Never Ever Leave Me (7 page)

“People always pee in lifts in Glasgow
, and doorways and phone boxes,” Tricia said as if the information would make the habit more acceptable.

Katy was surprised that someone would urinate in the lift when they’d clearly be seen on camera and she wondered how much effect the concierge actually had. 
When they alighted at the top floor the door facing them was open and a short, stocky man with a ruddy complexion was waiting to show them inside.  Tricia quickly greeted Bill and introduced Katy.

“The old lady who lived here didn’t die,”
he stated.  “She’s in a home.  So don’t worry the place isn’t haunted,” he laughed.  “Normally we completely clear a flat of everything even the carpets and we then offer the tenancy for the empty house, but Tricia said you don’t have anything of your own so I haven’t actually cleared out the white goods in the kitchen.  There’s laminate flooring throughout so you’ll be all right with that.  If you want the white goods you can have them but the lease will state that the flat is empty and unfurnished.  As far as anyone is concerned the white goods are your own, okay?”

Katy hadn’t realised the flat would be unfurnished because she’d never rented from the council before and it came as quite a shock.

“Thank you, you’re very kind,” she said.  Then turning to Tricia asked, “What will I do about furniture?  I have nothing and very little money.  At the very least I’ll need a bed.”

“If you want to take the flat, don’t worry, there’s a couple of charities that will help.  The Salvation Army, for one, either they’ll give you what you require or they’ll sell you second hand furniture at a very cheap price.  There’s a couple of other charities
who’ll supply you with starter packs of crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, bedding, all manner of things so don’t think about it at the moment, just concentrate on the flat and let us know if you want to take it.”

Katy walked over to the large picture window in the lounge and stared out over the city.  The view was s
pectacular.  She checked out the bedroom and was relieved to see a wardrobe and shelf unit were built in.  The bathroom was fully tiled and had a plain white suite with an electric shower over the bath.  The lounge was large enough to hold a sofa and a table and chairs and the kitchen looked new.

“That’s a new kitchen, by the way,” Bill said confirming her opinion.  “We only fitted it five month
s ago.  We supplied the new white goods as well, that’s why I’m reluctant to throw them away.  The bathroom was fitted at the same time.  It’s a good building.  We never have any trouble in this one because the concierge’s office is on the ground floor.  The block is mostly full of old folk and students, just one or two foreigners and no asylum seekers, they’re housed somewhere else.”

“You’ve sold it to me Bill,”
Katy replied smiling.  “I’m very grateful to you both for all your help.  I‘d be happy to live here if you’ll let me.”

“That’s settled then,”
the social worker said.  “I’ll sort out the paperwork and I’ll contact the charities to see what they can give you.  We’ll try to have you in by Friday.  That will give you time to get organised before you start your new job.”

As Tricia had to go on to her next appointment, Bill kindly offered to show Katy where the bus stop was so she could catch the bus back to the refuge.

“Don’t worry about living so high up,” he said as they walked across the estate.  “I grew up in a high rise flat in the Gorbals and they were nowhere near as nice as this.  In fact, the locals nicknamed the blocks after prisons.  Block A was Alcatraz, B was Barlinnie, I lived in Alcatraz on the fourteenth floor.  You get used to the height and you get used to the way of life.  These flats here in Townhead are the cream of the crop.  If they’d been privately built, in this city centre location, you’d have to pay well over £150,000 to buy one of them.”

Katy was prepared to take his word for it.  For the time being at least she was simply grateful to have a roof over her head.  After all, she’d arrived in a new location with very little to her name so she was delighted with the progress she’d made.
Now she had a new job, a new home and a new life.

CHAPTER10

After his liaison with Tracy at the pub, Gordon was complacent.  He took risks when stealing and openly tried to sell his loot to traders at the local market.  He drank too much, often didn’t wash, in fact he was a total mess so it was little wonder he wasn’t lucky with the ladies.  He had to blame someone for his lack of success and of course that someone was Katy.

“Everything’s fallen apart since my wife left me,” he moaned to anyone who’d listen.  “Even though she betrayed me I’d have her back in a heartbeat.  I love her you see.  I’ve always loved her and I always will.”

It was a load of rubbish, of course, he only loved himself, but it sounded good and sometimes a sympathetic listener would buy him a drink.  In reality he was seething.  His rage at Katy’s flight grew and grew until he could stand it no more.  Drunk, and in a fit of temper, he kicked in the glass door of the jeweller’s shop in the high street only to pass out on the pavement before he had the chance to steal anything.  Then, when the police tried to arrest him, he threw a punch which clipped one of the officers on the chin sending him sprawling.  He tried his sob story on the local magistrate, but to no avail.

“You cannot blame your wife for your appalling behaviour,” the
magistrate said.  “This isn’t the first time you’ve been drunk and disorderly and I’m afraid it’s unlikely to be the last.  On previous occasions you’ve been let off with a warning.  However, on this occasion, you assaulted a police officer and that cannot go unpunished.  I sentence you to two hundred hours of community service.  Think yourself lucky that you’ve been spared a custodial sentence.  Do not appear before me again.”

Gordon hung his head in mock shame.  Silly old fart, he thought.  I won’t ever appear here again.  I’ll track down Katy and remind her she’s my wife and when I catch up with her, she won’t get away from me again.
  Gordon drank and drank and became drunker and drunker, but through the cloud of alcohol and self pity he hatched a plan.

…

After an endless round of filling out forms, interviews by government officials and charity workers and visits to charity shops, Katy was eventually moved into her flat on Friday.  By then she was the proud owner of a nearly new double bed, a pine table with four matching chairs and an old but comfortable sofa.  A mishmash of crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, in fact practically everything she’d need to run a home, arrived in dribs and drabs throughout the day.  The elderly lady who was now her neighbour handed in a sieve.

“They never give you a strainer,” she explained.  “When I first moved in I couldn’t even strain my
peas.  My name is Mrs. Alison and I’m eighty-two years old.  I’m old enough to be most folk’s granny, though I don’t have children myself.  Everyone round here calls me Granny Alison so you can call me that too.  The concierge told me you were moving in so I got an extra steak slice from ‘Gregg’s’.  Come in for your dinner at six o’clock.  You never feel like cooking when you first move in because there are always too many other things to deal with.”

Katy was touched by the gesture.  Steak slice from Gregg’s maybe wouldn’t have been her first choice for dinner, but the idea of
some company and not having to cook appealed to her and it was always a good idea to get to know your neighbours.  Granny Alison was slim and strong looking.  She had a forceful manner and looked much younger than her years.  Katy accepted the kind invitation and thanked the old lady, then she went indoors to organise the flat as well as she could before taking the lift down to the lobby.  She’d noticed that near to her apartment block were a handful of shops which included a newsagent and general store and she made her way there.  Within the small line of shops was a launderette, an off-licence and a bookmaker and all were busy.  Surprisingly, for the city centre, surrounding the blocks of flats, were grassy areas and in some places play areas for children.

As
she walked along the street she was aware of many young people milling around.  Although a handful looked like locals wearing the customary track suits and white trainers, many were better dressed and seemed to be students.  These young people gave the whole place a trendier atmosphere and she felt comfortable in their midst.  When she reached the shop she was greeted by a well-spoken Asian girl.

“Just moved in have you?”
the girl asked.  “I don’t remember seeing you here before.  Are you a student?  What’s your name then?  I’m Seher, by the way.”

“My name is Katy and I’m not a student.  I
have just moved in.  I work for an insurance broker.”

Seher glanced beyond Katy. 
“Right, Agnes, hand me that basket and I’ll ring your stuff through.  We’re just gabbing,” she said to a plump lady of indeterminate years who was waiting patiently behind her.

As the woman stepped forward Katy saw she was wearing slippers and she was holding a television remote control.

“If I leave this with ma weans they’ll fight over it and I don’t want them breaking ma ornaments while I’m out,” she explained.

As Seher rang Agnes’ shopping through the till another couple of shoppers approached the counter.  One man simply placed coins
in front of her to pay for his paper then left saying nothing.  The other held up a packet of tea.

“Ma wife said she’ll square up tomorrow if that’s okay lass, she won’t trust me with the money in case I buy beer,” he explained.

“That’s okay, Mr. Costello, tell Eileen I’ll see her tomorrow.”

Soon the other shoppers had gone and once again
she turned to Katy.

“It can be a bit frantic in here, it’s lucky
we women know how to multi-task.  Which broker are you working for?  I’ll probably know them.  I’m actually a lawyer you see.  When my Dad died last year my wee brother took over the shop.  He’s in charge of the family now.  He’s not here because he’s taken my sister to Pakistan to meet her future husband’s relatives.  So for two weeks I’ve been left to look after the shop.  Some way to spend your summer holidays, eh?” she added and she pursed her lips to show her discontent.

“I’ve just moved to Glasgow.  I’m living up there,” Katy said pointing to the high rise building in front of the shop.  “I’m on the top floor.”

“Are you beside Granny Alison then?”

“Yes, that’s right.  Do you know everyone who lives here?
” She was impressed.

“All the regulars,” Seher replied.  “The students come and go, but some of the old biddies have been here since the flats were built and I was born here.”

Katy glanced at the clock behind the counter.  “I’d better pick up my shopping,” she said.  “Granny Alison has invited me to eat with her and I’m due there in half an hour.”

“Let me guess,” Seher said laughing, “Steak slice from Gregg’s and a wee trifle to follow.”

Katy laughed too, “You’re right about the steak slice.  I’ll let you know about the trifle tomorrow.”

“Trust me, it will be trifle,”
the girl replied.

Katy
quickly gathered up essentials, bread, milk, cheese, eggs and such like.  On Seher’s recommendation she picked up a packet of custard creams and some Typhoo tea for her neighbour.

“That way she won’t be out of pocket for your dinner,”
the girl explained.  “She always comes in to buy her tea and biscuits on a Saturday.  Granny has her pension counted out to the last penny.”

Katy
was grateful for the advice as she hadn’t considered having to survive on a low budget, but she’d be careful now.

“Have you got everything you need for your flat?” Seher asked as she rang the shopping
through the till.

“Most things, but I could do with a television and some books to read otherwise I’
ll get bored very quickly.”

The girl
reached under the counter and lifted a paperback book.

“I’ve just finished reading this.  It’s set in Glasgow and it actually mentions Townhead.  It’s very good and it grips you.  I couldn’t put it down.  I like reading
books based in Glasgow.”

S
he handed over the book which was called ‘The Unravelling of Thomas Malone’.

“You can borrow it if you’d like.  It’s about this sad, creepy
, young man whose mind slowly unravels.  He kills some people and there’s a female detective trying to solve the cases.  I like crime stories and I found this one really good.”

Katy paid for her shopping and thanked Seher for the book.

Before she left the shop the girl said, “I might be able to help you with a telly too.  My brother’s just ordered one with a forty-eight inch screen for his bedroom.  There’s nothing the matter with the old one so when he phones on Sunday I’ll ask him if I can sell it to you.  If he says okay you can have it for fifty pounds.  I’ll let you know on Monday.”

Katy was delighted.  She left the shop smiling.  If all the neighbours were as friendly
as this she’d be very happy here.

Dinner with Granny Alison proved to be much more enjoyable than
Katy could have hoped for.  She was very lively and sprightly for a lady in her eighties.