The School Gates (21 page)

‘Drive carefully, eh?’

She smiled up at him. ‘I will.’

– Chapter Eighteen –

‘Clark! Will you please do as you are told and bring your dirty washing down.’

‘Cissy, no! Squidge is patient but don’t steal his biscuit off him or he will bite you.’

‘Skye, you can’t wear red socks to school, no.’

‘Morning, love.’ Colin Brown appeared at the breakfast table in his suit.

‘Whatever is Kent doing upstairs?’ Joan asked, harassed.

‘He’s still in the toilet, I think.’

‘Right, you lovely lot, breakfast, come on,’ she bawled.

‘Or we’ll be late.’

‘TFI Friday, my sweet, oh and Happy Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t get us a babysitter, so next best thing. We shall have a take-away curry instead.’

‘You old softy – sorry, I had completely forgotten. I love you to your bones – you know that.’ She kissed her husband on the cheek.

‘Right, must go. See you later, you lot. Be good for your mum.’

‘See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya,’ Clark piped up.

‘Daddeeeee.’ Cissy waddled over to him and gave him a squashy kiss.

‘Bye, Skye.’ Colin mucked up her hair. ‘Bye, Kent,’ he shouted up the stairs.

‘Bye, darling wifey.’

‘Can we swap places for the day, please?’ Joan laughed.

‘I will help you tomorrow, darling I promise.’

Inga ran the twins up to the classroom, reddening slightly when she saw Kenny Boy. It wouldn’t have been quite so embarrassing if she hadn’t just opened a Valentine so obviously from him with just the words inside I want to fuck you till you scream. I mean really, where had romance gone?

On seeing his bottom in his tight designer jeans and his quirky beanie hat, she actually was quite up for it again.

He came bounding over to her and stared right into her eyes. ‘Emily mentioned Friday night to you, I take it?’

‘She did, Kenneth,’ Inga replied politely. ‘I can’t make it, I’m afraid, as Gordon needs me.’ She lowered her voice. ‘But, I can be home naked in ten minutes for me to give you a Valentine’s Day treat you’ll never ever forget.’

‘We’ll have to be quick,’ he replied, already hardening in his tight jeans.

‘I’m good at quick – oh, and at screaming,’ she murmured seductively. Loving the power she had over weak, wet Ken.

She swiftly turned around and bumped straight into Alana, who was rushing up the drive with Eliska.

‘So sorry. Oh, hi Alana.’

‘No worries. All OK with you, Inga?’

‘Yes, yes. Thank you.’ God, what was wrong with her? Inga thought. She had never known her ex-boss to be so polite.

Alana was indeed in a good mood. Well, in a mood of hope anyway. Hope that maybe, just maybe, Stephen would want to be with her eventually. Mind you, she had not heard a word since the night she turned up at his house. He had wanted time, and she would be patient and give it to him. She knew it was the only way. She had, however, sent him a single red rose for Valentine’s.

Joan rushed her brood and Rosie into their various classrooms. Cissy was sleeping in the cat basket on the front of her bike, despite the fact she was now far too big for it and her legs hung down precariously. Joan had on her long list of things to do – buy a proper bike seat.

She was seconds away from the Late Book as Mr Chambers appeared. He wore a red bow tie today. He smiled broadly on seeing his favourite mum.

‘May I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day, Joan. The sun is out too. You’d best get your shelf ready for three more cards later.’

‘Great stuff. You have a good day with all those terrors too. At least they can go outside and play in this weather.’

Tommy scooted in under Mr Chambers’ arm.

‘I shall pretend I didn’t notice you, Tommy Knight,’ he called out. ‘Right, in I go. See you later.’

Joan got on her bike and headed off home; rounding the corner, she had to slam on her brakes as Kenneth Pritchard screeched away from the school, nearly knocking her off.

What an earth could be so important to have to drive that fast? she thought.

Joan got back home from the school run, put Cissy down for her morning sleep and made herself a cup of tea. She had got used to replacing her customary biscuit with a piece of fruit and was on a mission to get this weight off her by the summer.

She started to go through the washing pile, sorting whites and emptying pockets. She got to the pair of jeans she had been wearing the night of Weight Busters and pulled out a business card.

Strange. She didn’t remember putting that in there. She screwed up her face and had a good look. On one side it said Charles Lake, Private Detective and a mobile number; on the other, in scribbled handwriting: Maureen’s friend, call me without her knowing, please.

She sat down and took a slurp of her now lukewarm tea. Oh, God, what if he fancied her? I mean, he was such a womaniser. What on earth could he want to speak to her about? Should she ring Mo and just tell her? No, because if he did fancy her, that would just be so terrible. She had only just cleared her head of sleeping with her friend’s son, for goodness sake! Joan had managed to absolve herself of that terrible guilt by realising she was deeply in love with her husband; she also knew that her friend might disown her if she knew.

It was a terrible thing to admit, but she was actually glad that Charlie junior had stolen the Freedom Fund and cleared off out of sight, out of mind and out of ruining her life and those of the people around her. What a mess.

Right, decision made, she would phone him after lunch. If it was anything to do with him fancying her, then she would tell Mo straight away. She couldn’t bear any more deceit.

The doorbell rang. ‘Delivery for Mrs J. Brown,’ the young delivery driver stated, handing over a bouquet of a dozen old-fashioned, beautiful-smelling deep red roses. Happy Valentine’s Day, love read the accompanying card.

‘Silly old sod,’ she said under her breath, knowing they couldn’t really afford to do this. But he had done it every year since they’d got together, and Colin was a creature of habit. And, for this, she was actually eternally grateful.

‘Charlie, Charlie Lake? It’s Joan here – Maureen Collins’ friend.’

‘Joan? Oh, yes. Thanks, gel, for calling me back.’

‘How can I help you?’

‘Now seeing as you are so close to young Maureen, well, I wondered if maybe we could meet up.’

‘What for?’

‘I want to talk to you about Maureen. Maureen and her boy.’

Joan crinkled her face up. He knew about Charlie!

‘Can’t we just talk on the phone?’

‘No – it’s not the time or the place at the moment. You live in Denbury, right?’

‘How did you know that?’ Joan quizzed, then suddenly remembered he was a private detective and shut up.

‘Details, details,’ Charlie senior blustered. ‘How about I meet you in Rosco’s at ten-thirty tomorrow? I’ve got to meet another client soon after in Denbury anyway. Maureen will be at work then – right?’

‘Um, I’m not…’ Joan spluttered.

‘Right, see ya then, gel. It won’t take long.’

Dana parked round the back of Rosco’s. Her heart was beating faster than usual. She had never cheated on anyone in her life. The kiss she had shared with Tony had just felt so perfect in the park the other night, but deep down she knew that what she was doing was wrong. She was a one-man woman. Having an affair just wasn’t in her remit.

Once they had been disturbed, she insisted that Tony just walk her home. She had not had any contact with him since.

Now she took a deep breath, walked in the back door and took off her coat. Bruno was in the back room sorting stock.

‘Morning, bella.’ He kissed her on both cheeks. Dana prayed that Tony had managed not to share what had happened with him. It seemed as if he had been discreet, since Bruno said no more.

She put on her apron and walked out into the café. It was already heaving so she set to work clearing tables. Tony, behind the counter preparing coffees, blew her a kiss and gave her a cheeky wink.

Her heart did a loop the loop and ended up in her mouth.

Why could your head never take control of this beating muscle of love? she thought. I mean, it wasn’t even that big! Her mind was made up: she would talk to Tony in their ‘lull’ break. All this had to stop. She was acting like a teenager. I mean – snogs on the swings. At her age!

‘Lull break’ time came quickly. Tony took off his apron and insisted that Dana close her eyes and hold her hands out. She opened them to find a heart-shaped pink meringue with the words Pazza di Te in white icing. Crazy for you.

‘I knew you couldn’t take a rose home. So, you can eat his, then my love will be inside you all day.’

‘Tony Rosco, what are you doing to me?’

‘Nothing yet, but I so want to be.’

‘We can’t.’

‘But I know you feel the same, Dana.’

There he was again, saying Danna, and not Darna. She melted a little bit more.

‘I’m not a bad person, Tony. I just can’t cheat on Mark and I have Tommy to think of too. I’m not that woman who can jump into bed with someone then go home and pretend life is normal. I mean, I was earlier this morning, I was trying for a baby with my husband. This isn’t right. Maybe I should stop working here.’

Tony’s face went white. ‘No, no that can’t happen. I could not bear the thought of not seeing your beautiful face three times a week.’

‘With Bruno recruiting, you could get another pretty face in within seconds. He could make sure it was not a married pretty face too.’

‘But that is the problem, mia rosa, you are so much more than a pretty face.’

‘Flattery and pink meringues will get you everywhere, but we have to be realistic, Tony.’

He walked to face her. ‘Just one more kiss then.’

‘Not here.’

‘So where and when?’

Bruno came charging into the back room.

‘Adesso! Brother. Do you want to retire to Tuscany or no?’

Dana rushed to get her apron. She would have to leave. The temptation for this beautiful man was too great. But was temptation alone enough to ruin Tommy’s life for ever? Enough to change her lifestyle completely? Maybe it was, because to be honest, Mark was the last thing she was throwing into the equation.

‘Ooh, a daytime Valentine’s fuck, how delicious, Daddio.’

‘Glad you can accommodate me. I’ll be skipping up those plane steps with a smile on my face later.’

‘If I have my way, you’ll be crawling.’

‘Promises, promises.’

Gordon ushered Robbie towards the bedroom. One of Lily’s dolls was face up in the hallway and Robbie caught his toe on it. He kicked the toy in anger and its head flew off.

‘Hey, what are you doing?’

‘Sorry, I stubbed my toe on the bloody thing.’

‘Get naked this second and I might forgive you.’

Robbie slammed the bedroom door behind him.

Two seconds later, Kenneth Pritchard tiptoed slowly down the same corridor, sweat dripping from his brow.

Joan wished wholeheartedly that she hadn’t agreed to meet Charlie Lake in Rosco’s. I mean, what was she thinking of? It was all completely innocent, she was sure, but it just didn’t feel right somehow. Whatever happened, she would be telling Mo all about it later. The deceit of sleeping with Charlie junior still hung over her, but she knew that was something that could never be divulged for the sake of her marriage and friendship.

Charlie was already sat at a table in the corner when she arrived, drinking a black coffee and reading the Daily Mail.

He stood up when he saw her. ‘Joan, how lovely to see you again.’

Joan ordered a skinny latte from Bruno. ‘So, Charlie, what’s all this about then?’

‘I just wondered how Maureen was, that’s all.’

‘Why the sudden interest?’ Joan felt very protective of her friend.

Charlie screwed up his plump face. ‘To be honest, it’s not really Maureen I’m interested in, it’s the kid. I randomly bumped into someone in my new local who had gone to the same care home as us all those years ago, and he said he had heard on the grapevine that Maureen had had a baby not long after our little dalliance.’

‘Oh, right.’

‘Once you said you both lived in Denbury, I started putting out my feelers out to see if I could find out anything more. I mean, everyone wants to know if they have a kid out there, don’t they?’

‘Mo has been with Ron for years, so you’ve had a wasted journey, I’m afraid, Charlie. And I’m not sure why you are asking me anyway?’

‘Because if Mo had wanted me to know, then she would have told me.’

‘And you think her best friend would spill the beans? I don’t think so. Sorry, Charlie, I must go.’

‘With thirty thousand pounds at stake, I thought she might.’

Joan nearly choked on her latte.

‘Thirty thousand pounds! What? Why? I don’t understand.’