Divorced and Deadly. Josephine Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ got a lot to contend with.’ My mum was right. I really can be sulky at times.

      ‘You might be surprised to know this, but you are not the only one!’ Poppy complained.

      ‘What?’ I didn’t know what she was on about.

      ‘I said, you are not the only one who has a lot to contend with.’ She was really ranting!

      ‘Is that so?’ Now I was fed up.

      ‘What about me?’ Poppy went on.

      ‘I don’t know. What about you?’ I really hadn’t a clue.

      ‘You know…’ Poppy said mournfully, ‘…my favourite dog passed away last week, and you never once said you were sorry.’

      ‘That’s because I wasn’t.’ It’s true! ‘That dog was not even yours. What’s more, he was mad as a march hare…eight times last week it escaped and I was the one who had to catch it and bring it back…plus I got bitten twice for my trouble and had to have a jab.’ I couldn’t believe we were arguing about a mad dog!

      ‘Don’t be soft! A jab won’t hurt you, will it? And besides, you were the only one available to go after the poor thing. Everyone else was busy hosing out the kennels after that bug epidemic.’ Poppy could be really verbal!

      ‘All right, but losing one dog in the universe does not give you as much to contend with as I have.’ I had to assert myself.

      ‘Oh no? Well, what about my mother?’ Poppy gave me a look.

      ‘What about her…and don’t you think we’d best get going or we’ll be late. Don’t forget the accountant is due in today.’ And guess who had to deal with him—yours truly!

      ‘I haven’t forgotten.’ Poppy sounded smug.

      ‘Let’s get going then.’ The morning was definitely not getting any better!

      She didn’t get going until the driver in the car behind rammed his fist on his horn, and then a milk float and a bread van drew up behind us and soon there was a whole mob of vehicles all lined up and baying for blood.

      And even after we drove away, she had no intention of letting me off the hook.

      ‘I’ll have you know, my mother is the mother from hell!’ Poppy complained.

      ‘Really? In what way?’ I didn’t particularly want to pursue the conversation, but I couldn’t believe her mother was worse than mine.

      ‘She vets all my boyfriends.’ Poppy said.

      ‘I didn’t know you had any boyfriends.’ I almost laughed.

      I got the evil eye, ‘And why shouldn’t I have boyfriends. Am I ugly? Tell me the truth; do you think I’m ugly? You do, don’t you…think I’m ugly?’ Her voice was suspiciously shaky.

      ‘I never said that.’ Honest!

      ‘But you meant that,’ she sniffed.

      ‘I didn’t.’ What else could I say?

      ‘Liar!’ Poppy was almost in tears.

      When we arrived at the kennel gates I couldn’t get out of the van quick enough to open them. ‘It’s all right,’ I called as she prepared to stop and collect me again, ‘I’ll walk up…clear my head.’

      ‘Please yourself!’ With the same death wish as the train driver, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and shot off up the lane, sending showers of gravel behind her.

      ‘DAMNED LUNATIC! YOU COULD HAVE BLINDED ME!’ I yelled.

      She didn’t hear me. Well, I knew that, or I wouldn’t have shouted, would I? I mean…I’m not harbouring a death wish, well, at least not yet.

      Oh yes, and what were the ‘surprises’ you might ask.

      Well, as you might have guessed, I manage a kennel for some rich guy who has a string of them all over the UK. He has a big white house on a cliff-top in Spain, a grand mansion in Milton Keynes and a boat in Newquay. Huh! alright for some!

      I’m learning the ropes so I can achieve fame and fortune; though so far it’s been an uphill struggle.

      While I was preparing the books for the accountant, I had a visitor. Imagine my astonishment when I looked up and saw her draped in the doorway, half-naked boobs peeping out like fat puppies from a sack, and her cheap, heady perfume blocking my common sense. ‘SHELLEY! What are you doing here?’ In the midst of chaos, I always managed to find a semblance of authority.

      ‘I came to see you,’ she purred, stepping closer.

      Backing away, I told her in no uncertain terms, ‘Haven’t you women done enough damage? I’ve lost my home and my marriage, and now I’m back with my parents who think I still need my nose wiping. Thanks to you lot, my life’s a mess and there’s no way out.’

      She didn’t answer. Neither did she show any remorse, the spiteful cow. Instead, she sauntered right up to me; thrusting her large, fleshy boobs into my chest and wrapping her snake-like arms round my neck. She kissed me full on the lips…right there, tongue out, tonsils quivering, with four kennel-girls and the dog-walkers staring in at the window.

      ‘GET OFF ME!’ Blushing to the roots of my hair, I shoved her away, masterfully taking hold of her arm to march her out the door.

      ‘You can throw me out of your office, but you will never be able to push me out of your life,’ she warned. ‘You’re a free man now. You and I belong together, and I won’t let you go, Ben. It’s no use you fighting me.’ With that she blew me a kiss and wiggled away down the lane and out of sight.

      ‘Clear off! Haven’t you lot got work to do?’ The kennel-girls and dog-walkers were still there, peering in the window and giggling crudely.

      ‘Cor, just think, Ben…’ That was Poppy with her nose pressed so hard to the window it was covered in a film of snot, ‘…that Shelley is head over heels in love with you. I reckon you could have asked her to turn somersaults and she would have done, right there on the spot.’

      ‘Huh!’ That was the new boy, Andy. ‘If you ask me, she’s anybody’s!’ He gave one of the idiot grins he’s getting known for. ‘I don’t think it’s you, Ben. I think she just wanted to play, and d’you know what? If I’d been brave enough to give her the nod, I bet you, she’d have been all over me…’

      Well, that was it! I just lost my rag, ‘What d’you think this is…a bloody peep-show…GET BACK TO YOUR WORK, THE LOT OF YOU!’

      Well, I never…they all shot off in different directions. So! I do have a masterful streak when I make my mind up.

      So, maybe from now on they’ll learn to respect me.

      Not so! Because that same afternoon, I was preparing to leave, when I had another visitor, unannounced and baying for blood, ‘YOU FILTHY TWO-TIMING NO GOOD BAGGAGE!’

      My ex-wife was never СКАЧАТЬ