Читать книгу Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Collection: The Schemer, The Trap, Payback - Kimberley Chambers - Страница 34

Stephanie felt anything but excited as she got ready for her hen night the following Friday. She hated fuss, detested being the centre of attention, and if it wasn’t for Tammy forcing her to go out, she wouldn’t have had a hen do at all.

‘Wow, you look amazing, babe,’ Wayne said, poking his head around the bedroom door.

Stephanie smiled. She hadn’t bothered buying anything new for what was meant to be her big night. Instead, she had chosen to wear her long sleeveless red dress, silver sandals and diamante jewellery that she had bought last year. ‘I really don’t feel like going out, Wayne. I might just have the meal, then come straight home. Tam’s talking about going clubbing afterwards, but I know I won’t enjoy meself.’

‘Don’t be such a misery guts. Your hen night’s like your last night of freedom, so you’ve gotta have a good one. Anyway, I’ve invited the lads round for a beer tonight, so you don’t wanna be coming back too early.’

‘What lads? And what about the kids?’ Stephanie asked, annoyed. She hated leaving Tyler with Wayne at the best of times, even more so if he had been drinking.

‘Bazza and Danno are coming round. Don’t worry, the kids’ll be fine and we ain’t planning on getting shitfaced. We’re just gonna have a few cans, a takeaway, and plan next week’s stag do.’

‘But I thought you’d already planned your stag do. You said you was going to a club up town,’ Steph asked, in a distrustful tone.

‘We are going to a club up town, but the lads wanna do it properly and book a hotel and stuff. The thing is, I doubt we’d get back until six the next morning, so what is the point of me coming in pissed up and waking you and the kids? We might as well book a couple of rooms somewhere. You know me, Steph, I don’t like the kids seeing me too drunk and I’m bound to get completely rat-arsed on me stag night, ain’t I?’

‘Please don’t stay out all night, Wayne. You might trust Barry Franklin, but I don’t, and I shall really worry if you’re out with him all night.’

Wayne laughed. ‘Chill out, for fuck’s sake, Steph. Bazza’s cool and he ain’t gonna murder me, babe. I’m sure if he were going to blow my brains out for stealing you off him, he would have done it years ago.’

Feeling a bit silly, Stephanie put her arms around Wayne’s neck. ‘Just think, in two weeks’ time from now, I’ll be twenty-four hours away from becoming Mrs Jackman.’

Wayne grinned and kissed Steph on the forehead. ‘All the more reason why you should celebrate until you drop tonight, girl. I mean, can you imagine how many other women would kill to be in your position?’

Stephanie playfully punched Wayne on the arm. Wayne had rated himself highly even as a schoolboy and had never lost any of his confidence over the years. ‘Do you remember that time I first asked you out when I was sitting opposite the station on Heathway Hill?’

‘Yeah, sort of.’

‘Well, after mugging me off in front of Tammy like you did, you’re the one who should be thinking yourself lucky, big man.’

Wayne chuckled. ‘Yeah right, darling.’

Angela Crouch was not in the best of moods. Not only had she been forced to take the night off work to attend Stephanie’s poxy hen night, her mother was now giving her grief over Aidan.

‘What do you mean, Mum? I ain’t unreliable, I just got the dates mixed up. I’ve turned up tonight, ain’t I?’

‘That little boy has been so looking forward to going to the zoo tomorrow. What am I meant to tell him now, eh?’ Pam shouted.

‘Why don’t you tell him that you made his mother go on his Auntie Stephanie’s fucking hen night and she had to lose a night’s wages, therefore has to work tomorrow. I’m sorry, Mum, but I can’t afford to take two days off work. Just tell Aidan I’ll take him to the zoo some other time,’ Angela replied coldly.

‘You don’t even work in the daytime. You are such a selfish bitch, Angie. You really don’t deserve kids,’ Linda piped up.

Relieved when the cab pulled up outside the restaurant, Pam turned around in the front seat. ‘We’re here now, so please let’s not argue no more. This is Steph’s big night so let’s all go in there with smiles on our faces, shall we? I’ll take Aidan out somewhere tomorrow, OK? He’ll be fine, I’ll make sure of it.’

Angela’s false smile turned to a look of dismay the moment she walked into the restaurant. When her mother first suggested that she be Stephanie’s bridesmaid, she had only gushed with delight, saying ‘she would love to be one’ because she had known how much it would wind her sister up. Now, because of her own stupidity, here she was, stuck in some shitty Greek restaurant in Waltham Abbey with her horrendous family and a four-foot inflatable penis.

Giggling like a naughty schoolgirl, Linda ran over to the penis and picked it up. At four foot, the penis was the same height as Linda. ‘I wish my Keith had one this size,’ she yelled.

When everybody burst out laughing, Angela couldn’t even manage to crack a smile. This had the night from hell stamped all over it and she couldn’t wait for it to be over.

Wayne Jackman ended the phone call, turned to Barry and Danno and grinned. ‘All sorted, boys. I’ve booked us three rooms and they’ve got an all-night bar there as well.’

‘When shall we square up with you? Now, or next week?’ Danno asked.

‘The hotel’s my treat. Potter and Cooksie ain’t got no dosh, so I can’t expect them to pay, and young Lee who works for me is always boracic because of his addiction to prostitutes. He’ll have a field day in Soho, he will,’ Wayne said, chuckling.

‘Well, I’ll pay me own way,’ Barry insisted.

‘Me too,’ Danno added.

‘No, you won’t. I know I’m having a few financial problems at the moment, but one night out ain’t gonna make no difference to the mess I’ve got meself in. I’m only gonna get married once, so I’m determined to enjoy me stag. I’ll worry about all the other shit after the wedding.’

‘Are things still that bad?’ Danno asked, concerned.

‘Nah, mate, they’re even worse! My sports shop is closing down tomorrow. I owed a load of money to a geezer and he’s been on me case for it. I can’t mess him about no more, so I’ve had to sell the shop to pay him back. I ain’t told Steph yet, so for fuck’s sake don’t put your foot in it at the wedding. I’m gonna tell her afterwards, if I can manage to pluck up the courage.’

Remembering what Steph had told him about her wedding present, Barry couldn’t help but pipe up. ‘So, have you already bought Steph’s wedding present, Jacko? She said you were buying her a beauty salon instead of going on honeymoon.’

Wayne sighed. He’d had no idea that Stephanie had told Barry that piece of information, but knew he must answer the question. ‘There is no salon yet, but that is another reason I’ve sold the sports shop. I can’t let Steph down and I reckon I can sort something out for her within the month. I bet she’s expecting the salon keys on her wedding day, bless her heart, but you can’t get blood out of a stone, can you?’

‘Can I have a drink, Daddy? I’m thirsty,’ Dannielle asked, opening the lounge door in her nightdress.

‘Hello Princess,’ Barry said, smiling at her.

‘Uncle Barry,’ Dannielle screamed, running towards him excitedly.

Barry hugged her.

‘Come on then. Drink, then back to bed,’ Wayne said, grabbing his daughter’s hand.

Barry winked at her. ‘Sweet dreams, angel.’

Over in Waltham Abbey, Stephanie had got over her earlier reservations and was now thoroughly enjoying herself. She had wanted to keep her hen night low-key so apart from her family, Cath and Tammy, she had only invited two of her friends from Collier Row. Tina was her old next-door neighbour and Jenny was the mother of Dannielle’s best friend, Poppy.

‘So, how’s life in Chigwell, mate? I really miss you being next door to me. It’s so quiet now because there’s no kids living there. I used to love watching your Dannielle and Tyler playing in the garden,’ Tina told Steph.

‘Chigwell’s OK. We haven’t really got to know any of the neighbours there yet and I don’t think we will somehow. It doesn’t seem as friendly an area as Collier Row. I think people tend to keep themselves to themselves more in Chigwell.’

‘You ain’t talking about kids and bloody houses again, are you? Tonight’s your hen night, Steph, we’re meant to be having a laugh, so let’s all talk about sex,’ Lin shouted out.

‘Stop it, Lin. Behave yourself,’ Pam said, embarrassed.

Linda chuckled. Behaving herself wasn’t in her nature and she had no intention of changing a habit of a lifetime. ‘Me and Keith sometimes do it six times a day,’ she said, proudly.

Cathy burst out laughing. ‘Lucky you. My old man could barely manage it once a week and even then he did it with the local barmaid.’

As the unrefined conversation continued, Angela turned to Stephanie. ‘What about you and my ex-boyfriend, sis? How many times do you shag per week?’ she asked, sarcastically.

‘Who’s your ex-boyfriend?’ Tina asked Angela.

‘Wayne, of course! Oh sorry, has Steph forgotten to tell you that the man she’s getting married to next week took my virginity from me when I was thirteen years old. Didn’t you know he was a paedophile?’

Stephanie had never told any of her neighbours or friends about Angela’s fling with Wayne. Not only was it old news, but it was also extremely embarrassing. Apart from Tammy, she had never really discussed it with anybody. Wishing that the floor would miraculously open and swallow her up, Stephanie burst into tears.

‘You are one evil fucking bitch, Angie,’ Linda screamed at her niece.

‘And you’re one foul-mouthed, drunken little dwarf,’ Angela screamed back.

Furious with Angela, Pam stood up. Her face was red with rage as she pointed her finger at her youngest daughter. ‘How dare you spoil Stephanie’s hen night and insult your Auntie Lin. You are one nasty piece of work, even though I’ve spent years trying to convince myself otherwise. You’ll never change your ways. You’re a horrible sister to poor Steph and an even worse fucking mother to your own son. Now get out of my sight, and don’t even think of turning up at the wedding because you’re uninvited as a bridesmaid and a guest.’

Stunned by her mother’s cutting speech, Angela ran from the restaurant in tears.

Barry Franklin had never been so bored in his entire life. For the past two hours all Wayne had been rambling on about was his lack of funds and it was becoming extremely tedious. Did Wayne actually think that he was going to offer to bail him out after stealing his girlfriend from him? Because if he did, he had a hell of a long wait. Barry was no man’s fool, and he had only agreed to attend the wedding because he knew how awkward it would make Stephanie feel. He still wanted her to pay for what she had done to him, but it would be Wayne that copped the bulk of his revenge, because in Barry’s eyes it was he who deserved it the most. Faking a yawn, Barry stood up. ‘I’m gonna shoot off and leave you to it now, lads. I was up early this morning and I’m cream crackered.’

‘Don’t go yet. I’ve just opened another bottle of bubbly. I wanna hear all about Jake’s funeral and stuff. How did it go?’

Barry sat back down and allowed Wayne to top his glass up again. ‘It kicked off at the wake, as it always does when my mother’s involved, but other than that it was OK. I’ve got to attend the reading of the will next week. Same day as the stag, it is, but it’s in the morning.’

‘What was Jake worth, Bal? Do you reckon he’s left you anything?’ Danno asked, bluntly.

‘I dunno what he was worth, but he certainly weren’t short of a few bob. I got on pretty well with him, but not well enough for him to leave me his worldy goods. Having said that, he owns an old Jaguar classic car out in Spain. I always loved it, and he always told me that when he popped his clogs, it was mine. The rest of his estate, including the bar, is bound to be left to his beloved partner, who just happens to be my wonderful gold-digging fucking mother,’ Barry chuckled.

‘Perhaps a bit of inheritance dosh might just help her with her grief,’ Wayne said, laughing. He stood up. ‘I’m gonna have a piss and check on the kids, boys. Who’s hungry? We ain’t ordered sod all to eat yet.’

‘I could murder an Indian, could you?’ Danno asked Barry.

‘I ain’t that hungry, to be honest, and I’m gonna shoot off in a bit anyway.’

‘Is that yours?’ Danno asked, as the mobile phone that was perched on the edge of the sofa sprang into life.

‘No, it must be Jacko’s,’ Barry replied.

‘Was that my phone ringing? Who was it?’ Wayne asked, bursting back into the room.

‘Dunno, mate. I didn’t like to answer it,’ Barry said, handing the phone to his so-called friend.

Wayne stared at the phone then put it to his ear. ‘What’s up?’

When Wayne walked out of the lounge, Barry stood up and stretched. ‘Right, I’m off.’

Danno stood up and shook Barry’s hand. ‘You take care, mate.’

Wayne walked back into the room and slung his phone onto the sofa. ‘That was fucking Angela. It all went off in the restaurant, apparently. Steph’s in tears and all sorts. She’s on her way home, I think.’

‘That’s women for you,’ Danno joked.

When Wayne started to spout off about what a bitch Angela was, Barry couldn’t help but smirk. He had been seconds away from sodding off home, but now it had all kicked off and Steph was on her way home, he’d decided to stay instead.

‘I feel like one of them poor Ethopians that Bob Geldolf’s always banging on about, Jacko. Can we order something to eat now or what?’ Danno asked, bluntly.

‘Yeah, of course we can. Order a selection of stuff for the three of us,’ Wayne said, chucking Danno three menus out of a drawer.

‘I fancy an Indian and Barry’s shooting off,’ Danno replied.

Barry grinned at Wayne. ‘Do you know what? All of a sudden I feel ravenous, so think I’ll stay and eat with yous after all.’