Kay Brellend - The Family

Her thoughts were interrupted by a smartly dressed couple who descended the steps of one of the villas and sedately sauntered by, arm in arm. Adam was whimpering again so Faye swung him once more into her arms and walked to the end of the street. She looked up at a large house set on its own. Her mouth felt arid and for two pins she’d have turned right around and gone back the way she’d come. Robert Wild lived in the best house in the road. She realised he wouldn’t believe, any more than had his cousin Alice, that she really wanted to return his money. Hadn’t she already learned from his sarcasm that he doubted she’d willingly give up her treasure? The driveway at the side of the house was empty. He was out in his car. She knew it was cowardly to be glad she’d missed him, nevertheless she was feeling relieved.

Adam had wriggled his hand free of hers and darted forward to chase a cat that had been languidly stretching against warm stone. It rose and stalked off towards a green iron gate, then slipped beneath, thwarting the toddler’s attempt to grab its tail and drag it back.

Faye scooped him up, but he stiffened in temper. Soon he was howling loud enough to make a curtain next door twitch, so she dropped him back on his feet and quickly sped up the steps with the intention of posting the five-pound note through the letterbox. He’d know where it had come from. She’d reached the top and her hand was reaching towards a brass letter plate when the sound of a car approaching made her turn. As the vehicle headed towards her, she met his eyes through the windscreen. There was no way she’d make it to the bottom step, let alone escape before he got out.

‘I’ve brought you this,’ Faye blurted, descending a step. She hurried down the rest, one hand outstretched. When he simply looked at her offering, she put it down on the warm bonnet of the car.

‘Decided to stay put with Jimmy, have you?’ he asked in that acerbic way he had. His eyes slew to the child as Adam clung to her legs and mewed.

‘He’s tired. It was a long walk.’

‘Have you given up your plan to get away from them?’

Faye vigorously shook her head in answer. ‘I shouldn’t have brought him. It wasn’t fair, expecting him to walk so far.’

‘You’ll need that then.’ Robert picked up the cash and held it out.

Adam snatched it, scrunching it in his little fist.

‘Smart kid,’ Robert observed with a soundless laugh. His eyes narrowed on her as he noticed she looked to be on the point of crying. ‘Are you going to come in for a minute?’

She shook her head, stroking Adam’s face to soothe his whimpering while simultaneously trying to prise open his fingers to rescue the money before it got torn.

‘Do you want a drink?’

‘No thanks.’

‘Tea? Coffee?’

‘Milk.’

They both looked at Adam.

‘Drink of milk,’ he piped up again, then turned shy and dropped his chin. ‘Please,’ he whispered and peeped up at Robert from beneath long baby lashes.

‘Well mannered, too,’ Rob said. ‘He didn’t get that from Jimmy.’

‘He got it from me,’ Faye stated tartly.

‘Yeah … I can believe that.’ He took her arm and steered her up the steps.

‘Do you live here alone?’

‘Mostly,’ he said, watching for her reaction as he stuck the key in the lock.

‘It’s a big house … a family house.’

‘Yeah … there’s plenty of room.’

Faye’s eyes slipped to his and then swerved away. She regretted her comment. He thought she was hinting there was enough room for her. ‘I’m going back to Kent to live,’ she blurted. ‘Soon as I can, I’m moving out of The Bunk, and going right far away from here.’

‘I grew up chanting that phrase.’ He ushered her into the hallway, taking her elbow to propel her forward when she seemed reluctant to move across the threshold.

‘It’s nice,’ Faye said, looking about. It was an absurd understatement, considering what she’d been used to. The hallway was spacious and uncluttered. The air smelled vaguely of lavender polish and, having registered the scent, her eyes darted to the gleaming mahogany furniture set back against the walls. ‘You’ve got a char?’

‘No. I keep it clean.’ He gave a slightly diffident smile. ‘Comes from growing up in a shithole, I expect … Sorry,’ he muttered, noting her frown at his language and look at the child.

‘Milk …’ Adam said, struggling to break free. The new environment seemed to keep him amused and he toddled from place to place before settling on his knees on the patterned rug that stretched the length of the passageway.

‘Are you going to sit down for a moment, or d’you intend to stand there making the place look untidy?’

Faye gave a tiny laugh. ‘Thanks very much.’ Her amusement faded. ‘Can’t stop long; it’s almost time Adam was in bed and it’s a bit of a trek.’

‘I’ll take you back,’ Rob said, lightly amused. ‘Did you think I’d let you walk?’

‘I didn’t think about it. Anyway, why would you want to go out when you’ve just this minute got home?’

‘Because I’ve got manners too, just don’t always remember to use them,’ he ruefully admitted as he walked off towards the back of the house. ‘I’ll get a cup of milk for him.’

‘His name’s Adam. You might as well remember that. He is your stepbrother, after all.’

‘And who d’you think you are? My sister?’ he sent over a shoulder.

He returned with a cup of milk and gave it to the boy, who gulped greedily at it. Faye quickly went to him, worried Adam might spill some on the beautiful rug. Surreptitiously she felt his bottom in case he’d wet himself. He had and she lifted him quickly on to his feet and took the cup from him. A dark ring remained where his bottom had been.

‘Thanks … we’ve got to go now.’ She looked about for somewhere to deposit the beaker and gingerly placed it on a glass-like wooden surface. Her eyes returned to the stain on the rug and she looked up to find Rob watching her. He knew and was waiting to see if she’d got manners and would own up. ‘Sorry … Adam’s had a little accident.’ She moistened her lips. ‘It’s not much. I shouldn’t have let him have a drink. It’s my fault.’

‘Don’t worry, it happens,’ he said. ‘D’you think of me as a brother?’

‘Have you got a cloth? I’ll just mop it up. It won’t stain if we’re quick,’ she said, turning about on the spot as though she’d willingly fetch a rag herself if he pointed her in the right direction.

‘Fuck the rug!’ Robert exploded beneath his breath. ‘Do you think of me as your brother?’

‘I think you ought to wash your mouth out with soap,’ she snapped, glaring at him. Taking Adam by the hand, she turned deliberately away from him.

‘That’s just the sort of thing a bloody sister would say.’

‘It’s just the sort of thing a bloody mother would say,’ Faye rounded on him. A moment later she’d turned her back on him again.

‘Well, you were obviously luckier in your mother than I was in mine,’ he said through his teeth. He wrenched open the front door. ‘Come on then … let’s go.’

‘Would you stop in Seven Sisters Road?’

‘Yeah … I was going to anyway.’

‘Thanks,’ Faye mumbled.

It was almost dusk and she was glad of the cover of twilight. Sometimes, in the early evenings, Jimmy would hang about with a pal outside, chatting by the railings, or drinking beer. If he were brassic and feeling particularly in need of a friend, he’d share his bottle with a passer-by to get himself a conversation. Faye didn’t want her stepfather seeing her getting out of his son’s car. He’d want to know all the ins and outs, especially her reason for seeking Robert out. But the area looked unusually quiet, probably because a light drizzle had started. Just a few people, dressed lightly for summer, were hurrying into Campbell Road with their heads down as if to avoid getting wet. She watched the windscreen wipers arc across the glass before Robert turned off the engine and they sat for a moment in silence with the rain pattering on the car roof. It was a somnolent sound and Faye drew a breath, settled back, and sighed. She felt warm, strangely serene, cocooned against the dismal reality of what awaited outside. Soon a pulse in the atmosphere was spoiling her contentment and she remembered the hostility between them.