Sean Happens 9

Mr Martin gave Sean a little nudge on the back of his shoulder. ‘Go on then,’ he said.

Mum stepped out to meet him. ‘So this is yer little friends,’ she said.

Sean gawped and her and his face flushed. He’d been called much worse. They’d been called much worse. He was anxious with the silence that had developed between them.

Mum didn’t seem to notice. She gave a slight bow. ‘I’d like tae thank yeh for the help yeh’ve gave us… And the interest yeh huv took in my wee boy. It’s brought him on leaps and bounds.’

Sean tried to smooth things over. ‘They’ve been telling me about The Spider.’

Miss Dill tittered nervously.

Mum laughed. She pulled a packet of twenty Regal and lit up, blowing smoke over Sean’s head ‘You and yer comics. If it’s no Darth Vader, it’s Spider Man!’

She held out the packet and disposable lighter as an offering. Mr Martin shook his head.

Miss Dill pounced. ‘I really shouldn’t.’ Lighting up and chugged a smoke ring.  

‘Not Spiderman,’ Sean said in a strained voice. ‘The Spider.’

Mum wasn’t listening. ‘Whit pretty colours,’ she commented on Miss Dill’s dress in a way that pleased her.

She let Mum rub her fingers and feel the quality of the silk material. ‘Would yeh like a cuppa?’

‘Have you anything slightly stronger?’

‘I could probably stretch tae some Super Lager.’

Mr Martin cut in. ‘Tea would be suffice.’

Sean was worried what the Porters would think of their poky, untidy kitchen, in a way he never was when his Auntie visited. He stood near the sink so he could slink away.

But they crowded elbow-tight around the kitchen table in much the same way. Miss Dill arranged her dress around her like a circus tent and pretended not to notice the mismatched chairs. The dirt swept into the corner and the overflowing bin and ashtray on the table.  

Mr Martin sat very rigid, sipping his tea in the fug of fag smoke. He loosened up but remained largely monosyllabic when Mum broke out the pack of Super Lagers.

Miss Dill asked to excuse herself.

‘Dae yer wear a corset under aw that rigmarole?’ Mum asked.

‘Of course,’ replied Miss Dill. ‘All decent women do.’

That set Mum off on the giggles. She wasn’t one to hold her drink. ‘That’s where I went wrang then!’ She gasped for breath, shooing Miss Dill away with the wave of an arm. ‘Jist a fibber that missed her period. Period! And paid the price.’

Sean glanced at his mum, not quite understanding why the adults were staring at him peculiarly. Mr Martin cleared his throat. And Sean felt a lump in his throat too and tears in his eyes.

‘He is such a beautiful boy,’ said Mr Martin. ‘A credit to his parents.’

‘Bravo,’ said Miss Dill. ‘But I really must…’

‘It’s in on the left.’ Mum waved her arm and then put her hand to her mouth as Dad appeared.

Mr Martin stood, but Miss Dill waved her hand and signalled he should sit down again.

But it was Mum that sprung up instead. ‘These ur my guests,’ she cried in an anxious voice.

Dad fell to his knees and smashed his head against the floor again and again. Blood pouring from his head, he begged forgiveness. ‘Don’t send The Spider after me,’ he wailed. ‘The Spider…The Spider.’

Mr Martin had to wrestle with him. Pull him sideways and onto his back. Pin him to the floor. Dad was sobbing and bubbling blood. He no longer struggled, closing his eyes in surrender.

Sean and his mum were crying, too. In the commotion, Miss Dill nipped away to freshen up.

When she came back, she announced, ‘I’ve phoned an ambulance.’

‘Nae ambulance,’ wailed Dad. ‘The Spider said if anybody got involved, he’d get involved tae…Call him aff…Call him aff. I promise I’ll be good.’

‘Call who aff?’ cried Mum.

‘The Spider,’ said Sean. ‘I tried to tell you.’

Her eyes shifted from her husband grovelling on the floor to stare into Sean’s baby-blue  eyes. ‘Dae yeh know who that is?’ Brushing her tears away with the flat of her hand. ‘Talk sense. Son, tell me whit’s goin on.’

‘Ask them,’ Sean said, clutching her waist and burying his face in her smoky blouse. ‘Ask them.’

‘We’ll take care of it,’ said Mr Martin, taking a tentative step to the side of Dad.

‘Thank you,’ said Dad. ‘Thank you…Promise? he cried. Promise?’

Miss Dill offered her hand and helped him to stand. ‘Promise,’ she whispered. She picked up a can from the sink and offered him a drink of Super Lager. He drank it down without being told and bowed as he backed away. The clump of his feet on the stairs as he scuttled away.

Mr Martin rubbed at the blood on the floor with his heal in an attempt to hide it. Rubbed at his trouser and then slapped his hands together to clean the gritty residue. ‘I’ll help you tidy up,’ he said.

‘Don’t fucking worry about that,’ said Mum. She pushed Sean roughly away from her. ‘Get tae yer bed,’ she said. ‘And go tae sleep. We’ve adult things tae talk about.’ She turned to Mr Martin for an explanation. ‘Who is this fucking Spider?’

‘It’s Miss Dill’s boyfriend,’ said Sean. ‘That’s what I was trying to tell you. But you never listen.’

Miss Dill pursed her lips before she spoke. ‘He’s not a boy.’

Mum groaned. ‘Whit is he then?’

‘You really don’t want to know,’ said Miss Dill. ‘Honestly, you don’t’.

‘But whit’s he done tae my husband? Mum replied.

‘Well,’ said Mr Martin. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘Don’t fucking complicate me,’ said Mum. ‘Jist tell me.’

Miss Dill sighed. ‘It’s a long story.’

‘Dae I look as if I’m going fucking anywhere?’

Mr Martin waved a finger in Sean’s direction.

‘Bed,’ cried Mum. ‘Get tae yer bed.’

‘No,’ said Miss Dill. ‘He’s involved, too. The Spider plays on your deepest fears. A child’s innocence should be protected, but a child’s knowledge may be your only protection.’