Amber by Heather Burnside (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

fastened like a good boy. We don’t want Dale thinking we’re a scruffy lot, do we?’

‘But it’s too tight, Mum.’

‘Well, you never know, you might get some new clothes soon enough, but only if you’re on your best behaviour. I want Dale to see what lovely children you are.’

She planted a kiss on the top of his head, the action making him scowl rather than smile but, despite his discomfort and his annoying whining, Amy could tell that her brother was looking forward to meeting this new visitor too. If he was as wonderful as her mother claimed, then Amy felt confident that the fortunes of their family were about to improve.

Once Amy had done everything to her mother’s satisfaction, Loretta suggested that she and Nathan should go through to the living room and watch some TV while she kept an eye on the food. ‘And when you hear the doorbell, stay where you are and wait for me to answer it,’ she insisted. ‘I don’t want you two getting overexcited.’

But it was obvious to Amy that, despite the impression her mother was trying to create of casual indifference, she was also excited. In fact, she seemed a bit on edge too as she continually fussed over their appearances and kept checking on the food that was cooking.

When the doorbell rang, Amy looked up from the programme she was only half watching on the TV to see her mother scurrying down the hallway. But she didn’t answer the door straightaway. Instead she hovered close to the living room entrance holding her forefinger to her lips in a shushing motion. Amy had seen her mother keep men waiting like that before.

When she eventually answered the door, Amy could hear a man’s voice followed by her mother’s. ‘Oh, Dale, you shouldn’t have. That’s really lovely of you.’ Then, after a pause, she said, ‘Come and meet the children. They’re in here.’

Amy looked up from the TV again when her mother entered the living room with a tall, well-dressed man. She was clutching a bottle of wine in one hand and a bunch of flowers in the other. Dale was quite handsome and, although his looks were by no means outstanding, he had a kind face. He was wearing fitted jeans and a smart overcoat, which was unfastened revealing a lightweight pullover underneath, and he was holding a carrier bag with something inside.

‘This is my daughter, Amy,’ said Loretta, ‘and that’s my son, Nathan.’

A nod of Loretta’s head told the children what was required of them and Amy and Nathan approached Dale and took turns in shaking his hand. ‘Pleased to meet you,’ they chorused.

‘Oh, Loretta, what lovely polite children you have,’ he said. Then he fished two bars of chocolate out of the carrier bag and passed Amy and Nathan one each.

‘Yeah!’ Nathan gushed as he tried to pull off the wrapper that covered the bar of chocolate.

‘Erm, haven’t you forgotten something?’ prompted Loretta.

Nathan looked up at Dale, shamefaced. ‘Thanks,’ he said, which reminded Amy to do the same.

‘I’ll take them for now,’ said Loretta. ‘You need to eat your tea first.’

Amidst Nathan’s half-hearted protests, Amy kept quiet. She knew it was a waste of time protesting. She’d get the chocolate in good time, but she knew she had to play along with her mother’s wishes first.

Loretta held out her hand, pointing to an armchair, ‘Take a seat, Dale. I’ll just go and put the finishing touches to the dinner and make myself look ravishing.’ As she spoke the last words, she tugged at the apron she was wearing.

‘No need,’ he replied, smiling. ‘You already do.’

Then their mother disappeared into the kitchen leaving Amy and Nathan with Dale for the next few minutes.

‘What’s this you’re watching?’ he asked.

‘Dexter’s,’ muttered Nathan, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen and leaving Amy to take up the conversation.

‘It’s his favourite. It’s about a boy called Dexter who has a secret laboratory in his bedroom.’ Then she sniggered. ‘He has an older sister who always spoils things for him.’

‘Interesting,’ said Dale. ‘And what do you like to watch?’

Amy smiled, flattered that he was showing an interest in her. He seemed a nice, friendly man who smiled a lot, and he spoke a bit posh like her mother. And he’d brought them chocolates, which was definitely helping to win her over. Amy didn’t talk posh like her mother; she spoke more like the kids where she lived but he didn’t seem to mind that she spoke different to him, unlike some of the local kids who often asked why her mother spoke that way.

For the next few minutes Amy chatted to him about school, her friends and her favourite foods while Nathan continued to stare fixedly at the TV screen. Dale took an avid interest in everything she had to say, and Amy couldn’t help but feel a little smug that finally she was the special one rather than her brother.

In fact, Amy much preferred him to Sean, who had seemed to resent her and Nathan, or to any of the other men that Loretta had brought into their lives. It seemed that perhaps their mother had finally met the man she had been searching for all these years.

18

January 1999

It was a Saturday morning and Loretta was waiting for Dale to arrive. They hadn’t seen him for two weeks. From what Amy had been told he lived in Harrogate and regularly travelled to Manchester on business or sometimes just came for the weekend.

Because it was sometimes up to two weeks between visits, the house would always be filled with eager anticipation when he was due to arrive. But this time he was a day late and, as well as Loretta’s usual enthusiasm, she was full of nervous energy. Amy watched as her mother continually tidied the house, plumping up cushions and wiping away tiny spots of dust in between gazing through the window.

But Amy wasn’t worried. She knew Dale wouldn’t let them down. He was