Diamond Geezer by Gillian Godden

Author:Gillian Godden [Godden, Gillian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

14

A Fresh Start

‘Natasha, lassie! I thought you must have changed your mind, it’s been ages, or it feels like it.’ Maggie rushed forth and greeted Natasha in the forecourt of the tower block.

‘Hi, Maggie.’ Natasha smiled at the warm greeting. ‘No, I haven’t changed my mind, things just took longer than planned. I had to wait until the charity had a bed for me and Jimmy. It’s all sorted now, though.’ Natasha looked down at the floor and was happy at the distraction from Jimmy to break the ice. She felt embarrassed as Maggie watched the men empty the sparse small furniture van containing all of Natasha’s worldly goods.

‘I’ll go and put the kettle on while you’re busy, I suppose I had better make something for those two as well.’ Maggie spied the furniture men doing their best, trying to carry a mattress up the many flights of stairs to Natasha’s flat. Yet again, the lift wasn’t working and so it was a daunting task for everyone.

‘Thankfully, I haven’t got too much for them to carry.’ Blushing, Natasha looked up at Maggie under her eyelashes and pursed her lips.

‘Nonsense, lassie, there is a whole host of things here for you. I tell you what, you take some bags up and leave little Jimmy with me. I’ll make some tea and rally the troops to give those two a wee hand. Go on now, open the door before they blow a gasket carrying that mattress.’

Taking charge, Maggie waltzed off holding little Jimmy’s hand as Natasha hauled up a suitcase. No sooner was she out of sight, the usual thieves gathered and stood peering into the back of the furniture van. ‘Bloody hell, we wouldn’t get twenty pounds for the lot of it.’

‘Oy, you. Young Mathew. If you’re going to hang around a removal van with those burglars, you can start carrying some of it up! And be careful, I’m watching the lot of you,’ Maggie warned.

‘What’s going on, Maggie?’ Steve was standing outside on the landing, smoking his usual morning cigarette, surveying the estate and catching a glimpse of the army of workmen at the community centre; lately it had become his morning routine.

‘New young woman moving in, Steve. Poor mite, she has nothing to her name. I’m getting some of the lads to give those men a hand. God knows, they will have a heart attack climbing up and down those stairs all morning.’ Pausing, Maggie looked at Steve. His fading black eyes and cuts spelled out his misery. ‘How are you, Steve? We haven’t had a proper catch-up lately.’

‘I’m good, Maggie, you know me. I just get on with it. Do you want a hand?’

‘Aye, that would be nice, thank you. Life outside not what you planned, laddie?’ Reaching up, Maggie stroked his battered face. She’d known him since he was as little as Jimmy. His father had gone out for a loaf of bread one day and never come back with the change and his mother had died of cancer while Steve had cared for her in between going to school.

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