again is one of
the scummiest pleasures of all…’

‘Yes well that’s all very well for you to say Mrs “I’ve
never had to watch my weight in my life”, but if I don’t watch it I’ll be as
wide as I am round and that is so not a good look, however having said that…’
she bit into the cake with relish, ‘after the night I had last night I deserve
a treat.’

Maggie chose herself a cake and for a minute the girls just
indulged in a sugary pleasure.

‘I thought she was going through the night now,’ Maggie
repeated, between bites.

‘Well she is usually…’ Tracy said between bites, ‘but I had
left bloody ‘moomoo’ at Louisa’s and she just wasn’t going to be pacified with
panda. I ended up pacing round the bedroom with her till about three this
morning until she finally gave up and dropped off…absolute nightmare.’

‘Oh you poor thing…’ said Maggie wiping sugar from her
hands, ‘I thank the lord that my baby rearing days are long gone, how the hell
we put up with it and still stay sane I do not know. Still at least you can get
‘moomoo’ back today, so you’ll get some sleep tonight I suppose…’

Tracy looked a bit sheepish, ‘Well I don’t know if I want to
go back there today actually,’ she said pulling a face.

‘Why not…I thought you were getting on fine with Louisa?’

‘Yes I am,’ Tracy said hastily, ‘it’s just a bit
embarrassing…’ she told Maggie about the row and the nasty atmosphere. ‘So you
see I feel like I caused the row somehow…although I can’t think how but…’

‘What do you mean atmosphere…what kind of atmosphere?’ asked
Maggie.

‘Oh I don’t know, it was just like we were all getting on really
well, Louisa had just asked Simon and me over for a meal and I was asking Tim
about the party…you know the one at the Robinsons. Oh I didn’t tell you did I,
I saw Tim leaving the party looking very dapper in his dinner suit…’

‘I see,’ said Maggie giggling, ‘spying on the gorgeous Mr
Boulter now…Traceee…really.’

‘No it’s not like that,’ Tracy laughed, ‘I was woken up by
the noise if you must know, I’m surprised you didn’t hear it Maggs. Anyway I
went into Zack’s room because I have a clear view of the house from there and I
saw them all leaving the party…and that’s when I saw Tim.’

‘Oh and he hadn’t told Louisa he was going to a party…no
wonder they had a row…’

‘No, she knew he was going, in fact we were teasing him a
bit about the dinner suit. I was saying how sexy they are in a sort of James
Bondish way…’

‘So what was the problem then…if she knew he was at the
party?’ asked Maggie bewildered.

‘There wasn’t a problem about that,’ Tracy said taking
another cake, ‘it was when I mentioned the children…after that you could have
cut the atmosphere with a knife I’m telling you… awkward.’

Maggie looked blankly at Tracy who had a lump of strawberry
butter cream on her cheek.

‘No I’m sorry love you’ve lost me…what children, what are
you talking about? I thought this was a party for businessmen…all boys together
sort of thing,’ she leaned over and wiped the strawberry mess from Tracy’s
face.

‘Ooops thanks Maggs,’ said Tracy giggling again, ‘Yes it was
an all male do…but we saw some children being loaded up into a white van. Simon
and I…I think they were the caterer’s kids. Maybe there was a room they could
sleep in or something, but I said to Simon, you’d think they could have got
someone to watch the kids rather than take them to work with them, wouldn’t
you?’

‘Well that’s all a bit strange don’t you think?’ said
Maggie. ‘Are you sure they belonged to the staff? I mean I’ve thrown many a
corporate do myself over the years but I’ve never had caterers bring their kids
with them, I wouldn’t use them again if they did. It’s not a proper environment
for kids to be…especially late at night…I find that really weird Trace.’

‘Well I did too I suppose,’ Tracy whispered as she crept
over to the buggy to check on Tilly. ‘But I couldn’t see any other reason for
them being there.’

‘So what did Tim say?’

‘Ha, well that’s when it all got a bit tense, he said he
hadn’t seen any children and he supposed they must have come with the help…and
then there were so many bad vibes flashing between Louisa and Tim that I felt
really awkward…so I made my excuses and left. Only of course I had forgotten
‘moomoo’ and that’s when I went back and heard them taking chunks out of each
other. So I’m thinking I’ll treat Tilly to a new ‘moomoo’, I’m just hoping
there are still some left in the shop.’

Maggie laughed, ‘Oh my god Trace you absolute coward…’

She would have gone on but at that moment the front door
opened and Maggie could hear Dom and Maylee arriving.

‘Don’t look now but you are about to meet the bane of my
life,’ she whispered to Tracy, just before the pair came through into the
kitchen.

‘Tracy,’ said Dom with a huge smile when he spotted her,
‘how lovely to see you…it’s been an age.’ He came over and gave Tracy a big
hug.

‘I know,’ said Tracy when she could breathe again. ‘How are
you doing Dom…I’ve heard of course that you are now running ‘Glory Interiors’
that must be fun.’

‘Oh I’m loving it,’ Dom said giving his mum a big smile.
‘Although I’ll enjoy it even more when my darling mother stops giving me
advice.’

‘Oh Dommiieee,’ said the rather orangey coloured woman that
had followed Dom into the room. ‘It must be hard for Maggie to see her baby all
grown up and running her business for her, of course she still wants it done
her way…it must be strange not to be making all the decisions and stuff…’ she
trailed off and came over to Tracy with an outstretched hand. ‘I’m Maylee by
the way…Dom’s other half, better half some might say…’ she finished with a
giggle shaking Tracy’s hand.

‘Oh yeh sorry Tracy, you haven’t met Maylee have you,’ said
Dom as he poured out a couple of coffees.

‘Nice to meet you Maylee…oh shit,’ she added when there was
a wail from the buggy as Tilly, startled awake from her nap had woken in a bad
mood.

‘Oh sweet,’ cooed Maylee when Tracy picked her up out of the
buggy and tried to shush her.

‘She reminds me of Jukie when he was that age,’ Maylee said
with a wistful expression on her face, ‘although he was super good…never made a
sound,’ she raised her voice pointedly over Tilly’s screaming.

‘And of course he was super intelligent too…so forward for
his age…everyone said so. This doctor that we went to once said he’d never seen
a child as forward as Jukie…so that just shows you doesn’t it.’

Maggie avoided Tracy’s eye. ‘Well he certainly is a cutie I
can tell you that Tracy, and was so well behaved when he was here last weekend.
I could hardly believe my eyes when I came downstairs and he was getting
himself dressed and then he went looking for the cereal so that he could get
his own breakfast and he is…how old Maylee?’

‘Just turned three,’ said Maylee proudly, ‘yeh well he
doesn’t like to disturb me in the mornings…I’m not a morning person Tracy, you
know how it is, so it’s better if he learns to sort himself out in the mornings
I say.’

‘You look very tanned Maylee,’ said Tracy changing the
subject, ‘been away anywhere nice?’

‘Oh lord no,’ laughed Maylee, ‘this is from ages ago. I had
a weekend away with some girlfriends, just to Magaluf you know. Although the
fuss Domie made about it you’d think I’d run off with some fella. I said to
him, Domie I never even touched up a waiter…and I mean in Magaluf that’s just
like leaving a tip isn’t it…he can be very jealous my Domie can.’

Dom came over and gave her a hug; ‘Well you shouldn’t be so
gorgeous should you?’ which made Maylee shriek in delighted protest, ‘Oh so
it’s my fault is it.’

Tracy thought it was time she went home so she gathered her
things together and Maggie walked her to the front door.

‘She is priceless Maggs,’ said Tracy still giggling, ‘how do
you manage to keep a straight face?’

Maggie grimaced, ‘Oh easy love…I just remember the other
side of her, the one that’s got my boys at each other’s throats.’

Tracy grimaced, ‘That’d do it…oh how frustrating Maggie that
was one of the things I was going to talk to you about, but now their home I
suppose it will have to wait till another day. Oh and Duncan that was the other
thing…how’s it going with Duncan?’

Maggie laughed and tapped the side of her nose. ‘Aha,’ she
said, ‘I have a cunning plan that I think might work, but I’m not going to tell
you…you will just have to wait and see…’

‘Oh poor, poor Duncan, not that he doesn’t deserve
everything he gets,’ Tracy giggled. ‘But I have to say Maggs you seem a lot
more upbeat about the whole thing this week.’

‘Yes well, my gorgeous sister Ruthy always says to try and
find the positives in any situation and so I am trying to do just that and I
have to say it’s working. For instance Maylee might be a trouble making
spiteful little cow, but on the positive side she is very entertaining and Dom
seems to have a smile on his face most of the time so…’

‘And what about Duncan…what are the positives there?’ asked
Tracy.

‘Just the fact that it has made me take a long hard look at
myself I suppose,’ Maggie said with a wry smile. ‘I have been so spoilt for so
long Trace, always assuming that I can have anything I want…without too much
effort on my part. Well this will teach me that not everything is going to drop
into my lap…some things I’ve got to fight for, and believe me I intend to fight
all the way for this…Duncan is so special you know.’

Tracy threw her arms round Maggie, ‘Bloody hell Maggs if
there was anybody that deserved to find happiness it is you…you are the kindest
person I know and whatever it is you’ve got planned for him…well I just hope
Duncan starts seeing sense…the stupid idiot.’

‘Oh god I hope so Trace I really do…anyway I’d better let
you get on.’ She was just about to close the door when she remembered
something. ‘I think I might speak to Carla about those kids though Tracy, you
don’t mind do you…only it’s bothering me, I can’t think of any good reason why
they would be there.’

‘No you go for it love…’ Tracy said manoeuvring the buggy
down Maggie’s front steps, she turned when she had reached the drive. ‘And do
you know what, I think I will pop back round to Louisa’s after all…you are
right, it would be too silly for words to go and buy another ‘moomoo’ just
because I feel a bit awkward. They probably had no idea I heard them arguing
anyway…yes I’ll go now I think, on my way home…see you love, thanks for the
cakes.’

Maggie waved her goodbye and then went back into the
kitchen, she talked to Dom and Maylee for a while and then decided to go and
visit Martha at the pub. She completely forgot about phoning Carla to tell her
about the children until much later when she was lying in bed…oh well she’d do
it in the morning.