Underneath (19 page)

‘We’re very silly,’ I agree, ‘let’s get some tea and then how about a game of Tumbling Monkeys?’

‘I’ll go set it up.’ Joe scampers off into the living room.

Niall follows me into the kitchen.

‘So you had a catfight in front of the entire school?’

I throw the bag of pasta onto the worktop. ‘Not the entire school, just the Portakabins. I’m considering calling the police cos she slapped me.’ I touch my cheek. ‘I shouldn’t let her get away with violence. Hey that’s a thought,’ I say, warming up to the idea. ‘They might phone her shrink and get her back into some kind of therapy. That’s what she needs for posting poison pen letters.’

‘Have you heard yourself Lauren?’ Niall takes me by the shoulders. ‘You sound obsessed. You have absolutely no proof that she sent that note. It could be anyone from that school. Maybe one of them’s got a thing for the nerd and took umbrage that he has an eye for you?’

‘It just fits in with what Danny said. She’s come back to Sheffield for some twisted revenge against me.’

‘Or maybe she left a bad marriage and just wanted to be near her mother.’

‘Why are you sticking up for her all the time?’ I slam the pan on the top of the cooker and watch water spill onto the gas flame, which goes out. ‘Sodding hell.’ I move the pan to another ring and light it. ‘Do you fancy her or something, Niall?’

‘Oh don’t be so pathetic.’ Niall’s face is twisted in fury and he slams his hand against the wall. ‘Look, I don’t want to argue any further cos it’s affecting Joe. Let’s just eat our meal, play the game and sleep on everything. I’ve had a hell of a day.’ He walks out of the kitchen.

‘Yeah, you’re not the only one,’ I state quietly to his retreating back.

I’m dreading school the following morning and tell Joe that I’ll drop him off at the school driveway. I just can’t face seeing anyone. I’ve not had a shower and my hair looks like I’ve sprayed cooking oil down my centre parting. I look in the windscreen mirror and think that I must get my roots done soon.

On my return to the house I walk round slamming cupboard doors. I pull everything out of one of the bottom kitchen cupboards and listen to all the tins slam out over the floor. I look at the dates on everything and opening the back door, throw anything out of date outside with a satisfying surge of adrenaline. I tidy the rest back up and potter into the living room. My mobile rings, its Monique.

‘How’re you doing today babe?’

I sigh. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Are you going to come over?’

‘Nah, I just feel like being at home.’

‘Yeah, well open your front door. I thought you’d say that, so I’m here.’

I go to the front door and sure enough Monique is standing there, looking resplendent in a blue and green silky blouse and jeans. I feel wet on my cheek and gulp to hold it in, but she puts her arms around me in a hug and the dam bursts again.

‘If they complain about a water shortage this year, they should come find us two. I think we’ve provided enough over this last week or so to see England through the summer.’

I retract myself from her hug and walk into the kitchen and lift the kettle. ‘Coffee makes everything better.’

‘And bacon sandwiches.’ Monique holds up a material bag with a peacock design on it complete with feathers and sequins. From inside it she brings out the familiar green logoed supermarket carrier bag. ‘Bacon and breadcakes. I thought the hard stuff was needed.’

I smile. I feel like a rainbow is peeking out from a thundery cloud. ‘I’m a mess.’

‘Well you can rectify that by sticking yourself in the shower, Stinko, and I’ll fix the butties.’

I turn the shower up extra hot and welcome the feel of the almost burn as the water touches my skin. I spend time lathering myself up in a vanilla scented shower gel and give my hair a really good wash. I dress myself in some clean clothes, a red Topshop sweater and some three-quarter length black skinnies and head back downstairs to the tempting smell of freshly cooked bacon. Monique has put it on the dining table and is seated, and partway through her butty. ‘Sorry, it smelled too good to wait for you.’

‘That’s okay; I couldn’t get out of the shower once I got in.’

‘You feel a bit better for it?’

‘Yeah, I feel clean. I need to stop wallowing and do something.’ I take a bite out of my butty. ‘Mmmmmm.’ I realise I feel ravenous and wolf it down. ‘Is there any more bacon left?’

‘Yeah, and another two breadcakes.’

‘You want another?’

‘Nope,’ she points to her washboard stomach. ‘This takes dedication and hard work.’

I point to my own stomach which has an extra podge around it that’s been there since Joe. ‘This affords me the occasional slip up.’ I go and fix myself another butty.

‘So what do you think we should do today?’ Monique shouts into the kitchen.

I wander back out. ‘Well first I need to check my eBay account, because I didn’t do it yesterday with everything that went off. Then if I have any parcels to do, I want to get that out of the way, so this morning might be a little boring.’

‘You can have an hour doing that while I catch up with the Housewives of New York, and then we’re going out.’ Monique passes me the TV remote. ‘Put the TV on would you? I’m just going to visit the bathroom.’

I clear the dishes into the sink. I’ll wash them later and clean down the dining room table. As Monique returns I head upstairs to get my laptop. I power it up at the kitchen table and log in. The first thing I see is my feedback rating. My lovely one hundred percent rating is no more and in the red column I have twenty-six negative feedback ratings. What? There must be some mistake. I feel like I’ve been caught cheating at an exam when I’m innocent. I click on the feedback to see what’s going on.

‘Horrendous product. Arrived broken. Do not use seller.’

‘Covered in cat hair. Buyer beware.’

‘Product cheap and nasty, not as described.’

The list goes on. Most of the feedback is from the two business sellers that ordered loads of items, but there are some from other recent buyers too. I am horrified. I feel cold and sick, and the room goes hazy, as if I might faint.

Monique looks over from Housewives. ‘Christ Lo, what’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

‘My business ...it’s…’ I can’t form words and just point to the machine.

She hurries round to look at the screen. ‘Oh my God, how has that happened? It must be a mistake, just contact eBay. They’ve obviously put someone else’s feedback on your page.’

‘It’s not Mon, look.’ I open one of the orders on screen. ‘Those are mainly the items I sold in the big orders that I thought might drum up more business for me in future. It’s all ruined, what am I going to do?’

‘Surely you can complain to eBay about them?’

‘It’s my word against theirs. eBay won’t do anything and anyway, others have posted negative feedback too.’

Monique looks more closely at the feedback. ‘Your feedback rating is still high. Why don’t you just offer an apology and offer to refund them or something?’

‘I could do, but they spent close to two hundred pounds. That’s just such a lot of money.’

‘But that and a nice quote from you saying sorry they didn’t like your stuff should bring your page round, clear up the negative stuff. You’ll soon make it back.’

I slump back into my seat and look up into Monique’s face. ‘Why is this happening? I can’t take much more.’

I put my head in my hands and bring my palms down to rub over my face and eyes. ‘God, it’s got to be, Bettina? She’s set me up. I bet all these accounts are hers.’

Monique looks at me carefully. ‘I have to admit, this does looks like a set up.’

‘I’m not giving a penny back.’ I clench my teeth. ‘I’m going to get that bitch.’

‘Oooh. Are you going to kick her ass? Can I watch?‘

‘I can’t be that obvious after yesterday.’

‘Why, what happened yesterday?’

I fill her in on the details of the spat, her eyes widen as my tale goes on.

‘Lo Lawler, get you. You’re a wildcat. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of you.’

‘Yeah well she’s going to regret it,’ I say. ‘I’m just not sure how yet.’

I turn back to the computer and start adding the same feedback to each comment. ‘I am sorry you have found this product unsatisfactory. I send items as I would expect to receive them, and yours was sent in excellent, ‘as new’ condition. On this occasion I can assure you your item was sent in immaculate condition.’ I sign off and put the computer to sleep with a satisfactory click.

‘Right, any idea what we should do next? I’m ready for getting out of here. I feel like I could hit the gym or something,’ I say.

‘You’re hitting Bella’s. I called them while watching Housewives and made you an appointment for eleven-thirty. Those roots are appalling, and I’m not being seen in public with you until they’re sorted.’

I smile and check out my reflection in the living room mirror. ‘Excellent, first line of defence, look absolutely amazing. When I see her this afternoon at school she’ll wonder why I’m so happy. I don’t know what revenge I’m going for yet, but she’ll not be ready for it.’

‘Now that sounds more like the Lauren I know. I’ll see if I can think of anything you can do. I’m getting my nails done whilst you’re having your hair sorted. Hey, we should get claws.’

‘I’m not dragging you into this, Mon, you’ve been brill, but you’ve had enough of your own problems. By the way, I’m paying for your nails.’ I put my hands up before she can interrupt. ‘No. I insist, you’ve been fab.’

‘Okay. Gosh there’s more action here than in today’s episode of Real Housewives.’

‘Come on, let’s get to the hairdressers.’ I stand and run my hands through my hair. ‘I need to get armoured up.’

Chapter 15

I feel better after my haircut, and my new soft highlights make me look golden skinned and healthy. I’m naturally blonde, but my hair goes darker as the years pass, so now I require a blonde ‘top-up’ every six months. I say goodbye and thank Monique for turning up and dragging me out of the doldrums, with a promise to ring her tomorrow.

I have twenty minutes before I need to pick up Joe. I slam the car in gear and head to Bettina’s house.

It’s a detached house, on one of Handsworth’s better estates (we couldn’t afford one). Determined, I march up the driveway, and ignoring the doorbell, pound on the door. I can see her moving behind the glass panel. She opens the door and looks at me warily.

‘What do you want, Lauren?’

‘I came to ask you to just stop it. You’ve probably ruined my business now, so there you go. You’ve created more trouble for me than I ever did for you at school, so please can you just leave us alone? I don’t know how you managed the different eBay addresses, whether you had me send the stuff to relatives or what, but enough’s enough. Can you retract your feedback so I can at least get on with my life, and I’ll let you get on with yours?’

Bettina fold her arms across her chest. ‘What on earth are you rambling on about? Do you want the number of my psychiatrist, Lauren, because you seriously have some kind of mental issue.’

I hold up my hands. ‘If that’s how you want to play it so be it. I’m just letting you know that it stops now, because I’m not putting up with any more of your nonsense.’

‘I’d like you to leave now. I need to get Tyler from school. We’re away this weekend.’

‘Not a problem. I’m going.’

‘You need to sort out your issues and stop dumping everything at my door. You’re not the only one with problems, but all anyone ever hears about is me, me, me; poor old Lauren with my terrible life.’

I glare at her. ‘How dare you? You were the one who moved back to Sheffield, you didn’t have to be near me.’

‘You don’t own Handsworth, Lauren. My family is here, which is more than can be said about yours. They ditched you long ago didn’t they?’

I stagger back. I feel like she’s slapped me. I try not to think about my parents, the dad who walked out on us and my mother. She couldn’t be bothered with me, or get rid of me fast enough once I was old enough to cope on my own. It’s one of those things schoolchildren know about each other, but I thought I’d left my school years behind a long time ago.

I walk away. It’s started to pour with rain and my lovely new hairstyle is gone. My new armour failed the practice round. I head for the car.

Her voice comes from behind me. ‘Lauren, come back, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.’

I look back at her. ‘But you did. I believe Danny, you’re obviously no friend of mine. You are definitely one psychotic bitch, so go rot in hell.’

‘You’re making a mistake,’ she shouts after me.

I ignore her, I need to get to school.

Despite what she has just said, she hasn’t finished. ‘By the way, just so you know, Seb asked me out. I was going to say no because I didn’t think you’d like it, but sod it, he’s not yours.’ Her mouth twists up at one side and whilst I’m looking at her with my mouth wide open, she walks back to her house and slams the door.