By
Jan
Chapter 4
Nikki went into the café, relieved when the door closed behind her shutting out the cold night air. A hot meal and a drink and she would soon have the chill out of her bones before she found somewhere to settle down for the night.
She
ordered a mug of coffee and a burger, trying to stretch out the money she had
brought with her as long as possible. She could at least afford to eat, even if
she couldn’t afford anywhere to sleep. After paying for her meal, she looked
around her. There
were a couple of empty tables and she chose the one furthest away from the
door, away from any draughts. She dropped down onto a plastic chair and placed
her bag on the vacant seat beside her.
The
man behind the counter brought her meal and placed it in front of her. She
thanked him absently as she picked up the burger and tucked into it. It would
have to do until breakfast. She took her time drinking her coffee then ordered
a refill. With any luck she could make it last until closing time and stay in
the warmth. She felt her eyes start to close and yawned behind her hand. What
she wouldn’t give for a soft bed and a hot bath.
She
felt someone shaking her and opened her eyes to find the man who had served her
standing beside her. The rest of the café was empty.
“Haven’t
you got a home to go to, love?” he demanded kindly. “I’m closing up now.”
“No,”
she replied honestly.
“Run
away, have you?” he teased.
“Something
like that,” she muttered, her eyes filling with tears. This was the first real
conversation she’d had with anyone in almost a week.
“Sorry,
love,” the man apologised. “I was only joking but you’re not, are you?” Nikki
shook her head. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked sympathetically, as he
sat down in the chair opposite her.
She
looked at him warily. “No, thanks.” Her eyes strayed to the door, wondering if
she could reach it before he made a move on her.
He
fumbled into his back trouser pocket and pulled out a wallet. “Just to let you
see my intentions are entirely honourable.” He flipped open the wallet to
reveal a picture of a smiling, handsome man with shoulder-length hair. “That’s
my partner, Steve. Five years we’ve been together. He’s a musician. I’m Reg
Archer, by the way.”
Nikki
smiled. “He’s very nice.”
“Yes,
he is,” Reg agreed with a hint of pride in his voice. “So, are you going to
tell me your name or are you travelling incognito?”
She
smiled again. “It’s Nikki…Nikki Wade.”
“Alright
then, Nikki Wade. I’ll get you another coffee and a large slice of apple pie
and you can tell me all your troubles.” She looked about to refuse but he held
up his hand to silence her. “It’s on the house, so I won’t take ‘no’ for an
answer.” He went over to the counter, returning carrying a tray of coffee and
pie for two. “I really shouldn’t,” he said conspiratorially as he sank his
spoon into his pie. “But Steve’s away so I’m comfort eating. Well, that’s my
excuse anyway.”
Nikki
laughed and started to relax as she tucked into her own piece of pie. “Did you
make this?” she asked with her mouth full. “It’s delicious.”
Reg
beamed at her praise. “With my own fair hands.” They ate their pie in silence
then as he sipped his coffee, he regarded her thoughtfully. “Have you anywhere
to sleep tonight, Nikki?” He frowned when she shook her head. “Don’t you know
how dangerous it is on the streets for a young girl? Why don’t you go back
home?”
She
stood up and picked up her bag. “Thanks for the pie but I don’t need a
lecture.”
He
grabbed hold of her arm. “Sit down. Lecture over. Look, there’s a flat
upstairs. I’ve been using it as a storeroom but it’s yours if you want it,
until you decide what you’re going to do.”
“Do
you mean that?” she demanded as she sat back down. “I can’t afford much rent,
not until I get a job.”
“We’ll
talk about rent when you get a job.
It’s not a palace but there’s a bed and at least you’ll be safe.” He stood up
and indicated the dirty crockery. “Bring those and you can help me wash up. It’ll
pay for your breakfast.”
Nikki
lay down on the bed fully clothed. She’d locked the door when Reg had gone,
excited that she now had a first home of her own but he hadn’t been kidding
when he said he used the flat as a storeroom. There were dusty boxes piled
everywhere and the mattress on the bed was old and lumpy but he’d promised to
bring her some clean sheets in the morning.
She
lay looking up at the ceiling. When she was sleeping rough, she had to keep her
wits about her and her bag firmly strapped to her wrist to prevent her
belongings from being stolen. Now, for the first time in days she could relax.
She wondered if her parents were searching for her and if Beth was missing her.
Maybe Beth didn’t even know she’d gone yet. She closed her eyes as silent tears
forced their way from under her lids. “I love you, Beth,” she murmured softly
in the darkness.
She
was awakened the following morning by the sound of someone kicking at the door.
She dragged it open grumpily to find Reg standing there, a bulging carrier bag
in each hand.
“For
goodness sake, hurry up!” he exclaimed. “These things are cutting off the blood
supply to my fingers.”
“What’s
all this?” she laughed incredulously.
“I’ve
been to the cash and carry and got you some stuff to clean this place up.” He
dumped the bags on the floor then picked a bottle out of one of them and tossed
it to her. She caught it and saw it was bubble bath. “And yourself! There’s
some other stuff in the van. You can empty it later but first…breakfast!”
“I
don’t know what to say,” she whispered tearfully.
“Just
don’t start blubbering or you’ll set me off,” he admonished her, sniffing
loudly. “Come on, let’s go. I’ve put the immersion heater on so, when you’ve
had breakfast, you can take a bath.” He wrinkled his nose at her distastefully
making he laugh.
“Thanks,
Reg,” she said gratefully. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
“It’s
worth it if I can make that beautiful face of yours light up and whenever you
want to talk, I’m all ears or so Steve tells me. All ears with nothing between,
that’s what he says.”
“That
was great, Reg,” she said appreciatively as she laid down her knife and fork.
She looked at the café owner who was sitting opposite her during a lull in the
breakfast trade. She couldn’t believe anyone could be so kind to a complete
stranger. “How old are you?” she asked suddenly.
“I’ll
be thirty next birthday,” he informed her. “How old are you…fifteen, sixteen?”
“Sixteen.”
“So,
what made you decide to leave home? Girlfriend trouble?” He smirked knowingly
as Nikki’s head jerked up in surprise.
“I
slept with my boss and her girlfriend found out,” Nikki told him sheepishly.
“To get back at me, she told my mum and dad and my girlfriend.”
“You
weren’t very smart sleeping with your boss in the first place, were you?” he
said accusingly. “Still that’s one mistake you won’t make whilst you’re working
for me.”
Her
face beamed. “Working for you?”
“I
can’t pay much but you can have the flat and your meals free on top. How does
that sound?”
“Reg,
you won’t be sorry.”
“I’d
better not be.” He took a set of car keys out of his pocket. “Go and get your
stuff out of the van. You can have a couple of days to get the flat cleaned up
then you can start work.”
Nikki
stood back and surveyed her handiwork. She had cleared out all the boxes and
swept and scrubbed and polished until the flat was gleaming. There was only one
room and a bathroom but there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. She ran her hand
over the new duvet Reg had bought her – along with sheets and towels – brushing
out the creases and smiled happily to herself. Tomorrow she started her new job
in the café.
After
a hot bath she went downstairs for a coffee. Reg smiled at her when she went in
and motioned for her to go and sit down. A few minutes later he placed a piece
of pie and a mug of coffee on the table.
“Reg,
you’re going to have to stop feeding me up!” she protested. “I can’t afford to
buy any new clothes.”
“One
piece of pie won’t hurt and you’ll soon work it off, I’ll make sure of that,”
he warned her with a teasing smile. He watched her as she ate, his face
becoming serious. “Nikki, have you thought about ringing your parents and
letting them know you’re alright? They must be frantic not knowing where you
are.”
She
chewed her pie slowly and swallowed before speaking. “I don’t know, Reg,” she
replied dubiously. “My dad’s got a fierce temper.”
“I
guarantee, he’ll be so pleased to hear from you he’ll forget all about being
mad,” he tried to reassure her. “Think about it. You can use the phone in the
kitchen.”
“OK,
I’ll think about it,” she agreed.
She
worked hard, getting to know the regulars and their likes and dislikes but she
still couldn’t summon up the courage to ring her parents. She didn’t know how
much they knew or what Stella had told them and maybe it was preferable to
leave it that way.
For
the umpteenth time she passed the phone hanging on the kitchen wall and looked
at it longingly. She couldn’t bear the thought that she might be hurting her
mother. Just a few words to let her know she was safe. Where was the harm in
that?
She
lifted the receiver and dialled the number, taking a deep breath when she heard
her mother’s voice. “Mum, it’s me,” she said softly. “I just called to let you
know I’m OK.”
She
heard the catch in her mother’s voice. “Oh, love, where are you? I’ve been
worried stiff.”
“I’m
alright, Mum. Honestly. I’m staying with a friend.”
“Nikki,
please, come home,” Mary said tearfully. “Nothing is so bad we can’t talk about
it.”
“Mum,
I…” There was a lump in her throat almost choking her. She smiled through her
tears. Everything was going to be alright. They would get through this.
“Nicola!”
She heard her father’s voice cold and accusing. “Do you realise what you’ve put
your mother and me through?”
“I’m
sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just couldn’t take anymore. You don’t
know what it’s been like the past few months,” she gabbled defensively.
“So
you thought you’d run away and leave us to clear up the mess you’ve left behind
you!” he retorted angrily. “We’re the ones who have to face the neighbours.”
She
closed her eyes and leant her brow against the cold kitchen wall. “Dad,
please,” she said weakly.
“I
suggest you get on the first bus or train or even bloody walk but get yourself
back here pretty smartish!” He ploughed on regardless of her feelings. “And
you’ll go back to school and resit your exams!”
Her
head jerked up at his words. “You know?” she asked in astonishment.
“We
went through your things trying to find out where you might have gone,” he
admitted, unremorseful. “At least we have a good excuse for you taking off like
you did.”
She
thought about having to go back to school. About having to face Stella Morgan.
About everyone knowing what had happened but all he was worried about was the
neighbours. “Dad, I can’t.”
“You
can and you will!” he said forcefully. “You either come back and do as you’re
told or don’t come back at all.”
“Thanks,
Dad, you’ve just made my mind up for me,” she replied. “At least here I’ve got
someone who cares about me.”
“Another
pervert?” he sneered.
She
laughed but without humour. “No, just someone who accepts me for what I am and
not what they want me to be.”
“After
all we’ve done for you! If you don’t come back now then I wash my hands of
you,” he threatened.
“Do
what you want, Dad, I’m past caring. At least now you can tell everyone what a
selfish, ungrateful daughter you had,” she said bitterly then she swallowed
hard and her voice softened. “Tell mum I love her.” There was silence at the
other end of the line and tears pricked her eyes when she realised he had put
the phone down on her. She replaced the receiver and sank to the floor.
When
Reg came into the kitchen a few minutes later, he found her rocking back and
forth, her arms hugging her knees and tears streaming down her cheeks. He sat
on the floor beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Oh, love,” he
said gently. “It wasn’t such a good idea then?”
She
shook her head. “It was the worst,” she replied miserably, when she was at last
able to speak. “He’s washed his hands of me.”
Reg
sighed. “I know it’s not much consolation but you’ve got me and Steve and the
flat’s your for as long as you want it. I’ll help you decorate, cheer it up a
bit,” he promised, trying to raise her spirits. She nodded acceptance, his
thoughtfulness touching her. He gave her a hug. “Come on. Why don’t I get you a
nice…?”
She
laughed tearfully. “Mention pie and I’ll thump you!”
“Pie?
Moi?” he said innocently but his eyes were twinkling. “I was just going to say,
a nice cup of tea but since you brought it up…How about a nice piece…? Ouch!”
He rubbed his shoulder where she had playfully punched him.
“You
know, Reg, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, “ she said suddenly
serious. “I wanted to pass my exams, go to university and train to be a vet and
because of one stupid mistake, my whole life has changed. If I hadn’t met Kate,
none of this would be happening.”
“Maybe
Kate wasn’t a mistake. None of us knows what fate has in store, so maybe this
was the road you were supposed to be taking.”
“Maybe,”
she agreed then pulled a face at him. “Come on, this is all too deep for me.
Get me that piece of pie. I’ll do the comfort eating for a change.” As she
followed him out of the kitchen, little did she know how prophetic his words
were and how, in the years to come, a dreadful mistake one fateful night would
change her life forever!