Number two Rex Road was a hive of activity at eight on a Monday morning -

 

'Rain! Rain! That's all we ever get in this country!' Don was beginning the day on his usual cheery note, filling himself with cereal.

 

'It's the same everywhere, love. I don't think we're the only ones to have a bit of rain with their breakfast. C'mon, Max! Get up!' Josie bustled from room to room, pushing the weary Reynolds men into action.

 

Sam grabbed his mother's arm when she came back into the room.

'Mum? Be a love and get us some more toast?'

 

Don scowled at him 'Get it yourself!'

 

'It's okay! What do you want on it, son?' Josie sighed and continued.

 

***

Meanwhile at number four, Rachel was fetching the milk from the doorstep and gazed up and down the road, watching people making their way into Alborford. She could see Nick Turner at Number Ten fetching their milk in and he gave her a smug grin.

 

'Prat...' she muttered under her breath. Then, turning around she threw a bottle to Richard.

 

'Here you go, put the kettle on.'

 

'Cheers!' Just as they closed the door behind them and kissed, there was a timid tap at it.

 

'Let me guess...it is you, Gary!'

'Sorry...any chance of a pint? We ran out.'

'Again? This is the last time, you poor students, enough money for beer and fags but never for milk....I'm joking, Gary!' Rachel laughed as she wagged a finger at the blushing lad.

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'So, son, what've you got lined up for today?' asked Don, finishing his third cup of tea.

 

'More job hunting as usual,' Sam whined.

 

'You'll be fine lad!' continued Don, as Josie rolled her eyes in dismay.

 

'Not like you to be this optimistic, dad,' Sam replied, sitting on the sofa tieing his shoelaces.

 

'Well, I've got to give you some hope, goodness knows you've wasted your opportunities in life so far!' Josie continued rattling around in the kitchen, as Sam looked over at his father.

 

'I knew it! You just can't help yourself, can you?'

 

Don left the kitchen table and reached for his coat.

 

'Well, you sure as hell don't help yourself, son! Act like a man, not a kid, and I might be a bit more optimistic.' The door slammed as he went upstairs and Josie came back into the room.

 

'Don't worry about him, he's under a lot of pressure at work.'

 

'I wish I was, Mum.'

 

***

The student household, number six, was chaotic. As Gary returned with the milk, Kristen was in hysterics.

 

'Where the hell are my shoes? The black ones? Anyone?!'

 

Jo remained oblivious to her outburst, sat at the kitchen table painting her nails.

 

'Stop griping! We don't know.'

 

Kristen stormed upstairs, almost in tears.

 

'What did I say this time?' Jo whined.

 

 

Phil casually strolled into the lounge.

 

'What's up with everyone today?'

 

Gary slumped down on the sofa and tied his shoelaces.

 

'As ever, the lovely Kris Slater is on the warpath.'

 

'She's been even worse lately,' added Jo, finishing her handiwork and walking around blowing on her nails.

 

'I think her schemes have caught up with her at last.'

 

Phil picked up a newspaper, glancing at the sports page.

 

'You mean?...'

 

'Yeah, her silly fling with Nick Turner.'

 

Jo was angry at the first mention of this.

 

'But that's all over now, isn't it? Surely there can't be anything else going on after all the trouble those two caused in this road?!' Gary wasn't angry, just mystified.

 

'Yeah, it is all over. Kris is far more upset than she's making out, though. You know how she hides everything...'

 

'That's the point,' Gary went to fetch his coat, 'we've lived together for a year and I'm not so sure that I know her at all, Jo.'

 

***

At the Lucas house, Rhys was hammering on the bathroom door.

 

'Laura! Get out! You're not the only one who has to get ready!'

 

Laura shrieked back as Ray looked for his car keys.

 

'What little cherubs our children are.'

 

 

 

'Don't be naughty, love,' laughed Val. As Laura finally emerged from the bathroom, Ray stepped outside.

 

'Bye, everyone, see you tonight,' he kissed his wife (a bit too passionately at their age, thought Laura from the top of the stairs). Kris watched them from the bus stop over the road too.

 

'Good morning, Kris!' Ray called over to her. She scowled back.

'IS IT?!'

***

Nick and Ros Turner sat in their living room, watching breakfast TV.

 

'Well, now we've both got two weeks off work, what shall we do?' Ros asked, handing Nick a cup of tea.

 

'Er...well, you'll shop 'til you drop and I'll carry the bags, I expect.'

 

'NO!'

 

'Shhh! The neighbours will wonder what we're doing to each other, Ros!

Speaking of which...'

***

Max was finally up and about at number two.

 

'Mum, why do I have to get up this early on my day off?' asked Max, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

 

''cause I want to get all the breakfasts done at once - I'm not a slave, y'know!' Josie replied.

 

'We know,' laughed Don, still sat in the same spot,'so when does your slave come in today?'

'Mags isn't coming in today, I'm cleaning the house this week.' she announced, handing Max eggs on toast.

 

'Wonders never cease! I'd better be going I guess,' said Don, rising from his chair at last.

 

 

***

 

Laura's friend Natalie Jordan called round for her.

 

'Hi!' said Laura as she closed the front door behind her and they walked down Rex Road.

 

'So, did you get the essay finished?' asked Natalie.

 

'Not really, too busy lying round the house all weekend!'

 

'What about the present your dad promised you, if you get a good grade for it?'

 

'I don't think he'll keep that promise. Not with the amount of stuff he buys for mum, they're like a couple of teenagers at the moment, makes me wanna puke!'

***

Nick put the phone down as Ros came back to bed.

 

'Who was that?'

 

'The office, they want me to cover for Sarah, she's sick,' he tried his best to get sympathy from his wife with a vulnerable expression.

 

'Oh, Nick, for goodness sake....can't the damn Alborford Echo survive one day without you?'

 

'It might not be for long, it's all extra shopping money, darlin'.'

 

Ros nodded. If only Nick had been telling the truth.

 

***

See the next page for this episode’s cliffhanger!

***

 

'C'mon, Kris. We're sorry for not being more sympathetic!' Jo shouted from the front door to the bus stop, a few passers-by watching her.

 

'You lot aren't sympathetic! Just PATHETIC!'

 

Jo sighed 'Come back in for a minute and we'll talk? Please?' Kris seemed to give in and, as Jo watched, she ran across the road - straight in front of a car.

 

'KRISTEN!'

 

© 2010 Danny Alborough / DJA Publications
All characters, names and situations are fictitious.
Any similarities to places or people, living or dead, are purely coincidental.