Read Online Dream On by Gilda O'Neill - Free Book Online Page A

Ginny sighed loudly. ‘Can you imagine being that desperate that you’d let some stranger take your child?’
    She waited a moment to see if Ted had anything to say about such a terrible decision for someone to make. When he said nothing, she continued with her story. ‘You see, this welfare lady turned up because of the school.’ Ginny got up and warmed the pot and began slowly spooning in measures of tea. ‘They was worried Violet’s been beating the kids. Not giving them a smack, I don’t mean, but really hurting them. She’s been driven off her head I reckon, since she heard about her Bert.’
    Ginny filled the pot with the boiling water and carried it back to the table. ‘I think she’s gonna do it, you know, Ted. See, she’s really in trouble.’
    Ted snorted derisively and forked in another mouthful. ‘What, one of her punters put her in the club, has he?’
    Ginny almost dropped the teapot. ‘You
know
what she’s been up to?’
    â€˜Don’t everyone? She’s been hanging around outside the billiard hall down Chris Street for months now, waiting for customers.’
    Ginny shook her head. ‘I never knew. In fact, I didn’t even know whether to believe her when she was telling me just now. It’s not like her to say much at all, especially about personal things. So when all that came pouring out, well . . . I didn’t know what to say. But she said it was a relief to have someone to talk to about it.’
    She poured Ted’s tea, added sugar and milk and automatically stirred it for him, before setting it down next to his plate.
    â€˜And d’you know what else she told me?’ she continued in a low voice. ‘She thinks she’s got a dose.’ Ginny shuddered. ‘VD. Can you imagine? Said she’s been going with all sorts of men, just to get a few bob for the kids. She was so scared they’d put them in a home if she wasn’t feeding them right and dressing them decent. But the poor little devils was more at risk in their own flipping house. She was so upset when she saw how one of the blokes she brought home the other night looked at her youngest that she went sort of barmy.’
    Ginny took a gulp of her scalding hot tea as Violet’s horrific words replayed in her head. ‘She held her down and cut her little face. With the bread knife. Said she was trying to make her look ugly.’
    â€˜Silly whore.’ Ted threw down his knife and fork, and shoved his plate away from him.
    â€˜I don’t understand it either, Ted. I can’t imagine how desperate you’d have to be to go and do something like that. How anyone could sell their body . . .’ Ginny shuddered again. ‘But at least she’s gonna try and do her best for the kids. She’s gonna send the oldest two to this Rhodesia place. And the others are gonna live with her sister. Until she can find a way to get herself straight. She feels so guilty about what’s been happening. But I said to her, it’s not your fault, I said. Well, what else could I say? But honestly, Ted, fancy doing that. It’s horrible. If only she’d have said something. If only she’d have let people help her.’
    Ginny picked up Ted’s plate and carried it to the sink. She turned on the tap and looked over her shoulder. ‘I suppose it’ll be easier to understand when we’ve got kids of our own.’
    Ginny winced as she realised, too late, that she’d gone and blurted it out. Instead of preparing him gently as she had intended, of speaking to him about her dreams of them having a baby, a proper family of their own, and getting him used to the idea, she’d just gone and said it. She could have bitten her tongue off. She’d mucked it up. She was
so
stupid.
    Ted picked up the paper and folded it neatly. ‘What did you say?’
    â€˜I never