Read Online Two Women by Martina Cole - Free Book Online Page B

lion’s share of the work.
    Debbie’s eyes were bright with interest to see whether her mother was going to be the victor. She hoped she was, her granny got on her nerves. Unlike Susan, when her granny picked on her Debbie told her in no uncertain terms to get stuffed and it worked. Susan was different, she would do literally anything for a quiet life.
    The old woman was in a quandary. She didn’t want to go back to her flat. Everything she wanted was here. Company, food and drink, and most of all her precious son. Her Joey whom she loved in her own way more than life itself.
    She wanted June out of the way so she could take over again but guessed correctly that her son would put her out the front door without a moment’s thought if June made him.
    So Ivy swallowed her pride and sat down again. Her eyes were bleak, her mouth was downturned and her stance that of a prizefighter who has just found out he’s won the fight but won’t be paid.
    Swallowing down her natural aggression she dropped her eyes and was quiet.
    It seemed as if the whole place had gone still, so deep was the silence as everyone realised there had been a major shift in power and for once it was on June’s side. She was finally the winner.
    Realising she had to lighten the situation, and feeling just a bit sorry for her mother-in-law, she shouted loudly, ‘Did you hear all that, Maud, or has the glass slipped off the wall with the shock?’
    Everyone laughed, even the old woman.
    June put the kettle on, then turning to the girls, said gaily, ‘It’s Christmas and whatever else has happened we’ll have a good time, right?’
    The two girls nodded.
    She gave them the bags with their presents in.
    ‘Go into the front room and have a butcher’s at what I got you, eh? I’ll make a start out here and we’ll have the best Christmas ever.’
    The girls nodded. She saw the shadows under Susan’s eyes and swallowed down her own guilt.
    There was something radically wrong with her daughter and June didn’t know what it could be. Later she would talk to her, but at the moment she had too many other things on her mind.
     
    Half an hour later she was in the bedroom with her husband. Joey looked shaken by her revelations.
    ‘What the fuck have you done, June? You stupid, stupid cow!’
    She swallowed down the rising panic inside her breast and said calmly, ‘I have what they all want. We can make out of this, Joey. Just once we can come out on fucking top. Can’t you see that?’
    Her voice was husky with exasperation and annoyance. He could never see the big picture, that was his worst failing. Joey looked bewildered, frightened and sick. It was this that was scaring June so much. She realised that maybe she had done something stupid but she didn’t tell him about the money. She wasn’t that stupid.
    ‘The Bannermans and Davey Davidson will cut your throat, Junie, when they find out what you’ve done. Jimmy was topped for what you’ve got and he was a hard nut to crack. What makes you think they’ll treat you any different? They’ll guess you’ve taken the goods and come looking for you. That means they’ll be looking for me as well. I am after all your husband, though you forget that when it suits you, eh?’
    June saw the logic in what he said but still felt they had a good case. She was entitled to some compensation. That was the term used when a woman’s husband or partner was topped. The perpetrator always saw the woman all right, it was the villain’s code. You took their breadwinner so you gave the widow compo. It was the only decent thing to do.
    ‘I am entitled to compensation, Joey, you know that.’
    He shook his head in consternation.
    ‘You’re entitled to nothing. They’ll see you right only if you play the fucking game. What are you, June, mental or something? This is the Bannermans we’re talking about here, not the fucking Kray twins! The Bannerman brothers are raving fucking lunatics. They ain’t got no old-style