A few days had passed since the terrible crash that had killed Gary Jacobs, but still nobody could believe it had happened.

 

‘Kris has been very quiet,’ Phil voiced his concern, as his housemate had barely said a word since they’d got back from hospital.

 

‘She’s always been the same, never could face up to anything serious, she doesn’t know how to handle it,’ Jo sighed, sipping from a mug of tea, ‘her life has been one big piece of trivia, so the important stuff throws her completely.’

 

Phil sat next to her and they stared at wall, stunned by the recent events.

 

 

***

 

 

Val and Ray were eating breakfast, Rhys and Laura had both stayed at friend’s overnight.

 

‘I can’t get over that poor Gary Jacobs from next door,’ said Val.

 

‘I know, it’s terrible, what a waste, his whole life ahead of him,’ pondered Ray.

 

All Val could think about too was the fact that she’d aborted their child on the same day.

 

‘Imagine his poor parents,’ Ray continued, ‘to lose a child is the worst thing in the world...and his life had only just begun when you think about it…’

 

Val got up from the table in tears and

 

rushed out of the room, wracked with guilt at what she’d done.

 

‘Val love? Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you!’

 

 

***

 

 

Sam and Ros had met up for lunch at The Headless Pint.

 

‘How are you feeling?’ Sam asked, kissing her as she arrived. Ros had become very upset when she heard about Gary’s death. Not because they were great friends, they didn’t know each other very well, but because it brought memories of Nick’s death flooding back. Sudden death wasn’t going to be something she coped very well with from now on.

 

‘Yeah, I’m better thanks, the girls at work have been great. As soon as they heard, they knew what I’d be going through,’ Ros spoke and Sam felt quite alone at that moment, as if there was nothing he could do—for a second she was Mrs Ros Turner again, and not the woman he’d been seeing for months.

 

‘Don’t take this the wrong way, Sam, but I’d like to be alone tonight, is that OK?’ Ros asked, holding his hand.

 

It wasn’t OK with him, but he told her it would be anyway.

 

 

 

 

‘Hi, Kris, do you fancy a drink?’ Phil asked, as she shook her head, sitting in the corner armchair, carefully avoiding the chair that Gary used to sit in.

 

‘Have his parents been yet?’ Kris asked quietly.

 

‘No, they should be on their way back though, so we can expect a visit,’ Jo muttered.

 

‘I’ll smash their faces in if they’re not careful!’ Kris suddenly blurted out.

 

‘Crikey, steady on, Kris! I know you’re upset,’ Phil added in shock.

 

Jo glared at Kris, willing her not to say anymore. They were the only two that knew about Gary’s parents abusing him, and she thought it should stay that way.

 

‘Anyone been in touch about the funeral?’ Phil asked.

 

‘Should be early next week,’ Jo replied, as there was a knock at the door.

 

Nathan appeared in the lounge moments later.

 

‘Hi, I just wondered how everyone was? How are you, Kris?’ He asked, noticing how pale and withdrawn she looked.

 

‘Get out,’ Kris whispered.

 

‘Does anyone need anything?’ Nathan tried to ignore her, and carried on.

 

‘GET OUT!’ Kris got up from her chair and started shoving a shocked Nathan across the room.

 

 

Kris,’ Phil tried to intervene.

 

‘You lousy little git, get out of here, it’s not like you ever gave a damn about him in the first place! You only wanted to get free board, lodgings and sex with as many women as possible!’

 

‘I’ll go,’ Nathan turned on his heel. Kris was right though, he didn’t really care at the end of the day, as he said hello to a pretty girl walking down Rex Road.

 

 

***

 

 

Val had recovered from her upset and gone to see Josie at Number Two.

 

‘But he doesn’t realise what’s going on?’ Josie asked.

 

‘Oh no, he thinks I’m upset about that Gary Jacobs boy. Which I am. But it means we’re talking about the loss of young life and all that, so it keeps reminding me of what I’ve done, when all I want to do is forget it,’ Val looked into her tea as she spoke.

 

‘Maybe you should tell him?’ Josie wondered.

 

‘I can’t now, he’d be horrified that I’d left it this long! Not even consulting him about it! No way.’

 

‘He may take it better than you think?’

 

No he wouldn’t, Jose, it’d push him right off the wagon...and there’s no way I can go through that again.’

 

 

***

 

 

Back at Number Six, Phil had made Kris and Jo some lunch.

 

‘I’m not very hungry, Phil, but thanks anyway,’ said Jo.

 

‘Me neither, but thanks,’ added Kris.

 

Another knock at the door. This time it was Gary’s parents. His mother appeared in the lounge first, in tears, and both Jo and Kris looked up at her.

 

‘Well, look who it is!’ Kris cried.

 

‘We’ve just got back,’ his mother muttered.

 

‘Bit late to start worrying about your son’s welfare now, don’t you think?!’ Kris was on her feet again.

 

‘Please don’t, Kris, they don’t need this,’ sighed Phil.

 

Jo started to lose her temper too now.

 

‘No, Phil, she’s right. We were the ones who saw him die, while you two were having a lovely holiday yet again! You never gave a damn about him!’

 

That’s not true, we loved him,’ his mother sobbed.

 

‘Yeah right, funny way of showing it!’ Kris screeched.

 

‘I think you’d better leave,’ said Jo.

 

‘But we should talk,’ his father butted in.

 

‘You lost all rights to talk the day you abused your kids!’

 

Phil’s jaw dropped open in horror.

 

‘NOW GET OUT!’

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