The Secrets of Ice Cream Success (28 page)

Not sure about what he had
heard, he made the mistake of asking ‘What?’ and realised that
Vicky was about to repeat the entire narrative from the top, so he
quickly added, ‘What was that last bit about Herbert crying at your
house?’

‘
I know,
right?’ she said again, with a look of glee at being asked to
repeat the gossip. ‘It’s so weird. Someone said they had seen him
crying at the park and when he got to my house my brother asked him
about it and they got into an argument.’

‘
You mentioned
“The Other Guy”.’

‘
Ooh, yeah,
right. Apparently, according to my Brother who went and talked to
Herbert later, the lad he had an argument with at the park isn’t
really who he thinks he is. According to Herbert that lad’s father
isn’t really his father!’ Vicky said.

‘
But I’m the
guy who Herbert had an argument with at the park.’ Carlo said,
confused.

‘
No, it must
be someone else. This boy was called Leodoni.’

‘
I’m called
Leodoni.’ Carlo said.

Vicky looked uncertain, she
wasn’t used to her gossip being the source of new gossip,
especially when there was the risk that she might become a
character in it.

‘
I know, but
there must be other Leodoni’s.’ she suggested, weakly.

‘
Yes, my Mam
and my Dad.’ Carlo said, angrily standing up and walking out of the
café.

‘
He said
what?’ shouted Ben, ‘I’ll kill him!’

‘
Why would
Herbert say that?’ Abi asked, more thoughtfully.

Carlo shook his head. He hadn’t
returned to the factory that afternoon, his mind too confused to
think about work, but neither did he want to go home as he knew his
father was likely to be in his room with the diary and until he
knew what was going on he didn’t like the idea of telling his
father what Herbert had said. What he wanted to do was speak to
Randy, but it seemed he had not turned up to work either.

Carlo had eventually wandered
to Abi and Ben’s house and told them everything, at which point
Norton and Newton had been summoned for a full crisis meeting in
Ben’s bedroom, where Ben was making threats to Herbert’s wellbeing
egged on by Norton, whilst Newton and Abi took a more sober
approach.

‘
I’m sure he
was just upset and making stupid comments in the heat of the
moment.’ Newton observed.

‘
Lying, you
mean?’ Ben snarled.

‘
Oh sit down.’
Abi said. ‘Your caged Lion routine doesn’t impress us.’

Ben stopped pacing the room and
slumped on to the bed next to Norton.

‘
Speak to your
Dad.’ Norton suggested.

‘
Yeah, right.
“Hi Dad, someone said you’re not my real father. What’s up with
that?” I don’t think so.’ Carlo replied. He sighed, looking
worried. ‘I wish Uncle Randy was around. He’d know what Herbert was
talking about.’

‘
I think at
this point the only answer is to speak to Herbert to find out if he
made up the statement, and if he didn’t, where he heard it from so
we know who started the rumour.’ said Newton.

‘
Yeah, let’s
go see Herbert.’ Ben said, thumping his right hand into his left
palm.

Newton sighed. ‘We don’t want
to confront him.’ he said, ‘Merely talk to him.’

Carlo nodded. ‘I don’t think I
have any other choice.’

‘
You could
ignore it?’ Abi suggested, but it was clear that Herbert’s
accusation had already wound Carlo up too tightly and he would have
trouble letting it go now.

‘
No, I need to
know what he’s on about.’

‘
OK, are we
going now?’ Norton asked, jumping up.

‘
Yes. No… I
mean, I’m going now. By myself.’

‘
What? Why?’
Ben asked surprised. ‘You need back-up.’

‘
Look, from
what Vik told me he’s already pretty angry. But I need him to
explain what he said. If I turn up with you lot he’s going to be
really defensive and won’t tell me anything.’ Carlo
said.

‘
OK, just me.’
Ben suggested.

‘
No. He’s
scared of you already. He won’t say anything.’ Carlo said with a
sigh. ‘I need to do this one alone.’

‘
But what if
he hits you?’ Norton asked, a look of horror appearing on his
face.

‘
Then he hits
me. I’m not scared. I need to know.’

Newton and Norton looked at
Carlo with wonder, whereas Ben looked frustrated and Abi just
scared.

‘
I think
you’re right.’ she said, remembering her attempt to help Herbert
the night before. ‘If we’re there, you won’t get anywhere. You need
to talk to him alone.’

Ben looked pained. ‘I don’t
like this. I always back you up. We all back each other.’

Carlo shrugged. ‘Not this time,
mate. Not this time.’

As Carlo left Abi and Ben’s
house, with Ben still objecting, he had briefly thought about going
home first to see if Randy was there, but he had called a number of
times already that evening without an answer so he knew it was
probably a waste of time. Wherever Randy was, he couldn’t wait for
him now. He needed answers.

As he rode his bike towards
Herbert’s house, he tried to think of a rational reason for his
remark. The others were probably right and Herbert was just
embarrassed about being found crying and was trying to deflect the
attention, but then why choose Carlo? None of Herbert’s other
friend knew or would care about him. It didn’t really make sense to
Carlo. “His father is not his real father?” It was such a stupid
thing to say.

Carlo became angrier as he
pedalled and by the time he reached the Fitzherbert house he was
ready to start shouting, but his anger disappeared as Herbert’s Mum
answered the door and Carlo was faced with usual teenage
awkwardness when having to talk to a parent.

‘
Oh, hi Mrs
Fitzherbert. Is Herbert home?’

‘
Hi. I’m ever
so sorry, I’m not sure I remember which one you are.’

‘
Carlo, Mrs
Fitzherbert. Carlo Leodoni.’

‘
Oh, yes. Mr
Leodoni’s youngest. I was so sorry to hear about your Dad. He was a
lovely man.’

‘
You knew my
Dad?’ Carlo asked in surprise.

‘
Yes, of
course. We often bumped into him on an evening out with your lovely
Mum and Randolph, of course.’ Mrs Fitzherbert said. ‘Come in, come
in. Can I get you a drink?’ She ushered Carlo into the
hallway.

‘
No, thank
you.’ he said, politely, feeling he was being undermined by
Herbert’s Mum being nice to him. He tried to regain the momentum.
‘Is Herbert here?’

‘
Yes, he’s up
in his room. To tell you the truth I didn’t realise you two knew
each other. It’s nice to know he has some young friends still. He
hangs around that factory most of the time now and all his other
friends have gone off to college. Why don’t you go on up and say hi
to him? He could do with some cheering up. He’s been in a terrible
mood all day. You go on up and I’ll rustle up some sandwiches for
you both.’ she finished, bustling off to the kitchen before Carlo
could decline the offer.

Sighing, he trudged slowly
upstairs, not actually sure which room he was looking for, but in
the three bedroomed house it soon became obvious when Carlo saw
that one of the doors had a large poster of a shiny sports car
stuck to it and a sign underneath that simply read “No Entry. By
Order of Bert”.

It had never occurred to Carlo
that Herbert went by the name Bert. It seemed far too good-humoured
for him. From inside he could hear loud music that sounded less
than good humoured. It sounded angry; the music a Herbert would
play rather than a Bert.

Carlo knocked timidly on the
door feeling uneasy now he was there. Hearing no response he
briefly wondered if he should take the opportunity to leave while
he could, but that would still leave him none the wiser and Mrs
Fitzherbert was bound to mention his visit. Composing himself he
took a breath and knocked harder.

‘
Go away!’
Herbert shouted over the music.

Carlo wondered what to do next.
He was about to say, “It’s me” but realised Herbert would be
unlikely to guess who “me” was. He ruled out just walking in; he
would be unhappy if someone just walked into his bedroom,
especially someone he didn’t like.

He decided to try knocking
again.

‘
I said go
away, Mum! I told you I don’t want any dinner!’ Herbert bellowed
from behind the door, this time wrenching it open. ‘What do you
wa…’ he started, pausing in surprise when he found Carlo stood
there rather than his mother.

‘
Hi.’ Carlo
said, rather inadequately.

Herbert looked too confused to
say anything. ‘How… what..?’ he stammered as his emotions ran
through surprise, anger and then anxiety as his Mother shouted up
the stairs.

‘
Do you two
want lemonade with your sandwiches?’

Herbert glanced down the stairs
to make sure she wasn’t coming and then whispered ‘Get in here!’ to
Carlo, opening the door for him. ‘What are you doing here?’ Herbert
asked, turning the music down enough for them to talk, but keeping
it loud enough so his Mother couldn’t hear from outside.

‘
We need to
talk.’ Carlo said, trying to find a space to stand that wasn’t
covered with old clothes or car magazines.

‘
I’ve got
nothing to say to you!’ Herbert said, sitting on his bed and
picking up the magazine he was reading.

‘
Well I’ve got
something to say to you.’

‘
If you’re
here to apologise, forget it. I don’t want to hear it.’

This took Carlo by surprise and
he momentarily forgot his own question. ‘Apologise for what?’

‘
For getting
me the sack.’

‘
What? How is
that my fault?’ Carlo asked in disbelief.

‘
God, you just
don’t get it do you? You’re not even supposed to be there
anymore.’

‘
Not supposed
to be where?’ Carlo asked, confused.

‘
My Uncle got
me the job at Hill’s. He’ll be furious!’ Herbert ranted on,
ignoring Carlo. ‘He’ll never let me work for him now I’ve been
sacked!’

‘
Look, you
getting the sack is nothing to do with me and anyway that’s not why
I’m here.’

‘
Why are you
here? Come to gloat?’

There was no way of Carlo going
on without letting Herbert know that his friend, Vik’s brother, had
failed miserably keeping what had happened the previous night to
himself. Carlo took a deep breath and dived straight in. ‘I spoke
to Vicky Dearlove earlier.’ he said.

Herbert raised his eyebrows.
‘So? Why you telling me?’

‘
She said you
were at her house last night after the party and you said some
things…’

‘
I’m going to
kill him!’ Herbert jumped up, making Carlo take a step backwards.
‘What did she say? Does everyone know I was…’ Herbert stopped,
unwilling to tell Carlo he had been crying again.

No.’ Carlo protested, ‘No, she
just said that you mentioned something about me… about my father. I
just wanted to know what you said.’

Herbert smiled and sat back
down. ‘Oh, that. Finally know the truth do you?’

‘
What truth?
What are you talking about?’

‘
Well, I’ve
known for ages. I’m surprised it’s taken this long for you to find
out. Apparently it isn’t even that much of a secret.’

‘
What?’
shouted Carlo, annoyed that Herbert was seemingly enjoying winding
him up.

‘
That ice
cream factory doesn’t belong to you.’ Herbert said, ‘Your Dad isn’t
even your Dad!’

‘
What the hell
are you talking about?’ Carlo shouted stepping towards him. ‘That’s
a lie!’

‘
Think what
you want.’ Herbert replied with an arrogant shrug. ‘But I know the
truth.’

Carlo felt so angry that this
boy was making up stories about his family that his insides burnt
as he restrained himself from screaming at Herbert.

‘
You’re just
making this up to get back at me.’ he said through gritted
teeth.

‘
Am I? Well,
my uncle told me and he was around at the time.
Most people knew before you were even born. Seems you are the
last to know.’

‘
Your Uncle
told you? Who’s your Uncle? What did he tell you?’

Herbert smiled entirely without
humour and turned away from Carlo as if what he was saying was of
little consequence. ‘He told me, little boy, that you’re not even a
Leodoni.’ he said, turning his head to give Carlo a slight
wink.

Carlo couldn’t contain himself
any longer. He jumped forward, grabbed Herbert’s shoulder pulling
him around and threw all his weight behind his right fist, slamming
it into the side of the older boy’s temple. The rather
unsophisticated punch may have lacked a boxer’s finesse, but it
carried enough power, coupled with a large amount of shock, to
knock Herbert onto his bed where Carlo fell on top of him with the
momentum of the punch. Using his full body weight to good advantage
Carlo rained poorly executed punches down upon Herbert, causing
little damage as they mostly struck his arms, but the ferocity of
the attack kept Herbert from retaliating as Carlo shouted ‘Who told
you? Who told you?’ through tears of rage and confusion.