Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle (33 page)

‘Oh yeah, doing what?'

‘Old Jack Spencer is retiring and Derek's taking over. He'll be managing the gym, and is already talking about offering more kids boxing lessons.'

‘What about his stall?'

‘According to the jungle drums, he's keen to give it up, and you can't blame him.'

‘What's that supposed to mean?'

‘Come on, mate, it doesn't take much working out. Pearl made a fool of him, but I reckon he still ain't over her. I know she's your wife now, but a lot of people ain't got any time for her.'

Kevin relaxed. Yeah, Pearl had taken the fall, and as long as the locals continued to think that, he had nothing to worry about. He finished his beer, but with little money left he knew he only had enough for one round. ‘Well, mate, if they ain't got any time for my wife, that's just too bad. Now me, I'm gonna have another drink.'

Kevin ordered three pints and the conversation turning to horse racing – a sure bet that Nobby was going to place the next day. ‘This one's a cert,' he bragged.

‘According to you they're all certs, but I reckon it's a mug's game.'

‘No it ain't,' he protested. ‘I won a few bob yesterday.'

‘Yeah, and you'll lose it tomorrow.'

Nobby protested, and for a while went on about the virtues of the horse he'd been tipped would win.

‘If you want to waste your money that's up to you, but right now, as you're so flush, when we've finished these, it's your round.'

Nobby got them in, and as they stood chatting a few people came up to congratulate Kevin, but he felt it was half-hearted. None offered to buy him a drink, and as he swallowed the last dregs in his glass, Kevin decided he'd have to leave before his turn came round again.

‘Right, I'm off to service my lovely wife.'

The others laughed, and as Kevin walked
outside, the cold air hit him. He wasn't drunk, it would take more than three pints to do that, but he felt mellow. It only took him a few minutes to walk home, and as he went upstairs to the flat he found it in darkness. With such an early morning start, his parents were rarely up after ten, and doing his best to tiptoe, he made for his bedroom.

Pearl was sitting up in bed when he walked in, the bedside light illuminating her wan face. She looked miserable, her huge eyes moist as she gazed at him.

‘For Gawd's sake, what's the matter with you?'

At his tone she stiffened, her reply barely a whisper. ‘N … nothing.'

With a new double bed in it, the room was a bit cramped, and though Kevin knew he still had to go easy with Pearl, he consoled himself with the thought that any sex was better than nothing. With a grin he threw off his clothes, and scrambled in beside her. ‘Good, glad to hear it. Now come here and give me a cuddle.'

As Pearl put her arms around him, Kevin became instantly aroused. Yes, he thought, marriage did have compensations. His hand lifted her nightdress and she groaned softly as he stroked her inner thigh.

Gently, he told himself as he positioned himself above her, fighting to control the need to hurt – to dominate.

‘Kevin, did you lock up?' his mother's voice boomed as she barged into the room.

He froze above Pearl, his erection dying instantly. ‘Christ, Mum, you could have knocked.'

‘Huh, yes, I can see that,' she said, her voice and face showing her disgust as Pearl fought to pull the blankets over them. ‘Now, as I said, did you lock up?'

‘Of course I did.'

‘Good,' she said, her lips curling with distaste, ‘and if you don't mind, keep the noise down. Some of us are trying to sleep.'

Kevin felt sick as memories of his childhood rose to haunt him. As a little boy, if he so much as touched his penis, his mother reacted with disgust, the same look he was seeing on her face now. She would tell him that he was a dirty little boy, filthy, and if he touched himself again, she wouldn't love him.

She turned on her heels, leaving the room, and Kevin now felt Pearl trembling beside him. He forced the memories away, turning on his side to gather her in his arms. Softly he began to caress her.

‘No, please, we can't,' she said, her body becoming rigid. ‘Your … your mother might hear us.'

‘Not if we're quiet,' he whispered. Yet as he made to mount her again, he thought he heard a noise outside their room, and tensed. Once again
his erection died and he threw himself away with disgust.

‘I … I'm sorry,' Pearl whispered.

Kevin clutched at her apology. Yes, it was her fault, her bloody nerves putting him off. He turned on his side, whispered a curt good night, and then closed his eyes, the drink affecting him more than he realised as he almost immediately went to sleep.

Over a week passed, and Pearl's dream of a happy marriage was already fading. They still hadn't made love and she could sense Kevin's growing impatience. It was her fault, she knew that, but with her mother-in-law just across the landing she was unable to relax. Kevin would climb into bed now, immediately turning his back, whilst Pearl remained awake, just wishing that at least he would hold her in his arms.

Kevin went out most evenings and though Bernie tried to make Pearl feel at home when she joined them in the living room, Dolly kept her eyes glued to their small television and hardly spoke.

Now, as they closed the café on Saturday and she went upstairs, Pearl swallowed deeply, trying to pluck up the courage to speak to her mother-in-law about her wages.

She made them all a drink, wondering if she
should wait until Kevin came home to offer his support. Yet surely it was just an oversight, Dolly forgetting to pay her along with the others. As she handed her mother-in-law a cup of tea, it rattled in the saucer.

‘Er … Dolly, I think you've forgotten my wages.'

‘Wages! Leave it out, girl. You're married to my son and whether I like it or not, you're part of this family now.'

‘But—'

Dolly held up her hand, forestalling any argument. ‘And, may I add, I don't take a penny for your keep. Pay indeed.'

‘But I need to buy—'

‘I can't see that you need anything,' Dolly interrupted. ‘You live rent free, and all your meals are provided. I hope you don't think I'm providing money for you to waste on fripperies.'

‘No, of course not, but my skirts won't fasten around my waist and I need a couple of maternity smocks.'

‘Well, that's soon sorted. Gertie's good with a needle and she'll be able to add a bit to your skirts. She'll run you up a couple of maternity smocks too.' Dolly rose to her feet. ‘I've got a length of material somewhere and I'll dig it out.'

Pearl watched her leave, her heart sinking. It wasn't just smocks she needed, there was underwear too. Bernie looked up from his newspaper,
eyes sympathetic, and his voice barely above a whisper. ‘I ain't got much, love, but I can give you five bob.'

‘Oh, Bernie,' Pearl whispered gratefully, only to turn sharply as Dolly returned.

‘There,' she said, holding up a piece of cream material, garishly patterned with bright pink chrysanthemums. ‘It's been stuck in the cupboard for years, but I knew it would come in handy one day. I reckon there's enough here for at least two smocks.'

‘Blimey, it looks like curtaining,' Bernie said.

‘What does that matter? She'll only be wearing smocks for a few months and there's no sense in wasting money.'

‘Well, if you say so,' Bernie said doubtfully, ‘but I don't know what people are going to think if they see Pearl dressed in that. They'll think we can't afford anything better.'

Dolly frowned. ‘Yeah, you may be right. I'll put this back in the cupboard and buy a new bit of material.'

Pearl could have hugged him. He'd obviously hit on the one thing that could make her mother-in-law change her mind: people's opinions.

As Dolly marched out of the room again, Bernie winked. ‘You have to know how to handle her,' he whispered.

‘Thanks,' Pearl mouthed, grateful that he was an ally in this strange household.

When Dolly returned, Bernie retreated into his newspaper again, and with a sigh Pearl found her fingers itching to paint, to bury her worries in art. Her supplies had run out, not only of paint, but sketching paper too, and with no money of her own, she'd be unable to buy any more. Art classes were a thing of the past now, her dream for the time being ending with her pregnancy. She missed the lessons, wishing she could still afford them, dreading the thought of another evening stuck indoors with her in-laws.

Kevin walked in at six o'clock, and for a moment Pearl brightened. It was Saturday night – perhaps he'd take her out. But her hopes were dashed when he spoke.

‘I've got to go out again. Have you ironed my white shirt, Pearl?'

‘Out again?' Bernie said, and, as though sensing how she felt, he added, ‘Are you taking Pearl with you?'

‘No. I've got a bit of business to sort out.'

‘What – on a Saturday night?' Bernie asked, eyes narrowed as he gazed at his son.

‘That's what I said, didn't I? Where's Mum?'

‘She's having a bath.'

‘Sod it. I need to talk to her. How long has she been in there?'

‘A while. What do you want to talk to her about?'

‘That's my business.'

‘No doubt you're after money again. It's about time you found yourself a job.'

‘I'm doing my best.'

Bernie shook his head in disgust. ‘You're a married man now and should think about your wife and coming child.'

‘He is looking, Bernie, really he is.'

‘Oh yeah? Well, work ain't that hard to find.'

As Dolly walked into the room wrapped in a copious blue candlewick dressing gown, her eyes narrowed. ‘Bernie, did I hear you having a go at Kevin?'

‘I was just saying that he should get a job.'

‘Keep your nose out of it, Bernie. I think I know what's best for my son and I don't want him working in some dead-end job without prospects. He has good qualifications and deserves a decent salary, not the pittances he's been offered so far.'

‘Oh, so he's applied for some jobs then?'

‘Of course he has,' Dolly snapped. ‘Ain't that right, Kevin?'

Kevin blinked rapidly, his eyes avoiding his father's. ‘Yes, but Mum, can I have a word with you in private?'

‘Of course,' she said, beckoning him to her bedroom.

Kevin followed, but not before turning to Pearl. ‘If you haven't ironed my white shirt, do it now.'

Pearl didn't move. Dolly had given her a stack of ironing yesterday, and she had done the lot, including Kevin's shirt.

Bernie said quietly, ‘She'll give him money. She always does. I know what Dolly's game is. She doesn't want to lose her precious son, but she knows that if Kevin finds work the two of you will find a place of your own. Believe me, that's the last thing my wife wants and she'll do anything to keep him here.'

‘But Kevin wants to leave as much as I do.'

‘If you say so, love, but Dolly's crafty. She knows that as long as she provides Kevin with enough pocket money to keep him happy, the lazy bugger won't look for work.'

‘But he
is
looking, he told me.'

‘Huh, and pigs might fly. I don't believe him and neither should you.'

Pearl shook her head, sure that Bernie was wrong. ‘Do you think Kevin will speak to Dolly about my wages? I still need to buy a few things.'

‘Leave it out, love. You've only been here a short while but you've seen how things stand. Kevin won't speak up for you, but maybe if you ask him, he'll drop you a few bob out of the money he gets out of his mother.'

‘Oh, yes, I'll do that,' Pearl said, brightening now.

When Kevin returned he went to their bedroom and Pearl followed. ‘Kevin, your mother isn't
paying me any wages now and I need some money.'

‘Well, don't look at me.'

‘But I need some new underwear and—'

Kevin paused in the act of throwing on his shirt, his eyes hard. ‘If you want money, you'll have to sort it out with my mother. Now bugger off and leave me in peace.'

Pearl stared at him, her heart sinking. Since their marriage he had changed, his moods mostly foul. Nowadays, as she did with Dolly, Pearl to tiptoed around him. She longed for his love, to be held in his arms, but he seemed so hard, so cold.
Oh, please let him get a job soon. Please let us find a place of our own
. Once away from his mother, Pearl was sure that she and Kevin would be fine.

Dolly's temper didn't improve, and a few days later another waitress walked out, leaving Madge to work the tables on her own.