The Kicking Tree by Trevor Stubbs

Author:Trevor Stubbs [Stubbs, Trevor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783066698
Publisher: Matador
Published: 2017-04-07T04:00:00+00:00

14

Jack and Jalli slept better than they could have imagined in a strange house. Jack woke to a gentle knock on the sitting room door.

“You decent?” It was Tom. “Can I come in and make a pot of tea for me and the missus?”

“Of course,” said Jack, “come in.”

“We always wake at the same time every morning, even on a Sunday. We usually go to the chapel for ten o’clock, but don’t worry, this morning we’ll see you off from the station.”

“No need to do that,” responded Jack, driving sleep from his brain, “we’ll see ourselves off. No hassle. No, you go to church – they’ll miss you.”

“No. Think no more about it. Would you like a cuppa tea?”

“Please.”

After Tom left the room, Jack got dressed as quickly as he could and folded the sheets that Marge had given him. He washed in the sink, and then shaved – all the time keeping an ear open for the others. He was soon ready for company. He had just finished combing his hair neatly in the mirror over the fireplace, when the tousled head of Jalli appeared round the door. She was still half asleep. “How’s Mr. Jack Smitt this morning?” she inquired.

“All the better for seeing you!” He pulled her into the room and gave her a passionate kiss. As she came to, Jalli struggled free with:

“Jack! They might see us.”

“But they are not here!” He made to kiss her again, but Jalli stepped back.

“No, listen Jack. They usually go to church on Sundays. I told Marge that we will go with them. Hope that’s OK… The train to Leeds does not take long. Marge said about an hour and a half… OK, Jack?”

“We’ll be strangers in their church. And in church they might ask lots of questions.”

“So. We’re in Newcastle for the weekend. You don’t have to say any more than that. We’ll ask Marge and Tom not to say anything about your dad. OK?”

“Well, OK if you want to… But I can’t remember ever going to a church service, Jalli.”

“Neither have I. Not in England. That’s why I want to see what happens. You scared? The boy who can take on an army is scared to go to church?”

“No! Yes… well, no, not exactly scared. Uncomfortable. You never know what they’re going to be like in a church. They judge you in a church. They might think I’m rather scruffy. You can’t go to church in jeans, and I haven’t got anything else.”

“Of course ye can!” This was Tom coming through to start the breakfast. “All the young people in the church wear what you are wearing. Don’t take any notice of us old ‘ens. Chapel has changed since I was a lad. It isn’t stiff and starchy like it used to be. Well, ours isn’t. Ministers these days are quite different. Ours is quite ‘trendy’ I suppose you would call it. We like her.”

“Her?” asked Jack rather surprised. He had not heard of a female minister before.

“Yes, Alice is her name.

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