The School Gates (16 page)

‘Yeah, good, thanks. Sorry I’ve not been in touch. I had a couple of weeks off after Christmas and you know what mums are like. Mine insisted on feeding me up like next year’s turkey before I left.’ The blank face of his mother flashed through his mind, as Gordon laughed.

‘Yeah, mums eh.’

‘Well, I’m glad you’re here today as it saves me a phone call. Fancy a drink sometime this week?’

‘Yeah, OK. I’m on standby for the next three days, but if this weather holds out I don’t think anything will be going from Heathrow.’ So much for him being strong and telling Robbie to pee off when he eventually made contact, Gordon thought.

Robbie scribbled on the back of a receipt. ‘Here, take my number. Just let me know when’s good for you.’

Mo in her lateness tried to run up to Rosie’s class, and in doing so, slipped in the wet snow and fell flat on her back. The tread on her shoes was so worn that she struggled to get up.

‘Like a bloody stag beetle,’ Emily Pritchard announced to no one in particular.

‘At least they have a backbone,’ Joan sniped back, rushing to her friend’s side. ‘Are you OK, love?’

‘Just my pride a little bruised, I think. Thanks God Rosie didn’t see me – she’d have died of embarrassment.’ Both women laughed.

Dana appeared in her snow boots and fur-lined silver hooded anorak. She felt unusually tired and put it down to the IVF drugs. She was thankful of the 4x4 today, as there was no way they could easily get up the hill to their house otherwise.

The little people rushed around grabbing coats and food boxes, chattering with excitement at their impending journeys home in the snow. Mr Chambers came to the door and checked out whose parents had arrived.

‘It’s highly likely we may not open tomorrow if the forecast is to be believed,’ he announced, the loud cheering of his charges behind him drowning out the groans of several parents.

‘Please keep checking the school website. Hopefully we’ll get an early decision and a text out to all so nobody has a wasted journey.’

‘Thanks, Mr Chambers,’ Emily Pritchard said obsequiously, just as Joan imagined the stuck-up old bag would have slimed up to her own teachers at school.

‘Right – Lily, Lola, Josh, Rosie – come on. You’ve all got homes to go to,’ the teacher continued.

Dana noticed Mo rubbing her back.

‘If anyone who’s walked here would like a lift, I’ve got room for three more,’ the pretty Czech announced.

Mo recognised Dana from the café and said gratefully, ‘Ooh, yes, please,’

‘Oh, you saviour,’ Emily Pritchard announced loudly. ‘Joshy, Petula and I would just love a lift. This snow is just so ghastly.’

‘Too late – I’m full. Sorry, Emily,’ Dana said with complete joy.

‘Now who was it sang “The Long and Winding Road”, Mo?’ Joan joked, gathering her brood for the chilly walk home.

Alana finished off her conference call with the German venue, sat back on her study chair and let out a big sigh. Thank heavens for technology, she thought. At least she could be ill in the comfort of her own home and still not fall behind with work – especially as there was a big launch coming up in Berlin. Sadie from SM Public Relations was doing a fine job but without Stephen at the helm, Alana lacked confidence in the whole event.

She crossed another day off her calendar and tears pricked her eyes. Not long now and he would be back from wherever he was. She had imagined all sorts of scenarios. Stephen being ill. His wife being ill. Maybe a breakdown at the fact that he hadn’t been involved with bringing up his own child. She couldn’t bear to think that he had turned his back on her and Eliska, even though after the way she had behaved he had every right to. But, no – he was too strong for that, wasn’t he?

She put her hand on her abdomen. And now there was another little baby on the way. A little baby, and even she couldn’t be sure who the daddy was. She ruffled her hair as if to clear her thoughts. Right now, the baby was just a little bundle of cells inside of her and it would be far too complicated and selfish to even consider going ahead with this pregnancy.

She turned to her computer and did a search for private clinics. Just as she was about to pick up the phone to make an appointment, the front door bell rang.

‘Mummeee!’ Eliska belted through the front door. ‘Can Tommy come for tea and make a snowman?’

‘What – now, sweetheart?’

‘He’s in the car.’ She opened the front door more widely and waved vigorously at Dana’s silver 4x4. Alana thought of all the times that Dana had been her saviour, so she gave in.

‘All right then, but we’ll have to get a take-away. I’ve got no food in.’

Dana walked carefully up the icy path and stopped in the porch.

‘Sorry it’s such short notice, but Eliska was insistent it was Tommy’s turn to come to you.’

‘It’s fine. I’m just a bit confused to see you as Robbie was supposed to be getting her.’

‘He did. I just dropped Mo and Rosie off, saw Robbie and Eliska walking – or should I say skidding in the snow – so dropped him at the Youth Centre and came straight here. He said he was going to text you.’

‘He probably did. I’ve been on a call.’

Dana suddenly went very pale and very quiet. She put her hand to her forehead.

‘Sorry Alana, can I come in? Suddenly feel a bit dizzy,’ she said quietly.

Alana ushered her to the kitchen table and put a glass of water down next to her. She caught a glimpse of Tommy and Eliska through the window, running around like mad things throwing snowballs at each other.

Dana took a sip of water and sat upright.

‘That’s better. Thanks. How embarrassing.’

‘Not pregnant, are you?’ Alana said instinctively.

‘I wish, I wish,’ Dana replied. ‘I’ve been trying for a long time now, after Tommy. I think I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. Always in three places at one time, me.’

‘Oh, right,’ was all Alana could muster, feeling already that too much had been said. ‘Well, if you’re OK now, sorry to rush you off but I have another quick call to make and then I shall order the children some tea. I’ll ring for a taxi for Tommy later – it’s too damn snowy to drive.’

Dana was horrified at the other woman’s uncaring attitude but didn’t show it. ‘It’s fine. I’ve got to pick Mark up from the station at seven, so I’ll drop by then and get him.’

Dana got into her car, thinking how glad she was that she hadn’t confided in Alana about the dizziness being caused by the IVF. She was more than happy to give anyone a chance and yes, she wanted to make new friends. But Alana Murray was a hard icicle to melt and Dana didn’t have the energy at the moment to even want to try.

Alana went straight to her study and picked up the house phone.

‘Good afternoon, the Salisbury Clinic, Rene speaking, how can I help?’ the posh voice at the end relayed.

The elated screams of Eliska and Tommy playing caught Alana’s ear.

‘Oh, er, sorry – wrong number.’

Alana put her hand to her stomach, tears rolling down her face. She keyed in Stephen’s number. The mobile you are calling is switched off.

‘Where are you?’ she shouted to the air. ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’

‘Kat and Alfie won’t stop fighting, Daddy,’ Lily screeched from the bedroom. ‘And Lola won’t let me play with them.’

Gordon raised his eyebrows at Inga and put down the newspaper he was reading. Lola then came tearing into the lounge showing off a small scratch on her hand.

‘Lily made Kat scratch me,’ Lola whined.

‘Right, that’s it.’ Gordon got up. ‘Lily, in here now.’

Inga gathered both girls on her lap as Gordon headed to the bedroom.

As he pushed open the door, the black tom shimmied up the Hannah Montana curtains and the smaller prettier tortoiseshell just looked at him as if to say, ‘Wasn’t me.’

Gordon retrieved them both and shut them in the kitchen. He then walked back into the lounge to address his girls. ‘Right, you two. You are very lucky to have Kat and Alfie. You know that I didn’t really want any more pets, so you must play nicely with them, do you hear?’

‘Yes, Daddy,’ they said in unison.

‘No wonder they fight if all they’ve got to go on is you two monkeys shouting at each other. You must set them a better example. The kittens are in the kitchen for now having their tea, so leave them be for a bit, OK?’

‘OK,’ they chorused..

‘I’m hungry,’ Lily then piped up.

‘Dinner eez in half an hour,’ Inga told her.

Gordon started to laugh when the twins were out of sight.

‘I can see why Chris hot-footed it now. It isn’t easy, this parenting lark, now is it?’

Inga laughed back. ‘Gordon, kittens eez nothing. Wait until it’s boys they are fighting over.’

Her voice then softened. ‘Any news from Chris?’

‘Yes, actually. The Christmas card that I showed you, and an email last week. He’s moved back in with his brother in Toronto as a base for now.’

‘Do you still miss him?’

‘Of course, but it’s getting easier. Time is a healer, that’s for sure. The girls rarely mention him now.’

‘You gotta fight, fight fight fight fight for this love,’ Inga sang.

‘Don’t give up your day job, will you. No, there’s no need to fight. He will always have a place in my heart. He’s moved on and I have to respect that.’

‘And there are just so many men and so little of the time.’

‘You saying I’m a slut or something, Inga Gowenska?’ They both laughed.

‘Talking of sluts,’ Gordon continued. ‘Can you babysit on Thursday? I think it’s time that little ol’ me had some fun.’

‘I’m signing up for Weight Busters on Thursday,’ Mo announced as she and Joan marched around the park. ‘It’s the only way I am going to lose more weight: shame myself into it. You up for it?’

‘Ooh I don’t know,’ Joan grimaced.

‘Oh come on, if it’s too awful we can just stop going. And I’ve chosen one in Micklehurst, so we are unlikely to bump into anyone we know.’

‘I’ve heard that if you put on even a pound they make you strip naked and beat you with cheese straws,’ Joan sniggered.

‘Maybe we should make a film of that and sell it at the school fete – imagine old Preachy Knickers’ face,’ Mo said.

‘She’d probably want to star in it with those knockers.’

They both giggled like schoolgirls. Cissy joined in from her pushchair.

‘Here, let me take her.’ Mo took the handles. ‘Increases the heart-rate, evidently.’

Rosie, Clark, Kent and Skye shrieked as they did relays down the slide.

‘It’s good to see you laughing, Mo.’

‘It’s good to laugh. Although on a serious note, Joanie, I’m actually in a dilemma.’

‘Oh, mate. What is it?’

‘Well, it’s good that Ron has stopped drinking but I was foolish thinking that it would be plain sailing. He’s so agitated at night and when he does eventually go to bed, his sleep is so disturbed that he wakes me all of the time. He still has night sweats and I know he’s really trying not to be, but he’s so bloody moody. I’ve been cooking him lots of nice food to compensate for the lack of alcohol, but he pushes it away saying he’s not hungry half the time.’

‘Oh, Mo.’

‘And do you know what the worst thing is?’

‘Go on,’ Joan urged.

‘I am sick and tired of looking after him. I just want someone to worry about me and Rosie for a change. One day, it would be just so lovely to come home to a cooked meal, a bunch of flowers or even just a bloody cup of tea. I’ve been treading on eggshells for years now – and yes, I know that alcoholism is a disease, but he’s hurt me, Joan. He’s hit me. He’s scared Rosie and I’ve just about had enough.’

‘Is the Escape Fund still going?’ Joan enquired.

Mo started pushing Cissy faster at the thought of her son failing her. She let out a big sigh.

‘There is no Escape Fund. Charlie took it.’

‘Mo, I can’t believe you sometimes.’

‘Oh no, I didn’t give it to him. He took it without me knowing and then upped and left back to London. It probably paid his rent somewhere or got him a few eighths of pot.’

Joan felt herself squirm as Mo went on.

‘My Charlie may be a pretty face, Joanie, but with one bat of those long lashes and a flash of that perfect smile, he could strip a girl naked of both her clothes and her wallet. I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve had to bail him out.’

‘I would never ever have guessed. He always treated me so well,’ Joan said, chastened and only now realising the enormity of her own misdemeanour with the young lad.

‘He was living rent-free and you were cooking his dinners, of course he was,’ Mo replied curtly, ‘but you love ‘em unconditionally, don’t you? He’s not a bad kid really and he’s still only young. Let’s hope knowledge and experience will teach him some respect. Because a good clip round the ear and countless heart-to-hearts haven’t worked before.’

Both ladies were becoming quite short of breath as they started their third lap.

Joan was more than happy to keep pressing about Charlie. The more distance between him and everyone, the better now. Perish the thought of him ever telling all.