Losing It (2 page)

‘Are you sure? Brilliant!’ Jo kisses Luke and leaves a red smudge on his cheek. ‘See you tomorrow then,’ she says and wobbles off in her high heels.

CHAPTER THREE

Jo does not come back to pick Luke up till Sunday afternoon. It’s a sunny spring day, and Marion, David and Luke are out in the garden. David reads the paper while Luke helps Marion put in some pansies.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Jo says. ‘I got in late and then I overslept.’

‘It’s fine,’ Marion says. ‘We had fun.’

‘We watched a film and made popcorn!’ Luke says. ‘And Tigger slept on my bed with me.’

‘Nice to have a child in the house,’ Marion says. ‘We’ll babysit anytime. Won’t we David?’

David looks up from his paper. ‘A bit of notice, would be nice,’ he says.

‘David!’ says Marion.

‘No it’s OK,’ Jo says, but her voice is a little stiff. ‘Come on Luke.’ And she goes home.

‘You could have been more friendly,’ Marion says.

He raises his eyebrows at her.

‘Alone at last,’ he says.

The next night Jo comes round just as Marion and David are about to go to bed.

‘Can you help me?’ she says.

‘What’s wrong?’ Marion asks.

‘Can’t it wait?’ David says, looking at his watch. ‘It’s late.’

‘No, it’s OK,’ Marion says. ‘What is it?’

‘There’s a great big spider in my bath,’ she says, ‘and I’m petrified of spiders.’

‘Me too,’ says Marion. ‘David?’

David sighs. ‘Women!’ he says. ‘Come on then.’ And he goes next door with Jo.

Marion puts on her nightie and gets into bed, waiting for David to come back. He’s a long time, much longer than it would take to remove a spider from a bath.

When he does come back she says, ‘Why were you so long?’

‘No sign of the spider,’ he says, ‘so I had to look for it.’

‘Did you find it?’

He shakes his head and takes off his shirt. ‘She’s going to decorate the whole house,’ he says.

‘That’s a shame,’ Marion says. ‘Pat only did it all before she left.’

‘She thinks it’s too old fashioned.’

He gets into bed and thumps his pillow into shape.

‘She got me to look at some paint charts,’ he says. ‘Sorry it took so long.’

On Saturday morning Luke rings the doorbell again while Marion and David are still in bed. ‘Bloody pest!’ David grumbles as Marion gets up. ‘Bring me a cuppa will you?’

‘Good morning Luke.’ Marion opens the door. He’s in his pyjamas again and his feet are bare. ‘You should put your slippers on,’ she says.

‘I don’t have slippers,’ he says.

Marion finds him a big pair of socks to warm his feet up. ‘Now, shall we make some pancakes?’ she says.

‘Yay!’ he says. ‘Yum yum!’

Marion shows him how to beat the eggs into the flour and milk. They eat the pancakes with lemon and sugar.

Luke licks the sugar off his fingers. ‘That was cool,’ he says. ‘Mum never makes pancakes.’

Later Jo comes round. Her make up is smudged all round her eyes. ‘Late night,’ she says and yawns.

‘Coffee?’ Marion says.

‘Mum, we made pancakes,’ Luke says.

‘Ta.’ Jo smiles at Marion. ‘You’re a star. Can you have Luke again tonight?’

‘I can’t,’ Marion says. ‘Sorry. David and I are going to a party.’

‘Oh.’ Jo chews her fingernail and frowns. ‘No problem,’ she says. ‘I’ll just have to stay in then.’

‘Can’t you ask someone else?’

Jo shakes her head. ‘Everyone goes out on Saturdays,’ she complains.

‘Even us this week!’ Marion says. ‘I’m sorry. Any other time.’

At 7 o’clock Marion puts on her black trousers, her green velvet top and her high heeled sandals. She sprays herself with perfume and puts on lipstick and mascara. David wears a new white shirt. His face is smooth and he smells of aftershave.

‘You look beautiful,’ he says and kisses her.

‘You’re not so bad yourself!’ she says.

As David picks up his car keys, the doorbell rings. Jo is on the doorstep and she’s crying.

‘Come in,’ Marion says. ‘What on earth’s the matter?’

‘I just had a phone call from a friend,’ she says. ‘Her husband’s got cancer and she’s in a right state. She wants me to go round –’

‘And you want us to have Luke?’ David says. ‘But we’re off to a party.’

‘I know it’s a lot to ask,’ Jo says.

‘Can’t you take him with you?’ Marion says.

Jo sniffs and shakes her head. Her eyelashes are all wet and spiky. ‘See, he’s allergic to her parrot.’

‘Her parrot?’ David says.

‘I thought he loved animals?’ Marion says.

‘He’s allergic to feathers.’

Marion looks at David.

He shrugs his shoulders. ‘OK, OK,’ he says, but he looks angry.

Jo’s face lights up in a brilliant smile. ‘Thank you!’ she says. She kisses David on his cheek and hugs Marion. ‘You’re both stars!’ She goes home to fetch Luke. Marion wipes off her lipstick. She takes off her sandals and puts on her furry slippers.

‘We could get a takeaway?’ she says.

‘Mind if I go?’ David says.

Marion thinks about it. It’s his mate Ken’s divorce party and he promised to be there.

‘OK,’ she says. ‘Say hi to Ken for me. I wish I was coming.’

‘You should have said no to Jo then,’ he says.

Luke comes round with his pyjamas and toothbrush.

‘Mum says I’m staying the night,’ he says. He gives Marion his stuff and runs upstairs to find Tigger. She looks out of the window and sees Jo getting into a taxi. She’s wearing fishnet tights and a short black skirt. She waves when she sees Marion looking and jumps into the taxi. Marion watches it drive away. She puts the TV on and opens a can of beans.

CHAPTER FOUR

‘How was your friend?’ Marion asks Jo when she comes round for Luke on Sunday afternoon. It’s raining. David’s out watching the football in the pub.

‘Which friend?’ Jo says.

Marion puts teabags into two mugs.

‘The one whose husband has got cancer?’ she says.

Jo’s hand flies to her mouth. ‘Oh,’ she says. ‘Sue? She’s gutted. I took her out for a drink.’

‘What kind of cancer is it?’

‘Something down there,’ Jo says. ‘His balls.’

‘Testicular?’

Jo nods.

‘Ouch,’ Marion says.

‘She’s gutted they won’t be able to have kids,’ Jo says, ‘even if he gets better.’

Marion sips her tea. She pushes a plate of biscuits towards Jo.

‘Luke helped me make these,’ she says. ‘They look funny but they taste good.’

‘No ta,’ Jo says. ‘I’m watching my weight.’

‘But you’re so skinny,’ Marion says. ‘I wish I was that thin.’ She puts her own biscuit back on the plate.

Jo smiles. ‘Do you and David plan on having kids?’

‘We’d love to,’ Marion says. ‘We’ve been trying for years.’

Jo pats her on the hand. ‘Poor you,’ she says, ‘and there’s me getting pregnant at the first pop! Not fair is it?’

Marion shakes her head.

‘Does David mind much?’ Jo asked.

‘Yes. He’d love a kid,’ Marion says. ‘And so would I.’

‘You can always borrow Luke.’ Jo laughs. ‘He gets on my nerves, me all on my own with him.’

‘But he’s sweet,’ Marion says. ‘Where’s his dad?’

‘Good question,’ Jo says. ‘Thanks for the tea. And thanks for having him.’ She gets up. ‘Luke,’ she calls. ‘We’re going.’

‘Can I watch the end of the film?’ Luke shouts from the other room.

‘Do you mind?’ Jo asks.

‘Of course not,’ Marion says.

The next Saturday Jo asks David to give her a lift to B&Q to get some paint.

‘I would get it delivered,’ she says, ‘only I want to make a start today.’

‘We’ll have to be quick,’ David says. ‘The match starts at 12.’

Luke goes in the car with them. Marion feels lonely. She washes the kitchen floor and does the ironing and then she goes out shopping. By the time she gets back, David has gone to the match. Luke is sitting on the doorstep.

‘Mum made me go out,’ he says, ‘so I don’t get paint on me.’

‘Come in then.’ Marion is glad to see him. She gives him a bag of crisps and he sits on the sofa with Tigger on his knee.

‘I wish I lived with you,’ he says.

‘You’re only next door,’ Marion says.

She goes into the kitchen to start cooking. They have friends coming round that night. She makes a beef casserole and a cheesecake. Luke helps her bash up the biscuits for the cheesecake base.

David gets home at 4 o’clock. He’s happy because his team won. He picks Marion up and twirls her round. He smells of beer.

‘Fancy a quickie?’ he says.

‘But Luke’s here,’ Marion says. ‘Make it a cup of tea instead?’

He groans and goes upstairs to change.

Their friends Jean and Ron come round at 7 o’clock. David opens a bottle of red wine and they all stand outside in the sunshine waiting for the potatoes to cook. Jo comes into the garden. She’s wearing paint splashed jeans and a T-shirt that shows her flat brown tummy.

‘Oh sorry,’ she says. ‘I didn’t know you had company. I was going to borrow David.’

‘Not now,’ David says.

‘Oh aye,’ says Ron, ‘what’s this?’ He waggles his eyebrows at David.

‘Don’t be daft,’ says Jean.

‘Just to help me with a tricky bit of ceiling,’ Jo says.

‘Time for a glass of wine?’ Marion says.

‘No. Oh go on then,’ Jo replies.

‘Where’s Luke?’ Marion asks.

‘I’ll get him.’

Jo goes next door and comes back with her lipstick on, just as the potatoes are done. Tigger’s in the garden and Luke goes to play with him.

‘We’re just about to eat,’ David says, frowning at her.

‘Oh sorry,’ Jo says.

‘Do you want to join us?’ Marion says. She crosses her fingers, hoping Jo will say no.

But ‘Go on, then,’ is what she says.

CHAPTER FIVE

The doorbell rings. It’s late on Sunday morning and Marion and David are still in bed. The sun shines through the curtains. They are both hung over. Jo, Ron and Jean did not leave till 3 a.m.

David groans. ‘Don’t go,’ he says.

‘But it will be Luke,’ Marion says.

‘Can’t Jo look after him?’

‘She’ll be asleep,’ Marion says. She starts to get up but David grabs hold of her arm.

‘Don’t go,’ he says again.

Marion pulls away. ‘I can’t leave him on the doorstep.’

She goes downstairs to let Luke in.

‘I’ve got a present for you,’ she says. She gives Luke a box. He takes out a pair of Spider Man slippers.

‘Cool!’ he says. He puts them on and jumps around pretending to be Spider Man.

She takes David up a cup of tea but he’s in a sulk. She does all the washing up and puts the bottles out. Then she takes Luke to the shop to buy milk and the Sunday papers. He won’t take the slippers off. She buys him a comic and a Curly Wurly.

In the afternoon Jo comes round. She has a cup of tea with Marion. David’s back from 5-a-side and reading the paper in the garden. It’s hot. Jo’s wearing tiny cut-off jeans. She has long smooth legs. She stands in front of David in his deck chair.

‘Could you help me with the ceiling?’ she asks.

Marion sees David look at Jo’s legs. He can’t help it, she’s standing right in front of him. There’s nowhere else to look.

‘Please?’ Jo says. ‘It won’t take long.’

David looks at Marion. ‘Go on,’ Marion says. ‘I’ll take Luke to the park.’

‘You’re a star,’ says Jo.

Marion and Luke drive to the park. She watches him on the swing and the roundabout. She buys him an ice lolly and they sit on a bench in the sunshine feeding bread to the ducks.

When they get home, David isn’t back. Luke plays with Tigger and watches a cartoon on TV.

At 5 o’clock Marion takes Luke home. The back door is open and Luke races straight in.

‘Hello?’ Marion calls up the stairs. She can hear them laughing.

‘Hi there,’ Jo calls. ‘Come on up.’

Marion thinks it’s sad that Jo has painted all over Pat’s wallpaper. But it does look more modern. David is sitting on a ladder in the bedroom. The ceiling is finished and he’s drinking a can of beer.

‘What do you think?’ Jo says.

‘Nice,’ says Marion. The walls are pale yellow and the ceiling white. It looks bright and sunny.

‘We could do our room like this,’ David says.

Marion nods but really she likes their bedroom just the way it is.

‘David’s going to help me with the stairs next week,’ Jo says. She swigs her beer. ‘Oh, do you want a drink?’

‘No thanks,’ Marion says. ‘Are you coming home now David?’

He finishes his can and jumps down off the ladder.

‘You don’t mind David helping me, do you Marion?’ Jo says.

‘Of course not,’ Marion says.

‘What’s up?’ David asks Marion later. It’s bedtime. She’s been quiet all evening.

‘I don’t know,’ she says.

‘Is it because I’m helping Jo?’

‘Maybe.’ Marion shrugs.

David laughs. ‘For God’s sake!’ he says. ‘First you tell me off for being unfriendly, now you don’t want me to help her.’

‘It’s not that,’ Marion says.

‘What then?’

‘I’ve been wanting the kitchen done for years,’ she says.

David sighs.

‘Do you like her?’ Marion asks in a small voice.

‘I think she’s a pain in the neck,’ David says.

‘Good,’ says Marion. ‘I think so too.’

CHAPTER SIX

David is over at Jo’s every night that week. And every night, Marion babysits Luke and cooks tea for everyone. David and Jo come in all painty and giggly, eat their tea and then go back while Marion washes up and Luke watches TV.

On Friday the hall and stairs are finished. Marion goes round to see. The walls are sky blue and the woodwork is white.

‘It looks lovely,’ Marion says.

Jo pours them all a glass of wine.

‘I’m doing Luke’s room next,’ she says.

‘I chose the paint myself,’ Luke says. ‘It’s red.’

‘It might look awful,’ Jo says, ‘but I said he could choose.’

‘Red is my favourite colour,’ Luke says. ‘Like a fire engine.’

‘I thought maybe just one wall red,’ Jo says.