“Sarah,” Natalie said looking up from the floor towards the gleeful primary school teacher holding a credit card in her hand. “What are you like?”
“It's fine. Just don't tell Tab, you know what she is like.”
“Oh come on, Sarah. They'll trace you.”
“Ahh no. I was reading about it all last week. I have a system called Tor when I boot off this CD, it hides me on the Internet. We've got a Computer Science student in and he was telling me about it. It's utterly foolproof.”
Natalie rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You'll go to hell or prison. Or both.”
“Good,” Sarah replied with a grin. “I hate cold weather.” She closed the laptop lid and slid it under the table before putting the credit card back into the wallet. “That should teach 'im, the nasty little bastard,” Sarah told her friend. Natalie grinned, and shook her head as Sarah left the room. “I gotta shoot. Mum and Dad want to have a word with me. I hope it's about inheritance,” she said almost gleefully and closed the door.
Sarah swore at the cold, wintry air the moment she left the house and pulled her coat tightly. It was freezing and she shuffled along the pavement until she reached her car, climbing in and turning the key in the ignition.
There was the smallest amount of life from the engine and she groaned as she looked at her dashboard; she had left the lights on. “Fuck,” she cried and slammed her hands against the steering wheel. “Useless bastard,” she shouted and got out, slamming the car door; she would get Natalie to give her a bump start in the morning but instead she needed to be at her parent's house eight minutes ago. With the cold wind swirling around her, Sarah started walking a brisk pace the half-an-hour journey to the familial home.
George looked up from his newspaper as Sarah entered the lounge. “You're late,” he grumbled and Sarah rubbed her nose.
“Yeah sorry. The car wouldn't start. I left the lights on overnight. And it's snowy and icy.” He drank the last few dregs of his tea and then looked at her with a steely expression. “You wanted to see me?”
Her father nodded and then gave a snort. “Mrs Bridges on the end of the street. She said she saw you in the park last week.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. And she said she saw you holding hands with that black girl you live with.”
“Tabitha?” Sarah asked and then nodded. “Yeah ... and?”
“Sarah, love. Is there anything you wish to tell us?“ Anne Dayton simpered. “Because she told us that the girl was umm … well she was umm ...”
“Kissing you,” her father told her firmly.
Sarah bit her lips, her hands shaking. The subject of her sexuality had never been discussed at home and her parents still thought she was single. “So you know then?”
“Well, yes.” George folded his paper and threw it onto the floor in disgust. “And to be honest if that girl is getting all emotional 'cause of the pregnancy then she needs to leave. There is no need for her to be dragging you into that.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “What are you on about?”
“What that girl is doing.” Her father added and Sarah looked at her parents staring intently at her. “Mrs Bridges said that she was forcing herself onto you and that you were resisting.”
“She is not making me do anything,” Sarah told them and sighed. “And this is not something I want to discuss.”
“Well I do,” her father snapped. “I will not have my daughter being abused ...”
“I am not being abused,” Sarah spat back and her mother looked up from her seat on the sofa.
“It's OK dear. You can tell us. We only want to help you.”
“I am not being abused,“ Sarah said firmly. “I am fine. Is this all you wanted to speak to me about?” She rubbed her hands nervously and gave a weak smile.
She waited at her two parents looking at each other and turned to leave. “I've not finished with you yet,” she was told firmly and Sarah spun around.
“Oh what now?”
“Well what is bloody hell is going on then?”
Sarah took a deep breath and looked at her mother. “Tabitha is my partner, OK? We are going out.”
“You're a lesbian?” George cried and ran his hands over his hand, sighing dramatically. “You can't be a dyke. You've had boyfriends. Is it that Tabitha forcing herself on you, making you be a dyke.”
Sarah shook her head in disgust. “No, she isn't forcing me at all.” Sarah looked at the frowning face of her father. “And yes I know I've had boyfriends. But now I've got a girlfriend.”
“But ...” Her father stammered, staring open mouthed at his flamboyant daughter.
“Are you sure, darling?” Her mother asked and Sarah sighed.
“I mean you read about it all the time but it's normally just a phase. You'll grow out of it,” her father told her and Sarah crossed her arms.
“I am 23. I've been having girlfriends since I was seventeen. It's rather a long phase, don't you think?”
George stared at the arm of the chair and sniffed. “No, that isn't true. I met your boyfriend when you were at Uni. That tall lad with blonde hair.”
Sarah groaned loudly. “Oliver? For God's sake Dad, Oli wasn't my boyfriend.”
“You said ...”
“I know what I said. But he just helped me with my Maths,” she told him forcefully. “Do you really think I would have gone out with him? Bloody hell, he was a nice enough guy but utterly hopeless with girls. I'm sure he was a virgin anyway, some of the things he used to come out with.”
George took a deep breath. “Just 'cause one of your boyfriends wasn't brilliant doesn't mean you have to turn gay. Perhaps if you found a nice guy he would change your mind.”
Sarah glared at him. “I have not turned gay,” she told him with righteous indignation. “And I do not have a problem,” she thundered angrily. “Being lesbian is not something I choose to do. It's a not a fuckin' lifestyle choice. I can't decide who I will fall in love with.”
“So why are you gay then?”
“I was born that way,” Sarah spat back. “And yes, those boyfriends when I was sixteen didn't do it for me, and I thought it was just because they were nerdy but it made sense when I met Rita when I was seventeen. And then Tab at Uni. So I've always wanted to settle down with a girl, it's in my DNA.”
“So it's my fault now. My genes that's made you ... one of those.”
Sarah looked at her mother, dabbing her eyes, and then back to her father. “One of those?” She thundered. “One of those? I s'pose then it's also your fault that I am a nudist as well.”
“A nudist?” Anne squeaked. “You mean ...?”
“Yes, I do. Or more to point I don't. It's one of the reasons why we vetoed people coming into the house. Tabitha, Natalie, Mary, me, it's who we are.”
Her mother looked at George. “And you put that guy in there.”
“Adam?“ He asked. “Oh my God. I told you to make him feel welcome. What's he gonna think?”
Sarah gave a wry smile though her stressed face. “Yeah, well, he's used to us wandering about nekkid. He even joins in but that's 'cause Nat makes him.” She smiled at the serious faces of her parents and wiped her eyes.
“So you run around naked all day?” Her mother asked breathlessly. “It's not right doing that in front of other people.”
“Not all day, the parents get well annoyed about teaching kids in the nude, although I'd quite like a naturist school.” She looked at the wide-eyed look of her mother. “Anyway, didn't Adam and Eve wander around naked?”
“Eve didn't lie with her sister,” her father thundered before Sarah could continue. “It's about time you came back to Church and stopped living in sin. Find a nice lad and just be normal.”
Sarah screwed up her face. “I ain't going back to Church and being normal,” she told them, gesturing forcefully with her hands. “And who cares about living in sin. If it's true, it's me that's facing the devil for living a life of happiness.”
&n
bsp; “Happiness. It won't last. Gay people never stay together. It won't last, you watch.”
Sarah screwed up her face. “What a stupid thing to say. Is it 'cause Tabitha is black that you have a problem with? If it was Natalie would you care as much?”
George spluttered. “Well it's just ... her culture is very different from ours. Mixed race never works, their culture is just too different.”
“Her culture?” Sarah spluttered. “She is from Wolverhampton.”
“And she is pregnant,” her mother told her.
“Obviously she doesn't dislike men that much,” her father added.
Sarah folded her arms and looked at her fidgeting father. “She does. Well, she likes sex - who doesn't?” She smiled at the face her father pulled and Sarah cocked her head to one side. “I was there at the conception. Nice lad, but Tabitha strung him on something awful 'til she got knocked up.” Anne looked at Sarah who gave a snort. “And when the baby is born, I am going to adopt with her. Have parental rights.”
“You what?” George spat. “Why?”
“'Cause I want to be it's mother too.”
“But you won't, will you? I thought you knew about these things,” he muttered patronisingly and Sarah sneered in annoyance.
“It takes more than donating a piece of DNA to be a parent.” She waited for her father to look to object and then muttered. “But then no-one told you, obviously.”
George's face went from red to purple and he waved his finger towards the sneering daughter. “How dare you ...”
“How dare I?” Sarah shouted. “How dare I? You've found out that I have a girlfriend, something I have long since agonised over telling you and then make me feel wrong for it. Saying that it is someone's fault. So what if I don't fancy boys? I am still your daughter.” A few tears welled up in her eyes and she looked longingly at her mother. “And I have found someone who makes me happy. Found someone who loves me, but that isn't good enough for you, is it?”
Her mother got up to put her arms around the tearful primary school teacher but Sarah pushed her away. “Don't,” she barked and stared at her father. “This isn't a phase. This isn't a passing fancy. This is me. And you act disappointed. You always act disappointed at what I've achieved. You wanted a businesswoman and what you got was a teacher. You've been disappointed in me since I chose not to follow in your footsteps.”
Her father said nothing and Sarah shook her head, running out of the room. “Wait,” her mother called but the young woman was haring off down the street before either of her parents could reach their front door.
* * * * *
“What do you mean, she quit?”
“Couldn't handle it,”Adam's father muttered. “Something about all the swearing. Said she was going to take me to an Employment Tribunal.”
Adam smiled. “She can't. She's not been around long enough.” His father looked at him and he shrugged. “I work as a supervisor; I have to know about employment law as we can get done. And it costs a fuckin' fortune.”
“Yeah, I know and I ain't got hundreds of thousands to stuff down some lawyer's underpants on a 'No Win No Fee' malarkey so I offered her five hundred to fuck off and she took it.”
“You gave her five hundred quid? Fuckin' 'ell Dad.”
“Yeah well, I ain't wanting to get fucked over by some smart-ass lawyer. And those types, well they are always after summat for nothing, eh?”
Adam grinned. “So how's the family?”
“Fine, Ivy thought she was pregnant last week but she wasn't. Just as well with what happened to Brad, you know they split?”
Adam gave a grin. “Yeah. I heard. Has she got a job yet?”
“No, but she an interview next week. Proper excited 'bout it.”
“'Bout time,” Adam muttered and bit his lip. “Not going to get her working in your office, answering ya phone if she dain't get it?”
The balding owner laughed heartily. “You must be fuckin' joking. I'd have no customers left.” He downed the last of the tea and looked across his near-empty garage. “Mind you I ain't got many today anyway.”
“It's the snow,” Adam said unhelpfully. “Ain't no-one moving about in this.”
“Yeah, I've done a nice trade in winter tyres this week but it's just dropped off. A couple of replacement brakes and Mrs Gregory with a 'weird sound coming from the engine' but that's it. Danny's picked a good week to be in the Caribbean.”
“Ya sound jealous,” he teased, finishing the last of his tea and doing up his overalls. It was freezing in the open garage and had enjoyed the last few minutes of warmth he got in the sanctuary of the office before opening the door and walking down the steps. “Yah need better heaters,” he told him as he rubbed his hands.
“Cost a bloody fortune,” he was told and looked at a battered car in front of him. “Can't believe Mr Daniels keeps this thing on the road.”
The icy wind swirled around the street outside and ruffled a few posters at the back of the garage as his father drove a small Micro onto the ramp and the two men started looking underneath it. It took them half-an-hour to change the exhaust and they got a couple of people passing with minor problems but Adam got to spend most of the day talking casually to his father.
The conversation was relaxed, and could have come from the two of them in front of a roaring fire in a country pub but they had to settle for Indian tea instead of Indian Pale Ale, and relative the warmth of the office.
Adam had told his Dad about Carl and his father had advised him to distance himself from the young racist telling him “no good will come of that lad.” Adam wanted to disagree but in his heart of hearts couldn't: Carl's behaviour was becoming increasingly erratic and he knew it.
By mid-afternoon, Stuart grunted and shook his head. “Yeah let's go home,” he told his son. “Been here all afternoon and no-one else's coming.” He stretched his legs as he got up and helped his Dad lock up before walking up the hill towards his house.
Natalie was alone in the lounge when he arrived and poked his head around the door. “Afternoon.” She was staring at the television in thought and ignored him as he cleared his throat. “You can turn it on ya know?” Natalie shook her head, not looking at him and grunted. “Tea?”
“No,” she muttered and shook her head.
“You OK?”
“No,” Natalie mumbled. “But I ain't speaking to you.”
He came into the room and sat down next to her on the couch. “Is this still 'cause of me and the videos?”
Natalie took a deep breath and looked at him, getting to her feet. “I said I ain't speaking to you,” she snapped.
He wiped his nose and raised his eyebrows. “OK,” he muttered and looked at a piece of A4 paper discarded on the side. “MOT Fail?” He read out on top of the paper. “What's wrong with your wheels?”
Natalie shook her head. “Nothing. I am walking to work that's all for awhile.”
Adam glanced down at the paper. “Brake pads. Oh that's umm, well that's easily …”
Natalie snatched the paper from him. “Can't you learn to leave other people's things alone?”
Adam groaned. “Moody cow,” he muttered angrily.
* * * * *
"What's up?" A naked Tabitha asked, looking up from her book as Sarah fell into her bedroom. Sarah wiped her eyes and threw herself onto the double bed alongside her partner and stared up at the pregnant girl, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Mum and Dad know," she told her. "We were spotted in the park ... kissing." Sarah wiped her face and looked into the gaze of her lover who pursed her lips.
"Well it had to happen eventually," Tabitha soothed and stroked the arm of the distressed girl. "How did they take it?"
"Badly," Sarah replied. "Kept saying that it was someone's fault and Dad said it was a phase."
"Ya know how some people act. I ain't been home for two years after what me brothers said."
"Yes, but I knew my Dad could be bad but I expected better. Liam was OK
with it and he is sixteen, hell fifteen when he knew. Why is my immature sixteen year-old brat fine with me being a lesbian naturist and my parents can't 'andle it? Surely they should be grown up about it."
"It's a shock," Tabitha told her and Sarah nodded. "But it's for the best, right?"
Sarah shook her head. "They kept saying there was something wrong with me. With us? I mean, I thought Adam was fairly bad at first in the way in dealt with it, but my own parents." Her phone buzzed and she ignored it.
"Aren't you going to get that?" Tabitha asked and Sarah shook her head.
“No,” Sarah spat and Tabitha picked up the phone. Sarah snatched it from her and threw it across the room .”I ain't speaking to them.”
“Sarah babes, chill.”
“No, they were nasty and horrible to me. I don't want to speak to them.”
“You can't run away from them,” Tabitha told her. “Or ignore them.”
“Hell yes,” Sarah spat back. “You said yourself, you ain't been home for two years.”
“Sarah,” Tabitha called firmly.
“No. And if you are so keen on talking to people when are you going to tell Ian about little one?”
“That's different,” Tabitha muttered and Sarah shook her head.
“No it ain't. It's no different. You dropped Ian the day you found out you were pregnant. And when he came to find out what he had done wrong you avoided him. He e-mailed me a couple of months ago asking if you were OK 'cause he ain't seen you or heard from you.”
“Well I didn't love him. He did what I needed him to do and then …”
“You strang him along, letting him get smitten until you were pregnant. And it had to be him 'cause you wanted the clever genes. He knew nothing and you ran away from him. So don't fuckin' lecture me on getting away from people 'cause you're a hypocrite.”
Tabitha snorted. “That's different, and so selfish, your parents are probably worried whereas …”
“Fuck 'em,” Sarah said. “And you are always selfish. We are vegetarian in this house 'cause of you.”