Lettuces and Cream Read online

  Keith was still seated at the kitchen table, a sly grin on his face. He had rattled her cage all right. His plan had paid off, he had something on her now. Knowledge was power, and it had given him back a sense of masculinity, of confidence. She could strut and shout all she liked, he would have the last word – when he was ready, in his own time…

  Jan was surprised by the realisation that she was enjoying her shopping trip to town, although lugging heavy shopping bags around could sometimes be an irksome chore. Perhaps it was reminding her of shopping back home, but unlike then, economy was now uppermost in her mind. It was odd how they both still kept calling Barey, home, this was their home now. Her visit to the bank had gone without incidence so she had relaxed a little, and went from shop to shop in a reasonably happy mood. It was a pleasant experience for another reason too. Because it was winter, and all the tourists tucked up in their cities, most of the shopkeepers treated her as a ‘local,’ which gave her a nice feeling of being welcomed home. Of course it also meant they spoke to her in Welsh, but even that was pleasing, and she did her best to respond.

  She bought some vegetables and a fresh local chicken for the weekend visitors. And for her, the cheapest pair of working trousers from the cheapest shop. The November afternoon was fading as she headed back to the car, and set off back to Llanbeth to collect the children from school.

  ‘Look mum I’ve done this drawing of you and dad. And we’re making cards for Christmas.’ Mandy waved her masterpiece in front of Jan.

  ‘That’s lovely, darling.’ Jan said enthusiastically, although inwardly she cringed with the expensive worry of Christmas.

  ‘I’ve got to make a model of a Red Kite for the nature class.’ David chipped in, not wanting to be left out of the accolades for scholastic achievements.

  ‘Gosh, that’ll keep you busy, love.’

  ‘I’m going to look in the fields for feathers to stick on it.’ David sounded enthusiastic.

  ‘That’s a great idea – if you can find some.’

  It was only a short drive home and Jan was soon making the turn into the track entrance, and concentrating on missing the ruts and potholes. Suddenly, just as she neared the worse section of track, a fox ran down from the hedge bank right in front of the wheels. Jan instinctively turned the wheel to avoid it, with a horrible crunch the car slid into the ditch. She and the kids were thrown forward by the impact and although unhurt, Mandy started crying and poor Jan was close to tears too, but had to pacify the kids.

  ‘It’s okay, don’t cry we’ll be all right, are you hurt, son?’

  ‘No, I’m okay mum. I haven’t seen a fox before.’ He seemed calm, and more interested in seeing another wild creature.

  ‘Mum, mum, you’re bleeding,’ Mandy yelled in horror, and her sobbing increased.

  Jan hadn’t noticed she had a cut on her forehead from hitting the mirror. She pulled some tissues from her pocket. ‘There, it’s nothing, look, I’m all right, love.’ Now that the rivulet of blood had been moped up, her sobbing eased.

  ‘Can you get out on your side, David?’ He was in the back seat, and Mandy in the front with Jan.

  ‘Yeah I think so.’

  ‘If you get out, you can open the passenger door for us to get out.’

  With much heaving and pushing, doors were opened and they all stood on the track looking sadly at damage. Now the worse part of the catastrophe, telling Mike that his beloved Austin was in the ditch. Jan was shaken and utterly heart broken. This was such a disaster. It seemed that the evil spirits still had mischief to spare. What were they to do now?

  ‘Come on kids lets get to the house. We’ll collect the shopping and your school bags later.’ It was a sad little trio that trudged homeward through the early evening darkness.

  TWENTY

  ‘They’re coming, they’re coming,’ the kids were dancing about the yard in wild expectation of the weekend visitors. They knew there would be lots of goodies to be had from their generous Aunt and Grandma. Spot the pup was behaving as wildly as the children, and joyfully dashing about the yard. The car stopped and they all gathered around to greet them.

  ‘Hello mum, Marion. Seems ages since we saw you.’

  ‘Well it has been months, son. Come on, give me kiss.’ Mike hugged his mother warmly. Both Jan and he had missed them. When they were back home they used to see them at least once a week.

  ‘And how’s that leg of yours? Looks pretty with all those drawing on it.’

  ‘Yeah, but it’s getting a bit dirty now though, mum,’ Mike said, looking down at the mud splattered plaster.

  ‘You got here earlier than you said, sis. And you didn’t tell me you had a new car? Fast is it?’ Marion had a good job at the same factory that Mike had worked in and once again Mike felt small and inadequate. First Roy, and now his sister, both with nice new cars, while their car was in a heap.

  ‘I thought it would be a surprise for you. Fast, no not really, Mike, I finished work extra early so we could get here in daylight. Just as well, bit difficult to find isn’t it? We had to stop twice and ask for directions.’

  ‘’Tis a bit, but we like it’. Mike thought he would get that in first, before there were any comments about, remoteness.

  ‘And where are my little darlings,’ Mikes mum turned to hug the excited children who were both trying to tell their grandma all their news at the same time.

  ‘Dads going to be father Christmas,’ Mandy blurted out, wanting to be the first with the unusual hot news.

  ‘Really,’ Grandma said with enthusiastic surprise. She turned to Mike and gave a knowing smile. ‘You’re Santa every year, aren’t you son?’

  Mike laughed. ‘Well yes, but this is for the school, I’ll tell you all about it later.’

  ‘Let’s get inside shall we, Mum?’ Jan said, ‘you must be dying for a cuppa.’

  ‘Oh, yes please love it’s been a long trip.’ His mum was fond of tea.

  Friday afternoon had arrived. Mike and Jan had got through the week with out much enthusiasm. Monday’s disaster had upset them both. Apart from the damage to his lovely car Mike had been doubly upset because Jan had been so distraught and blamed herself for the accident. He hated seeing her crying. Luckily, Mr Williams still had his JCB on site, so it was used to pull the car from the ditch, and back into the yard. Although it had been a low speed crash the car was in a bad way, and any repairs would cost far more than the car was worth. They only had the cheapest third party insurance on it, so for the time being, it stood forlornly in a corner of the yard. Now, they only had the van for transport. Not really suitable for the whole family.

  They were both totally at a loss as what to do next, and were at their lowest ebb, though neither would say as much to the other. Lesser mortals might have been getting ready to call it a day and head home. However, they had, in a comparatively short period of time, built a myriad of affectionate memories. From the Robin that would appear each time Mike tilled the soil, to the ever-changing smells and colours of the open countryside. Even the old house with all its faults was now home and once inside its ancient walls, they all felt safe and secure. In their minds and hearts it was now truly – Home. So they intended clinging on until the bitter end. And what money they had, or rather what the bank had, would be needed for Christmas, and the builder, so the car would have to wait.

  ‘What’s going on here?’ Grandma asked, pausing by the heaps of soil and rocks.

  ‘We’re putting on an extension, bathroom, another bedroom, airing cupboard and stuff upstairs, and new kitchen and utility room downstairs. And these foundations went in today.’

  ‘That will be nice, son.’

  Yeah, it will, if it ever happens, Mike thought sadly. They were paying the builder stage by stage so as not to owe him money. Now the foundations were laid a payment, which they didn’t have, was due, but he had to be optimistic and cheerful for the visitors’ sake. At least he didn’t have to go over the depressing car crash business. He had got that over wit
h when he had spoken to them on the phone the other evening.

  ‘Come on, mum, Jan’s made fresh cream éclairs to go with our tea – with our own cream.’

  ‘Mm, sounds lovely”

  Keith was driving back to Wales and nearing home. Now that his father was able to cope on his own he wouldn’t be going North again for some time. Which was just as well because he needed to spend time seeing to his own farm business. Good profits were essential because Chris had very expensive tastes. He turned on the car radio and tuned to a Pop station. He was fond of lively noisy music. What’s more, he was quite relaxed. When he had begun to suspect Chris was messing about with other blokes he had wanted to kill the pair of them. But in a strange way he was now enjoying the situation. His plan had worked, and now he liked knowing what she was up to without her knowing. Now, when she lied to him he would be able to smile at her, -that would wind her up a lot, she wouldn’t know why. But for how long did he want to carry on like this? What was the point of living together as they were now? And he didn’t think she would ever change.

  ‘These cakes are delicious, Jan, you’re such a good cook.’

  ‘Huh, I don’t know about that, mum.’

  ‘Um, lovely,’ Marion agreed.

  ‘More tea mum?’

  ‘Mm, please, love.’

  ‘What about you, Mike.’

  ‘No tea, just another éclair please.’

  ‘And me mum,’ David said, following his dads example.

  ‘Me too,’ Mandy said, anxious not to be left out of the feast.

  ‘We can have a slide show later. I’ll show you what we’ve done here already’

  ‘Oh, yeah,’ the kids were enthusiastically, ‘we like slide shows.’

  ‘Still a lot to do though, son,’ Mikes mother looked around the kitchen.

  ‘Well, this is going to be knocked down –eventually’ Mike said, frowning once again at the very idea of the expensive project.

  ‘But the sitting room and the kids bedrooms are just about finished, we’ll show you around later,’ Jan said cheerfully.

  ‘That I’ll be nice, Jan, love,’ Grandma responded.

  ‘Who’s for another éclair?’ Jan asked.

  By half past four, Chris had delivered her two daughters to their school friends’ house. In this area where everyone lived so far apart, it was common practice for children to stay over with friends. If there was a birthday party or school dance or some such, it was so much easier than having to go out at all hours to pick them up. Jan’s children hadn’t got to this stage yet, so the joy of having a houseful of kids staying overnight was yet to come. Chris enjoyed having the house to her self. She could please herself when she ate, and watch whatever she fancied on the television. She opened a bottle of wine and sat in the kitchen smoking, sipping her drink, and waiting. She was expecting a visitor - a new ‘friend.’ She had set out that morning to deliberately find a man. She decided that the biggest town would be best for her purpose and to that end she had driven into Abersoch, dressed for the part. After the latest row with Keith she needed to boost her ego. Because her egoistic self image had been built upon sex and her attractiveness to men, and lately women, she had easily slipped into a new, and wildly outrageous mode.

  ‘Anyone sitting here,’ Chris asked smiling.

  ‘No, no one,’ the young man in his early twenties looked a little startled at her question. There was plenty of room at the other tables.

  ‘Shopping is so tiring isn’t it,’ she said innocently speaking with her best soft tone

  ‘Can be, I don’t like it either but I’m a student at the Uni and I share a house with four others and we take turns to do the shopping. So today is my day. I hate it.’

  This was music to her ears. It seemed he was single, and available.

  ‘No girlfriend to do it for you?’

  ‘No, not at the moment,’ he replied rather shyly.

  Yes, single and unattached. Chris was elated She certainly had a talent for picking them.

  ‘Excuse me, but you’re not from around here are you?’

  She smiled sweetly, ‘how can you tell?’ They both gave a little laugh at the obvious fact, ‘no, but I live here now. Near Llanbeth, do you know it?’

  ‘Yeah, been through it a couple of times”

  Chris laughed sweetly, ‘that’s probably the best thing to do.’ They both laughed again.

  Chris had chosen her seat with care. The man was sitting against a wall and Chris had sat opposite him so no one in the coffee bar could see her slowly open the buttoned front of her loose fitting skirt.

  ‘I’m Chris by the way.’

  ‘And I’m Mark,’ he sipped his coffee. He was getting more confident now.

  ‘You must be married,’ He glanced at the hands, but she had left her rings at home.

  ‘I was, divorced now.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’

  ‘No it doesn’t matter, I’m over it now.’ She lowered her gaze and attempted to look demur.

  She had eased her chair to be just clear of the table, and her skirt was now open to her thighs. Come on look - look damn you - look at this, she looked at him, her eyes guiding his eyes, downward, between her legs. Marks eyes followed hers and widened. She had no knickers, the bush of curly hair visible to his devouring eyes.

  ‘Oh dear, these buttons keep coming undone.’ She said with false modesty. She was such an actress.

  Mark pretended not to have seen anything but his hand was somewhat tremulous as he lifted the cup to his lips.

  And so it was, the seeds of lust had been sown, and now she sat waiting, hoping he would actually turn up at her door. She went into the lounge and put some records to play, then returned to the kitchen. Taking another large swig of her wine, she looked at the kitchen clock as it struck seven. There was the sound of a car in the yard, yes, oh yes, it’s him, success; there was a knock at the door…

  In the village, Josh had finished his evening meal and was once again setting off into the darkness. He liked the night, seeing but not being seen, watching. Sometimes raping with his eyes, at other times punishing those that deserved it. He didn‘t have to talk to anyone, didn’t have to see their expressions of disdain. He knew the area well and out here he was the boss.

  ‘Nice to see a real fire, oh, nice and warm.’ Marion stood by the fire warming her hands by the blazing logs. She was a tall thin woman and although two years younger, than Mike, always felt the cold.

  ‘Such a change from our gas fires.’ Grandma agreed.

  ‘Do you use a lot of wood, Mike?’ Marion asked.

  ‘Yeah, quite a bit, but it’s much cheaper than coal. Well, free really, if we use our own trees.’

  ‘Lot of work cutting them up though.’

  ‘Yep, but to be honest, mum, I like cutting up firewood.’

  Their evening meal over they were all gathered in the sitting room awaiting Mike to once again set up the projector. Marion settled into her seat and delved into her capacious handbag.

  ‘Now what I have I got in here?’ Instantly the children gathered around her, knowing some sweets were long overdue

  ‘There,’ Marion said triumphantly, and with a magician-like flourish pulled out two large bags of sweets.

  ‘Cor, thanks aunty Marion.’ David and Mandy took them eagerly and began exploring the contents of the paper bags.

  ‘You spoil them, sis,’ Mike said with a smile.

  ‘Oh it isn’t very often, is it?’

  ‘Make sure you two clean your teeth tonight,’ Jan said with concern. She wasn’t entirely happy with them eating so much sugar, but, after all was said and done, it was a rare event.

  ‘Right, I think that’s all set.’ Mike fiddled with the position of the screen making sure all could see it.

  ‘Here we go,’ Mike said, and the whirr of the projector began.

  Chris was extremely pleased with herself and she was satisfied with her evenings entertainment, well at least until the next time. Her lat
est ‘victim,’ Mark, had left with a very large smile on his face, and a belief he was the greatest lover in the world and thinking it was a pity his efforts between her thighs didn’t rate towards his Degree. The clock had just struck ten, and for Chris that was still early, so she was drinking again and watching the television. She had drunk a lot that evening and it was beginning to affect her. Not that it mattered, because bed and sleep would be next on her agenda.

  Outside, opposite Chris’s bedroom window, the figure skilfully and silently began his descent from his usual vantage point high up on top of the hay bales in the barn. He froze, at the noise from below. There was someone else in the yard...

  ‘Okay, that’s the lot - lights on David.’

  ‘God, it was in a terrible mess, son. You’ve both worked really hard.’

  ‘Cup of tea, Mum.’ Jan asked.

  ‘Oh, yes please, Jan love.’

  ‘Would you like something to eat, Biscuit or piece of cake?’

  ‘A biscuit would be nice.’

  ‘What about you Marion?’

  ‘Just tea for me, Jan.’

  ‘Mike?’

  ‘Nothing for me, Darl,’ Mike said, rolling up a ciggie.

  ‘Do you want a real cigarette, Mike?’ Marion asked, lighting up.

  ‘No thanks Marion, I’m used to these things now, thanks.’

  He could just make out who the person was-he recognised him. Why the hell is he creeping about in the dark? He wasn’t sure what to do. To climb all the way back up and wait, or get the hell out of here. This was something different. Usually he was the only one, in the dark, waiting, watching, satisfying his needs-and settling scores. He would stay a little while – just to see what was going on…