Snuff and Temperance by Paul Harrison

Author:Paul Harrison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Luton, contemporary, fiction, historical, social, realism, Bedfordshire, protest, diversity, Britain
ISBN: 9781785381539
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2015
Published: 2015-03-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Suzie finished her call with Eamonn with a sense of panic. Or rather, she had picked up his sense of panic, not from what he said but from the speed he spoke at and his lack of attention to her. He was late collecting Leah from a company somewhere but why hadn’t he popped into the house to explain, instead of jumping in the car and shooting off? Certain that someone had stolen the vehicle, she almost called the police!

Luckily, she called him first on his mobile and he explained he was running late. Was Mary such a bitch she would crucify him for being half an hour late? No, there was something else going on. There had been since Sidney was discovered dead. What was the problem? Why couldn’t he be honest with her?

From the window she saw the garden gate left wide open. That wasn’t like him at all. Carla called out from the end of the dining table:

‘When’s Daddy getting me my new bike?

Eamonn’s panic was enough to make him forget everything! Carla cried when he explained to her that because of an accident she couldn’t ride the old one anymore. So far his promise to buy a new one had yet to materialise.

‘Daddy’s very busy at the moment. He’ll get one for you next weekend. Do you want to go with him to buy it?’

‘Yes, please, Mummy. I want to get a bike like Samantha’s.’

‘We’ll have to see about that, love.’

The doorbell rang. For a moment she thought it would be Eamonn returning almost immediately after forgetting something. A quick glance through the spy hole revealed Mariella, with dark shadows cast by the porch light, streaking down her face. In her grey winter coat, she looked like a dolphin wearing a black wig.

‘Hi, Mariella. Darling, this is a nice surprise.’

‘I’m not bothering you, am I? I’ve just come from work.’

Her coat was covered in the huge snowflakes blowing across Luton Heights.

‘No, no, not at all. Come on in. The kids have eaten and I’ve just had a message from Eamonn. He ran late at work and missed his dinner. He’s taking his daughter bowling in Dunstable and will get something to eat over there. I’m at work later, but come in for a chat.’

Mariella took her coat off to reveal a black office suit over a white shirt. She was well-dressed and looked somehow ‘official’ in an understated way.

‘You’ll never believe what I did today, Suzie? I entered into the Midlands Half Marathon in May! I just had to tell someone!’

‘That’s fantastic! I didn’t know you took running so seriously?’

‘I don’t, but this is the perfect excuse to get fit.’

‘Mariella, why don’t you stay and have some dinner? I mean you can have Eamonn’s. He’ll completely forget to eat it tomorrow. It’ll only go to waste. Its chilli con carne, but not too spicy. Luke doesn’t like it too hot, do you, Luke?’

Luke looked up from his plate but didn’t answer his mother’s question. Mariella said:

‘Well, I wasn’t expecting an invitation to dinner when I knocked.

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