All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle

Author:Mike Gayle [Gayle, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2020-07-22T18:30:00+00:00

26

Then: September 1978

Hubert and Joyce had been talking in the kitchen when the shouting had begun upstairs. It was generally Hubert who dealt with altercations between Rose and David, and so taking the stairs two at a time, he burst into Rose’s bedroom to find his children squaring up to one another, faces inches apart, yelling the most venomous of threats. The moment Hubert entered the room, however, the shouting stopped and they each took a step away from the other, as though a bell signalling the end of round one had just rung, although they continued to shoot each other furious looks from their respective corners.

‘If this is about damn bedrooms again, me going to be seriously vex!’ snapped Hubert. He didn’t like losing his temper but he would if the situation required.

Neither said a word, thereby confirming Hubert’s suspicions.

‘Well?’ he demanded. ‘What’s all this damn noise about?’

David’s broad shoulders sagged, signalling defeat.

‘I don’t see why she’s still got the bigger room when she’s not even going to be living here.’

‘Because I’ll be coming back during holidays,’ defended Rose, ‘and I’ll still need my desk and all my things.’ She appealed to her father. ‘Dad, tell him.’

Hubert turned to his son and sighed.

‘Boy, what me already said about Rose’s room?’

David shrugged, an action that infuriated Hubert.

‘What happen? You deaf? What did me say about Rose’s room?’

‘That … that … nothing is changing for the time being.’

‘Exactly. So why you in here bothering your sister?’

David shrugged again.

Hubert barked, ‘Me waiting for an answer!’

In an instant David flipped from sullen to incensed, and desperate for a release, he kicked the corner of Rose’s bed.

‘Because it’s not fair! She always gets everything she wants. She’s your favourite!’

Before Hubert knew what he was doing, he had lifted his hand ready to strike his son. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d smacked either of his children, but this past year David had been sorely trying his patience and today of all days he’d just had enough.

‘David! Go to your room this instant!’

All three spun around to see Joyce in the doorway wearing a look of fury to match Hubert’s. For the first time in a long while David didn’t argue with his mother and instead, grateful to be out of his father’s reach, he left the room, slamming his door shut with such force the whole house shook.

Joyce turned to Rose, her expression softening.

‘Almost done packing, love?’ Rose nodded. ‘Good, well why don’t you help your dad put the rest of the things in the car and I’ll go and talk to your brother?’

Today was a momentous day for the Birds: Rose was off to university, the first member of either branch of the family ever to do so. Hubert and Joyce had been so proud when she’d received her A-level results back in August, neither of them fully realising just how quickly she would be gone. It was as though one moment they were celebrating her success with a family meal at

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