The Wrong Child : A Novel (2024) by Arlidge M J

Author:Arlidge, M J [Arlidge, M J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

Jenna has shocked herself. Her hand still stinging where it hit her daughter’s face, she stumbles back through the roots and thorny bushes towards the van. This wasn’t meant to happen. This was never meant to happen. It’s all going wrong.

She throws herself onto the truck seats by the campfire and swears under her breath.

Hearing her, Gaz appears at the van door, jiggling Blaze on his hip. ‘What’s up, babe?’

She tells him how Willow is being lured away. ‘She’s going to stop being a Star soon, I can tell. It’s falling apart, Gaz. It’s all going to shit.’

‘Look, we’ve got this new little guy, Jenna.’ He hands her Blaze who, for once, looks quite happy and content, then he sits beside her and starts rolling a spliff.

‘I wanted a girl, though,’ Jenna says.

‘Luck of the draw, innit.’

‘I’m surrounded by boys and men. If Willow leaves me, I’ll be outnumbered.’

Gaz laughs. ‘Is that what this is all about?’

‘It’s not funny. That boy’s got his claws into her.’

‘He’s not a bad lad.’

‘It’s the beginning of the end.’ Jenna frowns, kisses Blaze’s fingers, puts them in her mouth and sucks them. Then she turns to Gaz. ‘You’ve got to tell him to back off.’

‘But isn’t this what kids do at sixteen? You know, get off, snog, diddle.’

‘Diddle?’ Jenna can’t bear to think of Willow being touched. ‘No, this is all wrong, Gaz. And Miriam lets them have phones. Willow will be looking at it. She’ll be contaminated.’

‘Gonna happen one day, babe.’

Jenna gives him a cold, hard stare. ‘It’s not funny.’

He winces as he twists the end of the spliff.

‘You go now, have a word,’ she tells him. ‘His mum’s not there.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘I saw her ride off on her motorbike with the girls in the sidecar. She’s not there, so you can have a proper word with him.’

Gaz sighs. He doesn’t look keen.

‘Go on. Put him off her.’

‘How?’

‘However you think’s best. Bribe or threat.’ She reaches his hand and puts it between her legs, where she knows he can feel her heat. ‘Go on.’ She smiles, signals that she will make it worth his while.

Reluctantly, Gaz stands and starts to head over to Miriam’s bus area. But Jenna calls him back. Pleasingly, he turns on his heel and returns to her, as if he were on a piece of elastic.

‘What?’ he says. She can see that he’s cross with himself for his blind obedience, but also that he can’t help himself.

‘Why don’t you take the gun with you? Show him you mean business?’

‘Fucksake, Jenna. He’s just a kid. No way.’

She purses her lips. She doesn’t like this insubordination. But perhaps the gun is a step too far. ‘Take Buster then.’

He sighs, but makes his way to where Buster is chained to a tree.

As she watches him go, Jenna wishes she had the same level of control over her daughter that she does over her man.

As soon as Gaz is gone, Blaze starts grizzling. He’s winding up for another of his horrible crying fits.

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