‘You alright, our Charlene?’ Christine Baker asks, giving her a playful prod as she passes behind where she sits staring blankly at the television.
‘Yeah’ Charlene barely acknowledges her presence, her hand curled round a cushion and held to her cheek as she leans her elbow on the arm of the sofa.
‘You look right miserable’ Her mother lifts Charlene’s feet from the second of the three seat cushions and sits down, dropping them onto her knees and giving them a comforting rub. ‘You worried about summat?’ She glances at the television screen, squinting a little. ’There’s a good film on in a minute, got that bloke in you likes, that’ll cheer you up’ she says, patting her shin and rubbing briskly.
‘Might’ Charlene shrugs disinterestedly.
‘Shall I make you a nice sandwich?’ Christine chivvies ‘I’ve got a nice bit of ham…and there’s a tomato what int gone mushy yet’
‘Nah’ Her nose wrinkles.
‘You worried ‘bout that job a yours, I thought you liked it?’
‘I do. Ingrid’s ever so nice and she don’t mind if I makes a mistake, she says it don’t matter cos I’m learning’
‘Then what’s up, love?’ Christine asks with soft voiced concern ‘It int like you t’be all grumpy’
‘I int grumpy…S’pose I just feel a bit …off’
‘Why?’
‘I dunno’
‘You got a nice job with a bit o’money and made a few nice friends…’
‘Yeah’
‘Didn’t you have a nice time when you was out last night? You was back early, I know, cos I heard you come in’
‘It were alright’ Charlene shrugs again.
‘Who’s upset you, love? You generally don’t get in ‘til gawd knows what time. You have a row with one a your mates?’
‘No’ Charlene hedges.
‘Come on…we got a couple a minutes before the film…you tell yer Mum. Here…you want one a these sweets?’ Christine leans across Charlene’s legs to reach a box of liquorice allsorts on the table in front of them.
Charlene shakes her head.
‘What is it then, eh?’ she asks, popping a sweet into her mouth and chewing.
‘I got in a fight’ Charlene’s chin trembles and she presses her lips together to stop from crying.
‘You what!’
‘I got in a fight…and if Ingrid gets to hear…she’ll probably gimme the sack. I don’t want to lose me job, Mum, I likes it there’
‘What happened, sweetheart? You can tell me. Did you start it?’
‘No…not really…though I s’pose I hit her first’
‘Int that starting it?’
‘She come at me, look!’ Charlene pulls down the neck of her sweater to reveal parallel lines of deep scratches at the base of her throat.
‘Blimey…that does look sore, you been bathing it?’ Christine asks, holding the fabric away to get a better look. ‘Needs summat on it that does. What did you do, get off with her boyfriend or something?’
‘No…I never seen her before in me life, I wouldn’t even know who her boyfriend is!…She….she used to have the job I’m doing now’
‘That why she come at you? Evil little bitch, bet them fingernails never seen a day’s hard work’ Christine makes a sucking noise between her teeth. ‘No wonder you’re feeling a bit low. Bet that don’t half hurt’
‘She said what I was a traitor or summat. I dint know what she was on about. Then she said what me getting the job must’ve been because I been to bed with Nathan!’
‘You int have you?’
‘No, I ain’t. He give me a hug when I went t’see him that time but I int never slept with him’
‘How’s she know who you was?’
‘Dunno’
‘Did they fetch the police, you in lots a trouble?’
‘No…nobody saw ‘cept them what was in the Ladies. It was horrible, Mum…’ Charlene rubs at her eyes, determined not to cry. ‘I don’t likes fighting, you know I don’t but I had t’do summat t’get her off me’
‘I reckon what you should tell that Ingrid. Straight up, I do’ Christine sits back and folds her arms. ‘It weren’t your fault and if that gal’s out t’make trouble..’
‘Thing is…her Dad works there. He’s alright with me, he’s nice an’ all…but he might get funny if I say anything’
‘Well, that’s up to you, girl, but I would let ‘em know’
‘It int for long though, is it?…’ Charlene sighs ‘Me job, I mean. It’s only while they get someone else in…I’ll be alright’
‘But if her’s like that with you, she’s going t’be the same with them, int she? That int fair on nobody. Didn’t she just walk out, int that what you told me?’
‘Yeah, that’s why they wanted someone quick’
‘Then what right’s she got t’take it out on you?’
‘Oh, I dunno, p’raps she thought what they’d have her back…but Ingrid said she was rubbish…well, not in them words, but I knows what she means when she don’t say nothing. P’raps I’d best not go in any more’
‘You sit tight, my girl’ Christine pats her leg ‘You’re enjoying that job…and from what you been telling me, you’re doing all right at it an’ all. You’ll get a nice ref’rence if you stays ‘til they don’t want you no more’
‘They might not want me now, when they finds out what I done’ Charlene blinks back tears.
‘Don’t you worry, my duck, they won’t say nothing’ Her mother’s mouth sets determinedly. ‘Come on, film’s starting in a minute, let’s get a drink, shall we?’
17 Allington Terrace, Woodbury
Chapter Seven
The Petersbury Country Hotel
The barman watches, reassured as Sandra seems relaxed; laughing as she talks and smiling at the man sitting next to her. He takes a tray to clear the glasses from their table.
‘I’ll be closing up in a few minutes. The bar in the main lounge will still be open if you need another drink afterwards. Can I get you anything now?’
‘No’ Sandra smiles up at him ‘I think I’ll call it a night myself but thank you’
‘Sir?’
‘No, nothing for me’
He makes a slight bow and carries the tray back to the bar, pulling down the security grille to half way and closing the flap behind him before starting to wash the few remaining glasses.
‘A nightcap in my room?’ The man asks.
‘Didn’t you say ‘no strings’?’
‘Come on…haven’t we had some fun?’
‘I have enjoyed myself, yes’
‘Then what say we enjoy ourselves a bit longer?’
Sandra bites her lip, hesitating.
‘Come on’ the man coaxes ‘Isn’t this what we’ve been leading up to?’
‘Ok’ she whispers.
He grins and stands up, holding his hand out to her.
