Fresh (18 page)

Maggie helped him off with his jacket and hung it on the post at the bottom of the stairs. He rubbed his hands together.

Are ye makin us a cup of tea then or what? She walked past him into the kitchen, picked up the kettle and turned to face him.

So what happened?

He pulled a chair out and sat down by the table. He drummed his fingers on his knee as he told her.

Thank Christ for that she said.

He leaned forward and put his face in his hands. He heard her fill the kettle and put it on. Then he felt her warm hands on his neck.

Ye’ve done the right thing love.

Ah fuckin hope so.

Her hands rubbed his neck as the kettle boiled.

Was my sister there?

Aye. She looked fucked.

Stupid cow. Ah suppose she’ll get the jail as well?

Aye.

Was there a lot of drugs?

Enough for the whole of Glesga to have a party.

The kettle boiled and she took her hands from his neck. She made the tea and sat at the other side of the table. Sean had a sip. It burned the tip of his tongue.

This is fuckin roastin.

Ye’d be complainin if it was cold.

Ha fuckin ha.

Maggie smiled and pulled open her fag packet. She offered him one. He took it.

He’ll get a few years this time.

She reached across the table and laid her hands on top of Sean’s.

Ah’m really proud of ye.

He looked at his wife and felt like crying. He pulled his hand away from her and rested his forehead on it as he had another draw on his fag. She stood up and took their mugs to the sink. She rinsed them out and put them on the drying rack. She walked to the press and grabbed a tea towel.

Ah might as well dry these.

Sean turned and grasped her leg and pulled her close.

Just leave them for now.

He pulled her onto his lap and pushed his head into her chest. Maggie put her arms round his shoulders and he felt her chest rise with her breath. He picked her necklace up with his mouth and sucked the end of it. She stroked his head.

Albert phoned a wee while ago.

Sean kept sucking the necklace.

He wanted to know where ye were.

Sean dropped the necklace.

What did ye tell him?

Ah just said ye had something to sort out with Archie. Ye could gie him a bell.

Ah’ll talk to him the morra.

He picked the necklace back up with his lips. They sat like that for a while before she got up and grabbed his hand.

C’mon through to the livin room.

Ah’ll just take my trainers off. Be through in a minute. Maggie left the kitchen. Sean sat and stared at the curtains. They had the same pattern as a pair his mammy had.

Ah was happy when me and Archie went to school that mornin coz it was giro day. Ah knew when we got home there would be a decent dinner for a change and my da would be in a good mood. Ah spent half the day at school tellin everybody what Ah was goin to do with ma pocket money when Ah got it.

But when we got home there was no big dinner. Our ma was sittin at the kitchen table. She was drinkin Eldorado out of her blue and white striped mug. We asked for our pocket money and she telt us we were selfish wee bastards. Just like him she said, and started greetin. Our da had went tae the post office in the mornin but he hadnay came back. Archie asked where he was. She didnay fuckin know she telt him, and put her head on her arms on the table.

Ah went over tae gie her a cuddle and she telt me
to fuck off. Ah said but Mammy and she gied me a skelp on the side of the head. Her weddin ring caught me on the cheek and dug right into my skin. Then she was greetin again, goin Ah’m sorry son and cuddlin and kissin me. The smell of drink of made me want to be sick.

She went into the livin room and sat in front of the telly. Archie made me a piece on brown sauce and telt me he was goin to Uncle Albert’s and Ah was to stay with our ma. Ah didnay want to but Ah did as Ah was telt. Ah ended up sittin in the livin room watchin her from my da’s chair. It was fuckin crazy. One minute she was callin me all the bastards and sayin it was my fault my da had fucked off. Then the next she was sayin sorry, she should be struck down for talkin like this to her youngest wean.

She staggered over and cuddled me and Ah squirmed away from her kisses. She telt me Ah was the double of my da and he wouldnay run away and leave his weans. No he wouldnay do that. She shook her head and dried her eyes. Sniffed and wiped round her nose and said it again. No he wouldnay leave his weans. Then she looked at the clock and started greetin again. Where the fuck are ye? She went back to her chair and picked up her fags. She lit one and sucked the smoke into herself as if it was the soul of my da. Then she stood up and went to the window. Where the fuck are ye Paddy?

By the time Archie came back with my uncle Albert, she’d finished the Eldorado and was fallin asleep on the couch with a fag droopin in her fingers. Albert looked at her and tutted. Archie picked the fag from her hand
and stubbed it out in the ashtray. Then they grabbed an oxter each and dragged her upstairs to her bed. When they were comin back down, Ah heard her howlin ye cannay leave me no like this.

Albert took us to his house. He pulled the cushions off the couch and made Archie a bed on the floor. Ah got to sleep on the couch.

When we were wrapped up in the blankets, he came through to tuck us in. He put his hand on my head and telt me and Archie no to worry about our ma and da. It’ll get sorted out boys, don’t worry about that. Then him and my auntie went into the kitchen. Jessie telt Albert that my da was a fuckin waster. Albert telt her to shut it in case the weans were listenin. She said they’d have to hear it one day so it might as well be now. Albert shut the door and all Ah heard after that was the rumble of his voice through the wall. Then the kettle whistled and Ah must have fell asleep, coz the next thing Ah knew it was the mornin.

My auntie Jessie filled us up with porridge and took us to school. She picked us up that night as well. We ended up stayin with them for a week before we could go back home. It was alright round there. Ye got a big dinner every night and a chocolate biscuit for afters. Ye even got the odd two bob for sweeties at school.

But when we went back home, my da still wasnay there.

We never saw him again. About a year after he fucked off, we were sittin down to our dinner and my ma started greetin. She blurted out that he’d ran away to London with some woman from Paisley. They were
stayin in a bed and breakfast in Soho. My ma said she hoped the lassie broke my da’s heart like he’d broke hers. She said it was fuckin tragic that we were two wee boys to grow up without a father to look after them, and him runnin about London with hoors and drunks. She didnay know how we were goin to cope. She telt us my da was nothin but a selfish bastard and hell could fuckin mend him as far as she was concerned. Me and Archie looked at each other and got on with our dinner.

Maggie came back into the kitchen.

So there ye are.

He kicked off his trainers and she took them into the lobby. She came back through with his slippers and he put them on. They went into the living room. He sat on the couch and she turned the telly on. He put his feet up on the coffee table. She went to the kitchen and appeared with a can of beer. He took it and sparked it open. She sat next to him and snuggled in against his body. They sat back and watched the telly.

There was a programme on about this Australian guy who wrestles with dangerous creatures. It was set in the outback. The guy had a pair of shorts on and he was circling round this big snake. He said it was one of the most poisonous reptiles in the world. The poor wee thing was trying to get away from him but the guy would run round and try and pick it up by the tail. Maggie shook her head.

That’s cruel, that is.

But the guy on the telly didn’t hear her. He eventually got hold of its tail and picked it up. It twisted and turned trying to get a bite into him. The guy said when their heads go into an S shape, that’s when you have to worry. After a while the snake seemed to give up and just hung from his hand. It was defeated and wanted to go off somewhere quiet for a bit of mouse or whatever it is they eat. But the guy wasn’t finished with it. He shook it a bit and danced round with it. Then it went into the S shape. It started to hiss. The guy said it was really angry now and he’d have to be careful because the species is known to do multiple bites. He put it back on the grass. The snake tried to slither away and the guy bent down and crawled after it. He was coming out with all this Australian talk. There you go mate. Yer all right now fella. Sean looked at Maggie.

Ah hope it turns and bites the cunt on the snout.

The phone rang and Sean flinched. Maggie got up and answered it. Sean heard the rumble of a man’s voice on the other end. Maggie held the phone towards him.

It’s Gambo for you.

Her face looked white. He picked up the phone.

Sean?

Aye.

Bad news.

Sean felt like he’d had a hard punch in the guts. He knew what was coming.

What?

He got away.

Are ye fuckin kiddin? How the fuck did that happen?

He jumped out the kitchen window.

And ye didnay have anybody coverin the backs?

They were all needed at the front door.

But ye had a van full of polis.

Gambo never said anything. Sean looked out the side of the curtains at the snowy night.

So where does that leave me?

There was a pause before Gambo answered.

Just keep yer doors locked.

What? Is that it?

Well what d’ye want me to do about it?

Send somebody round.

We cannay spare anybody Sean. We’ve got the others to question, and anyway it’s Friday night. We’re snowed under with fuckin drunks.

Aye yer a busy man.

Nay need for sarcasm.

It’s alright for you to say. Ah’m the one that’s got to deal with Archie.

All ye need to do is keep yer doors locked. If he turns up, gie’s a phone. We’ll get to ye within a quarter an hour.

That’s reassurin.

Just don’t let the cunt in yer house.

The phone went dead. Sean slammed it down. He looked at Maggie as she sat on the edge of the couch.

They’ve fucked that up. Stupid bastards. She nodded. He could see she was scared. She looked up at him.

What are we goin to do?

Sergeant O’Grady looked round with the eye of a
practised warrior. They had no rifles or gunpowder. Just sticks and knives. But he’d fought through tougher odds than this. The communication wire was intact. All they had to do was secure the gates to the fort and, when the enemy arrived, call for reinforcements.

We better make sure this place is battened up. Get the front door. Ah’ll check the back.

Maggie stood up and he walked behind her into the hall. She went to the door and tested the mortise. Then she slid the bolt across and put the chain on.

Sean looked at her wee body struggling with the locks. He sighed and went through to the back lobby. When he got there, a draught whipped the kitchen door out of his hands and slammed it closed. He almost shat himself and a flush of goose pimples ran up his back. It was freezing cold in there. He tutted and shook his head when he saw the key was in the lock.

That’s askin to get burgled, so it is.

He reached up to pull it out when a tattooed fist smashed through the window and turned the key. Sean grabbed the wrist and twisted it round the window frame. Blood flowed as it caught on the bits of broken glass. Then the wrist pulled back out and Sean let go. He pushed against the door and tried to lock it. But Archie had already started ramming it and the key wouldn’t turn.

Sir, sir.

Yes Dogby?

He’s coming sir, he’s coming.

Discipline Dogby, there’s a good chap.

Sergeant O’Grady used the weight of his shoulders
to hold the line against the enemy. He called for his men to back him up. He rallied them on as he motioned forward with his pistol. But the door kept springing open. It was as if there was a mass of soldiers outside slamming it with the trunk of an oak tree. Defenders on the roof threw grenades which sent assailants screaming to the floor. But there were plenty of willing replacements. Sergeant O’Grady was tired. He’d never fought against such a tenacious foe. He used every inch of his strength. He shouted and pointed his gun at his men. But they were so fatigued, they didn’t care if they died.

Sean felt his wife push behind him. He could hear her desperate wee grunts every time Archie charged. The door bounced with the power of a cannon. Every recoil weakened him and his body sagged further to the floor.

Archie managed to squeeze between the door and the jamb. Sean pushed with the strength of the desperate. But even with Maggie behind him, it wasn’t enough. He tried to make a wedge with his body but his feet slid on the lino. Archie got enough of himself inside so that his arm could swing freely. He punched Sean on the side of the head. Every time Sean tried to avoid a punch, he could feel Archie snake more of his body into the gap. Archie’s fist banged him harder and harder until Sean knew he was defeated and let go. The force pushed him and Maggie to the floor.

Archie entered the house with his chest puffed up like an angry tiger. He drew his sleeve across his sweaty forehead. Snow melted from his hair and landed on his
jacket. He looked down at the couple struggling to get up.

What were ye no lettin me in for?

Sean didn’t know what to say. Archie bent down and punched him on the chest.

Ya fuckin wee prick.

Sean could hardly take a breath as he lay on the floor. He lifted his head and watched Archie swagger into the kitchen. The bad bastard pulled some dishes off a worktop. They shattered as they hit the floor. He spat in the sink and turned to face them. Maggie followed him with her hand on her hips like a wee soldier.

What d’ye think yer doin, bargin into my house?

What the fuck are ye goin to do about it?