Full Circle In The Wheel Of Life Part Five

There was a commotion as Sylvie stepped out of the car, telling the driver and the other guy to see to the dogs. “Danny!” She shouted to the man stood at the front door who held a mug in one hand and a fag in the other. “Shut those dogs up. Stew and Chris will take them round the back, get them quietened down.”

 

“Who made you boss?” Inquired Stewart the driver, not happy at being told what to do all the time, as he got out of the car.

 

Sylvie tutted. “Look! The boy's been through enough, he doesn't need the fear of those dam dogs to contend with. Now just do as I say please.” She meant business and wasn't in the mood for any mucking around.

 

Stewart rubbed his hands together then stretched glad to be back in his own territory. “Come on Chris, we might as well take the dogs for a walk, work off some of that stamina.” Stewart brightened up when he had an idea. “Hey! We can go down the pub after, I could do with a few pints after that journey. What do you think Chris?”

 

“Now you're talking mate. I'm taking me darts, get a few games in while we're there.” Neither of the guys were tired as soon as beer was mentioned. Chris had a tournament coming up and knew he needed to get some practice in, they were playing the Bull Dog pub in a couple of weeks, who were at the top of their game. Chris didn't want to get slaughtered by them once again.

 

The two men went through the unhinged gate and welcomed the dogs. Jacob thought they would be dangerous, but it seemed their bark was worse than their bite as they jumped up on Stew and Chris, excited to see them.

 

Stew was quite tall and muscular, he had brown shoulder length hair which he wore in a ponytail. His clothes were similar to Chris, who was wearing a black leather jacket over a tea shirt and jeans, but Stewart's jeans were torn at the knee, giving him what he thought was a fashion statement. At thirty two Chris reckoned they were too old to be fashionable, but Stewart insisted that he liked torn jeans whether they were the height of fashion or not.

 

As the two men went around the back dragging the dogs by their collars, Jacob was still sat in the back of the car wondering what his fate would be, when Sylvie appeared opening the door and told the boy to get out.

 

“Please tell me why you're holding me.” insisted the boy. “I haven't done anything wrong, just done as you asked – I think I deserve an explanation.”

 

“I think you'd better come with me.” Sylvie sounded reserved as if suddenly aware of why the boy was here. Putting an arm around his shoulder, she led him up the path. Danny was still stood in the doorway with his mug and fag, wobbling from side to side. Jacob thought he was drunk, but Sylvie informed the boy that Danny was mentally underdeveloped, but that he was harmless.

 

The man smiled at Jacob and spoke with a big grin on his face. “Hello! My name's Danny – what's yours?”

 

“Danny! This is Jake. We'd like to go in if you would move please, there's a good lad.” Sylvie could tell Danny liked Jacob straight away, he didn't usually introduce himself to strangers like that.”

 

Danny stepped out further into the garden to let them pass. “Nice to meet you Jake – you be my friend.” He said throwing the dredges of his early morning drink in the garden and tottering on the spot.

 

Looking back at Danny slightly unsure of him, Jacob walked in through the front door. The boy was aware of the smell of frying, it seemed to ooze down the hallway. The hallway was filthy, with oily hand prints on the dirty walls. Sylvie took the boy down to the kitchen, which wasn't that much cleaner. There was an old fashioned commode in a corner of the room, Jacob knew what it was from when he went to the museum and saw an old 18^th century one.

 

A woman was sat at a kitchen table smoking. As soon as she saw the boy, it was like her world had lit up. “Jake! My boy, at last we meet. This has been so long in coming.” Sylvie stood back while the woman came and gave him a big hug, kissing him on the cheek.

 

Jacob didn't like that and wiped the kiss from his cheek with his sleeve, looking fretfully at the woman.

 

She smiled and apologized. “I'm sorry, I expect you're wondering why you're here?” The boy nodded with his mouth open shaking with fear, but never spoke.

 

“My name's Lilly and I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I'm your Aunt,  you can call me Lill.”

 

Poor Jacob just stood on the spot, not sure if what he was hearing was right. “I don't understand, how can you be my Aunt? I don't belong here. I want to go home to my real parents.”

 

“All in good time Jake...all in good time. For now I need you to meet someone very special to you.”

 

Jacob didn't understand, this was all becoming too much for him. He thought to himself! Why are these people talking in riddles? “Just tell me what's going on.”

 

“Come with me Jake.” Lilly took the boy's hand and led him back down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. There were four doors. One at the top of the landing led into the bathroom, Jacob could see because the door was ajar. They walked past two more doors, until they came to the fourth. Lilly knocked and a weak voice from the other side answered, “come in!”

 

As Lilly opened the door, she ushered Jacob in. He saw a weak, frail woman lying in bed. She looked up to see the boy and took a gasp of air.

 

“This is Jacob,” said Lilly. The woman suddenly had tears in her eyes, as she observed the boy.

 

Jacob had no idea who she was and wanted to turn and go back out the door, but Lilly stopped him. “Jacob! Don't.” With an arm around his shoulder, she led the boy over to the bed. “Jacob! This may come as a shock to you, but I want you to meet your Mum.”

 

The boy looked at Lilly, an angry expression on his face, not believing what she was telling him. “No! No! What are you saying? She's not my Mum, Mum died in childbirth. I want to go home.” He went to run for the door, but Lilly reached out and grabbed him pulling the boy back.

 

“I don't know why William and Monica would tell you such a lie, but I promise you that this is your Mum.” Lilly took the boy's hand and finally led him back over to the bed. “Jacob! Meet Rita.”

 

To be continued...