Underneath (3 page)

‘Yep, Joe said. I think he started today.’

‘I’ve heard his mum’s a footballer’s wife,’ she adds.

‘What?’ I laugh. ‘A WAG, in Handsworth? You’ve got to be kidding; surely she wouldn’t come to live here? Not being funny, because I love living here myself, but it’s hardly chock full of McMansions is it?’

Tanya shrugs. ‘Just saying what I heard. We’ll find out in a minute anyway, cos she’s over there.’

We head over to the tiny woman standing sideways to us. It has to be her as she is a stereotypical WAG. Her hair is almost yellow blonde and reaches the bottom of her back in spiralled tendrils. She flicks it with her pink glitter ended nails and turns to us showing an over-tanned face. It’s either sunbed or real tan, because her skin resembles the part of my leather sofa where Niall’s bottom has worn the seat out. Her mouth opens to reveal white teeth that might be alright in London, but in Sheffield, and against the tanned skin, look ridiculous, like snow on a beach.

She turns towards me. Her eyes open wide. ‘Lauren,’ she shouts and throws her arms around me. My forehead creases and I tense as I’m locked in her embrace, because I don’t know who the hell she is. She releases me and I step back to look at her. Her eyes look familiar and I’m just trying to place her when she adds, ‘You muppet, it’s me. Liz Parker, from Brook.’

I stare at her, and then try and plant a smile on my face as I realise an old echo from my life is back – one I didn’t wish to hear again.

Chapter 2

‘Gosh Liz, er, I haven’t seen you for years,’ I state, my hand held to my chest.

‘Yeah, well Danny went to play for Leeds United, so we were there for a while.’

There’s a silence whilst I process the fact she’s in front of me. The Liz I knew was a spotty, mousy haired loner. I made the mistake of standing up for her when a rumour spread around school that she’d been caught masturbating in the toilets with her lunch box banana. She thanked me by reporting the culprits to the teachers and misguidedly told them I was being picked on too. I can only think she said it in some pathetic attempt to be my friend, but I was furious and joined in the rumour-mongering instead. I remember how she looked at me as she walked out of the Head teacher’s office while I sat outside awaiting my fate. I was threatened with suspension and had my Prefect badge taken away. Liz’s parents took her out of school shortly after that and I didn’t see her again. I’d heard a rumour later that her parents had discovered she was pregnant to Danny Southwell, one of the school hard cases who played football any time he could, and just like that, the WAG thing clicked. ‘So you and Danny stuck together? Wow.’

‘You hadn’t heard how successful Danny was?’

‘I’m not into sports.’

She stares at me like she doesn’t quite believe me and sighs. ‘So you didn’t hear about me being made to marry Danny cos I was pregnant? You must have been the only person in South Yorkshire who didn’t.’

I grit my teeth and shake my head.

‘I lost the baby, but we stayed together and had Tyler. Danny did well at Leeds, but we’re divorced now. I’ve moved back to Sheffield to be nearer my mum. She isn’t getting any younger and she dotes on Tyler.’

Good God, an over-sharer. I’ve only been standing here five minutes and I have her whole life history.

‘Fancy you being here anyway. So you’ve children too?’

‘Just the one, Joe. Well, I hope you get sorted soon.’ I look towards the classroom door as the kids start coming out of class. Thank goodness I can get out of here. ‘I’m sure Joe will keep an eye on Tyler to make sure he settles.’

‘Oh, that’s so kind,’ she says as a child comes sloping towards her with a face so sneering it looks like the kid’s had a stroke.

‘Well, see you later Liz,’ I state.

‘Oh,’ she makes a small tinkly laugh. ‘It’s Bettina now. Bettina Southwell. I gave myself a fresh start when we moved to Leeds.

I dread to think what my face looks like in response to this; Niall says I am incapable of masking my emotions.

‘Hey,’ she adds, ‘before you go let’s swap numbers. I’m out of touch with people around here. We must do coffee sometime.’

I hesitate as I’ve no wish to get involved with a girl I barely knew at school. ‘I’ve not got my phone on me at the mo, but I’ll bring it some other time.’

‘Sure,’ she says and smiles. ‘Catch you tomorrow.’

When we get to the car, I ask Joe what his new school friend is like.

‘He’s ace mum, dead cool,’ he says. ‘He’s got over five-hundred Pokemon cards and loads of spares he says I can have.’ Pokemon is Joe’s new obsession, so Tyler will be a God now in his eyes.

‘He seemed moody when he came out of school,’ I mention. ‘Was he like that in class?’

‘Nope, he said his mum gets on his nerves. She’s always making him do things he doesn’t want to do, like moving.’

‘Well, he’ll be missing his friends from Leeds.’

‘Suppose so,’ Joe sucks on his bottom lip. ‘But he’s got me now.’

I walk into the house and for once I don’t chastise my child as he leaves his coat and bag on the stairs and his shoes strewn in the hallway. Instead, I put the kettle on, make myself a coffee and reach into one of the high up kitchen cupboards. I take out a bottle of whisky, my tipple of choice on the few occasions I drink. I throw a good measure in, before finally plonking myself in a dining room chair.

‘Can I play with my Lego?’ Joe asks, seeing a chance to take advantage over the mother who usually gets him to practice his reading first.

‘Whatever you want.’ Joe looks at me strangely, but runs off to his room before the alien leaves and his mother returns.

I sink back in the chair, coffee in my hands and close my eyes. I can feel a tension headache starting. I’ve loved being part of that school since Joe started, but now I feel a sense of dread. I was never friends with this woman, so how do I put her off without seeming mean? I can only hope she befriends some of the other mothers. Or maybe, I chastise myself, after all these years she’s turned out okay and I should get to know her. I take a large swig of my coffee; the whisky warms my mouth as much as the hot drink and I decide I’m ditching tonight’s planned tea and will walk to the chippy. Then I’ll have a top up.

Niall comes home from work and I realise that Monique’s chat and the latest school events have overtaken my frustration with him. As I ask him my usual ‘Have you had an okay day?’ I can see the relief in his face, and then he looks at me with a furrowed brow. ‘Have you been drinking?’

This behaviour is completely out of character for me on a school day. My anxieties about needing to be able to drive in case of an emergency with Joe mean I only usually drink on special occasions, or if I have a cold to help me sleep. I fill him in on the events of the afternoon, but I’m not sure how much of it he’s taken in as he turns the news on at the same time, and then sits in the chair I vacated to let him in the house. ‘Niall what’ll I do?’

‘You’re worrying over nothing Lauren. Just smile at the woman, say hello and leave it at that,’ he advises in his
men provide solutions not empathy
voice. ‘That Danny Southwell’s a proper headcase though. He was always getting red-carded, so we best keep a close eye on Joe’s new friend.’ Then he turns back to the news.

I pick up my bag ready to head to the chippy. I can see that my problem is already solved in Niall’s eyes, and that’s the only advice I’ll get.

Later in the evening I go to the secret Facebook Group I set up with Monique and leave her a message about the new kid and his mother. Of course she knows nothing about my history with the now called Bettina. I leave Facebook open whilst adding my eBay listings, and flip back when I see someone has posted. Sure enough it’s Monique.

‘Jeez, if you’re gonna change your name change it to something nice, but normal.’

‘She looks like Donatella Versace,’ I add with venom. Secret Facebook just makes me bitchier; I can’t resist it when there’s no-one else reading.

‘Lol. So what’s the WAG thing all about?’

‘It’s in her head; Danny played for Leeds. I googled him. He did okay, but he’s hardly Beckham.’

‘PMSL’

‘Dreading tomorrow ’

‘Ask her to come for coffee with us next Monday. I need to meet her. It’ll be a right laugh.’

‘Noooooooo.’

‘Yesssssss, pretty please.’

‘Oh Mon, I dunno. I doubt she’ll do our caff anyway. It’s not Harvey Nicks.’

‘She might turn up with a Chihuahua in her handbag. I bet she wears a Juicy Couture tracky with Uggs.’

‘ROFLMAO. No I think she likes leopard print ;)’

‘Piss off.’

‘Nite Cougar.’

‘Nite and INVITE her.’

Niall comes to bed about ten which is ridiculously early for him. I keep my face firmly on my book, but he undresses and snuggles up beside me, placing a hand on my boob. I’m feeling quite squiffy from all the whisky I’ve consumed. I do feel quite in the mood, but choose to ignore him. ‘I’m sorry about last night,’ he says. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know you don’t have to dress up for me.’

‘S’okay.’ I turn the page of my book.

‘Anyway to make amends…’

He jumps out of bed to reveal a pair of crocodile pants. He runs around the bed with them on and I watch them snap, snap, snap. I collapse with giggles.

He lands next to me. ‘So, d’ya think I’m sexy?’

‘Quit while you’re ahead mate,’ I state and turn towards him, pushing him back on the bed.

The next morning I drop Joe off at the bottom of the school driveway. I know it’s pathetic and in doing so I had to pull up on the very zigzags I berate the other parents for parking on, but I just can’t face seeing Bettina this morning. I decide that the scheduled housework can stuff for the day as well. The weather is beautiful and I drive up to Ecclesall Road, which is chock full of second hand shops, gorgeous chocolatiers and coffee shops. I browse for vintage items and wander from shop to shop, just enjoying the day. I pick up some pieces of jewellery: a gorgeous bronze coloured sequined clutch bag and a handmade crocheted cream shrug. I have my latest book in my bag; a chick lit about someone travelling to Paris. At lunchtime I walk the few minutes to the local park, sit myself under a tree and eat a prawn baguette. The sun warms my skin and my head floats to the Champs Elysees. When it’s time to drive back to school, I lean back against the tree, ignoring the bark digging in my back and sigh. I really don’t want to go there. I take my phone out of my bag and ring Tanya instead.

‘I’m stuck in traffic and going to be late. Will you take Joe to yours and I’ll pick him up from there?’

‘Yes of course, don’t worry. Take your time. We’ll see you whenever.’

I try to get back into my book, but my mind is distracted by thoughts of the past. I can’t avoid Bettina forever, but after all these years I still feel like I want to shout at her for what she did to me. I still remember my mother’s reaction. She was furious when she discovered I’d lost my prefect status and accused me of taking after my father, calling me a bully. I take a breath and tell myself I’m being completely irrational, that it was all such a long time ago. I resolve to see her tomorrow, ask her for coffee and stop being so ridiculous. I might even ask Tyler for tea if Joe continues to get on well with him. I pick up my baguette wrapper and my spoils of the day and head back to the car to drive to Tanya’s.

Later, I feel so much better for having a Me-day. I help Joe with his spellings and let all my Lego figures lose to his in battle. Then I spend the evening with Niall, even though he’s watching a run of TV shows about pimping up cars. Before I get in bed, I have another little peek at my treasures from the shops. I cradle a delicate necklace in my hand and admire the white teacup pendant. Pink roses adorn the cup and saucer and gold leaf swirls around the rim and edges of the saucer. I decide to keep it for myself, to remind me of how lucky I am that I can spend my days this way.

The following morning Bettina spots me at the bottom of the drive. I decide to make an effort and wait for her to drop Tyler off as she’s still taking him up to the classroom door.

‘Has Tyler enjoyed his first few days?’

‘He loves it. I’m so surprised. I thought he’d really miss his friends in Leeds. Joe is helping a lot. He’s introduced him to the other lads.’

‘It must be hard being the new kid.’

‘Yeah,’ Bettina says, breaking eye contact with me for a moment.

I remember she had to start again after she left our school. ‘Are you doing anything now, or do you want to grab a coffee?’ I say quickly, to get her mind back from wherever it is before I chicken out and abandon her.

‘I’d love one,’ she replies. ‘Where shall we go?’

‘I’ll think of something. Leave your car here and we’ll pick it up later.’

‘Oh. I don’t drive.’

‘Okay, well I can drop you back at yours after. I’m parked this way.’ I point up the hill. We head up the road to the car and once inside, I set off trying to think of a decent coffee shop. She asks me about my mum and dad and other things from the past. I move the conversation on to current times and ask where she’s living. It’s a house a few streets away from school in a popular catchment area, so she must have done okay by Danny in the divorce.