I hadn’t had anything new for as long as I could remember. I hadn’t had any money for even longer. I reluctantly got to my feet and walked over to the window. The midday sun was obscured by the heavy black clouds. A young family walked by, carefree and oblivious to any problems. The two young children ran ahead of their parents who were walking hand in hand, staring lovingly at each other. On the other side of the road was a young businesswoman. Dressed smartly in a pinstripe suit talking animatedly into her mobile phone. That could have been me.
I was considered clever at school. I was in all of the top sets and was predicted mostly A’s and A*’s in my GCSE’s. I had my whole life ahead of my, I could have done anything I wanted. But that’s all ruined now and I blame him for that.
Outside fat drops of rain began to fall. The people quickened their pace and carried on with their day. The weather suited my mood, grey, dark and depressed. With a heavy heart I picked up my battered coat off the chair and headed out of the door.
I didn’t really know where I was heading. All I knew is that I had to get a job. I got to the corner shop at the end of the road. There were adverts for babysitters and dog-walkers. That kind of money came nowhere near the kind of amount I needed. Dragging my feet I carried on into town. I passed homeless people shivering in the doorways of derelict shops. If I wasn’t careful, next week I’d be joining them.
I arrived back damp, disheartened and depressed. No one wanted to employ a sixteen year old living in a bedsit, why would they? I didn’t blame them. There’s only one person I blame. The rain continued to pour outside. Through the thin walls I could hear the girls in the rooms up the corridor earning their rent. I knew that that was what he would have me doing if I didn’t pay up. There was no way I was doing that. My stomach rumbled, complaining at the lack of food. Hard luck, it doesn’t look like its going to get any in the foreseeable future. The rain carried on pouring outside.
The night my dad died it was raining. We all sat in the hospital’ relatives’ room waiting for the news. He’d been in car crash on his way home from work. The firemen had to cut him free from the wreckage and he was airlifted to hospital. Mum was called out to talk to the doctor. I was left to look after Sam, she was too young to understand what was happening but she could sense that we were upset so she was being very grisly. I held her in my arms, more for my comfort then hers. I was scared, what if he didn’t make it? I think we all new that he wouldn’t. I’d always been daddy’s little girl.
I sat, looking at the four damp walls. What did I do next? Where did I turn? No one was going to employ me in this state. There was only one option, to move on. I picked up my few belongings and packed them neatly in the small holdall. I looked round the room; there was no reason to stay. No friends, no job, no family. I turned the doorknob and stepped out onto the corridor. I heard a noise and froze, if he caught me then…I shuddered, it didn’t bear thinking about. I carried on, silently shaking. I walked out onto the street and stopped, now where did I go. I knew no one. I started walking, soon I broke into a jog and then I was running. I didn’t care where I was as long as I was out of that dump. I got to a crossroads and stopped for my breath, tears were flowing down my cheeks. I looked around; I didn’t have a clue where I was. I started to run again, stumbling into people, not being able to stop to apologise.
“Claire” I heard, the voice sounded familiar, a soft warm voice. “Claire is it you?”
I slowed turning around. Who was it? I scanned the street and then my eyes fell onto the owner of the voice. She had lost a lot of weight and her hair was much greyer but it was definitely her. By her stood a blond girl, holding on to her mum’s hand, to my mum’s hand.
I took a few steps towards her. My tears had stopped and the wind chapped my cheeks.
“He’s gone Claire, I threw him out” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Really?” I asked, hoping that this wasn’t a wind up.
“Really” she said.
Suddenly the blonde girl let go of mum’s hand and ran to embrace me. I leant down and Sam flung her arms around me. I saw through blurry eyes mum come over and clutch us both and I felt her whole body shake with relief.
When we arrived home I collapsed into the sofa. Mum came in from the kitchen with three steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a packet of chocolate biscuits.
“Where’s he gone mum?” I asked. Not really wanting to know the answer.
“I don’t know” she answered with a sigh. “He’s just gone and he’s not coming back.”
“How did you…” I stammered, “I mean why did…”
“Claire” she said, “You two girls are the most important things in my life. No one will be able to separate me from you again”.
She stood up and went into the kitchen, she came back with something rectangular in her hand.
“What’s that mum?” I asked
She placed it on the mantelpiece and a tear slipped from her eye. It was the picture of dad that used to be kept there.
“It’s to complete the family,” she said. “He will always be a part of this family, no matter what.”
Later that night we were watching the news. I was curled up on the sofa with my head on mum’s lap and Sam had gone to bed. I wasn’t really paying attention until I heard the newsreader say the name Steve Oldham. I sat up with a start.
“Are you alright?” asked mum, “What’s wrong?”
I sat and watched the news intently.
“That’s him. That’s the owner of the bedsit I was living in. He was the evilest…” I stopped mid-sentence. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The newsreader was saying that after a raid on the bedsit he owned he had been arrested for pimping and drug dealing.
“I think you had a lucky escape there,” said mum.
That night I fell asleep in my old bed. Warm, safe, loved. Again.