Chapter 11
Dani
It is now day three and my mother had still not returned my call. Luke was becoming more and more agitated. He swung from yelling at me, threatening me, and accusing me of having money, to acting like a frightened child.
He took a call outside of the container and I could see him pacing back and forth. I enjoyed the minutes of fresh air blowing in, even though I was hyper-alert and fuelled with anxiety.
“You don’t understand, Dani! You have no fucking idea what’s going to happen to me – to you – if I don’t come up with this eighty grand.” Luke yelled as he walked back in, placing his phone in his back pocket. “We need – you need to get me the money because you’ve put us both in deep fucking shit. I have until Friday and then Pez will come down hard on us both and there’s no going back then. No walking away from this, you do understand, don’t you? You’ve fucked up both of our lives for good, Dani.”
“No, you have!” I yell. “You’re putting this all on to me, and yes I know I was stupid and if I could turn back the clock, believe me I would, but you were the one selling drugs in the first place! So stop blaming it all on me.”
“I’ll be sleeping in the van outside tonight in case your useless fucking mother rings. We have forty-eight hours before the clock stops ticking and people start hitting, Dani, so you better pray to God that your mother comes good.”
An hour later, my phone rings and Luke almost pushes it through my ear as he thrusts it towards me, yelling for me to pick up.
“Mother, it’s me,” I say, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Yes, I know it’s you, Dani, because I’m calling your number, silly child.”
Fuck you, I thought, I don’t have time for sarcasm. “I need your help, please. I need some money. A lot of money and I need it by Friday. I need you to just do this one thing for me but ask no questions.”
“Money! How much money? And what do you need it for and why by Friday?”
“Don’t shout, I’ve never asked you for anything, Please, I’m desperate. I need eighty thousand pounds.” I push the words out of my mouth as fast as I can and my heart seems to stop as I wait for a response. Silence stretches out and I think she has put the phone down on me, most likely, she’ll be picking herself off the floor.
“Good god! What do you think I am? Some kind of bank where you make a demand and withdrawal whenever you want? And as for never asking for anything, you seem to forget that you were receiving a very generous allowance when you were living in London. What on earth makes you think I have that kind of money and, more to the point, what the hell have you done to need that amount of money?”
“I’ve been gambling, OK. I know I shouldn’t have but after daddy died…”
I allowed my words to sink in and I hoped that I could somehow appeal to her softer side, if she has one!
“Well, I’m sorry, Dani, I just don’t have that kind of money. Since your father died, it’s been a struggle for me and on principle alone I would refuse because you’re supposed to be a responsible grown woman, you need to stand on your own two feet and stop relying on me to pay your way for you. I will arrange for you to see a gambling counsellor or a psychologist, but I do not have that kind of money.”
“Please, I’m begging you. I’ll never ask for another thing, honest I won’t. I need this because I can’t pay it back and...”
“No. I’m standing firm on this, Dani.” She interrupts me, talking over the top of me, as usual. You’re imposing on my holiday so I’m going to end the call now. I will see you when I get home. Go to the organization you owe the money to and work something out with them. We’ll talk about it when you get back.”
She’d actually hung up. Fuck! I rang her back but it went to voicemail, seven times!
Shit, shit, shit.
No comments:
Post a Comment