Take Three Girls

Take Three Girls. This is about 2 girls and one woman (myself) and their very different route to become the women they knew they should be. It was going to be called Take Two Girls, but an on line friend (she knows who she is) and the girls bullied me into the name change. Some poetic licence has been used to help the flow of the story but not very much.

Kate the pink hair has gone, she officially moves in with me and we attend her mother’s funeral.

On the way to meet her brothers we did some window-shopping I promised that once things had been sorted out we would take a trip to one of the big out of town malls.

All her brothers were in the coffee shop and the first thing they noticed was Kate’s new hairstyle. Carl commented, “That’s better than that bloody pink – what on earth possessed you to do that?” Sensibly Kate never answered simply smiled and asked, “When can I see mam?”
Carl took a deep breath then answered, “Tomorrow kiddo d’ya want me with you? She considered this and told him, “No Aunty Av’ll be with me.” Great I thought I don’t do dead people very well but I suppose I had better do this for her.

“Clothes” I said, “We need Kate’s clothes!” “Kate looked terrified saying, “I’m not going in there – you can’t make me I’ll leave me clothes I’m not going in that house!”
“Calm down Katie, I’ll get them for you.” Carl and Pete promised her. A look of distain crossed her face, “I’m not having you lumps pawing through me clothes!”
The two of them sighed Pete said, “Kate its either you or us getting your clothes and seeing as you won’t go that only leaves us!” he paused then finished off, “Unless?” Looking pointedly in my direction.

I sighed saying, “Let’s go and pack her clothes.” Oh Aunty Av thanks” Kate said obviously relieved. Carl got up saying, “I’ll drive you Avril. How about you three walking down to the Rhubarb Triangle and we’ll have something to eat when Av and me have done. (This was a pub, which does good pub food and was about a mile from where we were).
As we were going Kate shouted, “Our Carl don’t forget Mr & Mrs Pook and Floppy oh and Pink Tail!” I looked questioningly at him he gave a grin and simply said, “You’ll see.”

As we drove to the house Carl told me that Kate’s dad was being charged with Manslaughter, actual bodily harm (ABH) for Jan. GBH plus Child Abuse for Kate.
(Who as a matter of interest was really indignant at being classed as a child!)

Wayne was being charged with common assault but was expected to receive a light sentence or get discharged due to the circumstances in the case the prosecutor was reviewing his case.
It was strange arriving at the house, I was reluctant to go in but I had man mountain Carl with me and anyhow there was nothing to be afraid of.

We went to Kate’s bedroom and I packed her clothes, Mr and Mrs Pook’s turned out to be two teddy bears. Floppy was a huge stuffed white rabbit and Pink Tail was a smaller white rabbit with a pink tail (obviously) that had been very well loved.
As Carl handled Pink Tail he mumbled, “Kate loves this stupid rabbit every time thing got rough for her she’d love this.” He gave a sniffle and was close to breaking down.

Without thinking I went and took him in my arms to comfort him; I had my arms around his shoulders while he sorted himself out. I felt his arms slip around my waist and he pulled me towards him then he kissed me. It did take me a bit by surprise but I found myself responding.
Suddenly he pulled back exclaiming, “Avril I’m so sorry I never meant to do that!”
I had just started to enjoy the kiss so I wound my arms around his neck telling him, “For God’s sake stop apologising every time you kiss me!” “But” he started to say but my lips stopped him. This time I started off kissing him but he finished up kissing me.

We parted and he looked at me asking, “Does this mean..........” I put a finger on his lips “Shush” I told him, “It means that I needed a kiss and cuddle – that’s what it mean’s.”
I think he was confused as I let him go and picked up the case containing Kate’s clothes. We drove back to where we were meeting the others in silence. As we parked the car I said, “Carl just let us leave it at that and see where things take us – ok?” He smiled and answered, “Ok Avril.”

After dinner he drove us back to my car and we transferred all of Kate’s belongings then we drove home.

Kate took her stuff to her room and filled the wardrobe then sat on her bed cuddling Pink Tail. “I’ll be down stairs working when you feel like coming down I had the feeling that she wanted some time to herself.

Carl had given me the name of the funeral parlour so the next morning after breakfast we made ready for the viewing.
I made sure that Kate was suitably dressed and I slipped on a dark dress and together we set off.
I will not dwell on this Kate was very brave and sniffled a little but mainly she simply stood there talking to her mother promising to make her proud.

I felt like I was intruding but Kate held onto my hand very firmly.
Finally after about half an hour Kate had said as much as she wanted to. She looked at me saying, “Mum looks at peace Aunty Av I’ve told her everything I wanted to - can we go?”

I nodded not trusting myself to speak as listening to this girl telling her dead mother how much she loved her; how much she was going to miss her and how she will make Heather proud was absolutely heart breaking.

As we walked back to the car I managed to get myself back together. On the drive home I asked, “Shall we get changed and take the dog’s up on the moors?” “Yep I’d like that” was the reply – so that is what we did we walked the moors each lost in our own thoughts.

After an three hours or so we got back to the car as we loaded the dogs Kate said very quietly, “Aunty Av’’ ‘Yes Love’ was my reply. There was a pause while she thought then finally said, “Is it wrong to say aunt Av but mam looked happy and at peace!”
God after three hours walking this girl had reduced me to an internal mess in one sentence!

The next day while I did some work around the house Kate took the dogs for a walk by herself. Tomorrow was her first day at the salon I asked her if she still felt like working her answer was “Aunty Av I need to do something if I sit around I start feeling sorry for me self. Wot do I wear tomorrow? Wot will I be doing? Is Ruth nice? Wot’s for tea tomorrow? Wot do I have for dinner tomorrow?”
Now this was a touch of the old Kate a thousand questions in one sentence

I told her to wear something comfortable because she’ll be sweeping the floors; making tea and coffee and generally keeping the place clean and yes Ruth is really nice dinner probably a sandwich and as for tea I hadn’t thought that far ahead!
“Can we have that fish stuff with rice – I like that?” I assumed that she meant Risotto so I said ok.

Her first day at work she really enjoyed Ruth was paying her by the hour and she got paid at the end of the day Ruth was paying her over the odds for a girl of that age she was on the minimum wage for an 18 year old.
When she got home she was absolutely full of life – well as full of life as I had seen her since things happened.

The funeral was set for the following Thursday a simple service would be held at the crematorium.
Kate didn’t have a black dress so we went shopping and I bought her a shift dress with a simple black jacket a small fascinator that the furry feather could be changed so as it had many uses. While we were out I went the whole hog and bought her a pair of stylish heels and shoulder bag – she was going to see her mum off in style.

The morning of the funeral Kate looked beautiful she was very dignified and brave. I drove there with Jan and her husband Jan still had the clear mask on to hold the bones of her face together.
She asked me how Kate was doing so I filled her in on how she was. “Avril” she quietly said, “You know that soon they will want to move Kate into a family!” “Over my dead body” I said smiling but I knew that she spoke the truth as being a single woman while I was ok for temporary care as far as the authorities were concerned I was not suitable for adoption.

“Well” she continued, “Steve and I have been talking and we would love to give Kate a home!” My mouth hung open with surprise this was the perfect solution Jan understood Kate’s ‘problems’ she knew Kate; Kate would have an older sister (Jan’s Daughter Rhona) and she lived about three streets away from me.

“Avril please close your mouth” Jan asked. “Oh Jan you’re an absolute star what a perfect solution Kate will be so thrilled!” I burbled. “Just a minute Avril” Jan cautioned me. “I can only take her once I’m healed are you ok to have her until then?” What a stupid question that was!

The funeral was very well attended it seems that Helen was a popular woman the service went as well as could be expected.
There was a slight kerfuffle when Kate’s dad arrived in a wheel chair flanked by prison officers.
I thought that there may be trouble but the brothers totally ignored him. However I could see Carl flexing his huge fists as though he would have liked to use them.
I also saw Kate put her small hand on her brother’s knee and give a small shake of her head.
There were refreshments at a pub close to where Kate used to live, which we attended then saying our good byes Kate and I drove home with Jan and Steve.

Kate walked up the path to my front door her back ramrod straight. As I closed the door she gave way to her feelings and collapsed sobbing uncontrollably.

In The Arms of an Angel