Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Collection: The Schemer, The Trap, Payback. Kimberley Chambers

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      Barry was furious. Stephanie hadn’t even bothered asking him how he’d hurt his back. ‘Don’t you trust me or something? All I ever do is fucking work out here.’

      ‘Yeah, I do trust you, but I still wanna see a picture of her. She might look like a blond supermodel with great big boobies for all I know,’ Steph said, obstinately.

      ‘So, now you’re calling me a fucking liar,’ Barry screamed. ‘Do you know what, Steph, I don’t feel well and I ain’t in the mood for this today. I’m gonna hang up now before I lose my temper with you big time.’

      ‘I’ll save you the trouble,’ Steph yelled, slamming the receiver back on its cradle.

      Barry stared at the phone in dismay. Sally’s boyfriend was coming over to Spain for a two-week holiday on Monday, and he had no designs on her – or any other bird, for that matter. He wasn’t sending Steph any photographs though. If she couldn’t trust or believe him, what was the point in their relationship?

      Tammy and Wayne stood outside Broad Street Working Man’s Club waiting for Steph to arrive.

      ‘Well?’ Tammy asked, when her pal finally turned up twenty minutes late.

      ‘The test was positive, and I’ve had a row with Barry.’

      Wayne put an arm around both girls’ shoulders. ‘I think we all need a drink, don’t you? Let’s go to the Elms and then we can discuss what we’re gonna do next.’

      Three rounds and an hour later, the discussion was still in full swing. Angela had made it perfectly clear that she had no wish to keep the baby or involve her own doctor, so when Wayne pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket that he had torn out of the Yellow Pages, it seemed like the perfect solution.

      ‘Is it free?’ Stephanie asked, dumbly.

      ‘No, of course it ain’t free. The only time she will get a free abortion is if she goes to her own doctor and gets it done on the National Health. This is a private clinic, but it’s the only way that your mum won’t find out. I’ve already rung them and they said that she can be in and out on the same day. Most of the others I phoned said they wouldn’t do it unless she stayed in overnight.’

      ‘How much is it?’ Tammy asked.

      ‘You ain’t gotta worry about the cost. My dad left us plenty of dosh when he got banged up, so I’ll sort it,’ Wayne said, generously.

      Stephanie looked at Wayne in amazement. She had no idea how much a private abortion cost, but she bet it was more than a few rounds of drinks in a pub. ‘But why would you do that for Angie? Especially after what she did to you. It don’t make sense.’

      ‘I’m doing it for two reasons. Number one, I’ve always felt guilty about sleeping with Angie. Obviously it weren’t my fault because she’d lied to me about her age, but it still don’t stop me feeling bad about it. And secondly, I’m doing it for you, Steph. You’re one of me best mates now, and I’d do anything for you, girl.’

      As an electrifying stare was shared between Stephanie and Wayne; Tammy looked the other way. It was only a matter of time before Steph and Wayne got together now, Tammy knew that, so instead of feeling bitter, she might as well just accept the fact and deal with it.

      Four days after Wayne’s generous offer, Stephanie was sitting in a posh clinic in Buckhurst Hill waiting for her sister to reappear. Because Angela was quite early into her pregnancy, the staff explained that they would be using what was referred to as ‘the vacuum technique’. They also said that Angela had to rest when she got home and must not do anything strenuous for the next couple of weeks. They said because of Angela’s young age, her body needed time to heal itself properly.

      As Steph sat in the waiting room flicking through endless magazines, she thought about how kind Wayne Jackman had been. The abortion had cost two hundred pounds, and he had also given her an extra twenty-pound note so she and Angela could travel by cab rather than use public transport. He had even offered to accompany them there, but Stephanie knew that that would cause problems with her sister. Stephanie sighed as she flicked through the pages of the magazine and came face to face with the famous actor, Matt Dillon. His cheeky smile, dark brown eyes and thick dark hair had always reminded her so much of Barry. Steph threw the magazine onto the table and fingered the jagged piece of gold heart around her neck. ‘Why did you have to go away, Barry? Why?’ she whispered.

      Angela Crouch felt sore and woozy as she put her feet to the floor. ‘I don’t think I can stand up yet,’ she mumbled, as she clung to the nurse for support.

      ‘Perhaps you should rest for another hour or so. Your sister is waiting outside. Shall I bring her in?’

      Feeling dreadfully sorry for herself, Angela nodded. Because they had broken up from school for their Christmas holidays, she and Stephanie weren’t expected home until ten o’clock – there was plenty of time until their curfew reared its ugly head.

      ‘Are you OK? You look ever so pale,’ Stephanie remarked, as she sat beside her sister’s bed and squeezed her clammy hand.

      ‘I just feel really sore and wobbly. I feel a bit sick an’ all. Say Mum notices I’m ill? What we gonna say to her?’

      ‘I was gonna suggest you say you’d fallen over or something, especially if you’re walking a bit funny, but I’m afraid Mum might drag you straight up the hospital, and then all hell will break loose. I think you’re best to say you’ve got really bad period pains and you need to lie down. At least you can play on that for a few days. The nurse told me that you might be bleeding down below for a week or two, so we must stock up on sanitary towels.’

      With tears in her eyes, Angela forced a smile. ‘Thanks for everything, Steph.’

      Leaning forward, Stephanie kissed Angela on the forehead. ‘That’s what sisters are for.’

      Pam and Cathy were watching their regular Wednesday night fix of Coronation Street when the girls arrived home.

      ‘There’s pies and pasties in the fridge if you want to warm them up. I didn’t do you a dinner ’cause you said you were having saveloy and chips,’ Pam shouted out, unable to take her eyes off the screen. Mike Baldwin was her and Cathy’s favourite character and they were always chatting about his latest antics.

      ‘Look, he’s gonna kiss her now,’ Cathy exclaimed, excitedly.

      ‘He’s such a bastard, but a good-looking one, eh, mate?’ Pam chuckled.

      Stephanie helped her sister up the stairs, then ran back down and poked her head around the living-room door. ‘Angie’s got bad period pains, so I’m gonna heat a couple of pasties up and we’ll eat ’em upstairs.’

      Tearing her eyes away from Mike Baldwin, Pam eyed her eldest daughter suspiciously. It was totally unheard-of for her two daughters to go out together for the day, especially for ten bloody hours. ‘Where you two been all day?’

      ‘Christmas shopping in Romford.’

      ‘Show us what you bought then?

      ‘I can’t. We got your presents and you can’t see ’em till Christmas day,’ Stephanie lied.

      Pam gave her daughter an evil СКАЧАТЬ