Forgiveness
Leah's Story.
By Kyorii.
Part 1.
This is a stand-alone story in two parts and can be read as such,
however to gain full enjoyment from it I would recommend that you read
'The Model maker' and its Prequel 'Trish' first to gain a greater
insight as to the past of some of the characters, I hope that you enjoy
the story.
Chapter 01 Brother.
A young woman is sitting at a makeshift desk upstairs in the bedroom of
her mum's council house, she's trying to concentrate on an essay
assignment for her evening classes but is struggling to keep focussed
and as she looks idly over toward the window she notices a packet of
cigarettes and lighter sitting on her dresser and wonders if 'just one'
might help with her concentration. She winces and growls at herself and
then becomes quite annoyed for almost giving into temptation. Getting up
from her desk she goes over to her bedside drawer opens it and removes a
fresh nicotine patch, peels the old one off the small of her back and
places the fresh lower dosage one from a new packet slightly higher in
its place.
The teenager then goes over to the source of her unwanted temptation and
picks it up with disdain and carries it over to the small mesh litter
bin near to the door then crushes the little box in her hand before
finally dropping it into the bin.
She had finally stopped smoking completely sometime after enrolling for
night classes. She'd come to the decision by herself without any input
from her big sister Hailey or her mum Beverly and was very proud of
herself for doing so.
Her mum was still very upset about her decision to stop smoking and had
almost certainly left the new pack on her dresser to tempt her back into
the habit but she'd had changed now and after years of joining her mum
and big sister blaming everyone else for what had gone wrong in her and
her families lives was now determined to make something of her own life
and was now also seriously considering taking her mum's key to her
bedroom off her.
She had grown up a lot since finally leaving her secondary school and
the influence of her so called friends, initially she'd just done what
everyone had expected her to do and signed on at her local unemployment
office and then on to the local benefit office to demand her benefits
without even first attempting to get a job but after a chance encounter
with the woman who was running the local florist shop things had started
to change for her, she paused for a moment or two unsure what to do next
before going over to her drawers, she opened the bottom drawer and under
several old tops she found what she was looking for and pulled it free,
it was an old photo album, The young woman then carried the old battered
album over to her bed and after flopping down onto her duvet she lay on
her front then whilst propping herself up with one of her elbows she
started to look at the pictures within.
The photo album was her guilty pleasure as it reminded her of when she
once had a proper family before everything had gone so badly wrong, she
looked through the pictures one by one as she started to reminisce about
the happy childhood she had shared with her mum and dad. She then came
to a page with one single picture on it, the picture was taken when the
entire family was on holiday on the west coast of Scotland and was a
picture of her standing with a boy on the beach, under the picture was a
comment written in pencil 'My first bikini'.
She paused from flipping the pages of the album and just stared at the
picture, she wasn't looking at herself however she was looking at the
boy with her who was standing in his swimming trunks, grinning at the
camera holding a bucket and spade in one hand and her hand with the
other. "Oh big brother, I miss you so much," she says out loud, she then
flipped though several other pages of her photo album pausing several
times over pictures with the same boy and remembering fondly how her
older brother would help her with her homework and walk with her to her
ballet classes, the teenager could now feel a lump growing in her throat
but it was only when a tear fell onto his picture that she quickly
closed the album and took out a tissue to mop her eyes,.
Her brother was not a subject to be mentioned ever within the confines
of the Connelly household, he had been sent to live with her dad in
Scotland not long after the breakup of her mum's marriage after he'd
gotten into a fight at school resulting in the loss of most of his front
teeth, she had now not seen her big brother since just after starting
secondary school, this did not stop her from missing him dearly however
and as she sat staring at the old album she remembered the most recent
time that he had tried to make contact with them.
It was some time after she her sister and her mum had moved from their
old home to the council house after being evicted from their old family
home by the bailiffs, she had joined her sister and mum for a trip to
the shops and when they'd arrived back home they'd found a neatly folded
note had been pushed through the letterbox.
She had been the first person to pick the note up and when she opened it
her eyes immediately went to the name at the bottom.
"It's from Joseph," she'd stated excitedly, unfortunately for Leah the
note was then snatched from her hand by her mum who then proceeded to
tear it up.
"He's not welcome here, I can't believe his cheek, thinking he can just
come and visit us after all he's done."
"But Mum." Leah's mum turned to her youngest daughter.
"I'm not kidding Leah, he's not welcome here and as far as we are all
concerned he does not exist."
Leah's mum did not elaborate as she took the shredded note over to the
waste paper bin by the telephone table and dropped it in.
Over the next couple of years Leah managed to slowly find out that her
brother had been thrown out of her dads' house in Scotland for doing
something 'unspeakable', but nothing more than that.
As she was putting the photo album in her bag instead of back into the
drawer she remembered another of her little secrets and then reached to
the very back of the drawer and with a little struggle she located an
envelope from its hiding place sellotaped to the back of the drawer and
on opening the envelope and on removing its contents she looked at the
lilac coloured notepaper that looked like it had been torn from a
notebook, it was in several small torn pieces and was held together by
several pieces of ageing clear sticky tape.
As she read the words she smiled as in her head she could actually hear
her brother's voice saying.
"If you ever need to contact me I will always be at this number." It was
signed, Joseph.
"Oh sod this, I'm putting his number in my phone what's mum going to do
to me? I'm a big girl now" she said to herself as she unlocked her phone
and entered her brothers' details on the virtual keyboard.
But despite her bravado and so as not to encounter her mother's wrath
the young woman typed in the shortened version of her brother's middle
name Pat short for Patrick.
Chapter 02 A Chance Encounter with An Eccentric Stranger.
Sometime later that morning after dressing and putting on a little
makeup the young woman decided to finally go downstairs to get a snack
before continuing with her assignment so she unlocked her bedroom door,
slipped on a pair of furry slippers to protect her tights and headed
onto the bare floorboard landing after re-locking her bedroom door,
She'd taken to locking her bedroom door as sometimes her mother brought
home guests who were not adverse to drunkenly stumbling into her room at
night and on more than a couple of occasions had made unwanted advances
towards her. She went downstairs and as she passed the living room
looked in and noticed her mum on the sofa she was asleep and snoring a
half empty bottle of vodka lay on its side on the rug by the sofa along
with some aluminium foil a spoon an empty syringe and one or two other
obvious pieces of drug paraphernalia.
'Mum obviously had a heavy night last night.' she thought as she also
noticed the overflowing ashtray on the coffee table. As she entered the
kitchen she went over to the fridge but on opening It was disappointed
to find that the milk had gone off, she then took the three open bottles
of apprentice cheese over from the fridge to the sink but was unable to
empty them as the sink was currently overflowing with dirty dishes.
Half an hour later she was putting away the last of the now clean dishes
in the cupboard, she then took the empty and now clean milk bottles to
the front door unlocked and opened it and placed them by the front step,
fortunately there was a new bottle of milk waiting for her.
The young woman then re-entered her home and quickly made herself a
salad from some of the more serviceable vegetables in the fridge and
poured herself a glass of milk.
After the breakup of her parents' marriage and the loss of her brother,
she had taken to comfort eating and within very few months had very
quickly become quite obese, this had a negative effect on both her self-
esteem and her school work so very quickly she went from a keen and
enthusiastic pupil to a disruptive loud and almost uncontrollable
influence within her classes.
Unfortunately for her, her mother and big sister who should have been
helping and her encouraging through this difficult period were wallowing
in their own self-pity and instead of helping her they made things worse
for her. It was her own mother that had encouraged her to take up
smoking claiming that it would Suppress her appetite and help her with
her weight, she hesitated at first but after being encouraged by her big
sister who had recently also taken up the habit to 'Just give it a try.'
As a new smoker she'd started mixing with the some of the more unsavoury
elements at her school and started to 'Bunk off' on a regular basis and
go shoplifting with her new friends in town.
Leah never really liked smoking but once the addiction took hold and her
own young brain chemistry had been modified to accept the increased
dopamine levels caused by the nicotine, even though she disliked doing
it she just couldn't stop nor was there any incentive within her
household for her to stop her fate had it seems been sealed.
Hailey, Leah's sister, discovered boys very quickly after her father
left home and within a year she was pregnant with her first child and
was already the not so proud mother of a little baby boy as she finished
her GCSE's.
Hailey's child was in a way a blessing for the Connelly family as when
they were finally evicted from their family home they were very quickly
rehoused by the council into a post war semi-detached council house on
the outskirts of the town.
Worst of all and in total denial of her own blame however was Leah's
mother as she had been the architect of her own marriage breakup and
ultimately the entire families fall from grace due to her constant
infidelities over the years.
Leah went back up to her room with a glass of milk and another glass
filled with several long sticks of sliced carrot, she then spent the
next hour studying whilst nibbling and munching her carrot sticks.
After a quick lunch with her barely sober mum and as she was getting
ready to go to her part time job on the high street her mum said
"Rufus Lorche was asking after you again yesterday Leah."
"Muuum I have a boyfriend you know that."
"Yes love, and I told him that, but he has money and..."
"And he's your suppliers little brother I know, I'm still not going to
go out with him mum he's a nut-job, he's unhinged."
"But..."
"I'm off to work mum see you later, oh and lay off the fake tan, you
look ridiculous, you look like an oompa loompa." Leah picked up her coat
and bag and quickly left their smoke-filled kitchen.
There was a time not so very long ago that Leah would have gotten the
bus the two stops to the high street but now she tried to walk
everywhere and although it was a grey cold day she was enjoying the
freedom that walking gave her immensely.
As Leah strode through her estate following the bus route she started to
think back to the day she had met her friend and employer Silvanus or
Silvia as she now called her.
It was early summer and a warm day.
Leah was walking from the bus stop towards the local newsagents one
morning a few weeks after she'd finally finished school, she was going
to buy cigarettes as she was almost out, it was then that she'd seen her
big sister Hailey loitering on the other side of the road she was
standing as if waiting for someone, Leah smiled and waved at her sister
but Hailey had either not seen her or was ignoring her, Leah crossed the
road to talk with her big sister as she hadn't seen her since she'd
stormed from their council house after having a blazing row with her mum
over her new boyfriend.
"Hello Hailey, didn't you see me?"
"I saw you, I just chose to ignore you stupid," stated Hailey tersely.
"I was wondering if we could go for a cuppa, I haven't seen you for a
while, I was..." Hailey cut in.
"Look Just bugger off Leah before you get yourself noticed you little
shit."
"But I."
"Just get away from me will you, can't you see I'm busy." It then dawned
on her what her sister was busy doing.
"Look Hailey if you need a few quid I can help you don't need to sell
yourself."
"I'm not selling myself you stupid cow I'm entertaining there's a
difference now fuck off before you scare him away," Hailey shouted at
her little sister she then took a tissue out from her pocket and wiped a
little blood from her nose wiping some of her heavy makeup off as she
did, she then forced a smile and said quietly.
"Look Dan and I are going through a rough patch and his mate Rufus has
offered to help and set me up with a couple of guys to help out that's
all, it's not like before I promise."
"But..."
"I'm okay I promise, I'll call in and see you soon, now go cos here's my
ride." Leah turned to see a large black car coming around the corner
then turned to see her sisters almost begging face.
"I'll see you soon then," said Leah hopefully she then turned and left
her sister to her fate.
As Leah reached the newsagents she turned once more to see her sister
stepping into the car.
Chapter 03 Silvanus.
Unbeknown to Leah she was being watched by wise understanding eyes from
behind the large plate glass window of the local Florists, those eyes
belonged to a middle-aged woman called Silvanus Smith.
Silvanus looked and dressed like an ageing hippie she almost always wore
long flowing print dresses and skirts and her hair was almost always in
a state of barely controlled chaos, today however it was tied back with
a blue ribbon exposing her face and neck more than usual.
The locals had come not only to accept Silvanus since her recent move up
north but also to love some of her peculiar eccentricities for instance
she rarely wore shoes.
Silvanus had watched from her shop whilst making an ornate funeral
arrangement for the wife of old Mr Dobbs as Leah had talked to her
wayward sister and she'd then observed as the obviously upset girl had
been sent away by her, now as Leah emerged from the local newsagents
with her little box of packaged death she decided to intervene.
"I apologise but I will return and complete you shortly," she said in
her slightly accented voice to the flowers sitting in water waiting to
be placed into the arrangement she was working on.
Silvanus left her shop and walked barefoot over the warm tarmac road and
headed over to where Leah was sitting, she sat next to her without
asking and observed for a second or two whilst Leah took several
successive drags from her cigarette inhaling deeply each time before
slowly exhaling.
"It is beautiful is it not?"
Leah turned to the strange wild haired woman and whilst exhaling smoke
said, "Wot is?"
Silvanus pointed at a lone Dandelion growing from a tiny crack in the
pavement in front of them.
"The dandelion, there it is unloved by almost everyone, but it doesn't
care, it still takes its nourishment from the ground, the air and the
sun and flourishes, just look at the perfect floret its crowning glory
made up of hundreds of perfect tiny flowers."
"Yes it's nice. It's just a weed though isn't it?"
"It is a wild flower young lady, it grows and reproduces without love
and then sows its seeds to the breeze and each of its offspring are
genetically identical to its parent, these wonderful plants grow each
year and very few appreciate their beauty or use."
"Use? You're kidding right they are just weeds," replied Leah
"Tell that to the rabbits or the Chinese young lady, the root of the
dandelion had been used for many centuries in Medicine and the extract
of the root is now even being investigated by medical science for its
anticancer properties, oh and the flowers are delicious in a salad."
Leah turned to the strange old woman.
"Really, Dandelions?"
"Yes, really and more, the common stinging nettle it's leaves can be
used to make tea and in salads once blanched, I also find that the tea
helps with my hay fever."
Leah took another long cheek hollowing drag from her cigarette inhaled
and then slowly exhaled, she noticed the old woman frowning at her.
"You don't like me smoking?"
"I did myself once for a time but that was before I understood why I was
doing it, so I cannot judge you young lady, care for a biscuit?"
Silvanus produced two digestive biscuits from her skirt pocket Leah
smiled a little and Silvanus smiled warmly back at the young overweight
teen.
"You have a lovely smile dear, you should use it more often." Leah
blushed a little and took the offered biscuit with her spare hand and
started to nibble on it between puffs of her cigarette.
"Oh, these are nice," commented Leah as she realised that they were not
ordinary biscuits.
"I make them myself they have several herbs and spices in them."
Leah stubbed out her cigarette and finished the biscuit.
"I'm Leah by the way."
"And I'm Silvanus Silvia for short if you would prefer and contrary to
popular belief I'm not a witch." Leah laughed out loud at her statement
as her schoolmates had been saying that since she'd taken over the old
florists from Betty some time ago.
"So where are you from then are you foreign?" asked Leah
"Oh me? I'm from a strange and foreign land called Norfolk."
"Really? because you sound a bit foreign." Silvia smiled at the young
girl.
"I was born in England but as a child I travelled a lot we spent a lot
of time in the old soviet countries, so I just adopted my accent there,
my parents worked for the British government you see."
"Spies?" Asked Leah excitedly.
"No, my dad was a historian and my mum a legal Secretary."
"Oh," replied Leah a little disappointed.
"My daughter however she is an environmentalist she's trying to save the
planet," stated Silvia proudly with a smile.
"I don't think my mum is very proud of me Silvia not that she ever
really notices me anymore." Silvia took hold of Leah's hand and asked
her.
"Fancy a cuppa, I put the kettle on before I left the shop?"
"Err okay."
Leah went over to the shop with the barefooted old lady and had a cup of
camomile tea with her and although she didn't really like the taste
initially she politely drank it.
It took several visits to the flower shop before Silvia asked Leah if
she would like to come and work there part time.
"What... really?"
"Yes, I'm not as young as I once was, and you could class it as work
experience, I'll also pay you what I can if that'll help?" Leah pondered
the offer for several seconds before saying.
"I think I'd like that, when do I start?"
"Now, and your first job is to put the kettle on, so we can have a nice
chat." Leah knew where the kettle was and immediately filled it and
plugged it in and whilst waiting for it to boil Silvia said, "Just a
couple of rules I'm afraid when you are working here firstly I require
you to dress comfortably and secondly whilst you work here I would
rather you didn't smoke, it upsets my plants." Leah frowned at the last
request, but Silvia just smiled.
"I know it will be hard for you Leah, so I have come up with a solution
for you."
"Oh?"
"here take this and chew it." Leah took the offered leaf and chewed it,
it tasted bitter but after a second or two she started to feel a little
buzz similar to what she gained from her cigarettes.
"Whoa what's that?"
"Oh it has a long Latin name but essentially it's my crude version of
nicotine replacement, when you feel the urge for a cigarette just chomp
on one of these leaves and they will relieve your cravings for a short
while."
"Really just a leaf?"
"Yes just a leaf, the only real compound in your cigarette that your
body is craving is the nicotine, most of the other compounds in the
smoke are unnecessary and a lot are very toxic, I'm not sure if you are
aware but Nicotine was and still is used in some places as a pesticide
as in high quantities it is lethal it is also very addictive that is why
you now feel the need to constantly smoke."
"My mum says if I stop I will get even fatter."
"Alas there is some truth in that but if you eat the correct things and
take exercise you'll soon start to feel the benefits."
Leah looked a little unsure of herself for a second or two and then
stated.
"I do think I would like to stop smoking at some point, it's just so
expensive."
Silvanus then hugged the young woman for a second or two and said,
"That's the spirit now where's that tea?".
That evening after the small shop had been locked up for the evening and
Silvanus had retired to the flat above the shop.
Silvanus went into her back bedroom and moved the bedside rug to one
side, she then took out a small circular key and placed it into a
matching keyhole on a metal plate within the floor turned the key and
opened the hinged plate. Looking inside the now open floor safe Silvia
located a black leather-bound notebook and mobile phone and took them
out moving aside the Beretta 92FS as she did.
After activating the phone, she dialled a number, then two or three
seconds later said, "194 Periwinkle stop have established meaningful
contact with the Connelly girl Leah stop end." She then turned off the
phone and removed its battery and placed it by her side, Silvia then
opened the black book and added a comment.
Slowly gaining girl's confidence, she's a mess and currently obese but
unlike her mother and sister shows some promise, inquisitive and open if
a little unrefined.
Silvanus then placed the phone It's battery and notebook back into the
floor safe and locked it before recovering the floor safe with the rug
and then stripping naked, Silvanus's body devoid of its clothing was not
that of an older woman however and showed little sign of the
deterioration and filling out that came with middle age, this was
obviously the body of a person that had looked after herself over the
years, she spent the next hour doing Tai chi before redressing and going
for a jog along the riverside barefoot before a cold shower and then
bed.
Chapter 04 Leah's First Boyfriend.
Over the next few weeks and into the autumn Leah started to visit the
little florists shop more and more frequently, she loved to talk with
the weirdly dressed and slightly eccentric older lady who was always
prepared to show interest in her and listen to her woes over a cup of
tea. Leah learned a lot from Silvanus about flowers and plants and
slowly started to gain an interest in the subject, Leah also noticed as
a consequence of Silvabus's friendship her confidence in her own self
started to increase and curiously her dependence on cigarettes started
to loosen and she without even noticing started to cut down, Leah even
took to walking a little more and soon was walking to the next bus stop
along before catching the bus to her part time job at the florists and
before long and to her absolute delight started to notice her clothing
becoming looser as she began to lose weight.
Leah even enrolled for a night class to retake her GCSE English
literature exam, something her mum was not happy about.
One afternoon when Leah entered the small florists Silvanus noticed that
Leah was not carrying her customary pack of cigarettes and lighter with
her and whilst enjoying a cup of tea later she admitted to her friend
that she'd been to her doctor and asked for help quitting as she'd been
asked out to the cinema by a young man called Darren and she did not
want to put him off with her smoking or her smoky smell.
Unlike her mothers' reaction Silvanus's was one of pride.
"Oh I'm so proud of you Leah you are a very brave girl, now tell me all
about your new friend, is he cute?" She asked as she pushed the small
plate of home-made biscuits over towards Leah and took a sip from her
mug of herbal tea, Leah started to blush, but she really wanted to tell
someone about her new friend.
"He's called Darren and I met him at night classes, he bought me a cup
of tea during the break and offered me some of his KitKat, I think he's
doing woodwork or something and yes I think he's really cute," Leah
replied almost breathlessly.
"So when are you going out and what are you going to see?"
"Friday night we've arranged to meet outside the cinema at half seven,
I'm not sure what the film is though."
"Are you going to dress up for him, or do modern girls not do that
anymore?"
"Ooh I'm not sure Silvia, I can't really remember the last time I wore a
skirt or a dress." Silvanus smiled at her young apprentice and could
tell that she still had huge confidence issues due to her weight.
"Why not at least give it a go Leah, show your young man that you have
pride in both yourself and your appearance, I'll help if you wish,"
offered Silvanus, Leah frowned a little and replied whilst grabbing an
unsightly roll of fat on her middle.
"I'm not going to make this go away though, am I? I'll still just be a
fat lass in a dress, won't I?"
"Although I'm a child of the sixties and my teenage years were in the
seventies some young women still wore strong foundation garments to give
them a more feminine shape Leah, I'm not saying that you should but
maybe you could consider at least giving it a try until you've lost a
little more weight."
"Wot like a corset or something?"
"No nothing so drastic as that but you could try some body shaping
underwear to give nature a little helping hand, I believe that M&S has a
good range." Leah frowned a little at her boss.
"M&S That's really posh and isn't it just for old ladies?" It was
Silvanus's turn to frown now.
"I'll have you know that I get almost all of my daily underwear from M&S
young lady, well that's not entirely true sometimes I treat myself and
get my really sexy underwear from a nice shop I've found in Pickering."
"Um TMI Silvia," said a very bashful and embarrassed looking Leah. Upon
realising her mistake Silvanus put her cup down and gave her young
apprentice a motherly hug.
"I'm Sorry Leah I went too far, I'll tell you what, it's dead in the
shop this afternoon so why don't we just go into town and do a little
shopping, my treat." Leah hesitated for a second or two and then smiled.
"Why not, I can't remember the last time I went shopping."
Silvanus had already picked up the keys to her ancient Citroen and was
pulling the blinds down on the windows though as she had already decided
that Leah would be needing newer clothing to look as good as possible
for her date with her apprentice.
"Come on then slowcoach we have shopping to do," said Silvanus as she
stood by the front door of her little shop waiting to leave.
Silvanus to Leah's eyes drove like a maniac as she negotiated the
afternoon traffic into town but to Silvanus she was just getting the
best out of her strange little peasant car and twenty hair raising
minutes later Silvanus pulled into a small pay car park.
"I'm just going to get a ticket can you guard Mabel for me please?"
asked Silvanus as she finally slipped on a pair of elasticated cotton
shoes.
Leah just nodded as she got out of the little car and wondered why
anyone would ever want to steal such a basic old car.
"Oh good and so are you ready then?" Asked Silvanus as she placed a
little sticky square onto the windscreen of her car.
Chapter 05 You've Never Worn Heels?
Leah.
After a very scary trip in Silvia's car I was now wondering if it was
really such a good idea to go shopping with my employer, I liked Silvia
I liked her a lot but sometimes she scared me, I took a nicotine gum
from my bag to calm my nerves after our trip placed it in my mouth and
started to chew.
"I can do this," I said hopefully as I was really missing my cigarettes,
Silvia linked arms with me and we headed towards the shops.
It wasn't fair, there were so many beautiful clothes in the shops but
none of nicest ones seemed to cater for my size and even though I'd lost
a lot of weight and had gone down from a 22 to the size 16 top I was
currently wearing I still felt huge, this depressed me a little as I did
want to look nice for Darren.
"Have you got clean knickers on Leah?" Asked Silvia out of the blue.
"Err yes I showered before work today, why?"
"Oh nothing," answered Silvia cryptically.
We'd been looking in shop windows for nearly half an hour when Silvia
took me into a lingerie shop just off the precinct, she was greeted by
one of the assistants who appeared to know her.
"We haven't seen you in some time Ms Smith, it's nice to see you again."
Silvia didn't seem to want to chat with the assistant though and just
asked.
"I was wondering if you could help my young friend Leah, she has a hot
date with a young man and wants to impress."
"Oh it would be my pleasure, something pretty and comfortable that will
enhance the young lady's figure and not too risqu? for a burgeoning
relationship." Silvia smiled.
"I think that would be perfect Monica, can I leave young Leah in your
capable hands for a few minutes as I have to go to the Sorting Office to
pick up a package from my PO box?" and without even waiting for an
answer Silvia left the shop and headed away to do her chore.
"If you would like to follow me Miss." I followed the friendly sales
assistant through to a small changing room at the rear of the shop, she
closed a long curtain behind her after we'd entered.
"If you could just take your clothes off for me please but leave your
panties on."
I nervously took off my jeans and top placing them on a handy table as I
did. "And the bra please."
I unhooked my bra and the sales assistant appraised me.
"I see that you have recently lost quite a lot of weight."
"Yes, ever since I met Silvia she's encouraged me to eat more sensibly
and to take more exercise." The sales assistant smiled kindly at me,
pulled out a tape measure and quickly took several measurements
"You are still very young, so you are lucky your skin will still be
elastic but I'm afraid you are going to need a little help to get your
figure back."
"Oh." I didn't really understand what she meant.
"May I ask how long you have been overweight Miss."
"Err, since just after starting secondary school." The sale's assistant
frowned.
"Oh that just won't do, you have such a pretty face I think that It's
time that you had a body to match, don't you?"
"I spose." The sales assistant then smiled and left the changing room
through the curtain.
"Back in a mo."
two or three minutes later she returned with several items of boxed
underwear.
"Here try this on, I think you'll like it." I was passed what I knew was
a body but this one seemed to be made of stronger more elastic fabric
than the ones I'd seen in the high street stores.
"You might need to wriggle a little to get it on, but you will love the
effect I promise." Wriggle a little was she kidding?, it seemed to be
about four sizes too small for me and was absolute torture to get into
but once I'd adjusted my boobs into the cups and done up the crotch
snaps I was amazed, I actually had a figure a real figure I still looked
over weight but at least I now curved in exactly the right places, the
strong elastic panels of the body were now holding my excess fat in
check and I really liked the effect as it made my boobs look bigger.
"It's not too tight is it?"
"No, not at all, it's just like being hugged all over."
"I have one of these for you and two a couple of sizes smaller,
something for you to work towards I'll leave the detachable suspender
straps in the packet, just in case you want to try stockings at some
point, Oh and you may want to take your knickers off now." It was at
this point that I realised that I only had a few pounds in my purse and
there was no way that I could afford my new underwear, the assistant
however pre-empted me however and said, "Before you start worrying about
the cost miss I can tell you that Ms Smith has asked for it all to be
put onto her account, oh would you like a cup of tea?" I nodded and
asked if she had earl grey.
"I'll just put the kettle on, have a look through some of the other
packages if you like I'll be back in a tick."
When the sales assistant returned with our teas she asked what I would
be wearing to my 'Date' I tried to explain that I'd just been invited to
the pictures and was thinking of going casually.
"No no no, you are a really pretty girl, he obviously likes you or he
would have just gone to the cinema with his mates, you need to dress up,
dress to impress, skirt heels." She paused. "Not overdressed or
plastered with makeup like some of the local slappers but smart casual
and very feminine."
"Heels? I've never worn heels Miss, I'd probably break them with my
weight."
"What! I don't believe it Really?"
"Yes really Miss, my big sister is the pretty one, I've always just been
the plain Jane of our family." The assistant took my hands and looked me
in the eyes.
"Listen to me Miss, you are not plain and I have no idea why you would
think that, you need a little help at the moment, yes I agree, but if
you keep losing weight I think that in no time at all you will be one of
the prettiest young women around."
"Really, do you think I could be pretty?" I replied whilst looking into
the lovely saleswoman's eyes. "My brother Joe always used to tell me I
was pretty when we were younger."
"Well he was correct, why did he stop?"
"He didn't, he was sent away to live with his dad years ago."
"Doesn't he keep in touch and may I call you Leah?"
"Only if I can call you Monica?" She nodded so I continued. "No, he
doesn't, and my mum and big sister won't talk about him anymore."
"Do you miss him Leah?" I thought about Joe for a second before
answering.
"I did after he was sent away but I don't think about him that much and
I don't really want to talk about him anymore," I replied as I started
to feel my programmed hostility to Joe rising once more.
"I know that Ms Smith only asked me to provide you with a little
foundation wear Leah but I think I'm going to break the rules a little
and find you a nice pair of starter heels." And with that Monica got up
and left me in my very comfortable underwear for a minute or two before
returning with three boxes.
"They may look a little mumsy Leah, but they will be comfortable, and
they have a two-inch heel, I guessed that you are around a six and a
half, is that correct?"
"Yes," I replied nervously Monica then took my foot and slipped on a
footsie before putting the shoe onto my left foot and then repeated for
my right.
"So? How do they feel?"
"Comfy, a bit like School shoes but with a higher heel."
"Well stand up and try walking." I got up and tried to walk but it felt
a little weird as having worn trainers for so long I didn't know how to
adjust my posture or gait to accommodate the heels. Monica chuckled a
little.
"Oh my dear you are a newbie at this aren't you, stand a little more
erect and try not to bend forwards, yes like that and put your heel down
first, yes that's it well done, with a little practice you'll be in
stiletto's in no time."
When I left the shop with Silvia sometime later her mood seemed to have
darkened a little but she was very happy with Monica for getting me to
accept a pair of heels, Silvia and Monica had talked in the back shop
for a few minutes before we'd left and I could hear my name being
mentioned but not much else I wondered what they had been saying.
In the car on the way back to Silvia's shop She said. "I will be away
from the shop tomorrow and possibly the day after too can you look after
it for me please?"
"Me, are you sure?"
"Yes Leah I am. Just take orders and if you feel up to it you can do
some simple arrangements, you are a capable girl and I know that you
won't let me down."
"Thank you, Silvia, I won't."
Chapter 06 Most Foul, Murdered.
That evening as Leah sat down to her tea with her mum in front of the
Television.
"I'm working all day tomorrow at the flower shop mum." Her mum turned to
her.
"I don't know why you are bothering Leah, that old witch hardly pays you
anything you'd honestly be better off staying on benefits."
"I enjoy it mum and she's not a witch."
"Norris at the off license says he's seen her running along by the river
at night naked."
"Mum he didn't, he said barefoot."
"Same thing."
Leah did not like the way her mum twisted the truth sometimes, so she
picked up the remote and turned up the volume on the TV in the hope that
her mum would stop talking to her.
When the news came on the headlines were all about an MP who had been
acquitted of all charges relating to his involvement in the beating rape
and torture of a young model who was subsequently found dead.
"Look at that smug bastard Leah, he knows that he's gotten away with it
and he's rubbing everyone's faces in it."
Leah listened to the report and felt a little nauseated at the smug man
being interviewed.
"You know that several of the key witnesses withdrew their statements
and are now being prosecuted and that DNA evidence went missing, don't
you?" Leah turned to her mother.
"How do you know this mum? Oh don't tell me Norris at the offie told
you."
"Well yes, but he says that he has a friend who knows someone who's
Auntie..."
"Mum."
"Just saying that's all." Leah and her mum continued their meals in
silence.
Meanwhile...
A couple of bus stops away, upstairs from the Flower shop in her little
flat Silvanus prepared for a short business trip and carefully packed a
small wheeled suitcase with two changes of clothes some toiletries
makeup two very slim knives and a wig. She zipped up the suitcase and
then reopened the large brown envelope whose end had been sealed with a
waxed string wound around two thin cardboard ferrules she pulled out
several surveillance photographs and a note.
It read 'Terminate only target, you may disable ppo's' Silvanus then
pulled out a plastic name badge it read 'Josie Swan'. Silvanus read
carefully the attached cover story then took the paperwork with her into
her small bathroom and filled the sink with water Silvanus then took
each sheet of paper individually and placed it into the water in the
sink and watched as before her eyes the chemical impregnated paper
reacted with the water and the ink on each page dissolved leaving
several dark stained but now illegible soggy sheets of paper that she
then scrunched up into a small papier mache ball and dropped into the
waste bin.
Silvanus then removed all of her clothing and sat cross legged on her
bed for nearly two hours before finally laying down on top of the covers
and immediately falling asleep.
The next morning Silvanus left her little flat in darkness before dawn
and got into a Taxi. Within two hours she was sitting on a southbound
train looking out of the window at the countryside flashing past.
At just before eleven Silvanus left her seat and went towards the end of
the carriage with her small suitcase, she waited for a minute or two
until the toilet had been vacated and then entered.
Less than fifteen minutes later a woman dressed in a business suit came
out of the toilet, Silvanus smoothed down her pencil thin skirt and
buttoned up the dark suit jacket and made her way effortlessly along to
the next carriage in her 4" heels.
Silvanus found an unoccupied seat and sat down opposite another man in a
suit who tried desperately to ignore her but kept glancing her way,
mostly at her breasts.
Silvanus didn't have to endure the lecher's gaze for very long though as
her station was next.
Silvanus left the train and immediately headed over to the lockers where
she swapped her small suitcase for a larger one.
Silvanus took the new suitcase with her to the nearest toilet and
checked its contents before transferring the two long thin knives from
her shoulder bag into it.
Silvanus checked her wig and her makeup she smiled into the mirror by
the washbasins as she looked every inch the sales rep.
On leaving the station she got into a taxi to take her the small
distance to her hotel, Silvanus carefully placed her plastic name badge
onto her suit and sat back as the Taxi driver attempted to make the
short journey to her hotel longer.
As Silvanus entered the hotel she was met by a woman who was at least
ten years her junior but due to her makeup style and overuse looked to
be the same age if not older.
"Josie Swan? Smashing just go over to the sign in and registration desk.
Complimentary drinks will be served after the introduction videos, Any
questions? No? Good, have a good conference," said the greeter with all
of the sincerity of a cosmetic counter salesperson as she moved on to
the next delegate.
Silvanus sat through three presentations about profit and loss
management and a video about stress management before she was finally
allowed to leave the Conference suite.
'How on earth these people survive on a day to day basis is a mystery'
she thought to herself as she left the claustrophobic room.
"Hi, my name is Donald, you must be from the North regional branch,"
said a voice Silvanus turned to see a man in his late forties wearing a
dark grey suit that probably once fitted him.
"Oh hello there," replied Silvanus courteously.
"Are you new to the sales team?" asked the man.
"Yes you could say that, I'm just covering for Michelle whilst she's on
maternity."
"We are all going to abuse the hospitality budget later Josie, will you
be joining us."
Silvanus smiled and asked. "What time?"
"Oh after our evening meal and until the last man is standing if you
know what I mean?" Silvanus flicked Donald's tie and said in as sexy a
voice as she could muster.
"I'll see you later then Donald."
She then headed to the lobby area and found a seat out of the view of
the CCTV camera's and sat waiting.
Silvanus sat for nearly two hours before she noticed a large black car
pull up outside of the hotel, two men in black suits then got out of the
car followed by a third, Silvanus's target, she appraised the suits they
were obviously from special branch and assigned to protect her target
they were not to die she reminded herself, her target went over to the
reception desk where he demanded to see the manager and soon after was
escorted away to his room.
"That's the right honourable Martyn Dalrymple-Carruthers MP he's just
gotten away with murder," said the man sitting to the side of Silvanus.
"Really."
"Yes the slimy little toad managed to escape scot free and tomorrow
he'll be an inspirational speaker at the conference over there."
"And you are?" Silvanus asked
"Me I'm a reporter he's such a slime ball that even I've developed
scruples." Silvia laughed at his comment but could tell from his
expression that he was serious and that what he was saying was true.
Later in her room Silvanus was putting the finishing touches to her
makeup and then placed her wig back on her head and pinned it in place
for extra security, she then took a tube of lubricant and squeezed some
onto her finger, she then squatted and applied it to her vagina ensuring
that she was well lubricated for this evenings activities. Silvanus then
pulled her panties back up and adjusted the seams of her stockings in
the mirror, she then took her little clutch bag and headed downstairs to
join the other alcohol fuelled delegates on the lounge.
Silvanus deliberately flirted with several men during the early evening
and as the night wore on she even danced with a couple but her target
for this evening was the man she'd met earlier; Donald was his name and
he was going to be her alibi for this evenings activity.
Donald just couldn't believe his luck when he was approached by the
woman he'd met earlier. Josie appeared to be slightly drunk and was
knocking back the white wine at some pace.
"Kiss me," she ordered as she swayed a little and then held onto him for
support. Donald was only too eager to kiss Josie and couldn't believe
his luck. It had been some time since he'd been with a woman and he was
going to take full advantage of it.
Josie and Donald found a quiet table and she guided his hand up under
her skirt.
"You're wearing stockings." Josie smiled.
"Yes, you like?"
"Oh boy yes I do."
"Kiss me."
Donald and Josie then spent the next several minutes kissing
frantically, Josie had been right Donald hadn't had sex for quite some
time and he was literally gagging for it, she squeezed his erect penis
through his trousers.
"Shall we go to my room?" Donald's eyes widened, and his mouth fell
open, but Josie simply got up and offered him her hand.
As Donald left the room there were several whistles and one or two lewd
comments, but Donald really couldn't have cared less.
Josie and Donald fell into her room still kissing they went straight
over to her bed and started to undress each other and within seconds he
was pawing at her breasts but Josie quickly took control and undid his
trousers and then slid his unappealing underwear down before taking his
semi erect penis in her hand and after gently massaging it for a few
seconds engulfed the entire penis with her mouth and lips.
It was all over within a minute or two for Donald, Josie looked up at
him with cum still dribbling from her lips.
"I hope that you will be able to perform again soon lover boy as you
haven't satisfied me yet?"
"I err." Donald was now worried as he had consumed several pints of
lager. Josie looked at him with mock understanding.
"Fear not as in here I have a little blue pill that should restore you
to full power in no time."
Donald looked relieved and took the offered pill. "So how long do these
take then?"
"Only a few minutes, I'll get us drinks." Donald immediately swallowed
the pill and removed the rest of his clothes then lay on the bed. Josie
returned a few seconds later with two small bottles from the small
fridge.
"Oh wow!" said Donald as he watched her come towards him only wearing
her stockings and heels, Donald took the offered bottle and swigged it
back whilst Josie guided his soft cock back into her mouth, within a
minute or two Donald was painfully hard, Josie then straddled him and
guided his cock into her waiting opening and gently bore down until he
started to enter her, Josie sighed contentedly as she allowed more and
more of Donald's cock to enter her until he was completely inside of
her.
Josie rode Donald and made the appropriate noises of satisfaction and
lust until the coating on the additional drug within the little blue
pill had dissolved and within seconds had taken effect and he lost
consciousness.
Josie then slowly extricated herself from her unconscious lover and went
over to the dressing table and quickly removed her wig then started to
roll her stockings down her legs.
It was not Josie nor was it Silvanus that left the hotel room several
minutes later and entered the service staircase at the rear of the hotel
as Silvanus was now dressed in several layers of old and moderately
smelly clothing and looked every inch a homeless woman.
She avoided all of the hotel's CCTV cameras and eventually came out of a
rear fire exit after disabling the alarm system that would have warned
the reception desk of unauthorised egress from the building.
The old female tramp then made herself comfortable behind two large
commercial wheeled bins and a load of crushed cardboard boxes.
Silvanus after a couple of minutes then started to take out some of the
more powerful lights in the loading area with a small air pistol powered
by a compressed gas cylinder until the loading area was in near total
darkness.
She looked at her watch 22:37, 'just a few more minutes' she thought to
herself.
At 23:02 several police sirens could be heard in the distance.
"Hmm someone must have sent an anonymous tip off to the police about
illegal drug use," it took only three more minutes before the rear doors
to the kitchen area burst open and two burley men dressed in suits
bundled another man out of the door.
"The car will be here shortly, don't worry sir we'll get you away."
"You'd better I can't afford to get involved in another scandal."
Silvanus got up from her position covered in cardboard boxes and
staggered over towards the three men.
"Can you afford a Quid for a cuppa mate?" she asked as she got closer.
One of the burley men came forward.
"Look Missus," Was all he managed to say before Silvanus rolled down
onto the ground and as she went past the first man she slashed both his
Achilles tendons with one of her razor sharp thin knives and before he
could react she was up on her feet and had throat punched the second
man, he turned to retaliate but received a sharp blow to his neck
rendering him unconscious, Silvanus then quickly returned to the first
man lying on the ground and before he could release his pistol from its
holster she'd rendered him unconscious also.
Silvanus then walked towards the third terrified man, the right
honourable Martyn Dalrymple-Carruthers MP and stabbed him the full
length of her blade just beneath the rib cage.
"Weasel words and a good barrister cannot save you now my friend." He
looked down in disbelief at the tiny hole in his shirt and then up at
Silvia and without any apparent emotion Silvanus slashed at his neck
with her blade, she then simply turned and walked back towards the hotel
"May your next life be more worthy than this one."
As Silvanus re-entered the hotel through the same fire escape that she'd
exited by, she reactivated the door alarm and quickly and silently made
her way up the service staircase back to her room.
On entry she checked that Donald was still unconscious, he was and would
be for at least another hour she then removed her disguise and packed it
carefully into a hidden compartment within her suitcase and entered the
shower.
Twenty minutes later Silvanus had redressed and was just finishing her
makeup, she smiled at her reflection at her perfectly made up face and
then started to smear and smudge strategic parts of her eye makeup and
her lipstick, she pinned her wig back on and ruffled it into a more
dishevelled look and as a final touch she took out a tube of lubricant
and applied a large dollop to her fingers before slipping them up inside
her pussy re-lubricating herself.
Silvanus walked over to where Donald was sleeping; blissfully unaware as
to what had recently happened outside, his penis was still very erect,
so she straddled him and lowered herself back onto it. Taking a small
dropper from the bedside drawer she dripped two drops of the antidote to
the anaesthetic she'd used on him into his mouth and within seconds he
slowly started to regain consciousness.
As Donald regained consciousness he was firstly a little confused but on
seeing Josie above him with her breasts bouncing and riding him so
enthusiastically he just smiled synchronised his movement with hers and
thrust even harder into her.
Two minutes later Donald lay on his back he was exhausted, having just
come into Josie the sales rep from up North that he'd only just met that
afternoon, she had snuggled into him, with her breasts gently pushing
into his side and her arm draped over his chest, she appeared to be
dozing.
There was noise in the corridor outside their room and voices and then
two or three minutes later a knocking at the door.
Donald got up and covered himself as best he could and went to the door
and when he opened it there was a uniformed policeman standing waiting
and upon seeing Donald and his obvious erection smirked somewhat.
"Good evening sir, there has been an incident down stairs can you tell
me your whereabouts for the last hour and a half?"
"I, well you see..."
"Donny are you coming back to bed I want you inside me again," came a
female voice.
The policeman smirked once more.
"I've been here since leaving the bar earlier officer."
"Oh Donny I'm waiting for you to fill me up again with your man meat."
"I can see that you are busy sir, If I could just take your names I'll
leave you and your friend too it."
Josie kept Donald happy until the early hours of the morning and even at
breakfast she continued to flirt with him.
Josie was relieved to find that the conference had been cancelled and
even appeared shocked when she found out that there had been a murder at
the hotel the previous evening.
The police questioned everyone staying at the hotel and interviewed
Josie just after questioning Donald and appeared to already know what
she'd been up to, her interview lasted just over two minutes.
Within two hours Josie had become Silvanus once more and was heading
quickly North by train after changing into her normal clothing in the
trains toilet.
It was mid-afternoon when Silvanus was dropped off by taxi at the rear
of her premises, she quickly took her little suitcase up the rear stairs
and into her flat, stripped off and went straight into the shower where
she stayed for over an hour. When she'd finished showering she dried
quickly and without even putting underwear on slipped into the softest
peasant dress she could find, tied her hair back then left her little
flat by the front staircase and entered her shop where she found Lea
smiling and talking to a customer as she made a simple arrangement for
him.
Silvanus waited patiently whilst Leah completed serving her customer and
once he'd left She asked.
"Did you manage okay whilst I was gone?" Leah came over to her and
hugged her.
"Yes Silvia I've enjoyed every minute of it, thank you for trusting me."
Leah didn't realise it, but a hug was something that Silvanus craved
more than anything at that point, a simple hug.
Silvanus could feel herself becoming unusually emotional as this young
woman hugged her.
"If you would put the kettle on Leah you can tell me all about it," and
as Leah broke free of their hug Silvanus did not want her to see the
tears brimming in her eyes so she turned to look out of the shop window,
Leah went out back to make the tea as instructed whilst Silvanus quickly
dabbed the tears from her eyes.
Over the rest of the afternoon Leah talked enthusiastically about her
time running the shop with Silvanus smiling and nodding at her.
Chapter 07 Leah's Date.
All day Friday Leah was distracted, it was obvious to Silvanus that she
was fretting about her date with her young man.
"Leah why don't you finish early today so that you can get ready for
your date, I have your pay here." Silvanus passed Leah a small brown
envelope with several notes in it.
"Thank you Silvia I appreciate it," said Leah as she took the envelope
from her boss and friend ?I?ll see you tomorrow.?
?Remember not too much makeup, let him see your lovely skin.?
Leah smiled at her friend and left the shop.
It was at around seven in the evening when Leah got off the bus in town
to meet with Darren, in the shadows there were two eyes watching her
every movement from the time she left the bus stop to when she arrived
at the cinema Leah had taken Silvanus's advice and not worn lots of
makeup she was not however wearing a skirt opting instead for jeans,
Leah walked cautiously in her new heels and looked to be very nervous.
After a few minutes waiting a car pulled up near to the cinema, it was
driven by an older woman, a young man got out and waved over towards
Leah, Leah's face brightened on seeing the young man who immediately
crossed the road and joined her.
He seemed to be smiling as they walked into the cinema together.
It was after Eleven at night when Leah and Darren were observed leaving
the cinema together Leah was holding his hand and they were both smiling
as they chatted animatedly about something.
The young couple headed off together towards a bus stop and both got
onto a bus heading towards Leah's estate.
As they exited the bus they were still talking and smiling and were
oblivious of the world around them as they headed past the shops and
towards Leah's house without paying attention to the gang of youths on
the other side of the road intent on destroying the newly refurbished
bus stop.
Leah and Darren both stopped at her gate and exchanged a few words
before Darren hesitantly kissed Leah on the cheek they held hands for
several more seconds looking into each other?s eyes before Leah finally
turned and headed towards her house. Darren turned and headed back the
way he had come back towards the bus stop, he was smiling broadly.
Leah was observed entering her house safely, Darren then left Leah with
a spring in his step and headed back towards the bus stop.
The young thugs watched Darren as he came towards them but did nothing
as another couple had appeared in the street from a house they'd been
visiting and joined him at the bus stop.
Silvanus had to wait until the next afternoon before hearing about
Leah's date with Darren, she beamed as she talked about the film and how
she'd felt when Darren held her hand during a scary part of the film,
Silvanus quickly realised that Leah was smitten by this young man and
that she was a lot more innocent and vulnerable than her initial
appraisal of her young friend.
Leah's eyes positively glistened when she talked about Darren kissing
her on the cheek and asking if they could go out again.
?And?? Asked Silvanus with a genuine smile.
?I said yes.?
'Leah is completely unlike her mother and Sister' She thought to herself
as Leah hummed away to herself a few minutes later as she sorted this
morning?s deliveries.
Leah and Darren were observed from a distance on almost every one of
their dates until nearly four weeks later when after leaving Leah at her
front door, Darren was walking happily back towards the bus stop
following a lovely meal in town and another film.
This evening Darren's evening may not have had such a pleasant end as he
was heading towards trouble as the youth's that usually hung around the
bus stop and shops in the evening had noticed Darren walking back
towards them and tonight were lying in wait down a darkened service
alleyway between the betting shop and the newsagents.
?Scuse me boys coming through.?
?Uh what?? said one of the ruffians
?Scuse me? said an old lady dressed in what looked like rags who they
could barely see in the gloom
?It's just an old tramp, look fuck off we're busy,? said one of the
ruffians
?Oh sorry, I'll just be going then, if I could just get past? Said the
old lady as she pushed two of the young men aside.
?Watch it!? said one of the ruffians as he fell back over one of his
friends.
The old woman who was now in silhouette from the street lights behind
her turned and faced the young men in the alley.
?I hope that you were not thinking of ambushing that young man and
taking his money, because if you were you would have to get past me
first.? There was a second or two of laughter before the first ruffian
unwisely tried to get past the old homeless woman.
?Oh no you don't.? She said as she grabbed him, and she turned and
accelerated him into the metal shutters of the Betting shops side
window.
Another of the young men rushed forward only to be stopped dead in his
tracks as his legs completely gave way and he crumpled to the ground in
agony after the old tramp lady hit him on a pressure point near his
spine.
?Now listen to me very carefully, that young man is off limits.?
?Screw youooof,? one of the youths started to say before being winded by
a very short sharp blow to his chest.
?Do we understand each other? He is to be left unharmed.? There were
several mutterings and then the old lady said. ?Off you go then, I?m
sure that you have school or something to go to tomorrow.?
The ruffians picked each other up and left by the rear alleyway not
wanting to go anywhere near the old madwoman blocking their path.
As Darren passed less than a minute later he was totally unaware that
his evening had been saved.
Chapter 08 Leah Grows as A Person.
Silvanus couldn?t help but smile when Leah came to work as she nearly
always had the look of a young woman in love about her and talked
enthusiastically about her time spent with Darren.
One morning during one of their tea breaks Silvanus mentioned tactfully,
?Are you and your boyfriend getting on well??
?Oh yes Silvia we have a wonderful time when we are out.?
?And have you introduced him to your family yet?? Leah frowned
?No not yet I don?t want to scare him away, we aren't exactly a model
family, are we??
Silvanus smiled and nodded ?Besides the only person in the house
nowadays apart from me is my mum and she's very rarely sober and the
house stinks of smoke.?
?I thought that you had a brother too, or did I imagine it?? Immediately
Leah's face changed.
?Oh Joseph, we don't talk about him he left home just after I started
secondary school.?
?Don't you keep in touch then??
?No,? Leah paused and thought carefully about what to say next as her
mind broke through several years of parental and sibling negative
brainwashing about her brother.
?I do miss him though, he was the best big brother but after he got sent
away to live with Dad after the fight that cost him his front teeth I
wasn't allowed to talk about him anymore.?
Leah was not comfortable talking about her brother and Silvanus could
tell.
?I'm sorry Leah I'm just a nosy old cow.? Leah took the old teapot and
topped up her cup, she looked a little unsure how to proceed with this
conversation and sipped at her tea for a while before saying.
?He was thrown out by my dad in Scotland for doing something nasty
Silvanus, but my mum won't talk about it, he even called on us oh three
or four years ago maybe longer, but we were all out, so we missed him, I
don't think he's been back since.?
?Didn't he leave a contact address??
?Um,? Silvanus raised her eyebrow at her young friend. ?Um he actually
left a note for us, but my mum tore it up and put it in the bin.?
?Oh that is a shame Leah.?
Leah's face then brightened a little. ?I rescued it.?
?Really??
?Yes I just wanted to see what he had to say.?
?And?? asked Silvanus in anticipation.
It was at this point that the front door opened and the little bell
above it started to tinkle.
?Ah Mr Black I have your arrangement ready for you,? said Silvanus.
A little later in the afternoon Leah hesitantly approached Silvanus.
?Can I ask you a question Silvia??
?Of course you can Leah, you can ask me anything.?
?Do I smell??
?In what way??
?Do I still smell of smoke??
?A little Leah but I think it's mostly just your clothing.?
?From the smoke in our house, I thought so.?
?I don't mind the smell too much Leah but if you want you can always
keep some clean clothing up in my spare room to change into when you are
here.?
?Thank you for your offer Silvia but I'm more worried about scaring away
Darren with my smoky clothing I've told him that I have nearly stopped
smoking, but I don't think he really believes me.? Silvanus could tell
that this had been praying on her young friends? mind.
?Oh Leah your boyfriend seems to me to be a lovely young man, I'm sure
that he understands that you live in a house whe