Chapter 5

He'd been in town the previous day, waiting to pick Brenda up from the hairdressers, the same hairdressers where mum had gone, they'd actually chatted under the dryers and mum had told her about her lover and how she was going to surprise him.

She told Brenda about an abusive husband, a bully who was responsible for her fading bruises, she said how her lover's boss had given them a job, more than a job, a beginning, a new start and how excited she was about the future!

Brenda was a smart lady and when she added two plus two, she came up with four, she said nothing apart from the odd smile and nod in the right place, it wasn't until her new acquaintance left and was met at the door by a scruffy looking drunk, who took her arm and held it tightly as he marched her off that she decided to act.

She'd gone home and told Jack about the pretty lady and their conversation and about how she was sure she'd been forced to go with the scruffy drunk against her will.

"I'm sure I've seen him before Jack, I'm positive I was in your office one day when you fired him for being drunk at work!"

They drank their tea and kept looking over at me, nothing was said, none of us could think of what to say until finally Jack broke the ice.

"Do you think I've been straight with thee lad?"

"More than straight sir, you've both been very kind"

"Yes well cut the bloody sir out ok?"

"Yes sir, I mean Jack"

"Are you and Sarah, your mother, er well are you, oh bloody hell you know what I'm on about?" he stared at me coldly and I nodded,

"We never intended it Jack, we really didn't"

"If I thought you had lad, I'd kick your bloody arse out of here right now"

He sat back and loaded his pipe with that lethal tobacco,

"What do you think about sending somebody to visit you father?"

"I don't know anyone like that"

"I do"

The landline telephone rang and I snatched it up without thinking,

"Yes?"

"Put Jack on"

No please, thank you, kiss my butt, put Jack on, that was it"

I handed the phone to him and sat back in my chair, about ten seconds later a pair of arms pulled me into a soft pair of breasts, two hands stroked my head and Brenda said softly,

"Leave it to Jack, Terry, he's not new at this sort of thing, your mum will be back here before you know it"

Jack put the phone down without speaking and gestured to his wife, "Sorted, we'll leave you alone for the moment Terry, but I'll be round tonight for a chat" he pointed his pipe at me like a weapon,

"I'm getting too bloody old for this crap, so it's going to be sorted permanently, right?"

"Right" but I was confused, what the hell did he mean by leaving us alone, who the hell was "Us?"

Then she opened the door and stood there looking at me,

"Terry?"

We never even noticed that Jack and Brenda had left, not that it would have changed anything, we just stood and clung to each other, the tears flowed unashamedly, I didn't just cling to her, I almost squeezed her to death while she did her best to return the favour!

"He was lying Terry, honestly darling, he was drinking all night, I didn't ask him to take me to bed"

"Shush mum, it's all right" I stroked her back gently,

"It's not all right darling, it's important that you believe me"

"I do believe you mum, I really do, I think I know you better than that"

She shuddered in my arms,

"And I didn't tell him anything about us either darling, he saw the necklace and just assumed that we were lovers, honestly Terry, it's important that you believe me"

She was crying again, great wracking sobs that were breaking my heart, but I pulled away and took hold of both her hands,

"Mum look at me"

She looked a picture of misery, her eyes red rimmed and full of tears,

"I don't know what Jack did or how he did it, no doubt he'll tell us when he comes round later, but in the meantime I want you to have a nice long soak in the bath and then you're going to bed, right?"

She nodded and turned miserably to go upstairs,

"Mum?"

She turned round, "Yes?"

"Welcome home" and she smiled.

I wanted to take my aggression out on the vegetables so I attacked them with a rage I'd never felt before and by the time I knocked off at just after 1:00 pm, I'd done our daily quota and half of the following days too!

She was standing at the sink washing my dishes from the previous day and wearing an old shirt of mine, quietly I walked up behind her and slipped my arms round her waist,

"Feel better now?"

"Mm yes darling I do" she leaned back against me and turned her face for a kiss, "Don't let him come back Terry"

"He won't mum, I promise"

I raised my hands to her breasts beneath the shirt, her nipples were hard, the smell of her filled my nostrils,

"I want you now Terry, let's go to bed"

She turned and mashed her mouth on mine just as we heard a car approaching,

"It's Jack" I said and kissed her lips, "As soon as he's gone, me, you, bed"

"You're on" she giggled and wiggled her bottom provocatively as I watched her running upstairs, the delicious little cleft between her thighs winking at me in a promise of things to come.

I let Jack and Brenda in and made us all a drink,

"Where's Sarah?"

She's upstairs getting dressed Jack" I answered, "I've done all today's work in case you were wondering and half of tomorrow's too"

"Cocky little bugger aren't you?" but his tone of voice was kindly and there was almost a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.

Mum appeared then still wearing my shirt but with a denim mini skirt, I thought she looked extremely edible but kept my mind on the matter in hand.

"Morning" she greeted them both with a kiss on the cheek and apologised to Brenda for not recognizing her earlier on,