The School Gates (12 page)

Alana, already bored and still feeling decidedly the worse for wear, checked her phone again and felt a tear prick her eye. Where was he?

Rosie literally shone as a little star and Mo thought she was going to burst with pride. She couldn’t believe what a lovely well-adjusted little girl she was, considering everything she had to put up with from her father.

Joan looked to Colin and grimaced as Clark and Kent started to fight, using their recorders as weapons in the back row. The fighting stopped and a feeling of relief swept over the Brown parents, until Skye started to scratch her head the whole way through the final number.

Chairs scraped back as the applause subsided, raffle prizes were given and the usual thanks by a flashing-bow-tied Mr Chambers came to an end.

‘I believe there is a new nit gel on the market now which is failsafe,’ Preachy Knickers said loudly to Joan on her way out.

Colin swore under his breath. ‘Shame there’s not a new f’ing bitch-eradicator gel on the market too.’

Joan laughed, suddenly feeling closer to her husband than she had in a while. ‘Take her with a pinch of salt, my love – we all do.’

Alana carried Eliska, who was tired and now very emotional. She half-smiled at Dana as she passed her, dreading just what the pretty Czech would be thinking now.

Mark and Dana swung arms with Tommy in the middle of them and headed off into town for a pizza. Inga went down the path to warm the car up as Gordon made his way to the back classroom to collect the twins. He suddenly heard a familiar Mancunian accent behind him.

‘No wife again tonight then?’

Gordon turned around and recognised Robbie, Alana’s temp childminder.

‘No, not tonight.’ He couldn’t face a long explanation.

‘Shit, do you know what? I’m a nosy bastard – sorry,’ Robbie added, picking up on Gordon’s sadness.

‘What are you doing here tonight anyway?’ Gordon was pleased to change the subject.

‘Helping out with the set and lighting. Will…’ Robbie paused. ‘Mr Chambers to you, is a mate of mine. He helps me out with the Youth Centre Christmas gig and I return the favour.’

‘Oh right.’ Gordon noticed Robbie’s deep-set dark eyes. He was ten years younger than him, and a good foot shorter – in fact, just his type.

‘Actually, it’s the Youth Centre do tomorrow night if you fancy coming?’

‘Will it suit the kids?’ Gordon enquired, beaming as a now bare-faced Lily and Lola came charging over to him.

‘No, it’s for the sixteen to eighteens; we’ve got a really good live band coming and will provide refreshments. I could use some help and it’s a laugh normally.’

‘If Inga can babysit then I’d love to help out, thanks.’ Gordon looked down at his beloved charges. ‘Right then, you gorgeous girls, let’s get you home.’

‘Starts at eight, we’re next to the MOT place in town,’ Robbie shouted after them.

‘Great, hopefully see you there,’ Gordon replied back as Lily and Lola started to fight about who had been wearing the best outfit.

Dana put some gold tinsel around her blonde crop and applied a silvery glitter eye-shadow. Tying her apron, she looked at herself in the mirror. She felt a sudden guilt that she might be trying to make herself look just a little bit too sexy, so wiped off her bronze lipstick and replaced it with a clear gloss.

Bruno wolf-whistled as she came out into the café. Lights were flashing on the little Christmas tree on the counter.

‘Look at you, Signorina Christmas Cracker!’

‘Well I thought I’d better make the effort to get festive.’

‘You look gorgeous,’ Tony said quietly, and then on seeing who was coming through the door, quickly gestured for Bruno to go out the back.

Ffion’s eyes darted around the café. ‘A medium skinny latte and a large fat mocha, please,’ the Welsh girl requested politely.

‘No problemo, signora. Take-away?’ Tony asked with his usual flirtatious banter.

‘Yes, please.’ This was Ffion’s chance. ‘So, did you take on a new waitress then?’

Dana frowned; she didn’t realise they had already started recruiting her temp replacement.

‘Why? Were you thinking of applying?’ A fully briefed Tony turned it around.

‘Oh, erm no.’ Ffion wasn’t sure what to say next.

Tony helped her out. ‘Bruno is on constant look-out for good staff. He tries out anyone who shows an interest in the post.’

Ffion grabbed her coffees and marched furiously out of the café.

‘Tony!’ Dana said. ‘That poor girl!’

‘What do you mean? I thought that would make her feel better.’

‘Men!’ was all Dana could say as she headed off to serve the four builders who had sat themselves down in the window seat.

Whilst they were having their short customary ‘lull’ break, Dana questioned Tony.

‘So, now you have to give me the gossip. It’s obvious that the pretty young Welsh girl has been seeing Bruno, right?’

‘Right so far. But Bruno translates the word “seeing” into “shagging” – you know that?’

Dana shook her head and smiled. ‘Like brother, like brother, is it?’

‘Now, now Mrs Knight, I would hate you to tar me with the same broom.’

‘Brush, you mean.’ Dana laughed out loud. She herself was only just getting used to the funny British expressions herself.

‘Whatever,’ Tony went on. ‘Anyway, I shouldn’t really divulge my brother’s antics, but as it’s you...’ The young Italian drained his espresso. ‘We were just closing up last Thursday and this blonde woman came in, very attractive, must have been at least forty. In fact, old enough to be my mother! Shit, that’s funny.’ Tony laughed at his sudden realisation of this. ‘Anyway, Bruno fancied her. She was very drunk, he got her drunker and then...’ He stopped.

‘Go on,’ Dana urged.

‘Well, he you-know-what-ed her,’

‘In here!’ Dana’s eyes widened.

‘Well, yes. Over the ice-cream counter, apparently.’

‘Thursday night, you say?’

‘Yes,’ Tony said, suddenly feeling worried that he might have dropped his brother into something he shouldn’t have.

‘What was she wearing, this woman?’

‘Erm.’ Tony now felt as if he was standing in the dock. ‘I only saw her briefly.’

‘Go on – try and remember,’ Dana urged.

‘Black and white – yes, a crisp white shirt. I remember thinking we should get similar waitress uniforms for our staff.’

‘Oh my God, I think it might have been the mum of one of Tommy’s friends.’

‘Oh no! And now you are going to tell me she has a big burly husband and we are going to have to hide Bruno out the back for ever.’

Dana laughed. ‘I’ve never known her to have a man actually. Rumour at the school gates is that she got pregnant from a one-night stand. The lesbian theory can be dropped now though.’

‘Well, the good news is she won’t be pregnant this time round. What is it that Bruno says? Ah – I remember. That he will never ride bareback with a stranger. Not after a bad experience he had in Crete anyway.’

‘What is your brother like!’ Dana tutted disapprovingly.

‘Well, at least she wasn’t a married woman. Mind you, that never usually stops him either.’

At that moment, Dana’s tinsel fell from her hair and they both reached to get it. Tony kept hold of her arm as they stood up.

‘It usually stops me…’ He paused. ‘Until I met you, that is.’ As he leaned forward to kiss Dana on the lips, she quickly turned her head so that he planted it on her ear.

‘Tony!’

‘Oh, I am so sorry. I… it just…I just. You are…I am.’

Dana swiftly kissed him on the cheek.

‘It’s OK. You are a very beautiful person, Tony, but I am married and I intend to stay that way with a clear conscience.’ She disappeared out through the staff-room door to regain her composure.

Locking the toilet door behind her, Dana took a deep breath and put her hand to her ear. She could never ever admit it to anyone, but at that precise moment she had wanted nothing more than to kiss the handsome Italian back. Properly.

– Chapter Eleven –

‘He’s taking a whole month off you say, just like that?’ Alana demanded.

‘Yes, that’s what I said. He’ll be back at work in February.’

‘But he must be online surely, Sandra?’

‘No. He will be back working next year. Now, if there is anything I can help you with directly?’

‘No – no, thank you.’ Alana’s voice trailed off. Knowing how private Stephen was, she doubted that even his PA knew where he was.

Surely, the fact that he had found out Eliska was his, would make him happy? Where was he? He was like her – he always worked!

She tried his mobile again. It was switched off. She logged on and sent him an email. His out-of-office message came back, confirming that he would not be checking voicemails or emails until 4 February, and instructing her to contact Sandra, who would re-direct any queries appropriately.

Alana experienced that empty feeling again. Stephen was always at the end of a computer or phone and his absence suddenly overwhelmed her.

‘Mummy?’ Eliska pushed the door open to her mother’s home office.

‘Yes, darling?’ Alana took in her daughter’s curly red hair and shiny green eyes and saw Stephen so clearly that it made her want to cry.

‘Can you help me write a list to Father Christmas today, please?’

Alana swept her up in her arms.

‘Do you know what, pumpkin? Mummy can do better than that. Me,’ she brushed the tip of her daughter’s nose with her index finger, ‘and you, are going on a little holiday.’

Gordon suddenly felt old. His ears were ringing from the thumping music that had been blaring in the Youth Centre and he was glad to get outside, to the peace of the freezing cold night. Robbie had tasked him to stand behind the makeshift bar and serve Coke, crisps and chocolate to the melee of teenagers who were jumping around to the live music. And apart from Robbie coming over once to check if he was OK, he hadn’t even really spoken to him. Although being a martyr for the great and good of the Youth Centre was obviously satisfying, and seeing eighteen-year-old cute boys ducking and diving in front of him was quite arousing, Gordon was actually quite peeved that he had wasted his evening in this way.

In fact, he was relieved when ten o’clock came so that he could escape the noise and go back to all of his girls. He had tried to find Robbie but in the mass of bodies couldn’t see him.

A couple of lads having a cigarette out the front moved aside as he pushed the big black church hall door open, their dragon-like plumes of smoke enveloping him as he walked through. As he was about to get into his car, Robbie came running up to him.

‘Sorry – I didn’t realise it would be quite so hectic. You’re not going home yet, are you?’

‘Well yes, I thought my work was done for the night,’ Gordon replied.

‘Your work may be done, Gordon Summers, but definitely not your play.’ Robbie grinned. ‘Let me grab my coat. Will Chambers can lock up.’

The Featherstone Arms was heaving with Christmas revellers, creating even more of a racket than in the Youth Centre.

‘’Tis the season to be jolly – well, it would be if I had a bloody drink in tow,’ Robbie stated as they stood three-deep at the bar just as the Last Orders bell was rung.

Gordon felt a little odd being in such close proximity to someone other than Chris. He still missed him terribly but he knew he had to move on for his own sanity – and Robbie was really hot.

They managed to get a drink and within what seemed like minutes they were being asked to leave.

Robbie lit a cigarette as soon as they got outside and put his other hand deep into his coat pocket. He began jogging from one leg to the other to try and keep warm.

‘It’ll stunt your growth,’ Gordon joked, and they both laughed.

‘Got to die of something,’ Robbie shrugged, but he dropped the cigarette, put his foot on the butt and stubbed it out. ‘Right, where to now? I’m guessing not to yours. I mean, your wife might not take too kindly to a raving homo appearing in the midnight hour.’

Gordon laughed. ‘No wife – just beautiful children who are used to following the Yellow Brick Road with me. But I wouldn’t want them to wake and see you, not until I’ve properly introduced you anyway,’ he carried on cautiously.

‘That’s understandable,’ Robbie replied. ‘My flatmate’s having a quiet one with a new girlfriend so I said I’d stay out as late as I could, so mine’s out of bounds too.’

‘Well, I guess that’s it then. Do you want a lift?’ Gordon clicked his key fob and the orange lights of the Mini glowed almost eerily in the thick cold air.

‘No, no. I’m happy to walk. I can have another ciggie en route. I’m not far from here.’

‘OK, well erm, here’s my number,’ Gordon said, nervously handing over a scruffy piece of paper.

‘Cool, ta. Will buzz you.’ Robbie lit another cigarette and started walking away.

Robbie could hear the TV blaring when he pushed open his front door. His flatmate was lying asleep on the sofa, a couple of crushed beer cans by his feet. Robbie kissed his lips and woke him.