Read Online Porky by Deborah Moggach - Free Book Online Page B

monkey’s fart.’
    From a long way off I heard her laugh. ‘
You
don’t care! That’s a fine one . . . No, I’m sure you don’t. You don’t have to earn it, do you?’
    Selling
? Selling our home? I lay rigid. She was just finishing saying something. ‘. . . Sitting on your fat backside all day . . .’
    â€˜I’m not budging. I like it, the kid likes it –’
    â€˜And what about me? Thought about that? I know you don’t like to bother about
my
feelings, too much of an effort, isn’t it? I don’t suppose you remember our plans.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜When we bought this place. Our plans. Building up the business, getting out. Getting
on.
Somewhere else, somewhere better. This land is worth a fortune now – all this development land . . . Dear God, I hate this place. I should’ve listened to my Mum.’
    â€˜Here we go!’
    â€˜When she told me what it’d be like. What I could expect, with a slob like you. Damn all, as it turns out.’
    â€˜You’re a bitch.’
    â€˜You’re a fool. You’re such a
fool.
’
    â€˜Cold bitch, too. When was the last time –’
    â€˜Such a
fool.
’
    â€˜Go on, say it again.’
    â€˜A big, stupid, drunken –’
    A thud. I bit Kanga, hard.
    â€˜Don’t you come near me.’ Her voice was flat. ‘Stay away.’
    â€˜Nobody talks to me like that.’
    â€˜I’ve had enough. See?’
    â€˜Not good enough for you, am I? Hoity-toity?’
    â€˜You hit me again, and I’ll, I’ll . . .’
    A chair scraped. I didn’t hear any more because I pressed my hands against my ears. You probably think I was a coward. But nothing could have pulled me out from those blankets.
    A few moments later I loosened my hands, just a little. Teddy was starting to whine; otherwise there was silence. I pushed back the bedclothes and ran into the lounge.
    My Dad was sitting there, smoking.
    â€˜Where’s Mum?’
    â€˜Your Mum? Just popped out.’
    â€˜Has she died?’
    He gaped at me.
    â€˜Has she?’ I asked.
    â€˜Come here, ducks.’ He patted the settee beside him. ‘’Course she hasn’t. Heard a bit of a ding-dong, eh?’
    I nodded.
    â€˜She’ll be back,’ he said.
    â€˜Has she gone to Oonagh’s?’
    He nodded.
    â€˜But it’s miles.’
    â€˜Only a mile, that way.’ He jerked his head towards the back door.
    â€˜Across the field?’
    He nodded.
    â€˜Couldn’t we fetch her back?’
    â€˜No sense in it. Till she’s cooled off.’
    â€˜What about Teddy? And us?’
    He leaned forward, rubbing his face in his hands. ‘No problem, princess.’ He held out one hand; I took it. ‘We’ll manage.’
    He looked so large and helpless. I didn’t know what to do. Teddy was crying louder now, so I went into their bedroom. It was only these last few weeks, to see Teddy, that I’d been into their room. Their cupboard door was open; so were two drawers. Her hairbrush was gone. I picked up Teddy and took him into the kitchen, to mix his bottle.
    By the time I’d put Teddy down again Dad was asleep, toppled sideways on the settee. I couldn’t think what to do with him. I bolted the front and the back door; then I thought: what if she comes back? So I unbolted them and went to bed. As I lay there, gripping Kanga, I remembered I’d been digging for gold. It seemed like a week ago.
    I dreamed I was falling through the floor. There was just space below, endless space . . . black and echoing. There was nothing for me to grab on to. They’d all been packed away, the floorboards, they’d been sent away . . . Nothing left, no house, nothing . . . Somebody was crying for me, miles above, but I couldn’t hear what they were trying to tell me . . .
    It was Teddy