The Optician's Wife (21 page)

‘No.’ I barked more fiercely than I intended to and she backed away cautiously. ‘You’ve done enough. Thank you.’

Still she stood there looking at me.

‘Look,’ I felt an obligation to be honest, ‘I know that none of this is down to you. But enough of my life has been turned upside down already. I can manage to put the food away alone. Please, let me have some sort of normality.’

She nodded and backed away, returning to the kettle to make the tea.

And while I was feeling open and honest I added ‘I’m really sorry, but I can’t remember your name.’

‘Helen Thornhill.’ She stirred the milk and watched the hot and cold liquids merge.

When she showed up at my door her face looked like a punch bag. Her left eye was purple and swollen shut. Her top lip was split and had blood drying on it. Daisy was clinging to her mother like a small monkey. Dawn stood clutching her child in one arm and a suitcase in the other. Her dog, Rollo, a German Shepherd cross, sat obediently by her side.

‘I didn’t know where else to go.’ Tears fell from her one good eye.

‘You’d better come in.’ I took Daisy from her with difficulty. The child didn’t want to come to me and held on to her mother like a limpet.

‘Go with Auntie Debbie.’ Dawn winced with pain every time she spoke. Her jaw was swollen and red on one side.

Sue-Ann came to investigate and I handed Daisy over and instructed her to take all the children upstairs to play.

Dawn remained outside, trying to hide her face from her niece and nephews. When she was sure they were all out of sight she stepped inside lugging the large suitcase in with her.

‘I’ll take that.’ I pulled the heavy case into the hallway and propped it up against the wall. ‘Come into the kitchen.’

Dawn followed me through the house and took a seat at the kitchen table. Despite being so battered and bruised the rest of her appearance was neat and tidy. She had on a pair of light blue jeans, a thin leopard pattern top and a grey cotton scarf. I felt shabby standing next to her in my old slippers, still wearing my dressing gown. It was half-past ten on Saturday morning.

‘Here,’ I poured a measure of whiskey and slid it across the table to her, ‘drink this.’

With a trembling hand she picked up the tumbler and took a small sip. She moved the glass away from her mouth quickly since the alcohol stung her cut lip.

‘It will help.’ I sat down opposite and encouraged her to finish the drink. She shook her head and pushed the glass away. I picked it up and drank it down in one go. She might not have needed it but at that moment I felt as if I did. ‘So, are you going to tell me what happened this time?’

I’d gotten used to Dawn showing up with injuries that were the result of Ian losing his temper. Countless times over the last year I’d told her to leave him. His outbursts were becoming more frequent but every time he hit her she made excuses – It was her fault, he was stressed. In the end I got tired of giving her advice. She wouldn’t listen. All I could do was be there to pick up the pieces.

But something about that Saturday felt different. Not only had her face taken the brunt of his rage, when normally he concentrated on her body where nobody would see but that time she arrived bringing luggage. It seemed as if she had finally found the courage to leave the bastard. Those brothers were peas in a pod and I was glad they were out of our lives.

‘I burnt the lasagne.’ Dawn hung her head in shame. ‘Daisy wanted me to play with her in the garden and I just forgot it was in the oven. When he came home he discovered the smell of burning and just lost it. He made me put Daisy to bed and when I came downstairs he threw the dish of food at me. Look,’ she said pulling up her sleeve, ‘it burnt my arm.’ The skin was red and blotchy and looked sore. ‘Then he went mad and started to hit me. I tried to hide under the table to get away from him but he pulled it away and started to kick me in the ribs. I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t listen.’ Dawn’s bottom lip quivered. ‘I tried so hard not to make a noise or cry out. I didn’t want Daisy to hear me and get scared.’

I reached across the table and took hold of my sister’s hand. I, too, was shaking but with anger rather than fear.

‘Then he pulled me up by my hair,’ Dawn touched the place on her head, ‘before putting his hands around my throat.’ Carefully she removed the scarf to reveal bruises around her neck. I squeezed her hand, shocked by the extent of the beating she had endured.

‘I must have passed out. That’s the last thing I remember before waking up this morning on the floor.’

‘He’s really done a number on you this time. Do you think you need a doctor? That eye looks pretty bad.’

‘No I think I’m OK. My ribs are the worst.’ She lifted her flimsy jumper to reveal huge bruises all down her right side.

‘Jesus,’ I muttered to myself shaking my head and wanting to cry.

‘As soon as he left this morning I just grabbed a bag, packed my things and came straight over here with Daisy. I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go.’

‘You did the right thing.’

‘But he’ll know I came here and come looking for me.’ The fear returned to her eyes. ‘I don’t want to bring trouble to your door.’

‘Look, I’ve dealt with worse men that Ian bloody McCarthy in my time,’ Dawn looked perplexed. She had no idea about my other life. ‘And besides, Larry won’t let anything happen. He’ll look after us. He’s out fishing now but I’ll call him on the mobile and tell him to get his bum home.’

I stood and went to get the house phone from the kitchen wall.

‘Maybe I should leave. I could go to Spain with Daisy. I have a friend there. He’d never find us.’

‘Rubbish. You’re staying put. No gutless bully is going to frighten my little sister away.’ The fierce protectiveness I’d felt for Dawn when she was younger came flooding back. ‘We’ve got room. You’ll stay here until you get back on your feet.’

‘But can I ever really move on when I know he is just on the other side of town?’

‘Listen Dawn,’ I held the telephone receiver in one hand and looked her in the eye, ‘I promise you Ian will never hurt you again. Larry knows some people, let’s say, who aren’t very savoury. It only takes one phone call and well,’ I paused not wanting to say too much, ‘he needs to be taught a lesson.’

‘He won’t let me go.’ She sounded broken.

‘Yes he will,’ I held the phone up to my ear and started to dial Larry’s number, ‘or I’ll kill him.’

Larry came home a couple of hours later, empty-handed as usual. He was not a very successful fisherman by all accounts.

I hadn’t explained exactly what had happened on the phone so when he saw the physical state Dawn was in he was shocked.

‘Bloody animal.’ He stood in the kitchen in his old jeans and lumberjack shirt sipping a hot cup of coffee.

‘She’s going to stay with us for the moment.’ I explained to him as I made sandwiches for lunch. The kids were still upstairs playing.

‘Sure. We’ve got room for you and Daisy for as long as you need.’ Larry always put family first and I was glad that included my sister and her child.

‘I’ll go and make the spare room up after lunch.’

‘No, please, I can do it. I don’t want to be a burden.’

‘You’re not a burden Dawn,’ I turned to her, ‘but I want you to listen to me. I think you should go to A&E, get those ribs looked at.’

‘I don’t want to make a fuss.’

‘It’s not a fuss. You need to take care of yourself. For Daisy’s sake if not for your own.’

‘Nah,’ Larry put his coffee down and shook his head. ‘I think Dawn is right. If you go to the hospital they will start asking questions and they might get the police involved. You don’t want them sniffing around.’

‘The law might just frighten Ian into keeping away.’ I didn’t really welcome the involvement of the police but something needed to be done. ‘He needs to know he can’t get away with this.’

‘Let me deal with Ian. I know how to sort out his type.’

‘Larry’s right,’ Dawn pleaded, ‘let’s not involve the police. That will only make things a whole lot worse. And even if my ribs are broken they won’t be able to do anything about it. They need time to mend on their own.’

‘They could give you some strong painkillers a least.’ I argued.

‘No need.’ Larry cut in. ‘Ice and brandy will do the trick.’

I frowned at him.

‘You’re not your average optician are you, Larry?’ Dawn looked at him fondly. ‘I’d love to have a bath. I didn’t have time for a wash this morning.’ She said turning towards me. Dawn was determined not to go to hospital.

‘Fine.’ I pushed a cheese sandwich over to her. ‘Eat this first.’

It was a bit of a squeeze, all of us around the table but it felt homely. Having the cousins all together was nice. They got on well. Sue-Ann did me proud and helped look after the younger ones.

When Dawn went upstairs for her bath I sent the children into the garden to play and saw an opportunity to speak to Larry alone.

‘Of course she’s going to stay for the moment. But I know Ian will come knocking on our door before too long. I just hope you are at home when he does. He’s a big man, just like that brother of his and I don’t fancy my chances fighting him off.’

‘He won’t lay a hand on either of you. I can promise you that.’

‘If you aren’t here, there’s nothing you can do to stop him.’

‘I’m going round there this afternoon.’ Larry sat back in his chair and folded his arms.

‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’m not going to do anything. I’m just going to have a gentle word.’ There was a small smile at the corner of his mouth. I knew that look.

‘Don’t go making trouble.’

‘I won’t.’ He picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the table and took a large bite.

‘We don’t want to attract the wrong kind of attention. We’ve got our kids to think of.’

‘I think it will be nice having Dawn around.’

‘Why?’

‘Why not? She’s good with the kids. We can get her to babysit sometimes.’

‘I suppose.’ I shrugged. It hadn’t occurred to me until then that there would be an attractive woman living under our roof permanently. Suddenly I didn’t like the idea as much as I had. ‘She better not take liberties.’

Larry looked at me thoughtfully.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing. I just don’t want her stuff all over the place. She needs to be respectful. You don’t know what she was like when she was a teenager. Dawn has always been selfish.’

‘If you say so.’ Larry sighed and got up. ‘Stay here with the kids. I’m going to pay Ian a little visit.’

‘Be careful.’ I got up and put my arms around his neck. He smelt like warm sunshine. ‘My big bear.’

‘It’s not me you need to worry about.’ Larry had a hard look and I backed away from him feeling uneasy.

‘Come back in one piece.’ I called out as he left the room.

Sitting down again I felt my stomach knot.

‘They’ve uncovered the body of a child.’ Helen sat stiffly on the sofa clutching her mobile phone. ‘It was discovered buried in the cellar.’

‘How awful.’ I felt numb.

‘Larry isn’t saying a word. He’s refusing to comment.’ Helen’s dark bob was neat and shiny and I envied her for it.

‘I just can’t believe it. Larry wouldn’t hurt a child. He loves children.’ My voice was shaking.

‘I’m sorry.’ She couldn’t look me in the eye. I could feel the disgust coming from her.

‘This can’t be happening.’ I stood looking out of the window at the grey world outside.

‘They think they will have an ID for the female body at some point today. The DNA you gave will help rule things out.’

‘You all think it’s Dawn don’t you?’ I turned to her and forced her to look at me.

‘It seems likely but until it’s confirmed…’ her words melted away.

‘Then you probably all think the child is Daisy.’ I felt sick just saying her name. Helen didn’t say anything but I knew what she was thinking. I turned back to the window and watched the rain drizzled down the glass. ‘I know what everyone thinks. I’ve seen the news. People are calling it the house of death. But it’s not what they are saying. It’s our home. We’ve got happy memories in that place. It’s the only home my kids have ever known. We were happy there. But no one is ever going to believe that now, are they.’

‘Shall I make us some tea?’ Helen got up and moved towards the kitchenette.

‘I don’t want any bloody tea. I’m sick of tea. I just want everything to go back to normal. I want to be in my house with my kids. And I want to talk to my husband.’

‘I understand how difficult this must be for you.’ The kettle whistled in the background filling the silence between us.

Owen was in the bedroom playing on his Gameboy. He was oblivious to the whirlwind of chaos that encircled us. For that I was grateful.

‘He wouldn’t have hurt Daisy. I just know it.’ A large tear rolled down my cheek as I remembered the last time I had seen the little girl. ‘She was a treasure. The spitting image of her mother when she was young.’

‘I’m sure.’ Helen stirred the teabag in her mug and looked solemn. ‘Would you like me to go to Blockbuster and rent you a film? Something to take your mind off what’s going on.’

‘I’d rather read, but I doubt I’d be able to concentrate.’

‘Oh, you like books? Me too.’ She was trying her best. I couldn’t deny that. ‘What do you like to read? I’m a sucker for a crime novel.’

‘Spoken like a true policewoman.’ I mused. ‘I don’t like all that morbid stuff. I’d rather get lost in fantasy or romance. I like reading about travel.’

‘I could go to a bookshop for you if you’d like.’

‘Thanks, but I think it’s pointless.’ I slumped down on to the sofa, put my legs up on the arm and rested my eyes. ‘If you really want to help you could go and get Owen a different game. If I have to listen to the bloody Tetris music for much longer I am going to kill someone.’ My eyes sprang open and I realised what I’d said but it was too late. ‘Sorry.’

‘It’s OK. It’s just a phrase.’ She had a kind smile.