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  Vicky cleared her throat and spoke in her best voice. “Just in Blackley love, Andrew Road. Do you know where that is?”

  “Yeah I know where Blackley is, so you can tell me whereabouts when I get nearer.” Vicky inhaled deeply. This woman smelt so fresh and clean. The smell was a million miles away from the Impulse deodorant she’d sprayed on herself earlier. Vicky looked over at Susie’s hands as she pulled out onto the main road. Her fingers were long and slender and her nails looked in tip-top condition. She hid her own hands by her side. Her own nails were chewed, they looked like she’d picked a thousand potatoes.

  “I’m sorry if I offended you before love. I just don’t think before I speak.”

  Vicky smiled as she turned her head to see her son sitting in the back. “No worries. I’ve just had a shit day that’s all. I mean coming to this place once a week is enough to stress anyone out innit?”

  “Tell me about it,” Susie nodded, “I’ve never felt so intimidated in my whole life. The screws think we’re criminals too. Did you hear the way they speak to people?”

  Vicky was up in arms. She knew exactly what she meant, Susie continued. “Cheeky fuckers they are. They know we need to get into the nick, so they just take liberties,” she chuckled. Vicky looked about twenty two years of age but she seemed a lot older in the head.

  “Mam can we have McDonalds, I’m hungry.”

  Vicky blushed, the toddler knew she didn’t have any money, he’d asked her earlier for some sweets. Her purse was empty and she didn’t have a pot to piss in until the following day when her benefit would be paid into her account. Trying to remain calm she spoke in an animated voice. “Mummy will make you something nice when we get in. McDonalds is for special occasions.” That was it, the kid was bawling again. Vicky looked at her wits end. She wanted to jump in the back of the car and throttle the little bastard to death. Forcing herself to calm down she said, “Declan, please don’t start again. I just can’t cope with it anymore.”

  Susie could see the pain in her face. It was obvious she didn’t have any money. “Tell you what,” Susie smiled, “if you’re good all the way home I’ll get you a McDonalds. What do you say about that?”

  Declan was cheering and clapping his hands together. The little brat was happy now. “Can I have chicken nuggets and a strawberry milk shake?” Vicky was going under. The embarrassment was written all across her face. Susie spoke to her with a soft voice. “That’s if it’s alright with your mummy?”

  Vicky grinned. “I would have got it him myself but I’m skint. These prison visits cost me an arm and a leg. I never have a spare penny.” Susie agreed as she turned the music up. The Script played “The man who can’t be moved.” Susie sung along with the words. Vicky looked at her with a grin across her face. She was definitely a mad head. Vicky felt some of her depression lifting. At least she had saved her bus fare now and could buy some cigs. Susie had saved her life, without her nicotine fix she was a right moody cow. Without this lift home she would have had to go into her corner shop and beg for credit to see her through until the next day. Vicky had done it before in the past and hated sucking up to her local shopkeeper. She was living on the bread line and some days she didn’t have enough food to feed herself and her child.

  Susie looked at Vicky from the corner of her eyes. She was a pretty little thing and she had a fabulous figure. Tapping her fingertips on the steering wheel, the traffic came to a standstill. Susie wanted to know more about this girl. She held a cunning look on her face before she started the conversation. “So who do you live with then? Is it just you and Declan?”

  Vicky turned her head to the back seat and looked at her son. “Yeah it’s just me and this fucking nuisance in the back.” She pulled at her son’s leg and smiled. “Well it is now his dad’s in nick.”

  Susie dug deeper, wanting to know more, she was a right nosey bitch. “It’s a long time to wait love. Are you going to be faithful?” Vicky took a moment and made sure her son wasn’t listening in the back of the car. He was playing with some gadget he’d found on the seat. “I’m going to try. But who knows what’s around the corner. Like you said it’s a long time to wait innit?”

  Susie giggled. “Yeah you’re a woman with needs aren’t you?” Vicky covered her broken tooth as she nearly choked with laughter. Susie was so straight talking and she made her piss laughing with her bluntness.

  Declan was jumping up and down on the back seat. He could see the McDonalds and his eyes were on fire with excitement. “We’re going to McDonalds,” he sang at the top of his voice. Vicky held the bottom of her stomach, it was rumbling. She could hear her own body’s call for food. The aroma of the fast food could be smelt filtering through the small gap in the window. Vicky inhaled deeply and you could see her nostrils flaring.

  Susie pulled into the drive- through. Two cars were in front of them and Declan kept on repeating to Susie what his order was. He was doing her head in, but she kept her calm. “Do you want something to eat love?” Vicky could feel her face going red as Susie looked directly at her. Her tongue was sliding over her bottom lip. She looked starving as she held onto her knees. Susie repeated herself as she neared the intercom to make their order. “It’s my treat,” Susie smirked. Vicky nodded and concentrated on the menu board at the side of her.

  Once the food was ordered they drove to the next window to pay for their food. Vicky watched as Susie pulled her ‘Paul’s Boutique’ purse out from her bag. She’d wanted one of those purses for ages, and she examined every inch of it. Opening the window Susie grabbed the food from the assistant. Passing Declan his Happy Meal in the back she drove to the car park situated at the side of them. Once the engine was turned off they all sat munching their grub. Declan had never been so quiet.

  Vicky was eating so fast that sparks came off her fingers. Susie could tell she was more than hungry. “Fucking shame,” Susie thought as she watched her devour her Big Mac meal. Susie wasn’t really good at making friends but this girl seemed to like her. Vicky was passing Declan a small white napkin to wipe his hands. They both watched him clean his hands, and Susie was glad he wasn’t making a mess of her back seats.

  Susie looked full and patted her stomach. “I needed that I can tell you. I haven’t had a bite to eat all day. It’s just been rush, rush, rush. I’ve no time to fart these days, never mind anything else.”

  “I know what you mean,” Vicky replied as she finished the last bite of her burger. Declan was now playing with the small toy he’d got inside his Happy Meal, he looked content.

  “Come on then. Let’s get you home” Susie giggled.

  On the way, Susie was itching to get to know more about this young mother. “So Vicky, do you go out on the piss or what?”

  “I wish, I’m always skint,” Vicky moaned. “Plus I don’t have anyone to babysit. My mam has fuck all to do with me anymore.”

  Susie was hanging on her every word as she pumped her for more information. “Why, don’t you get on with your parents love?”

  “Nar she’s a piss head. She’s only seen Declan a few times since he’s been born. My family are a waste of space. I still talk to one of my sisters though.”

  Susie watched Vicky’s face change and knew she was upset. She felt motherly towards her and reached her hand over, to the passenger seat and patted her leg. “Same here love. My family are just the same. The only time I see them is when they want something. We’re a pair together aren’t we?” They agreed as they drove up Rochdale Road towards Blackley.

  Vicky gave Susie directions. Turning off Rochdale Road Vicky led her to a council estate. Motorbikes were flying up and down the road with youths hanging from them without any helmets on. Thick scarves hung around their faces covering their identity. Vicky sat tall in the car; she looked like she wanted someone to see her as she scanned the area for any familiar faces. For crying out loud, here she was sat in a BMW X5 and nobody was about to see her in this smart car.

  Susie drove past some houses. Lots of
them had the windows boarded up and the gardens looked overgrown with weeds. “Anywhere here love,” Vicky said. The brakes slammed on the car and they came to a halt. Words were few between them now and Vicky thanked her for the lift home and the food. Declan was starting to act up again and was refusing to get out of the car. You could see Vicky felt embarrassed. “Come on son. You can watch a film when we get in. You can watch your ‘Cars’ DVD if you want.” The child seemed to be thinking it over, and he quickly scrambled over the seats to get to his mother. “Thanks again,” Vicky said with an endearing look. Susie smiled and watched her enter the house.

  “Poor fucker,” Susie whispered as she watched her chase her son down the path before he broke free. Declan was definitely a handful. Her mobile went off. Susie grabbed it from the dashboard. It was Ashley’s name flashing. Taking a deep breath she threw the phone back in her bag. “He can fuck right off,” she ranted. Susie felt tired. She’d not even bothered washing her hair today. There was just no time. Her body was still aching and all she wanted to do was to go home and get a nice warm bath. She’d bought some new bath oils that she wanted to try, and tonight she planned to use them.

  Music was playing as she drove home. Usually she would have had her tunes pumping out from the speaker, but today she couldn’t be arsed. As she pulled up near her house she could see Ashley’s car, parked outside it. “What do you want, you toss pot?” she cursed.

  Ashley’s face was hidden by a big bouquet of flowers as he trudged towards her. He was holding a big white fluffy teddy in his other hand. Susie stood at her garden fence with one hand on her hip with a cocky look on her face. She hated flowers. She would have much rather have had a bottle of perfume or something. Flowers were a waste of money in her eyes, and they reminded her of death. “Here you go my sweetheart,” Ashley giggled as he passed her the massive bunch of flowers. He looked chuffed as he hung on her every word. Taking them from him she tucked the flowers under her arm and headed down the garden path towards the front door. He stood frozen as he swung the teddy by its arm. He looked gutted and you could see he was ready to snap. Once the front door was opened he marched inside after her.

  “Is that it? Are you not gonna say thanks or fuck all for the flowers. I felt a right cunt buying them as well. The woman must have thought I was a right soft arse.” Her eyes kept focused on the kitchen sink as she pulled the flowers from the cellophane. She placed them in a glass vase from underneath the sink.

  “Yeah, give me a fucking chance. I’m not going to throw my arms around you in the street am I? Ya muppet.” He was smiling now. Susie turned round to face him and held her arms out. There was no way she was walking to him. If he wanted any loving he would have to come to her for it. Ashley went straight in for the kiss. As their lips connected he kissed her with passion. Susie looked like she enjoyed the kiss, and looking down at Ashley’s crotch he was enjoying it too. His penis was now visible. It looked swelled as if it was ready to burst through his tracksuit bottoms. Susie ended the kiss. Flicking the switch on the kettle, she handed him the vase and told him to park his arse in the living room. Dragging his coat from his body he obeyed her and left the kitchen.

  The kettle boiled away and the bubbling noise from it made her put the coffee into the cups. Kicking her shoes off Susie looked so much smaller. Carrying two cups into the living room she could hear someone knocking at the front door. Ashley was now at the window gawping at the visitor. “Who is it?” Susie snarled as she placed the two brews on the glass table nearby.

  “It’s Helen, I think.”

  “Oh, for fuck sake. That’s all I need. Did she see you?” Ashley nodded. Huffing noises could be heard.

  Susie opened the front door. Helen didn’t wait for an invite inside and just barged past her. “Ignorant bitch,” Susie mumbled.

  “How was our kid? Was he alright?” she shouted as she went straight into the front room. Susie didn’t reply. She was finding it hard to control her temper and stayed in the lobby for a few minutes to try and calm herself down.

  Helen met Ashley’s eyes. Her face seemed to change as she looked at the two brews on the table. “Alright chub rub,” Ashley giggled nervously. He’d always had banter with Helen in the past and today was no different.

  “Cheeky cunt, you are,” she sniggered. “Are you still shagging anything with a pulse?” Ashley went white in the face. Susie heard her accusations and stood at the door waiting for him to reply.

  “Nar am I eck. I’ve got myself a real woman now. Slappers are a thing of the past.” He fidgeted about. Helen seemed to be watching Susie’s reaction. She could see Ashley looking at her brother’s woman and wondered why he’d changed his tune all of a sudden. Usually he would tell her about some dirt bag he’d been shagging but today he was holding back. She continued probing him.

  “Come off it Ash. You always have some dirty little bint on the go.” He looked uncomfortable and tugged at his grey t-shirt. His mouth looked dry as he licked his bottom lip.

  “Straight up love, I’m loved up now, honest.”

  Helen laughed out loud. “Well that’s a fucking first. I don’t believe that for one minute. Do you think I was born yesterday?”

  Ashley sat down looking anxious. He looked like he was blushing. Helen eyed the brews on the table and turned her head to Susie who was just about to sit down.

  “I’ll have a brew, love.”

  Susie couldn’t hide her feelings any longer. She screwed her face up as she plonked her arse in her seat. “Well you know where the kitchen is. Go and make one.”

  Helen huffed and looked at Ashley. “Oh no brew for me, but she’s done one for you I see.”

  Her eyes shot to the two cups on the table. Ashley smiled. He could see Susie was looking at him for support. “I made the brews Helen. Susie is done in from the visit. Look at her she’s knackered.”

  Helen jumped up from the chair in a mood. “Well I hope she’s got some nice choccy biscuits in, because I love to dunk my biscuits?” Helen disappeared into the kitchen.

  Susie rammed two fingers into the air and directed them towards the door. “I fucking hate her with a passion. She pisses me right off.” Ashley reached for his brew and blew the hot drink as he slurped his first mouthful.

  Sitting back in his chair he winked at Susie. “Calm down love,” he whispered.

  Helen came back to join them with a packet of Susie’s favourite biscuits. The pair watched Helen as she sank her brown stumpy teeth into the seal to break the packet open. Helen lifted her head up and looked gobsmacked as her eyes focused on the dining table.

  “Who’s the flowers from?” Susie swallowed hard and she struggling to find an answer. Ashley stepped in. “Oh I got them for her. Tim said to get Susie something to cheer her up,” he chuckled. “So I used my imagination and got her a bunch of flowers.”

  Helen was like a detective. She stood up from her seat and walked to the table where the flowers were. Bending her head down, she inhaled hard at the bouquet. “Flowers remind me of death yanno.”

  Ashley raised his eyes to the ceiling and watched her pick the teddy up. “Orr this is cute.” Holding the cuddly toy close to her body, she squeezed at it with all her might. You could see the teddy’s eyes nearly popping out. She was such a heavy-handed bitch. Helen sat back down. She was eager to eat as many biscuits as she could. Ashley and Susie watched her devour the biscuits and you could see by their faces they were sickened by her eating habits.

  “So how was he then?” Helen asked as she spoke with a mouthful of biscuit. She looked like a horse chewing on an apple.

  Susie pulled her legs onto the chair and folded them at the side of her. “He was alright. He never stopped moaning though. Bring me this, bring me that. Do this, do that.”

  Helen looked anxious as she spoke. “Well he needs stuff doesn’t he? The man’s in jail, for Christ sake. What do you expect?”

  “If you think it’s easy, Mrs fucking know it all. You sort the fucking visits out.”
<
br />   Helen stared at her. The smile on her face was there to wind Susie up. Taking a minute to think about her reply, she leant forward in her seat and spoke directly to Susie. Ashley was watching them both and he was getting ready to split them up. He could see they were both getting ready for a fight. Helen let rip. “Do you know what Susie? If you carry on talking to me like a daft prick, I’m gonna give you a piece of my mind. I’ve held back for long enough now because you’ve been upset, but if you carry on with this attitude I’ll show you what I’m all about. Do you get me?”

  “Now, now, ladies,” Ashley smirked. He could see Susie’s fist clenching together and he knew she was ready to dive on Helen.

  Susie was livid as she bolted up from her chair. “Who the fuck, do you think you’re talking to ya fat slag! Get a grip will you. And if you think you can twist me up,” she laughed sarcastically, “bring it on.” Ashley was bouncing about the front room now. His two long arms were waving about in front of his face. Susie was growling into Helen’s face pointing her fingers near her nose. Ashley tried to calm them down but Susie grabbed at Helen’s arm.

  “Come on. Get the fuck out of my house. Thinking you can come round here, and chat shit to me.” Helen struggled to get up from the chair. Her cheeks were red with temper. Pulling her t-shirt over her gut she made a grab for Susie.

  The two women were at war but Ashley managed to keep them apart. “Will you just go home?” he shouted at Helen, “Susie’s got enough on her plate without you stressing her out as well.”

  Tim’s sister bounced about the living room as she tried to grip Susie, “Fuck off Ash, she’s a horrible bitch and I’m sick it. She’s always the fucking victim. Poor little Susie!” she said sarcastically. Helen made her way to the front door as Ashley struggled to keep Susie from jumping on her. Helen laughed nervously. “You’ll come to earth with a bang one day, you cocky bitch. And I for one, hope I’m there to watch you fall flat on your sorry arse.”