Chapter 24

That afternoon, whilst Kelly checked a few websites for decoration ideas, and I made some more notes for Naomi’s book, Naomi took Pixie around the village to invite everyone to dinner.

An hour after they’d left my phone rang, Naomi, “Hey Naomi, what’s up?”

“Ahh, we’ve got a slight problem.”

“Ok, a problem shared etc.”

“Well, you see, Pixie wanted to invite Elsie, you know, from the park.”

“Yes, I know Elsie.”

“I tried to get hold of her at work, but she wasn’t in.”

“Ok, so she lives in the village, go to her house.”

“That’s the problem, she lives in Ruth’s block, on the same floor, and, well, quite understandably, Pixie isn’t really in the mood to enter that building right now.”

“Yes, of course.”

“And it wouldn’t be fair to make mum come with us.”

“I see, where are you, I’ll come right away.”

“We’re at the Royal drinking white wine with Pixie’s friends.”

“Haha, I’ll be there in a minute.”

I dashed downstairs, stopping in the kitchen to let Kelly know I was popping out to help the girls with something.

“Oh, is everything ok?”

“Yes, they’ve got to go to Elsie’s house, to invite her to dinner.”

“Ok...”

“And she lives on the same floor as Ruth...”

“Ahh...”

“So it’s my job, Naomi didn’t want you to have to go back in that building.”

“Actually, I will go back, otherwise she’s won.”

So together we left the house and headed for the pub.

“What are you doing here?” Naomi asked as Kelly sat at the table opposite.

“Thanks for not wanting to upset me, it was very thoughtful. If I don’t go back in there though, she’s won, so Tom and I will go and see Elsie. What number is she at?”

“4A, her door is diagonally opposite Ruth’s right by the door from the stairs.”

“Thank you, enjoy your wine, I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Hey Mrs Sharpe,” one of the lads called out.

“Err, so sorry, I’ve forgotten your names.”

“That’s ok, I’m Baz.”

“Hey Baz, I’m Kelly, I’ve not been Mrs Sharpe for a while now.”

“Of course, I’m sorry, it’s just, ah well, never mind. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you’re not upset about us buying wine for your girls, they said it was ok, but we really wouldn’t want to upset you.”

“One drink is fine, honestly, but just one, or they’ll be in trouble, not you.”

“Is where you’re going dangerous, because if it’s going to kick off, we’re happy to come with you, to watch your back.”

“Ha, no, it’s not dangerous, we’re just going to visit a nice old lady, but she lives opposite Pixie’s former guardians, and we had, shall we say, a heated row with them earlier, a difference of opinion about how well they cared for her, and things Mel did in the past.”

“You mean dickless Mel, he mistreated Pixie? What did he do to you honey?”

“I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s in the past, he can’t do what he did anymore, so leave it be,” Pixie answered.

“Ok, I respect that, but you know, we’re your friends Pixie, and sometimes there’s only one way to settle an argument.”

“Thanks Baz, I’ll remember that.”

“And ... I think we’ll go and see if Elsie is in,” Kelly said.

“Don’t worry about Baz,” one of the other guys said, “he likes a good scrap, but only when provoked.”

“I’m not worried,” Kelly said, “you’ve all proven yourselves to be gentlemen. So if you would kindly babysit the girls for 5 minutes I would be most grateful.”

With that we left the beer garden and walked down the road towards the flats. Elsie answered her bell and buzzed us in, so we set off up the smelly stairs for the second time today.

“I’m going to have to have another shower when we get back, my hair is still damp and this smell is going to cling to me.”

“You can have as many showers as you like, I’ll even help properly if you use the main bathroom.”

“I may just do that.”

I opened the fire door and stepped out onto the fourth floor landing, diagonally opposite I saw the door to 4C standing open, odd.

“Hang on a sec, Ruth’s door is wide open, I’ll go and check they’re alright.”

As I walked down the hallway Elsie opened her door, “oh there you are Tom, I was waiting to hear the lift doors open.

“Ahh, we always use the stairs here, keeps us fit. I was just going to check on Ruth, her door is open.”

“Oh yes, they left in rather a hurry about an hour ago, no idea why, said they were going to stay with her sister Marion in Stockport for a while until she finds somewhere to live.”

“Really, did they say why they were moving out all of a sudden,” Kelly asked innocently, “so suddenly they didn’t even lock the door?”

“I don’t know, when I got in from doing my shopping at lunchtime I heard such a commotion, a voice I didn’t recognise shouting at them, then a little later I heard Ruth shouting at Mel. Now I’m not one to pry, but I was just walking up the hallway to look out of the window at that end, and I couldn’t help overhearing Ruth shouting about damaging a poor girl, I have no idea what that meant, I didn’t hear anymore as the busybody in 4B came out.”

“Interesting, I wonder what all that could mean?” Kelly said as she stepped into Elsie’s flat. “Well, never mind, not any of our business now is it, Pixie lives with us, and I don’t like to blow my own trumpet, but I think she’s better off at our house.”

“Listen, I’ll just have a look round in 4C, they might have left some of Pixie’s stuff behind, and we don’t want the door just standing open like that.”

I stepped into 4C, most of the furniture was still there, including the expensive chair I’d bought Mel. No point me taking it, it already reeked of tobacco and cooking.

I checked the three bedrooms, there was still quite a lot of stuff in Pixie’s. She had such a tiny room here, just a single bed, small wardrobe and 3 drawer chest with a CD player and radio on top. The whole room was smaller than our en suite bathroom.