matter how much she protested, told him that it was all an act thattheir mother dropped when he wasn’t around, Robin didn’t seem to believe her.
All Jenny thought about now was getting out of this house, and she was counting the days to the end of term. Tomorrow, on her birthday, she had planned to tell her parents that she was leaving home – that she and Tina were going to look for a flat together as soon as they left school. She had been worried about her father’s reaction, but wasn’t worried any longer. He wouldn’t care. Once again Jenny was swamped with a familiar feeling, one of loneliness, of something missing in her life. She was alone, without real parents, or anyone else who cared about her.
But wait, she did have someone; she had Tina, who saw them as sisters, and at this thought Jenny came to a swift decision. Of course, she would have to speak to Tina, but she doubted her friend would take any persuasion. Only moments later Jenny went downstairs, saying shortly as she poked her head into the drawing room, ‘I’m going out for a walk.’
She didn’t wait for a response before heading outside. So intent was she on speaking to Tina that her face was gleaming with perspiration by the time she reached Princes Way.
As Jenny entered the block of flats she hoped that Tina’s father was away, the thought of even looking at the man making her stomach churn. She took the lift to the fifth floor and, fingers crossed, shestepped out to knock on Tina’s door. She was thankful that it was her friend who opened it.
‘Tina, can you come out for a while?’
‘You look all hot and bothered. What’s wrong?’
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘Come on in,’ Tina offered.
‘No, we need to be on our own.’
‘Oh, right. Hang on then. I’ll just grab my shoes.’
‘Tina! Who’s that at the door?’
‘It’s Jenny. We’re just going out for a while, Mum,’ Tina called back. She winked, disappeared for a moment, and then reappeared, hopping on one foot as she put on her other shoe. ‘Right, let’s go.’
Jenny said nothing until the lift doors closed behind them, and then drew in a deep breath. ‘Tina, instead of waiting, I want to leave home now.’
‘What! Blimey, we’ve still got a week till the end of term. What’s brought this on?’
‘I’ve just had enough. You were sixteen last week, and as it’s my birthday tomorrow I can’t see the school kicking up a fuss if we don’t go back.’
‘Yeah, I suppose you’re right. When do you want us to leave?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘Gawd, that soon?’ Tina said, as they stepped out of the lift, but then she grinned. ‘Yeah, well, as far as I’m concerned it couldn’t have come at a better time. My dad’s due home on Sunday and you know what that means.’
‘Oh Tina, yes, we’ve got to get you out of there. We could pack tonight and leave in the morning.’
‘Yeah, that could work. With the old man arriving, mum is sure to go out to get in a bit of shopping. I could sneak out then, but I won’t be able to say for sure what time it will be.’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll have to draw some money from my post office savings book, and after that I’ll wait for you in that café on the corner of the High Street.’
Tina linked arms with Jenny. ‘It all feels like a dream, and I can hardly believe we’re really leaving.’
‘Well we are. I just hope that when we get to Chelsea we’ll be able to find somewhere to stay.’
‘It’ll be a doddle,’ Tina said with assurance. ‘We just need to buy the local paper and there’s sure to be rooms advertised.’
‘Yes, but will they let us move in straightaway?’
‘I dunno, but fingers crossed. If the worst comes to the worst, I suppose there’s always a hotel.’
‘That would soon swallow up my savings,’ Jenny said worriedly.
‘Now you sound like you’re changing your mind.’
‘No, I’m not,’ Jenny insisted.
‘Thank goodness for that. It’ll be great, Jenny, you and
All Jenny thought about now was getting out of this house, and she was counting the days to the end of term. Tomorrow, on her birthday, she had planned to tell her parents that she was leaving home – that she and Tina were going to look for a flat together as soon as they left school. She had been worried about her father’s reaction, but wasn’t worried any longer. He wouldn’t care. Once again Jenny was swamped with a familiar feeling, one of loneliness, of something missing in her life. She was alone, without real parents, or anyone else who cared about her.
But wait, she did have someone; she had Tina, who saw them as sisters, and at this thought Jenny came to a swift decision. Of course, she would have to speak to Tina, but she doubted her friend would take any persuasion. Only moments later Jenny went downstairs, saying shortly as she poked her head into the drawing room, ‘I’m going out for a walk.’
She didn’t wait for a response before heading outside. So intent was she on speaking to Tina that her face was gleaming with perspiration by the time she reached Princes Way.
As Jenny entered the block of flats she hoped that Tina’s father was away, the thought of even looking at the man making her stomach churn. She took the lift to the fifth floor and, fingers crossed, shestepped out to knock on Tina’s door. She was thankful that it was her friend who opened it.
‘Tina, can you come out for a while?’
‘You look all hot and bothered. What’s wrong?’
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘Come on in,’ Tina offered.
‘No, we need to be on our own.’
‘Oh, right. Hang on then. I’ll just grab my shoes.’
‘Tina! Who’s that at the door?’
‘It’s Jenny. We’re just going out for a while, Mum,’ Tina called back. She winked, disappeared for a moment, and then reappeared, hopping on one foot as she put on her other shoe. ‘Right, let’s go.’
Jenny said nothing until the lift doors closed behind them, and then drew in a deep breath. ‘Tina, instead of waiting, I want to leave home now.’
‘What! Blimey, we’ve still got a week till the end of term. What’s brought this on?’
‘I’ve just had enough. You were sixteen last week, and as it’s my birthday tomorrow I can’t see the school kicking up a fuss if we don’t go back.’
‘Yeah, I suppose you’re right. When do you want us to leave?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘Gawd, that soon?’ Tina said, as they stepped out of the lift, but then she grinned. ‘Yeah, well, as far as I’m concerned it couldn’t have come at a better time. My dad’s due home on Sunday and you know what that means.’
‘Oh Tina, yes, we’ve got to get you out of there. We could pack tonight and leave in the morning.’
‘Yeah, that could work. With the old man arriving, mum is sure to go out to get in a bit of shopping. I could sneak out then, but I won’t be able to say for sure what time it will be.’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll have to draw some money from my post office savings book, and after that I’ll wait for you in that café on the corner of the High Street.’
Tina linked arms with Jenny. ‘It all feels like a dream, and I can hardly believe we’re really leaving.’
‘Well we are. I just hope that when we get to Chelsea we’ll be able to find somewhere to stay.’
‘It’ll be a doddle,’ Tina said with assurance. ‘We just need to buy the local paper and there’s sure to be rooms advertised.’
‘Yes, but will they let us move in straightaway?’
‘I dunno, but fingers crossed. If the worst comes to the worst, I suppose there’s always a hotel.’
‘That would soon swallow up my savings,’ Jenny said worriedly.
‘Now you sound like you’re changing your mind.’
‘No, I’m not,’ Jenny insisted.
‘Thank goodness for that. It’ll be great, Jenny, you and
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